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Cinematography, Lighting, Pre Production, Production

How To Film a High-Value Commercial on a Budget

Four images of filmmakers

Recently, I pulled off a high-value commercial on a budget, and now I’m going to share it with you. Three weeks ago I was selected as the director for a national commercial campaign for Case Tractors. It would be my first solo directing gig after signing with the Bandito Brothers one month ago. In the commercial world, an advertising agency is hired by the client, which in this instance is Case Tractors. They are contracted to come up with the commercial concept and once approved the Ad agency approaches different production companies with a roster of directors that match the concept idea of the spot.

Assembling the Filmmaking Team

Assembling the correct team is critical, so I called on four of my Elite Team members; Mike Svitak and Darin Necessary camera operators extraordinaire, Dave Knudsen the rigging guru, and Julien Lasseur, an HV intern who is in training to manage media.

(Top Left) Mikey and Shane discuss a shot. (Top Right) Mikey is lensing up the macro wheat kernel. (Bottom Left) Mikey goes for higher ground to get the right shot. (Bottom Right) Mikey on the 300mm Canon.

I brought Mikey Svitak 3 days early to get DP experience. His mission was to gather a variety of shots and the results were truly beautiful, well composed, and perfectly exposed.

Bobby runs the set.

Bobby runs the set.

To pull off this very ambitious one-day shoot, I needed the right Elite Team producer and Assistant Director who was Greg Haggart and Bobby Phillips, respectively. Greg had produced “Act of Valor” and “The Last 3 Minutes.” He has an amazing ability to stretch the budget and put everything on the screen.  Bobby was the AD on “Act of Valor” and the Navy Swimmer Spots; both are filmmakers through and through.

Greg Haggart

Greg Haggart, Producer

Canon 5D Mark II

To keep our shoot compact and nibble, we turned to the Canon 5D Mark II.  I knew we needed a lot of coverage when the weather was just right as it was tornado season and they are very unpredictable. Our vision was for the spot to be golden and beautiful and we did not have the budget to shoot all of those moments on film.  The film was saved for slow-motion coverage of the wheat field and the combined harvesting so that it looked elegant and fluid.

Grabbing a macro CU of the wheat with Canon 100mm Macro.

Grabbing a macro CU of the wheat with Canon 100mm Macro.

This would juxtapose the stock footage that was time-lapse shots all over the world of growing population and traffic. The stock footage was gathered by Voyager creative and I had the job of sifting through a thousand select shots to find those 4 to 6 hero moments that delivered the creative impact. Once they were found I started to create images of the combined harvesting that would match the moment and flow of the stock shots.

I wanted them to be woven through the spot like a tapestry, not just cut together in one clump.  The feel had to be seamless showing that as the farmer harvests so does he feed and fuel the world. The concept was following one kernel of wheat that we see in the beginning.

300mm Canon in field.

300mm Canon in the field.

Working with Real Farmers

We had to think creatively to budget this one-day shoot. Instead of shooting one long day, we divided it into 5 days because it was harvesting time and we had to be very respectful of the farmers that were letting us into their world and giving us the opportunity to film these beautiful machines. To pull this spot off we would have to put into action what we did on the Navy Swimmer spots where we shot it as a play in real-time capture.

I knew I could ask the farmer to do a few shots that were more like camera setups but most of it had to be done without impacting his daily operation. So, I felt that impacting him a little each day would be a far better approach than one long day where we would have to shut everything down. Small and mobile were our catchphrases to move where ever he was harvesting. By the time I reached Oklahoma to location scout, 3/4‘s of the fields that I had selected had already been harvested. The weather was right and they had to go. They were not going to wait just for a commercial. So capturing it in real time was our only option.

Shane discusses shot with Bobby and Darin.

Shane discusses shot with Bobby and Darin.

As a director/cameraman, it is critical to pick the correct tools for the job. I felt the 5D was perfect for getting in there and we also rigged a 7D to a piece of speed rail to get a slow-motion shot of grain coming out of the auger from the combine. A 24mm Canon L series was mounted and wrapped in a Ziploc bag, blasted, and let free fall into the bed of the truck.

Camera Rigging

We rigged 5Ds and 7Ds in several tight and unique angles to deliver the elegance of the machine. We rigged one in the thrashing reel mechanism. The camera spun around in circles as the grain was cut.

Chapman Hydro Scope gets us in there.

Chapman Hydro Scope gets us in there.

Film was used on a telescopic crane mounted to a camera car that could track along with the combine and stay out its way.  The crane we used because of all of the dust was the Chapman Hydroscope.  You can completely submerge the whole crane and the head and at the end of the shoot day, the technician’s just needed to hose it off.

