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Archive 2015 · New Studio Build

  
 
dan_holz
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · New Studio Build


Hi everyone. I hope I'm posting this in the right forum board. We are expanding our HQ and with that expansion, I get to design a new studio..which I'm pretty stoked about!

I've been pouring over forums and manufacture sites, but I'm not getting all of the info I'm searching for. I would greatly appreciate any advice on building out a new studio that you kind folks might have.


Here are the details for the grand plan:

The room will measure 25'x30' with 12-foot ceilings. (I wish we could go higher, but there's steel I-beams in the way)

We will be shooting both product video and stills of backpacks and luggage with up to 2 people max in the frame.

We will be recording sound with video.

All heating and cooling systems will be controlled independently from the rest of the building. So, I can shut off while recording.

Our current lighting set-up consists of 2-kino-flo 4banks | 2-kino-flo divas | 1-smaller kino-flo hair light. It's not nearly bright enough for a similar sized studio. The 4-banks just taper off to gray instead of blowing out the background as hoped.

As far as storage goes, I have ample just outside the studio. So, we're good there.




Questions:


Is there a preference on motorized backdrop brand? We're looking to go as wide as possible.

The contractor assures us that the room will be extremely sound-resistant for recording audio. (hmmm) But, is there a preferred insulator to put behind the sheet rock that I should recommend to him?

I plan on adding to the existing kino-flo kit. We've been eyeing up the Parabeam series, thinking that we will would clamp 2-3 of them to the ceiling for a backdrop light. Too much for a 25 foot wall, not enough?

Flooring preference -- white glossy or white matte?



Any other advice, tips or tricks? Imagine if you had a pretty sizable budget for this project, what would you add to your dream studio?

Thanks all!




Sep 12, 2015 at 03:28 PM
Norm Shapiro
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · New Studio Build


If the walls are not square to each other that will help with your sound recording. Also you should have some sort of textured covering on the walls, sheetrock will really bounce the sound. Curtains would be an easy fix.


Sep 13, 2015 at 10:43 PM
dan_holz
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · New Studio Build


Very good call on the curtains. I was debating if I should go with some sort of sound dampening panels, but the idea of less 'permanent' curtains sounds like the way to go.

I'll do a little more research on the square angles.

Thanks Norm!

Norm Shapiro wrote:
If the walls are not square to each other that will help with your sound recording. Also you should have some sort of textured covering on the walls, sheetrock will really bounce the sound. Curtains would be an easy fix.




Sep 13, 2015 at 11:11 PM
elevationphoto
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · New Studio Build


install sound diffuser squares in a staggered pattern where you can - Use Owens Corning 703 panels and wrap in fabric of your choice and hot glue or staple back to create tight wrap with fabric - Also can be a great design feature. Put spray foam insulation in the walls. If you don't, that will be a place where sound can reverberate and reflect. Curtains are great, as long as they are heavy dense fabric. Lightweight fabric wont do much. For the ceiling - get it sprayed with foam and painted. That will cut out a lot of noise. If you simply have a drywall, grid, or exposed ceiling, you will have a lot of reflection ( unless you use specific sound panels on a grid ceiling ). Your floor will also be a spot where sound can reflect. I would recommend carpeting where you can- if you don't want to do the entire area. If you don't want to carpet at all, then find some large area rugs that you can roll and unroll to cover large portions of the floor when you are recording.


Sep 14, 2015 at 10:46 AM
dan_holz
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · New Studio Build


Awesome advice... Thank you so much. I didn't even think about the ceilings!

elevationphoto wrote:
install sound diffuser squares in a staggered pattern where you can - Use Owens Corning 703 panels and wrap in fabric of your choice and hot glue or staple back to create tight wrap with fabric - Also can be a great design feature. Put spray foam insulation in the walls. If you don't, that will be a place where sound can reverberate and reflect. Curtains are great, as long as they are heavy dense fabric. Lightweight fabric wont do much. For the ceiling - get it sprayed with foam and painted. That will cut out a lot of noise.
...Show more



Sep 14, 2015 at 07:45 PM
Lauchlan Toal
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · New Studio Build


Definitely go with matte - you want as much control as possible over the light, and a reflection on the floor could mess things up just enough so that you don't notice it until you're done a project. Also, I'd consider picking up a set of strobes, just in case you decide to do any shots with motion in them. Splash photography, a girl throwing her hair back, someone jumping in the air - it could come in handy. Nothing too pricey, but a couple monolights with fast durations, or even a handful of manual speedlights could work. Plus you can use them to pump in more light for blowing out backgrounds and such, to complement the hotlights. Of course, they're of less use for video, so it depends on your priorities.


Sep 14, 2015 at 08:30 PM
elevationphoto
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · New Studio Build


On lighting Lauchlan is right- you need to get some dedicated strobes. I myself, like Alienbees, but my secret weapon is fashpoint monolights. They really are amazing for what you get, and I don't notice a difference between them and AB's in the final product. I also went on ebay and bought up a ton of lighting modifiers, including softboxes, umbrellas, and octoboxes. I would go ahead and also install some extension cord reels like you find in garages and bolt a few to the ceilings ( or I beams ). Then run black extension cords to those reels, and run down one wall to plug in. You can get an electrician to come in and install electrical where you want, but that will run your costs up pretty quick, and sometimes is is nice to have a hanging cord where you cant trip on it. Also invest in some stands that have rollers or can adapt to put wheels on them for your studio.


Sep 15, 2015 at 09:55 AM
dan_holz
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · New Studio Build


I totally agree with you guys. Awesome advice!

We have an Alienbees kit with all the fixins' that I've been using for years..and they're still going strong! But, 99% of what we shoot in-house (backpacks) do not feature people, so the Kinoflo's have been pulling double duty for video and stills. I just need more of them.

Since we are an outdoor company, most of our images that feature athletes and models are shot out in the field using natural light, skrims, speedlites, etc. So, not a ton of in-studio modeling is done, mostly the occasional headshot.

I really like the idea of extension cord reels, elevationphoto. That would be a great way to clean up the floor space!

Thanks guys!



Sep 15, 2015 at 11:58 AM





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