Time Lapse/Pixellation Question/Challenge

nedcam

nedcam

Well-known member
A client has asked me to do a new visual style of instructional video that you've probably been seeing a lot of lately. They seem to be done by professional animator/graphic artists. To see what I mean visit:

http://www.commoncraft.com/network

It may be done with DSLRs using a cable release, or bursts of frames? Do any of you HPX300 owners know how a 300 can do this? My low tech way would be to just roll and roll and have the editor cut out the pixellator's hand when it comes in, or speed it up in post when they want a "fast" look. But that presents a LOT of extra work for the editor. To see how they did it you can check out:

http://www.commoncraft.com/blog/making

Some of this is obviously sped up in post, I'd rather not mess with undercranking at the time, there's enough to deal with. My question is: IS THERE A WAY I CAN DO A "BURST" OF FRAMES? OR SINGLE FRAMES WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CAMERA MORE THAN ONCE? Perhaps the best way is the low tech "Let it roll" way?

Thanks for any advice.
 
Do you need to show real-time motion in the frame? If not, a DSLR with a cable release will give you hugely improved lens and image quality, less data to deal with and more options in post (RAW format, tons of resolution to zoom/crop if needed). You could rent a 5D and even be able to shoot video clips if you need a segment in motion.

If they need real video, the single long take seems like the best way to go. It's a little tedious for the editor, but it's just going through one long shot, not a huge deal. Plus, it gives you all the behind the scenes bits if you want them.

Rolling and cutting on each frame is a lot of coordination between the animator and operator, seems like it would add a lot of time to the shoot. It'll end up being less footage overall, but a lot more time logging and managing files.

Your editor might have some opinions as well, since (s)he'll be doing most of the work on a project like this.
 
Doesn't the HPX-300 do variable frame rates like the HPX500 and HPX170. You could easily shoot fewer frames per second. Looking at the instructions there is an interval setting in the recording set up. This should allow you to record fewer frames than realtime. A remote control for starting and stopping gives you the ability to lock off the camera so you can start and stop if there are long periods of downtime. Shutter speed is also something you may want to play with as the hands looked pretty blurry on the piece indicating a slow shutter speed.

Here is a sample of interval Timelapse I did with my HPX-500 to demonstrate some of the built in frame rates.

http://vimeo.com/7824481

The best thing about using a video camera for this is you can hook up a monitor for the talent to see what they are doing
 
The 300 does indeed do both VFR and interval recording.

Doing an interval recording for something like this would be difficult, since you have to follow the timing of the camera (if you do a 5 second interval, you have to get the next frame done in time for the shot, then if you miss it you have to wait 5 seconds for the next one and the editor has to cut out that frame, etc.)

Undercranking might be a good idea, if you know the video will be sped up (or cut down to still frames) anyway, you could shoot at 12fps and end up with half the footage, and roll much longer without swapping P2 cards.

The HPX gives you higher quality monitoring options than DSLRs, but all of the current DSLRs have HDMI and composite video outputs you could hook up to a monitor for your talent (and you)
 
Thanks guys. I do think I need the "low tech, keep rolling" techniques because whoever is responsible for putting in or out of frame the next "thing" may not be ready, or bump something and we have to start over. So...I think the editor will have more work and need After Effects skills for hand motion blur, grabbing freeze frames for narration timing, etc.

I have requested we do tests a few days ahead of the real shoot, I also have requested the editor be on location and we edit as we go. The hardest thing is to shoot Momento Style, meaning a lot of this will be shot in reverse and then the editor reverses it in post.

It's an interesting technique, the kind of job you can't drink anything the night before...

NEWSFLASH 12/23/09!!!!! I sent out an E-blast to about 15 DPs I know and one knew and forwarded it to the guy who did the Twitter video! He said:

"Yes, we use video and then edit it to create the stop motion effect when needed."

So, that's it! Low tech, Let It Roll.
 
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cool Ned, that was my hunch, I have a good friend who showed me how to do stop motion and that was exactly what he did, simple but time consuming, GL, love to see it when its done.
 
This isn't done with a 300 or any other camera..

It's done in compositing software like Adobe After Effects from art work components.
 
NewHPXuser said:
This isn't done with a 300 or any other camera..

It's done in compositing software like Adobe After Effects from art work components.
Click to expand...

It can be, but you can see in the 'making-of' video linked in the first post that they just shoot one long take of someone animating by hand and cut it down.
 
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MaxThomas said:
It can be, but you can see in the 'making-of' video linked in the first post that they just shoot one long take of someone animating by hand and cut it down.
Click to expand...

Yep - sorry - the other link in that first post took me to a site with "Splainers" or something like that on it. It was that I was referring to - that looks like output from a compositing program.

The first link does look like slow shutter speed footage or time lapse.
 
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