Filming a driving scene indoors

[Jesse Klipp]

We are shooting a film that is mostly night exteriors. 2 scenes require filming 3 actors within a car (we are using a late 90's caravan). Originally we were going to film this while driving down the road, but because of the amount of light we are pumping into the scene and the whole issue of being legal we have decided to stage the driving scenes within a warehouse. The warehouse is very large (estimate 200 ft x 100 ft ) so we were thinking of pushing the vehicle on dollies. Using light for passing headlights and taillights as well as signage. Does anyone have suggestions on what we could do to make this look as real as possible? Oh and we do not want to chromakey the windows.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Why push the car when you can push the props? Also, dunno what you're shooting on, but using the out of focus area to your advntage could be helpful. Look up "poor man's process" for more information.

 

http://www.devondelapp.com/weblog/?entry=237387 for starters .

[Rob Vogt]

Yeah, more often then not the lights would be on the dollies and the car would be stationary. maybe having people add and remove weights to the side of the car to simulate bumps and imperfections in the road.

 

Also putting redgels to simulate tail lights on dimmers... ect.

 

I didn't read through that article Adrian put up but id imagine it has all this stuff in there.

Sorry Adrian!

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Yeah it's a nice brief little overview with a nice diagram to go with it! Also instead of weights they suggested a lever system for a grip to waggle the back end of the car.

[Brad Grimmett]

I've done poor man's process many times. Besides the moving lights, you should make the car AND the camera move a little too. I shot a scene recently where the grips were moving the car a little and the dolly grip would kind of kick the dolly now and again. These little movements sell the idea that you're actually on a road somewhere. We were using rear projection on that particular show, but I've also done this where you just let the background go black for the most part and it works pretty well.