@@InCinematic Yes, but the length of the shots on The Shining betrayed the absence of rails. We viewers could see that there weren't rails--that made them even creepier.
@@ToddMikosh Well, you can also lay down sheets of Masonite. Picture the crew throwing down sheets of Masonite just in front of the dolly like a bucket brigade as the dolly chased Danny. 😂
Well now you know. There’s various tricks for smoothing out a handheld camera that were used before the invention of the Steadicam but they all have drawbacks, not to mention the ergonomic toll they take on the camera operator. Some use a faux-gyro stabilization. If you go further to get true gyro stabilization, you’ve basically invented the steadicam (although you’d still need to invent the vest that provides the resting point for the spin axis, not to mention improving the ergonomics for the operator*). *Operators still suffer from strains and injuries (typically back and knee issues) from carrying the weight of the camera and rig, but the weight is better distributed by the vest/harness.
@@ToddMikoshTo be fair, the super long tracking shots in Das Boot were less Steady than the Danny shots iirc, but still less Wobbly than the ones like 0:27. 😮
When Kubrick first saw the demo, he contacted Garret Brown right away and told him that he was interested in using his machine for a film. He also told him that he should rush with getting a patent for it, because it was possible to deduce how the steadycam system worked from its shadow on the ground as it appeared in parts of the demo.
Must have not had covers on the mechanism in the arms in the demo. Took me a long time to figure it out based on the final product in photos, back before the internet. Not, incidentally, because springs were obvious, but because Brown's solution to why they don't do what is needed, wasn't.
im a 22 year steadicam operator. i was taught by GB himself. shining was my fave movie due to the steadicam. the low mode bracket was designed to invert the steadicam upside down so the camera lens could get down to that tricycle.
@@HotTakeAndy not only drones but the ronin is used as well. its due to lower budgets and too many steadicam ops. the market is flooded with folks with little experience saying they will do a job for much less than a seasoned steadicam op. im not upset or anything about it. does not bother me. hey im even a part 107 sUAV (drone) op and im also doing drone shots for college sports for TNT as well. by doing this, im alsop taking a cut from the blimp ops who would have done this ( but for a much higher cost). you have to adapt..
@@marctronixxHey mate, I'm just curious what kinda drones do ya use? I imagine different drones for different jobs. I flew FPV racing drones for a few years (haven't for awhile now) so just curious if ya use racing drones at all as I see they're being used a bit for car chase scenes and other kinda high speed action scenes and to film action sports like mountain biking, snowboarding, motorbike racing/ freestyle, rally cars etc. They've really taken off (pun intended haha) for filming. And curious if you use any standard consumer drones like any of the DJI models?
@@28russ mate, I have 3: DJI Inspire 2, Inspire 3, and a dutch designed acecore neo for heavy payloads ( arri ). ive not used those race drones but they produce wicked visuals! i used to have a skydio ( and various smaller DJI drones like the phantom and mavic) but never really got into it as the camera was not able to capture the quality i needed. my hat's off to you for being able to fly those fpv racing drones! there's even competition games for them!!!
It's kinda like the perception of the human eye. You don't really perceive much up and down when you walk or run, but it's there. Your brain has just learned to compensate. The steadycam is almost perfect and gives a movement that is more like what you perceive when you yourself are walking or running.
Kubrick went through the demo film frame by frame then sent a letter to the guy saying that the shadow of the rig could be seen for A SINGLE FRAME! He cut that frame and rereleased it.
The smoothness of the shot of Dany riding his tricycle throughout the hotel’s hallways was one of those scenes I immediately took notice of on my first try, there’s something so mesmerizing about it. This movie just holds up so well still, nearly 45 years later.
My family lived next door to a camera man for the local news station when this movie came out. I was a teen ager and he was in his early 20's. When I mentioned "how cool" The Shining was to him, he told me he was blown away by the camera work more than the dialog or anything else.
If i remember correctly, "Halloween" (1978) spent almost its entire budget on a steadycam. A film about Halloween had literally 3 pumpkins in it and 1 was used for the opening. Some of this die to that it was actually filmed not in the Fall but also the the budget for everything else was so small in an already small movie. The steady cam being such a new invention it was expensive at the time but absolutely worth it for the feel of that film.
My college friend and roommate Karl Hawk built a steadicam for the student films we made in the early 1980s. Worked beautifully, too. Steadicams were still kind of an arcane technology when Karl built his first one in 1983 or 84, and the effect floored audiences when he'd show those movie during student film festivals.
It's brilliance is not only due to the use of a unnatural steady camera, it is also because of the acting, the frightening imagery and the hotel's impossible lay out, amongst several other things. But I really do appreciate you highlighting, exploring, and analyzing this aspect of it's brilliance and explaining it to us. Thanks!
@@InCinematiclots of great directors make good art with the camera, but Kubrick was one of a few who aimed to change the way we viewed cinema as an art form.