So, here is how it played out. We rigged 5Ds on the combine in very tight interesting spaces in the morning before they headed out to the field.  This was done over 2 days to lessen the impact. Then on the big shoot day we used the 5Ds again with the farmer in the field in the morning and then hopped on the camera car in the afternoon when the light was lower and rocked out stunning shots of 4 combines harvesting wheat.

Chapman Hydro Scope in action on Camera Car.

Chapman Hydro Scope in action on Camera Car.

Small Footprint, BIG VISION

Our big shoot day had a crew of 20 members. Our 4 other shoot days were done with 4 crew members. Small footprint, BIG VISION.

10-5D's, 1-Arri 435,Camera Support, rigging, generator, and craft service in a 1-ton Cube truck.

10-5D’s, 1-Arri 435, Camera Support, rigging, generator, and craft service in a 1-ton Cube truck.

Rick Ferris.

Rick Ferris.

Case had given us 4 different farmers to talk and we needed to find the right Custom farming team. Farming has changed over the years, so now the person who owns the land doesn’t harvest his crops. He pays custom farmers, called “cutters” to come in and do this work. We worked with the cutters.

I met Rick Ferris who has been a custom farmer for over 50 years. He starts in Oklahoma and makes his way all the way to Montana by mid-December harvesting all sorts of crops. He had done some BBC documentaries in the 90s and hired foreign exchange students from Ohio State to help in his business. When I heard that I knew he was the guy.  He was an educator and could explain what he does day in and day out and would also understand what we were trying to do.

Pulling from my farming roots

I grew up on a 250-acre farm as a child and I have to say it was probably the best training I could have ever had for cinematography. I watched my Dad use common sense, think quickly on his feet and be able to fix anything.

Combines harvesting into the sunset.

Combines harvesting into the sunset.

He was a genius. There was not much he could not weld, cut, rig, or mickey mouse together if we did not have the money for that specific part. He had to react quickly to whatever mother nature threw at him. I learned from one of the best about how to use this life experience to my advantage as an artist.

Pole cam.

Pole cam.

Working on a Budget

For example, I needed an aerial shot. The budget was $140,000.00 total which we had divided into 5 days. On average, a normal commercial shoot day costs at least $180,000.00, depending on the concept. How do you do this aerial with no money? Enter the CDC (crop dusting cam.) Darin Necessary’s son is a pilot who knew a friend that he went to school with in Dallas that was also a pilot.

Pole cam before dump.

Pole cam before dump.

We had him rent a plane, which gave him flying hours along with getting us this amazing top-down shot at 500 feet of the combines at sunset, with their long shadows moving across the field and the dust being side-lit. It was awesome.

We rigged a Canon L series 24mm lens straight down just outside the window on the wing strut. We rigged a Canon L series 35mm right next to it and then a Canon 50mm L series on the landing gear. A few hose clamps from an automotive store, some tape, 1/4 20 baby pins, and some rigging ingenuity by Dave Knudsen and Darin Necessary and we were off.

Pole cam in a waterfall of wheat.

Pole cam in a waterfall of wheat.

This shot cost approximately $700.00 total.  If we had rented a helicopter and a gyro-stabilized head it would have been over $7,000.00.  That is why I love Greg Haggart. He saw that shot on my boards and made it happen when I thought it wouldn’t be possible.  The tricky thing though was to rig the cameras so that I could reach them out the small window in the Cessna.  When I got in the co-pilot’s seat, I realized that I needed a specific tool to assist me in this endeavor.

Harvestor Cam.

Harvestor Cam.

Low Budget Aerial Cinematography

It was the 5/16 inch Allen T-wrench that would give me the added length to my arm and also be able to grab the gears on the back exposure wheel to change the stops as the light changed, as well as turn the cameras on and off to save batteries and hit the record button.  We had one fancy on/off switch but we went for old school, less to fail once we were airborne.  It worked perfectly. I had a 6.5-inch Marshall monitor with an Anton Bauer battery back to gauge my exposures. I ran 3 different BNC cables from the cameras to the cockpit.

Dave puts the 5D in tight spaces.

Dave puts the 5D in tight spaces.

Then I would insert the different camera cables into the monitor to check the exposures and to make sure they were recording.  It was difficult to see the flashing red light with the sun blinding me up there.  Now, this all worked great on the ground because I could reach and turn every knob and button.

CDC pulling out, on its maiden voyage.

CDC pulling out, on its maiden voyage.

Crop duster cam rig.

Crop duster cam rig.

Once in flight, it was a different story and I had no idea how powerful the windspeed would be. Chad the pilot said he could get our speed down to 50mph. I had put my hand outside a car going 50 before so I thought it won’t be bad. Well, I had to use all of my strength to stretch out and reach the controls. Just when I would get ready to hit the record button a gust of wind would come and blow my arm back. It was difficult but the images speak for themselves.

