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7. LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION Walking up to your camera or lights and manually changing settings might have been the way for decades – but remote control is the new way to make adjustments. You can alter settings, or even trigger a remote camera in places that are impossible to access during a shoot. In terms of lighting – particularly with so many on set – it can be even more critical. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to control your kit remotely, and some of it is integrated in new products. Many modern cameras, especially mirrorless and the latest crop of cinema cameras or camcorders, can be controlled via a dedicated smartphone app. Some have built-in Wi-Fi to establish connections to a smartphone, while older cinema cameras might need a plug-in Wi-Fi dongle to enable connection. Sony’s Image Edge Mobile app, which replaced the older PlayMemories Online app, works on Apple and Android devices. Linking a camera, you can start and stop recordings, preview live footage, and even send full-size as well as proxy stills or video directly to the phone. What’s more, it’s completely free! Panasonic’s Lumix Sync and Image App offer similar functionality for cameras across its ranges. The Lumix Sync is built for the S1 full-frame mirrorless family, plus the S5, BGH1, G100 and G110. The Image App is suitable for the GH, GX and G ranges, among others. Pretty much all camera manufacturers have their own similar control apps,
SMART DEVICES From controlling your camera and seeing a live preview, to altering the power and setting of your lights, a number of apps can help you work away from your kit – and most are totally free to download and use
including Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Olympus, Red, JVC and Arri. Controlling lighting remotely is a veteran technology, really kicking off with DMX control 35 years ago. It’s the standard communication protocol to control intelligent lighting fixtures, usually via a large DMX controller or purpose-made desk. And this isn’t just for someone controlling lights at a big rock gig, theatre production or large TV studio – DMX is also useful for filmmakers controlling a handful of lights on set. In fact, many higher-end LED lights suitable for video use boast DMX control, often wirelessly via a plug-in module, but sometimes built-in.
The lights can be adjusted by a DMX controller, varying from cheap units on Amazon, to smaller, more powerful wireless kits offered by the likes of Swit. High-end lights, such as the Rotolight Titan range, include built-in Bluetooth, wireless DMX and Lumenradio CRMX capabilities that control a full range of settings. But it’s not only large fixtures that can be controlled wirelessly, as even the palm-sized Rosco DMG Dash pocket LED has Bluetooth. It’s controllable using the free Rosco myMIX app on a smartphone. In this day and age, there’s no excuse for fiddling around with lights and cameras on a shoot.
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