How do I film a group of people walking towards me?

I´m stationing my camera on a rack. The group are running toward me(the camera).
How to I keep the focus at the group with Canon 60D?

It´s having trouble autofocusing. In other words, it doesn´t have auto focus.

That's what is called "pulling focus" or "rack focus". You have to very carefully adjust focus manually while recording. You'll want to run through a few rehearsals first. Some companies make add-on devices that give you easy to use, marked, big knobs that connect to your camera's focus ring to help with this.

BenB wrote: That's what is called "pulling focus" or "rack focus". You have to very carefully adjust focus manually while recording. You'll want to run through a few rehearsals first. Some companies make add-on devices that give you easy to use, marked, big knobs that connect to your camera's focus ring to help with this.

Oh, I don´t think I´m there yet with equipment. Quite hard adjusting manually to get it smooth, but I´ll try. If not I have something else up my sleeve.

Thanks for you help! Always good knowing there is technique for almost everything.

There are two camera additions I like the look of, & their price point, though I've yet to try either of them. No matter what you add to your camera, you will still have to do as Ben suggested, & that is to practice. The more you practice, the smoother it will be.

www.dslrsolutions.net/products/


This is the one I like the best, it adjusts for any lens, & you can add simple stops.

www.microfacturing.com/focus-shifter-tm

When you say the camera is on a rack, what does that mean? A tripod (stationary), or a dolly (moving with them).

Are you specifically looking for a shallow depth of field? If not then just use a wide angle lens, and close the iris as much as possible (high f. stop), and add light if necessary. Practically everything will be in focus then, just set the focus on the people at the start, and try to keep the same distance if you are moving with them.

Otherwise, yes you might look into a follow focus. Essentially you lay out marks on the floor (they can be discrete like stones if outdoors, or chalk marks), and then have the people stand beside them. Focus on them when they are standing, and then make a mark on the follow focus. repeat this at intervals along the track they will be running. Eventually you will have a set of marks for them to run past, with corresponding marks on the follow focus - the person operating the follow focus just has to slowly and fluidly rotate the dial to keep hitting the marks.

Or just practice and practice; eventually you will just be able to manually eyeball the focus on the go (this is what I do).

Autofocus is for taking photographs with. Forget about it for video.

"On a rack"?

With a rack, I mean tripod. Translated to norwegian it means "stativ" and "stativ" means rack. But I´m sure tripod is a better word, so I will start using that word instead.

Think I´m going to buy the 650D and this focus-shifter.

Thanks for your help!

Hehe... ok, glad we cleared that "lost in translation" aspect of this thread. Indeed, rack means something totally different when we're talking about camera focus or medieval torture devices. Tripod's a good word, sometimes called "sticks." They'll help you a lot in your film making, steady shots are generally more pleasing.

I will stick to tripod and stick

I´m using a tripod, and the product is a lot better compared to when the camera is in my hand. Really like filming and editing.

How are the chances visiting a set in Hollywood? I´m so curious on how all filming is done.
"Behind scene" is not always sufficient

Hollywood sets are usually pretty locked down. The bigger the budget the more need there is for tighter control. Your best bet is to read some online information about becoming an background "extra." This way you can get on a set & see what goes on, & receive some payment for it too. Don't be scammed by an "agency" that wants you to register with them just to be an extra. Get a film list of what productions are scheduled for your area, send an 8x10 3/4 view B&W headshot to the extras casting director with a one page resume. Research online what all these things should look like. If you have no experience on film sets, make some up to pad your page, you've worked on amateur productions (which you have), school theatre, etc. All they want to know is that you can follow direction when told to.

Also be sure to let them know you have your own transportation, & can arrive early on set. Make sure your contact numbers work first time, they won't try again.

When you get on set, you'll find most of it is just waiting around. Extras are in a holding area, while the scenes are set up. Don't ask any questions, just listen & watch. Don't get caught up in "movie business talk" with other extras, no matter how tempting or alluring it sounds. No matter how experienced these people sound, they're going nowhere, don't get engaged.

