rig for flipped camera

Charlie Wuppermann · February 16, 2006

Hello guys,

I am trying to shoot something in which every frame is shot with the camera turned 90 degree to the side. the idea is to get a lot of vertical frames which will then be assembled to one picture in post production. A split screen kind of thing.

We are going to shoot in 16 mm and I know that I could use for example an Arri geared head to get the camera in this angle. But I would like to have a better solution where the weight is more over the center (especially because I would prefer to use legs than a dolly). Any ideas on what to use or do I need a a special construction?

Also I would like to know if anyone shot some footage like that and whether there might be a big problem with the magazine and the film on the take up side since the camera is always tilted (noise? scratches?).

thank you very much!

charlie

David Mullen ASC · February 16, 2006

Maybe there is a Weaver-Steadman head or Cartoni that sits the camera more in an L-bracket so you can flip it to one side but still be centered over the sticks. But considering a 16mm camera is not that heavy, just using a O'Connor Ultimate would probably be fine.

Maybe a simple L-shaped bracket could be machined.

Of course, there are expensive 3-way remote heads.

Or use a very short ubangi (camera offset) or Rotating Offset off of a dolly to get a head to one side of the sticks, maybe with a dutch head on top, so that when you tilt over, the center of the camera is back over the center of the sticks.

If the head is heavy enough and the camera is light enough, you'd probably be better off leaving the head centered over the sticks though.

Nathan Milford · February 16, 2006

We have a rig here for the Varicam that is essentially a padded L-Bracket and an articulated hand grip... We just mount a small onboard monitor on a noga arm for the operator.

I'm sure you can easily rig something up for a film camera.

Charlie Wuppermann · February 17, 2006

thank you guys.

i will go and check out the different options at a rental place.

Jamie Metzger · February 17, 2006

1) take the ball head off the tripod

2) gaff tape a pancake to it

3) gaff tape your camera on it's side to the pancake

4) Shoot!

David Mullen ASC · February 17, 2006

1) take the ball head off the tripod
2) gaff tape a pancake to it

3) gaff tape your camera on it's side to the pancake

4) Shoot!

I'm sure reloads would go really fast with gaff tape all over the camera... If you really wanted to do it that way, you might as well use ratchet straps or bungy cords instead of gaff tape. Plus you're talking about tape to hold the pancake to the tripod and tape to hold the camera to the pancake? You might as well just drill a hole in the pancake and put a bolt through to the tripod plate.

There is probably an L-shaped bracket among the accessories to a dolly somewhere...

Brad Grimmett · February 17, 2006

There is probably an L-shaped bracket among the accessories to a dolly somewhere...

There sure is. The low mode brackets for both the Fisher and Chapman dollies are both L shaped and would be perfect for this type of application I think. But you'll have to have a good grip to make sure it's safe at all times because the weight will be way off to one side if you're using it on a tripod. It will obviously be much safer if it's mounted on a dolly.

Mitch Gross · February 18, 2006

Any decent rental house should have some hole plates that you can configure as an L-plate. This is no new thing and I own one myself. They are not that expensive and if you wish to buy one you could get any film-industry machinist to make you one. Willy's Widgets in Arizona lists one in their catalog.

James Steven Beverly · February 18, 2006

I've seen pan/tilt heads on cranes that are equiped with a ring that allow the camera to also roll. My friend wanted to buy one but I couldn't find one in the lower end cranes (jony jib, ect.) They must rent them. The nice thing is that would allow you to put the camera at whatever angle you want to and move it into that angle while shooting. I'm not sure who makes this setup, they may be built by more than one company, But it might be worth looking into, if not for this project maybe for the next one.

Brad Grimmett · February 18, 2006

I've seen pan/tilt heads on cranes that are equiped with a ring that allow the camera to also roll. My friend wanted to buy one but I couldn't find one in the lower end cranes (jony jib, ect.) They must rent them. The nice thing is that would allow you to put the camera at whatever angle you want to and move it into that angle while shooting. I'm not sure who makes this setup, they may be built by more than one company, But it might be worth looking into, if not for this project maybe for the next one.

You're talking about a 3 axis remote head. But that may be more than he needs as well as more money than the budget will allow.

David Mullen ASC · February 19, 2006

You're talking about a 3 axis remote head. But that may be more than he needs as well as more money than the budget will allow.

There is also the Panatate geared device, but if the camera doesn't have to rotate in the shot, there's no reason to spend the money on things like the Panatate or a 3-axis head.