Darin rigs the Canon 50mm L series to the landing gear.

Darin rigs the Canon 50mm L series to the landing gear.

Learn Your Lessons

One thing we knew would exist is some harmonic vibration, so we would have to stabilize in post, along with image sharpening. I have to say, the 24mm Canon did not resolve the way that I hoped. So in the future, I will try the 21mm Zeiss to assist in this CDC approach. Another mistake I made was my guessing about the tilt down on the two longer lens cameras, the 35 and the 50mm. I thought they needed about a 15-degree tilt up. I got the shot but 2 seconds was all I needed.

Hindsight being 20/20, I would have rigged all of them to the body of the plane with some rubber rigging pad to take out the vibration. Lesson learned. I’ve never done anything like this before.

Aerial Shot with 3-5D's 24mm L series from 400 feet

Aerial Shot with 3-5D’s 24mm L series from 400 feet

Julien operates the 500mm Canon.

Julien operates the 500mm Canon.

Shooting with the old Kowa glass was also a first for me. I had tested the lenses but not with sunsets and the gorgeous fields that we had to work with. One word. WOW!! Their flare and contrast ranges were beautiful; warm and slightly muted.  I felt it fit the spot perfectly. I shot the farmer with these and the opening sequence, then match the look in our color suite with the other cinema primes and Canon glass we used.

75mm Vintage Kowa Lens.

75mm Vintage Kowa Lens.

Kowa and combines.

Kowa and combines.

Thinking outside the box with CamRail

We kept on thinking out of the box with our camera moves with our very limited resources during the first 3 days. How can you dolly the camera over some railroad tracks? Enter the CamRail system from London. This worked very well even with the heavier cinema primes. It pinched the dolly mechanism a bit but it made for a very smooth move with all that resistance. Oh no!! No wedges or apple boxes, well 2 Pelican cases and some 4X5 WW IR NDs will work perfectly for wedges. I love this platform and its liberating spirit. Remember, it is not the camera, but the person behind it.

Mikey makes a dolly move with the Cam rail system.

Mikey makes a dolly move with the Cam rail system.

Schedule 1-on-1 Video Call with Shane Hurlbut, ASC

Looking for mentorship in the film industry? Schedule a 1-on-1 meeting with Shane Hurlbut, ASC today! This is where you can get expert advice from an industry professional on your career or a particular project. 

About Filmmakers Academy Cinematographer Mentor Shane Hurlbut, ASC

Director of photography Shane Hurlbut, ASC works at the forefront of cinema. He’s a storyteller, innovator, and discerning collaborator, who brings more than three decades of experience to his art. He is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers, the International Cinematographers Guild/Local 600, and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Hurlbut frequently joins forces with great directors: McG’s Netflix Rim of the World and The Babysitter, plus Warner Bros. We Are Marshall and Terminator: Salvation; Scott Waugh’s Need for Speed and Act of Valor; and Gabriele Muccino’s There Is No Place Like Home and Fathers and Daughters. His additional film credits include Semi-Pro; The Greatest Game Ever Played; Into the Blue; Mr 3000; Drumline; 11:14, which earned Hurlbut a DVDX nomination; and The Skulls. Notably, his television credits include the first season of AMC’s Into the Badlands.

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June 14, 2010/by Shane Hurlbut, ASC
Tags: 5D, Canon, Canon 5D, Cinematographer, Cinematography, commercial, Commercial Spot, DSLR, Film, filmmaking, HDSLR Cameras, Hybrid, Shane Hurlbut
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https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Web-4-pictures11-1.jpg 335 500 Shane Hurlbut, ASC https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Filmmakers-Academy-Filmmaking-Courses.svg Shane Hurlbut, ASC2010-06-14 23:09:522022-08-17 00:59:07How To Film a High-Value Commercial on a Budget
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79 replies
  1. Elvis Ripley
    Elvis Ripley says:
    June 15, 2010 at 12:35 AM

    This is a great write up.
    Will this be an ongoing campaign for Case?
    When will the spots be out?

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 11:12 PM

      Elvis Ripley, Thank you so much, it was suppose to be a campaign but Case only wanted one out of three. They should air very soon and I will post my Director’s cut on Vimeo for all of you to check out.

  2. Alan
    Alan says:
    June 15, 2010 at 12:38 AM

    Shane,
    All of your articles are so informative and great to read. I just recently hopped on the 5D ride, and you are the first place I turn to for information. You are an invaluable asset and much under-appreciated by the film making world as a whole.

