I've got an upcoming shoot that involves hopefully a long two shot through the windscreen of a moving car. what would be the best way to do this? i know greenscreen is a popular answer but that's not an option this time around. is there an effective and cheap way to do this the old fashion way, actually shooting a moving car. anybody got any ideas?
Shooting a Moving Car Interior
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I'm sure you'll find the answer in the thread that's been linked...but I wanted to say a few things...
* You may find the reflection of your windshield may block the actors. Depending on the angle of the windshield and the angle of the sun.
* The DP can get on the hood and shoot through if you are able to travel at a safe speed, on a safe road.
* You can substitute a profile two-shot from both sides for your frontal two shot.
* Using a small bar light below the actors works well for night shots.
* If you have a sunroof, you can sometimes get coverage through that.
* If you have an SUV or truck that has side steps, or whatever that's called, you can have a DP stand outside the moving vehicle on that and shoot through the windows.
* A car traveling next to you sometimes works well.
* Bad green screen is bad...
* You can poor mans the whole process (if at night) by shooting in a dark garage. Light the interior...and from time to time have some one move a light past the actors faces and the car. You can also add street lights and smaller details in After Effects if you know how. You can also have someone slowly rock the car from the back to simulate natural movement. Just don't make it too obviously a rocking...
Those are just a few tips from an indie perspective...
* You may find the reflection of your windshield may block the actors. Depending on the angle of the windshield and the angle of the sun.
* The DP can get on the hood and shoot through if you are able to travel at a safe speed, on a safe road.
* You can substitute a profile two-shot from both sides for your frontal two shot.
* Using a small bar light below the actors works well for night shots.
* If you have a sunroof, you can sometimes get coverage through that.
* If you have an SUV or truck that has side steps, or whatever that's called, you can have a DP stand outside the moving vehicle on that and shoot through the windows.
* A car traveling next to you sometimes works well.
* Bad green screen is bad...
* You can poor mans the whole process (if at night) by shooting in a dark garage. Light the interior...and from time to time have some one move a light past the actors faces and the car. You can also add street lights and smaller details in After Effects if you know how. You can also have someone slowly rock the car from the back to simulate natural movement. Just don't make it too obviously a rocking...
Those are just a few tips from an indie perspective...
What are you going to be using to capture the audio? There are numerous noise issues that will have to be resolved - the engine, wind (if the windows are open), other traffic. Preplanning will make your audio post A LOT easier.
I mixed a cop movie-Evenhand- we pulled car with a tow bar did a hood mount for wide master shots. Then window trays per sides for coverage. Small blimped honda genie mounted on front grill of truck powered 1200 hmi joker thru softbox for a little light on the faces. At night they used Kino car kit (two small 6" florescent tubes one per side) taped to dash. I miked with cardiod mics on each side hid wires layed down in back floorboard to run dat and do timecode slate it seemed to work fine. Shot 35mm looked and sounded great at the theater.
As far as greenscreen I've seen some stuff on videocopilot.net where they even put the reflections into the windows. I haven't tested yet but next time we shoot with cars will def test using AfterEffects and the like. I saw the stuff on the latest X Files movie where they used rear projection and it sold it- you didn't notice. check out the extra features on the DVD.
Good luck
As far as greenscreen I've seen some stuff on videocopilot.net where they even put the reflections into the windows. I haven't tested yet but next time we shoot with cars will def test using AfterEffects and the like. I saw the stuff on the latest X Files movie where they used rear projection and it sold it- you didn't notice. check out the extra features on the DVD.
Good luck
This has actually been really helpful for me. I am planning on shooting a feature where the majority of the film takes place in a moving vehicle. This will help me with the pre-production. Thanks
A lot of the shoots I've done in a "moving car" was the poor man's process where the car isn't really moving.
It would have to be set at night and you shoot in a location where it's dark and can't see through the windows, you light the actors inside the car and then have someone pushing slightly on the car out of frame so that you get the movement of a moving car and then you have someone else with a light who every so often passes it over the roof/ window of the car so that it looks like they're going under street lights and wha-la! moving car without the trouble of matching continuity of background and so on...
But if you insist on it actually be moving - Michael's sugesstions are good ones - use a sun roof, or put someone on the hood, or put the dp in the back seat and have them leaning forward getting a profile/ 3/4 view of the actors or view out the windshield, or have another car going along side the one your shooting - of course that really only works in a parking lot or other vacant area....
It would have to be set at night and you shoot in a location where it's dark and can't see through the windows, you light the actors inside the car and then have someone pushing slightly on the car out of frame so that you get the movement of a moving car and then you have someone else with a light who every so often passes it over the roof/ window of the car so that it looks like they're going under street lights and wha-la! moving car without the trouble of matching continuity of background and so on...
But if you insist on it actually be moving - Michael's sugesstions are good ones - use a sun roof, or put someone on the hood, or put the dp in the back seat and have them leaning forward getting a profile/ 3/4 view of the actors or view out the windshield, or have another car going along side the one your shooting - of course that really only works in a parking lot or other vacant area....