How are "slow motion" shots done and recommend me a camcorder

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m about to embark on making a short movie for my own wedding. One of the most important shots I need are “slo-mo” movie shots (either where the film is recorded faster than normal and ran at normal speed or just slowed down through editing).

Now, I’m guessing recording faster on tape is going to make it look better, so, does any consumer/prosumer camcorder natively support this shooting type? Or am I stuck with reducing the speed when I edit it?

Also, anyone want recommend a decent camcorder in the $1000 US range? I’m personally considering the Canon Optura Xi or the Panasonic PV-GS400.

And last but not least, anyone want to give me a few “movie making” hints/advice? I plan on using a tripod for most shots and I’m not planning on anything fancy (yet).

Thanks!

2

If you want to take some tips from the Michael Bay (Armageddon, The Rock) school of directing:

SCENE - OUTSIDE CHURCH
orange lighting gel
[Black limo drives up in slow motion.]

FLASH TO INT. CHURCH
blue lighting gel
[Groom shuffles nurvously]

[Camera pans around faces in audience in slow motion. Passes a mother holding a small child waving an American flag.]

FLASH TO EXT. CHURCH
orange lighting gel
[Bridal party exits vehicles in slow motion. Walks in a vanguard formation with imposing looking father at point, bride to his right and behind. A squadron of F-14s roars overhead.

FLASH TO INT. CHURCH
blue lighting gel
[Groom slowly turns over his sholder as camera zooms in on head shot]

Or you could borrow from John Woo and release some doves into your scene from time to time.

3

To answer your original question, slow mo shots are often done by recording the film at high speed and playing it back at regular speed.

Oh and you could take a cue from George Lucas by filming the weding and then re-editing it so that the bride kisses you first.

4

Err, thanks msmith537.

Yeah, I guessed that most slo-mo shots are done by speeding up the film recording. I doubt any digital camcorder is going to support that natively.

Oh well, I guess I’ll have to see if Ulead’s videostudio can do it well without it looking choppy.

5

I’m sure there will be an option to make it look horribly interlaced instead :wink:

6

I did a quick search about this and recording at a higher speed is not something that you are going to find on consumer camcorders. There is a discussion of it here. It looks as though you will need to go the software route unless you have some major dollars. My advice for making better movies it to practice before the actual event. You will learn something new and get better results the more you do it.

7

Thanks Toddly. Strangely I went to that forum but it’s rather dead and I didn’t see anything with my question.
Yeah, I’m not trying to make a big shot movie, just something funny for my friends. I have several machines for rendering and encoding and I should be able to make it look decent. Too bad about native slow motion though, that’d have been cool in the car sequence I was thinking of :smiley:

8

You can have some serious fun with your wedding shots if you do slow motion shots. Record the slow motion shots and dub over some depressing campaign music over it. Then do it again with some happy type music. It’ll really put a different take on your wedding ceremony.