Cell Phone Stop Animation

[Chad Stockfleth]

Hello all you smart people out there. I need a little help.

 

 

We have a recurring job where we have to shoot cell phones for a commercial. What we've been doing is sticking a tack in the bottom of the cell phone, putting it on a rotating platter and spinning it. I've been building basically a box of white cards around it and shooting through a hole in one of the cards.

 

The problem I keep running into, is with the mounting of the phone. We need to keep it on axis and the phones keep getting thinner. The tack is not stable enough as with some phones, we have to flip up the front and it becomes quite difficult to keep it on axis. If anyone has had to do this sort of thing before, and has tips on how to do it please let me know.

 

I'm attaching a picture from one of the older phones we shot. It's not a flip phone, but hopefully you can get the idea.

 

 

Thanks,

Chad

 

Sorry, here is the picture:

 

Edited January 24, 2007 by Chad Stockfleth

[Jaan Shenberger]

this probably doesn't help at all, but these kinds of cell phone product shots are almost always done CGI nowadays.

Edited January 24, 2007 by Jaan Shenberger

[Chad Stockfleth]

I agree. Since the beginning I've been saying it should be 3D modelled, although our budget doesn't allow for US to do it. I would think that there are existing models of these phones, and we are looking into it, but until then, we have to continue doing it this way.

[Paul Nordin]

It might be easier to reverse the scenario from a phone mounted on a rotating platter in front of a static camera, to a phone mounted on a static mount (with the cards placed around it as you currently do) and moving the camera around the phone. A mini skater dolly can be rented for a shot like that for a very reasonable amount, or if you have the $$$ you can buy one.

 

http://www.zgc.com/zgc.nsf/c7a682995edb4e7...f2?OpenDocument