How to rotate camera around centerpoint

chriscurl

chriscurl

Well-known member
Not sure if this is the right place for this but have to start somewhere, for an upcoming short I have a couple shots where i would like the camera to rotate around a point that would be the equivalent of the center of the lens, dont want it to feel like the camera is moving, rather that what the camera is seeing is rotating slowly.

My first thought was a wheel with an adjustable bracket where you could attach camera and slide into the right spot where center of lens was equal to center of disc, then rotate that disc with a handle. If this isn't clear i can add a diagram.

I don't know if that is the best way or if there is something better i am not thinking of.

Shooting on DSLR btw, Canon 5D.

I appreciate any thoughts.

EDIT: diagram of shot added
shotx.jpg
 
Last edited:
If I've understood correctly - why not rotate in post? Your rotation will be exact then.

You'd need to scale up the image slightly to avoid losing the corners.
 
Ah - I now see I completely misunderstood what you were asking...you want the camera to rotate fully from being right side up to upside down back to right side up...?

Yeah - forget my suggestion then.
:)
 
Added diagram of shot, not proposed solution just the shot itself. This takes place in space if that helps you visualize what I'm doing, think 2001.
 
Well that looks like you could rotate in post and get exactly what you wanted. As I mentioned before you'd need to scale up slightly first.Your timings (as specified) would be exact too.
 
That is probably the sane way to go, I was thinking that scaling up or having to add missing edges would be reasons not to go that way, but maybe not.
 
Luis Caffesse said:
Ah - I now see I completely misunderstood what you were asking...you want the camera to rotate fully from being right side up to upside down back to right side up...?

Yeah - forget my suggestion then.
:)
Click to expand...

My first thought was of the shot in "2001"(1968), where the space ship attendant appears to 'walk' in a gravitation free environment... when in actuality, the set was a giant cylinder and the camera was fixed for that shot...

It think there are some camera rotate while the set rotates as well...


For rotating the camera, while the set and actor are 'fixed', just requires a the camera to be mounted in the middle of a turnable/wheel/lazysusan type affair.
 
Last edited:
If doing it post - you only need to scale up slightly so you don't lose image at the corners as it rotates. You can then rotate perfectly around the centre point and set start and end to match your scene duration.

Also save a heap of time and cash not rigging that up physically.
 
chriscurl said:
That is probably the sane way to go, I was thinking that scaling up or having to add missing edges would be reasons not to go that way, but maybe not.
Click to expand...

Rotating digitally would induce some sort of artifact that may be objetionable, unless it was 'covered' with something else like some of these delayed time, blurred motion, effects.

It seems to me it could be done by bolting a tripod head to a 'lazy susan' type wheel, and then bolting that assembly to some 'fixed' frame.

Don't know if there's just some off the shelf solution that's waiting at a rental shop near you...

UPDATE:

I just noted you were going for the "2001" look... that was done with the set on a rotational capable frame. So the entire set moves around the central axis, while the actors 'walk' in place. Since the set moves, it appears that the person is walking up the 'side' of the cabin.

You could do this 'cheaply'... if you got some airconditioning ducting, assembled enough length to cover most of your actor, and then mount the actor inside of the duct, leaving gaps on the bottom for light to come through, on a large lazy susan, position your camera, fixed (like from a second story balcony, above and shoot straight into the duct. Rotate the poor actor while they are emoting in the duct in front of your camera...

While this example isn't exactly what you are doing, the live actress was shot, step and repeat style on a rotating platform, to acquire her rotating image. Then computer graphics were added to match move.


Julie

Here's the 'making of' PDF for the demo film above.

Making Of "Julie"
 
Last edited:
You could also do some tests with shooting full res stills with the 5D to allow you to build a plate to cover the area that would normally be cut off when you rotate in post, so that hopefully you don't have to scale up too much.
 
That is prob the way to go, just pull back, take some pics and fill in the gaps.

Luis Caffesse said:
You could also do some tests with shooting full res stills with the 5D to allow you to build a plate to cover the area that would normally be cut off when you rotate in post, so that hopefully you don't have to scale up too much.
Click to expand...
 
Professionals now use multi-axis remote heads... back in the day, Panatates were used.

For the average indie filmmaker today... choices exist... but looking at your image I have one question for you.... does the rig have to fit WITHIN the vent? I assume the vent ends at camera so it looks like youre in the vent but the operator and ect is not actually in the vent. Right?

I did a shot like this once.... I simply had a large tripod head on the dolly, then a 90* tilt plate with a small fluid head. One more 90* tilt plate... and off we went. By getting the fluid head at nodal alignment with the lens, the turn had a pretty good effect.

1260404611.jpg


Please NOTE:

The 'Large Fluid Head' was simply written because I was on a Panther Dolly jib arm, so it was the easiest thing to attach the first 90* tilt plate/ bracket to. The 90* bracket/tiltplate can go on a geared head, screwed into some wood or other rigid surface suitable for a base. Does not have to be a head, although it allowed me to pan and tilt the rig for positioning purposes.

Also note that tilt plates are often 'swiss cheesed' allowing you to mount the 90* plates at different positions as to accommodate the different camera shapes... allowing nodal alignment.
 
Last edited:
The vent will be a built set and probably not quite as tight as in the picture, so the camera would not have to be in it, so we wouldnt be too constricted by the surroundings

That diagram is very interesting, thanks for posting, where can i find those 90* plates, do they have a special name?
 
I have a question, if the vent is rotating, is the actor affected by gravity? I think that will be what sells it as rotating more than anything (unless you're in space)
 
Found this, called an "L Cheese Plate". Might work, especially since you have a light camera.

For the home-brew one-time method you might just screw two pieces of wood together at 90 degrees, in order to mount the camera so the lens is in-line with the tripod legs. Then strap your whole tripod to a box of some sort, horizontally, (so it's lying down and your camera is now facing down the vent). Your pan becomes roll. Voila! Should take 5 minutes if you have the wood.
 
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
Professionals now use multi-axis remote heads... back in the day, Panatates were used.

For the average indie filmmaker today... choices exist... but looking at your image I have one question for you.... does the rig have to fit WITHIN the vent? I assume the vent ends at camera so it looks like youre in the vent but the operator and ect is not actually in the vent. Right?

I did a shot like this once.... I simply had a large tripod head on the dolly, then a 90* tilt plate with a small fluid head. One more 90* tilt plate... and off we went. By getting the fluid head at nodal alignment with the lens, the turn had a pretty good effect.

1260404611.jpg


Please NOTE:

The 'Large Fluid Head' was simply written because I was on a Panther Dolly jib arm, so it was the easiest thing to attach the first 90* tilt plate/ bracket to. The 90* bracket/tiltplate can go on a geared head, screwed into some wood or other rigid surface suitable for a base. Does not have to be a head, although it allowed me to pan and tilt the rig for positioning purposes.

Also note that tilt plates are often 'swiss cheesed' allowing you to mount the 90* plates at different positions as to accommodate the different camera shapes... allowing nodal alignment.
Click to expand...


That is great Ryan. Thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top