It definitely helps that Kubrick was a photographer in the past. It helped give him a unique perspective on the way cinematography works and how it can be implemented. That, along with Garrett Brown’s use of the Steadicam, made The Shining look and feel so different. Even watching it now, it still stands out.
I watched this movie two times and never even paid attention to these details lol. I'm glad someone explained and showed the genius of it. I just didn't know enough about the limitations of filming to appreciate this.
You did a great job with this video. I had heard and read about the Steadicam technique and still didn't really know what it was or how it differed from a cameraman following the actors around with the camera on his shoulders. Now I know that Steadicam is different. This is how videos should be done.
You know , im exactly the biggest movie guy but the way you explained something i couldnt really moved me to rewatch the film with this knowledge. thank you.
@@sylviaisgod6947 Thank you for this... I understand language changes but this is such an annoying trend! But props to OP saying must have instead of must of.
I don't consider myself a cinephile by any means, but this video gave me a whole new perspective on the film (which I do love) and touched on things I had never considered. I'm definitely a fan of delving into precise factors attributing to what makes any piece of art exceptional or unique, and you accomplished this excellently. Well done!
Garret Brown looks and sounds kinda like James Cameron. I wonder if anyone has asked if they were brothers ever. It's Kinda amazing that they both revolutionized camera technology in their own ways as well, so many similarities, it's uncanny
I've always thought that the end of the 1970s was when cinema in general became much faster. The pace of editing and the dynamism of shots increased a lot. I always attributed that to new directors (most obviously Steven Spielberg) introducing a new style, but watching this video I realised that technology like the steadicam will have contributed enormously by opening a world of non-static camera movements.
When I first saw this movie, 1980 or 81, I was instantly struck at very beginning with the follow shot of the car going through the tunnel. I had never before seen such a coherent shot made aerially.
Love the buildup with Dick Halloran and the One Light that is on above his head when Jack swings the Axe. Truly Terrifying Scene among so many unforgettable scenes. A brilliant Film by Kubrick. Still love to watch it and find new little treasures every time.
@@wizardsuth Yes, but apparently Kubrick and his co-writer felt they needed a murder to make it a true horror movie, and to make sure Stephen King knew it wasn’t going to be a copy of his book.
Dude I didn’t even consider that these shots would have been impossible until now - but you’re totally right. Stabilisation has come so far and so quickly
Without a doubt, cinema and everything that goes into its production, especially the more technical part of equipment and machinery, such as steadycams, cranes and everything you can imagine, make cinema the most impressive audiovisual art. Obviously leaving aside the most important thing, the story. For those of us who do photography and the occasional video, movies inspire us to move forward and motivate us to do more things. Great video and excellent information. Have a great weekend.
While the steady cam work is absolutely stunning, and the overall effect of the film couldn't have been achieved without it, I can't personally give all of the credit to it. The shining is a work greater than the sum of its parts, but couldn't have been all that it is without every single one of those parts.
Reading a book shows the possibilities of the film. Think that helps support the fact Kubrick didn’t adapt a novel per se but used it as the starting point for where he took the film.
Nice video! Two tiny factual corrections: the “30 Impossible Shots” reel was distributed in 1974, not 1976--Kubrick’s telex in response to the reel was dated November '74. And, Garrett didn’t have to be “flown out” to Philadelphia to work on Rocky, as he already lived there! There are also a number of moving shots included that were actually done on dolly (the two from 4:49 to 4:55 for instance). Regardless, anything celebrating GB's groundbreaking work on The Shining is a good thing!
@@InCinematic It's not easy! Because of Kubrick's insistence on doing so many takes, GB had the opportunity to improve his operating technique so that many of the shots are all but indistinguishable from dolly moves, so you really have to look close to find the "tells". A few others that are dolly: 2:06, 2:48, 3:01. .
Really? When I watched it first time on vcd years ago, I really thought that the camera style (steadiness) was a thing in the 70s. My goodness! This is awesome to understand. Makes me want to rewatch it again for the third time!
This is clear to people who make films, but I think it's less obviously impressive to the audience. Our brain naturally smooths our visual inputs, especially for motions we are making ourselves like walking or running. The steadicam is a more natural POV, and the handheld look is an artifact -- the technology of the steadicam cancels out the limitations of a bouncy camera. Steadicam immerses us, and hand-held can remind us that we're watching a film (or add the chaotic feel of truly violent motion where wanted). I think that for the general audience it's that sense of immersion that adds fear. The smooth motion doesn't feel unnatural or weird to them, but rather organic and transparent, like you'd see it if you were following the characters without technology. tl;dr: The tech and craft are impressive. The effect on a naive audience is actually to immerse them in the movement, rather than feeling odd or uneasy.
we had two steadicams on the soap-opera I worked on in the 80s. life-savers... if you ran out of time to block & shoot a scene with the usual wide/matching two-shots/matching close-ups strategy, you could light for the wide (with some caveats) then make some changes to the blocking & then thread the camera in amongst. when GB (or one of his people) came to see what we were doing with the mk1, & to do some training, he was horrified to see a cable attached to the camera. well, it's a video camera... of course! so we had developed our own way of using it, with the cable fastened a certain way & an assistant keeping it clear of the cameraman's feet. we did reverse-scan mods for some shots too, & a fair bit of under-slung. fun-fact- the mk1 had a valve (tube) in its power supply. something absurd like 30kV on the green c.r.t. so it would be visible in daylight.
