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Framing tips/questions

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JAlps
Posts: 555 - Karma: 1,939
Yo! So I'm just starting to finally crack into doing some filming and I was looking for a bit of guidance in terms of perfecting follow cams, and any tricks/setups that work best. These are some pretty beginner questions honestly.

I'm having lots of trouble keeping whoever is riding in frame throughout the shot, especially on jumps. Usually I get the run in and the take off perfectly but then they fall out the bottom as they go through the jump. Similarly, in follow cams I have a lot of trouble keeping the rider well framed through the whole shot.

-Is getting good at this something that just comes with time? Should I be trying to look at my LCD while doing follow cams or do I just have to keep doing it and the framing will come naturally with time.
- would something like a shoulder rig help, and maybe even slapping on one of those viewfinder adapters so I can actually see the screen? Have you guys ever tried one of those?

For reference I'm currently using a home made PVC fig rig until I can save up for a glidecam. I also have a tripod of course.

Cheers!
Mar 7 2016 3:37PM
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finnolydorb
Posts: 249 - Karma: 690
For framing, a lot of it is just practice however there are some things you can do to help. I'm not sure what other people do but I tend to look at the lcd as much as possible. Another thing that helps is just shooting with a wider lens or following from a little further away. I'd also try some other types of angles on jumps, see my latest edit
( https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/817244/--RETRIBUTION-- ) for referrence. Ps. I'm just an amature so don't quote me on any of this; these are just some things I've learned from filming.
Mar 7 2016 4:33PM
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Andrew_M
Posts: 410 - Karma: 4,047
Filming while skiing definitely takes practice, it's not something you're going to pick up and be amazing at. The most important thing is to be patient and not get frustrated. I like to think of my lcd as the sight of a gun, if you're not looking down the sight (or at the lcd) the odds of you hitting your target is far less. So looking at your lcd is going to help you keep the rider in the frame the way you want. It's easier said than done but you get used to focusing on the camera over your skiing. Another thing is to plan out your shots with your rider, i.e what the trick is, what the best way to film it is, where the sun is, which way they're going to be facing, what hand they're grabbing with. Thats what makes producing something so awesome is the collaboration between art forms. So have fun and be creative! Don't be too afraid to blow a shot to try something new, it happens all the time and when it works out you'll be happy you did it. Good luck man!
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/812981/Storm
Mar 7 2016 5:04PM
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JAlps
Posts: 555 - Karma: 1,939
Andrew_MFilming while skiing definitely takes practice, it's not something you're going to pick up and be amazing at. The most important thing is to be patient and not get frustrated. I like to think of my lcd as the sight of a gun, if you're not looking down the sight (or at the lcd) the odds of you hitting your target is far less. So looking at your lcd is going to help you keep the rider in the frame the way you want. It's easier said than done but you get used to focusing on the camera over your skiing. Another thing is to plan out your shots with your rider, i.e what the trick is, what the best way to film it is, where the sun is, which way they're going to be facing, what hand they're grabbing with. Thats what makes producing something so awesome is the collaboration between art forms. So have fun and be creative! Don't be too afraid to blow a shot to try something new, it happens all the time and when it works out you'll be happy you did it. Good luck man!
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/812981/Storm


Cheers! Good to know its not bad to use the LCD. Question though... do you use anything on sunny days so you can actually see it? When I'm shooting it's literally impossible to see...
Mar 7 2016 5:53PM
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murphyboiiii
Posts: 720 - Karma: 1,587
I dont film as much as i should, but i edit all of my own videos so i can give some advice, what i will say is... dont look at your videos as something you want other people to like, do what you think YOU want your videos to be like, develop your own style of editing and people will respect it


stay away from too many filters

-ya boi
Mar 7 2016 8:59PM
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Andrew_M
Posts: 410 - Karma: 4,047
NightFantasiesCheers! Good to know its not bad to use the LCD. Question though... do you use anything on sunny days so you can actually see it? When I'm shooting it's literally impossible to see...