Be totally polite, smart & obedient, never question anything you're told. Win friends on the set this way. Not with other extras, but with PA's, Costume, MakeUp, AD's, ExtrasCasting, etc. If these people learn to recognize you as professional, dependable, punctual, etc, they might call you back. If they like you, you might get moved up a notch to being a stand-in. This person is the same height & general coloring of a main actor, so they stand on a mark while all the lights are maneuvered to set the scene, cameras are focused, measurements taken, etc. In this position you get to see a lot more of how the process is set up, you hear the lingo, learn the craft to some degree. Also, you're not with the other extras sequestered at a distance, so when the camera is rolling, you're right there quietly watching.

The key to all this is being quiet. Yes, you're treated almost like a child, only speaking when spoken to, & must obey implicitly, but that's the nature of the industry. So don't arrive on set all wide eyed & starstruck the first time you see someone famous, because they won't have you back. If you strike up a conversation with a star, or ask for a photo, you come off looking very unprofessional, & you make the Extras Casting Director look unprofessional, you'll never work again. That's right your name will be black listed.

Why is all this important? Because if we're working on a big production, a feature, the infrastructure extends well beyond what you can see or imagine, if you're not exactly where we need you to be at the precise moment we need you, then you've cost the production a lot of money.

For instance, you're an extra, we've filmed the master shot, you were just a guy on the street wearing a red cap, carrying a blue bag, the star walked past you. Cut!

Now it takes half an hour or more to change the camera angle, maybe lay some track, set up for the same scene from closer & lower, or whatever. During that time, you're herded like cattle back to your holding area to wait. But you need to go to the toilet, so you wander off. Nearby the toilet you see some guys loading a huge Panavision camera into truck, you like cameras, you start talking to them, asking questions, now you're closer to the truck, away from the holding area, or the toilets & a PA is looking for you because the shot is ready. You're the insignificant extra in the background, but the shot has to match, we need you. But we can't find you for say 3 minutes.

On this feature set, each minute is costing the production $30,000, your little moment of naive curiosity just cost us $90,000, do you see why you'll never work again?

That, TrixTrax, was way more than I hoped for. Thank you for taking your time to explain to me!

I hope it´s ok to ask question here instead. Actually I don´t come up with everything. You have explained everything to me.

Now I´m interested in how you know all this. You to a lot filming? In Hollywood?

Since I´m from Norway I need to do this on vacation. And also, my chances for a call back might be good, but I´m unlikely to travel forth and back(unless I earn good money).

I might want to get into a norwegian set first, gain some experience - if possible. And then try to see what´s going on, on a set i Hollywood.
Since I started with filming a editing a pay a lot of attention when watching movies. To see how they are doing it on Hollywood would have been some kind of a dream come true.

Thank you a gain, TrixTrax9000, for your answer!

Be aware that "Hollywood" is only one of three film making meccas in the US. The top 3 film markets in the US are Hollywood, New York, Louisiana. Louisiana in 2012 produced more films than Hollywood/Los Angeles. It is also easier to get on to a film set and get to know the industry in Louisiana than in L.A. or N.Y.

Also in the US, independent films are putting a major hurt on "Hollywood" big studios. More indie features are being made in Louisiana than Hollywood or NY. You can actually get work on indies much easier.

Sure, you could work on indies too, the distraction of the big Panavision I described certainly won't be problem on a small production.

Basically the film set is the same world wide. So the template I laid out for you should work in your country as well.

Over many years I've worked on small productions & indie films as well as big budget Hollywood features (some scenes with 3 Panavisions rolling simultaneously). If you really want to learn by observing masters, the bigger the budget the more likely you're going to have top tier technicians in every field on the set. You'd be amazed how much you can learn just by watching lighting guys, focus pullers or even grips. Of course the Director & DOP will probably hold the greatest interest for you. A big set is an bustling hive of activity with people working in concert like a massive machine. You can see a team unite to complete the project probably more efficiently than most other types of human organizations or companies (usually).

Just make sure you don't touch anything or get out of line ever, because you won't be invited back.