The snow last weekend give me a chance to experiment with a white background and the pink Mylar, and a higher frame rate camera that I borrowed from a friend for the day. I made a lot of mistakes -with the slippery snow and trying to find a slope that not had been touched and had not been trampled and sled on. i should have walked on flat land. all my choreography ideas were out the window as i could not jump or run on the slippery snow and i quickly ripped my mylar. I quickly found out that a higher frame rate file was not recognized by my computer and required different methods for downloading and took more time. In the same vein as I started to research cameras to rent to work on the silver mylar piece I found that to complete the work the way I wanted it I really needed a higher frame rate camera and I was not equipped or trained to handle such a Camera, I would need to rent the camera and I would also need to hire a staff member to run the camera. In addition in order to edit the film I would not be able to use my computer and software That I currently have and would need to also hire someone to edit the footage. spent a week calling B&H, borrowed lenses and unique photo and chatting with every tech proFessional I knew ( Sharon can tell you) to figure out what camera I should be using for this project. The cameras with the higher frame rates and quality image I was looking for were out of my price range. The project started to get more and more expensive and I wondered if it was really possible to complete in the next two weeks. I applied for two grants right away which wouldn’t give me the funding to complete this project right now but would allow me to finish it in the way that I could see completing it next year. So at this point I had two options: one is to complete the project at a lower frame rate with the cameras I have access to and just show it as a sketch for something bigger or skip showing the silver Mylar idea and show something easier to complete, smaller on a projection like the pink Mylar piece. although this pink Mylar piece, needs additional time, I also imagine in a larger white space, I could make due with a photo backdrop in a studio.
Enter gibney digital technology initiative, a subsidized tech training and support program for dancers and dance filmmakers. I have been to many of their free and inexpensive classes and enjoy their program. Weeks ago I had contacted them for a price list for renting their high speed cameras. Since they are expanding their spaces, I did not get a reply for weeks. I finally received an email with the price list stating that they cannot rent me the camera but they can provide a tech to work with me for $20 an hour! This subsidized program would allow me complete the project with the film equipment that would create a high quality product. I was so relieved. I have an appointment for Friday with a tech, a film camera and a dancer at Gibney Dance studio. I will need the tech to also render the file and hoping it will be ready for installation.
To summarize, the first tests with the higher frame rates went well and i look forward to working on the finished pieces with a professional tech.
