Bullet Time Effect in "Sherlock" the BBC TV Series

This effect was used only in the 'Sign of Three' episode. During the wedding photograph scenes, everybody stood still while the camera panned around.
It is almost as if time stood still while the camera moved around.

[@fedredora]

It's pretty easy to tell that they had no idea what to do with the giant budget for this show. The music swells & very advanced camera techniques are used - for a wedding photo.

[@madrid_seu]

one of the most elegant and unique uses of bullet time in recent times

[@Reggie1408]

And the most pointless.

[@alias_]

@@Reggie1408 style isn't a point?

[@mariaismarvellous]

Yeah but the camera didn't move, there were 50 cameras lined up side to side so they took the same frame from every camera and made it seem like the time froze. If everyone stood still and the camera moved, the confetti would still be falling.

[@MapporFilms]

That's right!

[@bendlind]

Then again, the confetti could have been added in quite easily with cgi after the fact, and everyone could have been standing still with the camera panning around. If you compare the small particles of confetti that the girls threw at 0:05 to the larger particles (and flower petals) that are hanging in the air directly after, they look very different.

[@mariaismarvellous]

Ben Lind I suppose they did add some cgi just to enhance the effect.

[@almostpancake]

mariaismarvellous If you pause and play repeatedly when they zoom out around 0:13 to 0:14 you can notice the depth of the flower petals seems as though the camera actually moves forward, which also implies they used some CGI.

[@mariaismarvellous]

almostpancake agree!

[@AWlpsSHOW36]

Molly looked a bit jealous seeing Sherlock having a photo with one of the bridesmaids! LOL!

[@rippspeck]

There's really only one question to ask here:
WHY!?

[@shelbyvillerules9962]

Because it looks _KEEEEEEWWWWLLLL_

[@LukeDalli29]

Why not?

[@sampohlmann1503]

@@shelbyvillerules9962 i see Limmy refrence in here lol

[@shelbyvillerules9962]

@@sampohlmann1503 My feather wud be prood.

[@SerisTaclys]

Real talk: this use of bullet time is visually impressive but entirely pointless. No action worth slowing down this much is happening, nothing significant to the story is happening, and overall it’s just an extravagant use of cinematography for no narrative purpose.

[@amesrun00]

exactly, thank you.

[@GordonHugenay]

spoiler alert
disagree: since the photographer turned out to be the murderer, they made this spectacular photographing scene, so that the audience remembers the photographer at the end of the episode

[@GordonHugenay]

It makes us aware that there is a photographer, that's all. In every good murder mystery, the murderer is already known before the solution, which is achieved with this scene.

[@GordonHugenay]

alright, they could have introduced him in a different way, but I still think that it was worth the effort. It looks particularly great in this scene, because there's confetti.

[@0oJadeeeo0]

​ As Elzear pointed out it emphasizes the role of the photographer. Asking what use is that, is like asking what is the meaning of easter eggs. Among other things they point you into a direction. Also it's an artistic tool. They used this artistic tool, to emphasize the photographer. And it's wonderful how they could use a cinematographic technique to do that. So few people can pull that off. Also if you really need it, we can go into, how it turns around them, or how it pans in and out of the hat, or how the time freezes, like time stopped for him, and how it's like he is in a rat race with his thoughts (because of the rotating-like movement of the camera), he can't move on from a certian point in time etc. etc. I'm not gonna go more into it 'cuz frankly it was a long time ago that i saw this episode, but I'm sure it can be analyzed. Even on it's own, it's a very intelligent and subtle form of foreshadowing the photographer as the killer. Very smooth too. And looks beautiful. It sticks out as hell, yet noone caught the clue while watching. They were talking to us, they were actually shouting at us who the killer is through this cinematographic technique, and yet you don't notice it first time watching. Genius.

[@inwemeneldur2025]

I love it... SO MUCH
I love Bullet-Time in anything... Shows, Movies, Games (especially games... They're the best!!)

[@AimeeRose1997]

I'M ONLY HUMAN, AFTER ALL
I'M ONLY HUMAN, AFTER ALL
DON'T PUT THE BLAME ON ME

[@xyzabc917]

Where can I find the audio used in background without camera click noises ?

[@Reggie1408]

On the internet.

[@ludilima6431]

Sherlock theme song, Sorry, i'm late

[@Ss-ug2gj]

There are many camera was shot at the same frame.

[@beardupbeerdown7355]

Caravan of Garbage sent me here

[@hi8735]

0:06

[@rebelprincess1164]

Why?

[@alias_]

Why not?