Launching a person backwards at a high rate of speed

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 2:49 pm

I need to know how to make it look like someone got flung backwards by a punch, like in the Matrix. I'm thinking use a seat belt harness with a cable coming out the back for backwards motion, then have a winch with it's line going down and connecting to his shoulders. The winch will be able to slide down another cable following the path of the actor. I'll punch him, he'll jump, we'll crank up the winch a little, and pull him backwards, then in post, I edit out the part where we winch him up. Do you think that'll work?

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 3:22 pm

Only one way to find out. Another simple way would be to have the guy lunge back into a mat, or have one coard atached to his back the pulls him back, unless you want him to really fly through the air.

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 3:41 pm

he needs te really fly thru the air, like I was teh Hulk or something

U.S.Amateurfilmaker · Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:21 pm

could always green screen it, and then position the keyed person above the ground in post.

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:29 pm

I perfer to do things real, but I'll keep that in my mind

BrownCowStudios · Post by **BrownCowStudios** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:31 pm

Yeah, that's what I did here (greenscreening that is):

http://www.geocities.com/browncowstudios/fall.rm

God, I know this is going to destroy my bandwidth...

[Edited on 10-15 -0303 by BrownCowStudios]

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:37 pm

is there a tutorial to do that?

BrownCowStudios · Post by **BrownCowStudios** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 10:40 pm

I could write one up if you really want it...

--EDIT--

Actually, I think I remember where I figured out how to do that effect.

http://www.nccinema.ch/esfx15.html

Yeah, that's it. The only reason for me to write one is to better explain it. The guy who wrote that is from Switzerland, so obviously English isn't his first language. So if you need more detail, I'm here.

[Edited on 10-15 -0303 by BrownCowStudios]

Carnage7p · Post by **Carnage7p** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 12:03 am

yeah i've seen that before. it's really pretty easy to do.

TimXL1 · Post by **TimXL1** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 12:09 am

I've seen it done really well (and safely) with spring boards and crash mats. The actor stands on the board, which is bolted down, and when it is released the spring shoots him up into the air and then back down on to the crash mat. I'd be worried about winching someone for fear of dislocating/breaking something or worse (that happened on The Exorcist).

BrownCowStudios · Post by **BrownCowStudios** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 12:53 am

I've often wanted to do stunt work with spring boards. Only porblem is I don't know where to get one, or how to make one. Do you happen to know a way?

The.Twilight.Prince · Post by **The.Twilight.Prince** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 8:39 am

BrownCowStudios wrote:I've often wanted to do stunt work with spring boards. Only porblem is I don't know where to get one, or how to make one. Do you happen to know a way?

Hi all!
Ditto, can someone tell how or where to buy/make a spring board?

Vamp · Post by **Vamp** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:43 pm

I was thinking of this... http://www.matthawkins.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2425

EDIT:

Actually no, on second thought that method wouldn't work because it starts off lying on the ground.

Edited By The Mods for double posting! Tut tut tut! :stop:

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 2:14 am

you'r best be for haveing somewhat realistic results is to mix both reality(wires) with post. Use the wires to pull him back somewhat on to a mat. Then make this motion and tweek it a bit. This way he'll actually be flying through the air but you'll will just have adjusted the distance he traveled.

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 4:41 am

If you are going to use a color screen, you could always cheat by panning the camera as well!

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 3:14 am

You may want to try this site

http://www.nccinema.ch/etut.html effect number 13 or something like that.

TXFilms · Post by **TXFilms** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 2:55 pm

Also, just a little advice. I did a similar effect and found that lower camera angles facing slightly toward the person falling made them appear to fly farther. Jackie Chan's method is a toe rope, which isnt around the toes, but the legs... Pulling from the front makes them fall backwards (quite quickly and safely onto a mat) and from the back makes them fall forewards where they can just put thier hands out. With a low camera angle, tight cutting, maybe even a couple different angles of him falling, and finally landing farther away than he would normally fall, you can make it without greenscreen, and look very convincing...
even on the Matrix, they shyed away from cgi at times. Remember when they first showed an agent morph into another persons body. They didnt show that many of those because most people hate doing morph shots (they take forever to get right). Oh, I'm rambling...

filmhobbe6 · Post by **filmhobbe6** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:44 pm

Have any of you seen 'The Making of DMX'? It's a video on how they made the short film (it's located on fxhome.com). Well, if you have, do what they did: attach a rope around the actor's waiste (possibly in front of a blue/ green screen) and pull them as hard as you can onto a mat.

justsomeguy · Post by **justsomeguy** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:55 pm

You may want to try this site http://www.nccinema.ch/etut.html effect number 13 or something like that.

yeah thats what i was going to say sounds like exactl what you wnat