Vision mixing? Is it so hard?

Not related but this could happen to anyone...I've been offered two days of TV studio vision mixing...I did it in Film and television school and it was easy. Cut live between three cameras in a studio interview environment. Easy? Or is it? If anyones ever done this I'd love to hear from you. Cheers Phil UK

Haha... Did it in back in school too... but I guess in a working environment, you gotta make sure you know your camera ops well. I've seen soccer broadcasts where they do cut to the wrong camera at times (cutting to camera half zooming out off the t-shirt of a player, or a shakey, badly framed shot).. and that was the EPL.

An interview should be fairly easy- just be prepared for the action that could happen... 3 cams? How many guests though?

I don't know, it's HSBC bank corporate stuff, basic...that's all I know

If you're gonna have 4 active guests with live demonstrations, 1 host, and a dog performance, you're going to make sure that you have enough cameras to cover them. You can't keep cutting to safety wideshot cam like in film school. And you gotta know the director well and if he knows the camera ops well, it's great. I'd trust a good director i've worked with in the past. Then again, it could be a good opportunity to expand your contacts. Is it a live program, how many rehearsals? What kind of equipment will you be working on. I think that's what you need to know to take on the job.

I have done some TD work (US for vision mixer). Like anything else it is a skill that requires both knowledge and experience.

I am just fine with a corporate studio presentation with a few cameras, light graphics and the occasional tape roll in. I will NEVER do the superbowl.

Top TD's have to manage dozens of cameras, a similar number of tape and/or disk playbacks, and several layers of graphics. I work on a US Football tour, and listening to our director fire off commands every second or so for 3 hours is amazing. Our TD has to be in front of all that.

What kind of presentation have you been offered?

-Vance

Cool. I can't imagine cutting the EPL either... I know those guys are good, but there's still a tendency for mistakes, which is freaky! BTW, what does TD stand for?

Sorry, undefined term. Technical Director.

This is 3 cam, basic stuff...they need somone, I got a phonecall and said sure, I have apretty good idea and besides as they say in Canada - 'it's something to do."

Sounds like a good gig. Maybe a start to a new career!

-V

All my TD friends are overweight, overworked (stressed) and borderline alcoholics.
But hey ...the pay is good.

You just described most of my colleagues in remote sports! (and me too I'm afraid)

-V :-)

You described me perfectly!!! Vision mixing or "TD'ing" is tough, but your situation is going to be a breeze! Good director and good camera ops, you'll be fine.

You can always play the "thats what you called" game......ALWAYS make sure you look before you take!!

Phil,
Cutting between 3 cameras will be easy. Keep your eyes up on the monitors and keep your left hand on the switcher (vision mixer). Put your little finger on cam 1 and so on. Now, next to that camera 1 button you will probably find black. It's usually the first button on the switcher, (going left to right) unless you want to remap it. Take a small piece of tape and fold it a little and put that on the black button. That way if your little finger drifts, you'll feel it and know to stay away from it. Now, that's the easy part. Here in the U.S. the Technical Director is usually in charge of the crew and you will be responsible for checking in the record machines and any other equipment you may use as a source. You have to have a real understanding of scopes as well. I've TD'd almost every kind of show, live news, award show preshows, soaps, talk shows and yes even the JumboTron screens for Superbowl 27. Now I TD part time for Access Hollywood and let me tell you it's a blast. It's like editing in fast motion. Since you won't have 8-12 channels of digital effects and you don't have to get lost in a sea of downstream keyers, I think you should go for it and have fun.
Sorry for the long post. . .
Kevin Carr

> Sorry for the long post. . .

Are you kidding? I think it's a fabulous viewpoint to have in here, similar to editing yet so different. Thanks for that.


www.derekmok.com

"...similar to editing yet so different".

For those of us who started our careers as linear editors, what we did was TD'ing. In slow motion. We used the same tools as the rest of the crew, tape, switchers, DVE's, audio, even cameras, all in the same room.

The biggest difference is that we could stop and think, and no one stood up and started screaming. At least not very often.

-V

>>The biggest difference is that we could stop and think, and no one stood up and started screaming. At least not very often. <<

But for much longer periods, if they did!

Just FWIW, but whilst TD's often do their own switching, vision mixer and TD are not always one and the same term for the same person at all. (Its not US specific either, for instance, these are the same terms used in the UK). The TD will certainly be ultimately responsible as described above but one of the crew he/she directs may well be someone operating the vision mixer. Phil, as advised, you'd best find out the specifics before you commit, and a small show would be fun either way ... but how much you charge would depend on whether they wanted you as a TD or a vision mixer.

Cheers
Andy

I started out linear, on a Sony BVW switcher. My edits were after a live show (I was the EVS operator.) Never actually TD'd (did sit in for our TD for a few minutes while he went to the bathroom occasionally.) I'd agree with V. It can be high stress depending on the director and the situation but, if you're pretty well organized, it shouldn't be to much trouble. I have lots of respect for our TD. We just went HD and his console is like a frekin' jumbo jet cockpit. Your situation should be a breeze!

Maybe it's been to long since I've done live?! I'm getting a little misty (haha!)

Hey Vince, I did exactly what you told me and it worked just fine.

Glad it worked out Phil. Nice to have another skill to sell!

-V