I'm so used to it at this point that I didn't even clock anything interesting or groundbreaking about the smoothness of the camera. Really goes to show how integral it is to the industry at this point, haha
I knew that the steady cam was used in it. I didn’t realize it was used that much. The big wheel scenes when he’s turning the corner it makes your head try to look around it. Pretty weird feeling. Btw my favorite horror movie.
My favorite use of the steadycam was in the movie Das Boot ( The Boat). It all takes place in a german subnarine, and the camerawork is, in my opinion, unparalleled. 😊
Steadycam has saved a lot of time in film making. The Longest Day had a beautiful shot on the beach of Normandy, but briefly you can see the shadow of the camera and the operator in the smoke. It's obvious that they had to build a rail for that shot, but I've often wondered how different old movies would be if they had a steadycam. It's not always for the best, I guess, the static shots of the black and white era somehow make that one scene really stand out in that movie.
Its like we're silently following the characters around the hotel like ghosts. The Shining is one of the first horror movies I saw that stuck with me and something about the orange carpets gave me the creeps.
The coolest part is that the average moviegoer doesn't even know its being used. The technology simply disappears and they're sucked into the film without being distracted by a shaky picture. It feels as if you're *THERE;* as if you're a *part* of the shot. And that makes _The Shining,_ in particular, so much more terrifying than it would otherwise be. That's the genius of this invention.
Yeah, and now directors intentionally use shaky cam to try to convey movement and intensity. But really it's just awful to watch. It's a crutch. I don't watch anything with shaky cam.
This is an awful take. Granted there are many uses of shaky cam that are gratuitous and unnecessary, but there are many others which are fantastic. Time to open your brain back up.
@@Johnfisher12345 Unnecessary and gratuitous is specifically what I'm referring to. I'm not suggesting all camera work should be perfectly stable. But there are many directors obviously using it as a crutch to cover up what would otherwise be boring to watch. Good use of camera shake is measured, strategic, and balanced. Such as alternating between shaky and steady shots. Poor use of shaky cam is constant and unrelenting. And no, I don't think I'm missing anything by skipping movies with gratuitous shaky cam. They are pretty much always bad movies.
I recall way way back when the film Marathon Man was released reading about how the use of the Steadicam allowed for many of the running shots that otherwise would have been impossible. The article said the Steadicam was the game changer that enabled the film to be made. If I recall correctly it said this was the either the first or second film to use the new technology.
Amazing to think how technology has evolved: we can now purchase a stabilizer for smartphone for around 100 Euros and there you go, you have a steadycam and can shoot a movie with your smartphone!
Interesting! I watched this on the big screen theater in 1980 the day before my daughter was born. I am also a photographer and videographer who never realized WHY that movie had this eerie quality and this explains it best. That and Jack finding out in the bathroom there is a person trying to inject himself into this... situation. Did you know that sir?
The tracking shot following Danny as he go-karts through the hotel really unnerved me as a child when I watched the trailer. I told my missus about it and showed her but she just shrugged her shoulders as if to say, that's not scary. So I got our ten year old and let her watch the trailer from 40 years ago. She told me she'd never sleep again.
I had a bunch of nightmares last night and just wanted to add; that movement is very similar. Where I was detached at first and then slowly getting closer (floating) to a place I don't want to be involved in.
Amazing, and yet the one thing I remember the most is being completely cheesed off, seeing the shadow of the helicopter that was filming the intro... completely baffling.
This is definitely something that is hard to appreciate without context and how filming was like at the time. Nowadays, steadycam is used in almost every single shot and it seems like anything outside of that is a stylistic choice. It sounds like using steadycam in this film at this particular time was a stylistic choice. Funny how times change.
I actually think it's UNDERused. Sometimes I'm watching something and the human movements of the camera are so noticeable it makes me all too aware that that character is not actually alone in the room and there's someone with a camera there and it breaks my immersion completely. Maybe that's just me tho idk.
I think what the steady cam essentially does is make sure that the viewer isn't made aware of the act of filming, making the scene as immersive as possible. I wouldn't read anything further into it. The scenes aren't scary because the camera is smooth. They're scary because the smooth camera is capturing the scariness created by Kubrick without any distracting camera shake.
Its weird cos the backrooms is an online hit, so much so, the main creator is making a film with A24 studios. They went right back to handheld in those horror shorts.
