Recording on the road
 

Hello,

I'm looking for some tips on recording events on the road and quickly producing a finished DVD on site? I want to use multiple cameras where all of the cutting is done while the event is being recorded. I then want to be able to take this master and quickly create copies to be sold at the event. I'm looking for ideas on the best equipment (i.e. software, computer, printer, dvd duplicator, etc.) setup to do this?

Thanks,
Troy

Since there are dozens if not hundreds of video companies doing this every day for seminars all across the USA, it isn't hard to find the expertise.

I'd recommend that you hire on to one of them in your area for a few years and learn what the business is like.

It's not particularly easy. It requires a reasonably substantial capital outlay. It requires solid technical skills - plus, since it's impossible to do all of what you're discussing as a sole practitioner, your success or failure over time also depends on your ability to hire and keep a rolling roster of competent technical help that can both get the tasks themselves done - but not cost you so much that your labor costs eat up your profits.

Like most other business endeavors - the equipment is a relatively minor part of the process.

There are lots and lots of brands and models of gear that can do this quite easily and purchasing brand X over brand Y is NOT going to be much of a factor in determining whether you succeed.

My 2 cents anyway.

The other thing that always annoyed me when I started offering this was that the person cutting the cameras becomes the key op, and the cameras just do what they are told, as the only person with the entire picture is not them! If you've worked primarily as the key person, on camera duty, making all the necessary decisions there and then, using your knowledge and skill - then trusting others is difficult, and stressful. I started doing the cutting, usually in a vehicle, or sometimes a store room, or other out of the way dark place, and got frustrated with the cameras not doing what I would have done. Some 'junior' cameramen think they know best, and ignore your request for a GO WIDE, and stick with the action, wrecking what you wanted to do. So if you do attempt it yourself, you need at least three really good people, for a three camera shoot, with perhaps a trainee on camera 3.

The budget to set-up is also amazing! Just check out how much old camera cable goes for on eBay. Add the cost of comms, the switcher and extra monitors and what you have to charge goes up by (in my case) a factor of at least 10.