Ant ideas on how to do an overhead shot?

G

gorillaonabike

This is for the same artist as before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYNr...I&noredirect=1

As she has issues walking, what I want to do is move the camera around her (she will effectively be immobile). I was playing with the idea of sticking a camera on a monopod, standing on a chair and swinging it around a bit but I was looking for some creative ideas around shots. I've never been faced with an artist who can't move so need a little help with ideas, especially from anyone else who's had the same problem.

Incidentally, it's a slow song.

So... any suggestions? I have a steadicam Merlin which I will use, plus monopod shots, tripod shots and a little handheld (which I don't like). Will be shooting the whole thing with a t1.5 35mm Cine lens attached to a VG10 (1.6 crop factor).

I'm open to all ideas! What would you do?
 
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There are so many things you can do without having to show her walking. You can do almost any sort of narrative.

What about something along the lines of Katy Perry?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahha3Cqe_fk

In terms of overhead shots, it depends on whether you want them moving or not. Probably a jib is your best bet, jib with remote head if you want it to move, otherwise you might be able to rig something else with the right amount of scaff pipe, stands etc.
 
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baoliun said:
Jib is going to be the fastest and easiest solution
Click to expand...

Apologies... forgot to mention the artist has no budget for a jib. The budget is going on the room, food, bikers (please check out the original vid), transport etc... so out of cash for the jib. This means I need to get creative involving standing on a stepladder with a steadicam and stepping down to a chair, then to the floor etc...

My own kit is a Merlin, the ubiquituous Manfrotto fluid head, monopod, tripod, lighting (around 2,400w split between 3 redcaps), some lenses including a cine lens (it's so good) and a VG10. As an aside, I love my Samyang cine lens!

So any other ideas outside of the jib would be great.
 
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Can you hang the camera from the ceiling pointing down at her, maybe with paracord and an eyelet or something? Wind it up and let it spin - add a broom or something long to the camera with weight on the ends to slow down and smooth out the spin to a gentle rotation.
 
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For rotating overhead shot - trace a circle around where the talent is sitting, attach a sheet of plywood to the top edge of a shopping cart, affix the tripod to the surface of the plywood and extend the tripod shaft to the highest level, use a ladder to lock in your camera settings and start rolling. Slowly roll the shopping cart around using the circle as your guide. Alternately (and not very safe) use your steadicam and stand on the plywood, have someone else push you around the talent. If you choose the second route, fill the shopping cart with sandbags/bricks/weights/bags of dog food/whatever. Get as much of the weight as low as possible.
 
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I'm a pretty tall guy and I've shot a lot of live performances. I've done the camera and the end of the monopod plenty. Usually with a 14mm lens, the wider the better. Usually looks pretty good! Every now and then a little post stabilization helps but with that wide of a lens you usually don't need it.
 
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