Tips for shooting inside car?

[CharlesPapert]

The commercial I was on a few weeks ago actually had a portable, external AC unit strapped to the back of the trailer behind the picture car to provide air to the talent between takes. The picture car was also a 1960’s pick-up truck... Lol.

When we were starting to discuss the interstitial segments of seasons 4 and 5 of Key & Peele which were to be the two guys driving through the desert in a vintage car, I saw many red flags pop up. It was due to be shot in summer when temperatures could easily soar above 100, and I questioned the plans I was hearing to provide AC within the vehicle (talks of a swamp cooler in the back seat was actually a serious plan). I knew that the guys would have a tough time in there and I wasn't thrilled about spending two full days jammed into the top of a sweltering duvetyne tent on the insert car. I pitched us hard to rear projection and it was a MUCH better way to achieve what we needed. On the first day the AD estimated we were shooting probably 5x the amount of material we would have on the road, and everyone was comfortable. It's a big consideration.

 

[NorBro]

When we were starting to discuss the interstitial segments of seasons 4 and 5 of Key & Peele which were to be the two guys driving through the desert in a vintage car, I saw many red flags pop up. It was due to be shot in summer when temperatures could easily soar above 100, and I questioned the plans I was hearing to provide AC within the vehicle (talks of a swamp cooler in the back seat was actually a serious plan). I knew that the guys would have a tough time in there and I wasn't thrilled about spending two full days jammed into the top of a sweltering duvetyne tent on the insert car. I pitched us hard to rear projection and it was a MUCH better way to achieve what we needed. On the first day the AD estimated we were shooting probably 5x the amount of material we would have on the road, and everyone was comfortable. It's a big consideration.

I just saw the one where Jordan doesn't know the words to the popular song on the radio, haha.

Did you work on that one?

Everyone on YouTube wants to find the name of that song (I'm assuming it was created for the show).

It's also in the one in the police station where he "snitches" and drives out of the room in the toy car. (Maybe it's in more episodes, IDK.)

 

[CharlesPapert]

I just saw the one where Jordan doesn't know the words to the popular song on the radio, haha.

Did you work on that one?

Pretty much all of them, except for two or three where I was out with flu!

That one was a practical driving setup, process trailer and insert car.
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/ng374o/key-and-peele-sing-along

Everyone on YouTube wants to find the name of that song (I'm assuming it was created for the show).

It's also in the one in the police station where he "snitches" and drives out of the room in the toy car. (Maybe it's in more episodes, IDK.)

Yes, pretty sure they came up with that. And I hadn't realized it was called back in that police station sketch. There are a ton of easter eggs and callbacks and references and to other sketches in the show, have been wondering if someone is going to bother compiling them all.

 

[Run&Gun]

When we were starting to discuss the interstitial segments of seasons 4 and 5 of Key & Peele which were to be the two guys driving through the desert in a vintage car, I saw many red flags pop up. It was due to be shot in summer when temperatures could easily soar above 100, and I questioned the plans I was hearing to provide AC within the vehicle (talks of a swamp cooler in the back seat was actually a serious plan). I knew that the guys would have a tough time in there and I wasn't thrilled about spending two full days jammed into the top of a sweltering duvetyne tent on the insert car. I pitched us hard to rear projection and it was a MUCH better way to achieve what we needed. On the first day the AD estimated we were shooting probably 5x the amount of material we would have on the road, and everyone was comfortable. It's a big consideration.

We suffered through some unseasonable record highs for a few weeks just before, then we thankfully got a reprieve and temps fell back into the 80’s with some cloud cover and some breeze those days, which was almost like fall after the preceding heat wave. Then the day after it rained like pouring p!$$ out of a boot.

I guess the old saying held true again, “It’s better to be lucky than good”.

 

[Guest]

When we were starting to discuss the interstitial segments of seasons 4 and 5 of Key & Peele which were to be the two guys driving through the desert in a vintage car, I saw many red flags pop up. It was due to be shot in summer when temperatures could easily soar above 100, and I questioned the plans I was hearing to provide AC within the vehicle (talks of a swamp cooler in the back seat was actually a serious plan). I knew that the guys would have a tough time in there and I wasn't thrilled about spending two full days jammed into the top of a sweltering duvetyne tent on the insert car. I pitched us hard to rear projection and it was a MUCH better way to achieve what we needed. On the first day the AD estimated we were shooting probably 5x the amount of material we would have on the road, and everyone was comfortable. It's a big consideration.

Rear projection just got a whole lot more interesting:

http://arwall.co/videos/


Having a screen environment that is spatially aware of the camera.

 

[CharlesPapert]

That looks great! Would love to be able to use that sometime.

 

[El Director]

We're shooting some driving scenes later this week for my new feature. Having the actor actually drive was never even considered as an option. Greenscreen came up, but we decided that best combo of safety and desired result would be renting a towing trailer from U-Haul for $50 and heading to some areas that are not patrolled by cops. My producer has a huge Dodge Ram, so we'll tow the picture car with that. The actor will be able to pretend he is driving and I can be in the car with him, or possible even outside depending on if there is room.

 

[puredrifting]

For those of you who shoot in LA, I believe there are now a few facilities set up where you tow your car in, they set it up and everything is perfectly pre-lit with the green screen and or rear projection, they have a car movement mechanism, close to silent fans for those windows rolled down shots where you want talent's hair to be blowing a bit, they have this car shot thing down to a science and it is so much easier than process trailers and as Charles says, being out in the world and dealing with traffic, permits, weather can be tough and the end result with the stage can look much better. Can't recall the names of the stages, but they cater mostly to episodic and features and it's a one stop shop, which is always nice. Not cheap I am sure but neither is shooting on the real streets and doing it safely with a full crew.