Camera Setup inside car: RENO 911

Eatsnax

Eatsnax

Well-known member
Guys I am shooting a mockumentry style comedy show. RENO 911 is a great example. I want to rig up a small camera, or two, with a wide enough shot, in the far corner of the passenger side. Hoping to get enough of the car in the shot.

I'd like to get...

-Passenger seat
-Drivers Seat
-Seat behind the driver

...so basically I'm hoping to be able to get three people in the shot if I need to.

I see this a lot on reality shows, a lot of the time it looks like they have two cameras on the dashboard, one facing the driver, another the passenger.

Yet I highly doubt that these people are rigging up large cameras like my HVX or HMC. Also when I pay attention I can see that the video quality is not that great compared to te rest of the show, so I am sure they are using smaller, cheaper cameras. Maybe even web cams. I don't know.

I'm hoping someone here has had experience with this and can share some ideas. Or maybe even point me to a product.

Thanks!

PS: Cameras I have right now...

HVX-200
HMC-150
DVX-100a
GH1 w/ Kit Lens
Canon XHA1
Canon HV20

Again THANKS!
 
I actually think your cameras are exactly what they're using. I don't know the cameras they use for TV production, but you know, things like the varicam are probably their main cameras, and then when they go into the cars, they probably switch over to the HVX or HPX170.

The reason it doesn't look quite as good isn't because they're using a camera that isn't quite the best, but it's because they don't want it to look good. It's supposed to be a squad car camera, which in the first place aren't the best cameras, so they're attempting to recreate that.

As far as rigging goes, I'm haven't delt too much with things in the car, but I know a cine saddle and a few ratchet straps to keep it down would probably be a step in the right direction.
 
I love that show!

I shoot alot in a car, the hvx isn't very wide. I'd try to use your hv20 with a wide angle adapter for the winshield mounted cam. I bought my windshield suction cup mounts at filmtools.com they work great. I have seen little cams like the SUV cam or the ELMO that have 7mm lens adapters on them, they might be good unless this has to be HD.
 
ChipG said:
I love that show!

I shoot alot in a car, the hvx isn't very wide. I'd try to use your hv20 with a wide angle adapter for the winshield mounted cam. I bought my windshield suction cup mounts at filmtools.com they work great. I have seen little cams like the SUV cam or the ELMO that have 7mm lens adapters on them, they might be good unless this has to be HD.
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Hd is not important in this situation. The majority of the show will be shot in HD. But for those specific car scenes I am okay with the video looking like it's not that nice. But the closest I can get to HD the better. Which is why I am eyeballing my HV20 for these.

My main concern is ease of setup and use. Those suction cups you use. Can you send me a link?
 
RyanT said:
I actually think your cameras are exactly what they're using. I don't know the cameras they use for TV production, but you know, things like the varicam are probably their main cameras, and then when they go into the cars, they probably switch over to the HVX or HPX170.

The reason it doesn't look quite as good isn't because they're using a camera that isn't quite the best, but it's because they don't want it to look good. It's supposed to be a squad car camera, which in the first place aren't the best cameras, so they're attempting to recreate that.

As far as rigging goes, I'm haven't delt too much with things in the car, but I know a cine saddle and a few ratchet straps to keep it down would probably be a step in the right direction.
Click to expand...


Ryan I agree with you that RENO probably uses the nice camera then makes it look like a nasty one later in post. Or maybe they dont. But lets say a real reality show like...Keeping up with the Kardasians. I dont really watch it but when I do I see car scenes and I can tell they down grade to a lesser smaller camera. I highly doubt they go out of their way to make it look like that in post.
 
Eatsnax said:
Hd is not important in this situation. The majority of the show will be shot in HD. But for those specific car scenes I am okay with the video looking like it's not that nice. But the closest I can get to HD the better. Which is why I am eyeballing my HV20 for these.

My main concern is ease of setup and use. Those suction cups you use. Can you send me a link?
Click to expand...

I'd also try to use what you have first, I think a screw on wide angle adapter for the hv20 is pretty cheap, you'll want one, maybe you can find a used one on eBay.

I don't have a link but you can goto filmtools.com and look in the car mount / suction cup mount section, they have everything you'll need, kits and piece by piece items, I think I paid $59 for one of my winshield mounts (used for a hsu-1), $89 for the hvx one that screws into the hole on top of the cameras handle. I bought several for different size cameras so I can't remember exactly but they work awesome! Don't forget to buy the $5 suction cup cleaner, water drys the cups out (they get dust on them) then they crack, mine are like new after 3 years using the $5 cleaner / conditioner.
 
What about using 3 of the $99 Flip cams? You can gaffer tape them anywhere in the car, they used one on Good Morning America a few weeks ago and it had the cop car survalence look to it (in color). Just don't move them or it's jello city.
 
Flip cams also have a 720HD version for $199 each, you could attach them caddy corner to the sun visors with rubber bands for driver and pass shots.
 
FYI Just watched footage from my neices flip cam, it looks good if you don't move the cam.
 
ChipG said:
What about using 3 of the $99 Flip cams? You can gaffer tape them anywhere in the car, they used one on Good Morning America a few weeks ago and it had the cop car survalence look to it (in color). Just don't move them or it's jello city.
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Yes I've been eyeballing those cameras. I will get one if I feel the need. My only concern is that the cam wont be wide enough.

Do you think that the camera is wide enough to get both passenger and driver if the cam was placed in the far corner of the passenger windshield of a small car?
 
I can't check the Flip cam in my car to see if it's wide enough, it's with my neice in LA, I was watching old footage. Looks like it might work with the .5 on it or it'll be close. Maybe they make a .7?
 
DJDecay said:
Look for the Canon HF-10 rigging done in Crank 2 in their behind the scenes. HF-10 and the HV20 are pretty close, though the HF-10 body and wide angle adapter its square, and not that "sleek"+HDVdeck as a HV20 is - but I think its the same wide-angle for all of them. - I tried shooting with HV30 inside a vehicle, played around with 1/48 shutter and other speeds till I was blue in the face, the shake is a bit too much for it on the built in lens alone, wide angle is the way to go.

Also check out the "Marriage" episode of the NBC version of "The Office". where all travel to a wedding, shot practically in vehicles (no green-screen).
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Just saw crank 2 behind the scenes awesome ****!
 
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