Camera movement on your own

P

peter orland

Well-known member
In my present job, occasionally, I have to be on camera talking to someone while shooting and capturing sound on my own. No big deal, we do all the time. What I was wondering is, short of a full motion control system (which is out of the question for a million and one reasons), is there any way that I can get some camera movement into these shots when there's no one behind the camera? Is there some sort of poor man's automated motion head or something? I'm not looking for much movement, just a bit of something. At the moment every time I am in the shot it's locked down. I've tried framing the shots so I can add movement later in the NLE but...I'm not all that impressed with the results.

Thanks.
 
Maybe this is too obvious, but have you thought about using zoom controls. It's not panning, but at least it's some kind of motion. Certainly the cheapest and easiest solution, I'd think.
 
peter orland said:
In my present job, occasionally, I have to be on camera talking to someone while shooting and capturing sound on my own. No big deal, we do all the time. What I was wondering is, short of a full motion control system (which is out of the question for a million and one reasons), is there any way that I can get some camera movement into these shots when there's no one behind the camera? Is there some sort of poor man's automated motion head or something? I'm not looking for much movement, just a bit of something. At the moment every time I am in the shot it's locked down. I've tried framing the shots so I can add movement later in the NLE but...I'm not all that impressed with the results.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

In an interview, ask your questions out of order, reframe once in the middle, and you're done. Then when you cut it together, every new question/response is a different framing.

Like this.

1) Frame your subject, yourself included if need be.
2) Ask questions numbered 1,3,5,7, & 9.
3) Reframe your subject, tighter usually.
4) Ask questions numbered 2,4,6,8, & 10.
5) When editing, obviously reassemble as 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, & 10.
6) Now every other question is framed differently.
7) Repeat, and rinse.:thumbsup:
 
Duct Tape Films said:
In an interview, ask your questions out of order, reframe once in the middle, and you're done. Then when you cut it together, every new question/response is a different framing.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thanks, but I already do this. It does help to create more variety in the coverage, but all the shots are still locked down, and would like to try and get a bit of movement in the frame. Might not be possible.

Thanks all the same.
 
John_Hudson said:
Lol !

Trust ne. I thought of a solution : P
Click to expand...

Right.

So how does it work?

Do I take a P while I'm in the shot and rolling, or do I take a P before or after the shot? You got help me out here John, I'm just a dumb Aussie.:Drogar-Love(DBG):
 
Evan S said:
why not crop your video and pan in your nle?
Click to expand...

As I said in the original post.

"I've tried framing the shots so I can add movement later in the NLE but...I'm not all that impressed with the results."
 
peter orland said:
Right.

So how does it work?

Do I take a P while I'm in the shot and rolling, or do I take a P before or after the shot? You got help me out here John, I'm just a dumb Aussie.:Drogar-Love(DBG):
Click to expand...


:beer: :Drogar-Evil(DBG): :beer:
 
Yeah, I say
an assistant too, even an intern from a school nearby will gladly help out. It's really the only way. In those situations I wouldn't put myself in the video ( personally I wouldn't anyway), and just reframe occasionally yourself.
Don't crop and pan, it looks like doo-doo as you seem to have discovered on your own. Good luck.
 
Tie a string to your lens barrel. Fish it through an eye hook or even around a door knob or around a chair leg to make a pulley. Hold the other end of the string out of frame or under a table/desk. Loosen the pan tension on your tripod. Pull when motion is desired.
 
dustino said:
Tie a string to your lens barrel. Fish it through an eye hook or even around a door knob or around a chair leg to make a pulley. Hold the other end of the string out of frame or under a table/desk. Loosen the pan tension on your tripod. Pull when motion is desired.
Click to expand...

Finally, someone is using their imagination.

Could work. Particularly if it panned from myself to the talent and you combine the pan with a remote push zoom then edit to a CU of the talent while still in motion.

Anyone else?

Thanks.
 
dustino said:
Tie a string to your lens barrel. Fish it through an eye hook or even around a door knob or around a chair leg to make a pulley. Hold the other end of the string out of frame or under a table/desk. Loosen the pan tension on your tripod. Pull when motion is desired.
Click to expand...

I've tried this method, but I never could catch that damn mouse.:grin:
 
Wow, that looks pretty sweet and doesn't seem to have too much of that obvious animated stop and start lurch.
 
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