Canon 7D Camera Package: News You Can Use

Jeremy Redleaf the creator of the Streamy nominated ODD JOBS contributes an article in today's TUBEFILTER NEWS that will be of interest to those who are looking to shoot their own web series:

Ladies and gentleman, I’m happy to report that there is officially no longer an excuse for poor technical quality on a web series.

Retailing at approximately $1600 plus lenses (and renting for about $100 for the weekend in NYC), this SLR-Camera is making a lot of noise in traditional and new media production circles: SNL’s new opening sequence, Robert Rodriguez, and high profile web shows like Continuum TV, Vuguru’s The Booth, and Anthony Zuiker’s Level 26 are all taking it out for a spin.

The 7D is a game-changer, but it’s not perfect. Here’s everything you need to know to shoot successfully:

Essential Equipment

• Canon 7D Camera
• Two 32GB CompactFlash Cards (minimum 133x speed)
• CF Card Reader
• 4 Canon Batteries & Charger
• The 24-70 Canon L-Series Zoom Lens
• Tripod or Monopod
• Shoulder Mount
• Portable Digital Audio Recorder (Recommended: Zoom H4N or Tascam Dr-100
• Boom and/or wireless mics
• Slate
• The Super-Flat Setting Download (Install this setting to allow for greater range of color correcting)
• Really nice things to have if you can spend a little more
• RedRock Digital Cinema Bundle
• Follow Focus, Matte Box, 15mm support system, pistol grips)
• or Zacuto Bundle
• External HDMI Monitor
• Set of Prime lenses (Canon, Nikon, or Zeiss)
• .3, .6, .9 ND Filters (for outdoor shooting)
• Professional Anton Baur or IDX V-Mount batteries

Personnel Needed

• A DP who knows what he’s doing
• A 1st AC to pull focus & tech
• Field Sound Operator

Pro’s

With 1080p HD quality, full raster, and the ability to use inexpensive prime lenses for that film-like shallow depth-of-field, the 7D is the absolute bang for your buck. Not only is it incredibly affordable on the front-end, the camera also performs phenomenally well in low-light situations which opens up the possibility of using some practicals and renting a smaller lighting equipment package.

 Go to the link above to read the rest of the article including looking at sample footage from their web series.  I would also suggest looking at this Google Search to see test footage demonstrating the dynamic range of this camera.

We're at the point now where we've demonstrated that web series can be a viable form of media making. Now is the time to raise the bar in terms of content and production value. Cameras like the 7D will help raise the production value, it's up to YOU to raise the entertainment value. 

Zombies in 7D!

From Row Three:

Dead Season Week 1 Selects from enzosauce on Vimeo.

Note how they put the Canon 7D camera at odd angles and settings (From above as a body is dragged across the floor, into the water with the actors). You can't do that with a film camera without a lot of extra equipment and crew to help stage the shot. I'm looking at these and thinking ladder for one shot and a "dive bag" for the other.

This frees up the Director and DP (maybe the same person!) to concentrate on the creative aspect of things - working with the actors, staging shots, lighting, camera moves - the visual storytelling.

That, kids is the win.

Another 7D Video: Beijing

Shot with available light and three lenses. From DslrNewsshooter Dan Chung by way of PrepShootPost's Eric Escobar:



I want a pulp feature shot with this camera...But I want an action sequence done with it first - a chase, a fight, a shootout.

Available light.

Edit to rant: You guys who are always saying you need more money with which to make your TV shows? You don't. You guys who say you can't make webisodes with TV quality? You can. You want to make a show that changes things? That makes an impact? That redefines things?

Don't think big. Think small.

INDIE FILM TOOLS: 7D, MAGIC BULLET MOJO

Eric Escobar over at Prep Shoot Post has a great post up about two indie film tools you can use to make really cool looking movies:

The Canon 7D -- $1700 for the basic camera

Magic Bullet Mojo -- $99 bucks

And here are the results when you mix the two:

Perya Colored from PrepShootPost on Vimeo.

The ability to shoot and color correct a film for less than $2500?

That's the win.

Or as Eric put it:

Does this mean we're going to see a whole slew of films at festivals and on-line shot with Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 lenses with perfect skintones and greenish shadows?

Absolutley!

Is that a bad thing?

Who cares?

I, for one, love shallow depth-of-field lensing with poppy color contrast processing that separates people from backgrounds.

The look I went for on the "Perya" footage was a 35mm slide film cross-processed type image. Punchy, vibrant colors with an emphasis on gorgeous skintones.

It's a great time to making images that move.

I, for one think that this is what's been needed in indie film for a long time - someone to put some color into it. Nothing sickens me more than when I see these grey blobs of meat puppetry moving across screen. I want some sharpness, some color, some sense of lighting design and sense of production value.

And at these prices there's no excuse not to color correct and enhance the storytelling capabilities of the images you are capturing in your camera. I talk to so many filmmakers every day who tell me they want their film to look indie , grainy and so forth.

They think it's edgy, experimental (emphasis on those last 2 syllables) or counterculture.

Do you know what are they really telling the buyers overseas who purchase these movies?

That their movie is cheap.