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Any idea how this was done?

Doesn't look like the same thing. The angle completely changes several times, and the zooming isn't that fast. My uneducated guess is they used a drone, filmed him lip synching to the music at half speed, and then sped it up to normal speed when editing.
 
Looks like a motion control/robot arm rig to me...

I would say the same thing too. But I said dolly Lol. All it takes is for the mechanism to smoothly snap to the next position and the next. It's still weird because Kendrick stays in focus all the time. I guess that device auto-focuses quick.
 
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It's still weird because Kendrick stays in focus all the time. I guess that device auto-focuses quick.

He doesn't move and it's all timed and precision controlled via motion control. Not too hard. Not to mention that there are FIZ systems that are programmable for this type of work.

None of this is cheap, but is all certainly available at a particular budget level.
 
Yes Kendrick doesn't move but the camera does, so the focus should be different, especially the last part where it goes all the way out. Or maybe it's just a zoom.
 
Yes Kendrick doesn't move but the camera does, so the focus should be different, especially the last part where it goes all the way out. Or maybe it's just a zoom.

There's a motor that is attached to a high-torque gear which drives the focus gear on the lens. This uses wireless signals (the specifics depend on the specific unit) to talk to a control unit, which a Focus Puller uses to wirelessly control the focus of the lens. The wheel is much the same as a normal follow focus wheel, so can be used to do repeatable focus moves. It's used often with Steadicam, jib and gimbal work amongst others, and can sometimes include Iris & Zoom motors and control as well.

In the case of a motion control rig, there are wireless systems that are keyframeable, so you can program the focus to move with the rig.
As said before, as Kendrick doesn't move, and the camera's position would be pre-programmed and set exactly, times to the song - the Focus Puller knows exactly when each focus position needs to hit, so even with a standard wireless Follow Focus it would be very achievable. Additionally, the depth of field isn't particularly shallow, so there's extra leeway.

Here's an example of a hand unit with Focus, Iris and Zoom controls (commonly called a FIZ)

image.php


Arri's WCU-4 gives you lens data readout (where available) and remote control of Arri digital cameras.
600_600_resize_95.jpg


And here's an example of a motor attached to a lens:
IMG_3786.png
 
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Based on the movement, I think it's most likely to be a robot arm, a la:

https://vimeo.com/212998669
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoZR34OPhKw

They're often used for precision control of movement when shooting high speed, but when using a frame rate closer to normal speed, you'd get movement like in the Kendrick clip.

I guess it is somewhat similar to the Matrix bullet time effect, it's just now we can have more precise control, more stylistic movements, and can shoot it on one camera.

These systems give you repeatable FIZ (focus, iris zoom) in direct conjunction with the repeatable arm movements.

EDIT TO ADD:
Here you go: Robot arm!
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...director-of-photography-cycling-a7669941.html
 
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So basically, the robot arm reverse engineers the concept I and Sfoster provided for you (and VR as a whole) and does it on its own without any compositing
 
When I see a thread title "Any idea how ... " I think, aw dayum, H44 is at it again.

Hate the music (crap, I'm getting old) but that was a very good video. And informative answers too, since I'm not in the biz. I'd like to see, from behind the cameras, a video like that filmed. That would be better than the music video!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
It's the same concept of a snap zoom, but with different angles. All of the black dots you see in this video are cameras. You can piece the footage together in after effects and keyframe or zoom around it anyway that you want.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKEcElcTUMk

This shows how technology vastly improves over time. Back then you would do this but now you would set up a dolly and run it around a track in a circle.
 
No, the purpose of that setup is to give you movable control in post. You freeze the action while the angle continues to change as an array of cameras capture each angle independently. (You basically create a video panorama.)

Dollying around the actor won't stop time.
 
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This shows how technology vastly improves over time. Back then you would do this but now you would set up a dolly and run it around a track in a circle.

:lol:

I'm not sure what you meant but the wheel was one of mans very first inventions in the BC era.
I wouldn't call a dolly a vast improvement of technology.
 
This shows how technology vastly improves over time. Back then you would do this but now you would set up a dolly and run it around a track in a circle.
You say some shocking things, Quality.

Back then "bullet time" was done with multiple cameras. Now it's
done with multiple cameras NOT a dolly. As mussonman points out,
bullet time freezes time. A dolly move around a subject will not do
that. Those are two, very different, things and not an example of how
technology vastly improves over time.
 
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