MY METHOD OF WORKING Pt 1

I love moving shots. Whether it’s panning, tracking, tilting or dollying, I’ve always loved a moving camera shot. Even if the character or the focal objects are rather still or completely motionless within the frame, a floating shot always seems more cinematic and exciting (for a lack of a better term) to me than capturing anything in a still frame. Which is why I love the steadicam. Recently after being involved in commercial shoot where I was working alongside a steadicam operator on set, I was able to see the true beauty of a perfect tracking shot, which reminded me of my love for the moving camera shot. Obviously it always depends on what you want to film and achieve through cinematography, but especially when following movement, a camera operating on a steadicam or on a rig of some sort will always have the capability to produce a more interesting shot than a camera positioned flat on top of a tripod on the ground.

This has influenced my decision to not use a tripod for the scene/ short 4-minute film I have written and intend to shoot for this course. For what I want to capture on camera, I feel as though I can’t afford the restrictions obtained from placing the camera on a tripod. I need the near limitless flexibility of using a rig to move my camera freely while eliminating the shakiness, which is synonymous with handheld camerawork. Consequentially, I hope my decision to use a handheld rig when filming, will contribute towards the overall visual aesthetic and cinematic feel of my scene/ film.