Ray Collins Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Never do it, actors sometimes don't even have drivers licences, you could walk away a quaraplegic, it's not worth it. With audio on camera, set it up and feed a Comtek TX off the camera headphone jack. Even if you chase van it, off radio mics, your insurance won't cover if it contributes to an accident, and production won't care. You will notice they never ask you directly to do these operations as the production would be liable. "Are you going to get in the trunk?" The answer should be "NO".;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Spaeth Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 " It's all about the commitment to the shot, right!? " WRONG... it is all about safety mixing in the boot is unsafe, and no proper production would even allow it. +1 It's all about commitment to your life, health and family. I would never risk my and other people's lives by riding in a trunk, especially not for some stupid movie, not even a good one. Riding in trunks is for dead bodies only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrider Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 "Riding in trunks is for dead bodies only" Now THAT'S a t-shirt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ze Frias Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 "Riding in trunks is for dead bodies only" Now THAT'S a t-shirt! +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 +2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_bollard Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 I only do it if its a hearse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Never do it, actors sometimes don't even have drivers licences, you could walk away a quaraplegic, it's not worth it. With audio on camera, set it up and feed a Comtek TX off the camera headphone jack. Even if you chase van it, off radio mics, your insurance won't cover if it contributes to an accident, and production won't care. You will notice they never ask you directly to do these operations as the production would be liable. "Are you going to get in the trunk?" The answer should be "NO".;-) ABSOLUTELY NEVER WORK FROM THE TRUNK OF A MOVING VEHICLE! Work from a chase van, or pre-rig the car and put a recorder on the floor and let it go, or use Zaxcom recording radios, etc. There are many options but working from the trunk is not one of them. And this goes for big budget, small budget, no budget, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 That would be a trick Never do it, actors sometimes don't even have drivers licences, you could walk away a quaraplegic, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 It's hard to resist the tides of production, there is an expectation that you'll take one for the team, I acknowledge. The story about being on the freeway in the rain is a perfect illustration of how in the heat if the moment the "creative" people will keep pushing the envelope to get a more interesting performance. The experienced and better established mixers have been through this already (and survived) and will resist and find other methods before it comes to that kind of really risky situation. One of the benefits of this forum is that it allows more newbieish mixers a chance to think about how to solve that sort of issue before it comes up, which on modern dramas it most certainly will, sooner than later. Chase vehicle, roll-and-go rig etc.: be ready. In recent times I've sometimes set levels and handed the headphones to the director (who I trusted), and he rolled the recorder. philp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Davies Amps CAS Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Here in the UK it is illegal to travel in the trunk of a vehicle. Being part of a film crew does not absolve you from this section of the Road Traffic Act which every driver is obliged to observe. The driver of a vehicle carrying any one in the trunk can finish up with a large fine and up to six penalty points on their driving licence and the trunk passenger would also be liable to be fined.. Malcolm Davies. A.m.p.s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Collins Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Bigmaho. I wasn't even trying for levity. Oops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afewmoreyears Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Don't EVER get in the trunk... EVER.... next subject... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Reineke Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 I was in a chase vehicle (Dodge Caravan) that ran off the road trying to keep up with a 911 picture car I had mic'd on twisty roads in upstate NY. luckily we didn't hit anything solid, so no one was hurt. In that case I would have been safer in the Porsche. Moral of the story, stay in the craft tent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 A variation during a documentary. Me driving a police car round a city, Nagra on my lap, headphones on and recording the Chief of Police and our interviewer in the back seat!!! mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Flaherty Posted November 21, 2013 Report Share Posted November 21, 2013 If I had a nickel for every time that a producer asked me to do something silly and dangerous, I would be retired. Do not compromise! Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted November 22, 2013 Report Share Posted November 22, 2013 A good while back I was the DP on a project when the director told me to shoot handheld from the hood (bonnet, for our Brit friends) of the car. I said "no." She wanted to get a shot of the actors pulling out -- the two ladies were to be starting an argument as they pulled away. She said to give her the camera and she'd get the shot. I told her it wasn't safe and it wasn't going to happen. The argument finally ended at the point when she realized that when I had said it wasn't going to happen, it actually meant that it wasn't going to happen. We've worked together since and we're still on good terms. She acknowledges now that it wasn't her best day nor a shining moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted November 22, 2013 Report Share Posted November 22, 2013 I found this yesterday. "An Officer and a Gentleman" poor mans tow rig. I laughed thinking of all the times we have told the 'FNG's' to never ride in the trunk or do something dangerous. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morrow Posted November 30, 2013 Report Share Posted November 30, 2013 I've never recorded sound in a moving vehicle, but I'm going to be doing that for a rehearsal tomorrow. The plan for the low budget production is for me and the camera op to be in the back seats of an SUV, while the director/producer rides in the way-back of the SUV. My only worry is being beheaded in an accident :-), but that same concern exists riding in any vehicle with heavy stuff in the way-back. Having never done this, I'm curious if there's anything that can be done to reduce road noise from towing... at what speed does it typically become a problem? I suppose that as long as they drive about the same speed on each take, the background road noise should be relatively constant and cut well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrider Posted November 30, 2013 Report Share Posted November 30, 2013 One factor that is important that you may not be able to control is the actual surface of the road. New asphalt is great, gravel roads are terrible. Also make sure windows are up and air conditioning/heat is off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted December 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2013 I love that shot from our "camera car" on An Officer and a Gentleman. Look at the single strap over the mag, the only thing securing the camera sitting on apple boxes. Everyone is smiling, though, so we must not have been worried... Taylor, of course, is not smiling but that is to be expected. Don Thorin is suppressing his smile out of respect for Taylor... and Don Coufal, well, I don't know exactly what that expression is. I guess I'm comfortably sitting in the passenger seat in front. I am the department head after all. ...and I just noticed Maryanne Newfield covering her face... guess she didn't want to be recognized Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted December 1, 2013 Report Share Posted December 1, 2013 The funniest thing is that the camera has a mag barney. That must have been one squeaky mag!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted December 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2013 The funniest thing is that the camera has a mag barney. That must have been one squeaky mag!!! That may have been a heater barney --- looking at the picture I was wondering why everyone is so bundled up. Maybe one of our colder days in Port Townsend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted December 1, 2013 Report Share Posted December 1, 2013 The plan for the low budget production is for me and the camera op to be in the back seats of an SUV, while the director/producer rides in the way-back of the SUV. My only worry is being beheaded in an accident :-), but that same concern exists riding in any vehicle with heavy stuff in the way-back. We did this for a feature some months back using an SUV. If the camera operator and I had gotten any closer, we'd have to get a marriage license. Stupidest mistake I made: not bringing along a pillow. Definitely for next time. They never drove faster than 40MPH, so it was fine. The script called for the car being parked -- silly me, believing the script. Road noise was not too much of a problem. Because we were only shooting from the back (passenger's POV), we were able to put wireless lavs on the front of the actors and not pick up any seatbelt noise. Had a plant for the backseat. Absolutely worked fine with windows up -- all audio cleaned up slightly and wound up in the final mix. My neck hurt for about three days afterwards, after being shoved like a pretzel into the back of the SUV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morrow Posted December 1, 2013 Report Share Posted December 1, 2013 Road noise was not too much of a problem. Because we were only shooting from the back (passenger's POV), we were able to put wireless lavs on the front of the actors and not pick up any seatbelt noise. Had a plant for the backseat. Absolutely worked fine with windows up -- all audio cleaned up slightly and wound up in the final mix. My neck hurt for about three days afterwards, after being shoved like a pretzel into the back of the SUV. Seatbelt noise.. I'm assuming you mean rubbing against a lav under a shirt. I betcha that's something that the Officer and Gentlemen shoot didn't have to contend with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 " Because we were only shooting from the back (passenger's POV) " a typically awful shot...IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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