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Are We Just Event Videographers Whose Lot In Life Is To Out Bid Each Other For A Couple Of Hundred Dollars To Video Tape Someone's Wedding? Is This Going To Be A Profession Or At Least A Paying Hobby?
         OR Is It Really ..."A Sink Hole Of All Our Income For A Sometimes Business?"

It is assumed in any given set of circumstances where there is great latitude of variables, situations will sometimes arise that can make video coverage almost an impossibility.

First rule of successful videography - never say it can't be done, because if you can not do it your competitor will. If you make an honest attempt, accept the challenges, go along with some of the conditions the customer lays down and work with the physical constraints of the location you will be a better videographer. Also, don't accept it meekly like; "I don't know if I can do your video - but, I'll try." Say with conviction, like one who is in control of his equipment and knows his own limitations. 'This will be a very challenging assignment and I will charge accordingly, now, let's have a first hand look of what this location is really like." Now, be careful not to let this Can-Do mentality get you into trouble. There maybe some obstacles to overcome and conditions too severe to rectify, but at least You made the assessment of the problem. However, there should still be room for compromise, alternatives, some give or take and even end runs around the problem. After all, the worse that can happen is we bow out due to Their inflexibility, not because of our lack of capability or competence.

EXAMPLE: Take a highly restrictive meeting, with sensitive subject matter to be discussed behind so called 'closed doors.' It is very important for glossy photographs to be internally copied to tape. The trick is they will not be available until the official and his escort arrives to give the briefing at the last minute

SOLUTION: We have in our studio set up control area, both a player and a recorder viewcam acting as VCR's. We are going to make our player viewcam into a Portable Copycam. Take the viewcam (either DV or Hi8) and attach the pedco Ultra clamp (from Porter Camera) to the tripod mount and then attach the clamp to the uprights of our Porter Case while it is in the truck position. Put the camera into manual focus and snap computer picture mode. Face the camera lens downward and the viewscreen toward your position. Run your Y/C cable either directly to your mixer or for greater flexibility, through your titler and then on to your mixer. The upper surface of the roll-aboard is our copy table. Our remote control is for zooming up to our subject to be copied, or we can simplely release the clamp for quick up or down positioning. We will use two Itty Bitty booklights for our surface lighting. Now, You have a virtual copycam station made from something that is the size of a hand exerciser! During this particular affair, the escort arrives with the official. The official goes directly on stage to begin the briefing while the escort brought us the photographs to be used during the meeting. Each glossy picture is placed under the copycam for seven seconds in the camera's snap mode. The escort takes the pictures up to the official who begins immediately to use each picture. Our digital viewcam captures excellent internal images for our tape while there is some difficulties on stage with noticeable glare from their over head projector.

RESULTS: This videographer has a short run of sucess as 187 tapes were ordered at the meeting's conclusion. This was due in part by the videographer anticipating the situation. He placed a TVCR near the exit showing a sample of one of the glossy pictures along with a point of sale display containing price lists, COD information & order blanks for video copies. See another link on how to make outstanding duplicate tapes.

SITUATION: A medical group needed live on camera interviews as part of its TV in a Suitcase convention recording. The master of ceremonies was to leave the stage and walk through the audience and briefly interview prominent doctors. The preposition suitcase cameras were not effective in tracking the speaker during this part of the conference.

SOLUTION: A mini DV/Hi8 viewcam with the EIS stabilizer turned on was configured into a mobil manned TV live feed. One wireless hand held microphone, one NRG 55 watt mite lite, a Radio Shack TRC-508 2 way comm set and a Premier wireless audio/video transmitter was all attached to a medium format photography hand grip with the viewcam. This provided an excellent live TV feed to our mixer from the entire convention floor. We sent one of our Y/C out cables to our master record VCR while the other Y/C cord was provided to the auditorium LCD projection system on stage for the audience. One note of caution here, watch out for audio feedback.

NOTE: Our notebook computer can also be used for on camera personalities as a teleprompter. There are several programs now available that are windows 95 friendly that makes visability and scrolling speeds easier for people that are not use to being in front of the camera lens.

It should be pointed out here that the studio in a suitcase is not advantageous and is actually counter productive at Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and Christenings. That is because the potential for disaster is real with so much electronic hardware at a solemn ceremony and usually becomes a distraction or at least an unwaranted intrusion. However the roll-aboard concept to carry everything in one trip and even using an isolated camera from the rear of the church, preferably the balcony, makes for an outstanding wedding video option. This would be done after everyone at the reception has finished eating and the uncut unedited ceremony tape can be shown using our Sony CPJ-200 100" mini projector.

I have been asked countless times at video shows to explain why and how the Japanese DO use the studio suitcase at their weddings and how that could apply to some other conditions here in the states. First, they do not have church weddings. They have weddings that are commercial and are a business unto themselves. They exclusively use banquet halls at hotels and resorts for the entire event (ceremony, reception, honeymoon, everything). Next, the hotel conducts the whole event exclusively. They provide the clergy, the food, the band, MC, photographer, etc. By using the suitcase they neither take up valuable space, time in setting up or tie up equipment for a single purpose. Because they control everything and in this instance, everyone (including the Bride!) they have remarkable access. They could stick a helmet cam on the head of the preacher without so much as a peep! Try that in a Cathedral! The way all this pans out over here is for you to look at your local hotel/motel convention facilities and work with the staff for video coverage as an adjunct to their whole package. They do not have to have new employees (they got you) and they do not have to invest in constant changing equipment technologies (oops, they got you on that one don't they?). Hey, so you charge for that service and convience.

This new DV technology is so ideal for this Cyber TV Studio in a Suitcase^TM it is not even funny. I see 3 CCD DV units coming here in 1997 for less price than single CCD units were priced last year. We got DV cameras that fit in your shirt pocket that are more powerful than betacams. These units are not just video cameras, but VCR's, still image capturing devices, computer interfacing compatible, some even have their own TV like screens...this is one dynamic device that you are only limited to its potential by your imagination. And we haven't discussed 4 PCM digital editable audio tracks, or lossless (LOSSLESS!) generation copies and now we have the ability to make a finished edited tape at the exact time of the event. What will they think of next?

I have been asked by clients, 'how come even TV stations are not able to provide the same kind of services I can?' I simply tell them that, 'everyone else is not as well equipped as I am!'