"steadycam test" and DOF test

Young-H._Lee

Young-H._Lee

Well-known member
Hi hi

I sported my new DVX around my court today and gave it a test run.

Here it is:
http://www.glue.umd.edu/~younglee/AE/MinorityReport_run2.mov

I did some blue color correcting, but that didnt come out so well...looks tinted.

My "steadycam" is just a cheap tripod with a 5lb weight attached to the bottom. It doesnt give very good results, but its better than hand held. I'm trying to see if I can fix a horizontal handle to the side of the tripod, I'm not sure how I will do that, but maybe I can run to a hardware store and find some kind of clamp or something,.

Any suggestions on how to get rid of those terrible blown out highlights? ND filter doesnt seem to do anything...

Also, noticed when I was running around that a few glitches got into the footage (not included in video). I hope that there isnt anything wrong with my brand new DVX.
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

Too big a file for me to wait for... what did you do??? Yikes, better come back after dinner.

CaptM
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

Yeah the 4 and a half minute DL for 20 Megs seems a bit high. That being said?

LOL Love it. Even though its simple test footage Im cracking up at the minority report color correction and the score. It turns otherwise test footage that is boring into an event. Thanks for sharing!
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

haha sweet, thanks John. Havent figured out how to make the file output smaller in Vegas yet, still new to everything :P
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

those were cool. I didn't get the feeling that you were using a steadycam though-- but in a way that's a good thing.
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

Okay, I'm exhausted just watching it. It kinda looked like a predator's POV but halfway through his attack he got lost and then realized where he was going.... ;)

Very clever use of the soundtrack....I like the blue cast :D
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

Yeah, the color correction was cool with me. Your 'steadicam' might work a little better if you were a little slower and had more practice with it, maybe?

Wal-mart sells a $20 tripd with a handle on it. I use them all the time for still shots.
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

color looks great. it looks like your makeshift stedi cam was loose at the top... I think the problem is the plate that connects to the camera, when you slide it in and clamp it, it cant get that tight and will slide around alittle when you run... try putting some foam lining around the inside where you attach the plate to the tripod. (I have no clue what Im talking about, my 'stedicam' was made from pipes and I had alot of problems also)
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

thanks for the hints lincoln and glassbcat

lincoln - I think you are right about the head being loose. My cheap tripod at the head has a gap in it, so a 5lb camera resting on top of it bobbing up and down while running makes it shake like that, I added a piece of cork yesterday to wedge between that space.

glassbcat -
Wal-mart sells a $20 tripd with a handle on it. I use them all the time for still shots.
what kind of tripod did you get? could you tell me the name brand so I can check it out online?

thanks guys
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

Wow, I can't even remember the brand name of the tripod; it's just Wal-mart's cheap awful tripods. They don't even show them online, because I just looked.

They have three of them, $20, $30, and $40. The only real difference between the models is their durability. You can find them in photo section at your local walmart in, I believe, green and red boxes.

They are all, of course, pure crap for actual video purposes (no fluid head, can't take abuse), but if all you're looking for is something to hold the camera still while you carry it around, they're okay.

Sorry I couldn't be more help with the locating.
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

I liked the blue cast to this footage.

There are lots of ways to cheaply steady a moving shot. For instance, if you have a smooth surface to travel over, you can use a wheelchair and 'float' the camera with your arms, although a tripod, or better yet, a monopod, helps greatly with smoothing out the motion.

Going along the street? You can ride in a car and shoot your footage from there. I have a Mazda Miata convertable which works great for that type of thing. You can get some surprisingly steady shots that way.

Just thowing out some ideas...
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

cool man. i bet also alot has to do with "how" you walk. its interesting to see how the steady cam guys walk around. its not normal looking. they seem to keep their center of gravity low and it kinda looks like they are doing a little crab walk thingy..

have fun with you new dvx man! got any projects going anytime soon?

oh..i was was thinking too...this footage totaly felt like a background plate to me...like you could track the shot in 3d (i know your getting into XSI now) and add like some little 3d thingy flying around in frame, and it would look like your chasing it...anyway, just an idea...


peace
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

thanks anyways glassbcat :)

speedbump - yeap, I recently acquired a nice wheelchair , will definetly use! once my friend actually did some really smooth shots with his bike. He had one guy pedal and the other guy stand on some pegs sticking out from the backwheel holding the camera. pretty dangerous but it worked well heh

Rich lee - yea bro, I got a new one that I am working on right now! its funny you mentioned tracking a 3D object on because in the film there will be shots of this flying robot thing that chases some people around, I've been designing the bot in XSI lately and was worried about figuring out how to composite it convincingly (with bg reflections on the robot), and furthermore, TRACK IT convincingly onto shaky footage!! I'll let you know more when I actually have a completed XSI model and some bg plates to work with (which should be within two weeks - shooting it over several days)

thanks for the responses my fellow dvx'ers
 
Re: "steadycam test" and DOF test

cool man. good luck with the film.

good luck with the tracking too. its a *****, but when you get the technic down you can do anything.... maybe you can get your hands on a copy of boujou? there might be an educational version you could dload or buy for cheap. boujou is an automated tracking program. you drop your footage in, tell it what the field of view is and let it cook. it doesnt always get it right, but when it does it golden.

let me know when you get around to lighting that the 3d object...and the reflection stuff and i can give you a few pointers.

peace man!
 
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