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Introduction

I have already searched for this topic, but sadly most of the time I just find articles about frame rate and/or shutter speed which doesn't reflect what I am looking for, really. This question is somewhat long, but I hope this doesn't bother anyone.

I started using a GoPro to film POV motorcycle shots using a chest mount in 4K, 60FPS, 1/120 shutter speed, Flat color profile, using ND8 filter for overcast and ND16 filter for sunny conditions. ISO is set to 100-400

For post production I use Final Cut Pro X The filter reel has the following items in the exact order: White balance, Color board, Neat Video Reduce Noise v4, Sharpen, LUT and Vignette

The result of this looks like that:

Thoughts:

  • It seems like Neat Video is killing some of the road details which improve the speed sensation thing, but without the plugin, the footage would contain allot more noise, which I try to avoid.

  • At the moment the GoPro Hypersmooth seems to be the only image stabilization option available at the chosen resolution and frame rate. Not sure if there is a not so smooth alternative (plugin or setting) out there.

  • This video (the intro) here is fantastic as to show what I would gladly try to achieve: Example video

QUESTION:

What can I do while filming or post production to get a better sensation of speed without using Retime Editor? Please point me to helpful tutorials and plugins or simply give hints. Thanks!

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3 Answers 3

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I agree with my fellow German dude. Lowering the framerate (until 24) can increase the feeling of uncontrolled speed and momentum. If you already did that and didn't get the effect you were looking for, here's how you can use some trickery to fake it:

Motion blur! It helps selling the effect big time. I recommend using a radial blur which is going outwards from a defined point. Put this point in the center of the screen and use a feathered mask to cut the effect from the center, so the blur only effects the edges of the screen. This way, it appears as if the road is flashing by way faster than it actually did. Also, when it comes to filming vehicles, it's surprisingly easy to get away with simply speeding up the footage. Don't overdo it obviously, but 125%-135% should look just fine.

Combining all these effects, lowering the frame-rate to 24/25, adding a radial blur towards the edges of the screen and speeding up the footage slightly should give you a convincing effect.

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  • 2
    Excellent answer Florian
    – German Dude
    Commented Mar 6, 2019 at 16:57
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    I just started to notice: Might it be that my footage would have looked much better on a sunny day due to light / shadows alternating while driving?
    – Sebastian Krogull
    Commented Mar 6, 2019 at 18:14
  • I would say no, but it's rather a stylistic choice really. I love cloudy skies sometimes because the light will be incredibly soft and pleasant to the eye. Hard shadows can look cool and give you a sharper, more crisp contrast between the shades, but when the material has a lot of movement (like in your example), I prefer a diffused light over a hard one, as it's easier to follow movements when shadows don't jump around too much.
    – Florian Claaßen
    Commented Mar 7, 2019 at 9:45
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I think you should consider to lower the frame rate or if possible change shutter angle. 60fps make the footage more crisp and take away the effect you looking for. https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/quick-tip-how-does-shutter-speed-affect-video--photo-12092

Or consider a plug-in to add motion blur. https://sellfy.com/p/phtl/

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  1. Camera lower to the ground always looks faster
  2. Wider image (this example is very wide)
  3. Sound makes a difference. Watch this example muted and then loud)
  4. Ask all the other drivers to go slow. :-]
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  • I especially like the last tip :D
    – Sebastian Krogull
    Commented Mar 27, 2019 at 11:26

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