Frequently Asked Questions
I know I want a video, but I just don’t know where to start. Help?
First, take a second and enjoy a nice deep breath. We’ve got this! We can help you through the video process from start to finish. Brainstorming and talking through your vision for your video, and of course, we can help with all aspects of video production. We get a kick out of the creative process just as much as we enjoy filming your work.
I have a fancy iPhone with tons of video apps, and my stage manager has a Flip camera. Why do we need professional equipment?
Our professional, broadcast quality equipment makes clearer, better films. Period.
Our equipment allows us to control the many components of shooting live dance—we can easily adjust to quick lighting changes, onstage sounds, speaking, singing and frequent entrances and exits. Many dance companies proudly collaborate with lighting designers who create a unique environment for their work. In order to highlight the lighting design of your piece, you must have a high-quality camera with manual setting options. With our cameras, we can respond in the moment to what is happening onstage.
What about sound quality?
Our equipment offers the capability to get a sound feed directly from the board (with sound levels tested in pre-show) as well as high-quality boom mics on our cameras, which enhance the live performance feel of the audio recording. We can also lay a floor mic onstage to pick up subtle sounds from the performers, spoken word or singing. We can expand the quality of sound by bringing in a sound technician just for our video recording.
Why should I care about high-quality video and sound to begin with?
Dance is a visual art form. It is also fleeting. Performances happen once—even shows that have lengthy runs have a different energy each night. Funders, presenters, donors, new audiences and the press want to watch video they can see, hear and be moved by. Work with us and we’ll cover all three. We have talked to many people that said they were not looked at or accepted for a gig or a grant due to video quality.
“OMG this is so Great! The promo video makes the whole f*%$ing night look so Glamorous and Exciting and Important!”
— Nicky Paraiso, Director, LaMaMa etc.
I’m a techie and I’m curious. What kind of equipment do you use?
We use the Sony PXW- Z280 cameras. These are high definition cameras that also have the capability to film in 4K, accentuating the nuances of the movement in the most professional way. Depending on your project, we have multiple options of camera equipment that will best suit what we are filming. We also use professional grade fluid head tripods that help us move our cameras with the dance as smoothly and gracefully as your performers are moving across the stage.
How do you edit my film? Should I just ask for raw footage and work on it at home with iMovie?
At NSP, we work with you from initial brainstorm to final edit and delivery. We use Creative Cloud/Premiere Pro. With additional programs like After Effect, Photoshop and ProTools, we offer more precise and exciting edits for your final project than iMovie can provide.
We are expert storytellers and we do our best to tell your story through beautiful images and sound bites.
What’s the timeline? I want this done…um, yesterday.
Because all of our projects are unique, they each have a unique timeline. We create a contract before we begin any project that outlines the delivery date. If you need your project sooner, we can accommodate. This may involve a rush fee, and we’ll let you know.
Do you upload to YouTube & Vimeo? Can you help us achieve the best quality for sharing with all our friends and followers online?
Of course! We pride ourselves on delivering high quality video for web uploads, and we can help you start to finish.
What about photography? Do you offer still images of our performances as well?
We often team up with New York-based dance photographer Christopher Duggan (Nel’s husband!) to provide each company with a full array of photos for their preservation and promotional needs. You can learn more about Christopher’s dance photography on his website and let us know if your project involves photo in addition to video.
Speaking of photography, who are the dance companies featured on your website?
Visit our Photo & Video credits page to find out!