Digital Air - Techniques
Dayton TaylorDigital Air, Inc.511 Ave of the Americas, #36 New York, NY 10011+1 212 477 1639http://www.digitalair.com/
Hector MacleodGlassworks33/34 Great Pulteney St.London W1F 9NPEngland+44 20 7434 1182http://www.glassworks.co.uk/
INDEX
FROZEN MOMENT ........................................................ 3
LIVE ACTION ................................................................. 4
STOP START ................................................................. 5
SLOW MOTION.............................................................. 6
TIME RAMP.................................................................... 7
SPACE RAMP ................................................................ 8
TIME BLUR .................................................................... 9
SPACE BLUR............................................................... 10
LONG EXPOSURE....................................................... 11
MULTIPLE EXPOSURE............................................... 12
OPEN FLASH............................................................... 13
FLASH TRAIL .............................................................. 14
LIGHT PAINTING ......................................................... 15
MOTION DISTORTION ................................................ 16
MATCH CUT................................................................. 17
UNIVERSAL CAPTURE............................................... 18
Space-time notation system designed by Mark J. P. Wolf
techniques
W
frozen moment
To record a frozensystems simultanethe subject from athe exact same mthen transferred smake a smooth m
That's not all that moment is just oncamera systems ocamera movemen
The other visual evariety of additionin which Digital Aimost basic assummovement in moti
In the space-time nindicates the passaindicates a camerathat the space axisrelative distances mnot movement in a
(from Spa
> frozen momen
ENDIGO (2001) - dir. Larry Fessenden - Timetrack 80 lens camera system
http://www.digitalair.com/technique
T
moment we trigger all of the cameras in ourously. This results in a number of images of number of different points of view - all taken atoment in time. These individual images areequentially into a computer and stabilized tootion picture of a moment frozen in time.
our systems can do, however. The frozene dramatic example of the power of Digital Air'sver the relationships between space, time andt in motion pictures.
ffects discussed in these pages illustrate aal sometimes subtle, oftentimes dramatic, waysr's camera systems can be used to defy ourptions about space, time and cameraon pictures.
otation above downward movement on the time axisge of time, while movement on the horizontal axis movement through space. It is important to note represents the speed of camera movement and theoved, but it is generalized camera movement, and
ny specific spatial direction.
ce Time Frame Cinema by Mark J. P. Wolf)
t
In the above example of the frozenmoment effect all 80 of the Timetrackcamera's shutters opened andclosed simultaneously.
s/ 3 . frozen moment
imetrack 80 lens curved camera in London
techniq
C
live action
To shoosequenttime-offs24 fps w
While it picture cto use D
One reaeach pouse live motion -number
The livematchincamera action pproducticontrol. frozen m
Shootingcreate smoment
The liveto motiosystems
Our camproducemoves wover cam
> li
> live a
astrol GTX live action TV commercial - dir. Ronaldo Soares - Movia 36 camera digital HD system
ues http://www.digitalair.com/techni
Movi
t live action we trigger our camera systemsially rather than simultaneously. This introduces aet from camera-to-camera. For example, to shoot ate introduce a time offset of 1/24th of a second.
is generally easier to shoot live action with a motionamera there are several reasons that we might wantigital Air's camera systems instead.
son is slow motion. Because the time offset betweenint-of-view in our systems can be very small we canaction (i.e.: sequential triggering) to shoot super slow achieving frame rates all the way up to an infiniteof frames per second (the frozen moment).
action technique can also be used for shootingg plates. By shooting multiple plates within the samesystem (for example a frozen moment and a livelate) we can composite them together in poston just as easily as if they were shot with motionThis lets us easily introduce moving subjects into theoment.
live action within our systems also allows us toeamless transitions from live action to the frozen.
action technique can also be used as an alternativen control in situations where it is easier to use our than motion control, for example on a moving car.
era systems can also be used to super-fast fully repeatable cameraith completely independent controlera movement and frame rate.
ti
ction
This example of live action wasrecorded by streaming uncompressedframes from every camera in our Moviadigital system directly to disk. Becauseevery camera was constantly recordingthe exact timing of the virtual cameramovement (indicated by the yellowframes in the graphic above) could bedecided entirely in post.
ques/ 4 . live action
a 36 camera HD digital system in Rio de Janeiro
techniques
stop start
Time stop-stto a frozen m
There are se
The live actithey can be our live actio
If we shoot tcinema cam
If the cinemasame directicamera systcontinuous t
Time stop-sta space ramboth may apstops.
