Car Chase at DVinfo.net

Christopher Hughes · June 21st, 2003, 06:22 PM

I was wondering if there is anyone out there with experience in filming car chases in any of their films. I understand and have seen lots of equipment for the cameras being mounted on cars, etc, But I am interested in camera settings.

What settings have you found the best? Normal shutter, or slighty higher shutterspeed?, etc

Anyone with any tips or ideas will be greatly received

THANKS!

Joseph George · June 23rd, 2003, 08:01 PM

An important thing you need to realize that if you shoot from a moving car to the side, everything looks 2x as fast.

Dennis Adams · June 23rd, 2003, 09:18 PM

If you haven't seen it, get the season 1 BMW Films DVD, and watch the "Making of the films" and "Driving Techniques" pieces. These are also available online at BMWFilms.com.
///d@

Rob Lohman · July 11th, 2003, 05:39 AM

I'd shoot with a higher shutter speed to get it more clear. But
that depends on what sort of look your after. With things like
car chases you should:

1. be very very very carefull

2. plan plan plan plan

3. rehearse rehearse rehearse

When the drivers are very (important!) comfortable with what
they must do place your cameras and have them rehearse
more. During each rehearsel change settings and check back to
see how it looks after the shoot. This makes sure that:

1. you can se more possibilites

2. spot shots that might not work

3. get more footage for you to use

4. reduce errors when everything goes to final shooting

Good luck and be safe!

Nick Hiltgen · July 12th, 2003, 10:41 AM

when you're shooting something faster, live action for instance you're going to want to use a faster frame rate. This will make things look crisper, if you're shooting at night without much light you might not want to do that. (the faster shutter speed needs more light) Also another technique is to shoot everything slowly and then speed it up in post, this is cool ebcause A) no one get's hurt and 2) it allows you to really play with the camera angles. Cheers.
Nick

Alex Taylor · July 12th, 2003, 12:34 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Dennis Adams : If you haven't seen it, get the season 1 BMW Films DVD, and watch the "Making of the films" and "Driving Techniques" pieces. These are also available online at BMWFilms.com.
///d@ -->>>

Ooh, I didn't know there was a DVD! I think I may have to indulge myself.

Dennis Adams · July 12th, 2003, 10:16 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Alex Taylor :

Ooh, I didn't know there was a DVD! I think I may have to indulge myself. -->>>

In fact, the new season 2 "The Hire" DVD just came out, and it includes the season 1 movies too. The season 2 movies are out in HD (720/30p) WMV in some Microsoft XP promotion; perhaps they are on the new DVD as well, I don't have mine yet. You can order them for shipping alone on the BMW site (they even eat the shipping if you own a BMW, log into the Owner's Circle to order).

///d@

John Steele · July 13th, 2003, 05:01 AM

The only problem with shooting a car chase slowly then speeding up in post is that it'll look all wrong. It'll be like something out of night rider when they press the pursuit button, the car will look like it's going 200mph with no body movement or roll, it won't look good.

John.

Dennis Adams · July 13th, 2003, 08:56 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by John Steele : The only problem with shooting a car chase slowly then speeding up in post is that it'll look all wrong. It'll be like something out of night rider when they press the pursuit button, the car will look like it's going 200mph with no body movement or roll, it won't look good.

John. -->>>

Now you've got me thinking -- what if you had a professional totally loosen up the suspension and whatnot so that even little corners made it roll a lot -- then when you sped it up it would look correct! Just a thought -- don't try this without consulting an expert! Now that there's "how to" videos on doing fight scenes, there needs to be one on doing car chases :)

///d@

Christopher Hughes · July 13th, 2003, 03:06 PM

what would you say would be a nice round target area for the shutter speed to be set around??? (or as close to as possible dependent upon light levels) what shutter speed would look good but not too rediculous????

Not over the top like Knight Rider, or other extreme...something like the nice car chases in Taxi (french) o Ronin...same people I believe...

Dave Valencic · July 17th, 2003, 03:18 PM

I helped a friend shoot a car chase scene for his movie, and we simplified everything by shooting at extremely short focal lengths (we shot in an empty school parking lot on a sunday morning) There were some shots where we'd mount a fisheye on the camera and get extremely close...this CAN be dangerous, but since we used really short focual lengths, and fisheyes, it makes everything seem faster...we shot at about 18-25mph and it seemed more like 50-60 especially when you shake the camera. But most of the speed effect can be conveyed through sound design. The chase scene in The Rock through San Fransisco was shot 90% with absolutely no car movement at all. they sat in a parking lot and shook the camera REALLY REALLY hard (not a good idea for a PD150, but a panavision can handle it)

June 21st, 2003, 06:22 PM	#1
Christopher Hughes Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sunderland, England (y Merida, Mexico) Posts: 269	Car Chase I was wondering if there is anyone out there with experience in filming car chases in any of their films. I understand and have seen lots of equipment for the cameras being mounted on cars, etc, But I am interested in camera settings. What settings have you found the best? Normal shutter, or slighty higher shutterspeed?, etc Anyone with any tips or ideas will be greatly received THANKS!

