< Back to all posts
4 Challenges when Shooting Video from a Moving Car
Getting a shot from a moving vehicle is no walk in the park. It takes a lot of preparation and requires a skilled camera team to pull it off. If you want to ensure that everything will go smoothly and that the footage will look fantastic, consider the following challenges before going to camera:
Scope and Scale
What is the scale of your production? Is it large enough to shut down the road? How fast will the car be driving? You may need to bring in local law enforcement to keep the area safe, especially if you’re shooting near a residential area.
Bringing in law enforcement can be beneficial because it presents the opportunity to prevent other traffic from getting in the way of your shots, which will give your video the production value and the control needed to get exactly what you want in the can.
Road Conditions
Road conditions will drastically affect your shots, so be sure to scout various road options. The best kind of road to choose is one that is smooth and high quality. Lower quality roads with obstacles like potholes, uneven pavement or strange levels will make your shots shaky. Have a backup selection nearby.
Life is unpredictable, and if a problem occurs on your road due to an accident or weather, you’ll be happy to have a plan B.
Environment and Surroundings
What is on either side of the road you’re planning to shoot on? Be aware of physical obstacles like tall trees and buildings because it will undoubtedly affect your light, and depending on the time of day you can risk losing your light all together.
What time of day will you be shooting, and what will the position of the sun be? Aim for an overcast day so that your daylight will always be consistent and your camera team isn’t constantly adjusting the camera’s f-stop. Unless it’s your intention for stylistic purposes, a large lens flare can ruin your shoot.
Learn more about lighting the interior of a moving car:
http://www.videomaker.com/article/13489-lighting-car-interiors
Windshield and Windows
The windshield and side windows are two very important factors to consider before you start rolling. Remember how the positioning of the sun can affect your shoot? The effect it will have on light may cause a glare, which could halt production until the sun moves in the sky and can kill your daylight completely.
When shooting out of the windshield, be aware of reflective signage or other objects on the side of the road. This could affect what the camera picks up or cause a glare on the glass, so keeping filters in mind while shooting the interior of a car is very important.
By adding a neutral density filter on the windows of the car, you’ll have better control of how potent the light is and how much it will affect your interior lighting.
Don’t know where to find a worldwide camera team capable of ensuring the best lighting and shots for your moving car footage? Give Crews Control a shout. With a massive roster of experienced and seasoned talent, Crews Control can connect you with the right crew members for your project’s needs. Click here for a quote, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Leave a Reply