My new studio

Worth noting that Imaging Resource have video samples available for download. http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/K5/K5VIDEO.HTM

I've had no bother importing Pentax avi's into Corel Video Studio - or even Windows Movie Maker! Unedited files will only play in VLC though, presumably due to a missing codec.

It should be fairly straight forward a lot of security cameras etc use Motion Jpeg.

ffdshow should handle it, but needs configuring link

Hi guys,

I'm still looking for questions and suggestions on how I can use my new studio to create and blog videos that would interest my fellow Pentaxians..

How about a DIY support for background paper (rolls) ?

free standing or built in?

That's up to you If I was building my own studio after seeing the high price of supports for paper rolls I'd be racking my brain for a DIY solution. Simplest would be shelf brackets and a bamboo pole, but suppose I want to be able to move it or there's nowhere to fix a bracket in which case I'd need some kind of stands

simplest is two large plastic coated hooks and a piece of conduit pipe. (which I just filmed in my studio build series.)..

then there is the brackets and rods you suggest..

then there are two more... so I think we have a winner for an episode, as I already got it half shot...
Will post a link monday on this for sure.

A friend of mine has built free standing paper/cloth supports out of PVC plumbing tubing and fittings. It breaks down for transport.

If of interest I'll find out where he got the plans from (probably www.somthing)

regards
Bernard

that is one of the other ways... then there is yet one more easy DYI...

I've been using 20mm conduit tubing for a while, it's the right size to fit over standard lighting stands.

I did find it flexed a tad, so discovered that if you use 22mm copper tubing with 150mm of 20mm conduit and a right angle fitting at both ends you have a very portable, reasonably cheap background support that will hold a 6m by 3m cloth b/g.

You could add a reversible painted background made from say two sheets of 6ft x 4ft x 1/8th inch ply on each side of say a 2in a 1in frame. This would be behind the roll of paper so that when it's rolled up you have a painted background.

I was gonna save this one for the end of my vid, but WTH....
for a 6 foot wide or smaller roll, the easiest, cheapest fastest set up you are gonna find is to set the roll on the floor, and pull it up and use Painters tape (green or blue, guaranteed not to peel off paint or leave a residue) to tape the end to the wall....
It amazes me how many times, on location I hear somebody say "I never thought of THAT".

and since I already spoiled the spoiler, here is the last set up:
If you already use bifold doors, as reflectors/striplights, it isn't hard to put two nails in the top of the doors near the center, and use a pair of bifold doors as a backdrop stand...
just rest your cross bar (conduit pipe) between the nails on each set of bifold doors...

I wouldn't think tape would hold it and if it did it would be hard to do it without creases.

A bamboo pole is actually the best support. It's so strong (only bends when it's green) and very light. They use it for scaffolding in some countries lashed together.
Probably 5-10 US Dollars for an 8' length x 1.5 to 2 inch diam. Example

Rust-Oleum make some great spray paint for finishing things off in the studio.... they used to make a nice quick dry matt black, but I can only see satin and gloss now link

in my studio build, it is a garage conversion, so I went with white primer on the walls, (matt finish easy to touch up) and concrete grey paint on the floors.... again easy touch up...

for my video lights, I went with halogen worklights and bbq (or high heat/manifold matt black paint).

I also use bamboo for curtian rods..
I have a little bamboo tikki styled photobooth, and hanging curtians helps absorb sound echos... my studio needs sound control as I do video as well as stills.

8Ft garden canes are even cheaper and can be bundled together to make much stronger beams ie 7 x 1/2" canes produes a bundle about 1-1/2" dia which is stronger than a single of the same dia.

Bernard