    I’m in love with my 5D and my Canon L glass. Just need to find a good lightweight handheld rig.

    Keep on being our beacon of light in the HDSLR revolution.

    Alan

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 11:10 PM

      Alan, thank you so much for all of those kind words and support. I will keep on keepin on.

  3. Darren
    Darren says:
    June 15, 2010 at 1:25 AM

    Incredible uses and places to put the Canon cams Shane – Keep em coming.

    P.S. saw your NAB 2010 presentation on macvideo.tv and loved the things that you shared there.

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 11:09 PM

      Darren, thank you so much, yes it is very compact and thinking out of the box it what it is about. Thank you for your kind words and support.

  4. Micah
    Micah says:
    June 15, 2010 at 1:39 AM

    Love the ingenuity Shane! Keep it up and I can’t wait to see the final piece!

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 11:08 PM

      Micah, thank you so much, final piece will be posted on Vimeo once I finish the edit.

  5. rod Hardinge
    rod Hardinge says:
    June 15, 2010 at 4:27 AM

    What can you say! you are the man, a real hard working pro, cut through the bullshit, this could have been shot about fifty KM from where I live..
    love it, rod from oz.

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 11:03 PM

      rod Hardinge, thank you for that kind support, nice. I should have harvested your field.

  6. Frank Glencairn
    Frank Glencairn says:
    June 15, 2010 at 4:57 AM

    Looks great Shane, can´t wait to see the result.
    Especially the Kowa shots.

    best, Frank

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:57 PM

      Frank Glencairn, thank you so much, the spot will be up once I finish the edit on Vimeo. The Kowa’s rocked it out.

  7. Stephen
    Stephen says:
    June 15, 2010 at 4:01 AM

    Hey Shane.. I appreciate the time and effort you continue to put into your blog – it makes for great, informative and interesting reading. Also, very good to hear that you’ve stepped into the directing arena! – I’m a (sometimes) TVC director too (although I feel I’m really a frustrated wannabe cinematographer) – looking forward to the day I can convince a client to shoot on a DSLR – I dearly love film, but these new cameras, even with their drawbacks, are liberating tools for releasing creativity, as your article beautifully illustrates. I feel the agencies are becoming more conducive to the idea shooting this way (at least here in England), ALL the cinematographers I have worked with recently own 5Ds and love them, and I think, secretly wish they could shoot on them. However, clients are still a little wary of the idea and feel more comfortable going with the traditional route. You and others like you (the people who film ‘House’ for example – Gale Tattersall?) are making it easier to convince them and are forging the path ahead for the rest of us! Keep it up, Shane!

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 11:07 PM

      Stephen, WOW!!, thank you for all those kind words. That is unfortunate. I love the freedom and liberating qualities that this tool delivers. I have great success with convincing them. It will come. When they see that whatever they dream up is possible now because of this tool, they will make the exodus. I won’t stop.

  8. Karl Jull
    Karl Jull says:
    June 15, 2010 at 4:55 AM

    Hi Shane..I really appreciate these insights to a shoot.
    You are the only one out there that is actually using these cameras and sharing real world problems and there solutions.
    I would like to echo a comment made on a previous post of yours, it would be great if you could find the time to produce a masterclass series. You have a natural teaching style that cuts the crap and tells it like it is

    Again…thanks for the effort you spend in creating these blogs

    Regards

    Karl

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 11:01 PM

      Karl Jull, well, thank you so much for your kind words, I make mistakes daily, I pick myself up and pass that on to all of you so that you do not make the soma ones. The master class is up. Go to hdslrbootcamp.com. August 28 and 29 will be the most intensive, hands on, in depth 5D course you have ever seen. Bring it on, and join the REVOLUTION.

  9. mel haynes jr
    mel haynes jr says:
    June 15, 2010 at 11:30 AM

    another great write up. I would be very interested to see the final spot when its completed. Showing how to realize your vision without the millions of dollars in budget is inspiring and shows that “it is not the camera, but the person behind it”.

    Again, thanks soo much for taking time out of your day to share your knowledge and stories with us.

    Mel

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:55 PM

      mel haynes jr, thank you for those kind words, yes it is a great tool but you have to know what you are doing. You are very welcome and thank you for your support. Spot will be coming once I finish the edit.

  10. Sloan Inns
    Sloan Inns says:
    June 15, 2010 at 8:31 AM

    Thanks so much for sharing this! I didn’t think I would ever get the chance to see into a D.P.’s mind like this… it really is informative

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:56 PM

      Sloan Inns, you are so welcome, I am glad you liked it. Educate and inspire is what we are about. Thanks for your support.

