VIDEO JUDGE SYSTEM SETUP & CAPTURE TABLE OF CONTENTS GENERAL OVERVIEW... 1 ABOUT THE COMPETITIONS... 1 PRIOR TO THE EVENT... 2 EQUIPMENT LIST... 2 ARRIVAL AT THE VENUE... 3 EQUIPMENT SETUP... 4 Camera and Tripod Setup... 4 Computer Setup... 4 Audio Setup... 5 VERIFYING YOUR VJ DATABASE & TESTING... 5 TAPING WIRES... 7 Taping Tips... 7 CAPTURING TO BACKUP... 7 BEFORE YOUR EVENT STARTS... 8 DURING THE COMPETITION... 8 TROUBLESHOOTING... 10 GENERAL OVERVIEW As a Video Judge operator you are responsible for capturing an entire dance competition on video with several judges comments. DRC Video Productions works with each Dance Competition to capture and deliver each and every dance along with the comments given by each judge. Each dance is extremely important and we expect that they will all be given the same professional attention to detail. Each dancer expects to get their dance(s) captured in the highest quality and with all judge commentary clearly audible. At all times, you are to maintain a professional appearance and attitude towards the competition/studio directors, teachers, parents, students, venue staff, and anyone else you come into contact with at the competition. ABOUT THE COMPETITIONS Dance competitions are unique events and while there is a short learning curve, the format is generally consistent from competition to competition.
At a competition, dancers will compete in either a solo, duet, trio or group performance. Each dancer is enrolled in a specific dance studio, and several different studios compete at each competition in many different categories, age groups, and dance styles. Competitions can vary some run from 2-3 days; others can be one-day events and occasionally there are four-day events. A setup usually takes two hours. Depending on how early the competition begins, setup can sometimes happen the day (or evening) prior to the first day of the competition. There are hundreds of performances at each competition and each usually runs between 3 and 4 minutes. We capture each performance live with no editing, so it s crucial that you start and stop capturing at the correct moments. Each competition has a program. Make sure you have a copy when you begin shooting. We will also provide our own entry list to use for capturing. Capture is done directly to a Video Judge capture computer. This computer records the camera s video and audio feed, and all judge commentary. As you capture you re able to enter information about the dance the entry number you enter will automatically fill in all fields with the Dance Title, Studio, and Type (Solo, Duet, Trio, or Group). PRIOR TO THE EVENT In the weeks prior to the event you will be e-mailed details which will include your pick up and departure times as well as anticipated arrival times and event start times. It is essential that you arrive at the office or venue at the time indicated. If you re asked to arrive at the office, you will assist in the pick-up of equipment and then begin your trip to the venue. If you re arriving at the venue, you ll assist in unloading equipment and set-up. EQUIPMENT LIST For each event you ll need the following equipment (DRC provided): HD Camera (with power adapter) Tripod (with extension arm and VariZoom remote) Headphones (with ¼ Adapter) Power Wheel / Extension cords SD cards for backup Duct / Gaffer Tape A laptop system (with power adapter and a mouse) Lexicon and Tascam audio devices Microphones and XLR audio cables Avermedia USB HD capture device
ARRIVAL AT THE VENUE Upon arrival at the venue your first task is to meet with your competition and venue contacts. The venue contact (generally a technical director, sound or lighting technician, AV technician, or school custodian) should be able to show you exactly where they have planned for you to setup. This is a crucial step and you must make your choice decisively and immediately as you have a lot of equipment to set up. If you re driving, park your car in a convenient spot to either the front of the theatre or the stage area. Load everything into the shooting location and then move your vehicle to its final parking spot. Never leave any equipment unattended. Each competition usually seats their judges at specially modified tables that usually straddle a row of seats. Each judge actually sits in a theatre seat. Typically this is in the middle of the lower deck of seating. For capture, you need to be far enough back in order that the camera can see the whole stage including the wings at the front of the stage. In most theatres, this means the camera cannot be any closer than row M. In most circumstances, your supervisor will have some idea as to what is normal for each theatre or venue. Our preferred setup would be that we get a table (similar to a judges ) and have it in the middle of the row, 2 rows behind the judges row. Make sure you have power in this area and then begin setting up. Note: Take your camera out and test the position to determine if this is far enough back from the stage. Option 1: If the position is satisfactory, set your tripod up directly in line with the middle of the stage straddling the same row your table is in. The tripod should be directly to the right of your table and low enough that with the arm extended, you can comfortably handle the arm without reaching up too high. (It is recommended that you have only 1 tripod leg in the row you are sitting in.) Option 2: If the position is too close to the stage, find out whether moving a couple of rows back will solve the problem. This step will require you to get this approved by both the venue contact and the competition director. In some cases this may mean that they will have to block all the rows between you and the judges for general seating. Option 3: If you cannot be directly behind the judges, you will need to set up at the back of the theatre. (This could mean in the last row of seats or behind the last row in either an aisle or within the tech booth area.)
