White balance question at DVinfo.net

Mike Moncrief · June 23rd, 2005, 04:46 PM

Hello,

I think i know what to do in this situation, but wanted to run it by the the DVInfo group to make sure.. I am shooting in a Stage like concert set-up.. Where the camera will be a good 40 yards back from the stage in the somewhat dark audience area.. And I want to make sure i get correct whit balance..The stage is light up by a grid.. So do i take my white balance card up to the stage edge, (under the stage lights) and do my white balance there?? Any suggestions?/

Thanks,
Mike Moncrief

Stephanie Wilson · June 23rd, 2005, 05:06 PM

Hi Mike,

If the stage is lit with instruments with colored gels, don't white balance. The colors from the stage lights will try and be recognized as 3200 white by your camera and will therefore not register at their true color. Go with the 3200 K preset.

Hopes this helps. Have fun.

Stephanie

Ash Greyson · June 23rd, 2005, 05:12 PM

Go with what looks good... in a creative environment true whites dont matter much and in a concert forget about it! If there is going to be vari-lights or even a decent rig with gels it wont matter. Generally you can WB to your outdoor setting and have some nice warm colors....

ash =o)

Stephanie Wilson · June 25th, 2005, 01:22 AM

Ash,

Your reply was very appropriate for you and I. But I was trying to advise a newbie. He may not yet be prepared to understand how a 5600K white balance will give him a warmer tone or have the experience to know how to "go with what looks good".

This is really not the place to show off about what you know but rather to show those who don't know.

Sincerely,

Stephanie

Ash Greyson · June 25th, 2005, 02:03 AM

LOL, how is telling him to experiment and do what looks good showing off? I think bringing in color temps is actually more intricate than just telling him to choose the outdoor setting...

What kind of concert is this? Will there some light design?

ash =o)

Stephanie Wilson · June 25th, 2005, 02:27 AM

Ash,

I'm very new to this forum stuff and I may have over stepped my bounds. Please accept my sincere apologies. I really never meant to question your advice; I just got carried away with the thrill of all the great feedback I was reading on this site and was moved to contribute my two cents worth.

This is not to say that I don't still stand by my advice, but I shouldn't have included the criticism. I'm still learning.....

Take care,
Stephanie

Pete Wilie · June 25th, 2005, 04:39 AM

If you have access to the stage prior to the concert, perhaps you can have the non-white lights turned off, and then do your manual white balance.

Ash Greyson · June 25th, 2005, 06:26 PM

No need to apologize! I dont get offended easy... how COULD you in this biz? I like when people help out each other, I cant stand the people who want to keep their settings a secret or their techniques a mystery....

ash =o)

Ron Evans · June 26th, 2005, 12:03 PM

Most important is to set the camera at a preset and not let it change the WB automatically. If you don't like the colour for any reason then you can adjust in editing. I would set at the indoor preset.

Ron Evans

Brent Warwick · June 26th, 2005, 01:10 PM

Every stage production I've shot in various theatres always white balances to 3200K - 3400K. Again, that's regardless of the theatre. Most of them use the same kind of lighting instruments and bulbs.

Owen Dawe · June 27th, 2005, 12:09 AM

I do as Pete Wilie does. White balance before the show with white lights only, before the colour comes up. We do a talk tv show here and always white balance on white light, then bring the colours up.

For your stage show even though the camera is way back in the dark it's what's on stage that matters. If you are well back you may need a large white sheet to white balance on. Zoom in, focus, then white balance on the sheet.

Greg Boston · June 27th, 2005, 12:54 AM

FWIW, in concert situations like this, I run my cam on 3200K because most stage lighting originates as tungsten or quartz halogen. This seems to give me the most 'realistic' look but not necessarily the most creative look. However, if it's a multicam, multi-brand shoot, might be better to have all cameras WB on a white stage object illuminated by white light only. Hopefully, that will help ease the color correction burden on the editor in post.