  11. Mario Toscani
    Mario Toscani says:
    June 15, 2010 at 5:01 PM

    Thanks again Shane, those realy are the big fun shoots. I know what you mean about the Zeiss lenses, I just bought a couple of them myself and they realy stand out from the Canon lenses. The image already looks nicer on the camera screen. Still have some problems with the adapter rings though, they all seem to have a lot of play connecting to the camera body.
    Can’t wait to see the final result.

    ciao, Mario

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:51 PM

      Mario Toscani, you are welcome, have you tried the professional mount from Fotodiox. It is around $80.00. It is the best by far, no play, tight.

  12. Hossein
    Hossein says:
    June 15, 2010 at 4:22 PM

    Hi Shane,

    Before, I have to thanks for all your wise answers to my last questions, the really brightened my way to HDSLR.

    After reading and enjoying your article about lenses for HDSLR, I have circled around old photography equipment stores and found a treasure of old Leica R lenses which are priced from $300 to $1200. I have tested them using an adapter on my 5D2 and found they are still clear and clean. now, what do you think, am I on the right track, I mean investing on old (maybe 20 years old) Leica lenses for HDSLR film making? in your article, you compared Leica with Panavision! (“They felt the closest to the Panavision Primo primes”), was it for their new lenses? or works for these old stuffs? do they breathe while focus pulling? what about their contrast?

    with some more efforts I might be able to invest on Canon glass L lenses, I’m confused to do what? wait for Canon or experience Leica R lenses? and a final question: in the series of old Leica lenses, which lenses you think are the best?

    Thanks for the time you spent reading my questions. Hossein

  13. John Behrens
    John Behrens says:
    June 15, 2010 at 9:45 PM

    Thanks again for another very educational post! Your blog is a huge inspiration.
    You asked how we’ve done more with less… I recently shot a video for a local car dealership that was supposed to serve two purposes – lead up to a speech by one of the owners of the company and get the sales team excited about cars (and selling them). The idea I had was similar to a Shell/Ferrari ad I had seen, but I wanted to use the American made Corvette ZR1 I had seen parked outside the company’s building. We used the 5D pretty much naked. Either it was suction mounted to the car with a rented Canon 20mm 2.8 or 17-35 2.8L, on the Pocket Dolly with the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS or handheld with the 70-200. The shots back toward the car were done with me lying on the floor of a van with the tailgate open with the 70-200, focusing on the barrel… with seatbelts tied around my ankles. Without the 5D getting the look I was going for wouldn’t have been within our reach. Plus I was able to get a lot of setups in very little time as a one man crew for most of the time. The camera even let me shoot interiors curled up in the Corvette’s tiny trunk.
    Here’s the video:

    I know the video is no masterpiece, but it gets me excited just to know that I was able to make this concept happen at all. And a big reason this shoot happened was thanks to all of the great insight and passion you share in this blog.
    Thanks Shane!

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:49 PM

      John Behrens, looks great!!! You are bringing it. I love it. Keep on tearing it up, and thank you so much for your kind words. You are very welcome.

  14. nathaniel Hansen
    nathaniel Hansen says:
    June 16, 2010 at 3:45 PM

    Awesome behind the scenes – Thanks for the detailed write up and the digital masterclass!

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:44 PM

      nathaniel Hansen, thank you so much and you are welcome.

  15. Eric Diosay
    Eric Diosay says:
    June 17, 2010 at 1:04 PM

    Shane, I love your outside the box thinking. It’s always very informative and inspiring every time I read your blog.

    Cheers,

    Eric

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:39 PM

      Eric Diosay, Thank you for your kind words and support. I am glad you like it.

  16. Eric Diosay
    Eric Diosay says:
    June 17, 2010 at 1:06 PM

    @Alan – have you looked into the Hot Rod Cameras Hand Held Rig? It’s very light and balanced. Here’s my set-up inspired by Shane’s ManCam:

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:37 PM

      Eric Diosay, I have many of Illya’s rigs from Hot Rod, they work great. I like your rig. Sweet with the monitor back there. Try putting a handle near the back right rod and then one forward of the camera on the left. See if you feel a little more stable.

  17. Chad
    Chad says:
    June 17, 2010 at 10:11 PM

    Nice working with you Shane, I think you’ve inspired me to get back into photography a bit. Might even get a 5D soon, I wish I had more time to spend with you guys to pick your brains a bit more. Call me if you need another aerial in the Texas area.

    -Chad

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:34 PM

      Chad, thank you so much for your kind words and support. You should see your Crop Duster Cam shot, it is amazing. It is in the spot. I will post it soon once the edit is done so that you can see your brilliant flying.

