Car Conversations sans bouncing camera

[Charles DeRosa]

hi all-

 

Are there any good suggestions for minimizing bouncing when shooting car dialog scenes? A piece of gear? Some secret handed down over generations? ( "finding a flat piece of road" doesn't qualify as a secret handed down over generations)

 

We're shooting a cab scene between driver and passenger. Poor man's will remove the feel of the city that we want to keep. Would like to shoot it from another vehicle, but don't think we can come up with the budget for a process trailer.

 

Car mount is tough with the Red as dropping frames is a constant problem i've found.

 

Any help for smooth solutions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chuck

[John Brawley]

hi all-

 

Are there any good suggestions for minimizing bouncing when shooting car dialog scenes? A piece of gear? Some secret handed down over generations? ( "finding a flat piece of road" doesn't qualify as a secret handed down over generations)

 

We're shooting a cab scene between driver and passenger. Poor man's will remove the feel of the city that we want to keep. Would like to shoot it from another vehicle, but don't think we can come up with the budget for a process trailer.

 

Car mount is tough with the Red as dropping frames is a constant problem i've found.

 

Any help for smooth solutions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chuck

 

 

RED shouldn't be a problem shooting in a car. I've done several films shooting in cars using the RED RAID with no dropped frames. Maybe you had a different set up ? Or have you just heard it's a problem ??

 

RED is in fact a PITA when shooting in a car hand held because the thing is so awkward and sits so high on the shoulder. You only really have a few angles you can actually use depending on how reckless you want to be and the size of the car.

 

I'd consider the car mount again if I was you.

 

jb

[Charles DeRosa]

Thanks JB-

 

I've definitely had trouble with the Red dropping frames. All that metallic vibration, I don't find it surprising. I'm more worried about the smooth look of a good car scene however. I'd take my chances with a car mount, but it's not really the feel i want. Unfortunately, i think "find a smooth road" is about as good advice as i'm going to find.

 

chuck

[Nick NormanButler]

Here's a real zero budget solution that I found works quite well. It won't completely eliminate movement but if you don't mind some you could try it: Get a sling of some sort (I used the shoulder strap for my HDW-750) and thread it over the top of the front seat sun visor. Tighten accordingly. You'll still need to have the camera on your shoulder but it becomes much easier to keep steady with the extra support. Oh and you can only shoot singles with it of course...

 

Then there's always lipstick cams suction mounted to the inside of the windscreen...?

[Sean Elder]

I know I might get fussed at for this soulution, but couldn't you use a tracking filter in whatever post program that you are using to stabilize your footage without getting that cheezy-looking stabilized feel to it????

[Brian Drysdale]

Compact Flash would be the way to go, using a hard drive the vibration could cause dropped frames.

 

Filming a conversion in the front of car, car mounts would be the most comprehensive method, shooting hand held is very limiting and the RED isn't that compact.

 

You can always shoot wider driving shots from another vehicle.

[Gregory Middleton]

There is no easy solution to this problem.

The question I ask is what 'feel' is desired. A locked to the vehicle feeling or a one where the camera can move slightly and be operated.

If you have no choice of roads ( you really like the background of a particular street ) then this will help make the mounting choice for you.

 

If you want rock steady then mounting to the car is the best way. You will have to grab the camera from the top as well as the baseplate to take out any flex. Mulitipoint rigging is the key. Suction cups with arms and heads are helpful for the top points. "Hostess tray" side mounts work well. Don't use a camera head, use a tilt plate for less flex and to keep the camera closer to the mounting point. The longer and heavier the more flex and more bounce.

 

If your road is super bumpy then handheld is sometimes the best solution. Roll up a furniture pad or otherwise brace your elbows so that the camera is more comfortably resting on you . You want to avoid the feeling of "lifting" the camera. You can then use you strength to steady any bumps and float out the big ones.

 

Vibration isolators can be useful sometimes but not always. I have never used them to any effect on car rigs myself.

 

The technology exists to shoot on super bumpy roads car to car but thats in another price league.

 

Good luck on your shoot.

 

 

 

hi all-

 

Are there any good suggestions for minimizing bouncing when shooting car dialog scenes? A piece of gear? Some secret handed down over generations? ( "finding a flat piece of road" doesn't qualify as a secret handed down over generations)

 

We're shooting a cab scene between driver and passenger. Poor man's will remove the feel of the city that we want to keep. Would like to shoot it from another vehicle, but don't think we can come up with the budget for a process trailer.

 

Car mount is tough with the Red as dropping frames is a constant problem i've found.

 

Any help for smooth solutions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chuck