Mulieris Futura: Behind-the-Scenes Part II

With several shots of Melanie's melancholic ambling along the lakeshore now in the bag as well as some random 60fps slo-mo swing-set action we still didn't really have any clue what the story of Mulieris Futura was going to be...

So we packed up the Glidecam HD 2000 and headed over to the small dock jutting out across the water. A truly beautiful location but unfortunately it was so bright and sunny I could barely see the LCD viewfinder of the camera. Winging it and hoping for the best (thank goodness for those great focus marks on the Takumar lenses!), Melanie sat down on the edge of the dock and gazed wistfully out across the water while I fiddled around in the background like a good ole camera geek.

This was the first time I was able to really put my new DSLR rig through it's paces. This goes back to what I was talking about in the last post about the need for stability when shooting and how one needs to expand the camera into something closer to the form factor of a traditional video/film camera.

I used to have one of these Cowboy Rigs available on Amazon for practically nothing...

This is what I used to shoot Twinkle, Twinkle with and it was okay but just wasn't adjustable enough and didn't feel strong enough (those creaking plastic sounds are terrifying when you have $1,500 worth of camera relying on it's grip!). Also, being a former IATSE camera assistant I've been spoiled with the high-end gear and the idea of running around with a cheap plastic rig named after a cowhand just wasn't appealing to me...

Time for an upgrade!

This is my new filmmaking toy and it comes from a company called Lanparte.

So why is this so much better than the poor old Cowboy who's been forced to hang up his creaky, plastic boots? Well, for one thing it's very strong and made completely out of machined metal parts so no more unsettling flexes or rattled nerves when bolting the camera to it. Secondly, it is highly adjustable into many different configurations depending on the needs of the shot whether it's mounted on a tripod or being used hand-held. Finally, it's based off of a standardized 15mm rod system meaning there are many, many other accessories that I can expand the rig with such as a follow focus, matte box, onboard monitor, microphone, etc.

I've attached a second Giottos quick release plate to the rig so switching the camera from the Glidecam to the Lanparte rig can be done quicker than you can say, "Time is money". The baseplate assembly is height adjustable and built like a tank.

The shoulder pad assembly is surprisingly comfortable, is also adjustable and can be expanded to take a  battery accessory pack should you require power for additional accessories. A big problem with DSLRs when shooting video with rigs like this is they tend to be a little front heavy so I may eventually pick up a counterweight that I can attach to the back of the shoulder pad. This is probably the cheapest option available.

The top-handle is a must in my opinion. It makes carrying the camera around so much easier and is strong enough and comfortable enough to make for some very cool low-angle running shots. The top handle connects to a C-bracket that unscrews and can hinge open giving the user easier access to the camera to adjust settings etc., has numerous 1/4" screw holes for additional accessories as well as a hotshoe mount for attaching a microphone, video light or digital sound recorder.

Completing the rig is this great set of handgrips that, like the rest of the rig, is also highly configurable, sturdy and very well made. It's also super comfortable to hold and unlike the cheap handgrips that are available, doesn't leave your hands stained or covered in little flecks of rubber.

I did a lot of research before ordering this rig - there are a staggering amount of choices out there in price ranges from a couple of hundred dollars to literally thousands. Manufacturing quality varies as does expandability, compatibility and general usefulness (such as allowing the user to still access camera menu buttons, switch out batteries and SD cards etc.). Overall I am extremely happy with the Lanparte rig and it made a huge difference in the shots I was able to achieve for Mulieris Futura which we shot in only 4 hours. Hopefully it will last me a very long time.

Photography and filmmaking can be expensive hobbies never mind if you actually intend to make a living at it so do your research and don't go crazy buying gear you don't need. Now that I have the rig I'm much happier and creatively inspired to try new things but that's already tempered with thoughts of "Hmm... I really need a better tripod..." Given the problems I had trying to see what I was shooting on the Canon's tiny, blown-out-by-the-sun LCD screen I think what I really need is an onboard monitor. Time to start saving the pennies...!

