How To Make Long Term Construction TimeLapse

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HOW TO MAKE LONG TERM CONSTRUCTION TIMELAPSE
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It sure is mind-blowing to be able to capture the
entire construction process which can be for as
long as years, into a few-minute-long video and
turn that into a site progress report, which can
even be used for marketing. Thats what shooting
longterm construction timelapse video allows you
to do. But then, getting it right in record time
takes a great deal of precision and planning.
Apart from having the right tools, you need the
right mindset. Perspective is everything.
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What is a long term construction timelapse video?
A long term construction timelapse is a video
that shows the extent of the work put into making
a construction from the inception of the project.
Unlike pictures that capture just a single
moment, timelapse videos capture different
moments of the long-term duration project. So, by
just watching a long term construction timelapse
video, you can clearly see a condensed
representation of weeks, months, and even years
of hard work within just a few minutes. With a
long term construction timelapse video, you can
capture long term construction projects and
efficiently display them in a few minutes,
utilizing creative visuals and accurate facts
about the project.
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What are the benefits of a long term construction
timelapse videography?
Triggers excitement about your project
Showcases your portfolio to prospective clients
Delivers updates on construction work
Engage and excite with a timelapse video of your
construction project. It keeps people involved
and eagerly anticipating the finished result,
whether it's a new building or a renovation. It
not only includes them in the project but also
builds anticipation for the finished result."
Show, dont tell! While photos of your finished
projects are great, a timelapse video showcasing
the transformation from start to finish is truly
impressive. A long-term construction timelapse
video can significantly enhance your pitch to
potential clients."
Long-term community projects can lose momentum
over time. Timelapse videos provide engaging
updates, keeping stakeholders informed and
involved. Non-profits in Saudi Arabia use these
videos to maintain community support and
encourage participation
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What is required to create a long term
construction timelapse video?
A long term construction timelapse video requires
tools, planning, and superb editing. But lets
break it down a bit Tools The tools used depend
on your environment but then, here are the basics.

• Power source for your camera
• Battery case
• Voltage converter
• Pelican case, to keep your camera weather-proof
  and water-proof.

• Solid and high-quality camera
• Good lens (zoom lens or prime lens)
• Large-storage media card
• Intervalometer

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What to do to create a long term construction
timelapse video?
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Use the Aperture Priority Shooting Mode
Be Prepared for What Might Go Wrong
Blend Frame
Be Creative
Take Multiple Photos
Fix Flickering
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Use the Aperture Priority Shooting Mode
The Aperture Priority shooting mode is the
preferred shooting mode for long term
construction timelapse videos because it allows
you to control the aperture. Because this
shooting is long-term, you will experience
various lighting conditions during the duration
of the project. So, set up your camera in the
Aperture Priority mode and lock the other
settings in manual. You may be worried about how
terrible the flicker will be, but leave that for
post-production and just shoot now. While every
other setting should be manual, there is one
exception to the rule ISO. If youre using a
camera that comes with the option of putting ISO
on auto, now may be the time to use it. However,
if you also plan to include some night shots in
your timevideo, a better option may be to put ISO
on manual, thereby, preventing high-ISO noise.
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Take Multiple Photos
The more photos you take the better the final
outcome. While you are definitely not going to
make use of lots of the photos you take, you are
more likely to get an array of good photos when
you have many photos to choose from. During
post-production, one starts out as an editing
session of five-minutes worth of photos that can
end up being just 20 seconds worth of good,
usable photos. However, consider your storage
space, data usage, and post-production workload
when determining just how frequently you will be
shooting so you dont bore holes in your pocket
with data bills and then have to edit hundreds of
thousands of photos. Most long term projects will
come out just fine if you take one photo every 15
minutes.
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Be Prepared for What Might Go Wrong
Those that provide timelapse video production
service know to expect the best while being
prepared for the worst. What if the electronics
fail? What if lightning hits the unit? What if a
spider decides that your vantage point is the
best site for a new web? Well, the sooner you get
prepared for what might go wrong, the more likely
that youll get the best outcome. As much as
possible, let the equipment be installed in an
easy-to-access location. If you will need more
than a ladder to get to it, you might have to
change the equipments location. For a long term
construction that requires an Elevated Work
Platform (EWP) to access the equipment, you will
be spending a lot on maintenance visits. So, it
is advisable that the equipment is at a location
where it wont cost so much to access. However,
if you have to use an EWP, be sure to include in
your budget the cost of regular maintenance
visits.
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Fix Flickering
After shooting, it is time for post-production,
and one of the biggest hurdles to a smooth
post-production is flicker. So, to move ahead,
flicker has to be balanced and smoothened out in
timelapse sequences. How do you get this done?
Adjust each photos exposure setting in relation
to other photos.
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Blend Frame
Apart from cases where a variation in light
causes flicker, there are times when objects also
do this where you find an object in one photo
but not the next phone, creating a kind of
staccato effect. This poses a huge distraction to
the viewer because timelapse is supposed to be
focused on the subject going through change, but
then this objects appearance and disappearance
creates some kind of distortion. The most
suitable way to fix this will be to blend each
frame with the one(s) before/after it, so that in
the video, the object fades in. This way, instead
of getting a jarred effect from the object
flicker, there will be a smoother flow to the
video.
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Be Creative
Getting the right tools, and then shooting and
editing like a pro is not enough to make a
timelapse video from one vantage point the most
engaging video to a viewer you need to put your
creativity to use in creating an engaging video.
One sure way to drive engagement with the long
term construction timelapse video is to include
aerial footage, interviews, and short-term
timelapse videos. However, if all youve got to
work with is the long-term timelapse footage,
then you have just enough to create magic. Your
sequence should have some dynamic movement added
to it. You can achieve this by zooming, panning,
and/or tilting your photos. Adding perspective
correction will make it seem like your camera was
moving through space. To further aid engagement,
you can add some motion graphics. Include
information about the project like its duration,
significant milestones, and number of man-hours
involved.
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Conclusion
The truth is you basically have one shot at
capturing your construction, so you need to get
it right the first time. Follow the
above-mentioned tips and see improvement in your
long term construction timelapse videos. If you
need help with creating a world class 4K
Timelapse video with LIVE monitoring for your
project, talk to an expert at Studio 52.
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