Shooting on a train

[Teresa]

Hi dears.

I'm planning to shoot my first music video (low budget independent situation). The basic idea is that a man (the singer) seats on a train and meets a lot of different characters, sitting or standing next to him. A story of relationships among them goes on until the end of the song.

Two chances:

-I could just take a wild troupe to steal images on a simple ordinary train.

-I can use an abandoned and STILL train to have the freedom to set lights, shots, people etc. But in this case, which thrick can I use to make a non-still situation...like things going fast from the windows...in the background etc.?

I can't rent a "train car", and I don't want to consider the idea to shoot reversal shots in a second time on a real train.

Thank you very much an sorry if this question can be a bit stupid to you. I'm not and expert

 

ps: everything could be easier if I used a hdv camera, but I want to use a S16mm.

Teresa

[Erdwolf_TVL]

I presume renting is not an option because of cost? In Cape Town South Africa, you can rent a Metro Carriage for one day for about $600... Planning to do this at some point myself.

 

I suspect that light will be a problem with 16mm. You may need artificial light, which would in turn require large battery packs or a portable generator.

 

Unless it's a modern high-speed train, you will need some sort of steadycam to stabilize your shots.

 

I know that in London you will not get very far filming a train without asking permission first. They'd think you are a terrorist and they'd want you to pay up for their services. Plus, there is a 200 Pound fine for busking...

 

The biggest problem with a real moving train is continuity. You are bound to attract unwanted spectators and people tend to get on and off trains quite a bit.

 

Hi dears.

I'm planning to shoot my first music video (low budget independent situation). The basic idea is that a man (the singer) seats on a train and meets a lot of different characters, sitting or standing next to him. A story of relationships among them goes on until the end of the song.

Two chances:

-I could just take a wild troupe to steal images on a simple ordinary train.

-I can use an abandoned and STILL train to have the freedom to set lights, shots, people etc. But in this case, which thrick can I use to make a non-still situation...like things going fast from the windows...in the background etc.?

I can't rent a "train car", and I don't want to consider the idea to shoot reversal shots in a second time on a real train.

Thank you very much an sorry if this question can be a bit stupid to you. I'm not and expert

 

ps: everything could be easier if I used a hdv camera, but I want to use a S16mm.

Teresa

[Lars.Erik]

If you can use the train carriage thats not moving, you could always just say it's night. Then your windows would be black. And once in a while you could have a grip use small LED lights and quickly run past the windows, this way you can simulate the train passing houses far away etc.

 

You can also do the same trick with bushes. Lets say you attach some fluorescent lights to the outside carriage, have a few grip boys run with big bushes in their hands in a big circle just outside the window, the

trick will be to let them run pass the window, and the bush gets hit by the light. They then have to run in a big cirlce back (so they are out of the light), to the starting point and run past again. This will seem like the train is moving.