Would using a star filter for cinematography be too weird?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

we are talking about this scene this shot and you were telling us how you want to use a gimbal instead of a dolly. You should know when to use a gimbal. It sounds like your head is crowded with movies you’ve seen and things you’ve been told. Clear all that out and film with purpose.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, that's what I am trying to do. Every shot I am coming up with I am not using any past movies as influence now. I thought maybe I could do gimbal moves only, since I know a gimbal operator, but if some of these moves really need a dolly, then I can get a dolly.

[Paul R Johnson]

Hooray!!! you got it.

[Brian Drysdale]

Originally Posted by Ryan Elder

Oh okay, I wanted to do a close up of the character, while the camera was moving around him as you saw his eyes and face, to give the feeling of justice closing in around him and that he is surrounded by a trap.

The most obvious part that grabs attention is the ears, not the face. Justice may be closing in, but he appears to be using his hearing to judge the timing of his next move. As I mentioned, more Jason Bourne than anxiety..

[Ryan Elder]

Oh what makes you think he is using his hearing more?

[Brian Drysdale]

Because of the information your shot is providing. You don't normally start and end a shot featuring the ears, so they must be significant.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh well I didn't mean to imply that I was starting and ending on the ear.

I wanted to start off with a close up of the front of his face. Not a profile shot but a frontal shot of his face, as she sees the officers swarm around him and then he turns around to look at them swarm from around him. As he turns around the camera turns with him, and it ends with the camera on the front of his face, because the camera turns around with him.

So it begins and ends with the front of his face, and not his ears at all. And this happens while intercutting with shots of the police officers swarming in of course.

[Brian Drysdale]

That's rather different to your initial description of the shot and your example.

You probably shouldn't be using the forum to go through your film on a shot by shot basis. I suspect it's not what it's intended for, it's more for providing possible solutions and advice than micromanaging a film.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, I was just trying to ask what would be best for some shots lens and movement wise, rather than every shot of course. I didn't mean to try to mis-describe, the shot, but does it sound better now, now that the camera will be on the person's front of the face, the entire time as he turns, or no?

[Brian Drysdale]

It's better if you wish to reveal their feelings, other than that it's impossible to say, since there are a number of ways to do the same scene. The choice is entirely yours.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Brian Drysdale

That's rather different to your initial description of the shot and your example.

You probably shouldn't be using the forum to go through your film on a shot by shot basis. I suspect it's not what it's intended for, it's more for providing possible solutions and advice than micromanaging a film.

Exactly. I get exhausted after a few of his posts.

[David Peterson]

Back on Page 1 I thought "hmmmm... star filters? That's a really interesting topic! I'd be up for that discussion, let's have a look. Oh hang on, how did they managed to talk about just star filters for SEVENTY TWO PAGES????"

After skimming over half a dozen random random pages throughout this thread I now understand "how"

[Josh Bass]

The thing about these threads is you can't unsee them. Welcome to the rest of your life. It will never be the same. YOU will never be the same.

[Greg Smith]

Ryan hasn't posted for a week now. It's getting awfully quiet around here.

[Josh Bass]

Its like a low grade form of Stockholm syndrome...what you once fought against you now miss when its gone.