Maya Bankovic Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Does anybody know which camera is used on this show, specifically the segments outside of the studio? It's got a great texture, but I've read that much of the look is built in post (vignetting, grad filters, etc). I'm prepping a doc for which I'd like to pursue a similar shooting style. Thanks! Maya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted January 12, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 12, 2009 Digibeta. I believe there was a time when it was shot on IMX, some while ago. Frequent use of ND grads and yes most of it is clearly in the grade. I suspect you could achieve comparable results on more or less any reasonably competent format. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Teulon Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 (edited) Hey Phil, I believe that they've been shooting varicam and 750's for a while now. Edited January 12, 2009 by Serge Teulon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted January 12, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 12, 2009 Oh good grief. Why is it that my knowledge of this subject inevitably turns out to be a generation old? Hm - perhaps because I'm not actually involved in shooting it. Shutting up. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Teulon Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I don't think that you are that off the beaten track. There are still major productions in prime time that are being shot on digi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Alderslade Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I don't think that you are that off the beaten track.There are still major productions in prime time that are being shot on digi. Am I the only one who doesn't dig Top-Gear? Okay it looks nice enough, but essentially its just car-porn... ...its only going to make you feel inadequate about the performance of your own engine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted January 13, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 13, 2009 Oh, I know that. It's specific to this show - every year or so someone will tell me what TG is shot on, I will promulgate the information, and then find out that they changed over last season. I'd seen a bunch of high speed stuff recently, but I suspect that was some specialist camera - too slow for varicam. Perhaps varicam plus interpolation. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Paul Bruening Posted January 13, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 13, 2009 Am I the only one who doesn't dig Top-Gear? Okay it looks nice enough, but essentially its just car-porn... ...its only going to make you feel inadequate about the performance of your own engine! I can't get enough of Top Gear. I'm an addict! I admit it. After watching it I get into my '91 Ford Festiva and operate it, saying to myself, "It's a Lambo. It's a Lambo." I do admire their directorial and editorial sensibilities. They get a lot of dramatic character out of subject matter that would not ordinarily lend itself to drama. It's pretty clever stuff they're doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Alderslade Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I can't get enough of Top Gear. I'm an addict! I admit it. After watching it I get into my '91 Ford Festiva and operate it, saying to myself, "It's a Lambo. It's a Lambo." I do admire their directorial and editorial sensibilities. They get a lot of dramatic character out of subject matter that would not ordinarily lend itself to drama. It's pretty clever stuff they're doing. Well I thought this was funny, controversial but funny! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2syY12OPkwI I agree, what could be a boring magazine show is made far more entertaining, through personality, artistry and concept. Personally I can't take Jeremy Clarkson - but you have to admit he's 'good TV!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Rupe Whiteman Posted January 13, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 13, 2009 Casper Leaver, who shoots a lot of the car test/exterior stuff, has posted on here before, you should be able to get hold of his details to 'mail him your questions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted January 14, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 14, 2009 I have to say I'm slightly more interested in the post side of it - it's so unusual for the BBC to let anyone near colour correction, the production politics are actually more intriguing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Teulon Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) I like watching TG even though I can't stand JC. I did once bring a camera home from a job and with a little fiddle in the menus managed to get something close to the look of TG. I know of late that some of the TG "film" directors have been signed up by some ad production companies. So if you don't like that type of car porn, it seems that the car adverts in this country might look like that in the near future. It's an ever changing industry! Edited January 14, 2009 by Serge Teulon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Smith Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I love the way it's shot, and love the entertainment factor but, that's almost all it is. A lot of people assume it's a car programme that reviews new cars and gives you the low down, when.. most of the time it's just comedy with a guest chat section. There's very little actual 'informing' done. But.. I could never afford any of the cars they review anyway so what do I care. I watch it for the comedy. I just see it as a car orientated Jonathan Ross show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted January 15, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 15, 2009 I don't think it's necessarily that difficult to shoot stuff like that. It's ND grad filters and conservative exposure, and fiddling in post. Follow focus on some of the long lens stuff is probably quite tricky, but other than that it's just a style choice. I frequently see blown skies and the like and think - really, is there nothing you could have done about that? The minicam car interior stuff is particularly noteworthy for that problem, although of course that's different gear and different people (with whom I have actually worked, and very nice guys they are) and it's notoriously difficult to balance car interiors and exteriors. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Teulon Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Yeah the interior mini-cams still need a lot of work before they render a good consistent image. Mainly latitude. The "ikonoskoptojfopp" seems to be a possible contender for this type of work. Small, lightweight and powerful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Buick Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) Whatr about a Canon HVx0. From my experience they have great colour latitude fow what they are, they're small, cheap, and can do 50i at 1080. Edited January 15, 2009 by Matthew Buick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Martin Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Am I the only one who doesn't dig Top-Gear? Okay it looks nice enough, but essentially its just car-porn... ...its only going to make you feel inadequate about the performance of your own engine! You're not the only one.... I have to be honest that for a "car porn" program, those pans, zooms and swishes about don't really let me see the car very much. I also dislike JC's constant rambling about a brilliant noise which he can hear, but I cannot because it is masked underneath his ranting. Definitely an interesting visual style for the Beeb though, it is quite set apart from 5th gear in that department as well as others. Though it's been a while since I have watched TV of any sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Teulon Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) I know nothing about that camera......What's the exposure latitude? Edited January 15, 2009 by Serge Teulon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Buick Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I know nothing about that camera......What's the exposure latitude? I'm not exactly sure, maybe five or six stops, but I've been able to get nicer result from my own car than those minicams get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maya Bankovic Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Haha, since posting this I've found a number of other threads about this show and it's style... seems to spark good conversation every time. Rupe, I found Casper's post and it was very helpful, thank you! I'm not too interested in cars, actually I'm barely interested in them at all, so yes I'm guilty of falling for the "car porn" aesthetic but I also find the three guys absolutely hilarious. Driving across Africa in the worst beaters they can find? Amazing! Maya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Paul Bruening Posted January 16, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted January 16, 2009 It has inspired me to create a new show called Top Frame. It's an entertaining and comedic review of great works of art. Three guys take great works of art out of the museums and carry them around in exotic places. They look at them. They show them to others. They trash them in "art rallies". Kind of like: Kenneth Clark meets Johnny Knoxville. Wouldn't that be a hoot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Buick Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 That is seriously a very good idea. That, along with Top Photo, especially if it's giving unsung people a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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