Correct. The human eye and head work together to provide a degree of steadiness in our field of vision. That's what allows us to focus on things. So, yes, the steadicam makes it easier for the brain to stay focused on the subject matter being filmed. Thus, it's easy to become immersed in the horror of it all. Like the video mentioned, the center-framing is perfect, and without steadicam, the scenes wouldn't have had quite the impact. The eerie unease just wouldn't be there.
@@RegularCupOfJoe Yea it goes with this film, the isolation, the slow burn, the steady build of jack being possessed... That all went out the window for Clockwork', some crazy iiratic shots which go great with the movies themes.
In many films the presence of camera artifacts such as shaking and lens flares detract from the immersion. One notable exception is _Firefly_ in which they were deliberately added to CGI shots, enhancing the realism by making them look as though the scenes were filmed with physical cameras.
most Kubrick's shots are very "geometric". they remind me of renaissance paintings. that, combined with his propensity to put light sources inside the frame, makes his films look so striking.
I invented a different kind of steady-cam in the late 70's that had the same effect, especially running up and down stairs. It was a bowling ball on the end of a broom stick and a 1/4-20 screw on the other end. Camera goes on the screw, hold the stick in the middle and just twist or tilt for slow, rock solid movement.
I think this is before digital, so I always wondered if a human being typed those dozens of papers on the desk with the “Makes Jack a dull boy” in different patterns.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
What scene in the Shining is your favorite? I'm partial to the reb bathroom myself.
Wendy seeing the putrid skeleton in the hotel
@@behelit1997 When Jack is giving the speech while backing Wendy up the steps
I second the bathroom scene. The way the camera flips 180 degrees in the middle of the scene as if that is the moment Grady and Torrance switch roles.
Love the slow room 237 reveal
@@nev.catalyst7478 “You ain’t got no business goin into room two three seven anyway, so stay out!”
I didn't even think we couldn't shoot shots like that
Older films used rails and dollies to help with these shots, but it truly was a revolutionary tool
@@InCinematic Yes, but the length of the shots on The Shining betrayed the absence of rails. We viewers could see that there weren't rails--that made them even creepier.
@@ToddMikosh Well, you can also lay down sheets of Masonite. Picture the crew throwing down sheets of Masonite just in front of the dolly like a bucket brigade as the dolly chased Danny. 😂
Well now you know. There’s various tricks for smoothing out a handheld camera that were used before the invention of the Steadicam but they all have drawbacks, not to mention the ergonomic toll they take on the camera operator. Some use a faux-gyro stabilization. If you go further to get true gyro stabilization, you’ve basically invented the steadicam (although you’d still need to invent the vest that provides the resting point for the spin axis, not to mention improving the ergonomics for the operator*).
*Operators still suffer from strains and injuries (typically back and knee issues) from carrying the weight of the camera and rig, but the weight is better distributed by the vest/harness.
@@ToddMikoshTo be fair, the super long tracking shots in Das Boot were less Steady than the Danny shots iirc, but still less Wobbly than the ones like 0:27. 😮
When Kubrick first saw the demo, he contacted Garret Brown right away and told him that he was interested in using his machine for a film. He also told him that he should rush with getting a patent for it, because it was possible to deduce how the steadycam system worked from its shadow on the ground as it appeared in parts of the demo.
True genius
Now thats the actions of a top quality bloke
0:54
That was very nice of Kubrick. Many of these “successful” people will take anything and everything from you if they see the opportunity.
Must have not had covers on the mechanism in the arms in the demo. Took me a long time to figure it out based on the final product in photos, back before the internet. Not, incidentally, because springs were obvious, but because Brown's solution to why they don't do what is needed, wasn't.
im a 22 year steadicam operator. i was taught by GB himself. shining was my fave movie due to the steadicam. the low mode bracket was designed to invert the steadicam upside down so the camera lens could get down to that tricycle.
So how do you feel about the use of drones being used for these types of shots now?
@@HotTakeAndy not only drones but the ronin is used as well. its due to lower budgets and too many steadicam ops. the market is flooded with folks with little experience saying they will do a job for much less than a seasoned steadicam op. im not upset or anything about it. does not bother me. hey im even a part 107 sUAV (drone) op and im also doing drone shots for college sports for TNT as well. by doing this, im alsop taking a cut from the blimp ops who would have done this ( but for a much higher cost). you have to adapt..
@@marctronixxHey mate, I'm just curious what kinda drones do ya use? I imagine different drones for different jobs. I flew FPV racing drones for a few years (haven't for awhile now) so just curious if ya use racing drones at all as I see they're being used a bit for car chase scenes and other kinda high speed action scenes and to film action sports like mountain biking, snowboarding, motorbike racing/ freestyle, rally cars etc. They've really taken off (pun intended haha) for filming. And curious if you use any standard consumer drones like any of the DJI models?
