Shooting a Feature Film on the Sony FX30
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- My experience using the Sony FX30 to shoot an on location micro-budget feature.
FX30 and Rig Components:
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Camera: FX30 (audio handle optional) - www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Lens: Sigma 18-35 - www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
EF to E mount conversion - www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Camera Cage: Titta TA 13 - www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Matte Box : Tilta mini matte box - www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Audio handel grip extender: Smalring - www.amazon.com/SMALLRIG-FX3-H...
V-Mount plate: Amazon budget buy (discontinued)
Monitor: SmallHD Original Focus 5 (discontinued)
On camera mic: An old Azden I had lying around. Just use for scratch track.
HDMI cables: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
NOTE: If you're lucky enough to find a used Focus 5 OG, you will need to cut amount of rubber around the mini end of the cable or it won’t fit.
VIDEO GEAR LIST:
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Camera: Sony A7iv
Lens: Sigma 24-70
Mic: DJI Mic
Key Light: Aputure P60X
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EDITED/GRADED IN DAVINCI RESOLVE
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FACEBOOK: / rmconway79
INSTAGRAM: / 
VIMEO: vimeo.com/user4114877
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NEW FILM “BLOOD TOTEM” CROWDFUND: igg.me/at/grdWy08hDYM/x/397666#/ - Фільми й анімація
You're my inspiration ROBERT.
dope vid man
Thanks!
Thanks for the review, I've just filmed feature on the FX3...loved it, but now I'm planning on purchasing a FX30 ,for all the reasons you have shown. One of the other reasons is that this film was 98% shot from the Ronin RS3 and after six weeks of action film , weight is Very important to me. Grams shaved off of smaller lenses, even to choose rather not the Ninja, but record internally.....these all have made my choice concrete.
I shall be looking out for further tips and following your experiences with the FX30.
LOL it's great to be liberated to be able create YOUR OWN films free from the preachings of the "informed"
Thanks for watching! The FX3 is amazing. I almost pulled the trigger on that but I had the A7iv which for me, gave me adequate low light and the price of the 30 was a really big factor. I hear you on the gimbal. It’s really important to have a light setup we can run with all day without killing ourselves. There are some real advantages to shooting internally. Not only smaller file sizes and rig but I’ve found raw footage to be quite noisy in low light. Color space is the downside but Im happy with the results I’ve been able to get form the 10bit footage. Also I shot everything at HS codec. I can’t see the difference between it and all I. Files are much smaller and play well on most modern computers. What are your thoughts on internal settings? Have you seen an advantage to shooting the high bitrate?
Awesome video Rob! I recognized the sound person in your BTS B-roll clips 😏 You have a LOT of valuable information to share on UA-cam and there ARE people actively looking for YOUR message! I'm happy you're continuing to create content and share your expertise.
Yep, got you in the vid in a couple of spots :) Thanks buddy. I enjoy making the vids and am getting faster at production so I think I can post more often. One issue Im having is how bad my voice sounds on iPhone speakers when compared to other content creators. It sounds fine on audio monitors, headphones and laptop speakers but on iPhone, it's just a muffled mess. The MKE2 was slightly better than the DJI but still not great. I removed the compression but that didn't seem to do much. Next time I'll record in another location and see if that fixes. Gotta figure this out as I know a lot of people watch videos on their phones without earbuds.
Great vid. You explained yourself well. I’ve also been impressed with the Sony FX30. For what I do it’s perfect. 🏆
Thanks! yeah, I'm really happy with it. When I made the switch to Sony I got the A7iv. The 30 was supposed to be the B cam. Other than low light shoots, its now my A cam
@@RobertConwaymovieguy
The Sony FX30 is my first Sony & mirrorless camera. I was a Nikon shooter beforehand. I still have my Nikon DSLR but I only use it for stills.
The transition wasn’t as difficult as I imagined. I’ve always heard that Sony cameras were not user friendly settings wise. I know over the years they simplified things. I think I got in at the perfect time because I didn’t have any issues figuring things out.
@@CaptureLifeConnection yeah. The UI was terrible a few years ago. The FX30 is the best I’ve seen on a Sony so far. I was Red for a very long time, then when crews got smaller and budgets got tighter I got into Panasonic then Blackmagic. I still love those systems but for micro filmmakers, I find that Sony is the superior offering. I also love shooting in low light and Sony is the best I’ve seen. Feeling confident that I can shoot a scene draped in shadows and knowing I’ll get a relatively clean image has let me light the way I want to and not what’s safe for exposure.
love the channel.... very informative I look forward to watching your film....
Thanks so much. Appreciated 👍😊
Very helpful video! Thank you! A video where you talk about your approach to how you would shoot one particular scene would be very interesting! Looking forward to more videos from you.
Thanks for watching! I just made a vid on the making of “Skinwalker” it’s on my channel. It’s a long one but it has my commentary on a few scenes 😊👍🎥
@@RobertConwaymovieguyExcellent! Will watch it later today or tomorrow.. Love it! :) Thanks again.
thanks!@@Eyvind-kn8gl
Very helpful....
Thanks!
Great info! Very helpful:) Your film looks awesome! Good luck with the release:)
Really interesting, video and your whole channel! Would love to hear how are you handling your distribution, since it seems, and always been, the hardest part to solve for indie filmmakers.
