do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
02-05-2011, 12:22 PM
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do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
i see too many good videos on youtube go bad because they do not know how to film.
DO use a high quality video camera. a phone will not do.
DO keep the camera still. it could be on a stationary mount.
DO keep one eye on the camera screen, one eye on the plane
DO fly the plane below the tree line. especially if you are reviewing an airplane, people can't see how it flies if it's just sitting in the blue sky with mr. parkinsons holding the camera. if we see trees or the ground in the background it gives us a much better view of the plane.
DONOTfly high. if you want to be filmed you want a good shot of the plane. flying high just makes a boring shot of a plane sitting still in a blue background.
DONOT do full zoom. this severely amplifies camera shaking.
DONOT keep zooming in and out on the plane
DONOT use full zoom EVER for an extended period of time. if you don't use any zoom and the pilot agrees to fly low, you get to see the ground andtrees. and the airplane flying in front of those things.
DONOTfollow the plane with the camera. you can do this as long as the plane does not take up the entire shot.
here is one of my favorite videos. watch this guy as he knows how to film the plane PERFECTLY this type of video is rare to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJF_t2XUkdI
i also liked this video. it had a stationary camera and mounted cameras. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ1qZasovH0
mounted cameras
if you are putting a camera on a plane heres a few tips.
DO use a softened engine mount
DO wrap camera in foam
DONOT put the camera near the engine/motor
DONOT put the camera in the spray of exhaust.
i can't believe i barely see people do this, put a servo on the middle of the plane or on the wing. attatch the camera with strongdouble-sided foam tape to the srevo.
connect the servo to a channel with a knob. good panoramic view. you can turn the knob as the plane flies past you so the camera on the plane films the pilot on the ground during a fly-by. if you are responsible for advertising an airplane take note because like a good picture on ebay, a good video sells.
DO use a high quality video camera. a phone will not do.
DO keep the camera still. it could be on a stationary mount.
DO keep one eye on the camera screen, one eye on the plane
DO fly the plane below the tree line. especially if you are reviewing an airplane, people can't see how it flies if it's just sitting in the blue sky with mr. parkinsons holding the camera. if we see trees or the ground in the background it gives us a much better view of the plane.
DONOTfly high. if you want to be filmed you want a good shot of the plane. flying high just makes a boring shot of a plane sitting still in a blue background.
DONOT do full zoom. this severely amplifies camera shaking.
DONOT keep zooming in and out on the plane
DONOT use full zoom EVER for an extended period of time. if you don't use any zoom and the pilot agrees to fly low, you get to see the ground andtrees. and the airplane flying in front of those things.
DONOTfollow the plane with the camera. you can do this as long as the plane does not take up the entire shot.
here is one of my favorite videos. watch this guy as he knows how to film the plane PERFECTLY this type of video is rare to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJF_t2XUkdI
i also liked this video. it had a stationary camera and mounted cameras. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ1qZasovH0
mounted cameras
if you are putting a camera on a plane heres a few tips.
DO use a softened engine mount
DO wrap camera in foam
DONOT put the camera near the engine/motor
DONOT put the camera in the spray of exhaust.
i can't believe i barely see people do this, put a servo on the middle of the plane or on the wing. attatch the camera with strongdouble-sided foam tape to the srevo.
connect the servo to a channel with a knob. good panoramic view. you can turn the knob as the plane flies past you so the camera on the plane films the pilot on the ground during a fly-by. if you are responsible for advertising an airplane take note because like a good picture on ebay, a good video sells.
02-05-2011, 12:56 PM
#2
RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Those videos are OK and good tips noted.
The truth of the matter is, NOBODY has been able to top this guy's camera and editing work... nobody.
.. Paul Reese aka SDCrashmaster (on RCU), is an active RC modeler and cinemaphotography wizard.... enjoy.
http://www.ca-jets.com/Theater/Theater.html
The truth of the matter is, NOBODY has been able to top this guy's camera and editing work... nobody.
.. Paul Reese aka SDCrashmaster (on RCU), is an active RC modeler and cinemaphotography wizard.... enjoy.
http://www.ca-jets.com/Theater/Theater.html
02-05-2011, 01:21 PM
#3
RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Good tips for sure, but not always applicable. Flying low and slow is easy with a small foamy but try and stay below the tree line with a EDF jet. and that Cub video is very nice, and I like the artistry, but it would not go over well in a review. People want to see the plane flying, not the view from the flying plane.
