Guide to filming your bike

[Bendy]

So how did we do this?

There are three main options for filming onboard stuff.

1) The pillion / car method.

The long motorway shots, and Goose round the roundabout were done this way. On the motorway, we had John perched on the back of G's bike, waving his very expensive DV cam around. Around the roundabout, we had Zimma hanging out the window of Kev's car.

Car is obviously easier to do, though the bike is perhaps better to get really close up (if you can find a bike with a passenger seat that's significantly higher than the rider's, or a short rider and a tall cameraman then so much the better). But both ways you should end up with some great shots and some utter dross which you can edit out later.

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/photos/pillioncam.jpg


2) The camera on bike method.

I don't think there are any shots done this way in that trailer, but it can work really well. Basically you either tape your camera to the bike, wedge it in some luggage, bodge some kind of fixing or buy one of those fancy little suction camera mounts from Motrax.

If you're fixing your camera to the bike, be aware that there's a hell of a lot of vibration at speed, which will not only ruin the picture but might shag up your camera too. Dusty taped a rear-facing camcorder on his bike at Snetterton and the pic came out mostly black and white from being shaken so much.


https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/photos/lukehelmet.jpg

3) The bulletcam method.

Look at the picture above. Can you spot the camera?

This is getting a bit more serious, but has far more potential than sticking your camcorder to your bike. With a bullet camera you have the option to stick the lens almost anywhere you want, while keeping the recorder nice and safe in your rucksack or under your seat. The only limit is your imagination and the length of your wire...

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/photos/helmetcam.jpg

We're still refining the bulletcam technique, but have learnt a few things so far:

a) Get yourself some pipe insulation (foam tube with the middle hollowed out) from B&Q cos it's perfect to put round the camera, helping to protect it from vibration and from being dropped.

b) Depending on the fit of your helmet, you can sometimes get it inside like Luke has in the pic above.

c) The camera doesn't like low sunlight or moist air. It tends to fog up in the latter.

d) Even with foam, it wobbles when taped to a wonky fairing doing 160mph.

e) If using it on your helmet, leave enough slack cable to move your head.

That particular bullet camera also comes with a microphone. 2 real options - stick it inside your helmet and commentate, or stuff it under the fairing somewhere so that it gets the engine noise but stays out of the wind. Under the plastics near the zorst seems to work pretty well.

*NOTE*
The bullet camera requires a camcorder that can take an analogue input - not a common feature. Do your research before you buy if you fancy giving this a go.


Legal Stuff

It's not illegal to film yourself on your bike. But if you're doing something illegal (as if you would!) and you're pulled over, you've probably just given Mr Plod a bit of awesome video evidence. People have been convicted after pointing a camera at their clocks. Something to bear in mind.

Not sure how Mr Plod would react to a group riding down the M4 milling round the camera bike, slowing down and speeding up erratically with little regard for other vehicles. Not that we'd do that either.

[Bendy]

And now... some advice for the camera people!

It's a thankless task, being the one left holding the camera while everyone's riding around having fun. And for the most part, what your filming will look really boring when you get back home and watch it. But there are a few tricks you can use to make it look cooler... most of them fairly obvious but what the hell, I'm going to tell you anyway

https://www.evilbendy.co.uk/photos/camera.jpg

Get low and get close is the general rule.

Low is easy. Things look faster when you shoot nearer the ground. When shooting Goose's video, we had Zimma lying on his stomach in the middle of the road. Looks great, but not advisable on a busy dual carrigeway.

Close is a little more of a challenge as a bit of it comes down to trust on both sides. Be prepared to get wheelied past, stoppied at and generally risk life and limb just to entertain us lot on the forum. Hey, it's a damn good cause!

Top and bottom right are me standing in the middle of the road and trusting them not to hit me. Centre top and bottom are Dusty trusting G not to stick the camera out so far that it hits him as he goes past (there was a pass on the tape that actually made us all wince when we played it back, it looked REALLY close).

Of course, you can also go 'close' with a bit of judicious zooming - top left wasn't that close, I just happend to have a fair bit of zoom on and so it looks much cooler.

Middle left is a groovy wideangled lense - very nice if you've got one.

I haven't got the grabs to hand, but if you've seen Goose's video you'll have seen that we went up onto the bridge at Stockley and filmed from up there. Anything to make a bike going round and round and round and round a bit more interesting.

And finally... keep the camera on at all times. I've lost count of the number of times something really cool's happened when it's in my bag.

Have fun!

[G1_]

Thats really cool, lots of good advice!

Heres my results from messing about with the camera for a few minutes. I still need to make the video a respectable size but here are a few screen grabs.
As Bendy says, from my quick attempt with a camera I definantly found that the picture got wobbly at any propper speed

You'll never guess how I attatched the camera. Lets just say it involved an old sock

[hustler]

hmmmm all that gives me an idea
____________________
As I said to that guy with the crutches and full camouflage gear, you can hide but you can't run.

[Sparks!]

[Ric]

im fittin a cam under my front faring on the underside, like hangin under the light

how will that come out? will i need to vibro protect it?

[Gracie Jones]

Bendy, that video is very cool. Do you sell them? I wonder if MTV, Extreeme or Men and Motors buy that kind of thing...

Certainly look very professional.

[Rodger Wabbit]

Hi, Iv always wanted to do this but i carnt seem to find a cheap camcorder that has av in. Does anyone know of any that are under £100?

[Sparks!]

[Rodger Wabbit]

[Sparks!]

GR-D50EK
____________________
Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[awj72]

Did a curious search on ebay, came up with these.....


https://search.ebay.co.uk/bullet-cam_W0QQfromZR8QQsokeywordredirectZ1QQsoloctogZ9

might be of use to someone
____________________
Woe to you, o earth & sea, for the devil sends the beast with wrath............
(my ebay clearout...... https://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZawj72QQhtZ-1 )

[Rodger Wabbit]

Hi, Yams where did you find it for £185?

[Sparks!]

No point in asking as he doesn't have any more.

It was the bloke that Zaknafien bought his from in the thread in off topic called "got my new toy"
____________________
Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes