Motion Picture Film Equipment Hire
Key Grip, Dolly Grip, Crane and Tracking Vehicle Operator |
|
|
DIALOGUE IN VEHICLES We see a lot of student scripts that have scenes involving dialogue between characters inside a moving vehicle. Scenes like this are difficult to shoot. Even MOS shots inside a car in motion present serious challenges – especially to the novice filmmaker. The first question that has to be asked is, "Why is this scene taking place inside a moving car?" Is there something inherent in the setting that is crucial to telling the story? If the answer is "no" then our suggestion is to restage the scene in a location that is easier to control. If, however, the answer is "yes" – having the scene take place inside a moving vehicle is essential to the story – the filmmaker has several options for achieving the shot. The second issue to keep in mind when you are using vehicles is that most insurance does not cover vehicles – of any kind. That means you will have to purchase a short-term policy from a broker to cover the use of the car and any other vehicles used on the project. These policies are not very expensive by normal standards, but on a student film they may represent a significant portion of the budget.The following insurance agents can provide you with a quote: You should expect to pay between $500 and $1500 for a short-term vehicle policy. TOW SHOTS This is the industry-standard method for filming interior moving car scenes. Towing the picture vehicle affords the greatest amount of control for the filmmaker. Camera angles and lighting can be controlled – and since the engine is not running, the sound quality is good. Standard practice is to use an "tracking vehicle" specially engineered for the mounting of cameras and other equipment for the primary purpose of photographing a moving vehicle to tow a picture car or process trailer. The actor(s) sit in the picture car and are pulled along by the tracking vehicle. The actor "pretends" to drive while performing. Sometimes the picture car is mounted on a "process trailer" and this is towed. Lights and other equipment still may be attached to the picture car and it is critical that this work be done by a qualified person – in most cases a Grip
Coordinating and running a tow shot is a complex activity. The First Assistant Director has to work out communication and control with the tracking vehicle driver and traffic control officers. This meeting should include a "walk-thru" or "dry-run" with the driver and all of the persons involved in the event. An understanding of the intended action, possible deviations, and authority to abort should be made clear. No more than nine people (including the driver of the tracking vehicle ) should ever ride on an tracking vehicle. Additional equipment and support as needed (such as makeup, hair, wardrobe, electric, etc) can travel in a "follow vehicle" – usually a van that tags along behind. It’s important to have enough walkie-talkies on set to maintain communication with the: First AD tracking vehicle car driver Traffic control officers Director Actors Chase vehicle Tow shots at night are especially nasty as it is cold as well as difficult to see and communicate. The secret is not to rush. Take your time, be methodical and pay attention to the details. Even for highly skilled professionals, tow shots present a serious challenge. They involve a lot of people and equipment. It takes a long time to rig a tracking vehicle and picture car for a tow. These shots are complex and difficult to organize as well as being time-consuming to execute – and, as a result, they are expensive. Because of the concern for safety, there is no "cheap" way to do a tow shot. There are no shortcuts. There is no room for half-baked "guerilla" filmmaking when the physical safety of your cast and crew - as well as the public - is in question. Here is the shopping list of the things needed for a tow shot: PROS: best control of performance, picture, lighting and sound.A process trailer can be used with the tracking vehicleHOOD MOUNTS / SIDE MOUNTS This is the technique of attaching lights as well as cameras to the picture vehicle using pipe rigs and ratchet straps. Occasionally "moving" shots are done with the actor actually driving the picture car to which the camera and lights have been attached with mounts. This is a dicey proposition. It is a rare individual who can act and drive a car at the same time– and do both well. Either their acting is going to suffer – or their driving is. In either case, it’s a sure bet the film suffers. Other considerations are – where is the Director while filming? In the back seat? What about the sound recordist? The cinematographer? Obviously no one is looking through the lens during the shot. This could be a big problem when shooting film without a video tap. Because the engine is running during the shot, sound quality suffers. Cutting between different angles can be a dialogue editor’s nightmare. The sound may be so bad that ADR is required. Safety is a big concern when using this technique. If driving in heavy traffic, the actor’s vision is impaired by the hood mount. Additionally, their attention is not completely directed towards driving – they are trying to remember their lines and deliver them with the appropriate emotion. Side mounts are frequently knocked off as the actor drives too close to other vehicles or buildings – resulting in severe damage to the camera. PROS: inexpensive
HANDHELD This technique works best with small digital video cameras. Attempting it with larger film cameras becomes problematical – and increasingly so when shooting 35mm. Since the engine is running, sound quality is not very good. A skilled handheld camera operator can produce outstanding visuals. An inexperienced operator can produce shaky, wobbly camera movement that detracts from the viewer’s experience. Space inside the vehicle becomes an issue. Not only the actor, but a camera operator, the Director and maybe a sound recordist have to find someplace to be. Camera angles become limited (to avoid photographing all those extra people in the car). Safe execution requires that all persons inside the car wear their seatbelts when the vehicle is in motion. PROS: inexpensive, fast"POORMAN’S PROCESS" Simulates the look of moving when the car is actually standing still – "poor man’s process photography" is an almost forgotten technique designed to create the illusion that a static vehicle is moving through an environment. Poor Man’s can be done on a stage, in a garage or even a parking lot (with black hung around the car to block extraneous light). Poor Man’s can be done for day shots, but normally it’s done at night and the procedure is fairly standard. Some "drive by lights" - a couple of headlight units in the rear, a high mounted street light rig on the side and sometimes a red tail light in the front. Multiple units give it some variety. Each unit is operated by an electrician and it calls for some artistry to mix it up and make it look real. Some rain on the windshield is a huge plus as is a little bit of smoke driven by a quiet fan (an E-fan if you have one). Also a grip giving the car a little shaking motion. The headlights behind are usually something like a 1K baby mounted on a low stand, so they can be swept across the rear window occasionally. The biggest mistake is to do the sweeps too often and too regularly. The technique is totally convincing (if done right) but once you learn to spot it, you will see it done even in big studio productions(for example, "The Road to Perdition" shot by Conrad Hall and "Frailty" shot by Bill Butler). PROS: inexpensive, good control of the elements, excellent soundGREENSCREEN The modern equivalent of "rear-projection". Requires skill in lighting the greenscreen and the car in front of it. The background is filmed separately and composited in at a later date using computer software. This is a very time-consuming process and the results are dependent on the skill of the people doing the work. PROS: good control, good soundDRIVE-BY Use an exterior shot of the vehicle moving and lay in dialogue as "voice over" in post-production. PROS: fast |
|
5