> stop star
AES Electropaulo TV commercial - dir. Julio Xavier – Timetrack 80 lens camera system
http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 5 . stop start
Timetrack 80 lens camera in Sao Paulo. Brazil
art is the moment of transition from live actionoment.
veral ways this transition can take place:
on shots can be shot with a cinema camera orshot within Digital Air's camera system usingn shooting technique.
he live action shots with a cinema camera theera can be stationary or it can be moving.
camera is moving at the same rate and in theon as the virtual perspective of Digital Air'sem the overall camera movement will appearhrough the transition.
art can also be introduced with a time ramp orp - so that time or the camera movement orpear to slow down (or speed up) before time
t
For this example of the stop starteffect we mounted an Arri 435 onthe end of a Timetrack 80 lenscurved camera and cut to the Arriafter the Timetrack shot.
techni
slow motion
Slow minternasequen
Becausthe wacan eaexampany fracamera
Unlike sequenshuttertheoret(in factsimulta
When slow mcameramotionthe higspeed the spebecausspeed only up
> slow
2004 Athens Olympics opening graphics - dir. Daryl Goodrich - Movia 36 camera digital HD system
ques http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 6 . slow motion
The above example of our slow motion effectwas recorded by streaming uncompressedframes from every camera in our Movia digitalsystem directly to disk with a time offset. Eachcamera recorded at just 15 fps, but because ofthe time offset the effective frame rate whencutting across the image sequence is 120 fps.
Movia 36 camera HD digital system in London
otion, like live action, is achieved bylly triggering Digital Air's camera systemstially rather than simultaneously.
e the rate of triggering can be very high ally up to simultaneous our camera systemssily record events in super slow motion. Forle, using our digital systems we can shoot atme rate up to 24,500 frames per second-to-camera.
a motion picture camera the rate of thetial triggering in our systems can exceed the speed of the camera. This means there is noical limit on how high the frame rate can go the frame rate can go to infinity - orneity - as it does in the frozen moment).
using a single high speed camera to shoototion, changes in the frame rate of the effect both the motion of the subject and the
of the camera. With our systems the effect ofh frame rate (across the system) on theof the subject is completely independent fromed of the camera movement. This ise the camera movement is virtual and theof the virtual camera movement is dependenton the spacing of the cameras.
motion
techniques
time ramp
A time ramwithin a shchanges frmotion).
In Digital Ato change changing tthe timing across the
Because thany mechapoint of viephysical loexample, smake it goshot from a
> time ra
Carte Aura - Italian TV commercial - dir. Paolo Gandola - Timetrack 80 lens camera system
http://www.digitalair.com/tech
p occurs when there is a frame rate changeot. For example when the frame rateom 24 fps (normal time) to 250 fps (slow
ir's camera systems the frame rate is freegradually or abruptly. This is becausehe frame rate is simply a matter of changingof the internal triggering of the cameras system.
e frame rate in our systems is free fromnical or inertial constraints and the virtualw of our systems can be in two or morecations at the same time, we can, forlow down and stop time then reverse it and backwards - all within a single continuous moving point of view.
mp
This example of a time ramp was recordedby mounting an Arri 435 on one end of aTimetrack 80 lens curved camera andmoving the entire system (Timetrack andArri) on a dolly during the take (see photobelow). The Arri's frame rate was 50 fpsand the Timetrack camera's frame rate was250 fps (sequential).