But I agree with most of what you say. There's nothing I hate more than seeing a video of a tiny black dot moving around the sky!
But I agree with most of what you say. There's nothing I hate more than seeing a video of a tiny black dot moving around the sky!
02-05-2011, 04:05 PM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Most R/C videos that I see are a complete waste of time. A dot in the sky means nothing. I rarely see them to the end.
02-06-2011, 07:42 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
"A dot in the sky means nothing. I rarely see them to the end. "
A dot in the sky can be very effective, IF it quickly becomes an airplane on an approach.
Les
A dot in the sky can be very effective, IF it quickly becomes an airplane on an approach.
Les
02-20-2011, 06:47 PM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
My suggestions are keep it short. 2 minutes or less. Don't spend several minutes of starting a engine. I like to see a takeoff with a few pass from each directions and a landing. and maybe a short walk around.
02-21-2011, 09:09 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Good tips.
DO NOT put in music, especially music that overpowers the sound of the plane!
Most people want to hear the sound of the plane, not your taste in music.
And if a plane is about to crash, keep the camera on the plane! Don't put down the camera to watch it yourself, you can watch through the viewfinder. Unless you are in danger of being a participant in the crash obviously.
DO NOT put in music, especially music that overpowers the sound of the plane!
Most people want to hear the sound of the plane, not your taste in music.
And if a plane is about to crash, keep the camera on the plane! Don't put down the camera to watch it yourself, you can watch through the viewfinder. Unless you are in danger of being a participant in the crash obviously.
02-21-2011, 11:30 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
My wife films mine with a regular Sony. I cleaned the tape head and pinch roller since she took these. I can find flaws in filming aircraft, it's not about perfection. When my wife or I are done filming, I edit the video before I Post it, cutting out sections that were bad and shortening the film length.
I know of a Pro who films aircraft and makes CD's for his Club and friends. He uses a shoulder mounted camera and not a tripod. I use a hand held but I use the eyepiece and not the screen do to the sun sometimes makes it difficult to follow the image I'm filming. My wife has bad eyesight ( That's why she married me) and she needs to use the screen and has difficulty keeping the plane in focus.
When I film, I don't use the tripod because it limits movement. I don't agree with all the tips mentioned, but that's OK- we all have our own methods.
We all have our special way of filming and most of us film for ourselves for fun. We share them on You-Tube or here at RCU. I wasn't thinking about movie critics or looking for perfection from others- but I only share what I enjoy the most with the rest of the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALg1EIFsGME : Stole my wifes Digital Camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlgnW9D_CbI : Filmed by a friend at the field.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW5KDouwS3U : Filmed by my wife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2eSH...eature=related : Filmed by my wife
Pete
I know of a Pro who films aircraft and makes CD's for his Club and friends. He uses a shoulder mounted camera and not a tripod. I use a hand held but I use the eyepiece and not the screen do to the sun sometimes makes it difficult to follow the image I'm filming. My wife has bad eyesight ( That's why she married me) and she needs to use the screen and has difficulty keeping the plane in focus.
When I film, I don't use the tripod because it limits movement. I don't agree with all the tips mentioned, but that's OK- we all have our own methods.
We all have our special way of filming and most of us film for ourselves for fun. We share them on You-Tube or here at RCU. I wasn't thinking about movie critics or looking for perfection from others- but I only share what I enjoy the most with the rest of the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALg1EIFsGME : Stole my wifes Digital Camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlgnW9D_CbI : Filmed by a friend at the field.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW5KDouwS3U : Filmed by my wife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2eSH...eature=related : Filmed by my wife
Pete
02-21-2011, 01:16 PM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
You can also try the old sports photographer's trick of making "open sights" for your camera. Basically it's two rings or squares of wire mounted to the camera like gun sights, with the smaller one being just smaller than the field of view of your camera. It's very simple to line up the "ring-in-a-ring" type setup and keep the airplane centered in the smaller ring. If you're ambitions you can even add a third ring to reflect the field of view when zoomed in.
02-23-2011, 07:10 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Above all else forget the artsy craftsy music period, that destroys the vidio. The sound of the airplane reciprocating, electric or jet is part and parcel of the package. drown that out with cheezy music and you just destroyed the vid.
