Re: need advice about shooting dance with video

From: Bud Blumenthal (bud@skynet.be)
Date: 03/29/01


>Unfortunately the video projection is reflected light and the performer is
>in direct light (not to mention the differences in color temperature
>between the video projector and the stage lighting). Our eyes and brains
>can adjust for this disparity but the camera does not. The video projection
>will not appear to be in "true" color once it is shot, it will appear to
>have lost intensity as well. Usually this is accepted in viewing a live
>performance with video projection. If your project is for broadcast or
>other special needs, you would need to shoot on blue or green screen and
>composite.
>
>jdm
>
>><<The image is not strong enough on
>>account of the side lighting on the body of the dancer in front. That
>>is to say that the camera can have the body clear but in doing so
>>adjusts on this and then is not sensitive enough for the background. >>
>>
>>But I imagine that the edge of the dancer is also washed out. The problem is
>>certainly partially that the automatic exposition on your camera is
>>automatic. And unfortunately only very costly cameras have a true manual
>  >control.
>  >
>  >David
>
>
>John D. Mitchell	Arizona State University	p. 480.965.2709	f.
>480.965.2247

I would agree that this is the only way to get really high level 
results. However, the danger here is to have a clean artificial 
result, ie:retro- image too good. Simple to set the retro projector 
on blue background as it is a standard screen waiting option, and so 
blue key is a jiffy - I've done it with a television. But a retro 
projector throws forward a large quantity of light considering the 
large surface and there would be danger of blue light leaking on the 
th subjects contours thus causing the fuzzy edges thing. But most 
important for me would seem to be to have a sense of realness that 
the subject and background belonging to the same space has. Before 
doing the creation of "Les Entrailles de Narcisse" this winter (the 
piece with the 3mx6m rear projection), we did a few days of 
laboratory and then in NetDays Europe in November 2000, performed an 
improvised live version (ie: video and music in live impro too). We 
stuck a fixed triccd consumer Sony in the audience. In fact the 
result was very convincing. The retro projection was really quite 
clear as well as the dancer in front. Perfectly usable, good 
testimony of the event. The difference in the parameters in regards 
to the captation of the finished version of the show and the tryout 
are: in final version the screen is dark anthracite vinyl, it is 
6mx3m, the projector (1300 lumens) sends first backwards to a huge 
inclined mylar mirror (270cmx135cm) before being reflected front 
towards screen, side lighting on two levels and at times from both 
sides at once / in the tryout the screen is light grey vinyl, it was 
4mx3m, the projector was 800 lumens and sent the image directly 
towards screen without mirror, lighting was very, very faint as only 
a handful of instruments in a tight space ie: 1 side light, a couple 
high diagonals, and some fronts, all kept low so not to wash out 
scree, (there was a white floor as well!).

For each to reflect upon the importance of the differences. In the 
end one succeeded by chance and the other didn't. My conclusion is 
that it is possible to have a good captation if one works out the 
balance, and it will be the real thing in the same space. Better for 
honest representation of stage work, less impressive as an autonomous 
video work.

Bud
-- 
TANDEM asbl/Bud Blumenthal
58 rue de la Lys
1080 Brussels, Belgium
tel:32/2/424 35 24
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