When I'm shooting events with my GL1, I tend to get a lot of John-Q.-Public-types who ask me if I'm "takin' pitchurs." First of all, this is a ridiculously stupid question to ask a man who's running a camera. Second, is it really that hard to tell the difference between a video camera and a still camera?

Invariably, when I inform these people that I am in fact shooting video footage, they act surprised.

There are obviously many more interesting things than this that we could be discussing, but the whole thing just strikes me as being really bizarre. I am wondering if anyone else runs into this, or if my neck of the woods is just especially populated by bucktoothed imbeciles.

Feel free to post your own stories of public thickheadedness.

Perhaps they are interested in what you are doing and are trying to find a way
to get a conversation started? I'm always interested in watching crews shoot
something and am always wondering how best to approach a friendly chat with
people who are obviously busy.

My favorites, are the ones who *see* you shooting something, yet still walk right in front of you... their eyes on the camera the whole time. Maybe they duck down 2 inches, and give you the "Sorry" face and shoulder shrug.

When I got married, it was in a public garden with a long path leading from a pond up to this pergola (http://www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/images/popup_photo_pergola.jpg). The area is cordoned off from the public for the ceremony. Our guests sat in the pergola and we walked up the path at the start. An couple in their late 60s - him smoking a big, fat cigar - ignored the signs, the smartly-dressed people and an obvious bride and groom. About half-way into our procession up the path, they cut right across in front of us - literally about 10 feet away. I remarked "Thank you for being a part of our special day!" - I think the sarcasm was completely lost on them.

I'm thinking, we need specially trained dogs to help us. When somebody is about to walk into a shot, you can release the hounds, and they will quickly carry off the offending citizen... Maybe Dingos, they don't bark.

Heh...every here those Bill Engvel "Here's Your Sign" jokes? Perfect opportunity :-D

Maybe they're all taking a daily dose of "Dufus Factor".

A couple of months ago I was set up above a valley and a couple of hundred feet from a country road. Maybe one vehicle every 15-30 minutes would pass. Then a 2-ton truck slowed down, pulled off and drove over near my location. Great. Well, nothing is happening at the moment so I stroll over to the truck, hoping to get this guy off onto the road again. I'll call him Clem Yokel.

Clem has the window down and is staring open-mouthed (are all these people mouth-breathers?) at my XL-2 rig which is set up on a tripod. He doesn't say anything so ask him, "how's it going?"

"Huh? What's that?" pointing to the XL-2.

I turn to look at it, as if seeing it for the first time, and tell Clem, "It's a video camera."

"What?" Apparently looking at something and listening are mutually-exclusive activities for Clem.

"A vee-dee-oh camera," I repeat.

"What does it do?" asks a dazed Clem, for whom events seem to be moving a little too quickly.

"I record video with it."

"Well, uh, what does it tell you?" asks Clem.

Now what is that supposed to mean? Recognizing all the hallmarks of a conversation as fruitful as nailing Jello to a tree, I changed the subject to his truck (he was carrying water, but sometimes he carries fertilizer) and eventually got him to leave.

I just can't suffer fools.

You best watch your step... just remember what happened to Ned Beatty!

Sure, it's one small step from: "hey, nice camera" to "you've got a pretty mouth."

Umm... that's pronounced "Purty".

Umm... that's pronounced "Purty".

Actually, it's pronounced "Puhrdee". :)

When I was getting my scuba certification a line of us would be walking down the beach fully rigged up.

More often than you'd expect, someone would stop and ask, "You guys going diving?"

Well, no. We're going hiking. This is our water and lunch on our backs.

Hey Doug,
Don't forget what happened to Dennis Weaver in the Movie "Duel"

Honestly, still camera design hasnt changed majorly except the first few digi-stills, and the Nikons ... most are tradtionally shaped. What bothers me is when people brag that their digital still can do video too. Yeah 640x480 30fps video (many times while a Sony D600 is on my shoulder) and that it's comparable with whatI put onto "that huge tape monster."

Hey the first time I saw a XL1, I was thrown. The old Canon L1's (8mm/Hi8 tape) were shaped like SLR's but built on the same concept of the XL (prosumer interchangeable lenses).

I dont see how people can confuse the two but I answer "Yes, the camera provides 1,080 lines of horizontal resolution while taping onto a compressed tape format known as DV50. It process the three primary colors, which are independentley processed and then combined when recorded onto tape."

...That alwas throws them for a loop.

I've often dreamed of attaching a super soaker to the bottom of my camera........... oh the dream.....

Actually, it's pronounced "Puhrdee". :)

Then what about Purdy, WA?

Doug, what road were you shooting from? I'm assuming Sumner Hwy?

Is this for stock footage?

You should hire snipers to standby and shoot anyone within the viewing range of your lense...

Oh! And on the bullets you can engrave personal messages that read things such as "Please don't enter the shot".

Perfect!

*Grabs phone and looks up local snipers*

Then what about Purdy, WA? Doug, what road were you shooting from? I'm assuming Sumner Hwy? Is this for stock footage?

I'll be heading through Purdy on the way for the 2th of July picnic at my mother's place in Belfair. No, not Sumner. This was off Road 22 NE, a couple of miles west of Marlin, WA, looking east over Crab Creek (one of the many Crab Creeks in this state) in Canniwai Valley from an altitude about 200' above it. You can see for several miles, there, all the way to Wilson Creek. I was hoping to tape a BNSF freight winding through the valley, but the last one went through just before I got there. Spent two or three aimless hours watching the sun go west (and increasingly "wrong", since I'd be panning into it) and enjoying fickle winds, and clouds of gnats. It was so quiet, though, that the gnats made a great buzzing. There is a pond at the foot of the ridge, with ducks, geese, and swarms of swallows. Stock footage.

