To tell a story is at the core of any video project, no matter if it’s for non-fiction or fiction shows. In crafting stories the main emphasis is the words but the three day workshop presented by the National Press Photographers Association focused on the visuals. The touring Northern Short Course rarely gets near the Washington area so when it came to Fairfax in March Peter Roof decided it was time to attend. He knew that knowledge and skills gained here can help all of his work.

Sessions attended: licensing, storytelling, police/journalists relations, Final Cut Pro tips & tricks, time lapse, editing style, one-man-bands, and collaborative projects. Many of the presenters didn’t show anything particularly new but reinforced the methods for gathering and assembling essential and special elements for compelling stories. It was good to hear what elements, both picture and especially sound, make for good building blocks for any story. Non-linear edit systems have helped the process for both speed and ease. What is impressive is that these practitioners can make great stories about unplanned events on a short deadline and all in less than 1:30.

Peter has been a member of NPPA since he started as a news still photographer in 1985. Several years later he transitioned to TV news and was delighted that the organization also supports excellence in this craft.

A teleprompter has been added to the Alt Gobo tool kit. Since most of what comes out of Washington is highly-controlled rhetoric it is essential that the talent get the words right. This prompter is a portable system that mounts in front of the lens. It is suitable for most applications for one person reading to camera about 10 to 15 feet from the lens. It’s small enough to even allow limited hand-held use. It will need to be specifically requested for a nominal rate. Depending on the workload an extra crew member may be needed to run the system.

The addition of the vest and support arm should make using the Glidecam 4000 Pro system easy to endure more than five minutes. The Glidecam 4000 pro is newly designed with a no-tools telescoping center post, a sleek and light base which allows quick attachment and dynamic adjustment with the counterweight disks. Includes a foam handlegrip, light gimbal and a compact main bearing assembly. The vest helps support the weight of the system and the articulated arm absorbs body movements allowing smooth camera handling.

This stabilization system works gracefully and professionally. Producers will see why the idea of making a camera glide through the air isn't just a dream, it's a reality.

The Glidecam 4000 Pro will easily supports smaller cameras like our Panasonic HPX170. It is quick and easy to set up and balance. Allows unrestricted booming and unrestricted 360 degree panning. This rig should be considered for projects that can use an increase in production values with dynamic pictures.

Note: camera operator shown in photo not included.

A Spiderlight TD5 was added to the lighting quiver. With 5600˚K daylight balanced compact fluorescent bulbs this unit can output the quivalent of 780 watts of light using only 200 watts of AC power. Using a Chimera hood this will provide a soft source of key lighting ideal in situations where the set is in a mixed situation with other natural sources. With the two bulb, 600 watt equivalent unit we already have from the R&D department we now have two sources of soft 5600˚K light.

If you are reading this you are looking at my totally new and improved web site. Please tour the site using the navigation buttons on the left. I’ve included a comprehensive and growing set of sample programs. A complete and current inventory of my comprehensive gear package is detailed under Tools of the Trade. Not many production companies show their rates but you will find mine here. What does “Alt Gobo” mean? Find the answer in the “About” pages. And here in the news page you will find out all about my latest projects, upgrades, and what’s come out of the Research and Development Labs. Stay tuned for essays, commentaries, and tech tips in my “Feed” section.

After more than five years at the same low rates Peter Roof has decided to make a slight increase. He believes the new rates are competitive and are slightly below the average for this market. The rates take into consideration his deep experience and the comprehensive set of tools that includes the latest technology and the industry’s top performing legacy hardware. In a practice not common in this business, Alt Gobo will publish the current rates on this website. Clients can use the figures to plan routine projects. Of course, no two jobs are alike and clients are encouraged to contact Alt Gobo with specifics so we can give a more detailed estimate using only the necessary resources.

Along with the increase a unique 10% discount program is being offered. Discounts are available on Alt Gobo resources and clients can take advantage of this program if projects are firm booked in advance. Single-day projects can get the discount if the job is guaranteed ten days in advance. For two and three+ sequential day projects the window is 20 and 30 days respectively. The discount is also available if Alt Gobo has the choice of selecting the production day(s).

To enhance production values a mini camera crane has been added to the tool box. This unit can be configured in 8 and 5-foot lengths. Using the smaller Panasonic HPX170 camera also reduces the need for excessive counterweights making the entire system quite portable. For not many dollars clients can add dynamic shots to their production.

A 2008 Toyota Prius has been added to the Alt Gobo fleet. This is considered a “carbon offset” to the 1994 Toyota 4runner, the primary production vehicle. This fuel efficient vehicle will be used on smaller jobs and assignments where crew is working in a client facility. The Prius goes nearly three times as far on one gallon of gas as the 4runner. Both vehicles are equipped with a 600 watt AC power inverter with internal battery. The box is a source of a small amount of AC power and can be used to jump start vehicles if necessary. They are recharged using a small solar panel.

To increase functionality and reach a larger clientele Alt Gobo's Panasonic HPX170 camera has been upgraded to be switchable to PAL. PAL is an international broadcast standard used in most of Europe and the rest of the world (yellow on map) which operates on a 50Hz frequency. Countries like China, India, Australia, and Indonesia all broadcast in PAL. The North American standard (Japan too) is NTSC (green on map) which is at 60Hz. Twice as many televisions work in PAL than NTSC.
Most nations have, or are developing, digital high definition transmission standards that are similar to what the US implemented in June 2009. Sadly, there is still no global standard. High def material can be recorded in a wide variety of settings and may be able to be converted or output using many different codecs. The technology is still emerging and we have yet to see how material can be exchanged easily. However, having the capability to record in the PAL frequency may streamline that process if going directly to traditional broadcast or post-production overseas.

Continual upgrades to accommodate client needs and enhance technical capability happen here at Alt Gobo. Many events covered are speeches at a podium across a large ballroom. To help the HPX170 camera get tighter shots the Raynox HDX9000EX was added to the inventory. This multiplies the focal length by a factor of 1.8x. It threads on the end of the lens and can zoom from a medium-tight to a tight shot. Shorter focal lengths can be shot by removing the extender.

To add a new and convenient method for payment Alt Gobo has signed up for PayPal. Through PayPal customers can choose to pay with any credit card or through electronic bank transfer. Customers are asked to indicate their preference and they will receive a special email invoice. New and out-of-town customers (plus projects over $4K) will be required to make an advance payment to confirm bookings. This is an excellent option to speed up the process and reserve the desired resources.