DV Info Net - Public Attention When Shooting on A1

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My XH-A1 gets a lot of attention from me. I've had 3 prior camcorders, but this is the first one that I will (almost daily) take out of its bag and admire. I've had the camera for 6 months now too so it's a fairly serious relationship at this point.

Today I didn't have a great day, but after 10 seconds of holding my XH-"Steaksauce" in my hands I was right as rain.

Every time when I´m filming in the City (Germany, Munich) with my XH-A1 +Tripod, I get 80% of the time questions like "Where will it wo shown/broadcasted?". I always say "YouTube.com and VIMEO.com". Love the look on their faces ;-)

I'm about to take delivery of an A1 next week- it's been a lengthy process of deliberation, because out here in Springbok-land an A1 costs as much as a good overseas holiday. I took the liberty of going to another dealer in another town and chatting about prices, and pawing the A1 they were offering, rather lustfully! (I'm ashamed to confess I was also looking at some competitive offerings from other brands, but of course you'd understand!)
By the time I had found out what it costs to buy an A1 from these guys, I'd had two charming women initiate conversations with me, and the impression I get is that the overall effect of being seen with A1 is rather like driving a red Italian sportscar: one gets noticed by all the right sorts of people!

FWIW I wish my XHA1 was invisible......

Far too often i get too much attention when shooting in public with the XHA1, particularly when it's set up on a tripod and has either my WD-H72 wide angle adapter on it or my Letus Extreme. People galk and stare, many people come up to ask questions about what television station I'm shooting for and on at least 2 occasions I have been asked by security to move along. In the cases of security persons, one was on a sidewalk outside a financial building. I was not shooting the building but rather across the street at clouds moving on a mirrored office building to use as a timelapse...I was asked what I was doing and asked to leave. The other was on a sidewalk shooting closeups of chemical plant stacks. A worker driving by stopped and said I should move along as security persons will detain me and have me charged by police for tresspassing. In both cases I could likely argue my right to shot from public spaces but I do not see the value in taking a chance when I could stand to have issues that could result in loss of thousands of dollars of video equipment.

Conversely there are times when it can be beneficial. I have been able to do shoots from many non-typical locations such as free use of a bar for shooting a music video, walking tours with national park employees and often meet and talk with people that otherwise would likely never happen. There are also some very amusing reactions from people but generally it tends to be curiousity.

It's always something when going out in public with such a visible camera and for a majority of what I do (stock footage mainly) I would love to do it as nochalantly as possible.

All the best,
James Hooey

Such is the Italian way. I sent my son to Italy as a graduation gift from college. His video is nothing short of remarkable!!

Luigi Antonio Bruno

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Marker (Post 981063)

I spent 3 days in a small town Scapoli, Molise in Southern Italy filming a music festival and was asked at least 15 times what TV station I was with. I had two condenser mics mounted on top of the A1 and it looked somewhat like the star treck enterprise. I looked more professional than the guys from RAI.

In the town of San Gregorio Magno, Campania a lamb was slaughtered and a fest was given in my honor. I can still taste the hand made ravioli. I was personally escorted everywhere by the town's former chief of police who got so involved with the project that he started directing shots and subjects as if they were actors! (ok he's my cousin's husband).

In Catanzaro, Calabria people started coming out of the woodwork to be a part of the production. I finally had to tell my friends I was done and that I couldn't film everyone Southern Italy.

In Adrano, Sicily, Trying to film one poem turned into a group of Sicilian poets beginning an impromptu competition for the camera as to who could display the most prolific oration in Sicilian dialect. One of the poems was 20 minuets long.

In Catania, a beautiful Sicilian madonna accompanied me to film b-roll in the fish market (well ok, we were dating).

In 5 weeks I never had to purchase a single meal or wash my own clothes. Someone's wife always took care of me. I was offered copious amounts of home made wine, cheese and Salami. I was escorted everywhere. You would have thought I was the pope. At one point I was "kidnapped" by one of my hosts and forced to endure a tour of Salerno when I really wanted to be out shooting b-roll. A tall American (who speaks italian) with a video camera is a big deal in Southern Italy.

I work for my local Sheriff's Department making training videos and the like. We have a pair of A1's and a bunch of nice equipment to go along with them.

When I shoot by myself (exteriors and whatnot) people do ask what station I'm filming for quite often, but what's more amusing is to be riding with a deputy and get out of the car with him or her. Everyone thinks they're going to be on "Cops," and hams it up.

I recently was taking footage of a local fair with the A1 and everyone wanted to know what channel I was from. I was shooting pictures of a steam engine that was cordoned off, and they insisted I come into the "danger zone" (and it was horrifically dangerous) to get better shots.

Gotta love it when the appearance of the camera allows you better access!

Back in 2000 when I was a senior in high school I went to an Al Gore rally in Kansas City and brought my old Canon AE1 35mm SLR camera with a big telephoto lens on it. I think I lied and told someone I was with my school newspaper and they let me up in the press booth which was a stage set up above the crowd for the journalists and photographers. I was with all the guys from the KC Star who had super expensive Digital SLR's which were a new thing back then (they were all shooting Nikon then). After the rally I got to go in the press tent and eat a free meal. I remember seeing Robert Novak from CNN. Anyway, as an 18 year old it was a lot of fun and it was all because I had a "professional" looking camera around my neck. :)

I taped a kid's birthday party using my A1. With the A1 I got a lot more room to get better shots than if I had had my Sony HC20 since people gave me more leeway. I even had people ask for my card. The video turned out great and hopefully I will do a few more parties.