One last thought and this just may be me. I go to a vidio to see the airplane fly not watch a bunch of scenery spin around in POV shots. On board cameras may be all the rage but it is a bore with only few rare exceptions.
John
One last thought and this just may be me. I go to a vidio to see the airplane fly not watch a bunch of scenery spin around in POV shots. On board cameras may be all the rage but it is a bore with only few rare exceptions.
John
02-23-2011, 07:25 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
ORIGINAL: Tarasdad
You can also try the old sports photographer's trick of making ''open sights'' for your camera. Basically it's two rings or squares of wire mounted to the camera like gun sights, with the smaller one being just smaller than the field of view of your camera. It's very simple to line up the ''ring-in-a-ring'' type setup and keep the airplane centered in the smaller ring. If you're ambitions you can even add a third ring to reflect the field of view when zoomed in.
You can also try the old sports photographer's trick of making ''open sights'' for your camera. Basically it's two rings or squares of wire mounted to the camera like gun sights, with the smaller one being just smaller than the field of view of your camera. It's very simple to line up the ''ring-in-a-ring'' type setup and keep the airplane centered in the smaller ring. If you're ambitions you can even add a third ring to reflect the field of view when zoomed in.
I remember those sport finders well that my dad had fabricated back in the fifties when I was a teenager. He had contracts with about thirty L.A. high schools and colleges to do all their 16mm film proscessing and cutting of the sports games for the coachs.
For the schools without the ability to shoot their own games he hired me and most of my buddies to shoot the games and he taped up the lenses and used home made sport finders on a hodge podge collection of Filmos, Auricons Bolex and Belleiu (spelling).
I still have a couple of the Auricons and Filmos to this day. Thanks for the trip down memory lane[8D]
John
02-27-2011, 03:01 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
ORIGINAL: JohnBuckner
Above all else forget the artsy craftsy music period, that destroys the vidio. The sound of the airplane reciprocating, electric or jet is part and parcel of the package. drown that out with cheezy music and you just destroyed the vid.
One last thought and this just may be me. I go to a vidio to see the airplane fly not watch a bunch of scenery spin around in POV shots. On board cameras may be all the rage but it is a bore with only few rare exceptions.
John
Above all else forget the artsy craftsy music period, that destroys the vidio. The sound of the airplane reciprocating, electric or jet is part and parcel of the package. drown that out with cheezy music and you just destroyed the vid.
One last thought and this just may be me. I go to a vidio to see the airplane fly not watch a bunch of scenery spin around in POV shots. On board cameras may be all the rage but it is a bore with only few rare exceptions.
John
Sometimes I think the music enhances the R/C video. I don't agree with your statement, but I understand that it's only a opinion.
Hmmm, now I'm thinking of making a R/C plane video with a rapper and some black chicks bouncing their big booty's on the runway. LOL!
Pete
02-27-2011, 04:13 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Surprised nobody has mentioned this yet... Try to film on a day partly cloudy with cumulus clouds. Clouds provide a nice back drop that give the plane a sense of motion through the entire segment.
02-27-2011, 05:55 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
ORIGINAL: Oberst
Sometimes I think the music enhances the R/C video.
Hmmm, now I'm thinking of making a R/C plane video with a rapper and some black chicks bouncing their big booty's on the runway. LOL!
Pete
Sometimes I think the music enhances the R/C video.
Hmmm, now I'm thinking of making a R/C plane video with a rapper and some black chicks bouncing their big booty's on the runway. LOL!
Pete
Indeed I actually do agree with you that on very rare occasions it does enhance but of course it certainly is only my opinion as I noted earlier, and that in the vast majority of cases it ruins the effort.
Now for the last production you mentioned indeed go for it, perhaps you will even turn a profit.
John
02-27-2011, 06:34 AM
#16
RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
I like to use music for electrics since there is little to no noise anyway. Music keep them from getting boring.
I also totally agree with shooting on a partly cloudy day. I just wish I could control the weather because unfortunately, when I shoot a video, I'm usually on a deadline so I have to take what I can get.
I also totally agree with shooting on a partly cloudy day. I just wish I could control the weather because unfortunately, when I shoot a video, I'm usually on a deadline so I have to take what I can get.
