What Are Camera Cars?

Camera cars are vehicles designed specifically to carry a variety of cameras and equipment and to be used as a filming platform. Camera cars come in all shapes and sizes – from small electric cars to large vans or trucks, to even high speed race cars and golf carts. They are typically used to capture smooth car to car or tracking shots. They are also often painted or wrapped in a matte black finish to reduce glares and reflections.

Watch this clip showing how part of the car chase scene in the latest Jason Bourne movie was filmed on the Las Vegas Strip using a camera car:

“JASON BOURNE B-roll Footage Part 2 – Behind The Scenes (2016) Matt Damon Movie HD” by Comicbook.com

Below are examples of some of the different types of movie camera cars used in the film industry.

Insert Cars

Insert cars are vehicles that are set up to hold a camera crew and their equipment through a series of platforms. Their versatility in creating different camera and lighting setups make them great for filming in front of, behind or beside a picture car. They are often used to capture establishing shots or plate shots (shots intended to be used for post-production visual effects).

Here is a short timelapse video of a film shoot using an insert car:

“Insert car time lapse” by griptoyz

Although insert cars are usually larger trucks or vans, some companies have created their own mini insert cars designed to hold a crew of up to six team members:

“Mini-ini insert car” by EB3EFFECTSFAB

Process Trailers

Process trailers are also known as insert trailers and low loaders. They are low rise platforms that hold the picture car, and they are often used for filming scenes that focus on drivers and their passengers while they are on the road. The actors aren’t actually driving, but the process trailer helps make it appear as if they are.

Below is a quick view of what a process trailer setup looks like:

“Process Trailer” by Eric Berkal

Low Impact Camera Cars

Low impact camera cars are smaller vehicles used not because they are the fastest or the most versatile, but rather because they are quiet or lightweight and won’t cause a lot of damage to the surfaces they drive on. Electric cars and golf carts are a few examples of low impact camera cars used for filming.

Chase Cars

Camera chase cars are high speed tracking vehicles featuring trained and experienced drivers and strongly secured custom camera rigs.

Learn more about how MythBusters’ Director of Photography Scott Sorensen built a motion-controlled camera rig onto the back of an old police car, turning it into a camera chase car:

“Filming MythBusters with a Custom Chase Car Camera Rig” by Tested

If you are looking for camera cars for your next project, check out our online Nevada Production Directory for a list of companies providing custom camera car rigging and rentals in Nevada or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you offer camera car rentals in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Nevada Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

For further reading about how camera cars and car chase scenes work, you can read the following articles:

• Camera Cars & Trailers – The Real Movie Cars
• Secrets of Filming Movie Car Chases

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