Again, this determination must be made right away as there will not be enough time for you to try one setup; find out it is not working, and then change to another option. EQUIPMENT SETUP From left to right, this is the order that the equipment should be set-up: 1) Computer (on a table) 2) Video Judge Audio Capture Device 3) Camera & Tripod Camera and Tripod Setup Make sure your white balance is set properly. If you are in a theatre, set your White Balance to Tungsten. If you re in a ballroom you may have to do a custom white balance on the stage. Fluorescent is another acceptable white balance preset. Manually set your focus. Zoom in to the stage. If you can, set your focus while there are people on the stage. If not, adjust the focus so the middle of the stage is in focus. Zoom back out. Once your focus is set properly, you shouldn't have to change it at all during the show. Set your exposure to Manual. If the lighting changes drastically during the show, you may adjust your exposure. To do so, adjust the aperture, not the shutter speed. Ensure your camera is set to the following settings: Rec Media for Movies: Relay Recording (A to B) Framerate: 30fps HDMI Output: 720p Shutter Speed: 1/60 Recording Mode: 5Mbps Movie Format: AVCHD Set audio to Manual and ensure the internal mic is enabled. Take the camera body out and attach the tripod plate to it. Use a coin to tighten. Attach the camera to the tripod and slide the plate into a position where it s balanced properly. (Improper balance may cause the camera to slowly pan down or up.) Set up your external zoom control, if you have one. Make sure that the rocker part of the remote is just above the handle grip. If the remote has controls for focus or exposure, only plug the zoom pin into the camera. It s too easy to accidentally change the focus or exposure so we leave that pin out. Computer Setup Set your laptop up in the best spot possible, depending on how long of a reach the cables
have from your capture devices. Connect your camera to the Avermedia using the HDMI cable. Then connect the Avermedia to the laptop via USB 3.0. Securely attach the HDMI cable to the camera using the Velcro on the cable. If it s loose and disconnects during the competition, the capture system will crash. Turn on the camera. Audio Setup Set up the Lexicon audio capture device up on a table next to the camera. Plug it in, power it on and ensure it is working. Use the following settings: The OUTPUT LEVEL dial should be at 12:00. The MONITOR MIX dial should be turned all the way counter-clockwise. All STEREO buttons (between the MIC/LINE dials) should be turned off so the STEREO light isn t illuminated. All MIC/LINE/INST dials should be turned all the way counter-clockwise. Now you are ready to setup your microphones for your judges. Run the XLR cables to the judge s table. Depending on your setup you may need to run a large amount of cable. If you are close to the judges (within a couple of rows) then you should be able to run your cables forward, under and then up the front of the table. Make sure to leave enough slack so that they re able to use the microphones comfortably. If you are further away from the judges, you ll need to find a path for your wires. Consult the theatre technician to make sure they approve your plan. Typically Judge 1 will be on the left facing the stage, and 2, 3 and 4 will be to their right, respectively. Connect the XLR cable coming from the Judge s Mic to the only female end of the XLR Y- splitter. Connect one end of the male connection to the Lexicon and the other to the Tascam device. Do this for each Judge. Make sure the USB cable is firmly plugged in to both the Lexicon and the laptop. Before you tape anything down, test your capture system. VERIFYING YOUR VJ DATABASE & TESTING Double-click on VJ Capture on the desktop to open the capture software. Click on Select VJ File To Start to open the VideoJudge Database file for your event. In the window that opens, navigate to the Capture Drive, select the folder labeled the
