Hollywood Style Camera Angles Film

[boomerlu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O7k-f8zYeM

I just recently watched Ryan "mrbucket" Kiefer's tutorial on using AH Film Viewer's Setup Shots. I thought to myself "wouldn't it be cool to use these camera setups to put together some intense action shots, i.e. with parts flying all over your screen?

I made these using the "World Pointing" camera, with myself as the target. I set the camera position at a place where I know my target will fly through just as he's breaking up into pieces.

[Denholm]

The effect you're trying to recreate comes from, "up close and personal" footage. First of all, switch off the icons (detracts from the footage). Next I wouldn't track the plane(s) because it moves the camera at the point of, "up close and personal." So you will have to place the camera in a static or slightly moving position at the point where the plane gets destroyed. And remember, don't be afraid to zoom in (more quality and detail as opposed to being zoomed out).

Keep playing with it and you will amaze us.

[Fulmar]

Using the Zoom Key in AH and the AH Film viewer helps eliminate the fish eye distortion effect you'll see.  And by this I mean if you're at the 6 o'clock view of a plane pretty up close, the tail end will seem a lot larger than what it would be in real life.  Using the Zoom key helps minimize this.

Good start anyways!

[boomerlu]

The effect you're trying to recreate comes from, "up close and personal" footage. First of all, switch off the icons (detracts from the footage). Next I wouldn't track the plane(s) because it moves the camera at the point of, "up close and personal." So you will have to place the camera in a static or slightly moving position at the point where the plane gets destroyed. And remember, don't be afraid to zoom in (more quality and detail as opposed to being zoomed out).

Keep playing with it and you will amaze us.

Thanks for the response.

I understand about the icons, but this is a demo reel of the camera angle. I kept them in so I'd be able to visualize the scene better in my mind. When/If I make a high quality film with such angles, I'll be sure to turn icons off. 

About turning off tracking: yes I see what you're saying. With no tracking, you will have a still shot just as everything gets "in your face".

On the other hand, I wanted something that would actually give a sense of the movement, and that is why I kept the tracking. It is a compromise between "seeing the fight" and "getting up close".

Again, for a "full production", I would probably splice in other segments of film to give that sense of the fight evolving rather than using a tracking shot. That way, there would be no compromise between the two elements. Naturally, that would require a LOT more work. I made this thing over the course of about 2 hours.

Regarding zoom: naturally . This goes hand in hand with cuts to different cameras.

[boomerlu]

Using the Zoom Key in AH and the AH Film viewer helps eliminate the fish eye distortion effect you'll see.  And by this I mean if you're at the 6 o'clock view of a plane pretty up close, the tail end will seem a lot larger than what it would be in real life.  Using the Zoom key helps minimize this.

Good start anyways!

Thanks for the tip!

By the way, the only two tools I used for this (and that I have available) are: AH Film Viewer and Windows Movie Maker. I haven't really begun to scratch the surface of Movie Maker either, so I'm not sure what's possible (i.e., if I can add camera shakes, etc).

Edit: Just read your signature. THAT'S where AHMD went! And again, thanks for the tutorial. The Set-Up Camera Shots tool was simply overwhelming the first time I tried to use it.

[ImADot]

One thing that can turn a nice clip into a good clip is playing a little with the FOV as you set up your shots.  Use world pointing or world relative depending on how you want.  A dramatic effect is to have the camera some distance from the subject; start the clip with FOV of 15 or so (really zoomed in) and end the clip with the FOV at 60-90 (zoomed back out towards "normal") as the action comes towards the camera.  A little camera movement in the 3D space could also add to the shot.

Check out an old movie of mine - made with the film viewer and Windows Movie Maker.  I use the FOV a little in the takeoff sequence.  At 50 seconds, I use this technique as the bad guy hits the ground just to add a little movement to the shot instead of just pointing at the ground.

I really haven't made any movies since then...I'll have to start up again now that the new version is out and I've got a rig good enough for Fraps to record good quality and smooth scenes.

[boomerlu]

One thing that can turn a nice clip into a good clip is playing a little with the FOV as you set up your shots.  Use world pointing or world relative depending on how you want.  A dramatic effect is to have the camera some distance from the subject; start the clip with FOV of 15 or so (really zoomed in) and end the clip with the FOV at 60-90 (zoomed back out towards "normal") as the action comes towards the camera.  A little camera movement in the 3D space could also add to the shot.

Nice movie. I hear ya about the FOV. I use it when I have to, but I tend to avoid it because the control is VERY dodgy/buggy for some reason. Not sure if it's the AHFV or my computer, but I can certainly see its use.

[Denholm]

...About turning off tracking: yes I see what you're saying. With no tracking, you will have a still shot just as everything gets "in your face".

On the other hand, I wanted something that would actually give a sense of the movement, and that is why I kept the tracking. It is a compromise between "seeing the fight" and "getting up close"....

I completely understand that. As far as I'm aware you will have to choose either a static camera or a tracking camera with the AH FV. The way I see your desired shot working is to initially track the aircraft then finish the shot by holding the camera as if it were static. So tracking then freezing. Once again, something I don't believe the AH FV is capable of doing.

[ImADot]

The way I see your desired shot working is to initially track the aircraft then finish the shot by holding the camera as if it were static. So tracking then freezing. Once again, something I don't believe the AH FV is capable of doing.

Correct.   But what you'd do is set up two shots with identical coordinates - one with tracking and one fixed.  After you get your tracking shot set up right, create a new static shot, copy all the x/y/z values and everything else, then let 'er rip.  Edit your shots together in your movie editor and it should end up looking like a seamless single-shot sequence.  You'll have to record some extra at the start and end of each segment to make it easier to splice them together.  It might be tedious and maybe a bit of work the first time, but I think you'll get a charge out of pulling it off.

[Denholm]

I thought about that yet didn't suggest it. Three hours of work for something most viewers would never appreciate.

[ImADot]

Ah yes...there are Movie Makers, and there are those who make movies.   

[boomerlu]

Correct.   But what you'd do is set up two shots with identical coordinates - one with tracking and one fixed.  After you get your tracking shot set up right, create a new static shot, copy all the x/y/z values and everything else, then let 'er rip.  Edit your shots together in your movie editor and it should end up looking like a seamless single-shot sequence.  You'll have to record some extra at the start and end of each segment to make it easier to splice them together.  It might be tedious and maybe a bit of work the first time, but I think you'll get a charge out of pulling it off.

That would be the type of quality I would strive for if I were going "balls to the wall" with these movies.

Unfortunately, there are many factors working against me at the moment including
1) Lack of time
2) Relatively bad graphics card
3) Un-intuitive nature of AHFV
4) Lack of appropriate sound processing software
5) Lack of a good "proper" video editing suite ie not Windows Movie Maker

Until such time that I can get these things together, I'll be content with my little experimental foray into dramatic action sequences.

[boomerlu]

I thought about that yet didn't suggest it. Three hours of work for something most viewers would never appreciate.

Unless you are ACTUALLY looking for a job in Hollywood.... 

[Denholm]

No, not at the moment. Then again I wouldn't be applying to the editor's job either.

[boomerlu]

No, not at the moment. Then again I wouldn't be applying to the editor's job either.

Haha just saying, that type of thinking is what distinguishes the pros. That search for perfection, or at least reasonable suspension of disbelief.