@@28russ mate, I have 3: DJI Inspire 2, Inspire 3, and a dutch designed acecore neo for heavy payloads ( arri ). ive not used those race drones but they produce wicked visuals! i used to have a skydio ( and various smaller DJI drones like the phantom and mavic) but never really got into it as the camera was not able to capture the quality i needed. my hat's off to you for being able to fly those fpv racing drones! there's even competition games for them!!!
Does it weird you out that youtube finds the exact video for you that you need to comment on, or have you become used to it?
I like that steady cam still has just enough wobble and visible tracking of a moving subject that you can tell it's human operated.
Yeah, it's not as 'perfect' as a gimbal, so it still has a natural feel.
yea… it gives more the sense some ethereal being is operating it in the correct setting especially at the low angle shots.
@@kuromiLayfe which is a super appropriate feeling for films like The Shining
Agreed.
It's kinda like the perception of the human eye. You don't really perceive much up and down when you walk or run, but it's there. Your brain has just learned to compensate. The steadycam is almost perfect and gives a movement that is more like what you perceive when you yourself are walking or running.
Alright the rocky bit blew my mind. So cool he made that shot happen in rocky because of his demo
Kubrick went through the demo film frame by frame then sent a letter to the guy saying that the shadow of the rig could be seen for A SINGLE FRAME!
He cut that frame and rereleased it.
The smoothness of the shot of Dany riding his tricycle throughout the hotel’s hallways was one of those scenes I immediately took notice of on my first try, there’s something so mesmerizing about it. This movie just holds up so well still, nearly 45 years later.
We're so used to that by now that we don't even appreciate it.
Privilege is invisible to those it benefits 😉
My family lived next door to a camera man for the local news station when this movie came out. I was a teen ager and he was in his early 20's. When I mentioned "how cool" The Shining was to him, he told me he was blown away by the camera work more than the dialog or anything else.
I really appreciate how perfect the audio mixing in this is, I love when video essays feel great in my ears
Well balanced voice overs, interviews and music. I agree.
So many video essayists do not do proper sound mixing
@benniepieters agreed
If i remember correctly, "Halloween" (1978) spent almost its entire budget on a steadycam. A film about Halloween had literally 3 pumpkins in it and 1 was used for the opening. Some of this die to that it was actually filmed not in the Fall but also the the budget for everything else was so small in an already small movie. The steady cam being such a new invention it was expensive at the time but absolutely worth it for the feel of that film.
Thank you. Came here to say this.
If only they knew to use chickens 😔
@@00WatName00The idea of a chicken with a 25 lb. camera on its head just makes me lol 😂
@@chrisflores4788or imagine the Heavy Rain chicken camera 😂😂
It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken
My college friend and roommate Karl Hawk built a steadicam for the student films we made in the early 1980s. Worked beautifully, too. Steadicams were still kind of an arcane technology when Karl built his first one in 1983 or 84, and the effect floored audiences when he'd show those movie during student film festivals.
That’s why Stanley Kubrick is one of my favourite directors.
It's brilliance is not only due to the use of a unnatural steady camera, it is also because of the acting, the frightening imagery and the hotel's impossible lay out, amongst several other things. But I really do appreciate you highlighting, exploring, and analyzing this aspect of it's brilliance and explaining it to us. Thanks!
I love people who are passionate about the art of filmmaking.
Never get tired of The Shining. I can watch it over and over,still gives me chills!
That’s neat how it became the hotel’s POV.
Yeah, Kubrick really knew how to use a camera
I love that movie and never thought of it like that. But hell yeah
@@InCinematiclots of great directors make good art with the camera, but Kubrick was one of a few who aimed to change the way we viewed cinema as an art form.
It definitely helps that Kubrick was a photographer in the past. It helped give him a unique perspective on the way cinematography works and how it can be implemented. That, along with Garrett Brown’s use of the Steadicam, made The Shining look and feel so different. Even watching it now, it still stands out.
One of my favorite films of all time! Everything is perfect from the acting to the sound effects to the camera work!
James Cameron used the Steady Cam arm for the Smart Guns in Aliens in ‘86. So creative!
Look, man. I only need to know one thing: where they are. 🔫
I watched this movie two times and never even paid attention to these details lol. I'm glad someone explained and showed the genius of it.
I just didn't know enough about the limitations of filming to appreciate this.
My confort movie its The Shining, its like... so cozy for some reazon. thank s4 the video dude
You did a great job with this video. I had heard and read about the Steadicam technique and still didn't really know what it was or how it differed from a cameraman following the actors around with the camera on his shoulders. Now I know that Steadicam is different. This is how videos should be done.
Stanley would be pleased to know that most of his audience is still bewildered as to the reality of his allegories.
You know , im exactly the biggest movie guy but the way you explained something i couldnt really moved me to rewatch the film with this knowledge. thank you.
That poor guy must have ran miles with that camera with the 100 takes of each shot Kubrick did.
Next olymics he won a gold metal
*must have RUN
@@sylviaisgod6947 Thank you for this... I understand language changes but this is such an annoying trend! But props to OP saying must have instead of must of.
