View Full Version : Roller Coaster Shooting


Mike Petty
February 26th, 2007, 10:57 AM
A new job has popped up and I wil be shooting some roller coaster stuff.

For front of car/along the tracks shots I am going to use a regular $250 consumer video camera so if it gets trashed no big loss.

But for POV shots I an going to use to 2100...Any suggestions on mounts/bungees etc for this kind of stuff? You see this stuff all the time but rarely think about how it was accomplished.

Meryem Ersoz
February 26th, 2007, 11:21 AM
that sounds pretty fun. are the coaster people on board with your shoot, meaning that you can take the time to do a proper set-up, or are you looking for a guerrilla set-up?

Mike Petty
February 26th, 2007, 05:46 PM
This is a fully supported shoot. I am working for the manufacturer...so I will have full cooperation at each of the theme parks where I will be shooting.

Jason Robinson
February 27th, 2007, 06:14 PM
This is a fully supported shoot. I am working for the manufacturer...so I will have full cooperation at each of the theme parks where I will be shooting.

In that case, use the same camera for each and bill them (get it in the contract first) if anything happens to the camera. No sense messing up footage with bad cut away footage when you could be using the same camera for each.

jason

Jason Robinson
February 27th, 2007, 06:16 PM
This is a fully supported shoot. I am working for the manufacturer...so I will have full cooperation at each of the theme parks where I will be shooting.

I would suggest a few shots of a persons on the ride from a camera also on the ride. get the usual waivers for their likeness, etc. Somehow mount a camera to the seat but face it backwards to the the person behind them. I would talk with the coaster people and see what kinds of forces are going to be "enjoyed" by your gear so that you can find a mounting system that is strong enough to hold your camera steady.

jason

Paul Jefferies
February 28th, 2007, 06:54 AM
Buy one of these to mount your small camera (I'd use some bungee or straps as well for safety) you could probably use it with a larger camera too, but it may need some additional support

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=325440&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Mike Petty
February 28th, 2007, 03:31 PM
Hey Kids...thanks for the input. BTW, I was the Sr. VP of Advertising & Creative Services at Universal Studios in Orlando for 6 years.

I produced maybe 300 TV spots for our rides in that gig so I know what to shoot...but I never actually watched the actual camera setups.

Too busy hanging around schmoozing with the Dick Donner's and Dean Cundey's of the world or bitching to the production company about the Musco Lights costing $35,000 a day!!!

So...now that I have my own little micro production company...I am playing catchup on the "how to".

Again...thanks for the posts