Shooting Steady Insert Shots

Trick to Rigging Supports for Actor’s

Filming insert shots can be fun and interesting, but a little tricky since you see every detail. In our previous video on Lighting Liquids, we noted that the closer you get to a glass the more you see, like scratches that you normally wouldn’t notice. But other than that, the glass is just sitting there on the table, still as can be.

Holding an object steady in a tight insert shot can be tricky for any actor.

Holding an object steady in a tight insert shot can be tricky for any actor.

What if the shot called for the glass to held by the actor in midair. Now you not only see details but any bit of movement. And there will probably be a lot because holding anything steady is tough, take, after take, after take.

So here’s a trick that solves that problem using a pigeon plate. A pigeon is a 5/8” stud welded to a plate with screw holes drilled into it. Normally it's used to screw into a pancake or apple box to place a light lower than a standard light stand. Or directly into a vertical piece of wood or right into the wall to hang your light. 

A standard pigeon plate used to mount lights.

A standard pigeon plate used to mount lights.

But we’re going to use it differently. We’re going to flip it over to use the plate to our advantage. Gripping the stud in a c-stand, adding some fabric like duvetyne to it to make padding, and we have an arm rest for our actor, to help them maintain the frame and stay steady in the shot. 

Turning a pigeon upside down, locking it into a grip stand, then taping on padding makes an off camera arm rest for an actor.

Turning a pigeon upside down, locking it into a grip stand, then taping on padding makes an off camera arm rest for an actor.

This rig can also help when an actor needs to hit a mark midair by bringing their hand and an object into frame. They can go by feel or tape to help them hit the mark.

If an actor has to bring their arm and the object into a shot, an arm rest and a tape mark can help them hit that in-air mark.

If an actor has to bring their arm and the object into a shot, an arm rest and a tape mark can help them hit that in-air mark.

Any art or craft is just a process that channels one’s creativity, and that process requires tools and at times some creative thinking in how they’re used, like turning a pigeon plate upside down. This is one of the things I love about gripping and filmmaking in general. Though we focus on what we see happening in the frame, for me the real magic is the craft that happens outside of the frame to support it.

 

Music & Audio
Life Is Sweet
Silent Partner
https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music

The Big Score (Music bed)
https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music

Canon in D Major
by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100301
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Plopp.wav
By Paracelsus
Ottakringer beer being opened and producing a massive plopp
https://www.freesound.org/people/Paracelsus/sounds/32264/

Sekalaiset Miscellaneous
By YleArkisto
Wine bottle, opening with a corkscrew, genuine cork, twisting, creak, squeak, pop, various versions
https://www.freesound.org/people/YleArkisto/sounds/272052/


Product and Affiliate LInks
Pigeon Plates
Avenger F800 3-Inch Baby Wall Plate
http://amzn.to/2nwcLpB

Kupo Baby 3-Inch Wall Plate, Baby 5/8-Inch
http://amzn.to/2nMLTSB

Calumet MF6830 Swivel Universal Umbrella Adapter
http://amzn.to/2nfoWVw

20" C-Stand w/ Sliding Leg
http://amzn.to/2psNBd8

Credits

Actors
Set PM- Courtney Shaffer
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtssuSITCle-VWO2r_Nt0A
http://courtneyshaffer.webs.com

 

Pull My Focus
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Manu Smith
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Frank Dellario
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