02-27-2011, 11:44 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
If you are going to use music make sure it's appropriate to the subject matter. Hard rock for a lazy day of sport flying just isn't a good combo, but something like "Magic Carpet Ride" would be perfect for a high-energy 3D routine. Classical or instrumental would be better for a day of soaring, while you could use the "1812 Overture" for a funny "oops" montage.
Good editing can make even a so-so filming job look better, while bad editing can make even professional quality filming look bad.
Good editing can make even a so-so filming job look better, while bad editing can make even professional quality filming look bad.
02-27-2011, 05:07 PM
#18
RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Here's one of my favorite music/edits that i did for the Toledo show a few years ago:
[link=http://rcuvideos.s3.amazonaws.com/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/1101/vid_show2.wmv]Those Magnificent Men[/link]
[link=http://rcuvideos.s3.amazonaws.com/rcuvideos/magazine/reviews/1101/vid_show2.wmv]Those Magnificent Men[/link]
02-27-2011, 11:46 PM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
ORIGINAL: JohnBuckner
Indeed I actually do agree with you that on very rare occasions it does enhance but of course it certainly is only my opinion as I noted earlier, and that in the vast majority of cases it ruins the effort.
Now for the last production you mentioned indeed go for it, perhaps you will even turn a profit.
John
ORIGINAL: Oberst
Sometimes I think the music enhances the R/C video.
Hmmm, now I'm thinking of making a R/C plane video with a rapper and some black chicks bouncing their big booty's on the runway. LOL!
Pete
Sometimes I think the music enhances the R/C video.
Hmmm, now I'm thinking of making a R/C plane video with a rapper and some black chicks bouncing their big booty's on the runway. LOL!
Pete
Indeed I actually do agree with you that on very rare occasions it does enhance but of course it certainly is only my opinion as I noted earlier, and that in the vast majority of cases it ruins the effort.
Now for the last production you mentioned indeed go for it, perhaps you will even turn a profit.
John
LOL!
Yes, I think clouds help. Also I believe a camera that has 480p or higher quality lens helps as well. MPO
Pete
03-07-2011, 06:38 PM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
Here is a Don't...
Don't hover a Heli running on Cool Power 30% too long for the photo shoot. If a breeze takes the exhaust cloud your way, there's going to be a bunch of stung, shut eyes...including the pilot's!
Don't hover a Heli running on Cool Power 30% too long for the photo shoot. If a breeze takes the exhaust cloud your way, there's going to be a bunch of stung, shut eyes...including the pilot's!
03-07-2011, 06:57 PM
#21
RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
This is a good Video. No music, No starting for five minutes (pit crap) , and no talking. However is could be a minute shorter for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzpwdOcGvDg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzpwdOcGvDg
03-09-2011, 10:19 AM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
ORIGINAL: Thunderbolt47
This is a good Video. No music, No starting for five minutes (pit crap) , and no talking. However is could be a minute shorter for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzpwdOcGvDg
This is a good Video. No music, No starting for five minutes (pit crap) , and no talking. However is could be a minute shorter for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzpwdOcGvDg
Quality is good, it was recorded on a good camera and I liked the sounds. But it seemed to be lacking something though... Got it! No Rapper and some black chicks bouncing their big booty's on the runway!
This Video Sucks! LOL Just kidding.
Flying a large airplane helps with the distance shots. Less we have to zoom in.
Pete
03-10-2011, 01:30 PM
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RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
#1 Keep ground in view , even if plane is a dot in the sky.
#2 blue sky
#3 Keep sky shots for around 10 Sec. than stop till ground is in view.
#4 Please, no music .!!! Even electric I want to hear. I like when I hear TX switches click.
#5 Smoke is the way to take sky shots. Install smoke system if possible.
#6 Do Not Shake.
#7 If you want to take pictures from a plane, Than have a pilot fly you in a real plane.
#8 KEEP GROUND IN VIEW !!!!!!!!!!
#9 KEEP GROUND IN VIEW !!!!!!!!!!!!
#10 NO MUSIC!!! Please NO MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
03-11-2011, 05:41 AM
#25
RE: do's and don'ts of filming an rc plane or heli
I have to disagree with keeping the ground in view. While it is great to have some background other than sky, to me there is nothing worse than seeing a panoramic view of someone's flying field with a little black dot floating around.
