Smoothing out a zolly move

J

jrod81

Veteran
hey guys,
i shot a zolly move but we did not have a follow focus unit with us the day of the shoot. so we did it by hand and it is extremely jerky. just wondering if you could take a look at this footage and tell me if there is anyway FCP can smooth out the jerkiness of this move:
http://www.vimeo.com/8925917
 
Try the Smoothcam plugin. I think it's under Video Filters-->Video. It might not work, but it just might. Once it analyzes the clip, play with the 'smooth amount' sliders to tweak.
 
Well, it didn't really work. Even with some miracle smoothness the effect is still going to be minimal.

If you have to use it, meaning that the piece cannot cut without it, then I would try to play with the Smoothcam filter (if you own fcp 6 or newer), and/or speed changes, whether it be fast or slower or both, testing all to see if it looks any better. *Oh, I'd also make sure I used a sound effect or music efffect with it. The dynamic of a shot can change significantly if audio motivates it. (If I had to use this shot, it would be as quick as I could make it - not meaning speed change, but screen time. I'd also cut it up with what he is looking at and see how it plays - if you have whatever he is looking at to cut to).
 
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oh dear... well, i did a slow dolly in without the zolly at all just in case it did not work so i can go back to that instead. in the scene, he has just found out that a friend committed suicide. it seemed like a good time to use a zolly but hell, that definition is a bit hurtful- lol
 
I looked at your shot again. Is this the actual shot you were going to use? It looks to me like it is just a test for camera. If it is the actual shot I personally wouldn't use it because he doesn't seem to be emoting anything and does some weird movements with his mouth. If I was your editor I would point that out to you and suggest a reshoot (if possible) or figure out a way to work around it - like using a different take such as your slow dolly if it is a more cinematic shot with more relevant emotion for the scene.
 
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If you don't mind a slight loss of reolution...in FCP try Zooming over time (In/Out depends on whether you're dollying in/out) on the smooth dolly shot. It should create an interesting and not dissimilar effect.
 
the actor does better in some of the other 15 takes we did of this shot but the move is worse in all the others... i think after all this i have no choice but to abandon the shot
 
jrod81 said:
the actor does better in some of the other 15 takes we did of this shot but the move is worse in all the others... i think after all this i have no choice but to abandon the shot
Click to expand...

Which may be true. Sh** happens. There isn't always a way to fix it in post, especially in indie film, there are always compromises. It just boils down to figuring out how to make things work.

If you have lots of coverage of the scene you'll just find another way to make it cut together. You may not have that moment you thought you'd have, but somewhere in the footage there is possibly another moment that you can utilize and accentuate.

I have no idea what other shots you have to work with, but if you have 15 takes, why not go through and see where your actor does his best reaction. Export those moments individually as self contained movies, then bring them back in and try smoothcam on them (you do this so smoothcam only smooths out the part you want to use). If the moments are too short, try slowing the speed down. Then see if it cuts into the scene. There is never any harm in trying things out.
 
do i have to do anything to apply the smoothcam or can i just drag it down to that piece of footage and it does all the work for me?


Tim Joy said:
Try the Smoothcam plugin. I think it's under Video Filters-->Video. It might not work, but it just might. Once it analyzes the clip, play with the 'smooth amount' sliders to tweak.
Click to expand...
 
not really a cussing man too often but that last part of the definition really makes me want to use the lord's name in all the wrong ways.
i doubt it makes me student indie sh*t any better than the other 10 million out there, but my experience with a suicide victim was true. i toured with a guy in a few bands who later went on to have more success in music than i and while he "lived his dream" it apparently didn't make him happy. anyway, it is based on my friend Tim as discussed here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Jordan_II
 
As I had said I wasn't trying to make light of your film or you. I'm sorry for your loss. Out of respect I'll remove my posts with the definition, maybe the guy who quoted me can do the same.

"do i have to do anything to apply the smoothcam or can i just drag it down to that piece of footage and it does all the work for me?"

As for the smoothcam, yes it is drag and drop like any other effect... BUT, you'll want to find the precise parts you want to use, export them as a self contained quicktime then re-import them before using them. Smoothcam assesses the entire clip from beginning to end making it's calculations off the entire clip. So only give it the exact shot you want calculated.
 
Once smoothcam analyzes be sure to play with the "smooth amount" sliders to get the best effect. There is a "zoom" smooth that is usually off in the default settings, which might do the trick.
 
thanks for removing, but in this world of cynicism it was not needed... my friends and i deal with it most by making dark jokes and sarcastic comments about Tim... coping mech i am sure, but because of that the definition or any other negative comments on the subject content is never hurtful. we have said way too many inappropriate things about it all.
i am going to give a whirl to the smoothcam tricks in just a bit
 
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