# Scene in Goodfellas. How did they do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 6, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163 "2010-06-06T14:09:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/21 "2010-06-06T19:45:14Z")
There’s a lot of pressure on the actors when you do ONE shot. One shot = one take. Otherwise a WHOLE lot of overtime! ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/22 "2010-06-06T19:55:45Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > There’s a lot of pressure on the actors when you do ONE shot. One shot = one take. Otherwise a WHOLE lot of overtime! True to an extent, but keep in mind, they know this full well when they schedule the shooting day. The first AD (who does the scheduling) will allow a lot of extra time for a complicated shot like this. I wouldn’t be surprised if they allowed most of a single shooting day to a complicated, center piece shot like this. And the actors aren’t the only ones under pressure for a shot like this. The camera operator and his assistants (especially the guy pulling focus) have to be on top of their game or they ruin the shot! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/23 "2010-06-06T20:07:32Z")
For those unfamiliar with the scene, [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMKyNJvNV8) is a YouTube video of it, including commentary from the screenwriter, cinematographer and director. (I particularly liked how the waiter brings a table into the dining room without whacking anyone in the head.) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/24 "2010-06-06T22:31:22Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Children of Men had some great single-shot scenes (many with fairly elaborate and complicated stunts). There is one shot where they built a hugely elaborate rig so they could move the camera in and around the car while it was driving. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/25 "2010-06-06T23:44:35Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > There is one shot where they built a hugely elaborate rig so they could move the camera in and around the car while it was driving. [Here’s the making off where you can see the rig.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A55xTYXMpI) By the way, the company that built the rig? They screwed themselves out of a direct link by having one of those hateful Flash web sites. I WANTED to link to the video on their site. I WANTED to link to pictures of the rig. But they decided that looking cool was more important then being useful. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/26 "2010-06-07T00:17:04Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Because everyone is born with this knowledge in their head? No, because there are so many “Behind the Scenes” features on DVDs, and there used to be lots on TV, that I assume most people are at least passing familiar with the basics (and I consider dollies and steadicams and greenscreen to be basic knowledge). But it seems lots of people never watch those, and that is the part that surprises me. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/27 "2010-06-07T00:22:32Z")
In _Serenity_ the layout of the ship and the members of her crew are introduced under the opening credits in a visual single-shot lasting over four and a half minutes. There is a hidden splice (a swish pan) made necessary by the way the two levels of the ship set were laid out on the soundstage. There were more than thirty takes between the upper and lower levels, only one of them Whedon said, because the steadycam operator tripped. Our own **Cartooniverse** was a steadicam operator; perhaps we can inveigle him into telling some stories. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/28 "2010-06-07T00:25:55Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > I’ve always loved that shot. > > Another of my favorite long tracking shots, done well before Steadicams were around, is this one from I Am Cuba… absolutely jaw-dropping. (Sadly, this youtube version doesn’t have the correct soundtrack for some reason, but it’s still absolutely amazing to watch). > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOCajj3fY4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOCajj3fY4) That’s a great shot. I had no idea the camera would do that at the end. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/29 "2010-06-07T00:26:45Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > True to an extent, but keep in mind, they know this full well when they schedule the shooting day. The first AD (who does the scheduling) will allow a lot of extra time for a complicated shot like this. I wouldn’t be surprised if they allowed most of a single shooting day to a complicated, center piece shot like this. > > And the actors aren’t the only ones under pressure for a shot like this. The camera operator and his assistants (especially the guy pulling focus) have to be on top of their game or they ruin the shot! Can you IMAGINE what Christian Bale would do if someone blew that kinda shot!?😃 ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/30 "2010-06-07T00:30:00Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > No, because there are so many “Behind the Scenes” features on DVDs, and there used to be lots on TV, that I assume most people are at least passing familiar with the basics (and I consider dollies and steadicams and greenscreen to be basic knowledge). But it seems lots of people never watch those, and that is the part that surprises me. Well, I’ve studied screenwriting and attendant to that I know a little bit about framing and cinematography, and also have a passing interest in practical and in-camera effects, but I very rarely watch extras on DVDs unless I know they’ll offer something unique because it’s typically a lot of blah-blah that the studios insist the director and actors do to fulfill their contracts, and they general do so begrudgingly. I can think of about half a dozen extras in my large DVD collection that are worth watching, the chief of which is John Frankenheimer’s commentary to _Ronin_. I suspect most people have little interest in the production aspects and knowing about it detracts from their enjoyment of the film. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/31 "2010-06-07T01:20:01Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > I’ve always loved that shot. > > Another of my favorite long tracking shots, done well before Steadicams were around, is this one from I Am Cuba… absolutely jaw-dropping. (Sadly, this youtube version doesn’t have the correct soundtrack for some reason, but it’s still absolutely amazing to watch). > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOCajj3fY4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOCajj3fY4) HOW on earth was that accomplished? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/32 "2010-06-07T01:44:03Z")
There’s a really nice one at the end of Branaugh’s Much Ado About Nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/33 "2010-06-07T01:47:59Z")
Smaller-budget films need to make do with what they can find. For [El Mariachi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Mariachi#Production), the director, Robert Rodriguez, improvised for Steadicam/dolly-type shots. He sat in a borrowed wheelchair, held the camera himself, and had someone push him per his directions. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/34 "2010-06-07T01:51:09Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > HOW on earth was that accomplished? My theory? Pulleys. Hand-held to 21 seconds. Then the camera is hooked to a vertical pair of wires and pulleys and hoisted up the side of the building. At 48 seconds, the camera is taken off the wire and hand carried across the bridge to the other building. At 1 minute, 15 seconds, it’s handed off to a different operator and moved through the building. Around 1 minute 36 seconds, it’s hooked to another line. If you look at the top of the frame, you can clearly see the pair of wires used for the shot. They remain visible in the shot to the end. My dad was a magician. I learned early on that most things are more simple than you might imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/35 "2010-06-07T01:55:44Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > No, because there are so many “Behind the Scenes” features on DVDs, and there used to be lots on TV, that I assume most people are at least passing familiar with the basics (and I consider dollies and steadicams and greenscreen to be basic knowledge). But it seems lots of people never watch those, and that is the part that surprises me. Why should I care? I’m interested in the art, not how the artist produces it. Behind the Scenes are mostly fluff anyway–actors talking about how great it was to work with the other actors, not a tutorial on the cameramen. If something catches my eye, and raises a question, I’ll appeal to the SDMB to alleviate my ignorance; I won’t begin to study filmmaking. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/36 "2010-06-07T01:56:00Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > My theory? > > Pulleys. > > Hand-held to 21 seconds. Then the camera is hooked to a vertical pair of wires and pulleys and hoisted up the side of the building. At 48 seconds, the camera is taken off the wire and hand carried across the bridge to the other building. At 1 minute, 15 seconds, it’s handed off to a different operator and moved through the building. Around 1 minute 36 seconds, it’s hooked to another line. If you look at the top of the frame, you can clearly see the pair of wires used for the shot. They remain visible in the shot to the end. Yup, that’s exactly how they did it! ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/37 "2010-06-07T02:02:19Z")
if you like continuous shots, here is the [mother of all music videos](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/38 "2010-06-07T02:13:30Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > Yup, that’s exactly how they did it! It’s become a very popular. Since falling into the public domain, there is an [active community](http://www.cablecam.org/) of amateur “cable cam” engineers making their own. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/39 "2010-06-07T02:17:37Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > I’ve always loved that shot. > > Another of my favorite long tracking shots, done well before Steadicams were around, is this one from I Am Cuba… absolutely jaw-dropping. (Sadly, this youtube version doesn’t have the correct soundtrack for some reason, but it’s still absolutely amazing to watch). > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOCajj3fY4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eOCajj3fY4) Holy crap! :eek: How in the world did they do that!? Ah, I see **gaffa** ’s post got in there before me while I was watching all the videos in this thread. Thanks for the explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163/40 "2010-06-07T02:33:17Z")
There is a second tracking shot in Goodfellas that is very good…It is from Henrys’ POV as he walks into The Bamboo Lounge, for the record is is chapter 9 on the BluRay. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scene-in-goodfellas-how-did-they-do-it/542163.md?page=3)