Until next time, thanks for reading. I'll wrap up these behind-the-scenes posts in the next few days with some details on the Post-Production side of Mulieris Futura.

Mulieris Futura: Behind-the-Scenes Part I

I hope those of you who took the time to check out the short film Mulieris Futura enjoyed it. We certainly had fun making it and this is how we did it...

My main goal going into this shoot was to test out some newly acquired gear. Do you need this gear to shoot video on a DSLR like the Canon 60D? Absolutely not. Does it make a big difference to the shots you can capture? Hell yes!

Arriving at the location I decided to get the "heavy lifting" out of the way first by getting a bunch of steadicam-like shots. For this I used the awesome Glidecam HD 2000 which is a poor man's version of the $8,000+ pro steadicam rigs used for those smooth-moving, floating shots we see in Hollywood movies.

I love experimenting with camera movement as a director but like smooth, STEADY movement even more. On any kind of a camera this can be challenging never mind on a DSLR. The advantage of shooting video on a DSLR (among other things) is it's small size and weight to image quality ratio. These cameras can capture amazing images if used properly. However, the small size and weight is also one of their big disadvantages too because 99% of the stability of every shot is dependent on how steady your hand and wrist are as opposed to using your arms, shoulders and upper torso to help stabilize as is the case with larger, shoulder-mounted cameras. Adding to the image capture problems are things like moire and aliasing but that's a whole other issue!

The Glidecam is a low-budget solution for taking the shake out of your steps by using a gimbal mechanism that allows the camera to "float". The key to it is a) Balance and b) Operation. There are many Glidecam type stabilizers available on the market (like the Flycam for example) but very few allow micro adjustments for balancing which is crucial in finding that perfect center of gravity.

For a great video tutorial on balancing a Glidecam go here.

In terms of operation it's a very tricky piece of gear and like any instrument requires a LOT of practice! As you can see from my first real attempt shooting with it in Mulieris Futura I have a long, long way to go with it - Standing still I'm fine; Walking backwards or forwards I'm fine (providing I don't have to suddenly stop then move again); Walking sideways and tracking the subject as well as tilting up or down is a whole other challenge... The key is in a very subtle finger-touch of the gimbal - Grab it firmly and you defeat the object of the delicate balance, too light a touch and the rig wants to pendulum on its axis. A lot of the moving/tracking shots in the film I'm not very happy with - the horizon should NOT be swaying from side to side like we're at sea! I have a steep learning curve ahead...

Finally, when loaded up with the camera, battery and lens (in this case the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5) the rig can be quite heavy. All together it weighs around 5.5 lbs/2.5 Kgs which is a lot of stress on one's wrist. I found a cheap forearm brace (its the pad/velcro thing beside the rig in the picture above) on eBay that makes a huge difference in spreading the weight and allows me to shoot longer shots without grimacing in pain!

To reduce time screwing bolts in and out of my camera between Glidecam and tripod etc. I have a Giottos quick release plate system. The plate's tightening knob didn't quite clear the side of the Glidecam so I added a couple of layers of fabric tape to the bottom which also stops things from loosening and/or spinning off axis.

Mulieris Futura was shot on 3 lenses: The Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 on all the Glidecam shots and the wide shot that closes the film, the Super Takumar 28mm f/3.5 and the SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4. I've blogged before about the old Pentax Takumar M42 lenses and every time I use them I like them a little more! They are especially good when shooting video because they have a good amount of turn to their focus rings making it much easier to follow the subject and adjust during the shot.

Take a bow fellas - you too trusty fotodiox M42 to Canon-EF lens adaptor!

If you have any questions, fire away, I'd be happy to help!

Until next time folks, I hope I was able to share some useful info here. I'll cover another important new rig element next time as well as touch upon the Post Production side of making Mulieris Futura.