Friday, October 12, 2007
Shooting in HD
I can’t tell you how many times people have come up to me just to let me know that they love the fact that Chronicle is in High Definition. Being the first show in Boston to lead the way in this technology, I can say that it has been a challenge but rewarding at the same time. Chronicle has always been a program driven by visuals so it made perfect sense to put the show on the cutting edge from the cameras, editing systems as well as a new Control Room, which is where our show is mixed together live and then delivered to you at home.
The ironic thing is that when we made the commitment to change over to high Definition, most of our viewers did not even own a H.D. television set. In fact, I would say that the majority of our viewers still do not own one but the numbers are growing daily. For those that do, they are getting the best possible image available and as a Videographer, that is the ultimate goal.
From a shooting standpoint, capturing images through a H.D. camera has a new set of guidelines and demands. The obvious change is that the 4x3 screen ratio has turned into 16x9. What this offers is a much wider field of view, which can create beautiful panoramic shots. Personally, I love to shoot the outdoor type of shows, which means the more mountains and streams the better. With an H.D. camera, it’s almost like looking through a window because the colors are so vivid and the overall picture quality is incredibly sharp. Focus has now become extremely important as well as lighting indoors. With viewers at home owning 50-60 inch monitors, everything shows up in great detail, which means there is no room for error.
My hope is that we can revisit some of the areas we have profiled in the past, such as Alaska, Iceland and Hawaii just to name a few. I have had the opportunity to shoot in all three and I look forward to the day I return with this camera because they are all incredibly beautiful places. As a Chronicle viewer, I think you will be glad I did.
Posted at 10:40 PM by Bob
On The Road
Chronicle has been on the air for twenty-five years and there are many reasons for its success. Two of those reasons involve a 1969 Chevy and a reporter named Peter Mehegan. The “On The Road” series has taken Chronicle viewers on a guided tour of some of the most beautiful places in the State of Maine. Along the way, we have been fortunate enough to meet many interesting people and collect the stories of their lives to share with you, our viewing audience. I have followed the Chevy for years along winding roads that hug the rugged coastline to inland destinations like Moosehead Lake. We have traveled to small towns located just over the Maine / New Hampshire line to as far north as the Canadian border and beyond and have hit just about every small village in between. Having said that, each trip up north is a new experience and I look forward to every one of them.
As the season’s change, Peter points the Chevy northbound on 95 heading for Maine with me following close behind. There are a few traditions however and one of those has been meeting at the Diner on Rte 1 for breakfast. The itinerary for the next four days is spread out on the table next to a cup of coffee along with a well-worn State of Maine DeLorme map book. One thing that Peter prides himself on is the fact that he can find just about any spot in Maine with this book and rarely will ask for directions. After all these years, I can honestly say it’s true. I have followed the Chevy on main roads that turn into dirt roads that turn into logging roads and amazingly enough, we end up in the town we are supposed to be in, and on time. 
Posted at 8:59 PM by Bob
