in-car / in-vehicle night shooting

J

jdmkenji

Member
greetings. i've been researching different techniques and suggestions from shooting in-car at night. I know some people suggested using "christmas lights". Vehicle is a caprice classic.

It's quite a tight shot since we're shooting two people having conversations and we're wanting to have angles from both the passenger and driver seat as well.

Do you guys have any suggestion on easily achieving these angles (camera mounting suggestions?) and as well as lighting? Any experience is greatly appreciated. I'm planning on testing out different lighting options to see how it actually looks as well.

Thank you in advance. :thumbup:
 
Can you describe the frame that you wish to achieve in a bit more detail. Do you want to have one character just dirty the edge of the frame or do you really need a classic two shot?

What comes to mind first is a hostess tray moved from one side of the vehicle to the other when you reverse your shot.

How motivated do you need your lighting to be? A few small raw Kino globes would be a great solution as you could get it to read as light spilling from the dash panel. If you want more flattering lighting, you might want to use a tow rig and paint up a good sized silk with a bigger source over the hood of the vehicle.

Testing in advance to your shoot is the best plan no matter which route you go.
 
Hi, thank you for the lighting suggestions.

Some easy shots would be from behind the car. We've done side shots (both passenger and driver) from the outside using a suction mount and I still have that as an option. It would be difficult because of night with the tinted windows rolled up it wouldn't work. From past experience the windows rolled down caused too much air to come in having us to do ADR later.

I've acquired a wide-angle lens as well hoping this would help in getting "more" of the two person.

The tow setup would be the best i know but out of the budget at the moment. I still need to get this vehicle so I can check out any interior mounting options.
 
I wouldn't let having to do ADR preclude getting the right shot. As long as you can get good enough dialog for a guide track, you can always use the same environment (the car with the windows up) to grab your ADR later.
 
I have buyed two of those lights (well, actually not that model but something very similar); you can attach on the cigar lighter inside the car; one is enough for 1/2 persons on the front seat. The light might be a little azure, but that's not a big problem.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03145b.jpg

However they are a bit distracting if you use them while driving (better if you not do it; if you must, make sure you're in a very low traffic street)

I paid 11 Euro each one.
 
I think that a set of miniflows would work, emulating light emitted from the dashboard. I have never shot anything inside a car, but just tossing the idea out there...
 
For in car I would suggest battery powered led. I have a 5 led tap light that's self adhesive. 3 or 4 of them and your angles are covered. The 2 shot is really only an establishing shot once the dialog starts you'll want to cut in. The driver is an easy profile shot, the passenger much less so unless the car isn't moving. Maybe use a suction mount on the inside of the windshield on the drivers side to shoot the passenger, or mount it on the driver's side window and shoot OTS, but more over the face or arms. Good Luck.
 
thanks mik, that light looks promising. what are they exactly called and do you have a direct link to a place where i can buy them?

i do have 3 of those tap lights but have yet to try them on the car, it didnt seem like they were powerful enough. i still have the check if this car is tinted, i am hoping not...

btw, any quick link to those miniflows? i am searching right now as well... thanks
 
ADR everything...always. Wild sound sounds like reality TV. Even high-end reality TV is less than half wild sound now adays.
 
Arson said:
ADR everything...always. Wild sound sounds like reality TV. Even high-end reality TV is less than half wild sound now adays.
Click to expand...

The term "wild sound" is not picture sound and certainly not dialog! The correct meaning of the term "wild sound" is sound grabbed without any associated picture (unsynchronized or wild) and is often elements that will be used for folly.

I do agree that one should ADR what is needed, but by no means ADR across the board if you have good picture sound. Get as good of location dialog as you can, but don't sacrifice the picture for sound.
 
Disco Robo said:
For in car I would suggest battery powered led. I have a 5 led tap light that's self adhesive. 3 or 4 of them and your angles are covered. The 2 shot is really only an establishing shot once the dialog starts you'll want to cut in. The driver is an easy profile shot, the passenger much less so unless the car isn't moving. Maybe use a suction mount on the inside of the windshield on the drivers side to shoot the passenger, or mount it on the driver's side window and shoot OTS, but more over the face or arms. Good Luck.
Click to expand...

we used this set up and everything turned out quite nice.
 
I think you can find them in any local light/electric things store. You may print the image and show to them, better than any explanation (especially if you don't know the product name)
 
khmuse said:
The term "wild sound" is not picture sound and certainly not dialog! The correct meaning of the term "wild sound" is sound grabbed without any associated picture (unsynchronized or wild) and is often elements that will be used for folly.

I do agree that one should ADR what is needed, but by no means ADR across the board if you have good picture sound. Get as good of location dialog as you can, but don't sacrifice the picture for sound.
Click to expand...

the reason why i don't want to ADR is because its a pain. Of course, we will be doing some ADR. But obviously the key is to capture the best possible audio.
We will be capturing background on-location sound as well since we're there already. thx
 
An interesting camera angle (maybe) that would also relieve your space issue is shoot from the back seat on the drivers side, then splice in CU's on your passenger that don't show outside the car which means you can do that while not driving (you may what to have the actors fake some small car bumbs while acting). It might not be what your looking for but just throwing that out there.
 
Some friends of mine shot two dialog car scenes with cars not running. Light on the interiors to see the actor faces and another guy outside moving a light in hand to simulate the exterior streetlamps. This way you don't see the lights moving in the background but is something you don't notice at first.
 
I just saw that other thread about portable lighting. Basically battery powered flourescent light from home depot. I got a bunch to try it out. We're definitely shooting from behind as well. The static shot with the fake lights, we might try out as well... seems kinda hoaky but as long as it works and no one notices. lol.

thanks for the suggestion.
 
A very cheap way to do it is to buy one of those 1000000 candle power batery lamps they sell in home depot. Place it between the front seats and then just point it up and tape some white material on the car's inner roof. That way you'll have a great soft light inside the car.

Good luck!
 
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