@@EricaGamet that's not something to give props for, only something to diss people for getting wrong.
@@Vingul I give props where props are due... "must of" really grinds my gears.
at 5:00 I like how "Thanks for Watching" was at the perfect middle. The eery perfectness managed to scared me.
I don't consider myself a cinephile by any means, but this video gave me a whole new perspective on the film (which I do love) and touched on things I had never considered. I'm definitely a fan of delving into precise factors attributing to what makes any piece of art exceptional or unique, and you accomplished this excellently. Well done!
I don't consider myself one either, but I appreciate the kind words!
Garret Brown looks and sounds kinda like James Cameron. I wonder if anyone has asked if they were brothers ever. It's Kinda amazing that they both revolutionized camera technology in their own ways as well, so many similarities, it's uncanny
I was just thinking the same thing. Looks and sounds like.
@@Csimon2429 I can't unsee this now
I thought it was Cameron at first.
@@InCinematic brother from another mother?
ONly by reading this comment did I realise that wasnt Cameron.
The steadicam was definitely a game changer.
I've always thought that the end of the 1970s was when cinema in general became much faster. The pace of editing and the dynamism of shots increased a lot. I always attributed that to new directors (most obviously Steven Spielberg) introducing a new style, but watching this video I realised that technology like the steadicam will have contributed enormously by opening a world of non-static camera movements.
When I first saw this movie, 1980 or 81, I was instantly struck at very beginning with the follow shot of the car going through the tunnel. I had never before seen such a coherent shot made aerially.
When Stanley Kubrick is satisfied, you’ve done the nearly impossible
Love the buildup with Dick Halloran and the One Light that is on above his head when Jack swings the Axe. Truly Terrifying Scene among so many unforgettable scenes. A brilliant Film by Kubrick. Still love to watch it and find new little treasures every time.
It was quite a surprise for those who read the novel, since in the original story he survives.
@@wizardsuth Yes, but apparently Kubrick and his co-writer felt they needed a murder to make it a true horror movie, and to make sure Stephen King knew it wasn’t going to be a copy of his book.
theres a good reason kubrick is regarded as one of the most influential directors ever
Fascinating to learn about where and how it all started :)
"The faintly diabolical quality depends on the supernatural steadiness of the shot."
the commentary tracks for this movie are just stellar!
Dude I didn’t even consider that these shots would have been impossible until now - but you’re totally right. Stabilisation has come so far and so quickly
Thank you! It was an interesting watch
This Was Great, Man! REDRUM! I Love The Shining. Reminds Me Of F.E.A.R. Thank You. (Comment #216)
Thank you. I really enjoyed this video 💙
Phenomenal video! Thank you for it, your channel is simply fantastic!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
1:34 I had no idea that this was the origin of the rocky scene! 🤯🤯
Nice touch with the three jump scares, Monday, Tuesday, Thanks for Watching. Like they were taken from the movie.
Great job on this video! Short and sweet and educational. Hope you do well in the future.
Wow. BRILLIANT video. Well done.
Without a doubt, cinema and everything that goes into its production, especially the more technical part of equipment and machinery, such as steadycams, cranes and everything you can imagine, make cinema the most impressive audiovisual art. Obviously leaving aside the most important thing, the story. For those of us who do photography and the occasional video, movies inspire us to move forward and motivate us to do more things. Great video and excellent information. Have a great weekend.
omg!! YES... iVE seen the Shining so many times.. and the cinematography makes the nightmare of the action get into your head.. . incredible
While the steady cam work is absolutely stunning, and the overall effect of the film couldn't have been achieved without it, I can't personally give all of the credit to it. The shining is a work greater than the sum of its parts, but couldn't have been all that it is without every single one of those parts.
Reading a book shows the possibilities of the film. Think that helps support the fact Kubrick didn’t adapt a novel per se but used it as the starting point for where he took the film.
Brilliant analysis. Got to watch the film again, been far too long.
Much appreciated! I love going back to rewatch it every now and then
Nice video! Two tiny factual corrections: the “30 Impossible Shots” reel was distributed in 1974, not 1976--Kubrick’s telex in response to the reel was dated November '74. And, Garrett didn’t have to be “flown out” to Philadelphia to work on Rocky, as he already lived there! There are also a number of moving shots included that were actually done on dolly (the two from 4:49 to 4:55 for instance). Regardless, anything celebrating GB's groundbreaking work on The Shining is a good thing!
Appreciate it. I realized the date mistake after I had made it, but it was hard to figure out exactly which shots were on a dolly.
@@InCinematic It's not easy! Because of Kubrick's insistence on doing so many takes, GB had the opportunity to improve his operating technique so that many of the shots are all but indistinguishable from dolly moves, so you really have to look close to find the "tells". A few others that are dolly: 2:06, 2:48, 3:01.