Hahah I have the same problem, I've seen kids build a makeshift cover out of duck tape and cardboard but honestly I just take my googles off or wear light sunglasses. You can also turn the brightness of the display up if you have extra batteries. You'll get better at aiming the camera without looking at the lcd as you film more and more so you could just look at it before you start the shot to make sure your settings are where you want them and then sneak peaks at it as you go.
Mar 7 2016 10:09PM
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ascent_studios
Posts: 2157 - Karma: 4,580
NightFantasiesCheers! Good to know its not bad to use the LCD. Question though... do you use anything on sunny days so you can actually see it? When I'm shooting it's literally impossible to see...


Turn up the brightness. When I am filming I pretty much try to split my vision between the ground in front of me and my LCD. It takes a lot of practice but you will get used to it
Mar 7 2016 10:09PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51745 - Karma: 163,565
Try to know what's going on and be ready for it. If they're going to drop from the jump be ready to follow them down.

I like looking at the screen to see exactly what I'm doing. Some people might not but it works for me, and I can generally keep things pretty centered and stable.

The downside is the awareness of where you are. Especially if you're using a wide angle and up fairly close that you don't become part of the action.

Idk. Somebody mentioned something about a scope, that works. Just follow someone around just skiing even and practice keeping them centered in the shot. Even if you're not filming it just following them to the park, back to the lifts.

I suck at editing, I don't know anything about cameras compared to people on here, but this one of the things I feel I'm at least decent at. Keeping things steady and in the frame.
Mar 9 2016 1:12AM
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Hoodliving
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 1,876
Old thread but I am usually commended on how I manage to keep someone in frame through an entire lap and keeping up, what I do is start my follow cam glance at the LCD to make sure I'm filling the frame with them but not chopping their heads, then I look over my cameras hot shoe, or down my shotgun MIC, it just takes practice but I know when I'm shooting at specific mm on my lens how far I need to be in relation to the skier to not chop heads or skis, with time i had learned how to just hit record and go knowing that i am going to nail the framing without looking at the cam just from knowing my distances I need to be, i can tell without looking at a clip if i fucked up my framing or not just from how I rode next to them or what not. To make it even more complex try being like me where my t3is LCD screen is broken and flipped upside down so everything is opposite of what you would normally see mirrored and upside down imagine trying to stare at the LCD like that ha! But here's an example of an edit i shot without staring at the LCD just trusting my framing. https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/818146/Laps
Mar 22 2016 4:09AM
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Hoodliving
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 1,876
Old thread but I am usually commended on how I manage to keep someone in frame through an entire lap and keeping up, what I do is start my follow cam glance at the LCD to make sure I'm filling the frame with them but not chopping their heads, then I look over my cameras hot shoe, or down my shotgun MIC, it just takes practice but I know when I'm shooting at specific mm on my lens how far I need to be in relation to the skier to not chop heads or skis, with time i had learned how to just hit record and go knowing that i am going to nail the framing without looking at the cam just from knowing my distances I need to be, i can tell without looking at a clip if i fucked up my framing or not just from how I rode next to them or what not. To make it even more complex try being like me where my t3is LCD screen is broken and flipped upside down so everything is opposite of what you would normally see mirrored and upside down imagine trying to stare at the LCD like that ha! But here's an example of an edit i shot without staring at the LCD just trusting my framing. https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/818146/Laps
Mar 22 2016 4:10AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51745 - Karma: 163,565
HoodlivingOld thread but I am usually commended on how I manage to keep someone in frame through an entire lap and keeping up, what I do is start my follow cam glance at the LCD to make sure I'm filling the frame with them but not chopping their heads, then I look over my cameras hot shoe, or down my shotgun MIC, it just takes practice but I know when I'm shooting at specific mm on my lens how far I need to be in relation to the skier to not chop heads or skis, with time i had learned how to just hit record and go knowing that i am going to nail the framing without looking at the cam just from knowing my distances I need to be, i can tell without looking at a clip if i fucked up my framing or not just from how I rode next to them or what not. To make it even more complex try being like me where my t3is LCD screen is broken and flipped upside down so everything is opposite of what you would normally see mirrored and upside down imagine trying to stare at the LCD like that ha! But here's an example of an edit i shot without staring at the LCD just trusting my framing. https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/818146/Laps


Meh, to me that wasn't really in the frame. I mean good enough. I guess everyone likes different styles but for me, unless I'm shooting a different shot of just the legs and skis etc I like the whole skier in there. I saw him bouncing out the top on a lot of shots.

