Camera Gear: Every Type of Camera Rig Explained [The Shot List, Ep 5]

Summary

Highlights

• Episode focuses on the impact of camera gear on shot feel 🎥
• Introduces 12 types of camera rigs from basic to advanced 🎬
• Handheld shots create tension and intimacy, demonstrated in 'Avengers: Endgame' 😲
• Tripods keep the camera still for focused emotional shots 🎯
• Pedestals revealed in 'Inglourious Basterds' for suspenseful vertical moves 🕵️‍♂️
• Cranes used for grand movements as seen in 'Spectre' 🎡
• Dollies offer smooth tracking, highlighted in 'Old Boy's' unique action scenes 🎢
• Stabilizers like Steadicams enable free-flowing shots through complex spaces 🏃‍♀️
• Snorricams bring a dizzying effect, famously used in 'Requiem for a Dream' 💫
• Drones provide cinematic aerial shots, no helicopter needed 🚁

Key Takeaways

• Handheld shots add intensity or intimacy 🎥
• Tripods provide stable framing for dialogues 🎬
• Cranes create large, sweeping movements 🚁
• Dollies smoothly track action scenes 🚂
• Stabilizers eliminate camera shake for fluid movement 🏃‍♀️
• Snorricams offer actor-centric perspectives 🎭
• Drones make aerial shots accessible and cinematic 🚀

Overview

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction to Camera Gear The chapter 'Introduction to Camera Gear' begins by emphasizing the multiple elements that contribute to creating a memorable shot. Key components discussed include shot size, framing, and camera angles. It makes a reference to a previous episode that covered how focal length and depth of field affect a shot's appearance.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Importance of Camera Gear The chapter titled 'Importance of Camera Gear' discusses how the selection of camera equipment can significantly impact the feel of a shot. It explores the idea that the right choice of camera gear is crucial and can determine the success or failure of a scene. It is part of episode five of a series called 'The Shot List', focusing specifically on camera equipment.
• 02:00 - 03:30: Handheld Shots Chapter Title: Handheld Shots This chapter discusses the importance of filmmakers being familiar with different camera rigs to effectively capture visuals. It examines 12 types of camera gear, starting from fundamental to unique methods for filming a shot. Additionally, it mentions updating a shot list in StudioBinder, which can be downloaded and referenced in future projects.
• 03:30 - 07:00: Tripod and Pedestal Shots This chapter discusses basic camera rig techniques, focusing on handheld shots. It explains that many handheld shots use a shoulder rig or an easy rig. The inherent movement in a handheld shot is intentionally shaky to achieve a specific visual effect.
• 07:00 - 10:00: Crane, Jib, and Overhead Rigs This chapter discusses the use of different camera rigs and techniques in filmmaking to create varying effects. Handheld shots, for instance, can be utilized to increase the intensity or subtly establish intimacy in a scene. The chapter makes reference to "Avengers: Endgame" to illustrate these techniques.
• 10:00 - 15:00: Dolly and Stabilizer Techniques The chapter discusses the use of handheld shots in filmmaking, highlighting their ability to create a sense of intensity and intimacy. It starts with a subtle camera shake, typical of documentary styles, making the audience feel present in the scene. The example given was from a scene where Hawkeye's family disappears.
• 15:00 - 19:00: Snorricam and Vehicle Mounts The chapter titled 'Snorricam and Vehicle Mounts' explores the effect of camera movement in film. It begins with an example dialogue where the camera shake intensifies alongside a character's panic, using this to illustrate how handheld cameras can heighten intensity or intimacy in a scene.
• 19:00 - 25:00: Drones and Motion Control This chapter discusses the use of tripods in motion control for drones. It explains the benefits of using a tripod, especially a fluid head tripod, for achieving smooth camera movements such as panning and tilting. The chapter highlights the tripod's role in maintaining stability and reducing camera shake, which is crucial for both static and dynamic shots.
• 25:00 - 31:00: Underwater Camera Housing This chapter discusses the benefits of using static framing with a tripod, particularly in scenarios like dialogue scenes where it's crucial not to distract from the subjects. It includes an example of an emotional scene to highlight its effectiveness, emphasizing how such shots can enhance blocking and staging.
• 31:00 - 37:30: Summary and Application The chapter explores a specific scene from Wes Anderson's film "Grand Budapest Hotel" where a static tripod shot is utilized. The camera remains fixed, and the moment captures the depth and blocking to deliver a comedic effect. The humorous impact is highlighted through the dialogue exchange: "- She's been murdered. And do you think I did it. - Hey!" This technique is noted for its simplicity in creating memorable moments.
• 37:30 - 40:00: Conclusion and Teaser for Next Episode The chapter covers the 'Pedestal' camera rig, which is a mechanism that moves the camera vertically up and down. It is used for smaller vertical motions, such as when matching the movement of an actor, establishing a world, or building suspense. The chapter concludes by illustrating these concepts with a scene.

