Question from potential employer

ovjamaica

ovjamaica

Well-known member
I have a friend in England that is applying to be a DP with a production company there. They asked him a question via email that has him stumped. Frankly, so am I. What would be your response to the following question?


If I were to tilt the camera 180 degrees and pull back from an object, what would you recommend I do?


The wording is odd, which is part of what throws me. Also, if you tilt the camera 180 degrees wouldn't it be upside down and backwards? Any help on this would be great. Thanks.
 
Doesn't make much sense to me. Yeh, the camera would be upside down and pointed away from the subject. Sounds like a trick question. I'd say, tilt the camera back, so it's not upside down!
 
Yeah, it seems like a trick question to me too. I was just wondering if there was some sort of 'insider' info that indicated otherwise. Thanks Josh. I'll pass this on to him. I can't wait to find out what that company really means with this. I'm glad it's not me trying for this.
 
I would be reluctant to go work for someone who puts a loaded questionaire in front of me. I suppose they want to pre-qualify their applicants, but that's what word-of-mouth is for.

Lame.

e
 
q:If I were to tilt the camera 180 degrees and pull back from an object, what would you recommend I do?

A: Hire an operator
 
alpha omega117 said:
180 on what axis.
Click to expand...
Being that in the world of Professional camera work a "tilt" is considered to be either an up or down movement, by tilting the camera either way 180 degrees, would leave it pointing in the opposite direction and oriented upside down compared to the original shot of an object.
If I was asked what I'd recommend by a prospective employer, I would recommend that they elaborate on the question and give me an example of a situation that this may occur. At least that way you can find out if they are just yanking your chain or they really dont have a clue what they are talking about.
 
It's tilt only, which would put the camera upside-down lens to the operator. Any other axis gets you pan or dutch roll.

e
 
ozduc said:
Being that in the world of Professional camera work a "tilt" is considered to be either an up or down movement, by tilting the camera either way 180 degrees, would leave it pointing in the opposite direction and oriented upside down compared to the original shot of an object.
If I was asked what I'd recommend by a prospective employer, I would recommend that they elaborate on the question and give me an example of a situation that this may occur. At least that way you can find out if they are just yanking your chain or they really dont have a clue what they are talking about.
Click to expand...

Well, then, if by "back" they mean move it toward the back of the camera, if you moved it "back" enough, wouldn't you get a nice upside down shot of the other side of the object?
 
ovjamaica said:
If I were to tilt the camera 180 degrees and pull back from an object, what would you recommend I do?
Click to expand...

Lame question. if i were to do this.... what would you recommend I do ' That question doesnt' even make any sense. What do you mean what do you recommend i do? Maybe they are trying to figure out if he knows what the term tilt means. Rewording the question... If i were to tilt the cam 180 degrees and pull back, what position is the camera in? And how would you correct the shot?

Thats probably what they mean. But yes its worded weird.
 
ovjamaica said:
I have a friend in England that is applying to be a DP with a production company there. They asked him a question via email that has him stumped. Frankly, so am I. What would be your response to the following question?


If I were to tilt the camera 180 degrees and pull back from an object, what would you recommend I do?
Click to expand...

Shoot them an email saying:
"I would recommend that you stick to producing and allow me to operate the camera".
 
I think hes asking how he would do such a move.
I would use a 3-Axis Fluid head mounted on a fisher dolly. As the camera does the 180 move I'd have the dolly crabbed and pull away when it lands upside down. I think FLUID 7 MK III & MK IV would perform a move like that. Norm Li just got a 3 Axis head and a Chameleon dolly, I'll ask him to shoot the move and post it mb.
 
Of course, we're assuming the camera starts from a position pointing straight ahead. If it were pointed at the ground, at, say a butterfly, then the butterfly flew straight up, then back, one would tilt the camera 180 degrees up, and track back. One could get such a shot on a tripod mounted on a dolly, or a jib, as Chayse noted, but how often does this type of shot actually happen? I suppose I've seen some shots where a camera is pointed at a jet flighter aiming straight at the camera, then the camera flips 180 to watch it go by, but those shots don't have the camera moving back as well as the 180. In all the films, shows and such I've seen, or crewed, I don't think I've ever once seen the shot they are calling for!

I'd give Chayse's answer, and ask what they are trying to accomplish by making such a shot!
 
I would say "Wave at the camera and wonder why the director wants a shot of the crew and not the cast"
 
So the 3 axis head would permit rotation about the center of the frame?

Oh, and why are manhole covers round?
 
"why are manhole covers round?"

So they don't fall in the hole on accident. Though I don't think having the answer to this, or a construction background, is going to get you the job, it can't hurt to be knowledgeable. :cool:
 
And also so one person can move them. It's a whole lot easier to roll than it would be to carry!

And also, because a lot of the guys who work down there are probably of similar shape...
 
I know this shot. I won't tell you where I saw it because it's too embarrassing but done properly it looks good. I used a dolly and an additional head(Bogen 3029)between my hvx and the fluid head to recreate it. Adding a second head actually allows a whole range of additional axees? or is it axisies?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top