Movie Magic: Why rock your camera?

[Celtic007]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

This is how they did the hallway fight scene in Inception.

YouTube - ‪Inception Filming the Corridor & Zero Gravity Sequences‬‏

 

[CB2001]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

This is how they did the hallway fight scene in Inception.

YouTube - ‪Inception Filming the Corridor & Zero Gravity Sequences‬‏

Which Nolan ripped off the Fred Astaire ceiling dance scene from Royal Wedding.

 

[Solo4114]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

Ah! THAT's the one I was thinking of. I knew it was some 1950s musical. I must've mixed up the "running up the wall" gag with that scene.

 

[blip]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

Another variation, to make you laugh..... or scream.

 

[Keiko]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

I am also wondering how Stanley Kubrick pulled off the scene in 2001 where one astronaut is standing on a floor in the background and another is standing at a 90 degree angle and has to look up at the camera before climbing into a seat. I am thinking it was likely done with a couple mirrors and shot real action as opposed to being an optical composite or screen projection in the scene. But it is really hard to tell.

My book "Filming the Future" by Piers Bizony shows a diagram of how this was filmed, and your theory is correct - mirrors.

 

[DarkHelmet]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

I love that the floating pen in 2001 was as simple as a pen attached to a round piece of plexiglass that they rotated.

 

[blip]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

What are the chances? Do you suppose that Darth tumbled out of Star Wars on Stanley Kubrick's dime?

 

[blip]

As it turns out, holding your camera still is a big ask in itself.

You thought we had run out of things to do with the camera? Wrong!

Cabiria (1914).

The film was noted as being the first popular film to use the tracking shot – the camera is mounted on a dolly allowing it to both follow action and move within a film set or location. For years afterward a tracking shot was referred to by both cameramen and directors as a 'Cabiria' shot. However in many cases Pastrone used these shots with no real purpose other than the novelty of camera movement within a location. In some instances the camera rolls toward and then right past what should be the focus of the shot. However, the movement was such an innovation at the time that other film makers quickly incorporated it. (wiki)

 

[Ttaskmaster]

I liked a lot of teh unusual camera work in Firefly & Serenity. The 'single' shot where Mal walks everywhere along the length of the ship, down the stairs and all around the cargo bay is brilliant, with only a quick swiping 'look back' to hide the transition between the two sets. I'd never notice it without the Special Feature commentary.

I like some follow-cam work too, such as Blade II and Last Action Hero.

The new Bourne trilogy is one of the few occasions where rapid cuts works very nicely, particularly for the fight scenes.


And then, there's always this zoom shot:

 

[blip]

Re: Movie Magic, why rock your camera?

The main reason the camera was locked down all of the time until recently was out of necessity. Those old Panavisions and Mitchells weighed a ton.

That's a very good point.
In fact since this whole thread started by considering what Art could and couldn't do with the latest in mini movie technology, it's a really good point.
This really important bit of gear makes the magic seamless.
Iv'e gained a new respect for the trem "grip".

　
　
Complete rolling camera dolly used for filming Star Wars. Richard Edlund’s personal and beloved cast aluminum camera dolly, "No. 505" made by the Raby Manufacturing Co., Hollywood, CA and used by Edlund during the filming of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Poltergeist, Return of the Jedi, Ghostbusters, 2010, Fright Night,Poltergeist II, Big Ttouble in Little China, Master of the Universe, Die Hard, Solar Crisis, Alien3, Batman Returns, Cliffhanger, True Lies, Species and Air Force One. In fact, most of Boss Film’s visual effects feature productions and TV shows (including the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica three-part miniseries) were filmed using this dolly and many pictures of it appear in Cinefex and the American Cinematographer Magazine. It features two wooden seats, two removable platforms for standing, a tiller at the rear for push/pull steering, and screw-down feet to lock it off. One lever raises and lowers the large camera boom, and another rotates the entire boom assembly with operator on board. The dolly is in original unmodified condition, fully functional and easy to roll and maneuver by one person. The boom is spring loaded, and if one were to sit on the camera mount they could be easily raised and lowered. This type of camera dolly was a staple of film production in the late 1930s up to the 1970s, and was perfect for positioning and moving heavy VistaVision and 65mm visual effects cameras. In our digital era, it has been replaced by lighter weight equipment, but it casts an eye back to the early days of Hollywood and the photochemical visual effects era. Measures approx. 66 in. long x 44 in. wide