Need Help. Opinions about shooting a scene. at DVinfo.net

Bryant Sentosa · June 1st, 2003, 03:00 AM

Hi All,

I new to dv/film making. I have a short student film that I need to want to shoot. I want to make it appear that a toddler has lost her mother, looks for her at a b-day party and find her.

The camera(GL2) will be the toddlers eyes. It'll be a first person type of scenerio. My question is this:

At one point of the film, the mother will pick up the child, to make it believable the camera will be very close to the mother head. When I rehearsed it, the head took up the ENTIRE frame. That is not how a human eye would see it. Would it?

What is the best way to widen that angle? Or should I? I want to mimic human eyes.

thx

Frank Granovski · June 1st, 2003, 03:19 AM

Quote:

At one point of the film, the mother will pick up the child, to make it believable the camera will be very close to the mother head. When I rehearsed it, the head took up the ENTIRE frame That is not how a human eye would see it. Would it?

Why not? Do a close up, and then zoom out or start a second scene with both mother and baby---no longer first person. That should be okay.

Quote:

What is the best way to widen that angle? Or should I? I want to mimic human eyes.

Like I suggested, break out of the first person with getting both in the shot. These are my suggestions. I'm sure there are other options.

K. Forman · June 1st, 2003, 04:24 AM

I would agree with Frank Having the "mother" picking up the camera, showing her face, then cut to mother with baby. It would be very clear, and do away with a full frame of her head.

Bryant Sentosa · June 1st, 2003, 05:56 AM

Thanks for the input.

Sorry, I forgot to mention the condition of the project. The scence must be continuous. There is no cutting. You can take as many takes as you like, but the shot has to be a one minute continuous shot.

I was thinking this also.

During the entire scene, I will have the camera completly "zoomed out" for two reasons. First to minimize on camera shake (for the toddlers view). I'll be using a home made handheld stabalizer (monpod with a 5 lb weight at the bottom) I know it's not the best. It's something I whipped up. Second reason is to view as much as the scenery as possible.

The problem is as the camera is raised to the mothers face, the "child" view will be within inches of the mother face sooner than it really is. I guess it because of the 4.2 mm lens ion the GL2. If you try it, you will not be able to capture an entire view of the mothers head, which I hope to do. So zooming out will not be possible.

thanks again for the help.

George Brackett III · June 1st, 2003, 07:52 AM

Don't put the camera up to her face- keep it far enough away to maintain the proper perspective. Also, you can shoot wide then zoom and crop in post with a NLE.

Bryant Sentosa · June 1st, 2003, 11:09 AM

Sorry, there is not post. It's straight from the camera to the TV.

" Don't put the camera up to her face- keep it far enough away to maintain the proper perspective. "

I think I'm going to try that.

George Brackett III · June 1st, 2003, 02:22 PM

Wow. Thats tough!

Mark Moore · June 1st, 2003, 03:17 PM

Could the mother not bend down to camera level, throw out her arms, have the camera "run" to her and have the mother's face/head move past the camera as if hugging the child, then fade out?

Just a thought.

June 1st, 2003, 03:00 AM	#1
Bryant Sentosa Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 33	Need Help. Opinions about shooting a scene. Hi All, I new to dv/film making. I have a short student film that I need to want to shoot. I want to make it appear that a toddler has lost her mother, looks for her at a b-day party and find her. The camera(GL2) will be the toddlers eyes. It'll be a first person type of scenerio. My question is this: At one point of the film, the mother will pick up the child, to make it believable the camera will be very close to the mother head. When I rehearsed it, the head took up the ENTIRE frame. That is not how a human eye would see it. Would it? What is the best way to widen that angle? Or should I? I want to mimic human eyes. thx

June 1st, 2003, 07:52 AM	#5
George Brackett III Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Waterville, NY USA Posts: 83	Don't put the camera up to her face- keep it far enough away to maintain the proper perspective. Also, you can shoot wide then zoom and crop in post with a NLE. __________________ If the quality of mercy is not strained, then how do they get the lumps out?

June 1st, 2003, 02:22 PM	#7
George Brackett III Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Waterville, NY USA Posts: 83	Wow. Thats tough! __________________ If the quality of mercy is not strained, then how do they get the lumps out?

June 1st, 2003, 03:17 PM	#8
Mark Moore Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 301	Could the mother not bend down to camera level, throw out her arms, have the camera "run" to her and have the mother's face/head move past the camera as if hugging the child, then fade out? Just a thought. __________________ Mark Moore Sugar Free Productions

June 1st, 2003, 04:24 AM	#3
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	I would agree with Frank Having the "mother" picking up the camera, showing her face, then cut to mother with baby. It would be very clear, and do away with a full frame of her head.

June 1st, 2003, 05:56 AM	#4
Bryant Sentosa Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 33	Thanks for the input. Sorry, I forgot to mention the condition of the project. The scence must be continuous. There is no cutting. You can take as many takes as you like, but the shot has to be a one minute continuous shot. I was thinking this also. During the entire scene, I will have the camera completly "zoomed out" for two reasons. First to minimize on camera shake (for the toddlers view). I'll be using a home made handheld stabalizer (monpod with a 5 lb weight at the bottom) I know it's not the best. It's something I whipped up. Second reason is to view as much as the scenery as possible. The problem is as the camera is raised to the mothers face, the "child" view will be within inches of the mother face sooner than it really is. I guess it because of the 4.2 mm lens ion the GL2. If you try it, you will not be able to capture an entire view of the mothers head, which I hope to do. So zooming out will not be possible. thanks again for the help.

June 1st, 2003, 11:09 AM	#6
Bryant Sentosa Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 33	Sorry, there is not post. It's straight from the camera to the TV. " Don't put the camera up to her face- keep it far enough away to maintain the proper perspective. " I think I'm going to try that.