>Floating Camera

Would anyone like to share ideas on how to obtain the feeling of a floating camera.

Something like the feeling that someone is observing or spying on a scene. Of course I'd use foreground elements and all, partially blocking the view at times.

Steadicam is too clean I think for that.

Thanks in advance.

Jean Marc Selva
DP, Paris. France.

I think the easiest solution for this, would be to use a bungie rig...

A camera plate that can be rigged off most things, it is simply a flat camera plate with four rubber tube/elastic ropes coming from each corner rigged normally to a single d-shackle with a carabino (for easy clip in/out). The best I have seen actually has two plates, one for the camera and another around 12" above the camera plate - making it easier to access the camera.

Of course there are many ways to skin a cat...

Dean Slotar | One8Six Cape Town
t +27-21-555-1780 | f +27-21-555-1828 | m +27-82-895-2620

Jean Marc SELVA wrote:

>Would anyone like to share ideas on how to obtain the feeling of a >floating camera. Something like the feeling that someone is observing >or spying on a scene.

Recently had a similar series of shots where we had to imitate a Panther spying on his prey. We used the bungie technique.

A couple of years ago on a commercial series with Erwan Elias we used this as well, imitating a bee. Worked very nicely.

Otherwise a jib-arm might be another solution.

33 fps is also to be considered.

Regards,

Emmanuel, Munich

Assistant Caméra - Camera Assistant - Kamera Assistent
BVK(German Association of Cameraman) - European based
Mobil# Munich +491608036889 - London +447910034443 (please use German
number)
cml-listmum

>>33 fps is also to be considered.

Why 33 fps?

Did you try other frame rates in that area but found 33fps to be a better choice?

I know it's weird, but we have shot a lot of pour shots [beer & milk] at 88fps...

Cheers,
Jeff Barklage, s.o.c.
US based DP
www.barklage.com
view reel online :
http://www.reelsondemand.com/jeff_barklage/index.html

>Why 33 fps?
>Did you try other frame rates in that area but found 33fps to be a better >choice?

It is a very popular subtle slow motion speed in commercial shooting.

It is also a safe speed in 50Hz environment. It should be 33,33 to be honest.

Regards

Emmanuel, Munich

Assistant Caméra - Camera Assistant - Kamera Assistent
BVK(German Association of Cameraman) - European based
Mobil# Munich +491608036889 - London +447910034443 (please use German
number)
cml-listmum

Talk to your Steadicam Op. He/she can take the rig out of trim, make it bottom heavy, out of dynamic balance, etc. to give it a very floaty feeling. The operator would essentially be screwing everything up that he/she normally takes great care to setup precisely so that it was a continuing fight to operate and control the rig.

Should give just the quality you seek.

Or you could hire a really bad Steadicam Op.

Mitch Gross
NYC DP

What kind of a camera would you be using? Size and weight will effect how you can get that effect.

Jessica Gallant
Los Angeles based Director of Photography
West Coast Systems Administrator, Cinematography Mailing List
https://cinematography.net/

Hi,

>Or you could hire a really bad Steadicam Op.

You called!

Phil Rhodes
Video camera/edit
London

> What kind of a camera would you be using? Size and weight will effect >how you can get that effect.

Camera is a Moviecam Compact.
Thanks for all the interesting answers so far.

Jean Marc Selva
DP, Paris.

Floating effect is easy on the Steadicam... just go into wacky mode and stop pretending to be a dolly.

Brian Drysdale
DP & Steadicam
Belfast

Sorry, I'm a little late to this discussion, so I apologize if I'm repeating anything previously mentioned. But the best floating camera rig I've used --and ever seen -- is two jib arms interconnected.

It's sometimes referred to as a "scissor rig". The Cadillac version is two Fisher "Jimmy Jibs" but there are numerous variants. With a periscope lens, the scissor rig was a standard NY table top device.

The only problem with using a Steadicam or the like is operator fatigue. If you need the rig for working the shots out, rehearsals and shooting you will quickly burn through the operator.

The other advantage of the scissor rig is that it has considerable mass so that the camera really does appear to be floating.

Brian Heller
IA 600 DP