How to achieve overhead spinning camera shot?

D

dragold

New member
Hello,

I recently have seen an effect where an overhead camera zooms in while spinning around the subject lying on the ground.

My question is simple: What are the different ways this effect could be achieved either during principal photography or in post?

As I currently understand this shot, it could have been done with a crane.

I am looking for ways to improvise this effect with less sophisticated methods (even in Post), as the short I am directing has a limited budget (not counting the DVX100B, Manfrotto 503 Head/Legs, Rode NTG1 Shotgun Mic).

The effect is done at the beginning of this short:
http://www.atomfilms.com/film/pissboy.jsp

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
This should probably be in the cinematography section.

But they probably had a crane or a jib to do the trick.

You could always zoom the clip in post, and then apply a scale keyframe and a rotation keyframe, but theeres some quality loss right there.

www.robbiecomeau.blip.tv
 
TheComo said:
This should probably be in the cinematography section.

But they probably had a crane or a jib to do the trick.

You could always zoom the clip in post, and then apply a scale keyframe and a rotation keyframe, but theeres some quality loss right there.

www.robbiecomeau.blip.tv
Click to expand...
Hey,

Yeah, I realized after I posted it that it belonged under cinematography :)

Thanks for the info.
 
this is likely a jib with a hothead that allows continuous rotation. any spinning scaling in post will cause a loss in resolution....
 
I've gotten this shot before. If you have a ceiling you can put a hook-screw in, this is easy. (or make a simple structure from 2x4's)

Get an "L" shaped piece of metal (the kind with holes in it already) from a hardware store, and bolt it to the camera so that one end comes up the back by the viewfinder. Attach a sturdy piece of rope to the metal and the hook (or 2x4) so the camera can spin, and a piece of string so you can control the spin. Then use the camera remote for zooming! You can also raise and lower the camera with the rope. (I like this effect better than zooming, but it depends what you're going for.)
Camera_boom_pulley.JPG
 
Can Scanner said:
I've gotten this shot before. If you have a ceiling you can put a hook-screw in, this is easy. (or make a simple structure from 2x4's)

Get an "L" shaped piece of metal (the kind with holes in it already) from a hardware store, and bolt it to the camera so that one end comes up the back by the viewfinder. Attach a sturdy piece of rope to the metal and the hook (or 2x4) so the camera can spin, and a piece of string so you can control the spin. Then use the camera remote for zooming! You can also raise and lower the camera with the rope. (I like this effect better than zooming, but it depends what you're going for.)
Camera_boom_pulley.JPG
Click to expand...
Hey Can Scanner,

Great way to improvise this shot.

I will take a look at my options and see what the best path I can take based on my shooting schedule.

Thanks.
 
I actually did this same thing for an easy/cheap way to get a shot. just make sure the camera's balanced on your fixed point or it will rotate all over the place.
 
Can Scanner said:
I've gotten this shot before. If you have a ceiling you can put a hook-screw in, this is easy. (or make a simple structure from 2x4's)

Get an "L" shaped piece of metal (the kind with holes in it already) from a hardware store, and bolt it to the camera so that one end comes up the back by the viewfinder. Attach a sturdy piece of rope to the metal and the hook (or 2x4) so the camera can spin, and a piece of string so you can control the spin. Then use the camera remote for zooming! You can also raise and lower the camera with the rope. (I like this effect better than zooming, but it depends what you're going for.)
Camera_boom_pulley.JPG
Click to expand...

Then blind fold your actor, spin him three times and hand him a broom handle.

I wouldn't trust this method (for safely reasons), but then again, I am pretty anal with my gear.
 
I did this shot for an opening shot for a low-budget feature. I used a pulley and a menace arm rig to mount it.

The shot had a *lot* of wobble and weave. It worked OK because the shot was someone waking up on the bedroom floor and the wobble added to the disorientation feelilng. The rest of the scene was handheld as well so it worked.

The director was impressed, but I was disappointed in the rig. Don't expect a solid "techno-crane" look. It is what it is...
 
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