POV with a difference

[exmouse]

Yesterday I had to rig an on ride camera on Cobra at Paultons Park for the BBC to do a live weather forecast from Cobra as it was going around the track. You can see the video at http://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire/content/articles/2006/06/08/roller_coaster_feature.shtml

It was one of the funiest bit of TV I've seen for years. Nice to have a HD recording of the POV of Cobra. Just need to buy a TV that shows HD.

[Jumboshrmp]

Wow. I never knew that it took such a complex setup to mount a camera to film POV.

[kenshinmac]

That whole setup is nuts... I can't believe they actually did that... A weather forecast from a coaster... Crazy...

 

One thing does bother me though... Where are the other cars? I have this feeling they don't run the ride with one car. Did they pull all the others off for the event?

[maeryk]

Most of the "rear facing" shots I have ever seen for pro-video usually show the last "car" anyway.

 

Edited cause: Just DUH!

[exmouse]

Cobra runs single car trains, like a wild mouse. They took all but 2 cars off the track for us. We couldn't use a small lipstick camera as we can't connect those to our radio link back to the satellite truck and they're not totally broadcast quality. So we had to use a relatively large Sony Z1. We needed the shot to be as steady as possible so used 2 magic arms to mount the camera to the lapbar plus a 3rd to stop the camera rotating and then ratchet straps going off in 3 other directions for additional bracing. Some of the additional mounting kit you can see is for the radio transmitter.

OH and the BBC requires everything to have safety lines so the camera, lens, radio transmitter, magic arms all required lanyards in case they came loose. So yet more complicated mounting gear.

[vjgx]

Hmm... definitely interesting, and definitely unique. Good job!