To Zoom or Not to Zoom...

J

Jus10m

Active member
Hey guys, so wow it's been a while since I posted up in here. So, hi all.
Now down to business. I'm the lead camera guy for a comedy
show on the web called "Break a Leg" and was just wondering what your guys' thoughts are on the amount and usage of the zooming through out the show. I know that too much can get distracting and you also really only want to use it when it feels needed.
I value this groups opinion, which is why I ask this here. What do you guys think? I've been trying to get the candid feel that The Office has, but with out really making you feel like there is a camera man there in the room with them. I guess I'm trying to get it more in the vane of Battle Star, but you know with out all the fracken drama.
The address is www.breakaleg.tv or you can just search "break a leg" on YouTube. (I noticed that when you choose the "high quality" setting under the YouTube window, the quality looks better then what we show on the main site)
Alright, well thanks for your time guys.

-Justin

Oh, and I also play Chase Cougar on the show.
 
I am assuming it is a multi camera shoot(didn't see the link). If so, I would mainly use zoom for framing. If you are looking for a more documentary feel, click the zoom to manual and make a number of short, snappy adjustments - avoid long zooms.

If it were me, I would cut to a CU rather than zoom to a CU. I guess the question is, what would you do?
 
As long as you have an idea of what you want, go for it. If you're using the show to learn, definitely zoom. If you're using the show to get exposure and as a pilot, I'd avoid it.

The tricky thing with the snap-zoom popularized by shows like The Shield, it's tough to look that good. It takes practice. The camera operator basically becomes an editor, and that can really screw the editor when they don't have what they need.
 
Exactly,

if you don't know what you are doing with snap zooms you are going to screw your editor. If you are going to do it, do it well, don't half ass it.
 
I think you need to make a decision for the style of the film. either you have a zoom every few seconds like 24 or miami vice or dont zoom at all. if you have just a few spread out zooms its way to corny
 
Chase Cougar...YOU ROCK! I love that show, it goes everywhere with me on my iPod Touch. You guys do an excellent job.
 
lairhair said:
I think you need to make a decision for the style of the film. either you have a zoom every few seconds like 24 or miami vice or dont zoom at all. if you have just a few spread out zooms its way to corny
Click to expand...

I need to disagree with that.

Munich - mimicked the 70s slow zoom style used in just a few spots
Vertigo - zoomed in on necklace making Jimmy Stewart realize everything
Scorsese and Kubrick both used them consistently, but not even close to the 24/Miami Vice style

Gladiator uses a lot of small onces as well.


I agree you need to decide on a style for the movie ahead of time and stick to it, but don't limit yourself to just one style. Now, that said, zooms are tricky to use well and can become cheesy quite easily, so just be confident in your decision.
 
Last edited:
Hey guys, thanks for the wise words. Yeah, I think the most valuable thing I learned about the whole zooming style is that yeah, your basically editing on the fly. Luckily I'm also one of the main editors, so I have a pretty good grasp of when I would cut to a close-up or to a wide-shot.
And thanks for the words of encouragement ZazaCast! Knowing that we're on someone's iPod Touch is a huge honor. Now if it was on an iPhone, that would just be incredible...
 
Gohanto touched on it when he mentioned Munich emulating the 70s style. I have happened to pop in a couple 70s DVDs this week and slow zooming is all over. I dont like it, but it is a definite style just like the crash zooms and shaky cam now.

Watch The French Connection, A Clockwork Orange, and Bullit for a few examples of how it was done in great films. I wont say "done right" because I'm not a fan of technique, but if there is a "right way", I imagine this would be it. But I am much more comfortable with 21st Century Cinema than I am with 1970s cinema.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top