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Operators Paul Edwards IMDb
Year 2003
Production Links Official Site IMDb
Director Richard Curtis
DP Michael Coulter
Company Universal Pictures
Length of Shot 1:58
Submitted by SteadiShots
View more shots by Paul Edwards
Love Actually
"Opening Sequence", By Paul Edwards

Starting with a small crane step-off, the shot moves interior with dolly-like precision. The lock offs, starts and stops are completely free of any jitters.

Almost more difficult than an entire flight of stairs, are just a couple stairs in the middle of a walk. Requiring booming, rather than tilting, timed perfectly with the actors' steps, the stairs in this shot are executed beautifully.

 

Operator's Commentary
This is a crane shot during the opening titles of the film. It starts up on the crane overlooking "Downing Street", built on the exterior of J stage at Shepperton studios. The background beyond the gates is digitally created. As the motorcade approaches, the crane platform is brought down and the step-off occurs as the last bike crosses the frame. The shot continues, following Hugh Grant up the steps into "No. 10" and then down another couple of steps and further into the extensive interior set.

There's a couple of funny things to note, both of which happen after my website version ends. Firstly, if you look closely you can just tell that for some reason Hugh's tie was changed between our Steadicam shot and the close up. Secondly, you can notice a certain instability in the frame on the cut back to the Steadicam shot just before Hugh walks off. The boom op. had managed to get his cable wrapped around the battery on my sled and the rest of the shot was done with, shall we say, a rather firm grip around the post!

Shot Elements
Crane Step On/Off

 

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