Shooting through a car windshield- is less angled windshields better for reflections?

[Jamie A]

Hi all,

I have a few scenes in a short film where we're shooting some dialogue scenes in a moving car. I want to shoot some of it from the hood using a car suction mount.

Of course I'd love to use a process trailer but we don't have the budget.

In terms of dealing with windshield reflection, is it best to have a vehicle where the windshield is less aerodynamic - as in less angled and more vertical?

 

[James Falco]

Im my expiriance more aerodynamic is better in combination with a rotating polarizing filter.
Planing the driving route and time of day plays a big role as well.

You will probably have a lot of vibration from the car unless the road is supper smooth and the driver drives slowly.


Good luck. ///

 

[Ben Scott]

pola or a lens skirt to block out reflections.

http://www.lenskirt.com/

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Angle of incidence = angle of reflection. So, it depends on not just the angle of the windshield itself but where the camera is placed and where the light is coming from (time of day, direction of movement).

 

[Phil Holland]

Wow. Didn't see that Lenskirt before. Back in the 2000s I was taking black t-shirts out of my luggage and gaffing them to the window. This is a bit handier than that

But yeah, what others said. A polarizer will in the end be the most useful thing. On bigger shoots these days we'll put a flag over the windshield if we can to block any sort of direct sunlight glinting off of it.

 

[Jeff McCoy]

Polarizer filter for the win

 

[Chris McKechnie]

You're gonna need a decent car mount with vibration/shock isolators if you don't want the footage to be jittery. Even on smooth roads, the camera will feel every bump/crack.

A stabilizer like the Ronin or Movi will also do wonders for you in terms of stability and always keeping the horizon level. You can also pan/tilt the camera remotely, which offers some flexibility.

As others have mentioned, a polarizer will be your best friend at cutting the reflections inexpensively. Make sure your MatteBox has rotational stages, or you could just a screw on kind instead.

You could even rent one of those car trailers from U-Haul for really cheap. They get the front 2 tires off the road of the acting car, and you tow it with the driving car, and your acting car doesn't have to worry about driving (acting while driving is technically is illegal in some states/countries anyways).

Another thought would be to rig smaller cameras inside, which cuts down a lot of the complication. Ultimately your budget will play a huge part in car scenes.

 

[Peter Strietmann]

Also consider if you shoot on an overcast day it could potentially look like you have put a white curtain over the wind shield. But, an overcast day driving through a thick forest makes for some pretty compelling imagery.

 

[Peter Arnold]

The Lenskirt lives in my RED camerabag for many years. Saved my ass several times.
I think it's a must have.

 

[Simon Gentry]

what James said - rotating polarizer - great for car scenes, and windowed restaurant/coffee house scenes

 

[Elias Tejeda]

Assuming you didn't need a tone of power and rigging was minimal, would renting a cheap Uhaul trailer work as a DIY process trailer?

 

[B Kanegson]

Assuming you didn't need a tone of power and rigging was minimal, would renting a cheap Uhaul trailer work as a DIY process trailer?

Had to do this once way back on a music video, when the talent showed up sporting a (surprise!) cast on his (broken) hand. Also could not drive stick shift. Two strikes against him driving the hero car, as was originally planned for the shoot. Uhaul trailer was a hastily improvised plan "b".

As I recall, had to take time to remove trailer fenders in order to open the vehicle doors even a little, which took some time to do. Uhaul trailer MUCH narrower than a dedicated process trailer, so no room for anything alongside the car.