The Camera

It was important to get an accurate camera lineup and to know the relevant information such as the model and any lens data. This was all about investigating the technical aspects of the shoot.

I found these photographs taken from the production showing the camera cars. A glimpse into how they captured the shots.

Although the camera in the shot is static these are very helpful for seeing the actual camera. You can get a great sense of how the suspension was altered on the Charger. The angle of the body is extreme, something to add to the animation.

I used reference lifted straight from the behind the scenes documentary on Bullitt. I assumed that the camera would have been setup on a tripod and set at around 4.5 to 5 feet in height and behind the ford near the sidewalk.

One of my favourite activities in CG is modelling super quick, low resolution models. I spent a few hours looking for cars from the 1950-60’s comparing them to the footage. The car in question was a Ford Fairlane. The model would prove very helpful to check the camera placement during the lineup.

I mocked up a basic model of the camera and tripod as a stand in. It’s sole purpose was to give me a visual representation of the real camera and something to compare the Maya scene camera to.

The lack of any real recorded measurements from the shoot definitely forced several creative choices. The time spent researching just allowed me to know the rules and then go back and break them, always very satisfying!