niques/ 7 . time ramp
Timetrack 80 lens curved camera in Milan
techniques
space ramp
A space rathe virtual mexample wsecond (a r(a much low
To achievedistance beacross the dropping fr
The concepcamera movirtual camdesired) chthe frame rphysics anwhen physin velocity a
> space r
AKS (2001) - Indian feature film - dir. Rakesh Mehra - Timetrak 160 lens camera system
http://www.digitalair.com/tech
mp occurs when the speed (through space) ofoving camera changes within a shot. For
hen the speed changes from ten meters perelatively high speed) to one meter per seconder speed).
a space ramp within our systems we vary thetween the cameras gradually (or abruptly)system - either physically in the rigging or byames or interpolating frames in post.
t behind the space ramp can be applied to anyvement path, so for example, within a shot theera can very abruptly (instantaneously ifange direction and or speed without impactingate. With a normal cinema camera issues ofd inertia tend to constrain camera movementically moving a camera, making abrupt changesll but impossible.
amp
Timetrack 160 lens camera on location in India
This example of a space ramp was recorded bymounting an Arri 435 (for the live action) on oneend of a Timetrack 160 lens camera andoperating the Timetrack camera in frozenmoment mode (simultaneous shutters). In thisshot the ramp is a sudden change and wascreated in post by dropping frames in the firsthalf of the shot, which in effect creates morespace between each Timetrack frame andspeeds up the virtual camera movement in thefirst half of the shot.
niques/ 8 . space ramp
techniques
time blur
> time blur
Time blur test 2004 - Movia 32 camera digital HD system
The above example of time blur wasrecorded with 32 Movia digital camerasrunning synchronously and out of phase by1/60th of a second. The cameras werearranged and triggered in a circle such thatthe triggering cycle revolved constantlyaround the circle making one completerevolution approximately every half second.Each camera's shutter speed was 1/4 sec.The result is extreme time blur that lookslike the cameras were running at only 4 fpswhile the subject actually moves in slowmotion because the frame rate of the finalshot is 60 fps.
Time blur is motion blur which results purely from themovement of the subject over time. Time blur usuallyrequires relatively long exposures but it can also becreated from multiple frames through interpolation.
The shutter speeds of the cameras in Digital Air's systemscan be much longer than the frame rate. As a result timeblur can be introduced to a shot even at very high framerates (in cinema cameras higher frame rates necessitateshorter shutter speeds). Additionally, time blur in oursystems can be time-progressive.
It's important to note that the virtual point-of-view of oursystems can "move" relative to a time-blurred subjectwithout the time blur effecting the background (or anystatic objects in the scene). This is because Digital Air'ssystems simulate a virtual moving point of view by cuttingacross static camera positions - and non-moving objects instatic shots are unaffected by time blur.
By simultaneously opening and then sequentially closingthe shutters in our systems we can also record scenes inwhich the subject is moving and leaving an accumulativetrail of time blur (this is similar to the light painting effectonly the subject itself becomes the light source). Becausethis creates a situation whereeach frame has a differentshutter speed an exposurecompensation may be made inthe aperture settings or withND filters, or the effect can berecorded with a moving subjecton a black background.
http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 9 . time blur
techniqu
space blur
Space blublur lookscamera.
With a sinmoving thsystems tnecessarimoment tresult spa
Because interpolatanywhereresult shosubjects c
Objects pwill tend tblur is appHewitt abTimetrackmake thisbackgroucompositisubject (tthe graphspace-blu(the yellowtogether a
> space
"Time of Your Life" TV show promo - dir. Bryan Johnson - Timetrack 80 lens camera system
es http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 10 . space blur
r is similar to time blur but on the spatial axis. Space like motion blur resulting from movement of the
gle still camera space blur can be captured bye camera during the exposure. But with Digital Air'she individual cameras within the system are notly moving, moreover, if the subject is a frozenhere is usually no time to move the cameras. As ace blur generally requires the use of interpolation.
