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how fast with a car rig (shooting with 5D)


goro toshima

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hi all,

 

i'm planning on shooting some city b-roll with rig on top of car, shooting with 5D.

i've done plenty of street driving...but this time, i'm hoping to get some freeway shots.

 

should i be concerned about having rig set up and drivining around 50 MPH?

 

thanks for any expertise....

goro

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It very much depends on the rig you are planning to use. I certainly wouldn't use a suction mounted rig at those speeds without some additional safeties on it.

 

Also, remember that if that camera falls off at 50mph and flies into a car behind you, it could cause some serious damage and even an accident, which will leave you in a lot of legal trouble.

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Where do you see suction cups ? Those are all built by me, and I rarely use them. Any way let me rephrase : " I would avoid using suction cups in any situation where the rigs integrity depends on the suction hold "

Edited by Sanjay Sami
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Everytime I have ever rigged or seen a Red or Alexa to the side of a car it has either been a window jam "hostess tray" mount or sunction cups with baby pins and C arms connected to some platform which the camera is mounted. my personal experience has been on smaller shows but this includes just seeing pictures as well from big US productions....its the generally the way its done as far as I know

Edited by Albion Hockney
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Albion - your profile says you are a a Cinematographer. I am a Key Grip and have been nothing but. The big US productions whose photos you have seen. that use suction mounts and baby pins with Alexas may well exist. I would not do it that way, but thats just me.

 

Regards

 

Sanjay Sami

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1339894/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

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Sanjay,

I'm sorry I didn't know the level of experience you had you clearly know what your doing.

 

With that said, I think you could have approached this in a much more friendly way in which you actually inform myself and the orginal poster about better techniques.

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Albion - no unfriendliness was intended. This forum at one time used to be frequented by very experienced Grips who took the time to answer questions from beginners.

We generally answer to try and help out.

I only replied to your direct comment " Most "regular" rigs use suction cups" and then "Everytime I have ever rigged or seen a Red or Alexa to the side of a car it has either been a window jam "hostess tray" mount or sunction cups with baby pins and C arms connected to some platform which the camera is mounted. my personal experience has been on smaller shows but this includes just seeing pictures as well from big US productions....its the generally the way its done as far as I know"

 

I find that relying on suction mounts to be unsafe, which is the ONLY reason I replied at all.

 

This was not to be unfriendly, but to limit the potentially endless debate of how such and such person does it on such and such show.

Obviously, this is my opinion, and the way I would choose to work. You can do rigs with suction only. In order to make it safe enough to be acceptable to me would be extremely complex.

 

Remember that a camera that comes loose at speed is not just an equipment loss. It is also a missile with considerable mass and velocity.

 

Be safe and hire people who know what they are doing.

 

Peace - Sanjay Sami

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I agree with Samjay on this. If your looking to the internet for a how to on Car Rigs you're asking for trouble. I'm not too concerned with your camera but more the innocent people that my get hurt by it flying off. Even at a professional level things can quickly go wrong with car mounts...so many variables.

 

The only camera Id trust with a rig solely off suctions cups on a freeway is a Gopro. We use suction cups, sparingly, as brace points. Even so I've had many cups come off.

 

If you can't get someone with expierence to do this for you, make sure its safe. Use several suction cups and a camera safety.

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What u should keep in mind is that how faster you go, how bigger risks are. In other words, it's a matter of keeping the load (rig+camera) secure not only in stationary but also in situations where speed decreases of increases drastically, like a emergency stop, speedbump, holes in the road, ect. ect. There are some kind of rules in here where u need to calculate this risk. U might understand now that using suction cups only might not be the best idea in this situation, they are more a nice tool instead of a standard to built a rig with.

 

Also u might consider to brace the camera with a 2nd or 3rd support on top to avoid vibrations and shaking of the camera. Some babypins screwed on top of the camera and some gobo arms might help u with that.

 

Last tip: if u use ratchet straps ALWAYS secure the loose ends! I always roll them up and secure them with tie-wraps AND tape to avoid them getting in or around the wheels of the car. Please believe me, if they do they will definitely tear you complete rig, bonnet and / or door apart.

 

Good luck,

 

Bjorn

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