How'd They Do That? Keith Loutit's "Metal Heart"

Welcome to "How'd They Do That?" a new series where we ask accomplished video-makers to reveal the secrets, techniques, inspiration and fun facts behind their videos.

Our first subject is "Metal Heart," a monster truck romp that's still an undiscovered gem. We caught up with the video's creator, Keith Loutit, while he was on location in Italy shooting an ad campaign and asked him just how he created such cool effects.

Who are you?
I am a photographer and film-maker based in Sydney, Australia. I initially developed the tilt-shift / timelapse technique to present Sydney in a new way, and help people to see their surroundings as if for the first time, through the eyes of a child. In the short term, I am releasing these films in a music video format, but I plan to consolidate the highlights into a single short film to conclude the project.

What gave you the idea to make "Metal Heart"?
"Metal Heart" was a break from my Sydney project and was a proof of concept for me to see what was possible with the technique and shoot a subject that is perfectly suited to the style. "Metal Heart" was the first time I had attempted to shoot a live event in this style, and it was also the first time I'd attempted to capture fast moving subjects using timelapse.

How many hours did it take you?
The film was shot during a three-hour monster truck event in Brisbane, Australia, and comprised around 20,000 still images which were later converted to footage that could be edited.

What special techniques did you use?
The two techniques that are combined in this film are selective focus, which creates the illusion of miniaturization by simulating the shallow depth of field that is common when viewing / photographing small things, and timelapse, which allows me to speed up action to simulate the movement of toys animated via stop motion (claymation).

Tell us a fact about this video that no one would know by looking at it.
That it's real :D.

For more info about Keith, visit http://keithloutit.com/news.