  18. Steve K
    Steve K says:
    June 18, 2010 at 1:06 AM

    Shane,

    You already know what I’m gonna say … so I’m just gonna keep quiet, for a change—plus, I’d only be echoing what others have said. Cheers, everyone!
    :-)

    I will say this, however: if the stills are any indication of what the finished spot will look like …
    Can’t wait to see it.

    As always, thank you so much for all the time, dedication, and effort you put into these posts—this one was especially informative, what with so many different rigs and lenses to cover. I got winded just reading the dern thing!

    Keep doin’ that thing you do, Shane.

    You rock!!

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 20, 2010 at 10:32 PM

      Steve K, thank you so much for all the kudos, love your support. I will continue to push the envelope.

  19. ken glassing
    ken glassing says:
    June 18, 2010 at 1:34 AM

    Hey Shane…Awesome shoot…looks like a blast. I just finished a 12 day feature I shot with my 7d’s. Went amazingly well…should have footage available soon to show.
    BTW, are those Panavision lenses I see on your cameras? Shhh…I thought the boys in Woodland Hills melted all those mounts down? What’s the skinny?
    Ken Glassing

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 19, 2010 at 2:27 AM

      ken glassing, Thank you so much, the skinny is that we should talk.

  20. Bill Walsh
    Bill Walsh says:
    June 18, 2010 at 1:29 PM

    How would I go about mounting a Kowa lens on a 7d? Would the camera need to be modified or does an adapter do the job?

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 19, 2010 at 2:30 AM

      Bill Walsh, all of the Kowa’s that I know are either PL or PV mounts, so your camera would need to be modified if you went PL, they might be someone that could modify them to EOS mount, like Duclos. Not sure, have not gone down that road yet.

  21. RobShaver
    RobShaver says:
    June 27, 2010 at 6:04 PM

    Shane, congratulations on your invite to join The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    Rob:-]

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 27, 2010 at 11:00 PM

      RobShaver, thank you so much, it is a huge honor and carries a ton of responsibility. I am up for it. Thank you again for your support.

  22. ChrisAlbert
    ChrisAlbert says:
    June 28, 2010 at 2:13 PM

    Shane,

    Like everyone else your sharing of knowledge is fantastic.

    I’m a cameraman with 60 Minutes and need to mount a 5D on the exterior of an aircraft…you said you’d mount it differently next time? If you get a chance to reply, what you suggest and with what gear?

    Cheers, Chris Albert

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 29, 2010 at 10:03 AM

      ChrisAlbert, Thank you for your kind words Chris. I found that on our small Cessna aircraft the engine vibrating blurred every other frame on the 5D. If I was to do it again I would have tried to isolate the camera from the landing gear and the wing struts that I mounted the cameras to, maybe using some rubber dampening. Not sure because there is not a manual for this stuff. I do have to say that, that in post we pulled out all the blurred frames and then used Twixtor to duplicate the ones that we pulled out and it looked spectacular. We used the Doggicam 5/8 inch 5D rigging kit and some baby pins w/ 1/4 2″ screws that we put in the bottom of the cameras and also in the hot shoe. If I was going to do this again I probably would have mounted the cameras in ViewFactors Exoskeleton cage. It gives you more mounting places. One thing that you have to make sure that you do is mount several cameras. I mounted 3 cameras but probably should have mounted 5. I would have done 2 straight down, then 2 pointed down at about a 20 degree angle and then one at a 45 degree angle. 24mm seemed very nice at 400 feet. Please refer to the blog, I am inserting a still shot from the aerial 5D crop duster cam.

  23. Carlos
    Carlos says:
    June 29, 2010 at 1:00 AM

    Shane I love you. hahahaha (just kidding)

    I mean I really do, it is so great to visit this super entertaining, illustrative and edifying site thank you so much for this super info you share with all of us your reall fans since the last three minutes short film.

    greetins from mexico city. Shane, Phillip, Laforet, and te zacuto guy (dont know his name, the HD-DSLR´s pioneers.

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 29, 2010 at 4:19 PM

      Carlos, Thank you so much for those kind words and support. We will together keep on pushing this technology. I am glad you liked the short. Greetings from The Adirondecks!!

  24. David Elkins
    David Elkins says:
    June 29, 2010 at 2:40 PM

    Shane, Thanks for the fantastic (and detailed!) write up. I was wondering for the aerials, would you ever consider shooting at a faster shutter speed (1/100, maybe 1/200) to minimize the blurred frames from the vibrations? I know it can create a more staccato kind of look, but I imagine you are far enough from your subject in this case that they (the harvesters) slowly drift through the frame? Just curious on your take on breaking the 180 rule for certain circumstances.
    Thanks, Dave

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 29, 2010 at 4:15 PM

      David Elkins, You are so welcome. I think that would be a great idea. Next time when I employ Crop Duster Cam I will try that.

