How to shoot a jolt on the subway

[Elliot Loewenstein]

Shooting soon (handheld) on the subway and want to create the effect of a jolt in the motion of the car. So people obviously move as if there has been a sudden, abrupt change in speed. What I'm wondering is, for the best effect, does the camera stay planted or does it jolt, too, when the actors do, as if effected by the supposed action of the subway.

 

Thanks.

[John Sprung]

Shoot it both ways, make your choice in editing.

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Michael Nash]

I think if the camera is locked off the actors' movements might appear pretty fake. You may need to jolt the camera to help sell the illusion. Hey, it worked for Star Trek...

[Elliot Loewenstein]

The answer seems obvious, now that you've both said it. Thanks.

[John Sprung]

Hey, it worked for Star Trek...

I saw a show, probably TLC or Discovery, about the auction sale of the original models from Star Trek. They did some really funny intercuts between guys moving and dropping the models and those jolt reactions from the actual show. ;-)

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Godfrey Tait]

Shooting soon (handheld) on the subway and want to create the effect of a jolt in the motion of the car. So people obviously move as if there has been a sudden, abrupt change in speed. What I'm wondering is, for the best effect, does the camera stay planted or does it jolt, too, when the actors do, as if effected by the supposed action of the subway.

 

Thanks.

 

If you can get a hold of the behind the scenes of shooting the pilot for 'lost' they go into a bit of detail on how they got the right jolts for the plane crash. It was basically having things like the camera jolts one way as the actors jolt the other giving the impression of them being thrown to one side.