Camera Gear: Every Type of Camera Rig Explained [The Shot List, Ep 5] Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 ♪ ♪ There are many elements that go into creating an unforgettable shot. ♪ ♪ The shot size. The framing. The camera angle. In our last episode, we talked about how focal length or depth of field modifies how a shot looks. But in this episode,
• 00:30 - 01:00 we'll cover how camera equipment affects how a shot feels. And how choosing the right camera gear can make or break a scene. ♪ ♪ This is episode five of "The Shot List". Camera Gear.
• 01:00 - 01:30 The more familiar a filmmaker is with the various camera rigs, the better equipped they are to capture a visual. In this video, we'll be examining 12 types of camera reaching gear. Working our way from the most fundamental to some of the most unique ways to film a shot. Along the way, we'll update a shot list made in StudioBinder, which you can download and reference in your next project.
• 01:30 - 02:00 Let's start with the most basic of camera rigs. The Handheld Shot. Many handheld shots are taken with a shoulder rig, like this. Or an easy rig. The movement of a handheld shot is meant to be shaky.
• 02:00 - 02:30 And, filmmakers can use jagged, handheld shots to heighten the intensity of a scene. Or they can use it more subtly to establish intimacy. "- Okay, hold on, don't shoot. - You see where you're going? - Mm-hmm." The opening scene of "Avengers: Endgame"
• 02:30 - 03:00 uses the handheld shot for both intensity and intimacy. In the beginning of the scene, the camera shake is subtle, but it's documentary style presence makes us feel like we're standing right there watching this intimate moment. "- Mind your elbow. Good job, hawk-eye." Go get your arrow." But when Hawkeye's family disappears "- Lila, let's go.
• 03:00 - 03:30 Lila?" The camera shake intensifies. "- Babe. Babe! Boys!" We can feel his panic. "- Boys! Laura!" A handheld camera can be effective at increasing intensity or intimacy. But there are times when a shot
• 03:30 - 04:00 may not benefit from any camera shake at all. Enter our next camera rig. The Tripod. Tripods, sometimes referred to as sticks, are a fixed three legged support mechanism great for either static shots or shots with movement. If movement is needed. "- Very good." A fluid head tripod allows the camera to smoothly pan left and right, or tilt up and down.
• 04:00 - 04:30 The static framing of a tripod is ideal when you don't want to distract from the subjects within the frame, like in dialogue scenes. "- You're nothing to me now. You're not a brother. You're not a friend. I don't want to know you or what you do." Emotional, single shots. And shots that focus on blocking and staging.
• 04:30 - 05:00 In this precisely framed static shot from "Grand Budapest Hotel". Wes Anderson mounts the camera to the tripod and keeps it locked. "- She's been murdered. And do you think I did it. - Hey!" He takes advantage of the depth and blocking of the shot for comedic effect. It's a memorable moment and it's achieved with a simple static tripod shot.
• 05:00 - 05:30 Moving on. Our next camera rig. The Pedestal. A pedestal is a camera mechanism that moves vertically up and down for smaller vertical motions when you want to match the movement of an actor. Establish a world. Or to build suspense. Let's look at this scene.
• 05:30 - 06:00 "- Now, are you aware of the job I've been ordered to carry out in France? - Yes. But the Germans looked through my house nine months ago for hiding Jews and found nothing. - I'm aware of that." In the opening scene of "Inglourious Basterds", Tarantino uses Hitchcock's theory of suspense. "- People are sitting around a table, very dull. Now take the same scene
• 06:00 - 06:30 and tell the audience there is a bomb under that table." "- Ages of the children?" And he does it with a downward pedestal shot. "- I'm not really sure." To reveal a metaphorical bomb under the table. "- Well, I guess that should do it."
• 06:30 - 07:00 But what would this moment look like if Tarantino chose to cut instead? "- 18 or 19. I'm not really sure." Not nearly as suspenseful, is it? The slow movement of the pedestal shows how brilliantly this camera rig can build suspense. "- I bid farewell to you and say... adieu."
• 07:00 - 07:30 ♪ ♪ Now, sometimes filmmakers want big vertical movements that a pedestal cannot achieve. This is where cranes and jibs come into play. Although the scale of the equipment may differ, the terms Crane and Jib are often used interchangeably.
• 07:30 - 08:00 Both use arms to extend the camera outward and smoothly glide it left, right, up or down. The large camera movements that the crane achieves can also be used to highlight a specific emotion of a shot. Whether it be isolation. Freedom.