  25. zack mctee
    zack mctee says:
    June 29, 2010 at 4:00 PM

    Thanks a lot Shane. I hope you realize how humble and helpful your contribution to the filmmaking community is.

    best,

    -zack

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      June 29, 2010 at 5:31 PM

      zack mctee, You are so welcome. Thank you so much for your support and I will continue.

  26. ChrisAlbert
    ChrisAlbert says:
    June 30, 2010 at 8:57 AM

    Thanks Shane, appreciate the advice.

    Cheers, Chris

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 1, 2010 at 12:21 AM

      ChrisAlbert, You are welcome.

  27. ken glassing
    ken glassing says:
    July 4, 2010 at 12:55 AM

    Dave Elkins…
    A faster shutter speed will show the effects of the rolling shutter more, so be careful here. I’ve had motorcycle mount shots we did on csi miami ruined becuase of this vibration effect. Shooting at 1/30th second will reduce the rolling shutter “jello” effect as much as possible, but will not eliminate it.
    Best Regards…
    Ken Glassing
    BTW, I was a student of yours once upon a time!

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 4, 2010 at 11:03 AM

      ken glassing, thanks for helping me out Ken. I never try to shoot above a 1/50th of a second. Anything higher just looks like video.

  28. maureen ganley
    maureen ganley says:
    July 7, 2010 at 6:45 AM

    Beautiful! I can sense the vastness of the wheat fields…brings me back home.

  29. Tom Camarda
    Tom Camarda says:
    July 10, 2010 at 5:05 AM

    Hi Shane,

    Thanks for all the great info on this site. One questions: how do you find 2:35 aspect on the 5D?

    Tom

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 13, 2010 at 11:46 AM

      Tom Camarda, It is not a problem, We shot all of “Act of Valor” 2:35. I just took 1/4″ white tape and made my frame lines for composition. It looks amazing on the big screen.

  30. Nigel Corroon
    Nigel Corroon says:
    July 13, 2010 at 10:12 AM

    Hi Shane
    This is great BTS stuff. Where can we see the finished product?

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 13, 2010 at 11:35 AM

      Nigel Corroon, Thank you so much. I will be posting it soon. I just finished the edit and grading.

  31. keidrych wasley
    keidrych wasley says:
    July 13, 2010 at 12:08 PM

    Maybe it’s premature to ask but do you have any idea when ‘Act of Valor’ might be out? I’m assuming it will have general distribution, or is it going to be a limited number of cinemas?

    Additionally, do you have any comments on the season finale of House? I’m particularly interested in grading. You often mention how it is important to get the look in the camera, i wonder how much was done in camera (i’m presuming the large majority. It just seemed the footage to me was ‘enhanced’ and i wonder by how much in the grade and what techniques might have been used).

    It would be interesting to see any of your work pre/post grade, or perhaps if you would be able to draw light on what you did for the case tractor spot?

    One more thing. Over the experience you’ve gained over the last year or so, it would be interesting to see what you’re no no’s are on set in regards to aliasing/moire. How do you liase with the set designer/costume/location scout in regards to this matter?

    Sorry, that’s rather a lot!, but maybe these questions will be on the back-burner in your mind for future posts.

    Thanks again Shane.

  32. Tony
    Tony says:
    July 27, 2010 at 12:21 PM

    Those are some awesome rigs. What do you guys think about this one for aerial shots:

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 27, 2010 at 7:23 PM

      Tony, I have used a similar remote helicopter and you are always shooting the props in the top of your frame and also dealing with the vibration issue. They are great for panoramic city shots, but put to the test in action where you want to attack the on coming car or high speed boat, they fall short every time.

  33. Nigel Ellis
    Nigel Ellis says:
    July 27, 2010 at 3:45 PM

    Hi Shane,
    thanks for sharing your techniques!! I was very interested in the aerials you did here. I have been developing small mounts for Cessna’s for some time now and have had mixed results with the 5D. I am just working on a mount to look vertically down like you had. I really liked the creative way you got rid of the vibration in post. I have had that kind of vibration in many tests I had shot in the development of the mounts. I am very close to getting rid of all vibration. ALso, the vibration seems to really screw up the compression – – but getting rid of the vibration gets you closer -http://vimeo.com/13137302 :-)
    Frame rate seems to play a big issue as well – 24p and you get rolling shutter – 30p and you get vibration blur.
    Let me know if you ever need a airplane mount that will fit in your camera case and hopefully I will have one for you!!
    thanks,
    Nigel

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 27, 2010 at 7:19 PM

      Nigel Ellis, You are so welcome and thank you for all of your great insight and information on this. I would love to have one of those mounts sent to my HDLSR Bootcamp to educate all of these filmmakers on this. It is on Aug. 28-29. Thoughts?

