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Reserve Media Lab & Equipment: How to: Use Equipment

Microphone Attachment

Typically, using microphone attachments will get better sounds from your subjects than the microphone options on the camera. 

How to Use the Microphone Attachment:

1. Remove the microphone and cord from box.

2. Attach mic to top of camera. Secure by screwing it down completely. 

3. Plug in one end of the cord to the microphone.

4. Plug the other end of the cord to the camera. 

5. Make sure the camera's audio settings are correct to ensure the audio is picked up through the microphone attachment and not the camera's built in microphone.

During Clean Up:

1. Unplug the cord from both the camera and the mic.

2. Unscrew the microphone from the camera.

3. Return cord and mic to the box and close the box. 

2017 Sony Camera (smaller)

This is a Sony PXW-X70 Professional XDCAM Compact Camcorder. It uses two SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II Memory Cards.
 

How to Use the Memory Card Camera:

  1. Put your hand under the grip when holding it.
  2. Slide the battery in, arrow up, until it clicks in place.
  3. Remove the lens cap carefully and store it in the camera bag.  RETURN IT -- VERY GENTLY -- WHEN FINISHED.
  4. Open the screen and the camera will activate.
  5. If the battery is low, you'll see an icon on the screen. You can plug it into the panel in the back of the camera while recording. When the camera is off and plugged in, it will charge -- a yellow light will turn on.
  6. Make sure both memory cards are present, and that the memory card icon at the top of the screen isn't blinking. If it is, see a librarian or the Media Lab Attendant. Clips may need to be deleted. Never delete anyone else's clips.
  7. If you use your own cards, store the library's cards in the camera case -- and nowhere else! -- during filming. Return them to their slots when you're finished.
  8. To adjust the depth of field, or your camera's focus, press the AF/MF switch to make sure it is on manual.
     
  9. Make sure the front wheel behind the camera lens is set to focus rather than zoom.
  10. Zoom in with the button on top of the camera all the way to your subject.
  11. Focus the shot using the wheel.
  12. Zoom back out.
  13. Adjust the white balance, which balances color, by pressing WHIT BAL and use the small front wheel to toggle to either A or B. Press MENU. Press CAMERA SET. Press WB SET. Frame a white object such as a white piece of paper. Click the joystick. This will store the setting.
  14. You can also adjust the lighting of your shot by pressing IRIS, GAIN, or SHUTTER SPEED on the camera, and turning the tiny MANUAL dial.
  15. To adjust playback volume, press MENU, go to the Music Note, and adjust the volume with the joystick.
     
  16. ALWAYS use headphones to adjust/set sound levels before recording. Plug them into the headphone slot in the camera, put them on, and have your on-camera subjects go through the scene as you adjust the audio.
  17. To adjust your sound being recorded, press MENU, go to the Music Note and go to MIC SELECT.
     
  18. If you're using just the camera's microphone, select INT MIC. Select AUDIO REC LEVEL to adjust the sound levels.
     
  19. If you're using the wireless microphone kit or handheld microphone, select MI SHOE MIC, and adjust the sound levels using the dials on the shoe microphone on the top of the camera.
During Clean Up:
1. Close camera screen.
2. Take the battery out of the camera.
3. Put lens cap back onto the lens.
4. Put battery and camera back into camera bag. 

Wireless Microphone Kit

Sometimes, using wireless microphones will get better sounds from your subjects than the microphone options on the camera. You can also attach instruments to the kit!

For information about the microphones on the camera itself, see the Camera & Tripod guide.

How to Use the Wireless Mic Kit:

1. Remove the receiver.

2. Pull up the antennae.

3. Plug in the receiver in a dry, stable spot.

4. Plug in the XLR cable to both the receiver and the camera.

5. Make sure the channels on the receiver match the channels on the camera.

6. Connect the kinds of microphones you want to use in the kit to the transmitters. Screw the microphone wires in to tighten.

7. Turn on the receiver and transmitter(s). The power light will glow on the receiver, and blink once on each transmitter. If a transmitter's light remains on, the battery is low.

8. Adjust your levels accordingly using the dials on the receiver and on the camera's menu. The AF light on the receiver will blink red when sound is picked up.

During Clean Up:

When it's all packed up again, make sure you push the case down gently. The case should NOT be bulging when it's closed and locked.

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360 Degree Camera

The Insta360 ONE is a camera that allows you to record with a 360 view on Apple devices. 

How to Use with iPhone/iPad:

1. Download Insta360 ONE app.

2. Remove camera from protective case.

3. When holding with the “Insta360 ONE” label facing you, turn the camera on by pressing the button on the left side of the camera.

4. Release the iPhone charger part on the right side of the camera and plug the camera into the charging port of the phone or iPad.

5. Open "Insta360 ONE" app. Press the camera icon at the bottom right corner of the screen. This will open up the camera to take pictures and videos.