any number of frames (camera positions) can beed to create space blur the effect can range from barely noticeable to infinitely extreme. As ats can blur in and out to such a degree that theirompletely disappear and reappear.
laced at the nodal point of a curved camera systemo remain relatively sharp even when extreme spacelied. You can see this in the image of Jennifer Love
ove. This was shot with our 80 lens curved camera and all 80 frames were interpolated to one image. This contrast between blurrednd and sharp subject can be amplified byng a sharp base-line raw image sequence of thehe green frames inic to the right) over arred background plate frames interpolated
cross space).
blur
In this example of space blur multipleframes from a standard frozenmoment shot were interpolatedtogether across space to create oneframe with space blur.
techniq
long exposure
Night phcinema combinalatter.
The largdifficult photogrsystemsused to unlightastrobes scapes constancityscap
Long excapturincomplextrail tech
Very lonphotogrmotion bexample
> long e
Samsung TV commercial out-take - dir. Chee-Whan Chung - Timetrack 40 lens camera system
ues http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 11 . long exposure
otography requires long exposures, photo strobes, orlights. In still photography the solution is usually ation of the first two, while in cinema it's almost always the
er the subject or more distant the landscape is the moreand expensive it is to light it with cinema lights. When stillaphy techniques are used, as is possible with Digital Air's, the solution can be much simpler. Long exposures can becapture night landscapes and other under-lit or otherwiseble scenes from a moving point of view. High poweredsuch as Lightning Strikes can be used to illuminate city-and landscapes momentarily with the effect of looking liket light sources in the final shot (imagine a strobe-lite as a frozen moment).
posure techniques are useful in their simplest forms forg background plates of distant night exteriors. In more forms these techniques blend into the open flash and flashniques.
g exposures (several minutes or more) can also be used toaph scenes in which everything moving disappears due tolur. This technique has been used in still photography for to make a busy train station appear empty.
xposure
This example of a long exposureis an outtake of the crewstanding around after this shootwas over. We chose to include ithere because it's a nightcityscape shot with a longexposure and only ambient light-- streetlights, etc. (as opposedto using cinema or strobe lights).
Photo: O Winston Link
techniques
multiple exposure
Multiple expphotographmultiple timcamera sysor more timmore imagetime offset.
This techniqeffect so thwith an idenThese doub
Any numbethousands
The multiplby openingshutters opshutter andcreated in p
> multiple
BMW 3 Series TV commercial - dir. Michel Gondry - Timetrack 160 lens camera system
http://www.digitalair.com/techniqu
osures are relatively simple to achieve in both stilly and cinema - one simply exposes the filmes. To record multiple exposures with Digital Air'stems each individual camera's shutter opens twoes during a single take and as a result two ors of the subject appear in the same shot with a
ue can be combined with a sequential shutterat, for example, a person can walk through a shottical synchronous double following just behind.les may also accumulate or disappear over time.
r of multiple exposures can be achieved - literallyif desired.
e exposure technique can be captured in camera and closing our system's shutters, by leaving theen and using strobes, or by a combination of both strobe timing. Multiple exposures can also beost by adding multiple frames together.
exposure
This example illustrates how multipleexposures can progressivelyaccumulate or disappear over timeby lighting a scene with multiplestrobe pops and progressivelyclosing or opening the shuttersacross a Timetrack camera system.In this example the strobes werecontrolled by our 160 lens Timtrackcamera and even the headlights onthe moving car were strobes.
es/ 12 . multiple exposure
Photo: Andrew Davidhazy
tech
open flash
Flasin mflashphot
Withtechcamexpois m
We cmovhigh
Conexpofront
> op
Orange Photo Messaging TV commercial - dir. Chris Cunningham - Timetrack 160 lens camera system
niques http://www.digitalair.com/techniqu
h photography freezes the action. Long exposures resultotion blur. The combination of the two is called open. Open flash can result in fascinating mixtures ofographic clarity and motion blur.
