Re: wall paint

Thanks Mark,

That is certainly my wish list: Fiberglass Board panels covered in cloth hung around room to absorb sound; TV studio tiles on floor; drop acoustic ceiling which would block out the echo-y rafters and skylight (though I'd like this as high as possible to allow for boom poles/shotguns), and a light grid.

However, there are low hanging AC vents, an exhaust vent that was installed over the old machinery, and a huge heater inside that looks like an outdoor unit — massive. Deafening when we need to turn it on.

But even these relatively inexpensive treatments (except perhaps for moving the heater to the roof) add up and I need funding for this. In the meantime, I'm willing to spring for some paint and whatever I can come up with to absorb sound. I'm also thinking of treating areas where we can shoot studio style, though a light kit would help before blacking everything out.

Thus my first question about what color someone would choose with a mess of light sources and cheap camcorders that need lots of light.

And though I knew that one goal is to be able to blacken the room (which I did at my previous school in a regular size classroom with gaffer’s tape and back art board over the indoor windows) I did not think of painting all the walls black. Also there, I had a 3 piece 650 watts Fresnel kit – mole Richardson -- and soft banks for them.

I’ll start by painting the windows black and treating one area to use with the better cameras. I’ll hang my black cloth for a backdrop and try to cover the sides as well. Then I’ll lay down some tiles or grey carpet and hopefully can order a Fresnel light kit with this year’s funding if they don’t cut it from the budget.

I was left with some cheap photo light kits. The stands are cheap and could easily fall over (I have a few sand bags). I was able to order one c-stand. Need to blacken the room first before I can test them. I guess I could bounce them off a white board to soften them. But until the room is dark, I imagine, there’s not no point.


OSX 10.5.7; MAC Book PRO (EARLY 2008); Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30, Sony vx2000/PD170, Canon xl2; Pana, Sony, and Canon consumer cams; FCP certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.