Day 18 - Simulcast Friday - July 3

Okay, I skipped a few days in the blog. On July 1, we captured  Les Troyens for the last time.

On July 2,  I changed over 250 shots. Why?  The format of 29 x 9 is so wide that it covers lots of territory.  So instead of going to cutaways of singers, we might see all of them on a single shot.

Today - July 3 -  Jess (AD), Gary (LD) and I went to AT&T this afternoon to check on how the lighting looked in the 3 acts. We decided that the background light in Act 1 should come up.   Here are some photos from Today's visit.

Me and Gary (LD) checking out the AT&T Projection

Visiting SFO  sound engineer, Alava at the mixing board near home plate.

Gary decided that for tonight's opera he would add some background light for Act One.

I think it looked really good and made the singers pop even more.

I just realized that I have not explained where my camera positions are in the opera house:

Camera 11 - Static camera for the Maestro.

Camera 10 - overlooks the stage from above.  Almost a straight down overhead look.

Camera 9 - Grand wide shot from the first balcony rail.   This camera can also pickup the percussion group in the pit and the woodwinds.

Camera 8 - also on the rail but 20 feet left of camera 9 which gives me an off center wide look and can zoom into the chorus and give me dramatic zoom outs as well as zoom ins.  This angle can also give me two shots-head to toe and group shots when needed.  This off center look is one of my favorite angles.

Camera 7 - Located on the orchestra level (main floor)  back of house - long lens 42 x 7.  This will give me extreme closeups as well as medium wide shots.

Camera 5 and 6 are in the pit and pickup singles and group shots of the musicians in the orchestra as well as pan and zoom in to the action on stage.  Some of the most dynamic and impressive shots come front these camera positions.  The extreme close ups are stunning as well as the wide shots. These two cameras can make shorter performers look taller.

Camera 1 and 4 are in the walls of the opera house far left and far right.  This lets me great over the shoulder shots and compresses three to four performers. The lenses on these cameras are 26 x 9.

Camera 2 and 3 are located under the first balcony, above the heads of the orchestra level seating.  These two cameras get me closeups, medium closeups, medium masters, stage wide and head to toe framing.  Cameras 2,3 and 7 are constantly working.