Monitoring your incoming
audio/video datastream during shoots can be accomplished in the
usual ways; the old viewfinder will certainly do in a pinch, though
its small, inaccurate picture and tiring head/eye position will
eventually cramp your shooting style and have you searching for
alternatives. Most pros will just lug a separate monitor to the
shoots and use the viewfinder for positioning, while the stand-alone
monitor performs more esoteric picture and color corrections.
Neither of these options accounts for movement of the camera,
and, as many of you know, a moving camera is among the biggest production
hassles even without monitoring. A truckload of gear is necessary
just to achieve smooth movement: trams and tracks, dolleys, retrofitted
wheelchairs or what have you. But to actually monitor a moving camera,
you’ve just involved yourself in a whole new can of worms. You could
buy a SteadiCam, a contraption that outfits you with a gyroscopically
steady camera mount attached to your person in the form of a massively
uncomfortable heavy armature suit – and this is without the
camera attached. A gorilla is not included. And this option can
be had only if you’ve got the kind of deep pockets that don’t flinch
at house-sized payments. For most independent moviemakers, rental
of SteadiCam and operator is prohibitively expensive even if you
can find one. Prosumer video auteurs will buy the SteadiCam Jr.,
the "baby" Steadicam that has a small b/w monitor attached
and will allow a fairly decent smooth movement with the camera,
providing the complicated balance adjustments are made for your
particular camera, and that you aren’t outside where wind can destroy
any semblance of balance. But don’t try getting the same shot twice
with this device – there is no way to dial in an accurate movement.
Searching the back of video magazines will turn up homebrewed devices
many video artists came up with in frustration and then tried to
market.
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But there is another solution for monitoring a moving camera,
and it looks to be a potentially liberating option: The Virtual
Vision "heads-up" video monitor, ingenious device, (produced
by the Paul Allen-backed Redmond, Washingtoncompany Virtual Vision,
Inc.), is basically a television receiver on a beltpack with RCA
inputs for your camera (or cable TV). This leads to a pair of Gargoyle-like
glasses in which a small color monitor displays the video in an
adjustable mirror which positions the picture in front of your dominant
eye. The picture appears to be an amazing 60-inches across (relative
to a picture tube that size) – certainly bigger than any shoot monitor
you’ve ever seen, and the dark lenses on the glasses act like a
dark hood to view the picture against a consistent background even
while moving. You have to look slightly downward to get the desired
effect; looking up allows you to move around with the goggles on
without banging into anything. The picture is remarkably good –
the TV receiver and picture is better than my own home system with
an antenna attached. The glasses also have in-ear Walkman-like speakers
that hang off the arms for unparalleled audio monitoring. These
little speakers have a design flaw, however: they hang off delicate
wires, and just don’t fit into most ears very well. Some folks didn’t
want to use them, fearing any cooties from previous users’ ears.
(Perhaps a swing-down "earflaps" set of speakers may be
more in line for the Virtual Vision system).
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| Walter Hill assumes the classic director’s pose: behind the
camera, point. |
If you can get those little speakers into your own ears, the
Virtual Vision system excels as a live monitoring source for a moving
camera. Much of the camera jitter that happens is the result of
eyepiece awkwardness; running around with a video camera, you need
to remove your eyes from the eyepice to find your. moving subject.
You lose many levels of motion perspective by squinting into
a little cup. The Virtual Vision system allows excellent continuity;
the system even includes different lenses for day or evening shooting
to block out glare or let in more light at night. Many kinds of
movement are made possible using the Virtual Vision system; overheads
to ankle-level shots can be performed and monitored comfortably
even when moving around.
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| Jeff Bridges, left, discussed the idea of "hero"
at length with Hill. |
Though no direct camera retrofits for steadiness are made,
the system more than makes up for it by liberating the shooter from
the crippling viewfinder; if a shot is unsteady, it can be easily
monitored and reshot. Many cameras are beginning to feature "jitter
free" abilities in-camera anyway, so the awkward SteadiCam
Jrs. may soon be totally replaced by systems like the Virtual Vision
monitor.
There are a few downsides to the system; a kind of motion
nausea can happen if you move around quickly while monitoring another
source. And it is not inexpensive – just over a thousand dollars
for the complete system. Rumors of the company seeking Chapter 11
protection won’t sell many of the systems, either.
Regardless, the attention you receive while using the system
behooves you to carry a stack of your business cards, and be prepared
for many techno-curious folks to practically grab it off your head
to try it out. As neat toys go, this is one of the best. More importantly,
it will come in very handy during your shoots. MM