{"id":61420,"date":"2015-09-02T11:03:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-02T16:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=61420"},"modified":"2015-09-02T11:12:40","modified_gmt":"2015-09-02T16:12:40","slug":"camera-cars-trailers-real-movie-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/camera-cars-trailers-real-movie-cars\/","title":{"rendered":"Camera Cars & Trailers – The Real Movie Cars"},"content":{"rendered":"

From high-speed car chases to luxury car commercials, camera cars are secretly driving alongside capturing all the action.<\/h2>\n

Cover Image via Camera Car Industries<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Camera cars<\/strong> come in all shapes and sizes. They are classified as self-propelled vehicles engineered for mounting and manning cameras and equipment. They are often painted or wrapped in a matte black finish, so they don’t reflect light while shooting.<\/p>\n

Their history goes all the way back to the first mass-produced vehicles. In this photo from the 1925 film\u00a0Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ<\/em><\/a>, a camera car prepares to film the chariot race sequence.<\/p>\n

\"Camera
\nImage via Iverson Movie Ranch<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

By the 1930s, picture cars<\/strong> (the cars that are on camera) were commonly placed in front of rear-projection screens. That technique of process photography<\/a>\u00a0has been adapted and is still used today, but with green screens. Action films of the 1940s and 1950s started using cameras on and inside moving vehicles, and by the 1960s we would see the beginning of the modern camera car<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Insert Car<\/h3>\n

\"Camera
\n<\/a>Image via Elliot Location Equipment<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The insert car<\/strong> (which is actually almost always a truck or van) is a vehicle with a series of platforms that hold a camera crew and their equipment.\u00a0It is a camera crew’s fully functioning mobile set.<\/p>\n

It allows an array of different camera and lighting setups, like plate-shots or crane-shots. The insert car<\/strong> also has an on-board generator used to power any camera equipment or light kits.\u00a0Typically, the film’s director is sitting inside the cab watching footage, while camera operators stand on the platforms filming.<\/p>\n

The insert car<\/strong> can be driven in front of, behind, or to the side of a picture car<\/strong>. Most frequently they are used to tow picture cars<\/strong>. They are also used to film establishing shots<\/strong>, often just driving through city streets.<\/p>\n

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Process Trailer<\/h3>\n

\"Camera
\n<\/a>Image via Moving Pics<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The process trailer<\/strong> is a low rise platform that holds a picture car<\/strong>. The trailer moves along roadways, allowing the camera crew to\u00a0film a natural-looking car movement. They can also be referred to as an insert trailer<\/strong> or a low loader<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

These are frequently used if no other vehicles will be visible near the picture car<\/strong>. If other vehicles pass by, the height difference will make it apparent that the picture car<\/strong> is on a trailer.<\/p>\n

Most\u00a0insert cars <\/strong>can tow the process trailer<\/strong> with a rear trailer hitch. However, there are some insert cars<\/strong> that can also side-tow\u00a0the process trailer<\/strong>, allowing filmmakers to have camera in front and beside a picture car<\/strong> simultaneously.<\/p>\n

\"Camera
\nImage via\u00a0Camera Cars<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Tow Dolly<\/h3>\n

\"Camera
\nImage via\u00a0Camera Cars<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

A tow dolly<\/strong> is a specialty trailer that only holds the front tires of a picture car<\/strong>. \u00a0(These are the types of trailers you frequently see movers using, like U-Haul<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

These are usually used when the camera crew is relying on car-mounted rigs<\/strong>, rather than standing beside the vehicle. They also offer a more natural look when driving through traffic, as there isn’t much of a height difference next to other cars on the road.<\/p>\n

If pulled by an insert car<\/strong>, the most common setup is a camera on the insert car<\/strong> facing the\u00a0picture car<\/strong>\u00a0straight on\u00a0while an additional camera is mounted to the side of the vehicle.<\/p>\n

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Camera Car – Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV)<\/h3>\n

\"Camera
\n<\/a>Image via\u00a0Pursuit Systems<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

SUV camera cars<\/strong> have become the most well known among people outside of the industry. These camera cars<\/strong> are flashy, usually\u00a0a modified Porsche Cayenne or\u00a0Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG.<\/p>\n

These high-end SUVs are not only chosen because of their looks, they can seat five crew members and are built for speed.<\/strong>\u00a0They also feature a solid braking system, which allows them to keep up with high-speed shots and then stop on a dime.<\/p>\n