• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

Trying to make hand held camera look good.

H

harmonica44

I want to shoot a short film soon, and it takes place outdoors on the streets, during the day. Now where I live, the authorities don't seem to have a problem with movie shooting as long as you don't have a lot of equipment set up. Hand held camera is okay with them. Jibs and dollies, not so much, on public sidewalks.

There is a shot I want so far when I picture the script, and it's like this example:

This dolly shot from The Dark Knight that is 34 seconds into the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8yHvKYa_us

Now usually in movies that have the hand held style, you do not see rotating shots like that, that would normally be done with a dolly, so is it possible to make a shot like that, look good hand held? Or will this just not fly with audience at all, especially if you are a low budget filmmaker trying to make a good impression on his demo reel?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTXqzitwuAM

all handheld, all by me, all using photo tripod legs with a manfrotto 501 head.
its not great but its not very shaky and i was moving around non stop.

if i had a stabiliser I would have probably pulled off one of my greatest Cameraman feats so far, but cant afford one..

but you could pull it off easily, get a camera, get an office chair with wheels then get someone to swing you around that should give you the same affect but obviously not as good.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cool. Handheld might look more appropriate with dancers though, as oppose to getting movement during a simple dialogue scene. I though that me doing circles around the actors with a hand held camera would look awkward. I also made a DIY $30 steadicam you see in most tutorials.

I know a steady-op with a flycam vest and all, who might want to do it, but I don't like his camera, cause it has no shallow DOF at all, and would rather use mine for that.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Okay thanks, but which production value is more important. A good location for the scene that adds to the production design, or camera movement which adds to it? If you had to choose, which is more important? I could try moving the dolly and tracks onto the grass next to the sidewalk, but it is near a hotel, and hopefully no one will come by and tell me it's private property.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It's a Steadicam in that shot.

Also, I would imagine a consistent spin would be difficult to sell handheld.

Otherwise, certainly with the right rig and gear and some decent operating, it could look quite nice.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
harmonica44 said:
I want to shoot a short film soon,
Click to expand...

^Story of your life. Sorry, had to be said, no hard feelings, just make something! :)

This dolly shot from The Dark Knight that is 34 seconds into the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8yHvKYa_us

Now usually in movies that have the hand held style, you do not see rotating shots like that, that would normally be done with a dolly, so is it possible to make a shot like that, look good hand held? Or will this just not fly with audience at all, especially if you are a low budget filmmaker trying to make a good impression on his demo reel?
Click to expand...

As Jax and Sweetie said, and I'm surprised no one else said earlier, this is well and truly steadicam no amount of cool tracks will produce the same image.

However you can get reasonably close, be inventive!

cameronchapman said:
We used a baby stroller as a dolly on the music video I just shot. Turned out awesome. Super smooth. And that would blend well enough on the street you could get away with it.
Click to expand...



Or perhaps this steadicam op that you know you should ask to put your camera on their system, though I'm sure his camera isn't as bad as what you're making it out to be. When using a steadicam it is rather difficult to have a shallow DOF, same with a dolly actually, as the focus is constantly changing and so you'll need a very good focus puller. On the steadicam a wireless follow focus is essential.

Which is why he doesn't shoot with a shallow DOF so that he doesn't have to mess with the focus too much or at all while flying the camera
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yeah that's another thing. He doesn't have a follow focus either. He's too busy to shoot it anyway, since he's doing a feature at the moment. I could hook a follow focus onto the DIY steadicam, and it will work, since the DIY one works differently. If I had a follow focus that is lol. I wasn't really thinking about shallow DOF during that shot, but during other shots in general. But I'm sure I can either get a follow focus or arrange something. I will shoot the short once I get some actors. I might just have to shoot with a reasonably deep DOF with my own DIY steadicam, if I cannot work around that.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Without ND filter you will have to shoot with deep DOF.
On bright sunny days in California (I was there past few weeks) I had to set my canon 60D to iso 100 or 160 and aperture of 22 to get good exposed shots at 1/50.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
but which production value is more important. A good location for the scene that adds to the production design, or camera movement which adds to it?
Click to expand...

Ain't that all part of the learning process. You'll learn more from trying and either succeeding or failing than you'll learn from asking these questions on a forum. Try the 3 options and look at the relative value of all options. Weigh in the time vs production value.

Option A). Production value with location.
Option B). Production value with camera movement.
Option C). Production value with location and camera movement.

If you had to choose, which is more important?
Click to expand...

The story. Coverage. Production value. Performance. All, none, part, neither, most. You're asking the wrong questions still. What you're asking is more of a function of budget and schedule than a question of what's best. Anyone with half a brain cell can tell you, the best option is both.


I'm still hearing a lot of excuses...

He doesn't have a follow focus either.
Click to expand...

He's too busy to shoot it anyway
Click to expand...

but it's been cloudy the past couple of weeks to test it.
Click to expand...

Guess your personal development is coming along about as well as I had expected.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I didn't say I was going to use that steadi-op. Of course I am not going to let his schedule stop me from shooting it myself. I was just saying I don't have a steadi-op to get the shot and asking how to make due. As far as excuses though, I think not being able to do tests in the clouds is a legitimate excuse, since I have no control over the weather. I will adjust as needed to the sunlight, when the shoot day comes.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
You'll get my point eventually.

It's a factor to take into consideration, not an excuse. When you're in production, do you think that shutting down a production for a couple of weeks due to it being "cloudy" would get a positive reaction from a studio? Or do you happen to know what the weather *WILL* be like during your shoot, so you don't need to test for cloudy weather?

You get what you focus on. You always seem to be focusing on the problems instead of the solutions.

For instance, your steadyop doesn't turn up on the day because your DOP sabotaged your production by telling him the wrong day. Do you cancel the shoot because you now have an "excuse" or do you work out a solution on set to make it work?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Who said I was going to shut down? I just said I couldn't do any sunlight tests with my ND filters, cause it has been cloudy lately. That doesn't mean I am going to shut down production! And no I wouldn't that wrong day example ruin the shoot.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Just make something. Please. Make something.

:idea:

tumblr_mr8w72XoQN1s4e3kbo1_500.gif
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top