(Almost) Frozen in Time
November 25, 2010 2:31 PM   Subscribe

"In all my slow-motion work so far, I’ve used a static camera to capture a high-speed event. But, I wondered, what would happen if the camera was the fast-moving object? For instance, if you use a 210fps camera at 35mph, on playback at 30fps it’ll seem to the observer that they’re moving at walking pace- but everything observed will be operating at 1/7th speed."

It really begins at around 20 seconds in, and unfortunately it's a tad jumpy at points.
posted by gman (44 comments total) 36 users marked this as a favorite
 
His second attempt is quite a bit better.
posted by flatluigi at 2:48 PM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]


That's really great. I could almost imagine a music video conceptualized along the same lines -- it's almost the perfect length at about three and a half minutes.
posted by modernnomad at 2:49 PM on November 25, 2010


flatluigi: "His second attempt is quite a bit better."

Jesus Christ. I found it here this morning, and that's the video I meant to post, but used the "source" instead. My short term memory truly is failing me. Thanks, flatluigi.
posted by gman at 2:57 PM on November 25, 2010


modernnomad: "That's really great. I could almost imagine a music video conceptualized along the same lines -- it's almost the perfect length at about three and a half minutes."

The chorus of Star Guitar (1:40 in) is a little like it. A bit different, but enough for me to use it as an excuse to link it.
posted by flatluigi at 3:11 PM on November 25, 2010 [2 favorites]


i watched it twice ...
and i wanna know how the date went :P
posted by subcorpus at 3:39 PM on November 25, 2010


Wow. I love how at 210fps it even catches the flickering from what I assume to be the interior fluorescent lights cycling at 120Hz. Very cool.
posted by reformedjerk at 3:46 PM on November 25, 2010 [3 favorites]


Great, something else tempting me to buy one of those Casio high speed cameras.
posted by orme at 3:47 PM on November 25, 2010


Love this kind of thing. It's jerky, but you'd need a really, really smooth high-speed track system to get a smooth result.
posted by Huck500 at 3:49 PM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]


I didn't notice any jumpyness at all. Took me a second to realize the flicker in the lights was because of the electrical cycle speed. Kinda neat overall.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 3:54 PM on November 25, 2010


This is fantastic. What an incredible effect!
posted by Flashman at 3:55 PM on November 25, 2010


Why is this up to me?

http://youtubedoubler.com/ShzL
posted by 0xdeadc0de at 3:56 PM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]


That really is very cool. Your allowed a strange visual depth perception both intellectual and emotional or psychological into people's lives, and it even makes them more attractive than I imagine a still photo, also it seems to be more 3D than 2D, if that's possible.

I so dig this kind of "Gee, what if I take this thing/contraption/geegaw and try X, Y and Z...etc...with it."

Well done.
posted by Skygazer at 3:57 PM on November 25, 2010


Came here to say pretty much what Skygazer just did, but he said it better than I would've so I´ll just add that either Bath has the prettiest people or this effect really makes people more attractive.
posted by fjom at 4:05 PM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]


...or both
posted by fjom at 4:05 PM on November 25, 2010


I can't believe I'm saying this, but...that video needs a Coldplay soundtrack.
posted by rocket88 at 4:06 PM on November 25, 2010 [1 favorite]




Aaannnd suddenly we're watching a Wes Anderson film.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 4:26 PM on November 25, 2010 [3 favorites]


I told you

....PROFESSIONAL.
posted by The Whelk at 4:33 PM on November 25, 2010 [7 favorites]


I love this.

That girl a bit in who lifts her hand to point is moving at light speed.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 4:35 PM on November 25, 2010


Man, anyone can do this.
posted by Jimbob at 4:49 PM on November 25, 2010


If the Flash went by that station at that very moment, HE WOULD'VE TOTALLY BEEN CAUGHT IN THE ACT of being THE FLASH.