Thanks so much! Distribution is key. Better still, finding a good distributor who pays and reports on time. I’ve been very lucky to have partnered with Uncork’d Entertainment on all my films save my first one where I got scammed by an unethical company. I will be making a video about distribution at some point. First thing is to make a film distributors want. On small budgets that’s basically going to be Horror, Science Fiction, Action or even Western. Some combination of these is usually the best approach. Cross breeding a Horror with a Western or Sci Fi will put you in a good position. Second part of this is to know what to look for in a distribution agreement and how to spot red flags. I will try and make a video on this soon so be sure to subscribe 😊👍🎥
Great video. I am shooting on a c100 Mark II right now. I just started making little shorts. Lights seem to be the main thing I need to get from everything I've been learning. I only get 1080p with this camera but I'm ok with that until I can get better, maybe in a couple years I will upgrade to a Sony Fx3. Thanks for posting when you can!
You're on the right track by considering lighting before a camera upgrade. And a good clean 1080 you probably get from the c100 is likely all you'll need for a while. Start with one big light and learn how to use with simple bounce made from foam core, poster board or other house hold items. Next consider two smaller lights for fill and back but for the most dramatic shots, one light is all you need... Most of the time :) thanks for watching the video!!
@@RobertConwaymovieguy 🙏 Thank you for the guidance!
@@RobertConwaymovieguy Robert, what beginner microphone would you use, should I jump into saving for a Sennheiser MKH 416, or do you know of a lower cost mic that would be ok to start out with? Thanks
@@BeanCrosbydoodles I would say the Deity S-Mic 2 is a great starting point and you can pick one up for less than 300$. Investing in a higher end mic though is not a terrible idea. I went big on the Schoeps CMC641 about five years ago and I’ve used it on every set since then. Mics tend to have a longer shelf life than cameras as the tech just doesn’t seem to advance as fast. Still 1k is lot. It’s also good to remember that in order to properly capture location dialogue, you’re gonna need to invest in lavs as well. In many on location mixes, the lav tracks are simply the cleanest. Sucks to say it but it’s true as most of the locations we end up shooting in far from acoustically sound. If you’re looking to spend 1k on a single mic, consider everything else you’re gonna need as well. Usually 4 lavs and a quality recorder like the Zoom F6. I think if you search UA-cam for comparisons between Deity and more expensive brands, you’ll like what you see. Deity is an Aputure company and with Deity they are doing for sound records what their COB’s and panels did for lighting. Professional productions at a fraction of the cost of legacy brands.
Great video!!
Thanks so much!
right to the point.. Dope review. What gear rings are you using on your lens?
Thanks! Heres where I get all my rings. followfocusgears.com/products/copy-of-seamless-follow-focus-gear-ring-for-rokinon-14mm-f2-8-ed-as-if-umc-pro-red-stripe-lens
I subscribed
Thanks! I really appreciate it!
Hi Robert, great video and very encouraging!! 🙂
I did some no budget feature films some time ago and I'm currently looking for a new camera. The FX30 is currently my favourite and your video confirms my decision.
In fact I want to be able to do some night shots as well, e.g. in a street downtown. I would use an F1.8 prime lens. Do you think the FX30 would be capable enough for such a scenario?
Hi Hartman. Thanks so much for checking out the video! At the second base ISO of 2500, the footage is pretty clean. Because of the cropped sensor though, it’s not a camera that thrives in low light. If you’re planning on shooting with only available light, you may need to do a bit of denoiseing in post. I recommend the Neat denoiser. I use DaVinci Resolve but I think it’s available for Adobe Premier and FCP as well. I’ve done some test with my A7iv in the situation you’re describing and I really loved the results. That has the full frame sensor and a second ISO of 3200. Of course the best for extreme low light will always be the A7siii or the FX3. Both have the same full frame sensor with a second base ISO of 12800.
It’s still in post so probably next year
What if You shot ur big budget movie with FX30 and I shot similar movie with Arri alexa and you have best of the best editor and more than enough time, do you think you can get similar image on big screen and wide screen TV?
The short answer is yes. And that's crazy but I believe the film wouldn't be made or broken by the camera choice. There are a plethora off good reasons why a film with a budget wouldn't reach for a pro-sumer product like the FX30 as their first choice, but with a Hollywood level DOP and colorist, it would be entirely doable. Just look at The Creator which was shot on the FX3. Not a vast difference in image quality from the 30. I used an A7Siii on this film which has that same sensor and the footage cuts together near seamlessly. The reason big budget films tend to prefer Arri is that the color science is the best there is. But i think the Sony Venice has taken Reds place as the 2nd choice for most Hollywood DOP's. Its amazing that we live in an age where a sub 2K cam can produce quality that could hold it's own on major motion pictures. For example, Blackmagic pockets have been used for years as crash cams on major films and television and unless you watch a BTS you'd never know it.
When’s the film out
Thanks for checking out the video. We don’t have a release date yet. I’m still in post and will be for a couple more months. Then I send to the distributor and we get a release date. Usually within 6 months after I delved and we get through QC.
@@RobertConwaymovieguy no worries ✊🏿
Great info and good production in your videos. Keep 'em coming, you have a lot of knowledge to share. 📷🎟️🎞️🍿
Thanks buddy.