Yo peoples...I'm finishing a short I've been working on forever and found out the other day that my animator doesn't have time or space on his computer to finish a car crash scene...actually shot.
I was wondering if anyone had suggestion about filming such a thing. I'm racking my brain and can't come up with anything that doesn't seem cheese ball in my head...Any help will be appreciated.
What happens in the scene is that two cars are heading towards eachother and one driver is shown playing with radio and drifting into the other lane as the on coming car blares horn and headlight. The driver(radio guy) jerks the wheel and both cars skid off road. The skid part is going to be done with pure audio and a fade to black(leave it to the viewers imagination) Hitchcock devise.YES!! but I can't seem to think of a good way to film the actual on coming car. Anyways please help me!!

~Clip my wings and blinde my eyes, but watch your back cause still I rise~ STW

Hmmm...

That's quite a pickle ya got there. The general strategy I see emplyed by most pros for car accident and chase scenes is to get your most extreme moments in different takes with some b-roll to bridge them together. But they get those extreme takes via helecopters, low mount rigs, crash cams other things that are not at student/low budget disposal. One thing you may want to exploit is that people are very forgiving of continuity issues in moving car scenes. You could find a turnout for your big stunt in a remote area and angle it in a way to cut with action in the city for example.

You can probablly actually pull it off with minimal exterior shots. Personally, I'd keep the action shots at low angles to accentuate speed (If you rig a camera 6" off the ground to a car travelling 25 MPH, it'll look like 100 on playback without any manipulation).

Dunno it that helps.

Best of luck and let us know how it turns out!

Nota "So you're supposed to drive on the concrete part?" Mono

Hmm, well, It certainly can be done. To make it cool, you may have to take a few risks as far as your camera is involved, but pre planning should keep it safe. The best way I see it, is having that shot, from the front of the car, where we see the wheel drift over the denter line, complete with tire striking reflectors (ala Fincher in Fight Club for the wreck scene.) You would need to get the camera down low. Get in the back of a pickup, rig like a 2x4 with some other pieces of wood, to make a levl plate, horizantal to the road. Put the camera on it, and then, gaffer tape the hell out the whole thing. Might be nice to see a shot from the back seat as the radio guy leans down, and the headlights of the other car are visible through the windshield. Also, you can always get a nice panic reation shot from the guy by just parking the car. Rigging up some lights, and have the camera outside. Have him look up, and someone run toward him with the lights. Should give a nice washed out look, like the car is right on top of him. Thats all i got for now, best of luck.
R. Michael McWhorter

And you shall know us by the trail of dead.

Do you live near L.A.? I can help you.

Thanks for suggestions. I think I got an idea of how to do it now. No I don't live in or near L.A, but I will be moving there this summer, so if you're down we should try to get together and make something. I won't know anyone, so...But that's kinda far anyways. Thanks again for the help everyone!!!!

~Clip my wings and blinde my eyes, but watch your back cause still I rise~ STW

Awesome!