DVX and Dolly Extra
- Thread starter J.R. Hudson
- Start date
insanityfw
Ban Me Please!
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
Thanks for posting all the info and video John. Looks great. I'm thinking about building a similar one, but using the Willey's Widget wheels since I'm getting really lazy lately.
Thanks for posting all the info and video John. Looks great. I'm thinking about building a similar one, but using the Willey's Widget wheels since I'm getting really lazy lately.
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
Whatever works!
Whatever works!
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
Hm, maybe I should post pics of my DIY rigs.
Hey everyone, these dollies are cool, inexpensive to build, and can give you higher production value.
Here's some gotchas that you will want to be aware of:
1) Pushing a dolly around takes practice to get it to look smooth. You'll know you are the masta when you can start, stop, change direction, and hit your marks, all without noticable bobble. Practice!
2) Professional tripods are a must for dolly work. As with many things, the stiffer, the better. Heaviness counts too. Sandbagging your tripod down helps quite a bit. Remember, what you are trying to achieve is emulation of heavy Hollywood equipment making the same moves. These are subtle visual queues, but we do pick up on them. I haven't tried setting a camera on my dolly on top of a big beanbag or sandbag, but it is worth investigating.
3) It is cool that you can have dolly shots in your productions. But make sure that you include these kinds of shots only when they contribute appropriately to your shot. There is a visual language of dolly movement, and if you mix a move that conveys action when in a scene where contemplation is required, you've just watered down the effectiveness of the shot.
Hm, maybe I should post pics of my DIY rigs.
Hey everyone, these dollies are cool, inexpensive to build, and can give you higher production value.
Here's some gotchas that you will want to be aware of:
1) Pushing a dolly around takes practice to get it to look smooth. You'll know you are the masta when you can start, stop, change direction, and hit your marks, all without noticable bobble. Practice!
2) Professional tripods are a must for dolly work. As with many things, the stiffer, the better.
Heaviness counts too. Sandbagging your tripod down helps quite a bit. Remember, what you are trying to achieve is emulation of heavy Hollywood equipment making the same moves. These are subtle visual queues, but we do pick up on them. I haven't tried setting a camera on my dolly on top of a big beanbag or sandbag, but it is worth investigating.3) It is cool that you can have dolly shots in your productions. But make sure that you include these kinds of shots only when they contribute appropriately to your shot. There is a visual language of dolly movement, and if you mix a move that conveys action when in a scene where contemplation is required, you've just watered down the effectiveness of the shot.
GlenRhodes
Member
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
John, thanks so much for the footage.
It has made me realize a few things. First, it appears that the "film" look is more than just any one thing. It really is a sum total of all the different parts; fps, lighting, gamma, camera motion, etc.
Can I ask you, in the indoor shots (the original footage with the bathroom), what kind of settings did you use (specifically, the gamma curve) because it has a really nice film look, reminiscent of "The Sixth Sense". Secondly, what kind of lighting did you use? Anything special (aka, expensive), or just a well-positioned standard 100w room light? Also, did you do any post-processing on the footage? (magic bullet, etc.) or is it straight from in-camera?
By the way, this is my first post, I got my DVX100A last week, so, hello everybody from Toronto (currently buried in snow).
Thanks,
Glen
John, thanks so much for the footage.
It has made me realize a few things. First, it appears that the "film" look is more than just any one thing. It really is a sum total of all the different parts; fps, lighting, gamma, camera motion, etc.
Can I ask you, in the indoor shots (the original footage with the bathroom), what kind of settings did you use (specifically, the gamma curve) because it has a really nice film look, reminiscent of "The Sixth Sense". Secondly, what kind of lighting did you use? Anything special (aka, expensive), or just a well-positioned standard 100w room light? Also, did you do any post-processing on the footage? (magic bullet, etc.) or is it straight from in-camera?
By the way, this is my first post, I got my DVX100A last week, so, hello everybody from Toronto (currently buried in snow).
Thanks,
Glen
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
Hi Glen!
I have to agree, this ever-elusive filmic/filmlook we all seem to be after is definately a combination of many factors: Lighting, Shutter, Exposure, Framing, Score............
