Green Screen Stage in Las Vegas!
If you're already familiar with our awesome new three-walled cyclorama stage, then perhaps you know that it can be painted. That's right! Our 35'x36' stage can be painted... pretty much any color you want. While Chroma Green has been the most popular choice away from matte white, we have had a few other requests, and bookings with various colors. We've had requests for black, blue, and even light pink; we've booked a photo shoot with baby spinach, which ended up looking nice!
Once we have our awesome, motorized light grid up, as well as the lights, then, you can potentially paint the dang thing any color you want with light. Until then though, this is a great way to add some razzmatazz to your shoot. Also, depending on your project, you may not be able to bath the stage in light, you may need to paint it... but, you'll figure that out.
So, for your next Las Vegas video shoot or photo shoot, look no further than your good friends at F11 Rentals. We'll bring the paint rollers!
The Benefits of a Haze Machine in Videos
A Haze Machine can be a very valuable tool for productions. Music Videos, Films, and Commercials are all examples of good times to add haze. Let's look at these examples more thoroughly.
Music Videos
First, Music Videos. Not every video or scene calls for the addition of haze, but a lot could. Adding haze to a party scene to add "atmosphere" is a very popular move. Additionally, if the song is heavier or darker, adding haze may intensify the heavy, dark, sinister mood of the song. There is a difference between haze and smoke, so take note of that; the haze is a lot lighter. So, if you're trying to soften up the image, maybe soften up a practical light source, haze is the way to go. If your artist/talent is supposed to walk through a smokey building, haze is not the way to go. In all, haze can give your music video just the right type of cinematic atmosphere and softness to make it stand out from the multitude of other videos.
Films
Here's an example: FiveSix Productions of Las Vegas/Long Beach shot a short film in Utah. The film took place in a cabin in the woods, and was a physiological drama. Now, you may thinking, "Oh, the haze made the cabin creepy!" No. All the haze was used for was to create a bit of "atmosphere" in the rooms. It didn't look hazy at all, but, it did create a little bit of softness, and glow. To the untrained eye, you would never know it was hazy, but without, it wouldn't have looked so cinematic. Think of it like this: haze is to a cinematic look, as shallots are to a restaurant quality dish. Adding a tiny bit of haze will give the picture a little extra quality, and shallots will give a dish a little extra flavor.
Commercials
Finally, commercials. Again, similar to films, there are so many different uses. Dense haze can add a rich atmosphere to beauty and fashion products. If you're creating a creepy environment such as a a haunted house, cemetery, etc., haze is great. Concerts or clubs of any kind generally have haze machines. Or, again, a dramatic, cinematic style commercial could really benefit from a tiny bit of haze to create 'atmosphere'.
So there you have it. If you have any questions, make sure to drop a line. If you would like to rent a Hurricane Haze Machine for your next project, make sure to reach out and we'll get you squared away!
Best Film Gear During Coronavirus!
As the production industry attempts to increase business and productions, it's important to be safe. There are always risks on set, but there are solutions for safety.
Similar to taping down cables, using shot bags on stands, and keeping clear pathways, COVID safety is key! Wearing a mask it a no brainer. It will help keep you and the crew safe... and it masks bad breath! Nevada law requires masks in most businesses and situations; sets and studios are no exceptions. Your on-screen talent is generally exempt from wearing a mask when on camera.
Audio:
Lavaliere microphones should be used a little as possible. If a lavaliere is required, the talent should put it on themselves. A much better option is a shotgun microphone and boom pole. Both the Sennheiser MKH 416 and Schoeps CMIT 5 (my favorite) are great options! Another fun trick, if you're doing ENG interviews, is to use a handheld microphone on a boom pole. You can take the excellent Sennheiser MD 46 cardioid mic, put it on a boom pole, and keep your distance!
Makeup, Wardrobe, Hair:
Talent should come to set with their hair, makeup, and wardrobe done. If however you need touchups or small fixes, crew should wear masks, visors, and gloves. All of these items are readily available for purchase, and don't cost much. The typical problem of a little shine on talent is easily remedied with "shine killer". NYX makes a great "shine killer" that talent can easily apply to their own skin.
Lenses and 4K:
Lastly, while the CDC and other medical experts have said that masks are the key to stopping the spread, socially distancing is needed too. You can only stay so distant on set, so here are a couple items to help you along. Use a longer lens like a Canon 70-200mm L-Series; or heck, a 100-400mm lens, and shoot from really far away! Also, consider investing in UHD/4K. Having the ability to crop in will make it possible to stay further apart, and have less people on set. (The idea is you don't need as many cameras...)
