How to do a classic shot?

Casey · Post by **Casey** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 10:54 pm

I know that this effect is really old and overused, hence 'classic', but does anyone know how it can be done?

I want to film someone standing on a sidewalk, then have a bus drive past, and them not being there as it passes?

santi · Post by **santi** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 11:00 pm

Find a location where you're actor can hide in this few seconds (ex. behind garbage can) or if bus in not very fast make the actor run behind the bus until they both are out the screen.

You can make an animated mask in AE that fits bus' back and copose it with shot wihout actor.

mark_essex_87 · Post by **mark_essex_87** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 11:02 pm

Ah well if I remember rightly, one way to do this is...

Film the location where the bus will be driving past - empty - no other people etc.

Film the person standing there, then the bus going past.

Use Premiere (or other editing sw) to create a moving matte (mask?) at the end of the bus. The empty footage will have to be behind the bus footage.

Sorry hard to explain, hope you understand.

EDIT - Damn Santi beat me to it.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 1:00 am

gee if the bus is not that fast the man can jump on and hold

mark_essex_87 · Post by **mark_essex_87** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 1:06 am

and if it is?

insert_coin · Post by **insert_coin** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:22 am

funny how something so simple is so hard to work out... if you watch all those classic shots there framed from the waist up mostly so when the bus drives past they just duck down. simple. otherwise if its full body wide shot they just run with the bus as mentioned earlier. x files loved to do that sort of stuff with all kinds of props... have fun

Underdog · Post by **Underdog** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 3:08 pm

You need to have your camera on a tripod. Film the bus going past. Then get your actor to get out of shot. Then film 20/30 seconds of him not in the shot. The put all your footage into premiere. On one line have the footage with your actor and cut it a few frames after the bus has gone out of shot. Then put your "clean" footage, without the actor in it, and do a really fast wipe. So it follows the back of the bus.

This creates the effect of the bus wiping away the actor!

Takes a bit of fiddling to synch it up but well worth it.

Hope this helps

Underdog

Firestorm · Post by **Firestorm** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:54 pm

Okay, here's what you do.

First, find a bus.

Get a chainsaw and cut out the side of the bus that will be facing away from the camera and towards the actor.

Take all the seats out of the bus.

Get every cushion you can find and glue them to the floor and walls of the bus.

Now, drive by the actor as fast as you want and have him jump into the bus as it drives by.

Works like a charm.

film fanatic · Post by **film fanatic** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 11:13 pm

Get real.

lukeprausnitz · Post by **lukeprausnitz** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 11:19 pm

oh come on, his idea wz`snt bad, just stupid and impractical

Nomaden · Post by **Nomaden** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 9:00 pm

you know, there's at least hundreds of methods on how to do this... but let me give you a piece of advice, keep it simple, don't make it harder than it is.

Ivan Speilberg · Post by **Ivan Speilberg** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:52 pm

you can use green screen to overimpose the actor before the buss passes by. When the buss pasess, simply turn the layer with the actor off. (or use a mask and an empty plate= just 2 layers)

The problem with filming in 3 different layers in the outside is that the sunÃ‚Â´s light will get dimmer and dimmer each minute. Your eyes wonÃ‚Â´t notice but your camera will. Maybee this is not a preblem 4 u, but it p*** me off!! IÃ‚Â´m a perfectionist

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 2:08 am

People people... if you are going to use an old skool trick, do it the right way. Film the man standing. When the bus drives by, he jumps onto it. If you want the bus to go faster, speed up the footage in post or shoot at a slower FPS if possible. That one's been in the book for ages.

Many of you are making it way too complicated.

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 3:38 am

Computer tech has never made this job simpler now we think we need to use them for everything.

insert_coin · Post by **insert_coin** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 6:35 am

exactly my thaughts foxwood.... sad but true and soon its all that will happen greenscreen this mask that. or just duck down... if your ever going to get hired for this work you need to find the simplest fastest and most importantly CHEAPEST way to do something. remember that

Caveman · Post by **Caveman** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 2:41 pm

In the script I'm writing atm we have this effect with a white unmarked van, Would have thought it was simple though - drive the van slowly up to the actor, stop the van, shift the actor, start the cam again, drive off slowly, speed it up and cut out the middle???

Simpler that green-screening isn't it? (also it can be shot in about 2mins which helps)

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 9:36 pm

That works too! Although be careful that you may mess up the consistancy in the van's motion blur. The best way to do it that method, is to simply have to van drive by once without stopping, then again without the person, and cut it where necessary between the two takes. Therefore keeping the van looking fluid in motion and an easier editing job.