-
Quick release tripod for video?
Hey Everyone,
I wasn’t sure where to post this, here, or indie film, but I decided on here….
I have 2 questions. First off, I know there are some tripods out there for still cameras that have a type of trigger head, so I can quickly loosen the camera and move it all around freely, but then instantly be able to release the trigger and it is still again. Do they have this for video cameras? I have a Sony FX 1.
Second, I’m impressed with the effects or type of cinematography the trailer/or whole movie of Crank 2 is filmed with…Is this a certain method/style and if so what is the name? And how would you explain the colors/brightness that this seems to be filmed with in conjunction with the sort of sped up video…
Thank you in advance!
-
5 Replies
-
Lots of tripods for film and video come with quick-release plates that allow you to snap the camera off the tripod and then back on. And if you have one that does not have the plate, you can buy one. Just be sure to get both the part that screws on to the tripod, and also the part the screws into the base of the camera.
As for your Crank 2 question, I took a quick look at the trailer. Lots of wide-angle lens up-close shooting. Quick cuts. Some green screen. Many stunts. Guns that fire syc with the camera shutter. Colors tweaked in post, etc., etc. No, there’s no “name” for this, other than experienced filmmakers doing their best with an action thriller.
Rick Wise
director of photography
and custom lighting design
Oakland, CA
https://www.RickWiseDP.com
https://www.recessionvideo.net
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwise
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
Rick’s right about Crank 2, all of his observations are spot on.
In addition, looks like a lot of the “regular speed” footage (i.e., the 24fps stuff, not the slow-mo) was shot with a narrow shutter. That is, a much tighter shutter than the “normal” 180° shutter when shooting film at 24fps. This gives crisper, choppier look since each frame freezes the action rather than allowing the motion blur that your eyes are accustomed too. Can help action sequences appear more…well… “actiony.” See “Gladiator” for more overuse of the technique than in just about any other film. I think that might be the effect you are asking about.
For the video equivalent, crank up your shutter speed from “normal” (which is 1/48th when shooting 24p, or 1/60th when shooting 60i) to something much higher. Of course when you do that exposure drops like a rock, so best to shoot wide open and limit its usage to scenes where you have plenty of light (i.e., sunny exteriors).
T2
__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
-
Guys, I kinda explained the tripod thing wrong! I meant it is still attached to the tripod, but it loosens it by squeezing this trigger, so you can freely move it around in any direction then lock it instantly….
and thank you very much for the video advice!
-
Film and video tripods have the ability to pan and tilt. The better ones have means to adjust the tension/friction/resistance for pans, and separately for tilts. They also have a way (usually a knob you turn) to individually lock both the pan and the tilt in any position. It’s not a squeeze thingy. To understand these mechanisms more fully, go to any store selling video cameras and ask to see a video-camera tripod.
Rick Wise
director of photography
and custom lighting design
Oakland, CA
https://www.RickWiseDP.com
https://www.recessionvideo.net
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwise
email: Rick@RickWiseDP.com -
I don’t think I’d want a tripod head that released both axes with a single touch. That could lead to trouble. Not camera-falling-off-the-head trouble like some Sachtlers, rather, movement control trouble. I like individual pan and tilt locks – and hate, absolutely hate, the Manfrotto lock-as-pan-or-tilt-axis design. It’s a horrible idea, mechanically.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up