hood mounts/hostess trays

Daniel Madsen · September 28, 2007

I will be gripping a film next month which will involve a lot of driving shots. Does anyone have any suggestions in terms of camera support? The feature will be shot on 16mm. I don't know the exact camera but lets assume the camera weighs 35lbs. From doing a little research the panther multi mount looks good and very versatile. Mathews on the other hand makes a hood mount system based on speed rail providing a place to secure lights. Have any of you used a hostess tray with a seat? I saw a picture of one and imagined the leverage being bad for the door not to mention dangerous for the operator.

peace

d humber · September 28, 2007

I would never put an operator on hostess tray with a seat nor have I ever heard of one. If the shot is a lock-off, a regular hostess tray will be fine. If it needs to be operated, a process trailer is the answer (or maybe towing it and using hotgears on a hostess tray). Generally, speedrail based mounts have become the norm because of their versatility.

hope this helps,

ghard

robert duke · September 28, 2007

I would never put an operator on hostess tray with a seat nor have I ever heard of one. If the shot is a lock-off, a regular hostess tray will be fine. If it needs to be operated, a process trailer is the answer (or maybe towing it and using hotgears on a hostess tray). Generally, speedrail based mounts have become the norm because of their versatility.
hope this helps,

ghard

I believe the photo you saw came from "the deer hunter", they acctually mounted a sideboard for an operator for it. VERY DANGEROUS.

The panther multimount looks cool but the couple times I have used it were not fond memories. it utilizes suction cups for support, I know these have ratings but I still cant bring myself to trust a camera to one without backing it up with ratchet straps. the Modern hoodmount and hostess trays, the matthews hood mount and hostess trays are fantastic. I prefer modern, but matthews is good too. Read the rondexter.com site about car mounts. Also read the UVA grip handook. Speed rail is the norm for its versatility and strength. I prefer to always tow a car when a camera is mounted for safety, also a police escort is mandatory. Check out this photo from a rap video Project Pat's "raised in the projects" it is a mix of hood and hostess. I had to mount the camera looking across the hood at the rapper driving. (arri 535 with 1000' mag.) we towed it using a tow bar. this is why speed rail is the bomb. the edge of the hood was acutally in frame. 1.25" speed rail, 5/8" camera stabilizers, Matthews hood mount.

Always protect the paint of a car. the car shown was a $70000 plus custom job. I like to use yoga mats for paint protection, they are compact and grippy, and cheap. The purple thing is a yoga mat.

With a good grip and speed rail you can mount a camera esp. a 16mm anywhere.

Also think in triangles so that it crossbraces.

Edited September 28, 2007 by robert duke

JD Hartman · September 28, 2007

The 6" suction cups (Woods brand not Harbor Freight) will hold 70lbs. each. Even using three for support, a ratchet strap, securing the camera to another anchor point would be common sense.

Jon Rosenbloom · September 28, 2007

You can also think about a process trailer, w/ the camera mounted on sticks or even a small dolly on the wings of the trailer. If you're getting the car from a proper movie car place, you can have them weld receivers for the 1 1/4" pipe right onto the frame of the car and then go nuts w/ speed rail from there ... but you still can't have any operated shots unless you get a process trailer.

Daniel Wallens · October 3, 2007

robert duke,

nice pic and nice arrangement of stuff. A questions: The speedrail on the side (left side of the picture, right side of the car) goes way up high above the car. Why is this? For lights? something else?

cheers!

robert duke · October 4, 2007

They DP wasnt clear on his vertical position and wanted to possibly turn around and shoot at the wheel turning, so I used 4ft rail to allow for as much adjustment on the fly as I could.

here is the finished video, the DP was David Claussen (forgive me I may have misspelled his last name).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvfPDu-WiIU

tanner wolfe · October 5, 2007

Robert,

do you have anymore pictures of car mounts or rigs that you have built. or do you have a web-site. i recently had to build one for the first time. it was a little nerve-racking, but i built a safe mount. the yoga mat idea is a great suggestion. also in the photo you posted was the camera counter-balanced on the other side?

tanner

robert duke · October 6, 2007

I dont have a web site yet. YET. I do have other photo's. No the camera was not counter balanced. The ratchet straps deal with halding down the weight. They serve all the need for counter balance.

The photo is from a feature called "lovely by surprise". I wasnt allowed to touch the car. The car was immaculate. The camera is 2.5ft from the car looking up across a little girl to her father. We towed the car on a trailer. I essentially built the hood mount under the car and supported it off the trailer frame. This shot looked great. one of my favorites. That is me setting a negative fill off the mount.

Edited October 6, 2007 by robert duke

Jon Rosenbloom · October 12, 2007

Were you in Memphis for "Blueberry Nights"?

robert duke · October 13, 2007

I missed Blueberry Nights, as I was keying a show in NW Arkansas currently titled "War Eagle", but I am working in Memphis now with a lot of the guys from BBnights. I was called repeatedly for it, as all of us on War Eagle. Blueberry pushed several times creating the conflict. I missed the money, but enjoyed the one I was on. I got to work with a great DP, Masanobu Takayanagi and an old friend gaffed Mike Kelly. I am working as B camera dolly for "Nothing but the truth". the gaffer is someone you might know Mr. Kevin Janacelli. I heard all about the meal penalties you guys had on BBN.

Edited October 13, 2007 by robert duke

James Steven Beverly · October 13, 2007

I'd love to see some more of these pics. I haven't done much with process trailers and this stuff is very interesting to me.

Edited October 13, 2007 by James Steven Beverly

Jon Rosenbloom · October 13, 2007

I missed Blueberry Nights, as I was keying a show in NW Arkansas currently titled "War Eagle", but I am working in Memphis now with a lot of the guys from BBnights. I was called repeatedly for it, as all of us on War Eagle. Blueberry pushed several times creating the conflict. I missed the money, but enjoyed the one I was on. I got to work with a great DP, Masanobu Takayanagi and an old friend gaffed Mike Kelly. I am working as B camera dolly for "Nothing but the truth". the gaffer is someone you might know Mr. Kevin Janacelli. I heard all about the meal penalties you guys had on BBN.

They wanted me to go down to Memphis, but after two or three weeks of New York heat and humidity, I declined. Apparently I missed a couple of 100 hour weeks!

Daniel Christie · October 15, 2007

I believe the photo you saw came from "the deer hunter", they acctually mounted a sideboard for an operator for it. VERY DANGEROUS...

I'm pretty sure I've seen a photo from Mad Max 2 (aka Road Warrior for some) where they were using a similar rig. I think it was a front mount though.

Daniel