Whip Pan Shot

What is a Whip Pan Shot?

A whip pan is a type of pan shot in which the camera pans so quickly that the picture blurs into indistinct streaks. It is commonly used as a transition between shots and can indicate the passage of time or a frenetic pace of action.

How will I use this technique?

For my final major project, I want to use this technique to introduce a character and progress the story. The whip pan shot is perfect for this because there are two characters played by the same actor and this style of filming allows me to cut the footage with ease.

Other films/projects that use this shot include:

Casino Royale

The shot is used effectively here to present both characters in a chase scene, it also helps convey the busy environment to the viewer without missing the action.

Cloverfield

The technique is used here to convey a scene of horror and panic, many people are crowded around in the street. The camera angle makes it look as if it is being filmed by one of the scared civilians, the whip pan conveys the fear and distress of the scene.

This is what I came up with after cutting the footage together:

 

 

Stop Motion Animation

This is my stop motion animation, I was given the letter N as a theme and had to base my animation around that. I decided that I wanted to use lego as it is easy to position characters and build props out of. I went with a Ninja theme to represent the letter N and had two ninjas work together to build the letter. Originally I was going to have them build it from scratch but In the end I decided that I would have two towers and connect them to make the letter.

I found this task quite difficult as It was hard to take photos while not moving the camera whatsoever, as you can see in the animation any subtle movement comes out quite clear. In my animation the camera appears to move quite a lot and this is definitely something that I would like to improve in future projects.

In the end I think the animation turned out quite well. it isn’t as professional looking as i would like but the character movement is smooth and the letter N is clear to see.