Rob Andrews

Onset Supervision

I offer Onset Supervision services and can supply my own kit. With my extensive knowledge of VFX, bidding, our workflows, timescales and importantly needs from set I can give advice on the spot for most situations. As someone who has extensive CG experience of all types, be it build, environments, FX, lighting, animation and deep understanding of compositing I can come up with multiple solutions for a given problem. Having worked on so many shows I also know the issues of not doing something or getting the correct information. And how small changes on set can save lots of VFX costs.

I’ve been an Onset VFX Supervisor for Robin Hood, H&M commercial, The Full Monty TV series, Black Mirror se06 Demon 79 and Toxic Town.

I love being on set and quickly get to know the crew while being professional and understanding set etiquette. As a diligent and hard-working supe I try and be where I’m needed when I’m needed and I’m happy to run around collecting data if there’s no data wrangler. 

Kit:

Main Kit:
My main kit consists of a 5D Mk3 which has better weather sealing than the Mk4 and R5 which is important when shooting on location. Various lenses for texture and reference acquisition. A Nodal Ninja 4 panoramic for shooting pano’s and HDRIs and an R1 for HDRI’s. 

I also have a Richo Theta Z1 360 for HDRIs but the dynamic range of this is less than shooting with a DSLR so shouldn’t be relied upon all the time.
   
Kit.
  • Canon 5D Mk3 
  • Canon 24-70 L Mk2
  • Canon 70-200 L
  • Sigma 8mm fisheye
  • Nodal Ninja 4 Panoramic Head
  • Nodal Ninja R1 360 Head
  • Carbon and Aluminium tripods
  • Ricoh Theta Z1 360
  • Colour Chart
  • Light meter
  • Colour Sensor (for taking colour samples)
  • Various Tracking Markers
  • Various VFX Balls (coming)
  • Level and measuring devices
 
Witness Cameras:

It’s very important to make sure any witness camera data is synced to the main camera footage. Otherwise it can waste lots of time in editorial trying to sync up the footage and in some cases might not be possible which leads to further issues if needed for match move etc.

As such I have a number of Timecode (now Atmos) SyncBac backs for the GoPro Hero 4 Black cameras. These allow for a truly water and dust proof witness camera. Though devices like the Tentacle Sync and GoPro 12 are newer using them together negates the waterproofness of the GoPro which creates issues.

The SynBac’s slave to the Atmos Ultrasync wich can generate a timecode or slave to the sound department itself and act as a repeater to the syncBac. The Ultrasync can also be used with other cameras that accept timecode such as Sony FX3. 

Kit:
  • Currently, I have two GoPro Hero 4 Blaks with TimeCide SyncBac in waterproof cases. I can expand this up to 5 if needed.
    5 x Timecode (Atmos) SynBac. Wireless timecode and genlock backs for the GoPro Hero 4
  • Atmos Ultrasync timecode generator and genlock
  • 2 x Lighting stands for the cameras.
  • Various clamps and mounts
Drones:

I have two drones, a Mavic Pro 2 and Mavic Mini 2. As the Mini 2 is under 150g the regulations for larger drones aren’t applicable. However, it has shorter range, ceiling and being lighter will be buffeted around but the wind. The Mavic Pro 2 is meant for scouting, image capture though it could be used for plate capture too.

*Currently waiting to finish the new accrediation before I can fly the Mavic Pro 2 Commercially. 

Kit: 
  • Mavic Pro 2
  • Mavic mini 2