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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Subway cinematography how?

J

Joe Cage

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Hello,

How are shots like this pulled off. The lights in the cart are very minimal. Every subway/metro I have been in at night/day has been lit much more. And it does not seem to be on a closed set, as the metro is driving, the lights in the tunnels are flashing by.


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Thanks!
 
If you have the budget and proper connections, you could arrange to film on a "training" run. Transit agencies run empty trains for new Conductors and Operators training and certification.
 
Looks like they have all the commercial lights turned off and the car is lit by Quasar tubes or something similar. I don't know what this is from but with some vfx work it could have been more cost effective to build/rent a car in a studio and have the tunnel be blue/green screened in.
 
OK thanks so no way to pull this off for free guerilla style. Like waiting on the right time, or a way to turn off the lights of the metrocart :)
 
Joe Cage said:
OK thanks so no way to pull this off for free guerilla style. Like waiting on the right time, or a way to turn off the lights of the metrocart :)
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Nope. Not even. Your example was a legit shoot that they rented the car and produced. But renting out for production a train on the legit side might be less than you think it is. It's all perspective but less than $5k (depending on location) plus insurance
 
Jason Nolte said:
Nope. Not even. Your example was a legit shoot that they rented the car and produced. But renting out for production a train on the legit side might be less than you think it is. It's all perspective but less than $5k (depending on location) plus insurance
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haa I have never ever been even on a $5k video budget. Let alone a $5k budget for renting out a single metro cart ^^
Ok this idea has been put back on ice.
 
It doesn't matter what needs to be done for this scene; if he does it on a train that is in service, he risks FELONY criminal mischief, trespass, tampering, etc., since all railroads fall under the the jurisdiction of NTSB/FRA. This is important because he himself would be recording all the video evidence needed to press charges against himself and every member of the crew and cast on the set, even after the fact.....

You might want to consider the events surrounding Sara Jones and consider how railroad authorities might respond to someone opening control panels or operator cabs and flipping switches....
 
Yeah I would say the only thing I can suggest here (as many others have pointed out how the reference was achieved and how bad of an idea it is to try and tamper with a working public transit vehicle) is to add supplemental light to achieve your ratio. If you took like 4 4' quasars taped together and powered from a portable battery bank on full blast, you might have enough juice to stop down and get it to be far more moody. This will darken your surrounding lights so the ones from outside the car will also be a bit darker, but you can still get that vibe. Feasibly this could all be handheld with no "sticks on the ground", which circumvents a lot of public transit issues.

Really don't mess with public transit equipment or personnel. I shot an entire student film that took place on NYC subways and I rode trains around the city for a day or so to find good times and lines to ride when they were far less busy. I had a tiny tripod I used sometimes but I would pull it up anytime I saw NYPD or MTA officials, they seemed to respond positively to that and allowed me to continue on. Not sure where you're located but I'd check out your local city laws regarding filming on the subway so at least you know how much you are or are not bending the rules.

Best of luck with the shoot.
 
Joe Cage said:
haa I have never ever been even on a $5k video budget. Let alone a $5k budget for renting out a single metro cart ^^.
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Sadly, the hardest thing about show business is the business. And that especially goes for having permits, insurance, and safe locations.
 
Fake it til you make it. Spending money on stuff that ONLY a seasoned eye will catch is such a waste. The general public is never going to know if you're on a real subway, or in your garage with clever mimic contraptions.
 
Aiden K. said:
Fake it til you make it. Spending money on stuff that ONLY a seasoned eye will catch is such a waste. The general public is never going to know if you're on a real subway, or in your garage with clever mimic contraptions.
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Well creating a subway in my garage is likely going to cost me more then just renting one :)
But I agree that you can get away with a lot of stuff by recreating locations in your garage. I have build brick walls in my garage, or fake living rooms just to be set on fire for a one second shot.
 
I was on a film shoot in Chicago where the production company rented an actual subway train and ran it back and forth all night -- while the track was active and live. It was a massive undertaking with probably 40 crew, ~5 principals and maybe 80 BG? I can't imagine what it cost them. Cops and train engineers and a few train safety coordinators and more channels in use on the walkies than I've ever seen.

On the other hand, I do know there are "subway mock up" sets throughout the country and the world -- see this link http://www.settraffic.tv/1315569-subway-set#1

While it's not going to be cheap, if you happen to live in a city with a company that has a mock up set and are flexible with your schedule, I bet you can negotiate a good rate if you're willing to shoot in the yard where they store it. Might not be a bad idea to contact any set companies to see. Bet it's less expensive than you'd figure.
 
Adam Brian Dada said:
I was on a film shoot in Chicago where the production company rented an actual subway train and ran it back and forth all night -- while the track was active and live. It was a massive undertaking with probably 40 crew, ~5 principals and maybe 80 BG? I can't imagine what it cost them. Cops and train engineers and a few train safety coordinators and more channels in use on the walkies than I've ever seen.

On the other hand, I do know there are "subway mock up" sets throughout the country and the world -- see this link http://www.settraffic.tv/1315569-subway-set#1

While it's not going to be cheap, if you happen to live in a city with a company that has a mock up set and are flexible with your schedule, I bet you can negotiate a good rate if you're willing to shoot in the yard where they store it. Might not be a bad idea to contact any set companies to see. Bet it's less expensive than you'd figure.
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Most set companies are willing to negotiate and will be flexible if you're also flexible. (A shoot got cancelled, we have an open slot for half off) kinda thing... or "I only need it for a half day" etc etc. Just work your charm and sometimes miracles will happen. (I have a cool new Hydrogen ONE I'm shooting with and it will be one of the very first shoots to be shot with this amazing piece of technology, wouldn't it be cool if it were on YOUR set? :)
 
Yep, the best things you can do as an indie (even a low budget one) is to leave a soundstage/set better than you found it AND learn to negotiate for access by being flexible and even willing to reschedule your heavily discounted shoot if someone else comes along willing to pay more.

Don't be afraid to ask how you can work a better deal -- but don't harass anyone over it or exhaust them over it.

Stuff like unique sets might not get used often, so the owners may be willing to work with you just to get some profit out of what's just sitting there.

One thing that also can help a low budget indie in negotiating for access is to make sure you have good filmmaking insurance coverage already. Insurance will show them that you're serious and committed to a safe filming session. Google "Commercial General Insurance" -- for a small indie filmmaker working out of your home, you can find policies starting at $250 or so. Film Production Insurance is a second step and for small budget indies you can probably find a good policy for $500 a year or $40 a month. For the price of a nice dinner out (or a long night at the bar) you can have both policies covered on a monthly cost basis.

Having those insurance policies ready to show off when you're negotiating for set access can really help bring the price down, or at least bring their concern down.
 
Quite a bit in that shot is graded and polished up in post, the lighting is much flatter than the image would lead you to believe.

As for shooting on a subway... In our current political climate and with the over-reactionary mentality at large, I wouldn’t even attempt to shoot guerilla style on public transportation. Get the permit or fake it in a garage/studio. In most areas they do test runs during maintenance down time and will probably work with you if you find the right person to talk to. Subway/ rail car interiors are not all that different from bus interiors in many places. You can probably find something that will work on a shoestring budget.
 
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