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*Amazing!* ⭐️
I was just talking to my wife about how excited I am to be seeing this in IMAX tonight and I pick up the phone and RUclips gave me this
Really? When I watched it first time on vcd years ago, I really thought that the camera style (steadiness) was a thing in the 70s. My goodness! This is awesome to understand. Makes me want to rewatch it again for the third time!
i loooove thiiissssss
Fantastic video!
This is clear to people who make films, but I think it's less obviously impressive to the audience. Our brain naturally smooths our visual inputs, especially for motions we are making ourselves like walking or running. The steadicam is a more natural POV, and the handheld look is an artifact -- the technology of the steadicam cancels out the limitations of a bouncy camera. Steadicam immerses us, and hand-held can remind us that we're watching a film (or add the chaotic feel of truly violent motion where wanted). I think that for the general audience it's that sense of immersion that adds fear. The smooth motion doesn't feel unnatural or weird to them, but rather organic and transparent, like you'd see it if you were following the characters without technology.
tl;dr: The tech and craft are impressive. The effect on a naive audience is actually to immerse them in the movement, rather than feeling odd or uneasy.
I mean even the intro is an insane shot..... being that smooth in the 80's. The way it follows the car..
After all these years (i saw it opening night) I finally get it. You are 100% correct.
we had two steadicams on the soap-opera I worked on in the 80s. life-savers... if you ran out of time to block & shoot a scene with the usual wide/matching two-shots/matching close-ups strategy, you could light for the wide (with some caveats) then make some changes to the blocking & then thread the camera in amongst.
when GB (or one of his people) came to see what we were doing with the mk1, & to do some training, he was horrified to see a cable attached to the camera. well, it's a video camera... of course! so we had developed our own way of using it, with the cable fastened a certain way & an assistant keeping it clear of the cameraman's feet. we did reverse-scan mods for some shots too, & a fair bit of under-slung.
fun-fact- the mk1 had a valve (tube) in its power supply. something absurd like 30kV on the green c.r.t. so it would be visible in daylight.
I'm so used to it at this point that I didn't even clock anything interesting or groundbreaking about the smoothness of the camera. Really goes to show how integral it is to the industry at this point, haha
I guess you could say this movie was a shining example of steady cam
Thanks to you guys….very cool…because I like the way tha it film’s…..and now I know the beginning of the first shout’s….it is the FAMOUS…….SHINING…..😮
I knew that the steady cam was used in it. I didn’t realize it was used that much. The big wheel scenes when he’s turning the corner it makes your head try to look around it. Pretty weird feeling. Btw my favorite horror movie.
I started the video with the intention of just talking about the big wheel scene, and then I just kept finding more and more places where it was used
@@InCinematic me too
My favorite use of the steadycam was in the movie Das Boot ( The Boat). It all takes place in a german subnarine, and the camerawork is, in my opinion, unparalleled. 😊
Great video!
Steadycam has saved a lot of time in film making. The Longest Day had a beautiful shot on the beach of Normandy, but briefly you can see the shadow of the camera and the operator in the smoke. It's obvious that they had to build a rail for that shot, but I've often wondered how different old movies would be if they had a steadycam. It's not always for the best, I guess, the static shots of the black and white era somehow make that one scene really stand out in that movie.
Fincher almost takes an anti-steady cam approach to his directing and that turns out to be striking.
The invention of the Steadicam is revolutionary.
The shining is a masterpiece in film studies.
I remember when I first learned about about this! It's so cool!
i think you underestimate the other details of the film a little bit, but you're definitely right about all the camera stuff
underrated channel! You deserve way more subs
Its like we're silently following the characters around the hotel like ghosts. The Shining is one of the first horror movies I saw that stuck with me and something about the orange carpets gave me the creeps.
The coolest part is that the average moviegoer doesn't even know its being used. The technology simply disappears and they're sucked into the film without being distracted by a shaky picture. It feels as if you're *THERE;* as if you're a *part* of the shot. And that makes _The Shining,_ in particular, so much more terrifying than it would otherwise be. That's the genius of this invention.
Yeah, and now directors intentionally use shaky cam to try to convey movement and intensity. But really it's just awful to watch. It's a crutch. I don't watch anything with shaky cam.
That’s pretty limiting. You’ll miss out on some great movies that way
This is an awful take. Granted there are many uses of shaky cam that are gratuitous and unnecessary, but there are many others which are fantastic. Time to open your brain back up.
@@Johnfisher12345 Unnecessary and gratuitous is specifically what I'm referring to. I'm not suggesting all camera work should be perfectly stable. But there are many directors obviously using it as a crutch to cover up what would otherwise be boring to watch.
Good use of camera shake is measured, strategic, and balanced. Such as alternating between shaky and steady shots.
Poor use of shaky cam is constant and unrelenting. And no, I don't think I'm missing anything by skipping movies with gratuitous shaky cam. They are pretty much always bad movies.
Not the shaky cam!!!
_The Blair Witch Project_ is not for you.
