Hey everyone! anyone have experience filming freerunning/parkour?

[Yoshiyuki Blade]

I was using Mercalli to smooth out some of the pans, but I'm not sure if it was worth it, although you are the first to mention the interlacing issues. I will have to read about converting the levels to the correct range, and do that in my next film. Thanks for the info!

Indeed. Though I'm not 100% sure that what I'm seeing is an oversight in the range, be aware that the following often happens:

Input: PC range -> Output: TV range (assumed by the player)

So while the video is recorded in full range, many video players don't look for full (PC) range flags in the video, assume TV range, and clip off the highs and lows of each video, making it look washed out. There are 2 solutions.

Ideally you want:

Input: PC range -> Output: PC range (player notices the full range flag and takes it into account)

But to be on the safe side you can do this:

Input: Convert to TV range (done in post) -> Output: TV range (assumed by the player)

I dunno how youtube handles full range video, but always be aware of this hiccup that can occur. I think even Blu-ray assumes TV range.

 

[Minnesota Nice]

I'm curious as to what your export settings are when you finish editing. Also do you have a glidecam?

 

[rmblack]

I'm curious as to what your export settings are when you finish editing. Also do you have a glidecam?

I'm using Premiere Pro cs5 for editing, and I use a "frankenglide" for smoothing out the shots. I just took the top of a cheap tripod and stuck it into the bottom of another cheap tripod, so that i can hang a little black 1lb ankle weight from one of the heads while I film with the other, and flip it over and be able to use the legs when I'm shooting stills. It's not too sturdy, but it's better than the other methods I've tried. The only other thing that came close to the frankenglide - but was a lot more inconvenient - was using rubber bands to put two full water bottles on an upside down tripod and using the 1/4" 20 thread that was on the bottom (now top) to secure the camera. It was surprisingly smooth, but me or the other guys would end up drinking the water half way through the shoot so it'd be extremely unbalanced by the time we were done haha.

my settings are for 1080p 24 fps on youtube:

NTSC, 1920x1080, 24 fps, Progressive
AAC, 192 kbps, 48 kHz, Stereo
VBR, 1 Pass, Target 15.0, Max 20.00 Mbps

let me know if these can be better

 

[rmblack]

Hey, good stuff. Especially for just beginning to shoot. Nice job cutting together different shots on the action, esp on the bench sequence.
The only advice, I noticed some weird interlacing too, for example at 2:35 and 2:42. It looks like maybe this was introduced by the shots you used smoothing in post? Just curious what editing software you used. I didn't see interlacing for most of the vid--you just want to be sure to keep your timelines, exports and compressions progressive whenever possible, esp. for the web. The web doesn't like interlaced.

I didn't notice the PC range vs. TV range issue. I don't know about lower end editing systems, but I know on Final Cut and AVID (and I'm pretty sure adobe premiere) you have to drop a filter on your video to get it to go from PC levels to TV levels, so that's probably not an issue.

If you're looking at making it feel like film, though, shoot 24p and put your shutter to 1/50th. Anything faster can make it feel choppy or more like video.

Eventually you may want to mess around with different video picture settings--turn down sharpness, contrast, and saturation. Then mess around with color correction in post to get the look you want. This is what a lot of people do.

But yeah, good stuff.

Thanks! As for the quality issues, I was aware of the interlacing when I published it, but I'm glad you guys are giving feedback; I'm probably not going to use the same software I mentioned earlier (Mercalli 2.0 on Premiere Pro cs5) next time as it gives those interlacing issues. I will look for the levels filter for PC and use that next time, I'm sure it'll make a difference if I haven't already been using it.

I understand why 1/50 is best for a "film" look, but I ended up shooting this at 1/125 24p as I needed to capture more motion and keep his movements sharp. I will try more 1/50 24p shots, but for this video I really wanted those closer shots and I feel like they wouldn't have been sharp enough. Maybe I will use it in wider shots but I wanted everything to flow well and couldn't decide if changing the shutter would catch the viewers eye for a shot or not, if that makes sense.

As for color correction and in camera picture styles etc., I did use them on this minimally, as I was just teaching myself/learning colorista. I used a custom white balance with a grey card and technicolor's cinestyle on most of my shots, unless they were spontaneous, then it was usually on faithful which I use for stills.

