bullet-time?

chchaisson1 · Post by **chchaisson1** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:50 pm

When the action in the camera freezes, and the camera spins around the actors, it's called Bullet Time, right?

How do I accomplish it with one camera?

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:35 pm

That is bullet time. Same concept the pros use, except your actor must do the stunt over and over again. In hollywood, they use about 150 cameras setup in an arch around the actor, then close the shutter simultaneously. What you can do is Have him/her repeat the action over and over, every time with the camera in a slightly different place. Then in the end you can morph the frames to make the motion a little more smooth.

You know, bullet time has been around since the early 1930s when they were filming the classic Westerns. I met the guy who originally came up with the Matrix bullet time effect with the ripples and animated cape work. He even built the hero ship they all live in from scratch for the movie.

Evan77 · Post by **Evan77** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:09 am

150 Film Cameras?! I can just imagine 150 of those monsters lined up side by side in an arch formation around the actor. Where do you get 150 film cameras?

xbreaka420 · Post by **xbreaka420** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 1:30 am

from warner brothers, well neway i think bullet-time is getting a bit overused but hey if it looks cool what the hell.

gregfromMA · Post by **gregfromMA** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 1:49 am

i was under the impression that its only 2 film cameras and the 150 photo cameras were in the middle of those

Evan77 · Post by **Evan77** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:01 am

gregfromMA wrote:i was under the impression that its only 2 film cameras and the 150 photo cameras were in the middle of those

Yeah, I guess that would make more sense now wouldn't it.

gregfromMA · Post by **gregfromMA** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:24 am

are u in taunton MA? im from revere. we should collaborate sometime

Evan77 · Post by **Evan77** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:26 am

No, sorry, I'm not from taunton MA. I got the name from a nearby street.

xbreaka420 · Post by **xbreaka420** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:49 am

gregfromMA wrote:are u in taunton MA? im from revere. we should collaborate sometime

im from cape cod

gregfromMA · Post by **gregfromMA** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:50 am

cape cod is doable, how far towards the tip are u?

xbreaka420 · Post by **xbreaka420** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:52 am

2 hours, to get to cambridge

gregfromMA · Post by **gregfromMA** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:53 am

ok, then im 2 hrs and 15 min away from u

xbreaka420 · Post by **xbreaka420** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:54 am

if we did any collaboating d need you to drive to me cus im only 14 :/

gregfromMA · Post by **gregfromMA** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:56 am

ok man my email is fearcastigo@aol.com. get in touch and tell me your interests

ChibiVader · Post by **ChibiVader** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 6:25 pm

The hundreds of camera setup was only used in the original Matrix movie. In the sequels, everything was done digitally.

To do it yourself, if you're not doing digitally, is a daunting task. However, there are several ways to do it, here's a few links:
link #1 (I think the acutal site is down right now that's linked to in that thread)
link #2 There's some info on the bullet time used in the "A Glitch in the Matrix" fan film towards the bottom.
link #3
link #4 Someone trying to do it with the multiple camera setup.

lukeprausnitz · Post by **lukeprausnitz** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:04 pm

didnt they do bullet time at the end of "butch cassidy and the sundance kid"? have nt seen that film for a loooong time so cant say for sure

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 5:53 pm

There are ways to cheat the system and do it by yourself. There a some good morphing tutorials out there.

I3lade203 · Post by **I3lade203** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 6:00 pm

With one camera, you film the jump several times in different spots around the actor, and morph them together.. thats one way anyway

Magic-Man · Post by **Magic-Man** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 3:31 pm

Ye. I have tried this a few times. I never really got the result i wanted. I can never get the morph smooth enough, but the thing that i dont know what to do is how to make a panormic view. Also Chibivader, areyou making a matrix film and if so, when is it coming out and also, what bullet time method did you use. Thank you

jaapelto · Post by **jaapelto** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:09 pm

Copy/Paste shortcut, angelfire nags...
www.angelfire.com/film/retinalmovies1/bullets.wmv

These clips were made with one digital photo, using Lightwave 7.0. It's a planar projection to a simple 3d model. It only allows a small pan or it gets distorted.
Not a physical effect though...

windog · Post by **windog** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:14 pm

not working...

windog · Post by **windog** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:16 pm

not working...

Bugalicious · Post by **Bugalicious** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 5:30 pm

could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that this topic is 7 months old.

also double posting... sigh

windog · Post by **windog** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 6:40 pm

sorry about the 2 posts, i did not mean to do that.

crossfire · Post by **crossfire** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:50 pm

Well if you dont have 150 cameras, and want to do it physically and not digitally, the closest thing i can suggest is that you somehow make a rig on which you can move the camera around the subject and just film and move the camera. I dont know if it works, I've never tried it but it would seem logically the next best thing.