The following is geared particularly to High Definition feature film and television production, as this is a new experience for many producers.

There needs to be someone in the camera department that really knows the format, preferably the Director of Photography, but if not the DP then a High Definition engineer. As more and more production migrates to this format, one would think this would be a given. However, there continues to be a willingness in some producers to accept a lack of knowledge in their camera department. If the production is captured on film negative, it’s assumed that the cinematographer will know the capture format inside and out, and will understand how best to capture the creative visual ideas developed by the Director/Cinematographer team. Just as maximizing the possibilities of film capture requires a thorough knowledge of available emulsions, lab processes, transfer and digital intermediate options, maximizing the possibilities of High Definition or other digital capture requires a similar bucket of knowledge. Why should you expect anything less from professionals?

Scheduling a camera prep day (or days) is very important – who knows what was done to the camera on its previous job? A High Definition camera is a very powerful, software-driven imaging tool, which affords your production tremendous creative control of the image real-time, on location. Think of it as an opportunity for the cinematographer to design a custom film emulsion for every shoot. Some people choose to take advantage of this, others don’t. Regardless, just as if you loaned out your computer to a stranger, with most digital cameras there are a myriad of alterations that can be made to the camera’s software, a whole host of potential surprises and problems which can pop up on your set or – even worse – during post-production. Invest the resources to thoroughly prep and prepare your digital camera package.

Crew is crew – you need basically the same number and type of crew and resources to achieve the same results. In my experience, you can expect to achieve an additional three to five set-ups per shooting day shooting digitally as opposed to capturing on film, and can get away with a slightly smaller camera department, depending on the particular project.

Consult the post facility early, test any questionable workflow issues, and don’t assume anything. Currently, most post facilities that claim to understand and comfortably operate within the various High Definition formats can be taken at their word. However, if you have the least suspicion regarding their advice or their ability to execute a particular procedure, run a test, all the way through.

Don’t succumb to the “tape is cheap” mentality – it will kill you in post. Yes, High Definition tape stock - or reusable P2 cards, BlueRay optical disks, hard drives, etc. – are significantly cheaper than shooting and processing film stock, but someone still needs to log and manage all the storage-intensive footage. I’ve seen several projects cost far more than they should on the back-end, simply because they just let the camera roll, forgetting how expensive all the edit prep time can be. Also, actors and crew can lose their edge when they don’t feel a low shooting ratio looming over them.

Follow traditional sound recording practice (clapper, timecode slate), it can really save your ass. My preference is to shoot double system, with no hardwire connection between the sound mixer and the camera. We run a high-quality wireless signal to the High Definition camera head, which allows for immediate editorial without synching, while simultaneously recording the audio to your capture device of choice (mine is a DEVA hard disk recorder). This is one less connection to the High Definition camera, and I’ve found that using a traditional protocol for each take (roll sound, speed, marker, etc.) keeps cast and crew more focused on the task at hand.

Make the effort to have a proper viewing environment for any monitors on set, but always remember – it’s just a monitor.  Decisions should ultimately be based on tried and true television and film production methodology, with the most important quality controls remaining the eye and experience of the professionals on set, light meters, and wherever possible a waveform/vector scope.