Caver Keith
Well-known member
Stage 3. Production/filming
After pre-production is complete, shooting can commence.
3.1: Plan your shots
What are you trying to capture at each location?
Does what you are trying to capture require a long shot, a medium long shot, a medium shot or a close-up? My main camera has a 14-42mm zoom lens which allows me some flexibility when framing a shot. My GoPro can be set to three different fields of view - linear, wide or super view. Super view is a very large wide angle field of view. It does cause some distortion/bending of the image but as there are no straight lines in caves it?s not usually noticeable. I?ve found super view to be very useful in locations where it is not possible to get very far away from the action. Using a combination of the two cameras I can usually get the framing that I need.
At each location it?s worth capturing an establishing shot3. In the edit this can be used to set up the context for the scenes ahead.
Panning the camera is necessary when it is not possible to capture all of the action in a long shot like, for example, on a pitch. I only use panning when it is really needed as I feel that too many pan shots, especially if they happen one after another can be somewhat disconcerting to an audience.
For the same reason I only use zoom shots4 infrequently, preferring to cut from a long establishing shot to a close up of the action. If I subsequently feel that a shot is too static and would benefit from a gentle zoom then I apply the Ken Burns5 effect when I edit the clip.
If you do decide that a shot would benefit from a zoom in or out then also think about the speed of the zoom. When a zoom shot is executed rapidly, it is called a crash zoom. When you crash zoom into a close-up, it provides energy and impact. Alternatively if you start with a relatively tight frame on your subject and then slowly zoom out to reveal the environment around them, you are first asking your audience to consider the character(s) and their state of mind before understanding the context around them.
If possible I like film the same scene on at least two cameras using different camera positions and fields of view. This gives me a lot of flexibility in the editing. For example, I can cut between a long shot and a close up without the possibly of introducing a continuity6 error. When this isn?t possible I might do multiple takes of the same scene, again using different camera positions and fields of view and then attempt to make it look like the same piece of action in the edit.
Finally don?t be afraid to get in close to the action. Some good closeups will engage your viewers by getting them to feel that they know your characters and help make them feel that the film is more personal to them.
3.2: Plan how you are going to light each shot
Lighting can make or break a shot.
At all times be aware of shadows. Most caving videos on YouTube are filmed with a single camera and lit using the videographers helmet lamp. More often than not a shadow of the camera cast by the helmet lamp dominates what might otherwise have been a half decent video. This never used to be a problem when cameras had view finders, but action cameras and mobile phones only have LED screens and so when framing a shot the camera is usually held between the light and the subject. A very simple way to avoid this is to separate the lighting and camera by removing your helmet and holding it to one side. (Incidentally separating light and camera also eliminates another problem and that is reflections from particles of dust and water droplets which can make the resulting footage look fuzzy or unclear.) Obviously this won?t work for shots where the cameraman is following a subject along a passage but in these shots framing is less important and so holding the camera close to the body will not only eliminate unwanted shadows, it will give a steadier shot too.
Having said that shadows are to be avoided, large shadows cast of cave walls can be used for dramatic effect. I?ve found this particularly effective when videoing cavers descending or ascending pitches.
Modern helmet lamps are very powerful. Train your team members to avoid looking directly at the camera. The odd flash of light is perfectly acceptable but otherwise your beautifully set up and nicely lit shot will just be a total white out.
Avoid over lighting a scene. Caves are dark places and you need to convey this fact to your audience. Lower, more subtle lighting is often more effective. As an example the scene might involve having a group of cavers walking along a nicely sculptured passage towards the camera. A very effective way of filming this is to have no backlight and very little front light. The scallops on the passage walls and decorations are revealed by the light from the cavers? helmet lamps as they move towards to camera. Each part of the cave is lit for a short time as the cavers pass it before it descends back into darkness. If you decide to use this technique then ask the cavers to avoid looking at the camera for the reason set out above.
Beware of spots. Most caving lamps have a spotlight setting - don?t use it! Everything illuminated by the spot will be completely over-exposed. If I?m using my helmet light for illumination I use a flood setting.
