Studio Setup

Jump to Physical | Lighting | Camera

The basic shot for Bruce's Short is a Body shot against a saturated white background. This is made slightly more difficult than usual because Bruce will usually be wearing a white lab coat that needs to be correctly exposed.

1. The studio should be set up for a 3/4 shot with an infinite white background and at least 2 stops of over-exposure on the background to allow for Bruce wearing a white lab coat. This can be achieved with a white background or with chroma-key.
2. A Teleprompter is needed with either a speed control or someone to edit the speed and spacing of the words because Bruce won't remember his lines.
3. Preferred shooting format is 1080p50 at around 100Mbps or better.
4. Audio can be mono or stereo.
5. You are aiming for crushed white background with the entire lab coat visible.
   Something like this:

Physical Setup

Different studios will be arrange slightly differently. The basic setup for the small home studio is given above.

1. Equipment:
   • Position screen in corner of mantle piece.
   • Position lighting rig parallel to screen at 400mm.
   • Position tripod in door and set to maximum height.
   • Position table on centre line with edge at 900mm from screen.
   • Position actor lights either side of table (one at max height, one at eyeline).
2. Lighting:
   • Adjust all lighting rig lights to max color temp & max brightness.
   • Adjust actor lights to just above minimum setting.
3. Vignetting:
   • Check viewfinder for black / dark corners - adjust camera / lights.
4. Exposure:
   • Turn on 95% zebra ensure background blown out but not lab coat.
5. Sound:
   • Ensure stereo being received.
6. Shot review:
   • Shoot 10s clip and load into premiere.

Lighting setup for GHQ

1. Set up lighting as previously stated
   • Turn off all lights on Bruce so that just the background lights remain.
2. Take a light meter reading of the background
   • Remember to take all your light readings at the same distance away from the subject each time in order to get an accurate result for comparison.
   • This should be about 100.
3. Take the second light meter reading
   • Turn off all background lights and turn on just those aimed at Bruce.
   • The second reading should be between 25-50 (lower enables easier edit).
4. Ensure the lighting is even on Bruce's face and jacket
   • Turn these lights down from max brightness, around halfway is best.
   • Turn on all lighting and check you're happy with the camera display.
   • Remember to turn off lights when not in use in order to conserve battery.

Basic setup for A7s2

The goal is for the b/g to be 2 stops over-exposed

• Lens
  • 85mm f1.8 (SEL85F18)
  • switch focus to MF

** Audio

• Rode Film maker Rx - red jack - ??? dB
• Rode Film maker Tx - Lavalier - ??? dB
• Dials:
  • Movie mode
  • +/- 0 exposure
  • AF/MF
  • Connect Power & micro-HDMI
  • Menu > Camera > 7 > Manual mode > Movie/HFR > Manual Movie
  • If camera turned on in PAL mode then change to NTSC
    • Menu > Toolbox > 3 > NTSC mode
    • Camera reboots - you may need to format the memory card
• ** Menu**
  • 1 Camera
    • Image Size L:10M
    • Aspect Ratio 16:9
    • Quality Fine
    • RAW File Type Compressed
    • Panorama: Size -
    • Panorama: Direction -
  • 2 Camera
    • File Format XAVC S HD
    • Record Setting 24p 50M
    • Dual Video REC: Off
    • HFR Settings
    • Drive Mode Single Shooting
    • Bracket Settings > Self Timer During Brkt Off
    • Bracket Settings > Bracket Order 0 > - > +
  • 3 Camera
    • Flash mode Flash Off
    • Flash Comp 0
    • Red Eye Reduction Off

