Hey Indie Filmmakers is a podcast about DIY filmmaking, cameras and technology, hosted by documentary filmmaker Griffin Hammond and tech expert Nick Bodmer. Watch the video podcast on YouTube, or listen on iTunes or your preferred podcasting service.
Film tech announcements from the NAB Show, including the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. Plus, your questions about shooting for cinema screens, what framerate to choose for editing, and if you should spend $1,000 on a microphone.
NAB announcements that caught our eye:
Final Cut Pro X’s latest update (v10.4.1) to video editing adds ProRes RAW and closed captioning right in the timeline. Plus, your questions about when you’re allowed to record audio without permission, the etiquette of film festival laurels, and how to sync timecode between cameras.
Next week, I’m teaching a one-hour filmmaking workshop at Illinois State University!
"Upgrade from Amateur to Documentary Filmmaker"
Tuesday, April 17, 5:00pm CT
Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
Fell Hall 280 (Communication Innovation Center)
Facebook event—Let me know if you're coming!
This free event is part of COM Week—a series of educational events focused on entrepreneurship and career-building, hosted by the School of Communication at ISU.
HIRING
I’m hiring a few freelance positions around the world for an upcoming project. Email me at griffin@hey.film. Looking for—
BenQ sent Nick their latest 31.5” HDR LCD monitor to test out. Plus, your questions about editing video on a Surface Pro, finding video work through the internet, and whether to place a lavalier mic on the bride.
In two weeks, at Illinois State University, I'm teaching a one-hour filmmaking workshop. And you're invited!
"Upgrade from Amateur to Documentary Filmmaker"
Tuesday, April 17, 5:00pm CT
Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
Fell Hall 280 (Communication Innovation Center)
Facebook event—Let me know if you're coming!
This free event is part of COM Week—a series of educational events focused on entrepreneurship and career-building, hosted by the School of Communication at ISU.
Jonathan Tilley is a personal brand strategist, and author of the book Embrace The F Word: Failure. On his interview series, he asked me about my greatest failure.
After shooting a music video, Taylor worries his SD card is corrupted. Nick recommends software to recover missing video files. Plus, we won “Best Podcast” from Johny Bosworth!
For recovering deleted or corrupted video files, Nick recommends the free, open-source, multi-platform software PhotoRec.
In the United States, the FAA is rolling out a system called LAANC to make it easier and much quicker for commercial drone pilots to receive authorization to fly near airports. Plus, your questions about filming loud concerts, entering film festivals, and storing video assets.
Articles on this subject:
Brendan asked about film festivals. Here’s a spreadsheet from 2014 that details the film festivals I entered Sriracha into, including their various deadlines and costs.
No Film School asked 43 filmmakers at this year’s SXSW film festival what cameras they shot with. (It’s mostly ARRI Alexas.) Plus, your technical questions about the Panasonic GH5, lenses, hard drives, and what audio mixer to hook up to your computer.
Read: From ALEXAs to 1980s JVCs: Cameras & Lenses Used on SXSW 2018 Films
Warren asked what audio interface to use with his Sennheiser MD 421-II microphone ($380). He’s currently using the $40 Behringer XENYX 502 mixer. Our voiceover artist friend Matt Shivers recommends he upgrade to the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 ($150).
Griffin is on campus at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois—where his friends have joined as this podcast’s first live studio audience. Plus, your questions about the DJI Spark, unconventional interview framing, and why Griffin uses an ND filter but Nick doesn’t.
Special thanks to Illinois State University, Dr. Steve Hunt and Dr. Nathan Carpenter for letting us use their new Communication Innovation Center to film this week’s episode.
Special guests featured in this episode
Adam Rahn also co-hosted Hey Indie Filmmakers episode 15. His website is Droi Media, his latest YouTube video is What should I charge as a freelancer?, and if you like his t-shirt, he sells them.
Matt Edwards is a photographer and drone pilot flying the new Mavic Air. His website is Redcorn Studios, and he shares vlogs on YouTube.
Matt Shivers is a professional voice over artist. I borrowed his Behringer B-2 Pro to record my VO for Sriracha. He currently uses a Neumann TLM 103 condenser microphone and Sennheiser MKH-416. His website is Shivers Media.
