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David Rogers · 01-25-2005, 10:36 AM

Strongly disagree. The pan-and-zoom camera work (as I call it, as opposed to "jumpy camera", which I feel is a negative label) adds a lot of value to the presentation. Here's why.

One of the biggest problems with tv and movies is it's very dramatic to see protagonist and antagonist on-screen at the same time. For human interactions, this rarely causes problems because human bodies and humans fit well into the spaces required to show several folks in-frame at the same time. They stand and deliver lines, curse one another's goals and motivations, make nah-nah-nah noises, and we all have fun.

For space scenes, this requirement led to space ships being jammed into frame together when it's highly silly to assume ships, especially opposing combatants, would get that close to one another.

Different SciFi presentations have gone about this problem differently. Some, like old Trek, show ships hanging motionless relative to one another in space, still at these absurdly close ranges. Others have used cuts to show one ship, then the other; which eliminates the close problem, but now removes any sort of feeling of proximity and eliminates the dramatic feeling of seeing the ships in relation to one another.

Of course there have been presentations that’ve handled the problem pretty darn well, or even written the requirement to get ships close for visual presentation into the storylines they deal with. A good example would be Wrath of Kahn, with its excellent naval feeling ship-to-ship combat sequences; we get a good amount of cuts between Enterprise and Reliant during the scenes, but in some circumstances (especially during the nebula battle), the two ships end up in-frame together in some mostly natural ways.

Now, enter pan-and-zoom. Using this technique, you can establish frame on a ship, then swing the view point visually (in a way the viewer can use to track some sort of representation of distance) to the other. This reenables the feeling of vast space, and also grants far more leeway in how the stories behind these space conflicts can be written visually. No longer are you required to jam ships together and explain it as docking maneuvers, as space nebula, or anything else.

Firefly used this technique to great effect, and it’s excellent to see it in use for Battlestar Galactic as well. Firefly would show Serenity maneuvering and kicking into motion, and then pan-and-zoom to show the Alliance battleship sluggishly moving in pursuit. BG uses the pan-and-zoom to establish the human fighters, then swing over to the incoming cylons; or show the Galactica establishing a defense perimeter, then swing to show fleeing civilian ships.

Properly used, excellent technique.

01-25-2005, 10:36 AM	#11 of 37
David Rogers Member Join Date: May 2000 Local Time: 12:41 PM Local Date: 11-22-2008 Posts: 817	Strongly disagree. The pan-and-zoom camera work (as I call it, as opposed to "jumpy camera", which I feel is a negative label) adds a lot of value to the presentation. Here's why. One of the biggest problems with tv and movies is it's very dramatic to see protagonist and antagonist on-screen at the same time. For human interactions, this rarely causes problems because human bodies and humans fit well into the spaces required to show several folks in-frame at the same time. They stand and deliver lines, curse one another's goals and motivations, make nah-nah-nah noises, and we all have fun. For space scenes, this requirement led to space ships being jammed into frame together when it's highly silly to assume ships, especially opposing combatants, would get that close to one another. Different SciFi presentations have gone about this problem differently. Some, like old Trek, show ships hanging motionless relative to one another in space, still at these absurdly close ranges. Others have used cuts to show one ship, then the other; which eliminates the close problem, but now removes any sort of feeling of proximity and eliminates the dramatic feeling of seeing the ships in relation to one another. Of course there have been presentations that’ve handled the problem pretty darn well, or even written the requirement to get ships close for visual presentation into the storylines they deal with. A good example would be Wrath of Kahn, with its excellent naval feeling ship-to-ship combat sequences; we get a good amount of cuts between Enterprise and Reliant during the scenes, but in some circumstances (especially during the nebula battle), the two ships end up in-frame together in some mostly natural ways. Now, enter pan-and-zoom. Using this technique, you can establish frame on a ship, then swing the view point visually (in a way the viewer can use to track some sort of representation of distance) to the other. This reenables the feeling of vast space, and also grants far more leeway in how the stories behind these space conflicts can be written visually. No longer are you required to jam ships together and explain it as docking maneuvers, as space nebula, or anything else. Firefly used this technique to great effect, and it’s excellent to see it in use for Battlestar Galactic as well. Firefly would show Serenity maneuvering and kicking into motion, and then pan-and-zoom to show the Alliance battleship sluggishly moving in pursuit. BG uses the pan-and-zoom to establish the human fighters, then swing over to the incoming cylons; or show the Galactica establishing a defense perimeter, then swing to show fleeing civilian ships. Properly used, excellent technique. ----- Dave's World -No matter where you go, there you are-