 

[underjammer]

I'm curious as to what your export settings are when you finish editing. Also do you have a glidecam?

I'm using Premiere Pro cs5 for editing, and I use a "frankenglide" for smoothing out the shots. I just took the top of a cheap tripod and stuck it into the bottom of another cheap tripod, so that i can hang a little black 1lb ankle weight from one of the heads while I film with the other, and flip it over and be able to use the legs when I'm shooting stills. It's not too sturdy, but it's better than the other methods I've tried. The only other thing that came close to the frankenglide - but was a lot more inconvenient - was using rubber bands to put two full water bottles on an upside down tripod and using the 1/4" 20 thread that was on the bottom (now top) to secure the camera. It was surprisingly smooth, but me or the other guys would end up drinking the water half way through the shoot so it'd be extremely unbalanced by the time we were done haha.

I don't really have much video experience, but I remember reading about some guy who created a "simple" (and cheap-ish, too...?) steady-cam type device, and put it on kickstarter, and it was a pretty big success. Just looked it up, and it's called the EZ Steady, and it's $325. No idea if that's cheap, expensive, what not, but the thing supposedly won't be available for another month or so. Something to check out, if nothing else, perhaps! : D I think this is the official page..

http://rhinocameragear.com/RCG%20EZ-Steady

The GoPro sounds like an awesome idea (it makes me think of Mirror's Edge (video game)), but with all the jumping and flipping, you'll have to get it seriously solid to your guy, or when he lands and flips, it's going to get bouncy. Probably some really tightly fitting helmet with a custom mount. I bet he'll love that. : D I wonder if you could do a head-lamp type headband adapter, and just have it plopped right on his forehead..? And maybe a tight fitting beanie/hat to keep that on. He'd have a big fat camera growth on his forehead, but it would otherwise be light and low profile, and it would show where he's looking as he's planning his route. (Or just make him go shirtless and duct tape it to his chest, if that chest harness isn't enough. : D)

 

[rmblack]

I don't really have much video experience, but I remember reading about some guy who created a "simple" (and cheap-ish, too...?) steady-cam type device, and put it on kickstarter, and it was a pretty big success. Just looked it up, and it's called the EZ Steady, and it's $325. No idea if that's cheap, expensive, what not, but the thing supposedly won't be available for another month or so. Something to check out, if nothing else, perhaps! : D I think this is the official page..

http://rhinocameragear.com/RCG%20EZ-Steady

The GoPro sounds like an awesome idea (it makes me think of Mirror's Edge (video game)), but with all the jumping and flipping, you'll have to get it seriously solid to your guy, or when he lands and flips, it's going to get bouncy. Probably some really tightly fitting helmet with a custom mount. I bet he'll love that. : D I wonder if you could do a head-lamp type headband adapter, and just have it plopped right on his forehead..? And maybe a tight fitting beanie/hat to keep that on. He'd have a big fat camera growth on his forehead, but it would otherwise be light and low profile, and it would show where he's looking as he's planning his route. (Or just make him go shirtless and duct tape it to his chest, if that chest harness isn't enough. : D)

Too expensive for me, I'd rather try some of the DIYs I've seen that look similar but are under $100 to make. As for the gopro, I haven't researched it yet (oops) but those sound like good ideas. I watched a couple videos on youtube where they just used the headlamp type mount that comes with it, and it falls off every other time they use it, but they do get the shot. I might add a chin strap to it so it stays on, but I'm thinking I'll have to make a new mount for the gopro case, it seems to slip no matter how much you tighten the screws

 

[Minnesota Nice]

I'm curious as to what your export settings are when you finish editing. Also do you have a glidecam?

