The Multi Plane Camera

[fae_alba]

I had mentioned my desire to "mimic" in A:M Disney's multi-plane camera and the depth effect that it gave original Disney animations. Doing a quick search I came across this video.

 

http://www.wimp.com/multiplanecamera/

 

Watching this high lights a few things for me. Primarily that the camera is always stationary, where in A:M we tend to move the camera around ( at least I do, a lot!) instead of moving the scenery. Given that most work in A:M is of course 3D, and that we don't need to worry so much about depth, but I really think there is something there in the "old way".

 

Have a look, and at the very least, take a walk down memory lane.

[John Bigboote]

That's great video! I remember those days and do not miss them... I hired in at a film production house at the 'tail end' of the film days (mid 1980's) and we had an Oxberry Master series camera, it was AWFUL doing a shoot around that thing... I don't miss it one bit. It WAS a wonderful piece of machinery tho... and is currently housed in downtown Detroit at C.C.S. college (Center for Creative Studies) LOve that old Disney 'snarky' stuff!

 

A:M's choreography module is very easy to navigate, animate and manipulate. Whether you move imagery pass the camera or camera pass the imagery... it is an enjoyable atmosphere to work in and highly capable.

[Roger]

I've used Oxberry cameras as well and can confirm that they aren't terribly user-friendly.

[robcat2075]

That multi-plane opening to Bambi is one of my very favorite moments.

[John Bigboote]

Pinocchio had some great MP usage as well... many physical dangers when working with the 2 story high- 4 ton Oxberry camera... including:

 

-burning hands or hair/clothing on red-hot lights

-getting hand or appendage caught in moving mechanism

-back aches from bending-over to change art for 14 hours

-working with spray-glue caused bad coughs

-working with sharp knives

 

I remember a particular problem we would have... you would be following a cue-sheet and shooting away... the phone would ring(usually someone asking 'how much longer???') and you would go back to your shoot but forget- did we shoot this frame before answering the phone...? There was no video-assist- you would have to await processing to see if you messed up. BTW the phone rang all the time.

[Roger]

Pinocchio had some great MP usage as well... many physical dangers when working with the 2 story high- 4 ton Oxberry camera... including:

 

-burning hands or hair/clothing on red-hot lights

-getting hand or appendage caught in moving mechanism

-back aches from bending-over to change art for 14 hours

-working with spray-glue caused bad coughs

-working with sharp knives

 

I remember a particular problem we would have... you would be following a cue-sheet and shooting away... the phone would ring(usually someone asking 'how much longer???') and you would go back to your shoot but forget- did we shoot this frame before answering the phone...? There was no video-assist- you would have to await processing to see if you messed up. BTW the phone rang all the time.

 

Oh god I hated that. I was shooting a pretty long exercise for one of my classes and completely forgot where I was in my exposure sheets, and then had to hope I remembered correctly. Fortunately it turned out ok.