I have written a monologue and would like to shoot it with my Go Pro. What I'm thinking of doing is have my actor ride a bike with the camera mounted to the handle bars and speak into the camera. Would love tips and advice from all Go Pro owners. For example should do I need to mike my actor for sound etc.
Filmmaking / Directing : Filming a short with a Go Pro Hero 3 by Morgan Leo Shnell
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Unless you're deliberately going for a fish-eye look for your short, I would selectively shoot specific scenes. I used a Hero 3 in my short, but it was specifically for a running scene. I have corrective software than can change fish-eye to 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio. The wind cage door will affect sound quality. An external wireless mic will be your safest bet. Some creatives use an iphone to record their short. So a Go Pro should be equally acceptable.
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The beauty of the GoPro is they're so easy to stick anywhere, quickly and easily. Shoot your handle bar shot as a master, but then get creative with your placements and create some cut-aways to add interest. It may mean your actor has to do the monologue a few times, but that's what they're there for! Re: audio, for sure mic your actor with the best wind deflection you can come up with. Might have to do that separate from the GoPro, but you can probably get away with only mic'ing the master shot. That's all I've got...
Great advice guys . Your vision, your creativity, making serendipity work for you. Try to get mates or professionals on Mandy or Casting call pro to hook you up with "Droners " who can give you a range of alternative angles with Go pro cam footage from above or below. Our DOP on a short we produced was abseiling outside a treehouse we built . He used a Canon mK lll. www.redrugproductions.com
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Are you using the GoPro because it's the only thing you have available, or because it suits the story? You can do it, but is there another way to go? I ask, because a GoPro, with its wide lens isn't great for shooting faces. You can, as mentioned, get adapters, and I would third the recommendation to get the best audio you possibly can, as bad audio will drive an audience out of a screening, whereas the picture is something viewers will become accustomed to fairly quickly. If you really just want to go for it and get shooting, then no one's going to stop you, and you can make something creative and compelling with any camera if your ideas and execution are good. I would suggest giving yourself cut points, though. One-take films rarely work well, partly because you can't control timing. Jump cuts could work. Just a suggestion. Good luck.
Thanks for the advice everybody. What I'd like to know is what brand of mics do you all use with with your Go Pros and could you post some links while you're at it.
I have a Rode mic that has a 1/8" plug (like a headphones plug) that I bought for shooting on a DSLR that I'm sure would work with the GoPro. Didn't cost too much and gets decent sound. Try B&H Photo Video. I don't represent either company, BTW.