My mom, Carol Hammond, starred in and produced my first film (at age 6)—Ghostbusters 3.
Join me this Sunday at Illinois State University for a live recording of Hey Indie Filmmakers!
Doors open at 11:00am. This free event begins at 11:15am.
Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
Fell Hall 280 (Communication Innovation Center)
Nick will join remotely from Las Vegas, & we'll answer filmmaking questions from the audience!
Nick is moving, and Griffin is clearing out closet space. They’re selling filmmaking gear they no longer use, in a YouTube Garage Sale. You can buy any of these 11 items at http://griffinhammond.com/sale
EDIT: All 11 items were claimed in the first 90 minutes of posting the video!
To build a convenient, retractable podcasting system, Griffin mounted an LED panel and a retractable camera mount in his office closet. Plus, your questions about step-up rings, when to use shotgun vs hyper-cardioid mics, and if you can show the iPhone operating system in your film.
Ingredients for Griffin’s retractable podcasting system
In addition to our usual filmmaking questions, Nick wants you to tweet other types of questions using the hashtag #askgriffin
Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Try it for free, then save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain—visit squarespace.com/griffin
We received a question about the pocket-sized Panasonic LX10, which has a built-in f/1.4–2.8 24–70mm lens (super 35 equivalent).
Episode originally aired February 14, 2017
Happy Valentine’s Day! Nick and Griffin share their wedding film production techniques—from dealing with low light in dark receptions to copyrighted music. Plus your questions about DSLR recording limits, asking good interview questions, and what format to shoot commercials in.
Watch Griffin & Amy’s 5-minute wedding video, edited from only one good camera angle after Griffin screwed up Nick’s great close-up angle.
A sampling of wedding films produced by Nick Bodmer
A sampling of wedding films produced by Griffin Hammond
Nick mentioned finding collaborators on the /r/videography subreddit and /r/weddingvideography
Nick uses this “Precomposed Zip Kit” After Effects template for DVD menus.
After an Valentine’s Day audio mishap, Griffin calls Nick for answers. Amy saves the day.
We met through a wonderful website called Film Fights.
Watch or listen to last year's V-Day episode, How to Produce Wedding Films (episode 07).
One “flick” equals 1/705,600,000th of a second, according to a new open-source unit of time for measuring framerates. Plus, your questions about foggy lenses, appropriate audio levels, and if you can use Garageband music in your commercial video projects.
Read the Ars Technica article: Oculus creates a new, open source unit of time to measure frame rates
How many flicks have passed during this 44-minute, 23-second episode? 1,879,012,800,000!
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The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE
In Dubai, filming sharks with an underwater camera housing—during Griffin’s filmmaking workshop tour through the United Arab Emirates. Plus, your questions about jitter and motion blur, settings for time lapse, and which camera is right for you.
View the full set of underwater equipment I’m using—including an Ikelight 200DL housing and accessories, and 2500-lumen Sea Dragon lights—at griffinhammond.com/underwater
Shooting underwater can be expensive. Including the cost of the Panasonic GH5 camera, and 8–18mm lens, I’m submerging $6300 worth of gear in the ocean!
View the full set of equipment I used—including an Ikelight 200DL housing and accessories, and 2500-lumen Sea Dragon lights—at griffinhammond.com/underwater
This week, I bought a much cheaper set of gear: a third Pedco Ultraclamp, microGAFFER tape for travel, and LEE Filters CTO gels—to make some of my very blue LED lights look warmer.
For Panasonic GH5 V-Log footage, I’ve enjoyed a LUT called VLog_to_V709_Varicam, included in this free zip file of LUTs created by Mitch Lally.
For our 50th episode, our friend Adam Rahn has a gift for you! 101 free light leak effects you can use in your next video. Watch his tutorial video, and download the light leak video files here.
Panasonic debuted their low-light, dual-native-ISO GH5S camera at CES last week. Griffin and Nick share the 10 big changes that separate it from its predecessor, the Lumix GH5. Plus, your questions about daylight-balanced bulbs, how to transfer large video files online, and whether you should give your client the raw footage.
C4K 60p/30p. These 4:2:0 8-bit framerates were available in 3840x2160 UHD on the GH5, but not in C4K 4096x2160.