You should hire snipers to standby and shoot anyone within the viewing range of your lense...

Oh! And on the bullets you can engrave personal messages that read things such as "Please don't enter the shot".

Perfect!

*Grabs phone and looks up local snipers*
I have a friend who makes knives and swords. I think I'll get him to make a pair of bayonettes for my bayonette mounts...

Hey Doug,

You explain the scenery like a documentary. I can picture the location in my mind.

Have you worked on any nature docs as well?

Also, what are some of the stock companies you work with? I know some of the people here are interested in some reliable stock companies.

I make my living shooting pro sports, stills, for the Associated Press - mostly the Tigers, Pistons, Lions etc - I can't count the times I'm asked " What stations do you shoot for?" So, it goes both ways.

I can never figure how they think the gear I'm using, with a 500mm f/4 lens attached, looks like a video camera.

Duane

When shooting at Disney World last month, I can't tell you how many people walked directly in front of me, holding an XL2 with two wireless recievers attached! Not exactly invisable! Also, had one lady walk up behind me and started asking me questions while I was shooting! Good thing I did not need the audio!

Like the Bill Engvel song, "Here's Your Sign!"

Mike

I've been thinking of carrying an air horn with me, so when someone is about to step in my shot I blast it at them... I think it would get their attention.

I like the super-soaker idea... although you'd probably get arrested these days.

I've had this same problem shooting with my old Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5 camera. EVERYONE stops to ask me questions about it, which doesn't necessarily bother me as I feel it's certainly a classical icon of photography of a different age that should be talked about.... it's just that ......I'm shooting.... can't they see that?

Try filming at a service station.I had a couple of scenes to shoot at a gas pump so I picked the quietest location whiich had two of its pumps situated a large distance from the pay kiosk.I did some daily checks and found it very rare people would stop and use these pumps,they always used the ones close to the kiosk.Well on the day I started shooting,you guest it, everyone came to use the two pumps that are normaly unused.One guy even parked a bus right near the camera and walked off leaving the engine running.
It must be the sight of a camera that attracts people.Maybe they see it as an oppertunaty to get on film, a chance to get thier two minutes of fame in life.Who knows,whatever it is, it makes the average Joe Blow behave like a complete moron.

Last time i was on the field and took a scene near trash cans for my movie. There inerrupted us some codger. He had lots of questions like:
Why we doing this, is it related towns upkeep(because of trashcans - lol), while we shoot around trashcans maybe we'll just take those idle bottles with us. After that he realized that in the scene was famous actress, which lived years ago on the same block with him. Ohhh! It took about 15min to get back onto track.

Its always fun to take a pro camera to Disney World! I just took my Panasonic AG-DVC 30 there and I got tons of people looking at me like I was crazy and I can't tell you how many times I got asked if I was working for Disney. Do I have a name tag on? NO! But its worth it when every one has their video camera out and your's is clearly the professional looking one, it makes other people feel shameful that this kid has a much nicer camera then them!

James

I know what you mean James. I took my HD100 on vacation to the Disney parks, and discovered two things... 1, people are just in awe over a big camera, and 2, that camera with AB batteries is heavy after a few hours! Overall, it was worthwhile, carting that unGodly bag with cam and gear around for a few days. The belly dancer in the Morroccan restarant really played up to my cam, and ignored everybody elses little palm cams :)

We were doing a scene at a park with 2 XL1s's and dialog between two picnicers on my feature. It was very busy and my microphone on my primary camera did a fantabulous job of cutting out all of the off-axis noise. It was a windy and busy day at the park, so I was amazed at how well it did. As I was watching through the footage on the second camera, I heard a conversation in the background captured through the wind with the on camera mic wondering if we were shooting a porn. Some people's kids. We also had a boater park right in our shot to stare at the camera...I yelled "cut" and "take 5, we have a boat parked in frame" and stared at the guy in the boat. It took him 5-10 minutes to realize nothing more was happening...he was about 20' away in the river...he definately heard me, just didn't understand...but as it's a public park , I had no right to ask him to move. :(

I know what you mean James. I took my HD100 on vacation to the Disney parks, and discovered two things... 1, people are just in awe over a big camera, and 2, that camera with AB batteries is heavy after a few hours! Overall, it was worthwhile, carting that unGodly bag with cam and gear around for a few days. The belly dancer in the Morroccan restarant really played up to my cam, and ignored everybody elses little palm cams :)

That must be heavy! I carry my camera in a lunch box (its also waterproof!) so its alot less obvious then a big camera bag! But that makes it worth while! It must also make some of the cast memebers think they might be in the next Disney commerical, I got some of the best preformances cause of my camera!

James

I did mention the belly dancer, didn't I? ;)

I did mention the belly dancer, didn't I? ;)

AHH, post Video!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe... :)

Here is a short clip of the belly dancer, as you requested...
www.video-alchemy.com/Sarina.wmv

Nice! More More!

The DVD is now for sale! Simply call 1-800-SHAKE IT ;)

The DVD is now for sale! Simply call 1-800-SHAKE IT ;)


Boo!

Mike