-gb-

June 23rd, 2005, 04:46 PM	#1
Mike Moncrief Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: orlando florida Posts: 426	White balance question Hello, I think i know what to do in this situation, but wanted to run it by the the DVInfo group to make sure.. I am shooting in a Stage like concert set-up.. Where the camera will be a good 40 yards back from the stage in the somewhat dark audience area.. And I want to make sure i get correct whit balance..The stage is light up by a grid.. So do i take my white balance card up to the stage edge, (under the stage lights) and do my white balance there?? Any suggestions?/ Thanks, Mike Moncrief __________________ Mike Moncrief mikemoncrief@gmail.com www.themikemoncrief.com

June 23rd, 2005, 05:06 PM	#2
Stephanie Wilson Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sherman Oaks CA Posts: 255	White Balance Question Hi Mike, If the stage is lit with instruments with colored gels, don't white balance. The colors from the stage lights will try and be recognized as 3200 white by your camera and will therefore not register at their true color. Go with the 3200 K preset. Hopes this helps. Have fun. Stephanie

June 25th, 2005, 01:22 AM	#4
Stephanie Wilson Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sherman Oaks CA Posts: 255	White Balance Question Ash, Your reply was very appropriate for you and I. But I was trying to advise a newbie. He may not yet be prepared to understand how a 5600K white balance will give him a warmer tone or have the experience to know how to "go with what looks good". This is really not the place to show off about what you know but rather to show those who don't know. Sincerely, Stephanie

June 27th, 2005, 12:09 AM	#11
Owen Dawe Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Lake Tarawera, Rotorua, New Zealand Posts: 244	I do as Pete Wilie does. White balance before the show with white lights only, before the colour comes up. We do a talk tv show here and always white balance on white light, then bring the colours up. For your stage show even though the camera is way back in the dark it's what's on stage that matters. If you are well back you may need a large white sheet to white balance on. Zoom in, focus, then white balance on the sheet. __________________ Owen

June 23rd, 2005, 05:12 PM	#3
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	Go with what looks good... in a creative environment true whites dont matter much and in a concert forget about it! If there is going to be vari-lights or even a decent rig with gels it wont matter. Generally you can WB to your outdoor setting and have some nice warm colors.... ash =o)

June 25th, 2005, 02:03 AM	#5
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	LOL, how is telling him to experiment and do what looks good showing off? I think bringing in color temps is actually more intricate than just telling him to choose the outdoor setting... What kind of concert is this? Will there some light design? ash =o)

June 25th, 2005, 02:27 AM	#6
Stephanie Wilson Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sherman Oaks CA Posts: 255	Ash, I'm very new to this forum stuff and I may have over stepped my bounds. Please accept my sincere apologies. I really never meant to question your advice; I just got carried away with the thrill of all the great feedback I was reading on this site and was moved to contribute my two cents worth. This is not to say that I don't still stand by my advice, but I shouldn't have included the criticism. I'm still learning..... Take care, Stephanie

June 25th, 2005, 04:39 AM	#7
Pete Wilie Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 331	If you have access to the stage prior to the concert, perhaps you can have the non-white lights turned off, and then do your manual white balance.

June 25th, 2005, 06:26 PM	#8
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	No need to apologize! I dont get offended easy... how COULD you in this biz? I like when people help out each other, I cant stand the people who want to keep their settings a secret or their techniques a mystery.... ash =o)

June 26th, 2005, 12:03 PM	#9
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	Most important is to set the camera at a preset and not let it change the WB automatically. If you don't like the colour for any reason then you can adjust in editing. I would set at the indoor preset. Ron Evans

June 26th, 2005, 01:10 PM	#10
Brent Warwick Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 36	Every stage production I've shot in various theatres always white balances to 3200K - 3400K. Again, that's regardless of the theatre. Most of them use the same kind of lighting instruments and bulbs.

June 27th, 2005, 12:54 AM	#12
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	FWIW, in concert situations like this, I run my cam on 3200K because most stage lighting originates as tungsten or quartz halogen. This seems to give me the most 'realistic' look but not necessarily the most creative look. However, if it's a multicam, multi-brand shoot, might be better to have all cameras WB on a white stage object illuminated by white light only. Hopefully, that will help ease the color correction burden on the editor in post. -gb-