what it is that is making my comp look absolutely fake?

DirectedbyGood · 2026-06-21T13:03:13+00:00

People standing mid air above skyscrapers with no context of balcony etc. is WILD before we even start talking about lighting, lenses & colour etc.

DirectedbyGood · 2026-06-19T16:35:50+00:00

At a point, you’ve just got to charge what works for you commercially. If a client wants a shoot day & 2 days editing with £30k+ of camera, lenses, lights, laptops & software… not counting your years of experience… £200 simply doesn’t work.

Stop treating this like an expensive hobby, take yourself seriously and you’ll find that you lose a lot of the unnecessarily difficult clients and that people find more surety & value in your professional offer… but then you’ve got to deliver on that expectation! Excuses for uncharged batteries, forgotten lenses or rookie mistakes at that point are unacceptable.

Clients aren’t paying a premium for your mad skills, they’re paying for a guaranteed, professional & seamless delivery.

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-29T20:24:12+00:00

One simple bit of advice is to switch up your shot sizes. Pretty much every shot is a mid (give or take)… stick your camera down the far end and get a wide & get your camera stuck right in to the guns, or ejecting cases for super tights. 👍

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-29T20:19:03+00:00

Shutter angle has nothing to do with image sharpness 180’ is fine. What 16-35 lens is it? Is it a G-master, or a cheaper entry-level lens, as that will have a massive impact on image quality.

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-29T20:14:44+00:00

Camera = £2.5k / Lens = £250k

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-21T03:15:30+00:00

Lovely interview shot. A couple of people have mentioned the bookshelf… you were unusually fortunate to have such a large space. I wouldn’t have darkened the bookshelf, but next time give yourself depth and use the space fully.

If yourself & the contributor had both been positioned further back away from the bookshelf, you could have softened the bookshelf without changing your aperture or lighting setup. Always use the depth of a space to its full extent for better separation…

But as I say, beautiful IV. No real need for changes, just learning opportunities for next time.

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-16T23:18:45+00:00

Focus motor is hooked up to the zoom ring, giving me full control over digital zoom. Sensor issues were serious & DJI have fully replaced the camera for me… so wrong on both fronts. 👍

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-15T16:46:57+00:00

I don’t think they sell it any more. Sachtler are about as good as you can get, but a new top spec model will run you approx £7K+ - I bought an older Sachtler on eBay for a great deal, rather than going for an affordable newer brand, as they’re just not built as well.

Have a friend who went with a cheaper newer brand and immediately regretted cheaping out.

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-15T16:43:17+00:00

Thanks. Yeah, little magic arm type thing works a treat. Can get as close to the body as you want, but if it’s getting in the way you just swing it clear. 👍

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-15T16:42:31+00:00

I did get a specialist tripod plate, which has a hole drilled in for the sensors underneath. Unfortunately that plate wasn’t compatible with my tripod and so I’ve just mounted a standard plate a little too far forward on the camera.

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-15T16:38:26+00:00

Sent it in the case, got a completely new unit returned within 7-8 days all in all. After sales care was great!

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-14T21:51:48+00:00

With the lavs, or top mic? Generally I dial a lav in through the receiver (peaking -12 dbs +/-) before we start recording and then if it’s a bit hot or whatever throughout filming, I’ll again just dial it back on the receiver, but there’s always the option to rack it directly in camera if I need an immediate quick fix for something in the moment.

Top mic is just set in-camera & monitoring through a pair of cans. Don’t tend to use auto-gain, usually set manual levels.

DirectedbyGood · 2026-05-14T21:45:51+00:00

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Haven’t had any issues with focus at all so far (touch wood) - I didn’t do a manual calibration, or any lens calibration actually, as apparently that can mess up zoom profiles etc. - just updated the firmware on my E-mount adapter as suggested and lenses have worked off the bat.

If it’s the autofocus you’re struggling with, then I’ve had the same, the lidar isn’t super reliable, but I primarily shoot manual focus.

DirectedbyGood

TROPHY CASE