Quick Tip: Running With A Camera

Invariably, it is going to happen. You are going to be on set and the director is going to look at you and say, “Well, can’t you just run with them?” Note: any time you hear the word ‘just’, pay attention; it's never just ‘just’.

Now, there is nothing wrong with running with a camera–handheld, a Steadicam, a gimbal, etc.–and there are some great shots that have been accomplished this way, but it’s not as easy as simply grabbing a device and moving fast.

First up, let the AD know that this isn't going to simply happen, and that you will need whatever time it takes to get this right, safely, for all involved. They are still going to rush you, but at least you have set the table and they know when you push back.

For starters, walk the area. Make sure that there are no issues with the ground that will cause you or the actor, boom op, spotter (usually the dolly grip), to fall. If there are, fix them or figure out how to avoid them by changing your path.

Next, rehearse the move and the speed without the camera with second team. Defining the speed, path and the physics of how you will be running are absolutely necessary. Include anyone who will be running in this rehearsal and work out with your spotter the physics of how they will be spotting you and what your concerns are. Remember, they have to stay upright too.

Start to rehearse at true quarter speed and, if everything goes well, work up from there. These rehearsals can be done with second team, but when the actor comes in, discuss what the path is again, what the speed is again, and anything else that might be of concern. If you can get a full speed rehearsal with them, great, but if they can’t do the run many times, ask them to show you 20 feet of the speed and then assume they will actually go 10% faster.

BIG NOTE: Before you go, make sure the actor knows that the most important thing they need to do is to maintain their speed and not change it drastically. Consistency is key to this kind of shot. Most important, make sure they know that they should not speed up if you are pulling away. What will happen if you don't say this is you will try to pull back from them to get a looser frame, they will speed up to maintain distance, you will speed up, they speed up… and you can see where this is going. Finally, explain that if there is a problem, you will simply say ‘ABORT’ out loud and pull off to the side. They need to understand that this is their cue to stop.

BIGGER NOTE: Be very careful when running with new actors, but also don’t assume a seasoned actor knows any better.

It goes without saying that you want to make sure you are in shape, stretch before and after, hydrate, and take whatever breaks you need. The problem with running shots is that many people assume that, since they require no extra equipment, they will go fast. In reality, when done right, the opposite is usually true.

A cautionary tale. I was out in the desert doing a Steadicam shot, running backwards, a short distance from a house to a car with a younger actress. It was pretty simple, not too fast, and we took the usual precautions and did the usual rehearsals. Take one went well and there were no problems. On take two, she came racing out of the house towards me and, realizing she was going to mow me down, I pulled off to the right to get away from her but she simply turned and followed me until my spotter and I dropped backwards to the ground over a shrub. As I hit the ground I realized that the Steadicam was coming crashing down on top of me and, at the last moment, slammed it to the side next to me where it hit and broke in two. A lot of broken equipment but, thankfully, we were all ok.

As I lay there checking myself, asking my dolly grip how he was, watching the actress who was stunned sob (she was fine as well), the director (an individual I did not care for) came over and said “What happened? Why did you lose the shot?” 

Now, thankfully, I am both not a violent person and was on the ground, and as such I didn't do what I thought about for a second, so I simply said, “Why was she running so fast?” The director threw his hands up in the air, exasperated, and said, “I told her I wanted it faster, and you didn’t speed up enough.”

BIGGEST NOTE: Make sure to tell the actor(s), AD, DP, and director that if any aspect of the shot changes, you need to know about it and you need to rehearse it if it is significant enough.

Bottom line, be careful, don’t assume, and communicate, communicate, communicate.