• 08:00 - 08:30 Or spectacle as seen in "Spectre". ♪ ♪ This crane captures the scene's production design. ♪ ♪ Blocking. ♪ ♪
• 08:30 - 09:00 And camera movement. ♪ ♪ All in one smooth long take.
• 09:00 - 09:30 But, if you're looking to capture an extreme high angle or overhead, but don't have a camera crane at the ready, our next camera equipment provides the answer. Overhead Rigs. An overhead rig can capture perfect top-down shots in a variety of scenarios
• 09:30 - 10:00 within a variety of budgets, An overhead shot like this is great for communicating details within inserts. P.O.V.'s. And god-view shots. Named for their objective, omniscient perspective. Few filmmakers embrace this technique more than Martin Scorsese.
• 10:00 - 10:30 In "Casino", there's a direct parallel to omniscience. Not just to the surveillance cameras, which Sam refers to as the eye in the sky. "- And the eye in the sky that watching us all." But to Sam's ability, to see and know everything that happens in his casino. Consider this moment when he suspects a pair of cheaters. "- Now here's this guy reading the dealer's hole card and signaling his buddy at this table."
• 10:30 - 11:00 ♪ ♪ With an overhead shot like this, we recognize Sam as the all-knowing, all-powerful casino boss that he is. While Scorsese most likely didn't use an overhead rig, you can achieve similar god's-eye-view shots when the budget or location makes a crane impossible. Moving on. Our next camera rig, also prioritizes movement and precision.
• 11:00 - 11:30 The Dolly. A dolly is a wheeled apparatus that a camera is mounted on. The tracks can be either straight or curved. The Dolly is perfect when you need to smoothly push into a character or pull out. Or track their lateral movements as they are walking, running, or fighting.
• 11:30 - 12:00 Like in the Korean action-thriller "Old Boy". The use of the dolly in the scene allows us to smoothly follow the action free from the distractions of camera shakes or rapid-fire cutting. Making this long take, especially unique and memorable.
• 12:00 - 12:30 But, dollies require heavy equipment and operational effort. As a result, camera's sliders have become a practical and economical alternative that achieves a smaller but similar effect. Or if you need to cover long distances or glide past obstructions, like trees, you might also consider a cable cam. And you compare a dolly movement with a lens zoom to create a vertigo effect, like this.
• 12:30 - 13:00 We have an entire video breaking down the dolly zoom, AKA the zolly. So be sure to check it out. Our next rig allows a camera to move steadily across most terrains without tracks. The stabilizer. A stabilizer is an apparatus that holds a camera in a manner that compensates for unwanted camera's shake, allowing the camera operator to move freely in any direction.
• 13:00 - 13:30 The camera shake is eliminated either with counterweights, such as in a steady cam. Or with motorized gimbals that rely on battery power. Stabilizers allow a shot to move with the blocking of an actor more organically than a dolly. Ideal for long takes. Moving through large sets
• 13:30 - 14:00 Or complex tracking shots as demonstrated in "Parasite". In the most pivotal scene of the film, this steady cam shot builds an incredible amount of suspense. It moves through the tightest of spaces quickly and smoothly in a way, no other type of camera gear or rig could achieve. "- I said I'm alright..." Finally, landing on the film's plot twist.
• 14:00 - 14:30 "- What is all this? - I know you're shocked." But if your scene calls for a more subjective camera movement? One that creates a sense of imbalance. That's where the Snorricam comes in. A snorricam also referred to as the chest cam body cam or body mount is a device that rigs the camera to the body of an actor.
• 14:30 - 15:00 The snorricam establishes a dynamic point of view thas hinges on the movements of the actor. This can be used to create vertigo. Dizziness. Panic. It can also be used to make the audience feel the tragedy of a character. As brilliantly executed in "Requiem for a Dream".
• 15:00 - 15:30 A snorricam. is used to capture both the actor's face and a point of view making it nearly impossible, not to feel the character's emotions, anxiety, and nausea. The Snorricam is a very specialized camera rig when used in the right context, it can completely immerse the audience
• 15:30 - 16:00 into a character's experience. While the Snorricam shot depends on the movement of an actor, our next camera rig depends on the movement of a vehicle. Vehicle mounts. A vehicle mount is a camera rig that simply mounts a camera to a fixed point on a vehicle. Vehicle mounts are used for cars.
