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Bungee cam on rickshaw


SimonLL

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Hi all,

 

Getting ready to shoot a web series. We have a couple of scenes of walk and talk in the streets to cover. Our budget is over extended, so can really afford to hire a Steadycam or Gimbal. Fortunately, the director is not looking for super smooth gimbal like movement, so a rickshaw with the camera suspended on bungees or medical tubing was brought forward. We want to feel a camera that is alive, but not the footsteps backwards (the shot is pulling back as the actors walk towards camera). There will also be some running shots tracking along with the actor both sideways and from the front.

 

My only concern is stabilizing the jitter of the cracked sidewalks to minimize the jello effect if we decide to stabilize further in post. Can a rig like that work to give me a good basis to work with in post?

 

We're shooting on a Varicam LT for an HD finish, so I plan on shooting a bit wider in 4k to allow room for post stabilization.

 

Thanks for the tips!

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I don't think a rig like that will give the results you're hoping for. (Of course, you're still entitled and encouraged to try; I'd love to see the results either way!)

 

You may be better off simply going handheld and riding in the rickshaw. You'll have bumps either way, but they can be somewhat corrected with post-stabilization.

 

However, micro bumps are going to be a huge challenge to fix in post, regardless of resolution. The problem is that the end result of fixing micro bumps will be a softer image.

 

One option is to take a cue from Evil Dead. They made a poor-man's steadicam out of a 2x4 piece of wood.

 

The idea is to basically get a 3' or 4' cut of 2x4 and drill a hole through the center. Mount the camera to the wood using the drilled hole and a long enough bolt+washer. On set, have two people carry the board (one on each end). It'll take a moment of practice, but they should be able to keep their arms at the same height and level. Their arms will act as natural shock absorbers and mitigate most bounce; make sure they try to dampen the rest of their bounce with how they walk (see basic steadicam walking).

 

I hope this makes sense; I definitely recommend testing it out!

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