Have multiple video lights. I usually take four. Scenes lit entirely from the front can appear very flat/two dimensional. Backlighting is beloved by cave photographers as it adds depth to their shots. Nearly always they position a flashgun directly behind the subject. Backlighting works well for video too but positioning back lights for video is more difficult because, as a soon as the subject begins to move the backlight is revealed. To overcome this I have positioned backlights behind rocks or equipment, or around corners in passages. To achieve the effect that the photographers use you can get a caver wearing a dark non-reflective over-suit to hold a video light and walk directly behind the subject.
3.3: Avoid shaky footage
It?s very disconcerting to watch
A shaky camera is used in the film industry to indicate that the film is being taken by an amateur and that?s exactly the impression it conveys when watching a caving video and that is one of the reasons why videos taken exclusively with head mounted cameras are unwatchable. The technique can be used sparingly to indicate rapid action but the key word is sparingly.
I use camera mounts, tripods and gorillapods whenever possible. When it?s not possible I keep the camera as steady as I can by standing with my legs apart or bracing myself against the cave wall. Sometimes I?ve found it possible to position the camera on a conveniently situated rock or ledge.
Having said that I try to keep my camera as still as possible, moving camera shots can be highly effective but again should only be used infrequently. I?ve used a moving camera quite effectively in crawls. Not only does it really show the constricted nature of the passage and the difficulty encountered by the caver negotiating it, it is also necessary as otherwise the caver would disappear from sight too quickly. The shakiness in this case emphasises the frenetic nature of the activity. For moving camera shots I now use a DJI Pocket Osmo gimbal mounted camera which gives me some of the functionality of a steadicam7 by, to a certain extent, absorbing jerks, bumps, and shakes.
3.4: Pieces to camera8
Talk to your audience
I use this technique a lot in my videos. It breaks up the action and it?s really good for engaging your audience and keeping their interest. I use pieces to camera to get one of my actors to explain to my audience what?s coming up next or how they are feeling - excited, nervous, exhilarated, apprehensive and so on. In Pant Mawr Pot with South Wales Caving Club Provisional Members I interview one of the novices after she has seen someone descend the pot and it?s her turn coming up next. I feel this adds another dimension to a film, no matter how dramatic the descent that follows might be in its own right.
http://youtu.be/EJCB4lyQQ4s
3.5: Continuity
Ensure that details are consistent from shot to shot
This isn?t usually an issue for cave videographers as everything is usually captured in one underground trip but there have been occasions where I?ve had to make two or three trips to capture all of the footage I need. In these cases I?ve had to review the already captured footage and let my team know that they need to wear the same over suits, bandanas, helmets and so on.
Continuity is also important to think about when using a single camera and you need the action to be repeated multiple times. As an example you might film an establishing shot of a caver at the bottom of a pitch about to climb a ladder. You then film the same scene again in close up so that in the edit you can cut from the establishing shot to a close up of the action. If the caver grabs a rung of the ladder with their left hand in the establishing shot you need ensure they use the same hand in the close up. An effective cut can then be made where you see them raise their hand in the establishing shot and then the hand grabs the ladder in close up.
Continuity was particularly important to get right in my film What It Takes To Get The Shot. The action at the cave entrance was filmed on two cameras and it all had to be done twice so that I could film the photographers in the cave entrance from my position on the abseil, and Jess could film me from her position in the cave entrance. It was all done from an agreed storyboard in our heads but what I ended up with was dozens of clips all out of sequence which I then had to edit into a single narrative. Hopefully I got the continuity right and my audience were not aware of how it was filmed.
http://youtu.be/nxu780mKtkw
3 Establishing shots are designed to inform the audience where the action will be taking place. It shows the relationship between people and objects, and establishes the scene's geography.
4 A zoom shot is when the focal length of a camera lens is adjusted to give the illusion of moving closer or further away from the subject. Zoom shots are done with a zoom lens, which have variable focal lengths.
5 The Ken Burns effect is a type of panning and zooming effect used in video production from still imagery. The name derives from extensive use of the technique by American documentarian Ken Burns.
6 Continuity in filmmaking is the practice of ensuring that details in a shot are consistent from shot to shot within a film scene.
7 Steadicam is a brand of camera stabiliser mounts for motion picture cameras invented by Garrett Brown and introduced in 1975 by Cinema Products Corporation. It mechanically isolates the camera from the operator's movement, allowing for a smooth shot, even when the operator moves over an irregular surface.
8 In television and film, a piece to camera is when a television presenter or a character speaks directly to the viewing audience through the camera.
