frame rate for slo mo at DVinfo.net

Adrian Vedder · February 27th, 2012, 08:44 PM

Does anyone know at what fps movies like Sherlock Holmes or 300 are made when they do the fight scenes and you know what i mean they go from slo mo to fast then slow and so on. I'm thinking somewhere in between 200 and 300 but i'd like to know for sure

Brad Ballew · March 1st, 2012, 12:05 AM

Probably at least 1000 fps. They get things moving pretty slow.

Adrian Vedder · March 1st, 2012, 02:31 AM

you think so Brad? that sounds like what the use for sports and the stuff like "exploding balloon" and things like that... i would really like to know for sure

Craig Parkes · March 12th, 2012, 02:43 PM

Changes from shot to shot, but generally they are using Phantom cameras, which are capable of 1000fps or more depending on model or frame resolution. These see a lot of use on the show Spartacus which does a lot of simliar effects. The thing being the shots are generally speed ramped in post to slow down to 1000 fps, but ony for a few frames, and then speed back up again.

More recently with RED's Epic camera providing a production camera that an shoot 150fps at 5k and 300fps at 2K some shots may be shot on projects at 300fps and then further slowed down in post to achieve a simliar look wihout hiring in a speialist camera. What you have to remember is that speed changes are exponential, so when you up go form 500 to 1000fps, the difference in look is the same comparatively to when you go from 25 to 50fps, you have to add twice as many frames to get half the speed. So while 1000fps sounds like a huge jump, the visual change between that and say 300 fps is not as great as you may imagine.

Mark Watson · March 13th, 2012, 07:14 AM

I don't know what they're shooting those movies in. Doubt it's 1,000 fps. IMHO, Spartacus overdoes it a bit. I don't need to be tracking an individual grain of sand through the air.

If playback is 24fps, then an event that lasts 2 seconds in real time, will take 83 seconds to play back if shot at 1,000 fps.

When I plan to shoot an event in slow mo, I estimate what the duration of the event in real time will be and then start doing multiples of that until I settle on what I think would make the shot look cool in playback vs too long and being just boring. If you film a fight and want the uppercut to be in slow motion, then say it takes a half second in real time for the punch to occur. Let's say I think 3 seconds might look good, so I'd shoot it at 6x my playback rate, or 240 fps.

Mark

Alex Payne · March 13th, 2012, 03:28 PM

Half a second is pretty slow for an uppercut.

Huh? Off topic? Oh right. Nevermind.

February 27th, 2012, 08:44 PM	#1
Adrian Vedder New Boot Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 23	frame rate for slo mo Does anyone know at what fps movies like Sherlock Holmes or 300 are made when they do the fight scenes and you know what i mean they go from slo mo to fast then slow and so on. I'm thinking somewhere in between 200 and 300 but i'd like to know for sure

March 1st, 2012, 12:05 AM	#2
Brad Ballew Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Frisco, TX Posts: 65	Re: frame rate for slo mo Probably at least 1000 fps. They get things moving pretty slow.

March 1st, 2012, 02:31 AM	#3
Adrian Vedder New Boot Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 23	Re: frame rate for slo mo you think so Brad? that sounds like what the use for sports and the stuff like "exploding balloon" and things like that... i would really like to know for sure

March 12th, 2012, 02:43 PM	#4
Craig Parkes Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 444	Re: frame rate for slo mo Changes from shot to shot, but generally they are using Phantom cameras, which are capable of 1000fps or more depending on model or frame resolution. These see a lot of use on the show Spartacus which does a lot of simliar effects. The thing being the shots are generally speed ramped in post to slow down to 1000 fps, but ony for a few frames, and then speed back up again. More recently with RED's Epic camera providing a production camera that an shoot 150fps at 5k and 300fps at 2K some shots may be shot on projects at 300fps and then further slowed down in post to achieve a simliar look wihout hiring in a speialist camera. What you have to remember is that speed changes are exponential, so when you up go form 500 to 1000fps, the difference in look is the same comparatively to when you go from 25 to 50fps, you have to add twice as many frames to get half the speed. So while 1000fps sounds like a huge jump, the visual change between that and say 300 fps is not as great as you may imagine. __________________ www.afterglow.co.nz

March 13th, 2012, 07:14 AM	#5
Mark Watson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Whidbey Island Posts: 873	Re: frame rate for slo mo I don't know what they're shooting those movies in. Doubt it's 1,000 fps. IMHO, Spartacus overdoes it a bit. I don't need to be tracking an individual grain of sand through the air. If playback is 24fps, then an event that lasts 2 seconds in real time, will take 83 seconds to play back if shot at 1,000 fps. When I plan to shoot an event in slow mo, I estimate what the duration of the event in real time will be and then start doing multiples of that until I settle on what I think would make the shot look cool in playback vs too long and being just boring. If you film a fight and want the uppercut to be in slow motion, then say it takes a half second in real time for the punch to occur. Let's say I think 3 seconds might look good, so I'd shoot it at 6x my playback rate, or 240 fps. Mark

March 13th, 2012, 03:28 PM	#6
Alex Payne Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: new york Posts: 94	Re: frame rate for slo mo Half a second is pretty slow for an uppercut. Huh? Off topic? Oh right. Nevermind.