 |
|
The Portable Studio is available to any BCM producer who meets the following guidelines:
Before requesting the Portable Studio, the producer must have taken both the Field Production Class and the Studio Production Class, as well as having produced a minimum of 3 studio productions. Once the producer has met these guidelines, they may request the Portable Studio by completing the following steps.
Submit a Portable Studio request form at least one month before the date of the event. Submit the complete request with crew names, event info and a site diagram to a staff person.
The site diagram should include: the basic layout of the site including measurements, the locations of the control booth, master power, cameras, lights and microphones. This will help determine the number of cables needed for power, audio and video connections.
Schedule a Portable Studio training for all uncertified crew at least one month before the date of the event. All crew people must be current BCM members and have taken the Field Production Class (for camera people) and the Studio Production class (for other crew). It is recommended that all crew be familiar with studio production. A minimum of six certified crewmembers is required for Portable Studio use. The Portable Studio Class will be approximately 4 hours on one day. All crew must attend (or have attended a past certification class).
BCM will provide a trained technician for the shoot if there is one available. If there is no technician available for the day of the event, the equipment will not be available. The technician will assist the producer with the check in and out of the equipment as well as setting up the portable studio and maintaining proper equipment use throughout the event. The technician may not serve as a crewmember. BCM will provide no more than 8 hours a month of technician time at no cost. This is available on a first come-first served basis. The producer is responsible for providing the fee for every additional hour. This includes check-in and -out of the equipment, as well as travel time.
The producer will sign a responsibility contract at least two weeks before the event. This contract outlines the financial responsibilities that the producer takes on while using the equipment.
BCM does not provide gaffers tape, but we strongly encourage its use for safety reasons.
Equipment will only be checked out to the producer, and the producer must return the equipment personally.
The wireless intercom system must be reserved separately. It requires 18 AA batteries, to be provided by the producer.
Equipment check-in and check-out must be scheduled during normal business hours. Both the producer and the BCM technician must be present for the entire check-in and out procedure.
The completed videotape of the event must be submitted for air before another Portable Studio reservation may be made, and no later then 4 months after the day of the event.
2.
Set up three cameras. Put cameras on tripods, establish their areas, pick your shots. Each camera location must have a number of cords run to it. Plug three extension cords into one power strip plugged into the main power box ( four outlet box at directors area) to supply power to the cameras. Cameras should be run on plug in power so they won’t go into “battery save” mode and turn off.
3.
Run cables to the cameras. Each camera will have three cables run to it: a power cable, camera cable from RCA port on the back of the camera to the preview monitor, and an XLR for the intercom. The male end of the XLR should be at the camera and the female end at the director/control room.
4.
Set up the director’s area. The large items in this area are: the preview monitors, the preview and program monitors ( svhs, color, in porta-brace bags), the switcher with cg, the sound board (spirit folio, in white box) and the record deck with edit controller. Other smaller items in this area include the color bar generator and the intercom unit.
5.
Plug in strips and plug all items in to the strips but DO NOT TURN THEM ON. It is generally not a good idea to be plugging things into or out of each other while they have power, so get it all set up and before turning anything on..
6.
Connect short BNCs from camera preview monitors into corresponding inputs on switcher. Run BNC from switcher rec out to deck and from deck to program monitor. Connect BNC cable from “preview” on the switcher to the second field monitor.
7.
Turn on equipment. Check that preview monitors correspond to their inputs on the switcher. Check that both preview and program monitors display the correct thing. Do a record check and play it back.
8.
SPECIAL NOTE ON SWITCHER!!!!! Similar to in the Express Studio, the switcher does not have a set program and preview buss (row of buttons). The live buss changes with each switch. The row that goes to program is the one with the light that is flickering/blinking, and the solid light is the preview. I’m not sure about this, check to make sure.
9. Set up Audio. In the white box is the main audio cable. It is a double cable with ¼ inch jacks on one side and rca jacks on the other. This goes from the right and left main mix on the sound board to audio in on the deck. Use the 1k tone generator on the board to set matching levels on the board and the deck. While recording, the sound operator should monitor sound off the deck to make sure there is no distortion.
10. Set up intercom system. There are five headsets. Use the triple xlr splitter in one of the outputs from the intercom station. One headset at each camera and one for the director. Set and check volume levels so that all camera operators can hear the director.
11. SHOOT YOUR SHOW! ENJOY!
When Striking the portable studio, the bag of short BNC’s should be kept in the white box, along with the two camera cables that have an RCA connector on one end and a BNC connector on the other end and the RCA cables to the deck. All other audio and video cables should be kept separate, coiled and tied, along with all barrels.
 |
 |
 |
 |