I recall way way back when the film Marathon Man was released reading about how the use of the Steadicam allowed for many of the running shots that otherwise would have been impossible. The article said the Steadicam was the game changer that enabled the film to be made.
If I recall correctly it said this was the either the first or second film to use the new technology.
The zooming in on the 1921 picture
I knew they used the Steadicam for the tricycle shots a long time ago but didn't realize all the other shots that they also used it for.
Some of that could have been done by a dolly, but they had the Steadicam on set, so why not?
Not sure if you've studied the cinematography of 'Angst'' (1983), but it is mindblowing.
Amazing to think how technology has evolved: we can now purchase a stabilizer for smartphone for around 100 Euros and there you go, you have a steadycam and can shoot a movie with your smartphone!
Interesting! I watched this on the big screen theater in 1980 the day before my daughter was born. I am also a photographer and videographer who never realized WHY that movie had this eerie quality and this explains it best. That and Jack finding out in the bathroom there is a person trying to inject himself into this... situation. Did you know that sir?
"I'm sorry to differ with you, sir, but you are the caretaker. You've always been the caretaker. I should know, sir. I've always been here."
The tracking shot following Danny as he go-karts through the hotel really unnerved me as a child when I watched the trailer. I told my missus about it and showed her but she just shrugged her shoulders as if to say, that's not scary. So I got our ten year old and let her watch the trailer from 40 years ago. She told me she'd never sleep again.
I had a bunch of nightmares last night and just wanted to add; that movement is very similar. Where I was detached at first and then slowly getting closer (floating) to a place I don't want to be involved in.
Amazing, and yet the one thing I remember the most is being completely cheesed off, seeing the shadow of the helicopter that was filming the intro... completely baffling.
This is definitely something that is hard to appreciate without context and how filming was like at the time. Nowadays, steadycam is used in almost every single shot and it seems like anything outside of that is a stylistic choice. It sounds like using steadycam in this film at this particular time was a stylistic choice. Funny how times change.
All these years I have only ever thought of that as a Steadicam shot. Now I find out the Steadicam had only just been invented.
😂😂I want to watch the shining now
Shoutout to ER for using Steadycam because it would be "cheaper" than using the multicam setup yet gave it its unique movement and style!
Steadycam is great but sadly it gets overused
We've almost hit an inverse, where a good handheld camera shot is a rare thing.
I actually think it's UNDERused. Sometimes I'm watching something and the human movements of the camera are so noticeable it makes me all too aware that that character is not actually alone in the room and there's someone with a camera there and it breaks my immersion completely. Maybe that's just me tho idk.
What a great video
Kill of a sacred deer has the feeling of being an outside observer. I never realised the shinning has that feel
Welp, time to rewatch the Shining again
The W. Carlos' soundtrack contributed to the visual effect. It gives the sense that a pack of trickster coyote spirits is gliding in pursuit.
'one in particular proved to be the most difficult'
Well, yes...
I think what the steady cam essentially does is make sure that the viewer isn't made aware of the act of filming, making the scene as immersive as possible. I wouldn't read anything further into it. The scenes aren't scary because the camera is smooth. They're scary because the smooth camera is capturing the scariness created by Kubrick without any distracting camera shake.
Its weird cos the backrooms is an online hit, so much so, the main creator is making a film with A24 studios. They went right back to handheld in those horror shorts.
Correct. The human eye and head work together to provide a degree of steadiness in our field of vision. That's what allows us to focus on things. So, yes, the steadicam makes it easier for the brain to stay focused on the subject matter being filmed. Thus, it's easy to become immersed in the horror of it all. Like the video mentioned, the center-framing is perfect, and without steadicam, the scenes wouldn't have had quite the impact. The eerie unease just wouldn't be there.
@@RegularCupOfJoe Yea it goes with this film, the isolation, the slow burn, the steady build of jack being possessed... That all went out the window for Clockwork', some crazy iiratic shots which go great with the movies themes.
In many films the presence of camera artifacts such as shaking and lens flares detract from the immersion. One notable exception is _Firefly_ in which they were deliberately added to CGI shots, enhancing the realism by making them look as though the scenes were filmed with physical cameras.
most Kubrick's shots are very "geometric". they remind me of renaissance paintings. that, combined with his propensity to put light sources inside the frame, makes his films look so striking.
all work and no play makes jack a dull boy" 😁
I invented a different kind of steady-cam in the late 70's that had the same effect, especially running up and down stairs. It was a bowling ball on the end of a broom stick and a 1/4-20 screw on the other end. Camera goes on the screw, hold the stick in the middle and just twist or tilt for slow, rock solid movement.
I think this is before digital, so I always wondered if a human being typed those dozens of papers on the desk with the “Makes Jack a dull boy” in different patterns.
I remember hearing that Kubrick insisted on them all being typed out individually. No copies.
@@wyattmann8157 Wow, how cool is that, except for the people typing.