  34. Nigel Ellis
    Nigel Ellis says:
    July 28, 2010 at 4:13 PM

    Hi Shane, it would be great to get you some for the boot camp. Let me work on the prototypes a bit more this week as I would like to get them 100% if possible. Cheers and thanks a gain for a great site, Nigel

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 28, 2010 at 5:48 PM

      Nigel Ellis, that is awesome. The Elite team and I look forward to seeing this baby. I imagine it is better than a couple hose clamps from Walmart automotive and a baby spud, Ha Ha :) Thanks for the kudos!!

  35. Paul Reuter
    Paul Reuter says:
    July 29, 2010 at 9:20 AM

    Hi Shane

    I am wondering if you have discussed Moire problem on any of these lists. Is it a fact of life? How have you handled it?

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 29, 2010 at 1:56 PM

      Paul Reuter, hey Paul, unfortunately it is a fact of life. With the sensor only reading every other line this is what we get. You just have to watch out for tight patterns and don’t expose the cons of this camera. That is what I have been trying to do. Know its limitations and do not expose them.

  36. Paul Reuter
    Paul Reuter says:
    July 30, 2010 at 12:09 AM

    Thx Shane,

    I wasn’t really thinking you’d be able to pull a rabbit out of a hat… just hoping. My clients are over the Moon with the footage I have delivered so I am carrying on. The Harvest stuff you’ve posted on the sight look amazing. Hope we run in to each other soon.

    Paul

  37. Larry McMahon
    Larry McMahon says:
    August 16, 2010 at 10:13 AM

    Hi there,

    This is brilliant. Thanks!

    I need to fix the 5d mark2 to this lambada composite aircraft.

    Will be shooting a glider. Not as practical as Darin :) What would you/he suggest in terms of grip to secure it? Want to look ahead and down( and not lose it!) There are no struts on this plane. Thanks.

    Larry

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      August 17, 2010 at 2:59 PM

      Larry McMahon, We used hose clamps that attached to a piece of steel that had a screw coming out of it, that we then threaded a baby pin onto and rigged the rest with grip heads and c-stand arms. I would have to look at pictures and have Dave my Elite Team Key Grip take a look at it.

  38. saif ali khan
    saif ali khan says:
    October 13, 2010 at 5:05 PM

    i am making a feature film in bollywood…id like to know if i can intercut sequences with a 5d camera and arriflex 435…will they intercut once blown up correctly?

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      October 15, 2010 at 1:13 AM

      saif ali khan, Absolutely

  39. Chris McAlister
    Chris McAlister says:
    January 11, 2011 at 12:10 AM

    To achieve a slide across an entire bar, we once took a tripod head, a jorgensen wood clamp, and a couple boa bags, put it all on top of a thin cloth, smoothed down the bar, and after about 3 takes, we a had a perfectly smooth 20 foot pan. All because of the amazing light weight of the 5D. This revolution really is a beautiful thing.

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      January 12, 2011 at 7:17 PM

      Chris McAlister, Thank you so much for your insight and info to our co-collaborators. I agree.

  40. Drew Ruggles
    Drew Ruggles says:
    February 4, 2013 at 4:33 PM

    I am shooting a very similar spot for a agriculture machine manufacture in the midwest. I would greatly appreciate some info on renting the Chapman Hydro Scope. Thank you!

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      February 9, 2013 at 8:48 PM

      Drew Ruggles, I think we go that out of Dallas, they brought the camera car as well. It is the best way to shoot these monsters, you can put the camera anywhere. When the farmer saw this thing swinging all over his combine he was amazed.

  41. Matthew Schroeder
    Matthew Schroeder says:
    October 25, 2014 at 4:44 PM

    Thanks for publishing your experiences on this spot. I’m curious also about the Kowa/5D combo… which focal lengths did you use? Wasn’t an issue covering the 5D sensor with a lens designed for Super 35?

  42. Oren Arieli
    Oren Arieli says:
    March 24, 2015 at 11:04 AM

    Great article Shane. Thanks so much for sharing this. I’m also a huge believer in problem solving on-site. It was nice to read how you dealt with the constraints of time, budget and shot challenges. Keep up the stellar work. Also, thanks for hitting up San Jose for the Illumination Experience. It was the highlight class of 2014.

    • Shane
      Shane says:
      July 23, 2015 at 7:59 PM

      You are very welcome and I loved San Jose and really appreciate all your kind words. Common sense and thinking on your feet is very powerful tools to learn for filmmaking in general.

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