6. Press the “album” button at the bottom to view pictures and videos you have taken.

How to Use Independently:

1. Remove the camera from the bottom of the protective case and put it in the top of the case to use as a tripod or holding device.

2. When holding with the “Insta360 ONE” label facing you, turn the camera on by pressing the button on the left side of the camera.

3. Click the power button once to take a photo and the green light will blink once.

4. Click the power button twice to take a video and the green light will stay on until the power button is pressed again to stop recording.

5. Click the power button three times to enable Bullet time mode. (This requires the string in the USB box to be attached.)

6. Once finished filming/taking photos, they will be stored on a Micro SD card. Connect the camera to your Apple device to review.

During Clean Up:

1. Turn the camera off by pressing the power button.

2. Put the camera back into the bottom of the protective case lenses first. Turn the camera until it slides into the case nicely. *If it is difficult to put into the case, you are not putting it back correctly.

3. Put the camera and protective case into the box and close the box. 

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Lighting Kit and Reflector

With lighting, your goal will be different in every single shot. Do you want your subjects to look bright and clear, or do you only want to see their silhouettes? This part is all up to you and how you set up your lighting!

How to Use the Lighting Kit:

You must be EXTREMELY gentle with how you handle the lighting kit. This is the most delicate Media Lab resource.

During Clean Up:
1. Be extremely careful disassembling the lighting kit. 
2. Here are pictures of what it should look like when it is packed back up:

The lab also has a portable lighting reflector. Here is a tutorial for packing a lighting reflector:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjlsP9KDjcs

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Cords

XLR cables are three-pin locking connectors that are used in audio applications. The standard signal flow for audio in XLR connectors is that the output is a male connector and the input is female. In other words, the pins on the plug point in the direction of signal flow.
How to Use an XLR Cable:
1. Unfold XLR Cable.
2. Plug the end with the pins into the camera or audio kit.
3. Plug the end with the holes into the microphone.
 
During Clean Up:
1. Unplug XLR cable from camera or audio kit.
2. Unplug XLR cable from microphone. 
3. To wrap XLR cord properly back up follow this tutorial: 
 

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Portable Green Screen

Green screens are used to replace the background of images or videos with other images or videos. 

How to Use the Portable Green Screen:

1. Take green screen out of case.

2. Unfold green screen carefully.

3. Stand green screen behind subject of picture or video.

4. Take pictures or videos with green screen.

During Clean Up:

1. To fold green screen back up watch this tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhzthX-KGxU

2. Put folded green screen back in case. 

See the Special Effects Tutorials box on the video editing page to learn how to edit media with the green screen!

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Boom Pole

Boom poles are used to get high quality audio without a microphone being visible in the camera shot. The length and strength of the microphone gives you great audio for your videos.

How to Use the Boom Pole:

1. Plug XLR cable into the cord from the microphone.

2. Plug the other end of the XLR cable into the camera's input one slot. *MAKE SURE the camera's audio settings are on "sho mic" so the audio can get picked up by boom pole instead of the camera.

3. Twist pole so that the XLR cable is wrapped loosely around it. This is so the cord does not get into the camera shot.

4. Have someone hold boom pole as close as possible to the actor speaking without getting it in the camera shot.

5. Record your clip! 

During Clean Up:

1. Unplug XLR cable from camera.

2. Unwrap cord from pole. 

3.  Unplug XLR cable from the microphone's cord.

4. Store boom pole in its box.

5. See the cords box on how to properly wrap the XLR cord.

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Mobile Device Tripod Mount Adapter

A tripod mount adapter is a tool that allows you to put a mobile device onto a tripod for mobile filming.

How to use:

1. Attach mobile device to mount. To find out how to adjust the size of mount, watch this short video:

2. Attach bottom of mount to top of tripod head, just as you would attach a camera. Click HERE to see a video on how this is done.

3. Turn tripod top sideways so camera is facing forwards instead of upwards.

4. Then film or take pictures!

During Clean Up:

1. Remove mobile device from tripod mount.

2. Unscrew tripod mount from tripod head.

3. Put tripod head back into bag and then into its box.

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Tripod

 

 

How to Use the Tripod:

1. Take it out of the case.

2. Loosen the tripod's legs. Stretch them out until the tripod stands EVENLY.  A helpful tool is a small yellow circle containing an air bubble near the top of the tripod.  The more centered the air bubble is within the yellow circle, the more likely it is that your frame will look even while filming.

3. Tighten or loosen the hand grip as needed.

4. Loosen the side of the tripod head for up and down movement, and the bottom of the head for side to side movement.

5. Unlock the tripod head. Press in the silver button to remove the tripod head. Screw in under the camera.

6. Reattach and re-tighten.

During Clean Up:

1. Make sure all knobs are secure.

2. Put the tripod back into the case head first.

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