How To Make A Continuous Shot From Outside To Inside?

[dslapray]

I think I understand the concept, but since I haven't done it before, I don't really know the best way to accomplish this shot. There will be a 25' jib shot coming from high in the sky down to a balcony window, or french doors. Then the shot needs to continue through the window or door, and match the inside shot that will be on a steadicam. How can I make these shots look continuous? I want it to look like one shot. Any suggestions and help on accomplishing this task would be appreciated.

Thanks.

dslapray

[user_deleted]

I havent done this before either, but i will try to help anyway
I could imagine most of the precautions need to be taken during shooting the actual footage. If possible, make sure that the shooting is done with more fps (50fps instead of 25fps if youre going for PAL) than needed. This is very helpful when you need to time-stretch the two different takes, so that they match up in speed at the transition (and you will surely need to).
Shoot with overlapping footage, if possible.
Shoot with the same lens/focal length.
Apply tracking markers to the window frame. These are probably easy to remove in post but help you in stabilizing both shots.
Thats about all i can think of concerning on-set requirements.

[user_deleted]

QUOTE(DanielH @ 07/03/07, 01:15 AM) [snapback]269098[/snapback]
Shoot with overlapping footage, if possible.
Shoot with the same lens/focal length.
Apply tracking markers to the window frame. These are probably easy to remove in post but help you in stabilizing both shots.

*I echo all of DanielH's suggestions.
and add the following:
*Switch to steadicam as soon as possible after the crane shot is over. If possible, use a second camera. This is a psychological tip, but it'll help.
*If possible, not only use tracking markers, but _frame_ the end of the crane shot using obvious physical cues, perhaps a panel, or grid of panels on the french doors. Then frame up the same shot with the steadicam, again pushing in with steadicam at as close to the same rate as the crane to ease into the shot.

OR...
Long complicated crane, follow shots can be accomplished without Shake, by putting the steadicam operator on a platform at the end of the crane. When the crane shot is done, the steadicam operator steps off the platform and continues the shot into the room.

Look at the opening shot of "The War Game" (shot in the '60s): Riding down the street on the back of a motorcycle, then through a door, up stairs, and into a courtroom settling into the initial dialogue all without a single cut.

[user_deleted]

There's a really good article in the new Cinefex about how they did all the long takes in Children of Men.

[user_deleted]

Well there's little i can add since most of the bases have been covered but one small thing, if possible try to shoot higher res than your final output, so HD if you're going pal or scan full 35 and then scale it down, that way if you have to scale and warp anything you'll have extra resolution. And overlap, overlap, overlap.

the steadycam operator on a crane that walks off at the right time is probably the best and easiest way to accomplish this however.