Top Gear

[Guy Meachin]

Does anyone know how Top Gear apply their filters? Do they shoot with filters or are they added in post? Some of their sequences use some lovely grad(?) filters.

 

This might not apply to people outside of the U.K. - I doubt it's shown anywhere else.

Edited November 16, 2004 by Meach

[Casper Leaver]

Does anyone know how Top Gear apply their filters? Do they shoot with filters or are they added in post? Some of their sequences use some lovely grad(?) filters.

 

This might not apply to people outside of the U.K. - I doubt it's shown anywhere else.

 

Hi there been shooting the show inserts for the last few years, probably a bit late this answer.

We use a whole range of grads, varying from .6 through to 1.2 hard edge grads, bit are now trying to tone down the look a bit prefering soft edges.All grads are neutral but due to manufacturing proceses there is always colour variation.Formatt are blueish, tiffen are a warmer brown tint etc.. but this changes depending on batches.

There is also a heavy vignette applied at the on line stage.

Cheer Casper

[willminsky]

Hi there been shooting the show inserts for the last few years, probably a bit late this answer.

We use a whole range of grads, varying from .6 through to 1.2 hard edge grads, bit are now trying to tone down the look a bit prefering soft edges.All grads are neutral but due to manufacturing proceses there is always colour variation.Formatt are blueish, tiffen are a warmer brown tint etc.. but this changes depending on batches.

There is also a heavy vignette applied at the on line stage.

Cheer Casper

 

 

Hey there,

I'm a huge fan of the show and I'm in Canada. So... it's getting around. Casper, awesome work on those sequences.

I was curious what format you're shooting in. I was very interested to hear the filters and was curious about that vingetting actually. In post you say? Interesting.

 

It also looks like some general deepening of the blacks and some saturation work. But the overall tones and feel are so just fantastic. I wish I could just ride on your shoulder for a day and see what you guys are doing. So inspirational for a younger camera boy as myself.

 

Anything else you can share would be fabulous.

 

Is there a house DP that is deciding the looks of all of those sequences or are they more individual?

 

-Will Minsky

[Paul Bruening]

We get Top Gear here in Mississippi over our satellite dish, courtesy Hughesnet and the crazy looking red head from the TV ads. It comes from BBCA. We LOVE that show! It is amazing how much dramatic value they can squeeze out of a car show. The images often border on the poetic. I normally think of graded filters as being cheap and corny, but they work very well in that show.