After pre-production is complete, shooting can commence.
3.1: Plan your shots
What are you trying to capture at each location?
Does what you are trying to capture require a long shot, a medium long shot, a medium shot or a close-up? My main camera has a 14-42mm zoom lens which allows me some flexibility when framing a shot. My GoPro can be set to three different fields of view - linear, wide or super view. Super view is a very large wide angle field of view. It does cause some distortion/bending of the image but as there are no straight lines in caves it?s not usually noticeable. I?ve found super view to be very useful in locations where it is not possible to get very far away from the action. Using a combination of the two cameras I can usually get the framing that I need.
At each location it?s worth capturing an establishing shot3. In the edit this can be used to set up the context for the scenes ahead.
Panning the camera is necessary when it is not possible to capture all of the action in a long shot like, for example, on a pitch. I only use panning when it is really needed as I feel that too many pan shots, especially if they happen one after another can be somewhat disconcerting to an audience.
For the same reason I only use zoom shots4 infrequently, preferring to cut from a long establishing shot to a close up of the action. If I subsequently feel that a shot is too static and would benefit from a gentle zoom then I apply the Ken Burns5 effect when I edit the clip.
If you do decide that a shot would benefit from a zoom in or out then also think about the speed of the zoom. When a zoom shot is executed rapidly, it is called a crash zoom. When you crash zoom into a close-up, it provides energy and impact. Alternatively if you start with a relatively tight frame on your subject and then slowly zoom out to reveal the environment around them, you are first asking your audience to consider the character(s) and their state of mind before understanding the context around them.
If possible I like film the same scene on at least two cameras using different camera positions and fields of view. This gives me a lot of flexibility in the editing. For example, I can cut between a long shot and a close up without the possibly of introducing a continuity6 error. When this isn?t possible I might do multiple takes of the same scene, again using different camera positions and fields of view and then attempt to make it look like the same piece of action in the edit.
Finally don?t be afraid to get in close to the action. Some good closeups will engage your viewers by getting them to feel that they know your characters and help make them feel that the film is more personal to them.
3.2: Plan how you are going to light each shot
Lighting can make or break a shot.
At all times be aware of shadows. Most caving videos on YouTube are filmed with a single camera and lit using the videographers helmet lamp. More often than not a shadow of the camera cast by the helmet lamp dominates what might otherwise have been a half decent video. This never used to be a problem when cameras had view finders, but action cameras and mobile phones only have LED screens and so when framing a shot the camera is usually held between the light and the subject. A very simple way to avoid this is to separate the lighting and camera by removing your helmet and holding it to one side. (Incidentally separating light and camera also eliminates another problem and that is reflections from particles of dust and water droplets which can make the resulting footage look fuzzy or unclear.) Obviously this won?t work for shots where the cameraman is following a subject along a passage but in these shots framing is less important and so holding the camera close to the body will not only eliminate unwanted shadows, it will give a steadier shot too.
Having said that shadows are to be avoided, large shadows cast of cave walls can be used for dramatic effect. I?ve found this particularly effective when videoing cavers descending or ascending pitches.
Modern helmet lamps are very powerful. Train your team members to avoid looking directly at the camera. The odd flash of light is perfectly acceptable but otherwise your beautifully set up and nicely lit shot will just be a total white out.
Avoid over lighting a scene. Caves are dark places and you need to convey this fact to your audience. Lower, more subtle lighting is often more effective. As an example the scene might involve having a group of cavers walking along a nicely sculptured passage towards the camera. A very effective way of filming this is to have no backlight and very little front light. The scallops on the passage walls and decorations are revealed by the light from the cavers? helmet lamps as they move towards to camera. Each part of the cave is lit for a short time as the cavers pass it before it descends back into darkness. If you decide to use this technique then ask the cavers to avoid looking at the camera for the reason set out above.
Beware of spots. Most caving lamps have a spotlight setting - don?t use it! Everything illuminated by the spot will be completely over-exposed. If I?m using my helmet light for illumination I use a flood setting.
