shooting a rock concert
 

Hi guys i was wondering to get your suggestions on how 2 shoot a concert with 2 z1 hdv camcorders.
The audio will be recorded from the mixer so we'll have the good onr to edit,there's no need to cop it through xlr cables.
One camera will be on the tripod and the other one will be on the stage between the singers and the crowd.
What about suggestions on the focus from the one that will be set on the tripod?
That camera won't stay in Wide all the time but should close on the singers one on a while....Do u suggest me to use the infinity button or the automstic button when i'm not sure of the focus?
I don't have any monitor with me....
I know that at least there should be 3 camcorders.
Thanks a lot guys

HD and low light = decent camera op required! Auto focus will be without doubt, useless. From the back of the venue, then if you pick a subject mid stage, then upstage and downstage might be within acceptable focus when zoomed in, but frankly, I doubt it. So you'll have to track focus as subjects vary their distance. The one on stage, which will probably spend it's time mainly wide, may not be quite so tricky, but in low light, depth of field is a problem. On top of that, if lights change colour and flash, autofocus has very little to lock onto - by the time it decides it is in focus, the light has changed, or the talent has moved, or you've had to reframe on another area of interest. Manual is the only way for sharp images on stage, and needs really good ops.

I second manual focus.

its not easy, but practise makes perfect.

I assume you're gonna be manning the crowd camera. That wouldn't be an easy job too. There are lots of things that can go wrong there.e.g. camera is too low looking up, tight spaces, camera shake, etc.

the widey should make sure he's got pretty much a smooth coverage of everything since you're only got two cams. so ask him to watch out about those zoom rockers/rings cause you don't want any nasty zoom when he's trying to reframe his shot and zoom back and forth.

should be fun though!

Santo