About to go onto the risky side of shooting

[Paul J Steinberg]

As both a motorcyclist and DP, No fucking way would i shoot handheld on an Alexa on ha back of a motorcycle.

Absolutely not. Have been riding and shooting for well over 20 years. Back in the day I shot quite a few triathlons from the back of motorcycles with 2/3" camera but the bikes were modified with either sidecars or additional foot platforms and a place to lean and piloted by experienced riders. What the director is asking for is waaaaayyyyy to dangerous. Get a camera car, prowler, golf cart whatever that has been rigged out properly and driven by a professional driver.

 

[Antonio Ribeiro]

The safest way to do this and for the best effect is to hard mount a steadicam rig onto a proper camera car that you are strapped into. This gives the best results.

Waay to dangerous to sit on the back of a motorbike these days and your insurance would probably not cover you for doing something so stupid

I just attached a picture of the safe method of shooting in this style. This was taken when i was attending the Steadicam Gold training course a couple of years ago in Australia.

Hi Adam,

Thanks for sharing the photo. I think these guys are pretty experienced, they will also have according to the producer, police bikes manning the front of the convoy as we're talking about central London.

 

[Antonio Ribeiro]

How about custom SteadiCAM-AM?

The perfect vehicle! ha, ha, ha!...

 

[Antonio Ribeiro]

1) the shooting platform should NOT be another motorcycle.

2) if you are shooting traffic, then all photographed vehicles need to be under control of a trained precision driver.

3)this is something that should so not be operated by you. You should be the DP, and light it, and if you are good at operating a hot head, then operate it.. or a MoVi at the end of a mount on a quadrunner, with wireless link to monitor and operate..

4) The more I think of this, it is so absolutely the province of A list resources, I have no idea why you are even considering doing it.

I have worked on giant projects, like Fast 5, and on Flight, and AD'd car to car photography on a Nascar track for Mello Yello commercials with pro drivers....
your scenario scares the piss out of me. Not the result desired, but the question about handhold operating this follow shot on a motorcycle.

Do it with the right tools and support... or pass on the job entirely

Hi Christopher,

I totally agree. Thanks for your insight. I will be asking a load of questions and I feel safer already. Hiring a convertible and shooting from the back of it, is the best option no doubt, in the absence of a purpose-built rig.

Good sound advice! I love Reduser!

 

[utku sonmezer]

i think you should use an atv type of vehicle instead of a motorbike. Something like this maybe. If you wanna hand held the camera it will be way much cheaper without the gyro head

 

[Frederick Giles]

And then you watch Mad max and say why not?

 

[David W. Jones]

2 seat ATV with rear bed mounted mini arm, just like normal full size mercedes chase SUV with full size arm, only much smaller. Cam op with controls and monitor in second seat.

......I see somebody already posted one of these.

 

[Freya]

...police bikes manning the front of the convoy as we're talking about central London.

Oh! Central London! That's a huge relief, I had visions of high speed motorcycle chases. Still do be careful, you'd be surprised at how badly you can hurt yourself even at 10mph.

Freya

 

[Mike P.]

5Dmk3 Magic Lantern time? If the shot is made to capture the hectic-ness of riding on a motorcycle weaving through traffic, there is absolutely no need for an Alexa (the shots will be way too motion-induced... The rolling-shutter might actually make for a better shot) ... Hell, you could probably intercut with Gpro footage and the audience wouldn't know the difference.

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

Hi guys,

I've been invited to DP a shoot where I'll be using probably an Alexa and shooting for the large part from the back of a motorbike facing backwards.

Grateful if I can have some tips from the forum on the optimal rig and overall safety.

Thanks

Antonio

Hi Eric,

Good question. The reason why I will be on a motobike is that there is an element of filtering through traffic and I am shooting another motorbike, so the shots have a connection in terms of angles, action feel, etc.

My thoughts about being handheld are of course, what is the procedure in terms of safety strap/belt, etc. Hard mounted sounds like a great option though.

Please inform the director and the producer that unless these shots would be TV coverage type and shot at low speeds, their wishes are unrealistic and they would be toying with yours and bike driver's life, and if they want Alexa AND these types of shots, they have to use a proper solution.

This route is very dangerous and mistakes on a motorcycle are better left avoided. Even if you could practically monitor, focus and frame the shot on a large 35 mm camera while being strapped on a bike, wearing a helmet, fighting the wind drag, bike's vibration and changes in speed and direction, this would be toying with inertia of a heavy object on a high center of gravity on a fast moving motorcycle.

Stability of a motorcycle depends on a reliable, predictable and low center of gravity and handheld Alexa on a bike brings the opposites in those factors. Not only a bike driver would have a heavy task keeping the bike stable as is, every time you move the camera (as you choose depending on the shot or the wind drag does it), changing the camera angle or position would risk destabilizing the motorcycle.

For shots like these I suggest using either a smaller and lighter camera with a lot of prior testing done in controlled conditions, or a proper rig mounted on a proper vehicle. The only other option worth considering would be fixed tail mounted and hopefully weight centered camera, in which case you can forget about having much choices with camera angles or re-composing a shot during a ride.

Tour de France TV coverage proves good hand held can be achieved from a rearward facing camera with experienced, skilled, trained crew working within governed and controlled traffic.

It should be added - for informative and more uniform type of shots, taken with a more ergonomical broadcast camera at average speeds of 25 Mph.