July 11th, 2003, 05:39 AM	#4
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I'd shoot with a higher shutter speed to get it more clear. But that depends on what sort of look your after. With things like car chases you should: 1. be very very very carefull 2. plan plan plan plan 3. rehearse rehearse rehearse When the drivers are very (important!) comfortable with what they must do place your cameras and have them rehearse more. During each rehearsel change settings and check back to see how it looks after the shoot. This makes sure that: 1. you can se more possibilites 2. spot shots that might not work 3. get more footage for you to use 4. reduce errors when everything goes to final shooting Good luck and be safe! __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

July 12th, 2003, 12:34 PM	#6
Alex Taylor Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 390	<<<-- Originally posted by Dennis Adams : If you haven't seen it, get the season 1 BMW Films DVD, and watch the "Making of the films" and "Driving Techniques" pieces. These are also available online at BMWFilms.com. ///d@ -->>> Ooh, I didn't know there was a DVD! I think I may have to indulge myself. __________________ alextaylor.org

June 23rd, 2003, 08:01 PM	#2
Joseph George Permanently Banned Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 265	An important thing you need to realize that if you shoot from a moving car to the side, everything looks 2x as fast.

June 23rd, 2003, 09:18 PM	#3
Dennis Adams Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 123	If you haven't seen it, get the season 1 BMW Films DVD, and watch the "Making of the films" and "Driving Techniques" pieces. These are also available online at BMWFilms.com. ///d@

July 12th, 2003, 10:41 AM	#5
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	when you're shooting something faster, live action for instance you're going to want to use a faster frame rate. This will make things look crisper, if you're shooting at night without much light you might not want to do that. (the faster shutter speed needs more light) Also another technique is to shoot everything slowly and then speed it up in post, this is cool ebcause A) no one get's hurt and 2) it allows you to really play with the camera angles. Cheers. Nick

July 12th, 2003, 10:16 PM	#7
Dennis Adams Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 123	<<<-- Originally posted by Alex Taylor : Ooh, I didn't know there was a DVD! I think I may have to indulge myself. -->>> In fact, the new season 2 "The Hire" DVD just came out, and it includes the season 1 movies too. The season 2 movies are out in HD (720/30p) WMV in some Microsoft XP promotion; perhaps they are on the new DVD as well, I don't have mine yet. You can order them for shipping alone on the BMW site (they even eat the shipping if you own a BMW, log into the Owner's Circle to order). ///d@

July 13th, 2003, 05:01 AM	#8
John Steele Major Player Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 216	The only problem with shooting a car chase slowly then speeding up in post is that it'll look all wrong. It'll be like something out of night rider when they press the pursuit button, the car will look like it's going 200mph with no body movement or roll, it won't look good. John.

July 13th, 2003, 08:56 AM	#9
Dennis Adams Regular Crew Join Date: May 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 123	<<<-- Originally posted by John Steele : The only problem with shooting a car chase slowly then speeding up in post is that it'll look all wrong. It'll be like something out of night rider when they press the pursuit button, the car will look like it's going 200mph with no body movement or roll, it won't look good. John. -->>> Now you've got me thinking -- what if you had a professional totally loosen up the suspension and whatnot so that even little corners made it roll a lot -- then when you sped it up it would look correct! Just a thought -- don't try this without consulting an expert! Now that there's "how to" videos on doing fight scenes, there needs to be one on doing car chases :) ///d@

July 13th, 2003, 03:06 PM	#10
Christopher Hughes Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sunderland, England (y Merida, Mexico) Posts: 269	what would you say would be a nice round target area for the shutter speed to be set around??? (or as close to as possible dependent upon light levels) what shutter speed would look good but not too rediculous???? Not over the top like Knight Rider, or other extreme...something like the nice car chases in Taxi (french) o Ronin...same people I believe...

July 17th, 2003, 03:18 PM	#11
Dave Valencic Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cleveland OH Posts: 34	I helped a friend shoot a car chase scene for his movie, and we simplified everything by shooting at extremely short focal lengths (we shot in an empty school parking lot on a sunday morning) There were some shots where we'd mount a fisheye on the camera and get extremely close...this CAN be dangerous, but since we used really short focual lengths, and fisheyes, it makes everything seem faster...we shot at about 18-25mph and it seemed more like 50-60 especially when you shake the camera. But most of the speed effect can be conveyed through sound design. The chase scene in The Rock through San Fransisco was shot 90% with absolutely no car movement at all. they sat in a parking lot and shook the camera REALLY REALLY hard (not a good idea for a PD150, but a panavision can handle it)