event code and select the VJ file and click open. Note: If there are any problems opening this file, a copy of it has been included on a USB key with your event materials. With the VJ database loaded, verify that all of the information on this opening screen is correct and matches your pre-event report. Verify the following: The Competition Name has been entered. The Start and End dates are correct. The Number of Judges is set properly. Capture Device is set to USB HD Capture Device. Stage ID can be left blank unless there are two stages at your event. Be sure to ask your competition contact how many Judges will be at the competition. It is extremely important that the number of judges specified is correct. If it isn t, you will not record any audio for any additional judges. Click on Open at the bottom of the screen to open the capture window or Quick Open if you want to open the previously used VJ file. You will see your camera output on the monitor. If you don t, go back and check your settings and cables try restarting the camera and the computer. With everything plugged in and your computer monitor receiving a picture, press RECORD (or F2). RECORDING will appear at the top of the screen. Once you start recording you can now enter dance information. Enter Current Dance Details is a database table below the RECORD button. Type in a mock entry number under Entry Code and press TAB. If the database is working, it will fill in the remaining fields. Select TEST under the issues field. You will be testing the video and audio from the camera and every judge microphone. Make sure you have the input level up on each judge microphone on the Lexicon. As the computer is still recording, make some noise for the camera to pick up then walk down in front of the judge s tables and speak into each microphone and say which microphone you are using. Press STOP (or F10) on the laptop to stop recording. You should see the test entry appear in the database table at the bottom of the window. Plug in the headphones to the laptop to begin your tests. In order for you to verify that the recorded files are working properly, you ll need to view the recorded files. In the capture program, go to Tools then Review Capture. Select the file you just recorded to play it. Make sure the video plays back perfectly, and the ambient audio from the camera s microphone sounds good. Now, select each audio track and ensure that each one plays back the judge audio test that you did. You should hear yourself say Judge 1 on the first WAV, Judge 2 on the second WAV, and so on.
Alternatively you can open raw file to test the footage (Do this only if Review Capture isn t working). In the capture program at the right of the table there is a column called File ID. This is the number that the computer assigns to the recording So if the ID is 3, the MP4 file will be called 3.MP4. The associated WAV files would be titled with the file ID then Judge Number. For example: 31.WAV, 32.WAV, 33.WAV and so on. On your desktop open My Computer then go into your capture hard drive. Open the event folder, then the CAPTURE folder. Using VLC player play back the MP4 and WAV files (using the File ID assigned from the capture system). Remember to plug your headphones back into the Lexicon audio capture device after a successful test. TAPING WIRES This is a very important safety concern. Before the theatre is open to the public all of your wires must be taped down. In a situation where you are very close to the judges, you will need to tape down your wires on the floor in the row that the judges are seated. In a situation where you are far from the judges you will need to tape down in any row or area that people will be moving around. Taping Tips At every 2 foot interval put a 4 inch cross piece of tape first before you tape down the length of the wire. If you don t, the tape will wrap around the wire when you pull it up and it may never come off. Also, never tape audio cables parallel with power cables. This will cause distortion on the audio feed. Setting up is the most important part of this process so make sure you give yourself plenty of time. You will need most or all of these two hours to get ready so make the decision of where you will set up right away. CAPTURING TO BACKUP You will be given one 64GB SD card for the Tascam and multiple 32 & 64GB SD cards for your camera (64GB per day). To capture your event to backup make sure you have two SD cards in your camera and one SD card in the Tascam device. Verify the settings for each device matches your settings sheet. Hit record on both devices approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the event. Let them record until the end of the day. Remember to change the SD cards in your camera every morning before the event starts. For the Tascam one 64GB card will be enough for an entire weekend.