    *Focus Mode Manual Focus

    • Focus Area Flexible Spot
  • 4 Camera
    • Focus Settings
    • AF Illuminator Auto
    • Exposure Comp 0
    • Exposure Step 0.3EV
    • ISO 500
    • ISO Auto Min SS Standard
  • 5 Camera
    • Metering Mode Center
    • White Balance Auto
    • DRO/Auto HDR Off ``
    • Creative Style Vivid
    • Picture Effect Off
    • Picture Profile Off
    • Black Level 0
  • 6 Camera
    • Zoom -
    • Focus Magnifier ``
    • Long Exposure NR Off
    • High ISO NR Normal
    • Center Lock-on AF Off
    • Smile/Face Detect Off
  • 7 Camera
    • Soft Skin Effect Off
    • Auto Obj FramingOff
    • Auto Mode -
    • Scene Selection -
    • Movie/HFR Manual Exposure
  • 8 Camera
    • Steady Shot Off
    • Steady Shot Settings -
    • Colour Space sRGB
    • Auto Slow Shutter Off
    • Audio Recording On
    • Audio Rec Level 11
  • 9 Camera
    • Audio Out Timing Live
    • Wind Noise Reduct Off
    • Memory Recall
    • Memory > save to M1
  • 1 Cog
    • Zebra 95
    • MF Assist On
    • Focus Magnif Time No Limit
    • Grid Lines Rule of 3rds
    • Marker Display On
    • Marker settings
      • Center On
      • Aspect Off
      • Safety Zone 80%
      • Guideframe On
  • 2 Cog
    • Audio Level Display On
    • Auto Review 2s
    • Disp Button Monitor - All On
    • Peaking Level High
    • Peaking Color Yellow
    • Exposure Ste Guide On
  • 3 Cog
  • Live View Display Setting Effect On
  • AF Area Auto Clear Off
  • Pre-AF On
  • Zoom Setting Optical Zoom Only
  • Finder / Monitor Auto

HDR setup for A7s2

Put into Manual mode, press menu and do an SLOG3 setup as follows:

Ensure that you over-expose by at least 2 stops!!

Camera icon Settings:

1. Camera
   • Image Size L:12M
   • Aspect Ratio **3:2`
   • Quality Fine
   • RAW File Type Compressed
2. Camera
   • File Format XAVC S HD
   • Record Setting 50p 50M
3. Camera
   • n/a
4. Camera
   • AF Illuminator Auto
   • ISO 500
5. Camera
   • Metering Mode Center
   • White Balance Auto
   • Picture Effect Off
   • Picture Profile PP8
     • Black Level 0
     • Gamma S-Log3
     • Black Gamma:
       • Range Middle
       • Level 0
     • Knee:
       • Mode Auto
       • Auto Set
         • Max Point 100%
         • Sensitivity Mid
       • Colour Mode S-Gamut3.Cine
       • Saturation 0
       • Colour Phase 0
       • Colour Depth 0 for all components
     • Detail:
       • Level -7
       • Adjust:
       • Mode Auto
       • V/H Balance 0
       • B/W Balance Type3
       • Limit 7
       • Crispening 0
       • Hi-Light Detail 0
6. Camera
   • High ISO NR Normal
   • Center Lock-on AF On
   • Smile?Face Detect Off
7. Camera
   • n/a
8. Camera
   • Steady Shot Off
   • Colour Space sRGB
   • Auto Slow Shutter Off
   • Audio Recording On
9. Camera
   • Audio Out Timing Live
   • Wind Noise Reduct Off

Cog icon Settings:

1. Cog
   • Zebra 95
   • MF Assist On
   • Focus Magnif Time No Limit
   • Grid Lines Rule of 3rds
   • Marker Display On
   • Marker settings
     • Center On
     • Aspect Off
     • Safety Zone 80%
     • Guideframe On
2. Cog
   • Audio Level Display On
   • Auto Review 2s
   • Disp Button Monitor - All On
   • Peaking Level High
   • Peaking Color Yellow
   • Exposure Ste Guide On
3. Cog
   • Live View Display Setting Effect On
   • AF Area Auto Clear Off
   • Pre-AF On
   • Zoom Setting Optical Zoom Only
   • Finder / Monitor Auto