As it is we can never see him cos like he's THE FLASH and movies at the speed of light amirite or aminotrite, help me out here people's


Obligatory Skygazer non-sequitar in small lettering:


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

posted by Skygazer at 4:52 PM on November 25, 2010


Love the Beta Band Whelky, but Waterloo Sunset nails it.
posted by Skygazer at 4:54 PM on November 25, 2010


fluorescent lights cycling at 120

Electricity is 50hz in England, so the flicker is either 50 or 100.

I just googled and it seems everyone says that fluorescents flicker at twice the AC rate, so I don't understand why I can see the flicker so clearly, especially in Australia with 50hz AC. It drives me crazy. CRT monitors don't flicker for me if they are above 75hz.
posted by bhnyc at 4:55 PM on November 25, 2010


bhnyc: i think the "flicker" is not the 120 (or 100) Hz oscillation, but the beat frequency between 100Hz and the framerate of the the film.

Also, I love this post.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 5:01 PM on November 25, 2010


so I don't understand why I can see the flicker so clearly, especially in Australia with 50hz AC

This is a form of aliasing. It's happening because the images are taken at a different rate than the light flicker.
posted by underflow at 5:15 PM on November 25, 2010


A somewhat similar effect is featured in Spike Jonze video WAX - California.
posted by Nelson at 6:35 PM on November 25, 2010 [2 favorites]




I like the Joy Division the best so far, but I also submit:

Theory of Machines, by Ben Frost

I'd like to see someone get higher level compression and mess around with the keyframes to glitch it out...
posted by codacorolla at 7:20 PM on November 25, 2010




Er. What happens is that it looks like a commercial for a bank. It's nice though.
posted by chairface at 7:24 PM on November 25, 2010


Needs a couple jugglers. Plus wasn't there an ad like this with clowns doing a robbery?

Yup.
posted by Trochanter at 7:25 PM on November 25, 2010




What happens is that it looks like a commercial for a bank.

youre right, but dinnae tell them how tae fix it.
posted by sgt.serenity at 7:29 PM on November 25, 2010


ServoElectric Milwaukee Pro

Needs some jugglers and acrobats on the platform.
posted by warbaby at 7:45 PM on November 25, 2010


bhnyc: i think the "flicker" is not the 120 (or 100) Hz oscillation, but the beat frequency between 100Hz

Sorry I meant in real life I notice the flicker. In the video the flicker is obviously a function of the difference between the frame rate and the AC 50hz.
posted by bhnyc at 8:08 PM on November 25, 2010


Okay look youse professionals. How about Yakity Sax, better known as the Benny Hill Theme? Work you MAGIC DUDES!! That song makes every video the awesome-est.

Pretty Puh-leeze??

/confused and disoriented and giddy....
posted by Skygazer at 8:11 PM on November 25, 2010


Seems custom fit for a Juicy Karcass video.
posted by ian1977 at 8:30 PM on November 25, 2010


(Almost) Stand
posted by ian1977 at 8:35 PM on November 25, 2010


I just googled and it seems everyone says that fluorescents flicker at twice the AC rate, so I don't understand why I can see the flicker so clearly, especially in Australia with 50hz AC. It drives me crazy. CRT monitors don't flicker for me if they are above 75hz.

The phosphors on a CRT monitor have some persistence, so there is still light coming out when the flicker would be happening. Fluorescent tubes don't have (as much of) that effect.
posted by gjc at 8:59 PM on November 25, 2010






some Berlioz please.
posted by clavdivs at 2:24 AM on November 26, 2010


He talks mostly about the technical aspects - but I love the way his shot builds a narrative - without ever intending to do so. It is something to do with the way the eye is drawn to people who happen to be moving - or how they happen to be the only figures on display at a particular moment. On reflection the moment that a train arrives is a perfect time to attempt this: a couple of hundred separations, re-unifications and humdrum commuter moments all distilled to their essences and captured against a vividly detailed background. Beautiful!
posted by rongorongo at 2:29 AM on November 26, 2010 [3 favorites]


Very cool. So simple.
posted by Xoebe at 2:39 PM on November 26, 2010


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