BEFORE YOUR EVENT STARTS Verify that all of the devices that require power are plugged in and not running on batteries. If your main power is in an area that it might get kicked by you or someone else, tape it down, or move it to a safer area. Obtain a show program from the competition. DURING THE COMPETITION Start recording when the competition starts announcing the dance. This is a good backup for us in case we need to verify what the dance is. If the announcer announces the dance and then it looks like they won t be ready to perform for a few minutes, you may want to stop the recording, and mark it as a test. Recording nothing for 10 or 15 seconds is okay, there is no need to stop, then start recording in this instance. Tip Don t type anything in until you know they are starting the dance. This way if you have to stop recording anything you don t need to worry. If you type in the dance information you will have to change the comment and issue fields before you stop recording, to mark it as a test or scratch. The printed entry list that you ve been given matches the information in the Video Judge capture system. The capture system will be pre-loaded with the same entry list. This entry list is based on data given to us by the competition before the event. If there are any changes, you will have to manually change the entry information on the system. Once the dance begins you can type in the Entry Code and press TAB (not Enter). As soon as you hit tab the system will fill in all the information that is preloaded by the Entry List. Simply verify that the information we have matches the performer and performance you are recording. If there is something different then select the Studio, change the dance name if necessary, change the type of dance, and if you do make any changes please make a note in the comments. You must also note this in your paper copy. If there are any issues with a performance, select the correct issue from the Issue drop-down list. If your event does not have a preloaded Entry List you will need to manually select the Studio Code from the drop down list, type in the dance name, and select the type of dance it is. (Group dances are any dance with 4 or more performers) At any time during the recording you can edit the text in this window. Once you press STOP you cannot. It is extremely important for you to communicate to us any changes, additional dances, or dances that did not perform. Typically, when you start to enter in the data, check off the dance on your entry list. If the
announcer says that a dance is on hold, simply circle the dance entry number and when it does dance you can put a check beside it. If a dance is not planning on performing the announcer will typically say it s SCRATCHED. Put this in your comment field on paper. You should have a copy of the printed program with you just in case it is tough to follow along with the announcer. You may need to ask the competition director how they plan to announce each dance and you can ask them if it is possible to always call the entry code number. With our pre-loaded Entry List, you should be able to start operating the camera within seconds from starting the recording. You will always start and stop the camera with the whole stage in frame. Slowly zoom into the dancer(s) and make sure you keep them in frame. Tips for shooting different dance configurations: Solos Keep them in frame by leaving more room above their head than below their feet. Once you have shot a few solos you should know what zoom is most comfortable. Duets & Trios These are by far the toughest as 2 dancers can occupy a small space as a soloist or as wide as the whole stage. They also tend to get together and then spread apart very quickly. Don t frame them as tight as a soloist and try not to zoom too quickly. Groups You can zoom in a little on groups but don t cut anyone out. If the program says they re a group and you only see a few dancers, the rest of them may be just about to come on stage. Wait to see if more come out or not. There is a chance that the dance had more dancers planned but only a few showed up. In this case you can change the type to a Trio or Duet if necessary. In most dances the music will stop while they are on stage. At this time you need to start zooming out and once you are fully zoomed out you can stop recording. When recording, take note of the Drive Space section of the window. This indicates how much free space you have on your external and local drives. If the free space starts to get low, you ll need to contact your supervisor to get another hard drive. Each entry must be converted and uploaded at the end of each day. Take the laptop and Rogers hub with you to your hotel/home. Open the Uploader/Converter program. Select the same VJ used to capture. Ensure that all four options on the left side (DVD, Web, Video and Thumb) are selected. Then hit start. Let this run overnight. If the conversion isn t complete by the morning, it s OK to stop the conversion. Do not convert or upload files while shooting your event as it will slow down the capture laptop drastically.
TROUBLESHOOTING If your computer freezes or crashes you need to do the following: 1. Don t panic - Immediately verify that your camera and backup Tascam audio device are recording to SD cards. Do not concentrate on operating the camera. Just keep it wide and record the entire stage. 2. Restart your computer and any other devices (except the camera and tascam). Check all connections. 3. Make note of any dances that were affected in your entry list. Note if a dance was lost entirely, partially, and if was recorded on SD cards. 4. Notify Chrishan as soon as possible if you re not able to fix the problem.