Digital Air's camera systems we can use the open flashnique in ways that are impossible with a motion pictureera or a still camera. For example, we can off-set longsures across the system (see chart below) so that there
ovement in the motion blur effect.
an also produce live action images of the subject thate forward in time normally by illuminating the subject with speed sequential strobes.
trolling when the photo-strobe(s) fire relative to the longsure gives the director control over whether the blur is in of or trails behind the flash exposure.
en flash
This example of open flash is a longexposure with a single flash at the endof the exposure. The flash wasproduced with a Nikon Speedlight (asmall still camera flash) and wastriggered by hand just before theTimetrack camera system's shuttersclosed.
Timetrack 160 lens camera in London
es/ 13 . open flash
techniques
flash trail
In this hybrid livesequence of frozeprogressively leftthrough time andaround the subjereveals the three
This technique iswith high speed prelative timing of and the strobes.
Because of the htechnique is bestblack background/ or the backgroudesired in the finawith a different ba
To light the shot pstrobe packs syncamera systems.timing events perwith two separateas many as 80 ex(two seconds beiframe shot at 40
> flash trail
Lux TV commercial - dir. Vaughn Arnell - Timetrack 80 lens camera system
http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 14 . flash trail
action / multiple exposure technique an images of the subject are
behind as the subject moves naturally space while the virtual camera movesct. The virtual camera movement dimensionality of the frozen images.
achieved by lighting the scene entirelyhoto strobes and controlling theDigital Air's camera system's shutters
igh number of multiple exposures this achieved with a moving subject on a (to avoid saturation of the subject and
nd). If a non-black background isl shot the effect can be compositedckground plate.
ictured above we used forty Broncolorchronized to our 80 lens Timetrack The Timetrack cameras produced 80 second across 40 lighting channels exposure events per frame-cycle andposures per frame over two seconds
ng the time it took to record one 80fps).
This example of the flash trail effect was shotin a studio on a black background. Theleading "live" image of the actress wasilluminated frame-by-frame by strobes thatflashed as one Timetrack shutter at a timeopened sequentially across the camerasystem at 40 fps. The irregular trail imageswere illuminated by another set of strobes thatwere timed to go off when multiple shutters onthe Timetrack camera were opened betweenthose individual shutter events. The softermore regular underexposed images werecreated by ambient light that was "always on".
Timetrack 80 lens camera with strobes in Miami
techniqu
light painting
Painting record thDigital Atime-progmoving ithree dim
The actushutters exposurecan be mfew secothe entirecan be sthat takein just a
The lightin camertechniqube used action another teclive actio
A light painverse cshot as r
> light p
Nissan "Liquid Light" TV commercial - dir. Rupert Sanders - Timetrack 80 lens camera system
es http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 15 . light painting
still from Orange Photo Messaging shoot 2002(negative print) - 160 lens camera
with light is a technique in which very long exposurese movement of sources of light over time. Usingir's camera systems this technique can be maderessive, i.e.: the paths of the light sources can be
n both space and time in the final shot. The result is aensional image of light being painted in time.
al painting can begin after our camera system'sopen but before the time progressive portion of the event begins, so, for example, a complex drawingade over several minutes and we only see the lastnds of the motion in the final shot (although we see light painting). Or the time-progressive frame rate
lowed down during the shooting, so that somethings several minutes to paint may appear to paint itselffew seconds when played back.
painting technique can be combined with live actiona by using timed photo strobes as in the flash traile, or in post through compositing. Multiple plates canto place light painting in front of and behind lived the live action technique can be combined withhniques to bring additional artistic possibilities to then plate.
inting on white effect can be achieved by shootingolors on black. The image to the right below wased light on black.
ainting
This example of light painting was shotin a studio on a black background. TheTimetrack cameras' shutters openedsimultaneously and then progressivelyclosed over two to four seconds as thelight sources (fluorescent tubes) weremoved through space by the directorand the gaffer -- who were dressedhead-to-toe in black. The distant studiowall that you see in the background insome shots was a separate plate. Aseparate plate of the car lit with a Fisherlight was also shot for each setup andin some of the shots this plate wasmixed in with the light painting plate.