I'm using Premiere Pro cs5 for editing, and I use a "frankenglide" for smoothing out the shots. I just took the top of a cheap tripod and stuck it into the bottom of another cheap tripod, so that i can hang a little black 1lb ankle weight from one of the heads while I film with the other, and flip it over and be able to use the legs when I'm shooting stills. It's not too sturdy, but it's better than the other methods I've tried. The only other thing that came close to the frankenglide - but was a lot more inconvenient - was using rubber bands to put two full water bottles on an upside down tripod and using the 1/4" 20 thread that was on the bottom (now top) to secure the camera. It was surprisingly smooth, but me or the other guys would end up drinking the water half way through the shoot so it'd be extremely unbalanced by the time we were done haha.

my settings are for 1080p 24 fps on youtube:

NTSC, 1920x1080, 24 fps, Progressive
AAC, 192 kbps, 48 kHz, Stereo
VBR, 1 Pass, Target 15.0, Max 20.00 Mbps

let me know if these can be better

VBR, 1 Pass, Target 15.0, Max 20.00 Mbps

Bingo, thanks.

And yeah, I don't have the money to spend on a nice tripod. I'm guessing my tripod is 10-20 bucks tops. I don't use it much, I'm getting a glidecam HD 2000 soon, almost have enough money to get it! I actually made a pretty good slider out of some aluminum bars and some ball bearings on a sled with little rubber wheels, I've got access to a lot of stuff like that because of my job but it does the job! Keep up the good videos! And that guy in the beginning who ate the Doritos reminds me of my friend haha.

 

[rmblack]

I'm curious as to what your export settings are when you finish editing. Also do you have a glidecam?

I'm using Premiere Pro cs5 for editing, and I use a "frankenglide" for smoothing out the shots. I just took the top of a cheap tripod and stuck it into the bottom of another cheap tripod, so that i can hang a little black 1lb ankle weight from one of the heads while I film with the other, and flip it over and be able to use the legs when I'm shooting stills. It's not too sturdy, but it's better than the other methods I've tried. The only other thing that came close to the frankenglide - but was a lot more inconvenient - was using rubber bands to put two full water bottles on an upside down tripod and using the 1/4" 20 thread that was on the bottom (now top) to secure the camera. It was surprisingly smooth, but me or the other guys would end up drinking the water half way through the shoot so it'd be extremely unbalanced by the time we were done haha.

my settings are for 1080p 24 fps on youtube:

NTSC, 1920x1080, 24 fps, Progressive
AAC, 192 kbps, 48 kHz, Stereo
VBR, 1 Pass, Target 15.0, Max 20.00 Mbps

let me know if these can be better

VBR, 1 Pass, Target 15.0, Max 20.00 Mbps

Bingo, thanks.

And yeah, I don't have the money to spend on a nice tripod. I'm guessing my tripod is 10-20 bucks tops. I don't use it much, I'm getting a glidecam HD 2000 soon, almost have enough money to get it! I actually made a pretty good slider out of some aluminum bars and some ball bearings on a sled with little rubber wheels, I've got access to a lot of stuff like that because of my job but it does the job! Keep up the good videos! And that guy in the beginning who ate the Doritos reminds me of my friend haha.

the guy who ate the Doritos is the guy who is in the video, in case you didn't catch it. He's quite a character.

Everyone - look out for the trailer to our new movie we're working on, it should be done before winter is over. The trailer that is. It's called: They Were Gods. Maybe I'll post a preview tonight just for kicks haha

 

[tt]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but worth a +1, has the OP looked at videos already produced? In the UK, there was a Channel 4 documentary called Jump London (and there was also jump Britain).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVj2F9KxI6g
I'd imagine folks like Sébastien Foucan have some good professional footage to get ideas from!

eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fouvwilGWc The TEmpest Academy video. There's the footage of freerunnning events too - eg the barclaycard one in london

 

[Minnesota Nice]

If you are looking for a way to keep the GoPro on someone and you haven't tried the chesty you should. It is pretty solid and I've used it snowboarding before.

 

[rmblack]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but worth a +1, has the OP looked at videos already produced? In the UK, there was a Channel 4 documentary called Jump London (and there was also jump Britain).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVj2F9KxI6g
I'd imagine folks like Sébastien Foucan have some good professional footage to get ideas from!

eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fouvwilGWc The TEmpest Academy video. There's the footage of freerunnning events too - eg the barclaycard one in london

I have seen both of these but that doesn't make them any less awesome. Have you seen the Storm Freerun Vol. 1? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHy9W9LpvlQ&ob=av3e The guys filmed it with A 5d and 7d and wrote a lot about how they did it. You can view that here http://www.claudiu.co.uk/2010/12/storm-freerun-behind-the-edit/