Complicated Varicam shot at DVinfo.net

Craig Parkes · August 31st, 2007, 09:50 PM

We are looking at doing quite a complicated varicam set up and were wondering if people think the following is possible in post. Basically we want to have the camera start at the top of a stair case, race down the stair case faster than reel speed, approach a singer on the stair case and move into slow mo, capture the singer singing in slow mo (with on set playback altered so that the song matches for lip synch purposes) then have the cameras motion speed up again as we continue down the stairs.

This is all to be done on a Steadicam rig, so speedramping in camera is not really an option, so we'll be needing to do the speed ramping in post.

Is this achievable within the same shot in post? I have previously only worked in workflows that shot variable frame rates on separate tapes and had them ingested differently, what I guess I am looking at here is taking it all in at 60P, conforming it on a 60p timeline, drop frames in the section that we want the camera to look like it's moving fast and keep frames where we want it to be in slow mo.

So we would end up having multiple frame rates all within the same shot.

Anyone done something like this?

Robert Lane · August 31st, 2007, 10:22 PM

This has little to do with the camera itself and is more about your NLE and it's capabilities. I'd suggest emailing the moderator to move this thread to the forum specific to your NLE where you'll get a better, more qualified response.

Greg Boston · August 31st, 2007, 10:23 PM

Checkout a plug-in called Twixtor. The demo music video on their site is pretty amazing.. it's one continuous shot.

-gb-

Marcus Marchesseault · September 1st, 2007, 02:17 AM

You will not have different frame rates in the same shot. Your frame rate will stay the same but individual frames will be dropped to increase playback speed. Assuming you go to a 30fps timeline, you will have 50% slow motion from your 60p acquisition and whatever fast-motion you want depending on your speed settings in the NLE.

Just shoot 60P and you can get any speed you want down to 50% slow. If you need to go slower, look into the suggested Twixtor or something like MotionPerfect from goodervideo.com.

Craig Parkes · September 1st, 2007, 04:24 AM

Ok, this is more or less what I expected - shoot and remove shots to achieve the required effect.

Potential difficulty being that I will end up outputting to PAL, so the acquisition output workflow needs to be worked out for that.

Just checking to see if there is nothing obvious I am forgetting that is going to screw me when going to a final output format.

David W. Jones · September 1st, 2007, 07:47 AM

Outcome will depend on how well your talent can lip-sync and perform their moves at speed, or multiple speeds for multiple takes. By providing talent with the audio early on, it gives them a chance to practice in advance, so their is less frustration during the shoot.

Good Luck!

Joe Lawry · September 13th, 2007, 03:49 PM

Ha funny, i ended up helping out on this shoot for a short while as they were shooting in a staircase in the building i work in. Was spotting the steadicam op as he came down the stairs backwards.

How'd the rest of the shoot go Craig? did the elevator stuff come out alright?

joe

August 31st, 2007, 09:50 PM	#1
Craig Parkes Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 444	Complicated Varicam shot We are looking at doing quite a complicated varicam set up and were wondering if people think the following is possible in post. Basically we want to have the camera start at the top of a stair case, race down the stair case faster than reel speed, approach a singer on the stair case and move into slow mo, capture the singer singing in slow mo (with on set playback altered so that the song matches for lip synch purposes) then have the cameras motion speed up again as we continue down the stairs. This is all to be done on a Steadicam rig, so speedramping in camera is not really an option, so we'll be needing to do the speed ramping in post. Is this achievable within the same shot in post? I have previously only worked in workflows that shot variable frame rates on separate tapes and had them ingested differently, what I guess I am looking at here is taking it all in at 60P, conforming it on a 60p timeline, drop frames in the section that we want the camera to look like it's moving fast and keep frames where we want it to be in slow mo. So we would end up having multiple frame rates all within the same shot. Anyone done something like this?

August 31st, 2007, 10:22 PM	#2
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,826 Images: 15	This has little to do with the camera itself and is more about your NLE and it's capabilities. I'd suggest emailing the moderator to move this thread to the forum specific to your NLE where you'll get a better, more qualified response.

August 31st, 2007, 10:23 PM	#3
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Checkout a plug-in called Twixtor. The demo music video on their site is pretty amazing.. it's one continuous shot. -gb-

September 1st, 2007, 02:17 AM	#4
Marcus Marchesseault Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,961	You will not have different frame rates in the same shot. Your frame rate will stay the same but individual frames will be dropped to increase playback speed. Assuming you go to a 30fps timeline, you will have 50% slow motion from your 60p acquisition and whatever fast-motion you want depending on your speed settings in the NLE. Just shoot 60P and you can get any speed you want down to 50% slow. If you need to go slower, look into the suggested Twixtor or something like MotionPerfect from goodervideo.com.

September 1st, 2007, 04:24 AM	#5
Craig Parkes Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 444	Ok, this is more or less what I expected - shoot and remove shots to achieve the required effect. Potential difficulty being that I will end up outputting to PAL, so the acquisition output workflow needs to be worked out for that. Just checking to see if there is nothing obvious I am forgetting that is going to screw me when going to a final output format.

September 1st, 2007, 07:47 AM	#6
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Outcome will depend on how well your talent can lip-sync and perform their moves at speed, or multiple speeds for multiple takes. By providing talent with the audio early on, it gives them a chance to practice in advance, so their is less frustration during the shoot. Good Luck!

September 13th, 2007, 03:49 PM	#7
Joe Lawry Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 418	Ha funny, i ended up helping out on this shoot for a short while as they were shooting in a staircase in the building i work in. Was spotting the steadicam op as he came down the stairs backwards. How'd the rest of the shoot go Craig? did the elevator stuff come out alright? joe