Have multiple video lights. I usually take four. Scenes lit entirely from the front can appear very flat/two dimensional. Backlighting is beloved by cave photographers as it adds depth to their shots. Nearly always they position a flashgun directly behind the subject. Backlighting works well for video too but positioning back lights for video is more difficult because, as a soon as the subject begins to move the backlight is revealed. To overcome this I have positioned backlights behind rocks or equipment, or around corners in passages. To achieve the effect that the photographers use you can get a caver wearing a dark non-reflective over-suit to hold a video light and walk directly behind the subject.
3.3: Avoid shaky footage
It?s very disconcerting to watch
A shaky camera is used in the film industry to indicate that the film is being taken by an amateur and that?s exactly the impression it conveys when watching a caving video and that is one of the reasons why videos taken exclusively with head mounted cameras are unwatchable. The technique can be used sparingly to indicate rapid action but the key word is sparingly.
I use camera mounts, tripods and gorillapods whenever possible. When it?s not possible I keep the camera as steady as I can by standing with my legs apart or bracing myself against the cave wall. Sometimes I?ve found it possible to position the camera on a conveniently situated rock or ledge.
Having said that I try to keep my camera as still as possible, moving camera shots can be highly effective but again should only be used infrequently. I?ve used a moving camera quite effectively in crawls. Not only does it really show the constricted nature of the passage and the difficulty encountered by the caver negotiating it, it is also necessary as otherwise the caver would disappear from sight too quickly. The shakiness in this case emphasises the frenetic nature of the activity. For moving camera shots I now use a DJI Pocket Osmo gimbal mounted camera which gives me some of the functionality of a steadicam7 by, to a certain extent, absorbing jerks, bumps, and shakes.
3.4: Pieces to camera8
Talk to your audience
I use this technique a lot in my videos. It breaks up the action and it?s really good for engaging your audience and keeping their interest. I use pieces to camera to get one of my actors to explain to my audience what?s coming up next or how they are feeling - excited, nervous, exhilarated, apprehensive and so on. In Pant Mawr Pot with South Wales Caving Club Provisional Members I interview one of the novices after she has seen someone descend the pot and it?s her turn coming up next. I feel this adds another dimension to a film, no matter how dramatic the descent that follows might be in its own right.
http://youtu.be/EJCB4lyQQ4s
3.5: Continuity
Ensure that details are consistent from shot to shot
This isn?t usually an issue for cave videographers as everything is usually captured in one underground trip but there have been occasions where I?ve had to make two or three trips to capture all of the footage I need. In these cases I?ve had to review the already captured footage and let my team know that they need to wear the same over suits, bandanas, helmets and so on.
Continuity is also important to think about when using a single camera and you need the action to be repeated multiple times. As an example you might film an establishing shot of a caver at the bottom of a pitch about to climb a ladder. You then film the same scene again in close up so that in the edit you can cut from the establishing shot to a close up of the action. If the caver grabs a rung of the ladder with their left hand in the establishing shot you need ensure they use the same hand in the close up. An effective cut can then be made where you see them raise their hand in the establishing shot and then the hand grabs the ladder in close up.
Continuity was particularly important to get right in my film What It Takes To Get The Shot. The action at the cave entrance was filmed on two cameras and it all had to be done twice so that I could film the photographers in the cave entrance from my position on the abseil, and Jess could film me from her position in the cave entrance. It was all done from an agreed storyboard in our heads but what I ended up with was dozens of clips all out of sequence which I then had to edit into a single narrative. Hopefully I got the continuity right and my audience were not aware of how it was filmed.
http://youtu.be/nxu780mKtkw
3 Establishing shots are designed to inform the audience where the action will be taking place. It shows the relationship between people and objects, and establishes the scene's geography.
4 A zoom shot is when the focal length of a camera lens is adjusted to give the illusion of moving closer or further away from the subject. Zoom shots are done with a zoom lens, which have variable focal lengths.
5 The Ken Burns effect is a type of panning and zooming effect used in video production from still imagery. The name derives from extensive use of the technique by American documentarian Ken Burns.
6 Continuity in filmmaking is the practice of ensuring that details in a shot are consistent from shot to shot within a film scene.
7 Steadicam is a brand of camera stabiliser mounts for motion picture cameras invented by Garrett Brown and introduced in 1975 by Cinema Products Corporation. It mechanically isolates the camera from the operator's movement, allowing for a smooth shot, even when the operator moves over an irregular surface.
8 In television and film, a piece to camera is when a television presenter or a character speaks directly to the viewing audience through the camera.