What a wonderful artform we have all chosen. So many elements involved for just one final result. The light used was (1) Daylght balanced Florescent Lamp. It is the little Spiral kind and rated for about 20,000 hours. I have them plugged into little Brooder's. This Lamp is about $12.00 to $14.00 and the Brooder was about $12.00.
The bathroom shot specifically was this Brooder sitting in the sink pointed up at the cieling. The WB used was the 5600K PRST. In contrast, the shot of my son in the garage is the same single light source using a Manual WB off of the Blue Tubs you can see on the shelf in the background.
No particular Color Correction or POST effects going on here. I gave it a very tiny amount of Green using the Secondary Color Corrector in Vegas.
Settings were default 24pa.
Hi Glen!
I have to agree, this ever-elusive filmic/filmlook we all seem to be after is definately a combination of many factors: Lighting, Shutter, Exposure, Framing, Score............
What a wonderful artform we have all chosen. So many elements involved for just one final result. The light used was (1) Daylght balanced Florescent Lamp. It is the little Spiral kind and rated for about 20,000 hours. I have them plugged into little Brooder's. This Lamp is about $12.00 to $14.00 and the Brooder was about $12.00.
The bathroom shot specifically was this Brooder sitting in the sink pointed up at the cieling. The WB used was the 5600K PRST. In contrast, the shot of my son in the garage is the same single light source using a Manual WB off of the Blue Tubs you can see on the shelf in the background.
No particular Color Correction or POST effects going on here. I gave it a very tiny amount of Green using the Secondary Color Corrector in Vegas.
Settings were default 24pa.
veidog
Active member
another sight with some dolly info
another sight with some dolly info
Ceck out his design.
http://www.jorenclark.com/whitepapers/dolly.html
another sight with some dolly info
Ceck out his design.
http://www.jorenclark.com/whitepapers/dolly.html
GlenRhodes
Member
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
Hey John.
Quick question: Did you use a wide-angle attachment for those shots, or is it the default lens, as is.
Thanks,
Glen
Hey John.
Quick question: Did you use a wide-angle attachment for those shots, or is it the default lens, as is.
Thanks,
Glen
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
Hi Glen
Just the stock lens
Hi Glen
Just the stock lens
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
Hey Hudson...I love our dollys, but let me ask you this: Have you done any perfect panning shots while dollying? It seems that I can get a pefect shot almost everytime when im just pushing in or trucking but when I try to pan also, its very difficult do get a smooth pan. Maybe its my cheapo tripod legs....any input?
Hey Hudson...I love our dollys, but let me ask you this: Have you done any perfect panning shots while dollying? It seems that I can get a pefect shot almost everytime when im just pushing in or trucking but when I try to pan also, its very difficult do get a smooth pan. Maybe its my cheapo tripod legs....any input?
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
It's not going to be your sticks but whether or not you have a fluid head (that and practice to make these smooth pans).
Are you haveing to track by yourself? That is really hard; to track and pan.
I have the 501 Bogen (Not a fluid) but when I do it I loosen everything up for total control (no resistance). Still, I agree with you, there is an art to accomplishing this. Have someone else do dolly for you and get yourself into a compfortable stable position on the dolly and practice practice practice.
In closing? Yeah, it's a *****
It's not going to be your sticks but whether or not you have a fluid head (that and practice to make these smooth pans).
Are you haveing to track by yourself? That is really hard; to track and pan.
I have the 501 Bogen (Not a fluid) but when I do it I loosen everything up for total control (no resistance). Still, I agree with you, there is an art to accomplishing this. Have someone else do dolly for you and get yourself into a compfortable stable position on the dolly and practice practice practice.
In closing? Yeah, it's a *****
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
My wife get's apissed when I say "honey, I need a dolly grip"
My wife get's apissed when I say "honey, I need a dolly grip"
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
I love my new truck. Ill have to shoot it (make some specage). First new vehicle I ever owned!
I love my new truck. Ill have to shoot it (make some specage). First new vehicle I ever owned!
Super Trooper
Well-known member
Re: DVX and Dolly Extra
I'd be very weary about your new purchase John. A guy at work bought a car out of the paper. Ten years later, Bam! Herpes.
Sorry, couldn't resist quoting Family Guy. ;D
I'd be very weary about your new purchase John. A guy at work bought a car out of the paper. Ten years later, Bam! Herpes.
Sorry, couldn't resist quoting Family Guy. ;D