The lens jiggle thing

[DavidSloan]

So I read on the 35mm board about some technique where you loosen the lens and jiggle it during the shot, and I'm just wondering what is the proper way to do this, and what is the result? I have a shoot coming up in 2 weeks and I figure I'll do a test with some of the short ends.

 

Thanks

[J. Lamar King IMPOSTOR]

Basically what you do is just loosen the mount. You can move the lens a small bit side to side and get a kind of "swing shift" look. Depending on the camera you might just have to turn the mount catch and that lets the lens move out a little causing the focus to pop out.

 

I've done an extreme version of it with a still camera where I used black gaff tape and literally taped the lens to the camera but I had enough room to move it about a 1/4 inch out. The tape stopped light from getting in. I got some crazy effects.

 

You don't need to get that wild with a motion picture camera though to get good looks. You can rehearse the effect just looking through the finder.

 

This video is supposed to have the effect in it.

 

Cradle of Filth - Nymphetamine

Edited February 17, 2005 by J. Lamar King

[DavidSloan]

Thanks a lot, J. I see what you mean. Looks like a pretty cool effect. Can be useful as a POV of someone drugged up or something.

 

Thanks