Magic!

This morning I did the pickup shot where the spinner spins and we can see the stars falling down in the same shot. We needed this shot because there was nothing establishing the relationship between the spinner and the stars. In the current version, we just see them falling on the table.

It took awhile to set up the shot. I put the 1000 watt Tota outside the window—our sunlight. Then I projected the 250 watt Pro light through a sheet to provide soft back lighting. I set up the crane to get a really high angle. Then I had to mount the camera upside down to fit the crane. I therefore had to run the camera controls upside down and shoot upside down. I did catch one break. The spinner was still on the threads from the last pickup shot a couple of weeks ago.

It came out so nicely. I slowed down the footage and you can see the salt as streaks raining down magically. It looks beautiful like snow, and not like drandruf which it did at regular speed. It almost looks like a visual effect using a particle system, it's so hyperreal. And it cuts well too. I was very pleased that I was able to figure out how to do the back lighting to make the salt show up.

Anyway, I was really happy with the shot and the scene now makes a lot more sense. I didn't post anything here because you can only see the salt when it moves.