• 16:00 - 16:30 "- The royale with cheese. - Royal with cheese." Bikes. Helicopters. Sometimes a vehicle mount is the only type of camera gear that can capture the realism and intensity of a moment. Like in this scene from "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation".
• 16:30 - 17:00 "- Open the door." Cruise literally hangs off an Airbus as it takes flight. And since it's unlikely, any camera operator will willingly strap themselves to a plane a vehicle mount is the only way to capture this moment. No C.G. here.
• 17:00 - 17:30 Speaking of planes, let's take to the air with our next type of camera gear. Drones. In the past, helicopters used to be the most practical means of shooting aerial shots. Allowing cinematographers to capture some of the most iconic establishing shots in cinema. But with the advancements in drone technology
• 17:30 - 18:00 aerial shots have become accessible to filmmakers with all budgets. ♪ ♪ Drones can capture a wide variety of aerial shots like grand establishing shots. Wild chase scenes. Or unique establishing shots as seen in "Bohemian Rhapsody".
• 18:00 - 18:30 This scene seamlessly combines the use of a drone and a crane in a single shot. From a large swooping aerial into a close-up. ♪ ♪
• 18:30 - 19:00 Speaking of unique shots, our next camera rig has allowed some of the most creative shots in cinema. Let's take a look at motion control. Motion control is a device that allows for the complete control and precise repetition of camera movement. It effectively captures time-lapse shots. "- This is going to be a good night."
• 19:00 - 19:30 And stop motion animation relies heavily on motion control cameras. But it's most common use in film today is for visual effects. By using motion control, two shots can be taken with the exact same camera movement, and precise framing. David Fincher uses motion control masterfully in "The Social Network".
• 19:30 - 20:00 He use motion control to replicate precise camera movements, so VFX artists could create the Winklevoss twins in post. "- I need you to assume the same position that Josh has right now and then I need you guys to swap. I need to see if there's any difference in height for the B camera." The result is effective and convincing. "- Mark. - You Mark Zuckerberg? - Yeah. You guys look like you spend some time at the gym.
• 20:00 - 20:30 - We have to. - Why? - We row crew. - And cut it. Save that one." So, we've covered how to shoot on land and in the air. Let's dive into how to shoot underwater. Underwater Camera Housing. Underwater camera housing is a completely waterproof case
• 20:30 - 21:00 that allows control of the camera when fully submerged in water. It's enables filmmakers to capture the suspense and action below the surface. ♪ ♪ "- For my next trick... I'm going to f*cking kill myself."
• 21:00 - 21:30 ♪ I'll miss the earth so much ♪ ♪ I'll miss my life ♪ ♪ It's lonely out in space ♪" Shooting in water can make a shot more immersive. ♪ On such a timeless flight ♪ Or as in "Moonlight", more intimate. This scene could have been shot with a long telephoto lens from shore,
• 21:30 - 22:00 but by using underwater housing, we can see the water partially fill the frame as if we're floating with the characters. The underwater housing creates an intimate and anxious effect beyond what any other camera rig could have achieved. And these are the 12 camera mechanisms each with their own unique emotive properties.
• 22:00 - 22:30 So now, let's put them to practice. In this scene, from "Dunkirk" Christopher Nolan uses different camera mechanisms to make the narrative dynamic, immersive and completely engaging. We'll do our best to identify the various rigs Nolan might've used. Can you identify them all? Let's watch.
• 22:30 - 23:00 Did you identify all of Nolan's camera mechanisms?
• 23:00 - 23:30 Selecting the right camera gear for the moment can play the key role in making a scene engaging and emotionally resonant. A clear shot list equals a clear game plan for a scene. You can do it with free shot listing software, like StudioBinder, where all of these camera mechanisms are listed out for you. Check the links in the description for a cheat sheet
• 23:30 - 24:00 of all the camera mechanisms we covered in this video along with articles on more rigs, lenses and other cinematography essentials. In the next episode of this series, we'll explore camera movement and how the best filmmakers in the world use simple but powerful movement decisions to create memorable moments. Subscribe, click the bell, and we'll see you in the next episode.