Multi-aspect sensor. C4K 4096x2160 actually uses a wider portion of the sensor, resulting in a 1.8x crop factor (slightly wider field of view).
No IBIS (in-body image stabilization). The newly designed, slightly larger sensor catches more light, but is too big for IBIS—which would cause vignetting. But many Panasonic lenses have built-in OIS (optical image stabilization).
10-megapixel, not 20. Smaller photographs, but Panasonic added 14-bit RAW files—up to 10 frames per second.
14 stops of dynamic range. That’s two more stops than the GH5 is capable of.
Dual native ISO. Native ISOs at 400 and 2500 means noise level at ISO12800 on the GH5S is comparable to ISO1600 on the GH5.
Includes V-log. The GH5S ships with V-Log L already installed. Previously a $99 upgrade on the GH5.
Timecode port. For syncing timecode across bodies, Panasonic includes a cable that adapts the PC/flash port to BNC.
Red detailing on Rec Button and Drive Mode Dial.
Price: $2499—the GH5S is $500 more than the GH5, and will be released February 6, 2018.
Griffin filmed behind-the-scenes as three filmmakers shot with the Panasonic GH5S for the first time:
Jacob Schwarz shot Horizons*. Watch his behind-the-scenes
Luke Neumann shot The Middle Path*. Watch his behind-the-scenes
Alexandria Bombach shot Finding the Light*. Watch her behind-the-scenes (coming soon).
*Taking advantage of the GH5S’ greater dynamic range, all three films were mastered in HDR, so if you have a high dynamic range television, they look especially great. I shot all the behind-the-scenes films on my Panasonic GH5.
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A YouTube commenter suggests Griffin is wrong to call himself a “filmmaker,” because he doesn’t shoot on celluloid film. But most of the last 10 Best Cinematography Academy Award winners were shot with digital ARRI ALEXA cameras:
Slumdog Millionaire (2008) shot on 35mm and Silicon Imaging SI-2K Digital Camera
Avatar (2009) shot on Fusion Camera System
Inception (2010) shot on 35mm and 65mm film
Hugo (2011) shot on ARRI ALEXA
Life of Pi (2012) shot on 6 ARRI ALEXAs
Gravity (2013) used ARRI ALEXA and ARRIFLEX 765
Birdman (2014) used ARRI ALEXA
The Revenant (2015) was shot with ARRI ALEXA LT and ALEXA 6
La La Land (2016) shot on film
Nick found this photo from 2010, when he and I shared a Panasonic GH1 camera, 14-140mm lens, Zoom H4n audio recorder, ULTRAcompact shoulder rig, and Azden wireless mic system.
Patrick Gavin shared this photo on Twitter—using an A1 Steak Sauce bottle plus Pedco Ultra Clamp as a makeshift mic stand.
Version 10.4 of Final Cut Pro X has been released—Griffin’s 2018 resolution is to shoot HDR (high-dynamic range) video. Plus, your questions about protecting a camera in the snow, losing YouTube subscribers, and when to replace SD cards.
Apple: How to work with HDR in Final Cut Pro X 10.4
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Nick doesn’t want me to promote his YouTube channel, but you should subscribe for videos about hard drive shucking or the time he won a match of Playerunknown Battlegrounds.
Featuring 11 of his favorite stock music tracks, Griffin compares six music libraries and how to find the best, most affordable tracks. Plus, your questions about slow motion, noise in your audio recorder, and when to use exposure compensation.
Audio Libraries discussed on today’s show:
Incompetech (Kevin MacLeod)
*Artlist is the library I use. If you sign up for a $200 annual Artlist subscription at griffinhammond.com/music, you get two free months, and I receive $20.
Music tracks featured on today’s show:
Red Dwarf by Terry Devine-King
Crack Nutter by Simon Porter
Wonderland (Instrumental) by Rex Banner
The Peruvian Protest by Maxime Herve
Timeout (Instrumental) by ANNALIA
Doing the Right Thing (Instrumental) by Adi Goldstein
Points North by Ben Winwood
Singing Oh by Blending Colors
Clarity (Just Piano) by Ian Post
Impact Moderato by Kevin MacLeod
Divider by Chris Zabriskie