techniques
motion distortion
Motion distortion occuscanned by a camera camera this can be doplane. With a digital carolling shutter or slow
When the subject movit will appear lengtheneupon the speed of its mslit or scan line. This "in predictable ways, asunpredictable or rando
Using a slit-scan or procamera moves the bacBut using Digital Air's move, the backgroundperfectly normal. Onlyshot, appear distorted.during the exposure bodifferently).
This effect can also be
> motion distortion
Motion distortion test 2004 - Movia 32 camera digital HD system
http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 16 . motion distortion
photo: Andrew Davidhazy
rs when an image is progressivelyat a slow scanning speed. With a filmne by using a slit shutter near the filmmera this can be done using a slow
progressive-scan imager.
es during a slit-scan exposure parts ofd, shortened, or inverted dependingovement relative to the speed of the
property" of the effect can be exploited in the photo below right, or inm ways.
gressive-scan camera, when thekground becomes distorted as well.
camera systems, which don't actually and static objects in the scene appear moving subjects, such as people in the Of course if the camera array is movedth will appear distorted (albeit
time-progressive.
This example of motion distortion wasrecorded with 32 Movia digital camerasrecording full frame uncompressed HDimages synchronously at 30 fps. The slitscan shutter effect was then interpolatedover several seconds of recording time.
techniques
match cut
> match cut
Match cuts are simply stracontinuous through the edlive television that are shotmatch cuts to change cam
Chris Marker captured thea single still camera in his LA JETEE (1962).
Using a large number of cacut can function purely as as in Lars Von Trier's DANwhich over one hundred vifor rapid cuts between oveperspectives. This set-up apossibilities to be shot in o
Using Digital Air's camera blend in and out of smoothsections of cameras whichsequences.
Match cut test 2004 - Movia 36 camera digital HD system
http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 17 . match cut
Three views of the same (approximate) moment in tim in Chris Marker's LA JETEE (1962)
This example of the match cuttechnique was recorded with 36Movia digital cameras recording fullframe uncompressed HD imagessynchronously at 30 fps. Becausethe cameras were in a circle anyframe in the sequence could beturned into a frozen moment.
ight cuts where the action isit. Soap operas and other forms of with multiple cameras often useera angles.
concept of the match cut using justfamous film made entirely of stills,
meras and rapid editing the matcha multi-camera editing technique,CER IN THE DARK (2000), indeo cameras were used to allowr one hundred unique fixedllowed scenes with limitless editingne take.
systems match cuts can naturally virtual camera movement by using are arranged in curvilinear
techniques
universal capture
Universal capture isuse Digital Air's Movsystems to record scperspectives continu25 or 30fps.
In post production vibe created simply by
Multiple takes can eseamlessly transition
Any instant can be u
Additionally, the multime can be used to Texture maps (the improjected back onto rendering.
Data from our univecombined with CG bcomplete freedom omovement in post pr
> universal captur
Universal capture test 2004 - Movia 36 camera digital HD system
http://www.digitalair.com/techniques/ 18 . universal capture
a recording process in which weia high definition digital cameraenes from dozens of differentously and synchronously at 24,
rtual camera movement can then switching views.
asily be composited together anded between.
sed to create a frozen moment.
tiple viewpoints for every point increate a 3D model of the subject.ages themselves) can then be
the 3D model for photorealistic
rsal capture process can beackgrounds to give the directorver camera position andoduction.
e
This example of universal capture wasrecorded with 32 Movia digital camerasrecording full frame uncompressed HDimages synchronously to disk at 30 fps. TheMacromedia Flash movie on our website(based on the above matrix of images) letsyou interactively move the point-of-viewaround the figure. This works both when thefigure is moving and when it is paused.
