a new rig to do a special pan

C

c.g._eads

Veteran
I am shooting a shot where a person will be lying down in bed. We are on a medium close-up of his face. He then sits up. Here's the shot: We arc up with him so that his face stays in the frame the entire time. So if you think of it like a clock, we start at 9 o'clock. And the camera pans up on a quarter-circle arc up to 12 o'clock. I could do this handheld but it will look too shaky. I want it steady as a stew (I made that phrase up). What do you think? Is there anything out there for me or am I going to have to build this thing myself? I hope not, cause I can't build.

c.g.
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

Love to help...but I'm too busy laughing at "steady as a stew"...Where in gods name did that come from ;D
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

Is the person on their back or is it a side shot, as in sleeping on ones side...Doesn't make much difference but I need the info to conceptualize :)
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

camera facing side of bed. Person is on their side, looking into (towards) the camera.

"steady as a stew" = all royalities for use of this phrase go to me.
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

I think Pookie was on the mark...It's a jib shot. That is if you want to keep the horizontal reference on the face consistant throughout the shot, you must cos otherwise you'd use a monopod and a beachball :)
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

Ok, I know this may be a little wild, but here goes anyway.
Find a bicycle with wheels about the same radius of your shot's arc. With a bit of fooling around you might get the axle at bed-top level with the bike upside down. You'll need to stabilize the bike somehow, of course.
Find one of those universal mounts like this one. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30088&item=3862690070&rd=1 and a ball mount tripod head something like - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30095&item=3863755324&rd=1. These are both sturdy items, but not for every day use with a DVX, not mine anyway.
Remove the tire from the bike wheel, and probably a spoke or two. Clamp the mount to the wheel so the mount points out to the side. Mount the tripod head and adjust the head to the 90 degree position. Now loosen the universal mount's locking screw enough so the mount (tripod) end can make a complete turn but not enough that it will come out of the hole.

I'm guessing the smoothest shot will come from lifting the cam through the arc.

Ok ok, ..ok, please quit laughing. I did say it was a wild idea... :-[
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

LOL...That reminds me of the time I was gonna use six hamsters and a piece of plywood as a dolly ;D

I'm just laughing to enjoy myself...you could dream up anyway you want to get the shot, and that is after all how the jib,dolly, crane came to be...people needed devices to accomodate the shot they'd envisioned.
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

If I am understanding right you do not just want to follow them up, you would like the axis to shift from 9 oclock to 12. If that is the case you can do that with a ronford head or a weaver steadman. Instead of the camera pointed out of the normal way, you can point it out on the same axis as the tilt function.
You can get these heads at any film rental house.
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

I wonder if this can be done using the Glidecam? Are you saying:

Talent lies on bed and we are colse on face; the face is upright in the frame?

As talent sits up, we maintain the same framing?

Am I following this?
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

imagine you and a lady friend lying on the bed together (or your male friend -- there's nothing wrong with that). You are on your sides facing one another. Possibly making coochee-coo noises. Now imagine, while keeping eye contact, that you both sit up.

Now replace your lady friend's POV with the camera. That's the shot I want. (this is not the actual situation. Just trying to visually clarify)

c.g.
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

For some reason my board posts pookie's name, but not his messages. Can somebody tell me what he wants me to use?
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

A jib would not do it, he needs the axis to change, and unless you have a dutch head on the jib that is not going to happen. But you can do it with a ronford head witht eh lens pointing out the side instead of the front. :o
 
Re: a new rig to do a special pan

Try some kind of attachment to the talent themselves. I have seen this done. You attach the rig around the waist and it erects out to not be in view-- with the cam pointing towards them. If you do it right, it is very steady because the relative view of the cam to the talent is perfectly in line and the same.--- or am I still not seeing what type of shot you are attempting? :)
 
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