What Did Santa Bring You?

Ken Tanaka · December 29th, 2002, 07:58 PM

Hello Lorinda,
I've not had much experience with chromakey production work so I can't really offer much guidance for using your new meter in that regard. Measuring reflected luminance from a chroma background sounds useful. But effectively replacing the chroma color with an alpha channel in post relies mainly on eliminating shades and shadows which would be readily apparent to your eye during production.

As noted in other threads that you've probably already reviewed, a video camera is really a giant light meter. The predictive capabilities of separate light meters are largely superfluous in this realm; the electronic "film" of a video camera, the CCD block, continuously tells you how you're doing. I have a few books that remark on the usefulness of using a light meter on a video scene, but not very persuasively. In the end, tape is so inexpensive (when compared to film) that re-shooting with several exposures costs nothing in terms of media consumption.

Do you ever do any 35mm still film shooting? The meter would be handy there!

Hey, thanks for your congrats and Happy 2003 to you! I've never been to Idaho but it's squarely on my list of places to visit. Years ago I bought computers made by Micron. They always arrived in boxes proudly proclaiming their origins in Nampa.

Jeff Donald · December 29th, 2002, 08:36 PM

I've been to Nampa several times. On the outskirts of town are several silos that Prairie Falcons used to use to nest. I have hours of footage of the falcons flying and feeding their young.

But on to the matter at hand, light meters. If you do a lot of green screen work I would keep it and learn to use it. It helps to get the lighting very consistent. The meter can help you get it at least to 1/2 stop if not 1/3 stop difference. That could be time saving.

If you need to maintain a very consistent lighting ratio it can be helpful. For example you doing a series of interviews at different times and locations. You want the light on one side of the face to be 1 and 1/2 stops less than the other side. The meter would allow you to consistently achieve the same lighting ratios. That said, I almost never use them. My work doesn't require that type of accuracy anymore.

Jeff

Dylan Couper · December 29th, 2002, 10:16 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Ken Tanaka : Don't forget to use your -- ahem -- protection the next time you use that new gun. (I remember your painful story.) -->>>

I've never been shot in the jewels while playing actually. Unlike when you are filming, most of your body is behind cover 95% of the time. If you know how to play a bunker, you mostly just get shot in the face, or gun, which doesn't hurt. Sometimes the neck or arm. There, now I've sufficiently jinxed myself to get shot in the groin next time I go out. :)

Lorinda Norton · December 30th, 2002, 12:10 AM

Yep, Micron II lives just down the road from me; the mother of them all is in Boise.

If you ever do decide to visit Idaho, please let me know and I will roll out my best red carpet for you! I think you would be pleasantly surprised, and if you're into gorgeous white water and stuff like that, I could show you some places that would knock your socks off.

Thanks for your thoughts; I think the light meter will be going back to the store.

Lorinda Yamamoto-Norton

Whoa! I hadn't read Dylan's post before sending the above to Ken. Dylan, you were only 3 miles from my house!! And I'll think on the meter for a while longer. Thank you.

Oops again! That name should read Jeff (I think). Sorry, must be bedtime.

Takeshi Fukushima · December 30th, 2002, 08:15 AM

got a dvd box set of Akira Kurosawa.. oooh. along with "Dog town and z-boys."

Dylan Couper · December 30th, 2002, 11:28 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Lorinda Norton : Yep, Micron II lives just down the road from me; the mother of them all is in Boise.

Whoa! I hadn't read Dylan's post before sending the above to Ken. Dylan, you were only 3 miles from my house!! And I'll think on the meter for a while longer. Thank you.

Oops again! That name should read Jeff (I think). Sorry, must be bedtime. -->>>

Definitely Jeff, not me. I drove through Idaho once about 7 years ago, but only stopped to re-fill the gas tank. :)

December 29th, 2002, 07:58 PM	#16
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Hello Lorinda, I've not had much experience with chromakey production work so I can't really offer much guidance for using your new meter in that regard. Measuring reflected luminance from a chroma background sounds useful. But effectively replacing the chroma color with an alpha channel in post relies mainly on eliminating shades and shadows which would be readily apparent to your eye during production. As noted in other threads that you've probably already reviewed, a video camera is really a giant light meter. The predictive capabilities of separate light meters are largely superfluous in this realm; the electronic "film" of a video camera, the CCD block, continuously tells you how you're doing. I have a few books that remark on the usefulness of using a light meter on a video scene, but not very persuasively. In the end, tape is so inexpensive (when compared to film) that re-shooting with several exposures costs nothing in terms of media consumption. Do you ever do any 35mm still film shooting? The meter would be handy there! Hey, thanks for your congrats and Happy 2003 to you! I've never been to Idaho but it's squarely on my list of places to visit. Years ago I bought computers made by Micron. They always arrived in boxes proudly proclaiming their origins in Nampa. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

December 30th, 2002, 08:15 AM	#20
Takeshi Fukushima Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 86	Kurosawa got a dvd box set of Akira Kurosawa.. oooh. along with "Dog town and z-boys."

December 29th, 2002, 08:36 PM	#17
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I've been to Nampa several times. On the outskirts of town are several silos that Prairie Falcons used to use to nest. I have hours of footage of the falcons flying and feeding their young. But on to the matter at hand, light meters. If you do a lot of green screen work I would keep it and learn to use it. It helps to get the lighting very consistent. The meter can help you get it at least to 1/2 stop if not 1/3 stop difference. That could be time saving. If you need to maintain a very consistent lighting ratio it can be helpful. For example you doing a series of interviews at different times and locations. You want the light on one side of the face to be 1 and 1/2 stops less than the other side. The meter would allow you to consistently achieve the same lighting ratios. That said, I almost never use them. My work doesn't require that type of accuracy anymore. Jeff

December 29th, 2002, 10:16 PM	#18
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	<<<-- Originally posted by Ken Tanaka : Don't forget to use your -- ahem -- protection the next time you use that new gun. (I remember your painful story.) -->>> I've never been shot in the jewels while playing actually. Unlike when you are filming, most of your body is behind cover 95% of the time. If you know how to play a bunker, you mostly just get shot in the face, or gun, which doesn't hurt. Sometimes the neck or arm. There, now I've sufficiently jinxed myself to get shot in the groin next time I go out. :)

December 30th, 2002, 12:10 AM	#19
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Yep, Micron II lives just down the road from me; the mother of them all is in Boise. If you ever do decide to visit Idaho, please let me know and I will roll out my best red carpet for you! I think you would be pleasantly surprised, and if you're into gorgeous white water and stuff like that, I could show you some places that would knock your socks off. Thanks for your thoughts; I think the light meter will be going back to the store. Lorinda Yamamoto-Norton Whoa! I hadn't read Dylan's post before sending the above to Ken. Dylan, you were only 3 miles from my house!! And I'll think on the meter for a while longer. Thank you. Oops again! That name should read Jeff (I think). Sorry, must be bedtime.

December 30th, 2002, 11:28 AM	#21
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	<<<-- Originally posted by Lorinda Norton : Yep, Micron II lives just down the road from me; the mother of them all is in Boise. Whoa! I hadn't read Dylan's post before sending the above to Ken. Dylan, you were only 3 miles from my house!! And I'll think on the meter for a while longer. Thank you. Oops again! That name should read Jeff (I think). Sorry, must be bedtime. -->>> Definitely Jeff, not me. I drove through Idaho once about 7 years ago, but only stopped to re-fill the gas tank. :)