shooting on a beach

[Reno Rieger]

g'day !

 

i am turning the focussing wheel for more then 10 years now - but in 2 months it will be the first time that i will turn the wheel on a beach in malaysia for a feature film!

 

i just wanted to know if anyone of you experienced focus pullers and ac's have any suggestions what issues could appear and give hints what to do!

 

i know the issues with salt, water, wind and sand but.....any solutions?

 

help would be highly appreciated !!

 

not only for me, i see it as good information for other colleagues as well !

 

thanks for your kindness

 

 

reno ( AUSTRIA )

[Bob Hayes]

A great way to survive the beach is to get a six wheeled ATV with a small trailer. You want to get one that is a chain drive not belt drive if you can. Load your gear onto the ATV and you are good to go. Keeps the gear out of the sand and lets you move anywhere really fast. Get yourself a small pop up to cover your gear and keep it dry if you have rain.

 

We use ice chests to keep the film dry and cool. Get space blankets and make them into bags to keep the sand and sun off the cameras. I try to keep a white towel over the cameras to keep them cool.

 

Make sure you have a sellection of shoes to work in. High top sneakers work great in the soft sand. Be ready to switch to reef walker shoes for reef and water work. Keep them with you so you can effortlessly make the switch.

[timHealy]

Don't forget plenty of sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and loose fitting clothing. Personally, I am of Irish descent and I can't make a day in the sun without very high SPF sunscreen and drinking a lot of water.

 

Best

 

Tim

[Scott McClellan]

I like to put a plastic shower cap over the lens/ matte box when not shooting to help keep things like snow and sand from blowing on the lens when not shooting. They're cheap and easy to find (if you're traveling, the hotel probably has them in your room).

[Zac Halberd]

Yeah, the shower cap thing is brilliant. I used to use one of those poka-dot ones from Tescoes, but I had to get the clear plastic ones so that the operator could frame up without removing the cap from the matte-box. He kept saying 'GET THAT DAMN CAP OFF SO I CAN SEE!!'

 

I live in Wales, and let me tell you about wind and rain. We get plenty of it. Beaches everywhere. Beaches are pretty much the worst for cameras. After a while, you might start to hear a grinding sound in the zoom lense, from all the microscopic sand particles.

 

Hey Bob, do they even make high top sneakers anymore!? lol