STUDIO PRODUCTION: Covert filming set up

Posted by : Unknown Monday, 2 March 2015

Where i'm head cameraman for the Domestic violence VT, i've been given the responsibility of sorting out all of the technical tasks such as figuring out how we're going to hide the cameras, and set them up so that we have sufficient coverage to cover the action.

After doing a rece around the studio and also based off of the treatment that was made for the VT, me and Danny experimented with using the iMacs in the base room to see the kind of coverage that they could get.

Here's a digital story board / plan of how the set up will be:

Dslr camera will record the test subjects coming through the door

DSLR will be recording from inside the auditioning room filming test subjects walking past

The computers in base room 2 are going to be recording the base room via their webcams

This is going to be the sound/control room where the wireless cameras are going to be controlled from.

Inside board room 2 is where the action is going to take place, with the webcam on the iMac acting as a wide for the room, while the two hidden cameras record the action, with an additional two more people using their phones in portrait mode to record what's happening.

A zoom recorder with wireless mic's is going to be attached underneath the desk to record the audio from inside base room 2

To camouflage the GoPro's, we decided to hide them inside a black sock to remove any chance of reflective light hitting the plastic and giving away the cameras location.

Once the camera's are inside the socks, they're going to be hidden amongst the stack of chairs.

list all the equipment that will be needed for this VT is:

Lecture room 2 - auditioning waiting room

2 mobile phones to record inside of

2 GoPro's with wireless feature to record inside lecture room 2

Zoom mic hidden underneath table

Wireless mic's hooked up to actors

Production room 2

Ipad + Android phone to remotely control the GoPro cameras

Base room 1

DSLR with wide lens to film entrance of test subjects

Base room 2

2 iMac's recording a wide of the entrance to auditioning room, plus the auditioning waiting room

Auditioning room

One DSLR with wide lens + Tripod

Interviews

Sony EX1 + wireless Mic+Tripod

I contemplated using the computers instead of the iPad and android phone to stream the wireless GoPr's to however, when i streamed it to the mac i experienced a severe lag issue, plus the connection was not consistent and kept cutting out.