Frequently Asked Questions

The short answer is no. The cage is only staffed on checkout and return days. In rare circumstances, exceptions will be made if the student has permission from their instructor and provides sufficient documentation to the Film Technician and instructor as to why they need to checkout/return gear on a different day.

This is most often a connection issue. First turn off the switch. Try unplugging and plugging in both ends of the cable (repatch). If it is still not firing, wiggle both connections. If the light goes on and off momentarily then it is probably a bad cable. Try another cable.

If the light still doesn't work it may be a blown globe. Do not attempt to remove or change the globe yourself. Call the Cage and then bring the light in. We will replace the globe or give you a new kit.

How do I white balance?

Watch this.

https://youtu.be/tNsrjpFeg_o?t=110

I am not getting any audio from the Sony x70

Watch this.

https://youtu.be/tNsrjpFeg_o?t=594

The x70 says "This media does not support recording and playback of XAVC movies"

This does not mean you have a bad SD card. You can still record onto this card. Simply change your record format from XAVC to AVCHD.

You cannot record XAVC onto SDHC (32gb and under) cards, only onto SDXC (64gb and above).

https://youtu.be/tNsrjpFeg_o?t=471

I am pressing iris, shutter buttons to change the values but nothing happens.

The camera is most likely set to full auto or partial auto.

How do I white balance?

Press, the WB button on the outside of the camera. White balance highlights on the screen. Cycle through the different options and select the one you want. If you want to do an auto white balance, navigate to

How do I change audio settings?

https://youtu.be/83YDpkNKYf4?list=PLRWNj5ehHqGw-VafQkThiAolN-e8tHoQm&t=459

How do I change the shutter?

https://youtu.be/83YDpkNKYf4?list=PLRWNj5ehHqGw-VafQkThiAolN-e8tHoQm&t=161

How do I tie a shemagh (tactical scarf, keffiyeh)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m98F641jqFE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfp_GnY8b0E

What are other uses for the shemagh?

There are hundreds of uses but here are a few to get you started:

Dust Protection. Cover your face on motorcycles, trucks, and chicken buses.

Sun Protection. Great for when you’re stranded in mid-day heat without shade.

Towel. Small, lightweight, fast drying, but thick enough get the job done.

Ground Cloth. Keep your butt clean & dry when sitting on the ground.

Warmth. Wrap it around your neck as a scarf to keep warm.

Bag. Put stuff in middle, tie corners together. Instant hobo sack.

Sarong. Wrap around your waist for modesty. Shorter than a normal one.

Sweat Rag. Great for hiking, running, or other sweat-inducing activities.

Arm Sling. Sprain a wrist or break an arm? Temporary immobilization.

Emergency Bandage. Help stop bleeding & protect the wound.

Pillow. Thick & soft enough to ball up & use for bus rides/camping trips.

Weapon. Twist big rock up in the middle. Swing away. Instant self-defense tool!

Concealment. Often used to hide my camera in questionable neighborhoods.

Rope. Long enough to be rolled up to tie things together.

Water Filter. Fold multiple times & filter debris out of water before boiling.

Pot Holder. Take that boiling water you just filtered off the fire.

Keeping Cool. Soak in cold water and wrap around your neck.

Signal Flag. Large enough to wave and get someone’s attention.

Blanket. Decent for covering your upper or lower body.

Eye Mask. Sleep during the day or when lights are on.