Looking for that perfect angle

L

l0os3

I just picked up my first awesome camera. (Canon HV40) Im super happy with it but I'm finding it hard to come up with the right angle.

Im simply trying to get a good clear shot to show someone sleeping in a bed. I have no tripod atm (only a monopod) Ive always wanted to make films and now that I've been able to afford a camera Im really diving head first without any film school or classes.

Anyone have any creative ways to show the room with a person lying in the bed? I'd like to have some wide shots and birdseye shots of the room, but its hard when you do not have a set to work with and only basics :D
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
I've always thought the bedroom scene in this indie fan film dr who movie was great. really the whole thing is great, but I was sold on that. It starts at about 1:05. May give you some good ideas regarding bedroom filming.

If th video doesn't show below then you can see it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyTOi-U9eDY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyTOi-U9eDY
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
I like it! I think that the room Im using lacks detail and background. An all white room doesn't have a lot of personality to it I don't guess. The angle at the foot of the bed looks good. I'll have to give this a shot.

Thanks!:)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
What if they are positioned in the bed in a manner that leaves their face relatively close to the edge of the bed. Then you bring the camera down to eye-level, medium close? I dunno, just throwing out one potential thought.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I like the idea of that. I will be experimenting some tomorrow and I'll upload what I have. maybe I can get some more feedback that way. I think that having someone slightly on the edge of the mattress would be neat.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'll be frank -- you're thinking about it too much. Just play with it. Move the camera around. A lot. Just experiment, try different things. I don't think you need to get super-creative; just follow the basics of photography composition. Do you know the Rule of Thirds? And if it's a scene in which you're not really liking most of your shots available to you, just get lots and lots of variety, and the chances are good that you'll end up liking some of what you've got.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I wanting to do something similar in a project Im working on.. Im looking at the movie Repulsion for ideas. It has Catherine Deneuve in her bed in many scenes. I say CF has it right have the person's face near the edge for one works..
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm glad you guys like the idea, but their face doesn't have to be near the edge of the bed. If their face was right in the middle of the bed, you could get basically the exact same shot by opening your lens as wide as possible, bringing the camera in real tight, taking it down to eye-level, and using the bed itself as a quadropod, propping the camera and manipulating exactly how you want it positioned, resting right on the bed.

But that's just one potential shot. We've already spent way more time having this conversation than it would take to just move the camera around your space, until you find something that you think works.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
l0os3 said:
I like it! I think that the room Im using lacks detail and background. An all white room doesn't have a lot of personality to it I don't guess. The angle at the foot of the bed looks good. I'll have to give this a shot.

Thanks!:)
Click to expand...

Plenty of good suggestions above. And CF said what i was going to, if you're new, try experimenting and see what appeals to you visually according to the mood you want the scene to be in.

And all white isnt bad if you play with it right. For eg, if its a lonely guy, position camera overhead, put actor two thirds to left or right, make him wear dark clothes or even the exact opposite to his mood, make him wear bright clothes, have the bed sheet be wrinkled etc etc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
x3 on experimentation.

Find a friend, put them in bed, and shoot from any camera position that inspires you as a test. Look at scenes that you like and try to imagine the camera position and scene blocking that gets you a similar shot.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
gipsy said:
Why didn't my youtube video show up on this thread? All I see is a white box. Is that only for premier members, or did I just screw it up?
Click to expand...

take the below youtube URL..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBCCOpm5LZ4

AND put...
zBCCOpm5LZ4 <<< the part AFTER the equal sign and then highlight it and use the Youtube icon...
yt.gif


VIOLA !



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBCCOpm5LZ4


.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top