Need to rig my Scarlet 35 feet above a pool for a 90 degree overhead shot...

[James_Mills]

In order to avoid distortion, we can't use less than a 35 mm lens (at full frame) and the pool itself is 15 feet by 40 feet so I need to get my camera directly over the middle of the pool to cover as much ground as possible. We did some calculations and saw that this means we'll have to get the camera 35 feet high...

Now we could deal with as low as 25 if there is no other solution, but does anyone have any suggestions for how to do this? Our shoot is this Sunday. One rental house suggested making two parallels and two combos on top of them and then a speed rail connecting the two hanging over the pool (and then the camera obv rigged to the middle of that speed rail. My concern here is that it might be too shaky and we need a static shot... this is also my concern with what my friend suggested: to create a overhead speedrail rig that just goes right off the combo stand at a 45 degree angle so that the camera can look directly down (just like I need mine). This sounded pretty crazy to me but my friend assured me that he did it before and got 25 feet high! (just a combo with a speed rail slanted at a 45 degree angle with the camera rigged looking down at the very end of it).

Obviously an actual cinema crane would be optimal but the budget can't afford it. ANy help would be GREAT, we need to make a decision within the next two days...

 

[Bob Gundu]

Sounds like an octocopter might be the easiest and cheapest solution.

 

[Austin Glass]

Sounds like an octocopter might be the easiest and cheapest solution.

Sounds like he's looking for a static solution…

 

[Björn Benckert]

3 big stands and then make a tripod spider. no dangling and you can adjust the hight. It's quite basic, tie 3 ropes one to each leg of your tripod, aim camera straight up, flip upside down, winch up the stuff from three high stands that are secured use the three ropes to adjust position and angle.

Use the red mote for on/off.

Advice use a slightly wider lens than wanted so you can do smaller reracking adjustments in post.

 

[Michael Winokur]

How about an Aerial Lift - any construction equipment place will have them, the rates aren't bad, often the delivery charges are more then the equipment rates.
https://www.hertzequip.com/herc/rental-equipment/aerial-equipment+manlifts+telescopic-boom-lift?

 

[James_Mills]

Wow, Michael, that site does offer some really good deals! I'm going to investigate now, sounds way too good to be true for under 400 a day...

But yeah guys, it is going to be a static shot. Bjorn, I'm not quite sure I understand your idea. What would the third high stand be for? Are you saying you'd have one on either end of the length (the 15 foot side) and then one at the end of the width section to stabilize? Wouldn't that be too far away?

Thanks a bunch for your help, everyone. Hopefully I can figure something out...

 

[Bill Anderson]

I'm sure you don't need to be told this, but given a couple of tragic events not too far from home: If there is anyone in the pool, make sure every frickin light and electrical fixture is bolted down and manned. To use industry parlance: don't be dropping no f'n blondes or redheads in there.

 

[Björn Benckert]

Wow, Michael, that site does offer some really good deals! I'm going to investigate now, sounds way too good to be true for under 400 a day...

But yeah guys, it is going to be a static shot. Bjorn, I'm not quite sure I understand your idea. What would the third high stand be for? Are you saying you'd have one on either end of the length (the 15 foot side) and then one at the end of the width section to stabilize? Wouldn't that be too far away?

Thanks a bunch for your help, everyone. Hopefully I can figure something out...

If you hang it in three points it will not sway in the wind. Three ropes fixated at 2,6 and 10 oclock gives you a very stable middle point.

 

[James_Mills]

I'm sure you don't need to be told this, but given a couple of tragic events not too far from home: If there is anyone in the pool, make sure every frickin light and electrical fixture is bolted down and manned. To use industry parlance: don't be dropping no f'n blondes or redheads in there.

This can never be stressed enough, thanks so much.

Bjorn, oso you're saying have three big stands and then one stand hanging over the pool that's connected to the other three for a total of four stands? Wow, that sounds pretty crazy but could work... I'mg etting really good rates from Herc on the manlifts right now so may go that route, but fitting the lift in there might be a problem...

 

[Michael Panfeld]

You could try to build something along the lines of a menace arm, but at 35 feet, that's pushing the limits.