What is my best bet to create a 360 track - shooting shoe box size products at DVinfo.net

Steve Mullholand · December 15th, 2008, 04:31 PM

I'm shooting shoe box sized products - is it possible to create a 360 track and go around the box? I was going to have a snoot lighting up the box on a black floor.... if the track is wide enough then I shouldn't get it in the shot.... at least that is what I have in my head.

Thanks for any insight!

Chris Soucy · December 15th, 2008, 04:42 PM

Shouldn't be too difficult to find a US version of this Hague HTD device.

HAGUE UNIVERSAL TRACKING DOLLY D5

Pretty sure I've seen a couple advertised but can't remember where.

Save you laying track tho' circular track can be had.

CS

PS: It's the Hague Hi Hat Table Dolly, not the first one on the list

Chris Soucy · December 15th, 2008, 05:08 PM

Dredgeing the memory banks, I did use this to achieve the same effect for a crisps commercial I shot in London quite some years ago.

The shot was of a large circular table with a large bowl of crisps at it's centre.

About 7 or 8 people standing around the table diving in taking handfulls of crisps.

It was shot very tight so the effect was just seeing hands diving into frame then pulling back out again with a handfull of crisps.

The problem was, they wanted the camera to be tracking around the table - fast.

Some head scratching, a bit of lateral thinking, a tripod dolley and a length of rope did the job.

(Luckily for me, the table was one of those cafeteria type things with a single central support column).

Tied one end of the rope to the bottom of one tripod leg, threw it round the table central colum and tied it to another tripod leg bottom.

Pull back to keep it taut, frame on centre of table and start walking around the table.

Worked an absolute treat, tho' it got a bit hairy as the speed increased, had a couple of occasions when the talent couldn't get out of the way of that scything rope just at shin height.

Does require a good quality dolley and a pretty smooth floor (both of which I had).

Be a heck of a lot easier without the homo sapiens talent too.

CS

Paul Mailath · December 15th, 2008, 05:17 PM

if the product is shoe box size - why not fix the camera and rotate the product with a lazy susan type of setup?

Greg Boston · December 15th, 2008, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Mailath

if the product is shoe box size - why not fix the camera and rotate the product with a lazy susan type of setup?

That's what I was thinking, but it won't work if the background needs to be seen changing as the subject is circled.

-gb-

Steve Mullholand · December 15th, 2008, 05:43 PM

Thanks all! Great replies. I'm working on a solution now....

I really am having a lot of fun doing this - trying to create new and unique angles to shoot stuff at.

Chris Soucy · December 15th, 2008, 06:36 PM

You must be phsycic.

What I left out of my post in the interests of brevity was that I had raided our favourite Chinese restaurant for just such a thing, a large metal turntable with a huge clear glass top, and an unseen hand was spinning it the opposite way to the travel of the camera.

Made so much noise we couldn't hear ourselves think but the finished product looked pretty flash.

CS

Onno Perdijk · December 18th, 2008, 04:57 PM

Hello Steve,

If your products are this small, why not using a turntable where the center-axle stays fixed? Your product will be on the (fixed) axle while your camera is on the rotating platform.

Easy to a DIY! I will send you a pic of a rig I made some years ago if you need some more info on this.

Good Luck,

Onno
Solid Grip Systems Amsterdam

December 15th, 2008, 04:31 PM	#1
Steve Mullholand New Boot Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Key Largo, FL Posts: 24	What is my best bet to create a 360 track - shooting shoe box size products I'm shooting shoe box sized products - is it possible to create a 360 track and go around the box? I was going to have a snoot lighting up the box on a black floor.... if the track is wide enough then I shouldn't get it in the shot.... at least that is what I have in my head. Thanks for any insight!

December 15th, 2008, 04:42 PM	#2
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,688 Images: 18	Hi Steve.......... Shouldn't be too difficult to find a US version of this Hague HTD device. HAGUE UNIVERSAL TRACKING DOLLY D5 Pretty sure I've seen a couple advertised but can't remember where. Save you laying track tho' circular track can be had. CS PS: It's the Hague Hi Hat Table Dolly, not the first one on the list Last edited by Chris Soucy; December 15th, 2008 at 04:43 PM. Reason: +

December 15th, 2008, 05:08 PM	#3
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,688 Images: 18	Although................. Dredgeing the memory banks, I did use this to achieve the same effect for a crisps commercial I shot in London quite some years ago. The shot was of a large circular table with a large bowl of crisps at it's centre. About 7 or 8 people standing around the table diving in taking handfulls of crisps. It was shot very tight so the effect was just seeing hands diving into frame then pulling back out again with a handfull of crisps. The problem was, they wanted the camera to be tracking around the table - fast. Some head scratching, a bit of lateral thinking, a tripod dolley and a length of rope did the job. (Luckily for me, the table was one of those cafeteria type things with a single central support column). Tied one end of the rope to the bottom of one tripod leg, threw it round the table central colum and tied it to another tripod leg bottom. Pull back to keep it taut, frame on centre of table and start walking around the table. Worked an absolute treat, tho' it got a bit hairy as the speed increased, had a couple of occasions when the talent couldn't get out of the way of that scything rope just at shin height. Does require a good quality dolley and a pretty smooth floor (both of which I had). Be a heck of a lot easier without the homo sapiens talent too. CS

December 15th, 2008, 05:17 PM	#4
Paul Mailath Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Coast - NSW, Australia Posts: 1,606	if the product is shoe box size - why not fix the camera and rotate the product with a lazy susan type of setup? __________________ Cheers - Paul M. www.perbenyik.com

December 15th, 2008, 06:36 PM	#7
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,688 Images: 18	Paul.......... You must be phsycic. What I left out of my post in the interests of brevity was that I had raided our favourite Chinese restaurant for just such a thing, a large metal turntable with a huge clear glass top, and an unseen hand was spinning it the opposite way to the travel of the camera. Made so much noise we couldn't hear ourselves think but the finished product looked pretty flash. CS

December 15th, 2008, 05:43 PM	#6
Steve Mullholand New Boot Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Key Largo, FL Posts: 24	Thanks all! Great replies. I'm working on a solution now.... I really am having a lot of fun doing this - trying to create new and unique angles to shoot stuff at.

December 18th, 2008, 04:57 PM	#8
Onno Perdijk New Boot Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Posts: 15	Hello Steve, If your products are this small, why not using a turntable where the center-axle stays fixed? Your product will be on the (fixed) axle while your camera is on the rotating platform. Easy to a DIY! I will send you a pic of a rig I made some years ago if you need some more info on this. Good Luck, Onno Solid Grip Systems Amsterdam

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