Ken Maxwell
Forum Replies Created
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Diego wrote: “Positive input and personal exerience stories welcome. Evagelism of apocalispis please refrain.”
I don’t think anyone is trying to be flippant or apocalyptic, rather with an abundance of experience they want to warn you of adverse possibilities in making your outlined aerial shot.
FYI: Since this is such an important shot for everyone, I would caution that the director will most likely want to ride along on the flite . . . and also take his PA since you will have an extra seat, and pile in a couple of still cameras. This should load down the 172 pretty well.
Your camera will most likely be shooting forward at aproximately 10-11 o’clock, to frame-out the strut and prop. That should look nice for the coastal view. However, the camera most likely will need to be tilted and panned some as the pilot climbs and banks over the cliffs. . . then frame back as he levels over the countryside.
You will most likely have to pan to 9 o’clock, along the left wing axis, for the pilot to make a continuously banked left turn around the talent. At this point you will have the wing strut dead in the middle of the frame.
If you decide not to pan to 9 o’clock, rather to hold the earlier 10-11 o’clock fixed position, then the pilot will need to point the nose of the airplane down and crab the nose left and into a steep left spiral in order to keep the talent in the frame. You will then crash the airplane into the ground.The director should make advanced plans for where he wants the bodies sent.
Ahh, show biz.
Ken
P.S. The camera must have flexibility to pan and tilt and an un-encumbered view in order to maintain good compositional integrity That’s why everyone has been so insistent with their recommendations. Otherwise, regardless of what the director envisions, without the right equipment and without heeding an experienced pro’s advise you’re guaranteed a flop.
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What Todd Terry says, doubled.
One last shot at this:
Since all of the shooting parameters are set in stone, I suggest that you throw you rubber ball away and consider attaching the camera to the wing strut and start/stop it remotely. At lease you will have the camera far enough out to clear any obstacles . . . and the pilot can make the shot.
Please post your video when you make it. I’m sure we could all learn a lot by seeing it.
Good luck,
Ken
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Light the floor from a different angle (direction) so as not to have a reflection glare bounce toward the legs.
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It would seem to me that if the budget precludes a stable platform One should consider re-writing the treatment. Maybe shoot from the ground, from the top of a windmill or water tower, or big step ladder. It just most likely won’t work from a fixed wing aircraft . . . but you might have fun trying.
Ken
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Yea, but you can only shoot at about 4 o’clock from a Cub if you are careful not to get the elevator in the shot . . . the prop, landing gear and strut preclude shooting forward or down much, though you can open a fairly wide door.
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You can pop off the door of a Cessna, too, but the flight characteristics and shooting obstacles make it a poor choice as a shooting platform.
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It seams to me that successfully making the shot as described would be close to impossible. . . even under the most experienced hands. 1) Under a slow-flite configuration (full flaps, hanging on the prop, battling a wind currents, aircraft stability) the air speed will be too high to have any controlled dramatic flow to the scene. 2) The wing strut on a Cessna high wing airplane will be right in the middle of your view. You will have a highly restricted area through which to shoot. 3) A 70mm focal length lens would be virtually impossible to hold steady. 4) Repeat takes won’t improve the situation.
Suggestion: Hire a helicopter with a gyro door mount for a repeatable, stable platform. Or a long crane, use a wide angle lens, swing and boom down to your tight shot.
You have outlining a complex and difficult shot. I doubt that you will be able to find a pilot who is interested in attempting the low level maneuver that would be required, plus the shooting obstacles are most difficult to deal with.
Good luck,
Ken -
P.S – Or shoot at dawn, or twilight, or night (if you have a pretty cityscape out the window), and forget the ND. Just watch out for reflections from the window glass.
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OR, if you are on a limited budget you shoot where you can and light the subject as best you can then ND the window to match . . . after all it may be the clients own office and wants it shot there. . . and save it in post.
Whew!!! -
What Mark said . . . GREAT, unless there is a window in every direction.