Jump to content

Long shot including elevator travel


William Demeritt

Recommended Posts

  • Premium Members

I have a shot coming up on this feature where I'll be operating in an office building, and the shot will include traveling inside an elevator between floors.

 

I've already watched the McConkey shot for RAISING CAIN and taken to heart his tips on working with the actor to compensate for any bobble. I'm just wondering if anyone else has some tips or things to keep in mind?

 

My plan on the day is to steal a PA to try walking through the scene during down time. This way, I'll learn the path and also take a ride in the elevators a few times to see how dramatic the acceleration may be. Any other ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

I have a shot coming up on this feature where I'll be operating in an office building, and the shot will include traveling inside an elevator between floors.

 

I've already watched the McConkey shot for RAISING CAIN and taken to heart his tips on working with the actor to compensate for any bobble. I'm just wondering if anyone else has some tips or things to keep in mind?

 

My plan on the day is to steal a PA to try walking through the scene during down time. This way, I'll learn the path and also take a ride in the elevators a few times to see how dramatic the acceleration may be. Any other ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

I would also have a look at the shot in The X Files Season Six Disc 1 Ep;3 Triangle. some good work in a elevator (not real one) but still some great operating .

.If you get a chance you could use a flyer with a mini dvcam or a smoothie with a iphone and walk through the shot with that.

Good luck

Louis Puli

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Premium Members

I have a shot coming up on this feature where I'll be operating in an office building, and the shot will include traveling inside an elevator between floors.

 

I've already watched the McConkey shot for RAISING CAIN and taken to heart his tips on working with the actor to compensate for any bobble. I'm just wondering if anyone else has some tips or things to keep in mind?

 

My plan on the day is to steal a PA to try walking through the scene during down time. This way, I'll learn the path and also take a ride in the elevators a few times to see how dramatic the acceleration may be. Any other ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

William,

Last year I was operating on a movie in Berlin in the winter, and had really thick gloves on, that I was not used to. I had several shots in elevators where I had to hold actors in an anamorphic 35mm frame, one on each side , going thru intense dialogue in an industrial type elevator with really hard stops and starts.

The best advice I can give you is to land so that you are very balanced for the journey. You will need to grasp the arm really solidly with your right hand and still be really light with the operating hand. Do not try and predict when the elevator will stop and start. Its a waste of time and a distraction IMHO. just grasp the arm real tight.

Good luck.

 

Sanjay Sami

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Premium Members

Hi,

 

I'm only new to Steadicam but I did some elevator work in my workshop and I found the same as Sanjay, just kind of lock out your arm (of the fleshy type) that's on the handle and be prepared that the handle will try and force into your hand as the lift accelerates and decelerates and push against it as it happens.

 

Charles, out of interest did you do that scrubs shot mostly walking backwards or in Don Juan? I quite like doing Don Juan but I've read quite a few ops on here that try and do as much as possible walking backwards.

 

Just looked at the date of the original post, guess you've done the shot by now, how did you get on?

 

Phil

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Members

Just looked at the date of the original post, guess you've done the shot by now, how did you get on?

 

Phil,

 

Alas, I never had a chance to perform the shot. Turns out, due to a number of issues, they had to refigure our day so that shot (in that form) had to die. I was a bit disappointed, but I think everyone realized the story didn't need that particular shot.

 

Oh well, I'm sure I'll have a chance to do something like that again sometime soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...