So, there are some ideas and suggestions to keep us safe, healthy, and working. Best of luck!
Video Production at CES 2020
CES 2020 is bigger than ever! Literally, and figuratively. Over 175,000 attendees and 4,500 exhibiting companies are expected. Millions and millions of square feet of convention and meeting space are used to put on one of the biggest shows in the world. You can expect to film anywhere from the L.V. Convention Center to Sands Expo, to City Center; or, all three! It's important to be prepared going in, because this show can eat you alive.
Travel logistics are imperative if you're at more than one venue, even one booth! It takes a solid 15 to 20 minutes to go from one side of the Convention Center to the other, longer with crowds and gear. If you need to go 2 miles from Westgate to meeting rooms at The Venetian, expect 45 minutes. 2 more miles to Aria or Park MGM, another 45 minutes. So, schedule accordingly!
Then, there's gear. It's crowded. Did I mention the 175,000 people packed essentially, into a really small town? Minimize and stay compact. Small cart if any. Tripod wheels are not recommended. Sliders are great, but prepare to fight for Realestate; you may be better with an Easyrig Vario 5 and some careful handheld. Wireless lavs and mics are also tricky. Give it a go, it's not impossible, but a hardline could be the difference between getting the shot or not. Keep your lighting minimal; it's worth the extra money to rent a solid Litepanels Gemini 1x1, it kicks out what a Skypanel S30 does.
Lastly, pack food like you're on a day hike, lots of water, nuts, granola, etc. Food is expensive and the lines are Disney-esque.
Good luck, and happy filming!
Best Gear for Filming the Convention Floor: 2019
Conventions and trade shows are big business these days, and that's especially true here in Las Vegas. With well over 10 million square feet of convention and meeting space, Vegas constantly ranks among the top host cities in the world. Gear requirements of course depend on the project, but some of the best gear on convention floor are as follows... The Sony FS7 Mark II is great for ENG-style shooting, has a 17-110mm servo lens, and can shoot up to 4K. Couple the FS7 with the Sony a7S II and the DJI Ronin-S; b-roll shot over-cranked will really up your production value. Either the Astra 6X or Gemini 1x1 LED kits provide more than enough light, run on batteries, and have a small footprint. If you have an audio technician with you, the Sound Devices 633 is perfect. If you're a one-man-band, an on-board shotgun mic and lavalier is usually more than enough. Finally, the Cinevate Duzi is a great, compact slider to really take your video over the top. F11 Rentals is happy to provide all your Las Vegas video production rental gear for your next convention gig!
Astra 6X: exceptional LED for rent.
Litepanels Astra 6X are an industry favorite, and for good reason! These 1x1 LED panels are very bright, color accurate, light weight, and run on both AC power and batteries. Astra 6X are exceptionally brighter than their predecessors, and they've proven to work well in a myriad of environments. From green screen or outdoor interview set-ups, to convention room floors, these lights are great. Coupled with soft-boxes, these LEDs make excellent key lights, but are controllable enough to work as fills and even stage lights. If you're next project calls for a versatile, dependable, quality LED, reach out today and book a set of our Litpanel Astra 6Xs.
CES Is Coming Soon! #CES2016 #CESlasvegas
One of our favorite times of the year is just around the corner: CES! The International Consumer Electronics Show is one of the largest shows of it's kind in the world. Over 150K people from 150 countries will attend and see the over 3,600 companies displaying new innovations and technologies. We love sending our gear out with the various crews who will help cover all angles of this awesome event. Our gear is booking out fast, so make sure to contact us as soon as possible. Happy Holidays, and we'll see you in just a couple weeks!
Flags and Diffusion To Go! #Roadrags #MatthewsStudioEquipment #Amazing
Some of the most useful pieces of gear in the grip and lighting department are flags, scrims, and diffusion; however, they can be somewhat cumbersome to schlep around, especially if you're on the move. A great alternative to a full load of flags and diffusion is an amazing product from Matthews Studio Equipment called Road Rags. Road Rags are compact, portable flags and diffusion that transform in an instant; they're easy to build and easy to package back up. There are single, double and triple black and white bobinett available for diffusing light without changing the color- and they're flame retardant, which is great for not burning the joint down! Matthews also offers black and white silks in three different forms for bounce and diffusion services; the China silk is not flame retardant or self extinguishing... so we might be burning it all down. Lastly, there are gold, silver, and checker board lames for balling out and reflecting beautiful light; these are self extinguishing, so flame on!
Enough of my rambling, check out the product here, order yourself a set, you won't ragret it- nope not even one little letter. Oh, and, we have a few bobinetts if you need to rock out like us.