Filming techniques used in this car video?

M

MikeSun

Member
For the following video I have a few questions as to how they filmed parts of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8IMJPExsIc


When they showed the A.C. Cobra at 1:04 to 1:06 and 1:48-1:49 for the MG, how did the camera operator managed to get the very low angle? Was the operator sitting on a tiny cart/trailer attached to the camera car or was there a crane attached to the flatbed of a truck?

I'd like to replicate some of these angles, but while holding the glidecam2000 out of the car will wind interference making filming tough? In this case we'd probably be travelling 40mph or less.
 
Could have been shot on a motorcycle since the shots were going from side to side of the car.....Just a wild guess.....
 
Having worked on something with almost the exact style and shots as this, I would almost guarantee this promo was done with a Shotmaker. These guys really know there stuff. Usually the truck will drive at a constant speed and then it requires a very skilled driver in the car to move around the camera. We had 2 guys seated on the camera platform, then there are two guys operating the boom arm, which moves up & down and side to side. At times they would have the camera platform just inches of the road surface to achieve those low angle shots.

http://www.shotmaker.com/
 
Thanks for the quick reply guys.

My other question is, will filming in such a way get one into trouble with the police officer?

How about simple hanging the camcorder out of the car? Can cops give you a ticket on that?

Is there a way to get around this?
 
Totally depends on your local laws. Many places it can be considered a hazardous distraction and ticketable offense. Here in LA you're supposed to have a police escort when doing such shots... I've gotten away with doing it a few times without going that route, but I acknowledge that I could be ticketed if they caught me.
 
Actually, a lot of it looked like Steadicam low mode off of a vehicle mount to me. That's always another option for those type of shots.
 
Well if you can find a road that is not highly traveled by other motorist or change your shoot time to early morning hours or late night hours you should be okay and not be a distraction to other drivers. I guess it wouldn't hurt to notify the police ahead of time of what your doing so they won't come bothering you while you shoot.

My idea is more of a DIY idea to get those shots but you can take a garden hoe and securely rig your camera to the flat part of the hoe. If you have a friend with a pickup truck or motorcycle and you feel comfortable shooting from the motorcycle you can get some really cool low angle shots.

A friend of mine was shooting a documentary on women that ride Harley's and he rigged up his camera on a garden hoe and some of the shots he got was amazing!
 
My guess is the "Ultimate Arm" or the "Russian Arm".
We have used it on multiple movies including Transformers, and Die Hard 4. It is a high performance Porsche Cayenne with a crane mount on top of the car. The camera operator is in the back seat. They have revolutionized filming car chases and car commercials. Way more versatile than the Shotmaker.
http://www.ultimatearm.com/
 
I forgot what movie they used it in but I thnk it was possibly Bad Boys 2 that used that Russian Arm. I was shocked to see that ARM sitting on top of a Mercedes Benz SUV! They said they could keep right up with the action at high speeds and get all kinds of cool shots. If it wasnt Bad Boys it was another big budget movie that had some sort of Highway chase scene.
 
Yeah, Bad Boys II, Transformers, Italian Job, Taxi, Die Hard 4. The thing is incredible. There are about 3 different companies out here that have them. They are not cheap. Around 5k a day plus driver and cinemotographer, focus puller etc.
I worked on a BMW commercial not too long ago and they used one.
The thing about them is that they do everything that the car or motorcycle that is in the chase does, but has a camera mounted. The arm can rotate 360 degrees around the Porsche or Mercedes that it is mounted on. Then you put a Libra head on the camera and you get to rotate the camera and change the x y and z axis' as well. Without a doubt the most dynamic of all camera setups I have seen so far.
I just worked on Get Smart for about 4 weeks. They had the Ultimate Arm, Jack Carpenter's camera cars and an A Star Helicopter with Tyler mount on multiple days.
Doug Coleman directing second unit amazing!
 
maverickstunts said:
My guess is the "Ultimate Arm" or the "Russian Arm".
We have used it on multiple movies including Transformers, and Die Hard 4. It is a high performance Porsche Cayenne with a crane mount on top of the car. The camera operator is in the back seat. They have revolutionized filming car chases and car commercials. Way more versatile than the Shotmaker.
http://www.ultimatearm.com/
Click to expand...

Now that is a cool looking device. After seeing the new Tarantino movie "Death Proof", it looks like they may have used it in that.
 
Yeah, it's pretty slick. I've seen it around these parts an awful lot. All of that stuff in their reel with the Yellow Cab? That's directly outside of our office.
 
It's getting to be "kind of old hat" to show up on a set knowing that their is car work and the rig is there. I worked on the sequences on their reel for Mr and Mrs. Smith, Taxi (Henry Kingi is driving the cab) and Batman. I wasn't in any of the cars pictured but learned just how useful the tool is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top