A PC in the field?
 

Hi,
I have heard of several people carrying a PC (laptop and occasionaly desktop) into the field with them when they shoot.
1. Why would they do this?
2. What are the advantages?
3. Do you do it and why/why not?
Thanks, I was wondering because I didn't really see any advantages to it, but if I am missing somthing, then I will start lugging my 19 pound PC around with me when I shoot. (OK so maybe not...)

Thanks for your input!

If you're the director, you can access storyboards and your script, and make notes digitally. A laptop is no heavier than a big production binder these days. New Tablet PCs are even thinner and lighter and easier to deal with.

If you're the writer, you can make on-the-spot script changes and print up new pages for the actors right away. Nothing makes an actor feel confident and secure like tossing out all his lines the day of the shoot.

If you're the cinematographer, you can run sun arc simulation software to determine how much light there will be and where it will be coming from. Shooting on film? Most cinematographers have databases of films stock exposure curve data sheets saved to their hard drives, so that they know what they will be dealing with.

If you're the producer, you can access your database of contact information to find a new First AC because you just fired the old one when he refused to drive an overloaded grip truck.

If you're the line producer or unit production manager, you can make last minute changes to the call sheets for the next day, and print them out in the afternoon, along with maps on how to get to the next day's location, to hand out to the crew. This will insure that everyone's call sheets aren't inaccurate just because tomorrow's location fell through during today's shoot.

If you're the editor and you have video feed, you can cut together a scene to check for continuity before striking the setup and moving to the next location. (Big money saver here.)

If you're the underpaid electrician, and you have an 802.11b card, you can day trade between setups and kiss this crappy job goodbye as soon as the economy recovers.

If you're the audio engineer, you can record backup audio directly to your hard drive, but more likely, you can yell at everybody who brought their computers because every one of them is making a different high pitched whine that you're going to have to EQ out later.

If you're the AD, you can use the AC adapter cord to whip the rest of the crew into faster setups.

Thanks Robert!

I sometimes use my laptop to record the DV stream directly
to harddisk instead of tape. Not much on location though, much
more indoor.