Moving from a tripod to handheld within a single scene?

Grug

Grug

Veteran
Hi guys,


I've got a scene coming up next week that's the tipping point in a marriage, it starts off as chitchat and ends with one character asking for a divorce. I'm currently toying with the idea of starting the scene with the camera locked down on the tripod, everything nice and steady, and then switching to handheld as the situation in the scene deteriorates into an argument, and everything gets a lot tenser and more emotional.


However I haven't really mixed handheld and tripod coverage in a single scene before, especially not something as defined as all-tripod switching to all-handheld. So I'm wondering if anyone else has shot a scene in this way before, and whether it worked or not (or at least the pitfalls you need to watch out for).


I think if it could work, it would really add to the scene, but the last thing I want to do is create an overtly distracting camera change that takes people out of the emotion of the scene. So any thoughts on whether it can work, or why it can't, would be much appreciated.


Cheers,


Mark
 
I've done it before and it's worked okay. As long as you follow the tension of the scene, and aren't intercutting ridiculously shakey with super smooth, I can't imagine why there would be any issue with it (and even then, if it was done in the right context it could work).

I used an Easyrig, and we planned it so that we had a progression as the tension built - we started on the sticks, and the handheld got progressively more shakey as the scene went on. It started out relatively smooth and then by the climax, it was shakier than a love child between a Bourne movie and the first act of Beasts of the Southern Wild.

We actually often were swapping between sticks and handheld, depending on the main character's state of mind.

If you can shoot a test, with a dummy scene that has the progression and build up of the tension, then that's probably the best way to see if it will work.
 
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I think a transition point would tie it in, say if you did a fast push into a character to start the transition, and ramp up the intensity, Or maybe have one of them stand up, as they stand it could change over to handheld, maybe even use a first person shot to start the change to handheld. If I knew more about the scene I may be able to offer better suggestions:)
 
You can soften the transition by starting the handheld look while still on sticks, with a controlled amount of "wandering" in the frame, also known as the "loose head" look.

In general though, this is done often enough that the audience shouldn't be thrown.
 
Thanks fellas, great suggestions! I'll try a few tests and see if I can find the right moment to make the switch.
 
If it's a steady ramp up of tension, I'd shoot for the transition being invisible - maybe even loosen up the tension on all axes of the head and get some very gentle, small motions.

If it's a sudden thing, you might want to almost punctuate the moment, subtly.

Makes me think of "Run Lola Run" - the scenes where her father and his lover are arguing. The handheld work is a great example of adding some real human tension to the shots. (And man, it's a kickass movie, too...)
 
I've also used half tennis balls on the head itself and simply rested the camera on that to get more of a fluid/handheld feel to steadier shots, if that 'loose head' thing is what you're going for on the more static shots.
 
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