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Author Topic: Sneak Preview John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-10-2003 08:33 PM                     Thanks for Day 1 of ShoWest; nice video, and excellent turnaround time. I've got to say, though, the audio is atrocious -- isn't there some straightforward filtering you can apply to tune out most of the crap? What tools are you using to produce it? --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-10-2003 08:48 PM                     There was no processing. Remember, it's just a camera microphone. Bringing along a boom operator was out of the question and with hundreds of people all jabbering in one "live" acoustical room, the audio is pretty damn good for what it is. When I shot the first few, I didn't think it would be audible at all. Bear in mind it also has to do with how well a person speaks. Those soft spoken people won't be heard too well, but that goes for real life too. Fortunately, most of the sales reps had clear and prominent voices. Perhaps next year I will invest in a wireless mic or request the "loud mouth" of the company do the talking. For now just do like Grandpa Simpson and "turn it up".  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 03-10-2003 08:54 PM                        Thanks, Cordell Miller. Play that number.....  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-10-2003 09:30 PM                     Sorry to be vague, I was curious what software Brad was using for postprocessing/encoding. I would at least expect there to be a volume normalization checkbox, and probably a "screen-out-crowd -type" noises checkbox. Oh, and a "mono mode" to keep the main speech centered and not let it pan around as the camera angle changes. Maybe I've really naive and these features aren't trivially available. (I guess I should believe Brad when he says "none whatsoever.") --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Gerard S. Cohen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 975 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 03-10-2003 09:31 PM                     I believe most camcorders come with an attached omni-directional mic that picks up all the unwanted noises. Could one plug in a shotgun mic, and have an assistant point it at the speaker(s)? And if there were an on/off switch and volume control in the line, the recording could be muted live to diminish annoying background or foreground noise.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-10-2003 09:46 PM                     Gerard, a shotgun mic would not work well on such a close range. The slightest movement of the talker and wham...no sound. Also, turning the sound on and off coupled with altering the level would do absolutely nothing to pull the dialogue out of the background noise. Even matrixing the background out would not work that well because the person on screen is always moving around and the panning would be off causing wild variations in the output. It is just best to leave it as it is. (By the way, every camera mic I have ever seen is of the cardioid variety.) John, no those features are not trivially available, and even the more elaborate ones I've used don't make enough of a difference in a situation like this anyway. If the audio isn't good enough for you after looking at a few more for an average comparison, just don't download any more of them. It's the best that could be done on such short notice in the situation without a boom operator (which will never happen) or a wireless mic (which I do not have). I think you guys aren't really putting any thought into the sheer VOLUME of the NOISE in that room that was to be overcome vs. the amplitude of the speaker. Like I said, the fact that the camera picked up the audio to the intelligible extent that it did is a magnificent compliment to the built in microphone given the circumstances. The videos are not meant to be anything super professional, just a way for people who could not attend to be able to see what it was like and the products exhibited. A ShoWest pass is $750. The video downloads are free. Hey, you get what you pay for. Now everybody hurry up and send in more theater pictures, manuals or offer to write a review. Once my streak of daily updates comes to a stop when I run out of material, I'm bound to become lazy again and put things off! (hint, hint)  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 03-10-2003 11:04 PM                  Hooray for Brad and for him providing for FREE the opportunity to "view" the show for those who were unable to attend ShoWest for one reason or another. I must say I get annoyed at some of the "Monday-morning quarterbacking" that sometimes goes on. It reminds me that if you provide something for free, it becomes expected. We should all be thankful for what we have. The "Whiners" should fork-over the bucks to go, or at the VERY least be grateful for a glimpse of the show for free. I'm sure the trip to Las Vegas cost Brad many $$$$ and he was good enough to share it with the no-shows. It's just not the cost of the show ticket, but the accommodations, the airfare, rentals, etc. He did NOT have to spend ***his*** time taping the show for our collective benefit. He could have spent his time socializing, partying, oh and pursuing his own business interests. I'll get off my soapbox now... Flame Off! >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Jeff Skallan Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Littleton, CO, USA Registered: May 2001 posted 03-11-2003 12:34 AM                     Brad, the video was a VERY cool idea! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to future releases. THANKS!!  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-11-2003 12:42 AM                        My projection booth has WAY LOUDER background noise! Besides, if you were to filter out the background noise (which ain't gonna happen without really screwing up the foreground audio since you're not going to get a constant noise sample) it would take away from a large part of the show atmosphere. Thanks for the videos -- saves me the ~$3000 it would cost to see the show in person.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 03-11-2003 02:37 AM                        The video of the new Christie projector was very interesting, even though there was probably more camera time on Christie Guy than the actual projector. The round-toothed belts should be cool. And I'd love to see that basement reader in action. With only 2 constant speed sprockets it makes the machine much more simple. It'd be fun trying to teach kids how to thread that thing. It's not something that most people would be used to.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-11-2003 02:39 AM                        Hmmm... that basement reader looks a LOT like a Dolby penthouse reader.  |  IP: Logged Joe Beres Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 606 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 03-11-2003 09:21 AM                     Thanks for the videos. i look forward to seeing more. I don't have too much experience with newer console equipent, like the Christie projector, but the douser design seems like it could be a disaster waiting to happen. When the douser is in the closed position, that shaft sticks out , a good four inches from the look of it, on the operator side of the projector. It seems that if someone was to run into that with a bit of momentum, more likely in a darker booth or after an especially long day, that shaft could be bent, thus locking that douser in it's closed position. I'm guessing it could be removed somewhat quickly, but not by the average teenager that was bumped up from the concession stand. Why would the sideways moving douser be considered an improvement? Is there some problem with the vertically moving douser?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-11-2003 11:10 AM                     There was at one point issues with the vertically mounted douser falling down during a show. Once it fell down a little bit, the end would get bent by the heat of the lamp and would then no longer function properly. A good point about the handle. Perhaps Christie could design it so that there was a slit opening on the lamphouse side of the projector and reorient the handle 90 degrees so it would require the operator to manually move it from the rear? I don't have one in front of me to check the feasability though, so I may just be rambling.  |  IP: Logged Joe Beres Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 606 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 03-11-2003 11:23 AM                     If I recall correctly, the Christie Rep opened and closed the douser via a switch on the console. I think they should just keep the moving parts inside as much as possible, and divise another means to operate the douser manually in case of switch failure. I can see a lot of service calls for the replacement of that shaft. Good for the techs, but bad for the audience.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-11-2003 11:32 AM                        Thanks Brad - I'm enjoying these videos as much as everyone else. The production values are fine too - not sure why some people feel the need to find fault.  |  IP: Logged

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