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Advice On Shooting Time Lapse Video

Metrostar

Metrostar

Hi, I would like to shoot a scene in a busy bar where a person sits at a table nursing a beer at normal speed, while all the other patrons and staff are moving at super speed around the person. I'm thinking there are probably lot's of things to consider and I would really grateful if someone could help me find out what those things are. there will be a voiceover and music playing over the finished scene. One thing I want to know right away is, what is this style of shooting called? Is it 'time lapse?' All my Google inquiries with various key words didn't turn up an answer for me.

I'm thinking the actor is going to have to practice at moving very slowly, breathing without moving too much and blinking infrequently. That's as far as I got really...
 
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Metrostar said:
Hi, I would like to shoot a scene in a busy bar where a person sits at a table nursing a beer at normal speed, while all the other patrons and staff are moving at super speed around the person. I'm thinking there are probably lot's of things to consider and I would really grateful if someone could help me find out what those things are. there will be a voiceover and music playing over the finished scene. One thing I want to know right away is, what is this style of shooting called? Is it 'time lapse?' All my Google inquiries with various key words didn't turn up an answer for me.

I'm thinking the actor is going to have to practice at moving very slowly, breathing without moving too much and blinking infrequently. That's as far as I got really...
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Getting an actor to move very slowly etc is very difficult. One cough, one quick movement and its back to the start. However, if you are filming from across the bar, ie behind the bar looking toward the actor, there is a far easier way to do it.

Set the camera up in position and film the bar in its motions with all of the people moving at normal speed.

Once done, find a time when you can film at the bar when it is empty. Have your actor sit at the bar, with a green screen taking up all of the area behind him. Film his part in normal speed.

Now all you have to do is put your timelapse footage into the background of the second shot, laying it over the green screen and you have your shot, with no mistakes and no need to learn slow movement etc which can take forever to learn well.

The green screen techniques can be learnt quickly and easily on youtube. Just search green screening with "your video editing sofware here" and you will no doubt find some bright spark who makes it look easy and explains it all.

There is also some great tips on youtube on how to make that green screen on the cheap, but I do have to warn you that despite the ability to also do blue and red screens, the green one does work best.

If you want your actor to be in the middle of the bar during all of this...then just do 3 layers of green screening, ie layer one is the people behind your actor, layer 2 is your actor, and layer 3 is people crossing in front of your actor.
 
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FantasyFilmProductions said:
There is a far easier way to do it.

Set the camera up in position and film the bar in its motions with all of the people moving at normal speed.

Once done, find a time when you can film at the bar when it is empty. Have your actor sit at the bar, with a green screen taking up all of the area behind him. Film his part in normal speed.

Now all you have to do is put your timelapse footage into the background of the second shot, laying it over the green screen and you have your shot, with no mistakes and no need to learn slow movement etc which can take forever to learn well.

If you want your actor to be in the middle of the bar during all of this...then just do 3 layers of green screening, ie layer one is the people behind your actor, layer 2 is your actor, and layer 3 is people crossing in front of your actor.
Click to expand...

Of course, this method never occurred to me at all and I thank you for the reply and suggestion. I actually have a filmmaker friend with a green screen and the experience of using it. I just had a chat with him and he has agreed to help me out with the scene. I will show him your reply.

Any more tips and suggestions are still welcome!
 
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Metrostar said:
Of course, this method never occurred to me at all and I thank you for the reply and suggestion. I actually have a filmmaker friend with a green screen and the experience of using it. I just had a chat with him and he has agreed to help me out with the scene. I will show him your reply.

Any more tips and suggestions are still welcome!
Click to expand...


No problem. Happy to help :)

My only other thought, which I am sure you and your friend will understand already, is lighting. If the bar scene is to have lights that move a lot, such as some clubs do like strobes or other moving light, it will be difficult to match that through all the shots, but as you are talking of a bar, I would assume that the lighting is gentle.

The reason for the third take is to get people walking in front of your actor. If you don't need that then 2 shoots will suffice :)

Also, a neat little trick you could do during the first take without the actor, is have things taken to the table such as a drink or plate of food or something. If you are clever you could figure out shots that would allow the actor to participate with these props, that would be hard, but having things bought to or taken from the table in the first and third take allows the actor to look more a part of the scene with food and drinks coming to and going from his table.
 
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Metrostar said:
Of course, this method never occurred to me at all and I thank you for the reply and suggestion. I actually have a filmmaker friend with a green screen and the experience of using it. I just had a chat with him and he has agreed to help me out with the scene. I will show him your reply.

Any more tips and suggestions are still welcome!
Click to expand...

Green screen is probably the best technique, but you need to make sure nobody enters the area where he'll be sitting ... or even next to it or in front (like a bartender). A closeup is probably better to avoid those issues. Remove the chairs on the background scene, then shoot it greenscreen with him in the chair.

Lighting has to be the same, or close. You can't have sunlight streaming in through the windows in one shot but different light on the background or it will look odd.

Keep the camera still, and place it as close to the same spot for both shoots, or the background will not match. It must be shot on sticks with no movement that can't be repeated exactly.

You will probably have to mask out parts around him, especially if you're shooting down the bar, to keep the bartender and patrons interacting normally (and prevent a ghost bartender from suddenly appearing, e.g.). Try to minimize that issue ... the easiest would be to have a closeup on him so you could just have the patrons in the background. It gets more difficult when you include the bar itself on the greenscreen shoot, and that's where matching the exact camera angles matters.

Also, make damn sure everyone knows and assents to being filmed at the bar.
 
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