The Plank Cam

OK zero budget filmmakers it’s time to learn how to get fluid tracking shots over rough terrian, clearing cars and other obstacles and not have to pay the outrageous fees they charge for hiring steadicams, steadicam juniors, jimmy jibs, cherry picker cranes, dollys and track or all that other stuff that usually goes for £1000 a day minimum- and this method doesn’t even involve sleeping with a steadicam/jib/crane operator, most of whom have bad hair and wear 10 year old Pink Floyd T shirts (except for Jeff Mart who’s a proper gent). Anyway, here’s how to make Blunt’s non patented PLANK CAM.

1. Get a plank. For God’s sake, don’t pay for it. Free planks are everywhere. Get one out of a skip. The one we’re using here was abandoned in the alley outside my house, along with about 20 rotting plasterboards which we have yet to find a use for. Camden Council don’t seem too keen on picking them up either, the bastards. but I’m straying from the point.

2. Place your camera in the exact centre of the plank. If you can’t be bothered to measure it place a pencil under the plank and move the plank up and down until it rests on the pencil like a see-saw without either side dipping. Then measure it properly because the pencil thing never works.

3. Secure the camera with plenty of gaffer tape. (tip: don’t buy gaffer from a camera place. They charge something like £15 for a roll. Hardware shops do the same stuff for a fiver. Very handy stuff, gaffer tape. Good Zebbies are never without it) Mind you don’t tape over any buttons you might need later, or else cut holes in the tape to get to them.

4. Right, we’re ready to start shooting. Get one person to hold the plank at one end, one at the other, and roll camera! Your two plank-cam operators may need some time to get used to the arrangement, but you’ll soon see the results with some really smooth tracking shots. For maximum absorption of bumps, a kind of Groucho Marx style walk seems to work the best.

This is only the very basic plank cam. If you see yourself doing a lot of shots like this, you can upgrade your plank-cam to the high end model like the one below with just a little imagination and a lot of gaffer tape. The crucial item is the counterweight which cuts down on camera wobble. If you really want to go for it, put the counterweight on a swivel joint so it remains pointing downwards when you tilt the plank.

Ok, we will admit right here that the end results probably wont beat dolly, track, steadicam, jib and all the expensive stuff which needs highly trained people with bad hair and Pink Floyd T shirts, but remember that the average popcorn muncher can’t even tell the difference between film and video, let alone appreciate a technically proficient shot. The plank cam will give you a perfectly acceptable shot and while Stanley Kubrick would probably leave it on the cutting room floor, bear in mind that he’s dead and we’re all still alive so who’s laughing now, eh?

Blunt Vault: Zero Budget Reality TV

It’s shockingly easy to make reality TV, and here’s what the networks don’t want you to know… it’s shockingly cheap too. All you need is this guide to ‘spicing it up’ a bit…

New Film making Tip: EXTREME HAUNTING (or How to Make a Ghost Hunting Show)

Zero budget tips on how to make a spooky ghost hunting show using two people, one house, and one cheap camera.

The Difference Key

No, it’s not a book by Dan Brown, it’s our film showing how you make a background transparent without using a bluescreen or greenscreen.  It’s called Difference Keying and it’s a bastard to get right!

Extreme Haunting: Ghost film tip.

Coming soon to Blunt Production: we bring you Extreme Haunting. Really it’s a film making tip showing you how to film a faux ghost documentary.

Film Making Tip: Blue Screen Fun

Ben Slotover and Paul Elliott of Blunt Productions show you the basics of bluescreen and how you can get some nice effects using Keying with Adobe After Effects.

Sci Fi Special: Making a simple backdrop using Photoshop (Part 2)

Using the bevel function in photoshop we’re going to construct a simple backdrop for a sci fi scene.

Taking the metal texture from yesterday we start by cutting out a shape for monitor.

Now add two strips.

Add a frame around the monitor.

Little circles bevelled look great as rivets.

A dashboard gives it the finishing touches.

Sci Fi Special: Making a simple backdrop using Photoshop (Part 1)

Learning the ancient art of beveling and embossing will  open a whole new world to your sci-fi scenes.

First we’ll take a piece of metal texture.

We select a circle from the texture.

Copy it and then paste.

In your layers box click on the layer you want to emboss.

This will open up a new menu. Click on the bevel and emboss button.

A new menu will come up where you can adjust your bevel and emboss levels. Play with the style button to change to either bevel, emboss or pillow emboss. Change your depth, size and angle and see what happens to your circle.

This is how your circle will look after you bevel it.

So once you learn the art of beveling and embossing you can start applying them to making simple backgrounds. Check tomorrow to see it in action.

Tips, Tutorials and Lessons.

Blunt Productions are now producing ‘Tutorials’ and working on ‘Feature Film Lessons’ as well as continuing with their ‘Low Budget Tips’. Tutorials will go into further details using Adobe After Effects, Premiere, Flash, Illustrator and Photoshop as well as where possible tutorials using freeware equivilants. Feature Film Lessons will look at the craft of writing, producing and directing a movie.

More information as it comes.

Blunt Film Tip: Backwards Effects