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Hi all,
I’ve been re-watching Jean Pierre Melville’s filmography and am curious about his camera movement. He uses a lot of small and medium length, very precise movements when tracking characters and it got me wondering how these types of moves were achieved in the late 60s. Would it have been an Elemac type dolly on tracking boards? It feels as if their go-to wouldn’t have been rails as you often have characters crossing frame, or a move will start following a character from behind etc. It seems that he blended locations and sets often, not to mention they weren’t big budget movies, so I suspect it’s nothing too high tech (for the 1960s) or unwieldy…
Thanks,
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I also would like to ask about the scene in le samourai. when Jeff enters first time in hotel and moves through the lounge, there is a Black woman playing a piano on a small stage. This is the character Valérie. There is small camera moves started from piano girl to jeff eneter. In my opinion there is The camera movement makes their connection feel predestined or like fate. Because she is the only strong witness to see him directly when he came out after assassination.
But I am really eager to hear what master’ Roger Deakins think about the particular scene camera movement.
In case anyone stubbles upon this thread/question in the future…
Looking into it a bit more myself I found some bts and it does seem like he used tracking boards or smooth floors a lot, and what looks like a Moviola dolly.
I am not asking about technical equipment details. I would like to hear aesthetic choice of mellville camera moves
My good man, I was answering my own question, which is the question at the top of this thread.
For my part i’d say that the reaction you had to this or any other camera move is quite subjective, and Melville’s intention in a subtle move like this (I looked at the scene again and am not sure exactly which move you mean) will sit entirely in your own interpretation. His films always feel somewhat grounded to me, and i’d be surprised if a small move would have quite such a big motive, but it could well be something intended to link two characters, or maybe add tension or emphasis to a beat. As the opening of Le Samurai plays out mostly in silence it is open to any number of interpretations, the fact that you interpreted it in your own way also makes your take valid, film is a subjective medium! Enjoy!
Hey James, have also wondered how Melville and his team did some of these moves – and have also found some photos of him outdoors on a city location with a big television pedestal style camera mount… some of those beautiful camera swoops are so well controlled and weighty feeling it had me also wondering how they pulled them off.. I am suspecting like you it was the hydraulic moviola type stands and tv pedestals, in combo with some awesome grip work – but also wonder if there were some custom contraptions – film techs do tend to be inventive types after all!
Ah interesting! Yeah the dolly operating is really amazing, it feels very instinctive and always timed beautifully. I feel like these types of movements are often given to steadicam these days but there’s something about the way these dolly moves give the feeling of moving from setup to setup rather than one continuous flow is more interesting and pointed, story-telling wise.
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