Unit 6 Set up and Using Equipment

Set up and Using Recording Equipment

As a part of gathering footage the set up is the key step before actually using it. 

I have previously gained some experience in using lights in a few places.

Making sure that for safety they are plugged in with the socket switched off; Wires are known of there location (secured with duct tape and wrapped around light stands); beware of the heat the lights produce and wait a good amount of time for lights to cool before disassembly. Using good lights to good effect would depend on the situation in a previous post I show studio lighting set ups for the face. Position two or more lights for Ideal conditions at angles which illuminate the subject.

Setting up for camera is something that can be apart of the DSLR's settings and it's positions angles and weather or not it it is on a tripod or other equipment. You set the white balance first in order to get the balance of colours right then onto the three modifiers of light information: ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. When using tripods you need to make sure that the camera is securely attached to the tripods sleeve and locked in on the top. Before recording you must position the tripod at its right angle and place making sure that the camera atop is stable and preferably level.

Here is my set up for the close up on cards used for my promotional video. You can see the tripod supporting the camera is extended and the angle of the camera is top down vertical to get the cards on a flat surface. In the background I innovated my use of lighting to a small desk lamp which would fit in my workspace. 

Setting up for sound in a studio environment requires that you know which inputs are used for your microphones and for safeties sake having leads on the mic stand wrapped around them. In my uses of voice over throughout the course I have used a condenser microphone with a phantom power electrical current used to power it. With a pop shield attached to the stand I was ready to record whilst someone in the mixing room (or vide versa) has the signal levels tested and inputs into the mixing desk and computer system are ready for record.

My use of Video and Audio equipment is seen throughout my promotional video with cameras positioned with good framing and the use of voice over.