First person

[Christoffer Glans]

I was thinking about a way to record high quality first person material with the ability to be recorded with both hands free and with no rig on the body.

Now, this is just speculation and stuff but if you have a camera like the Scarlet or at least a small but high quality camera, can you mount a fiberwire that can transfer the image to the front of the camera?
The idea is to have a fiberwire mounted on the side of the head or front of the head and have the camera in a backpack with the fiberwire attached to it. If you set the camera to auto (yes, that means a camera with autofunctions), then you can walk around with it outside, go into a dark place without the risk of under or overexposing.

The reason is that I have an idea for a movie that is made from start to finish in this first person way. Best thing is if the front end of the fiberwire have the ability for a wide view, so that it's clear that you see the body when looking and such...

[Bruce Allen]

I don't think so. But why don't you try your idea with any current camera? Go on, surprise us with cool footage.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

[Christoffer Glans]

I don't think so

Why do you think so?
I want to know every possible downside about it or a way around it or a better idea to do it because it's expensive to try something that doesn't work.
Why don't you think it's going to work?

[Nathan Buxton]

fibrewire meaning fibre optics? youd have to have some beefy, perfect, distortion-less fiber optic to achieve that

[Bruce Allen]

Why do you think so?
Because I think your idea puts your lens in the wrong place. I don't think you have thought it through.



I want to know every possible downside about it or a way around it or a better idea to do it
The better way IMHO is to break out the lens and sensor and mount them on the person. Like SI-mini, Iconix HD cam, etc etc. Or get creative and take apart an HV20 (or a Scarlet...). Or get REALLY creative, like the R&D systems from Adobe, etc with many lenses.

Anyway, good luck.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

[Ed Blythe]

Ever seen a movie called Seconds? Old, Frankenheimer, Rock Hudson.

Also check out Strange Days, Bigelow. Expect you've seen that one.

Seems that the technique has been to mount the person on the camera, not the camera on the person. But innovate away, good sir. Or madam. Or screaming Red skull thing, whatever you be.

[Christoffer Glans]

I'd rather be a screaming Red skull with the power of a thousand mysteriums!
Yeah, I was thinking "Strange days" about this, but the idea was to be able to go about my daily business without drawing too much attention and still capture a first person high quality image.


fibrewire meaning fibre optics? youd have to have some beefy, perfect, distortion-less fiber optic to achieve that

Yeah, sorry, I meant fiberoptics. Still, it should be smoother for the person to move around then to mount the camera in his head? :)
I know there are spycams used in glasses and such, but the thing about those is that the video is noise and totally useless (unless making a documentary where you try to spy cam your answers out of someone).

So, if I'm still thinking the fibre optics way, how big must it be to look at least descent? I was thinking about a mini35 adapter way of letting the image from the fibres be projected onto a screen that the camera is filming.
That way you might not need to slaughter the camera and put the fibreoptics directly in front of the sensor.

[Christoffer Glans]

I found these links when just trying to find out info about fibre optics

Cable
http://www.accessweb.it/en/optical_fibres/fibervision_2.htm

Steprings for a camcorder
http://www.accessweb.it/en/optical_fibres/af01.htm

It should be possible to put it either directly on a Scarlet or a mini35 adapter.
If so, it should be possible to have a Scarlet in a sidebag and the cable and lens put into some thick Woody Allen glasses.
That would create an almost invisible workflow I think?

Do you think this would be possible?

[Owen James]

Hi Glazarus, Try this solution:

http://www.compumodules.com/professional-video/Iconix-miniature-HD-camera-RH-1-3-CCD.html

p.s. get a big back pack

[Christoffer Glans]

Though I'm interested in having the same picture quality as a camera like Scarlet would give me.

If an optical wire can transfer the image to the camera I can get the same dynamic range and resolution as Scarlet would give me in normal conditions.
Though, I know that the lens isn't especially good, but one important aspect is that I should be able to walk down the street without drawing attention to my big box on the side of my head. It should be invisible at first sight.

[Owen James]

How will you handle audio recording? The quality of your audio should be at least as good as your camera. So you'll need a good mic which will also require placement on your body or head rig.

I think Bruce has made the right comments on your idea. Additionally, try a practice run with a simpler camera and see if your narrative form will deliver what you are looking for.

[Christoffer Glans]

Additionally, try a practice run with a simpler camera and see if your narrative form will deliver what you are looking for

Yeah, I was thinking of doing some tests before Scarlet comes out.
I was both thinking of this in a fictional and a documentary way.
With documentary you could, if possible to have a "totally invisible" camera in high quality make some very interesting observations of everyday life in a strange first person way. You, the audience, would experience how people react to the person you "are" when watching, because there isn't any distance.

Using the camera on different people, maybe making them meet with the same person, might show the difference in human contact in a new way...

So I will test it out...

And with audio, yes, some kind of lavier mic or something that could record more then just the users voice.

[Owen James]

I like your ideas. This type of filmmaking could reveal some interesting aspects of filmmaker and subject relationship, and ethical questions in terms of camera concealment. I also see alot of potential for artistic exploration, how form and function will interact in your images. You must be something of an experimental filmmaker. Good Luck!

[Christoffer Glans]

You must be something of an experimental filmmaker. Good Luck!

Actually no... :) I'm just a dreamer of some kind... but thanks!

[Cüneyt Kaya]

movies like this were made in the 50ies....

typical plot:

You see a murder from the murderes POV....at the end you see his face...and a shock moment....something like at the prodigy music video snack my bitch up.

[Owen James]

POV in present tense action is nothing new... I think the significance of Glazarus' ideas lie in the application of new technology to new forms of filmmaking as the language of cinema evolves based on the type of cinematic apparatus used. i.e. the cinema verite movement based on handheld 16mm and nagra recorders in the 1960's. Creativty in the use of our cinematic tools will get us past any "typical plots". I see if Glazarus follows his plans he may make some discoveries that may lead to something more impressionistic, abtract, artistic etc...