Idk, I just feel like if you're going to talk about how with time you got so that you're amazing at framing and then post an example is should be better.
Mar 22 2016 5:26AM
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Hoodliving
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 1,876
theabortionatorMeh, to me that wasn't really in the frame. I mean good enough. I guess everyone likes different styles but for me, unless I'm shooting a different shot of just the legs and skis etc I like the whole skier in there. I saw him bouncing out the top on a lot of shots.

Idk, I just feel like if you're going to talk about how with time you got so that you're amazing at framing and then post an example is should be better.


You edit you dont film, so you should know adding cinema bars to the video covers up the top and bottom 3rd or so of the videos frame, I would say filming at 14mm and anticipating black bars on the footage for only having 3 or 4 shots with him get chopped is stellar
Mar 22 2016 6:50AM
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Michael_Thatcher
Posts: 523 - Karma: 3,469
HoodlivingYou edit you dont film, so you should know adding cinema bars to the video covers up the top and bottom 3rd or so of the videos frame, I would say filming at 14mm and anticipating black bars on the footage for only having 3 or 4 shots with him get chopped is stellar


Why even use cinema bars? It's not anamorphic so why try and make it appear to be?
Mar 22 2016 11:38AM
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Hoodliving
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 1,876
Michael_ThatcherWhy even use cinema bars? It's not anamorphic so why try and make it appear to be?

That's a good point and it was to draw the eye into the center of the frame without having to drop as much of a vignette into it, it was an artistic choice for the edit, I personally find it cumbersome to add the bars but felt it helped that edit in particular.
Mar 22 2016 11:45AM
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eheath
Posts: 61648 - Karma: 123,479
Practice my dude, even though this thread is old, I'll add my two cents.

I never look at my LCD screen unless im shooting some long lens glidecam stuff. As you film more and more with your glidecam and a wide lens, you'll start to be able to feel where you are filming. With my fs100 and tokina 11-16, i could basically point my camera in any direction and I knew the frame I was capturing, it just takes time to get used to it. Practice.
Mar 22 2016 2:08PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51745 - Karma: 163,565
HoodlivingYou edit you dont film, so you should know adding cinema bars to the video covers up the top and bottom 3rd or so of the videos frame, I would say filming at 14mm and anticipating black bars on the footage for only having 3 or 4 shots with him get chopped is stellar


Well I would still rather them be slightly inside/closer to the middle.

Idk, Obviously there are sometimes where they doing something sick, but you don't get the best shot, and you still use it, but I always try to keep them more in the frame.
I guess to each his own, but I only mentioned it because you used it as an example of how much you've learned, and how you never have to look at the screen.

I'm over it honestly. Idk why I mentioned it.
Mar 22 2016 2:53PM
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Hoodliving
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 1,876
theabortionatorWell I would still rather them be slightly inside/closer to the middle.

Idk, Obviously there are sometimes where they doing something sick, but you don't get the best shot, and you still use it, but I always try to keep them more in the frame.
I guess to each his own, but I only mentioned it because you used it as an example of how much you've learned, and how you never have to look at the screen.

I'm over it honestly. Idk why I mentioned it.

Remove the black bars that are added in post and covering a large portion of the frame and not a single shot does his ski or head clip. Irrelevant is the editing I did to how it was framed on hill. But I feel you g different ways to skin a cat
Mar 22 2016 3:01PM
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Colby_eubanks
Posts: 72 - Karma: 647
Some people have different preferences but in my opinion I like to be focused on my lcd as much as possible and every few seconds I'll glance away to see where I'm skiing at.
Mar 29 2016 7:17AM
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