shooting music video, what format

[Andzei Matsukevits]

i have to shoot a music video for our local MTV(Baltic MTV). Our budged is big enaugh to rent a studio/equipment/lighting etc. I've been working with mini dv for 4-5 years, but i dont know anything about Beta, Digi Beta, DVCAM etc formats and cameras. Which one should i choose and which one will be best for the music video. 16mm and 35mm i leave out coz of no possibilities of proccesing in over here.

I've never been working with anything bigger that vx 2100, will i cope with e.g beta camera? What would be the biggest challange for me, focusing?

[Emre Safak]

No possibility of HD?

[Andzei Matsukevits]

there is, i dont know much about it, but i think its pointless. Because our tv channel dont support HD.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Andzei Matsukevits

there is, i dont know much about it, but i think its pointless. Because our tv channel dont support HD.

Music videos, indeed any videos, can end up with wider distribution than first expected. If you shoot HD you can distribute both SD and HD versions, now and in the future. But if you shoot SD, you're locked in to only that format for that piece permanently. Plan ahead.

[Andzei Matsukevits]

thanks for replies,

but what if i shoot in digi beta and keep the master file with full resolution, the quality should be good enaugh for every channel? Or u can't play regular footage(i mean, no hd) on high defenition tv channel?

what is sd btw?

thanks again

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Andzei Matsukevits

thanks for replies,

but what if i shoot in digi beta and keep the master file with full resolution, the quality should be good enaugh for every channel? Or u can't play regular footage(i mean, no hd) on high defenition tv channel?

what is sd btw?

thanks again

SD=Standard Definiton, plain old TV resolution in other words. And yes, you can play SD material on a HD TV. But it won't look any better than it does on a regular TV and channel.

[Andzei Matsukevits]

ok, i got it.

If i had to choose between two cameras/systems, which one should i get:

HDV: JVC HDV GY-HD101E
Degidal Beta: Sony DVW-790WSP

if digidal beta, will i have to rent a fallow focus, or i could manage without it?

[Benjamin Hill]

Originally Posted by Andzei Matsukevits

there is, i dont know much about it, but i think its pointless. Because our tv channel dont support HD.

Andzei, just because your TV channel doesn't support HD is no reason not to shoot on HD and down-rez your deliverable to SD. Steve is right by saying plan ahead.

By shooting on HD, you'll be starting with that much more detail in your image, so after all the down-rezzing and compression it will look better than if you had acquired from the same type of camera in SD.

Also, if you are mainly familiar with a VX2100 I highly recommend using the Panasonic HVX200. It shoots HD, overcrank/undercrank, is easy to use and is already very popular for music videos for these reasons.

That way you can focus on making a good video, whereas if you rent a DigiBeta package it will be a whole different beast to learn.

The advantages of a big expensive camera like a DigiBeta will only be apparent if you are skilled with it- otherwise they are very unforgiving! (that's why I use the HVX)

[Don Donatello]

i don't see very many "interlace" music video's on MTV ..
unless your group likes the interlace video thing i would NOT shoot with digibeta camera ...
shoot a PROGRESSIVE camera like the panasonic SDX 900 or HD Varicam 27 ...

[Andzei Matsukevits]

i was planning to shoot in progressive mode anyway...

but there is no way i could rent a HD camera, there is no hd cams available in our country...

there is possibility to rent HDV one though...
i heard that HDV is much worst than HD, is it true?

i called some companies and they said that they dont rent digi beta cam's without their own operator. So now, im considering using XDCAM and shooting 24p.