Shoot From/On Powerboat?

snowleopard

snowleopard

Well-known member
Anyone here have any experience shooting on a powerboat? We have to get a couple shots on one boat inside, also looking at another powerboat cruising along nearby.

Helicopters are out of our budget range. :)
 
I did some shots from a boat for a real estate developer - when we traveled to the shoot we had no idea a boat was available. Set up the tripod and shot, stabilized the shots in AE.

I don't know if a steadicam would have made a huge difference, since the motion is up & down, sometimes felt like as much as 10-12" of rise and fall - might be something to test.

In some cases, the faster the boat goes the smoother the ride.
 
I shot water skiing a couple weeks ago. Same thing, little shoulder mount, but mostly tripod. Once the boat is up to speed it's fairly smooth.
 
Steadicam would probably not work, last time I was on a speedboat I noticed it had quite a lot of...speed. And that equals wind, and that equals swaying, but I'm not really sure

How about a gyro system?

A crane on a boat has been done before, but the boat would have to be still I assume
 
i think that just putting it on your shoulder can frequently be smoother than on the tripod, depending on what you're shooting, your focal length, etc. if you have decent sea legs you can stay loose and move with the boat to keep it stable, where as on the sticks, you can't compensate for the movement in the same way. just have a spotter. with your head in the lens, you can't really see what's coming up and can be taken off guard. i shot on a boat a month or so ago, and kinda had a good time with it.

i also shot with a gyro on a helicopter recently and while it does a lot for high frequency vibration, when it got really bumpy you could certainly see it in the camera.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I was mostly thinking hand held/shoulder rig, mostly wide angle, with a spotter, and some shots with tripod or perhaps monopod. But a bit worried about the tripod being so rigid that it magnified every bump, as MPB notes, not the flexibility of hand held. I'm getting more and more experience at Steadicam (though not quite enough to call myself a true operator just yet!) but do think it would be too much wind/counter wind, and just too much vertical movement to try. For me at least.

Thanks Crafters, that thread was helpful, but a crazy set-up beyond what we're going for! To the guy that dunked the Betacam, wow! I'll have to keep that in mind. One thing they always tell you to avoid: Kids, animals and water.
 
Hi
I have shot quite a bit from small boats. As mentioned above do use your body as shock absorber. Depending on conditions make sure you are braced. Sometimes it helps to have someone hold you. The middle of the boat will be much more stable than other locations. The angle of striking waves makes a big difference. Head on and sideways can be bumpy and rolling respectively. Following seas can work well depending on the seas and the boat. The boat operator/captain should be able to help. Finding calm water, if apropiate to the scene can obviously help.

Once Salt water vapor gets on and into your electronics the clock is ticking on the lifespan. I saw my camera opened up for repair about three years after exposure to salt vapor - yikes. I sold it to the repair shop for a couple hundred bucks becasue he needed some parts from it. It was all green corrosion on the boards. It was never immersed or sprayed.

Good luck.
 
I had a friend break his shoulder while trying to keep a full size ENG camera he was shouldering from going into the lake when the boat operator gunned it. Both he and the camera went in the lake. If a helicopter or camera chase boat are not options, and dual gyros are out of your budget, might I suggest a bungee rig. I have also shot from boats using my cine saddle/low rider. Also bring plenty of microfiber cloths to keep your lens clear, and check it often. Nothing looks worse than getting back to the studio thinking your footage looks great only to find dried water drops on your lens refracting in the sun.

Good luck!

Dave
 
Yes the words 'power boat' raise extreme caution with me

I got thrown out of the back of a 'zapkat' once when the driver gunned it in 6-10ft swell - my camera was in a housing so no harm done

A power boat can really accelerate .. I think it needs to be clarified the projected, acceleration, speed and water roughness - race boats would need a different solution from cruising

The driver is really important too, many seem to love showing the poke, which is last thing a camera op needs, Ive also been out on a royal marines rigid raider - me and kit got completely soaked after assurances that it would be 'dry'

S
 
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The tripod gives you a fairly smooth rolling motion, where shoulder tends to be more bouncy/jittery. We had the tripod in the middle of the boat with about 100# of sandbags on the legs. It moves WITH the boat. Actually produces pretty smooth footage.
 
The shoot was several days ago, but I really wanted to thank everyone for their input. We ended up shooting in the harbor, making things relatively easy. But all your suggestions and stories were read, and appreciated.
 
I once shot on a sailboat. Had to suck on a lemon wedge to avoid hurling. Shooting video while on a boat is like reading in a moving car x 10.
 
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