• Cinematography

  Need to Simulate a “Skinny Shutter”

  Posted by Djshew on June 9, 2008 at 11:48 am

  Hello,

  I was wanting to simulate a “Skinny Shutter” look in one of my upcoming music videos. I’ve seen many directors write in their video treatments how they will use a 22 degree shutter. I have been told this can be done with Digital Camcorders although I know it’s mostly used with film. The camera I will be using is the HVX-200 along with the Letus35 Extreme using Canon FD lenses. If anyone could give me any detail or info on this that would be great. Thanks in advance. -Adam

  Todd Terry replied 17 years, 11 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
• 1 Reply

• 

  Todd Terry

  June 9, 2008 at 2:41 pm

  Easy breezy.

  All you have to do is crank up your shutter speed. Say, if you were shooting 60i, then 1/60th of a second would be considered a “normal” shutter. If you are shooting 24p, then 1/48th is considered normal.

  So, to do the “skinny shutter” effect you just crank up the shutter speed…. 1/100th, 1/500th, 1/1000th whatever looks good to you.

  Shooting film at 24fps with a 22-degree shutter (as opposed to a 180-degree shutter) yields an exposure time of approximately 1/380th of a second. So that would be a good shutter speed to try as a start.

  Just keep in mind that too much of the “skinny shutter” effect can really wear on one’s eyeballs. Movies that have very effectively used narrow shutters (sparingly) were Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator, etc.

  T2

  __________________________________
  Todd Terry
  Creative Director
  Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
  fantasticplastic.com
  

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