So, I need to push a credit card through a tv set and then have an actor grab the card.
I'm thinking about chroma keying the guy on the tv holding a huge credit card. Then I'd map the footage onto the actual tv set on set.
Now, the only part I'm hung up on is how the actor will actually grab the card from the TV screen.
My low tech idea is just to tape the actual credit card to a pencil, slide it across a couple of books elevated to the level of the guy pushing out the credit card, and then have the guy grab this card.
I'd just mask out the back end of the card as to conceal the pencil.
Now, the only prblem with this is that it's not very accurate at all as far as angle and height and such. I'm pretty mush just going to eye ball the angle.
There has got to be a more oercise way to do this tight?
Any help?
Thanks.
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." --Albert Einstein
Re: Pushing an object through a tv set? by david bogie on Oct 10, 2008 at 3:52:38 pm
It's a tough call.
One thing you need to consider is the relative size and perspective of the big prop and the standard card. That alone could kill your illusion. Practical effects aren't difficult to stage. we did this stuff for decades before we had tools like AE. You may be thinking too high tech, try to look at it as if you did not have After Effects.
Since you already have a prop monitor (hey, if you want it to be hip, you need a flat screen!) I'd place a piece of fabric in the frame with a slit in it. This gives you a consistent target and, if you use something elastic like neoprene, you can get some physical resistance that will add to the illusion.
We see similar posts about walking through walls so you might search for those.
bogiesan
This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: "For crying out loud, read the freakin' manual."
Re: Pushing an object through a tv set? by david bogie on Oct 10, 2008 at 8:38:03 pm
[malcolm DeSoto]"I'm just not sure what exactly I'm supposed to be doing with the fabric and elastic. "
I thought this was clear.
> 'd place a piece of fabric in the frame with a slit in it. This gives you a consistent target and, if you use something elastic like neoprene, you can get some physical resistance that will add to the illusion. <
Stretch the neoprene inside the frame of the TV set. You're going replace the screen with an effect which presumes total grokking of tracking and comfort with creating the illusion of reality for your tracked and matted-in TV image.
don't forget you'll need that ol' passage-beween-parellel-universes electrical discharge effect along the edge of the card.
bogiesan
This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: "For crying out loud, read the freakin' manual."
Re: Pushing an object through a tv set? by malcolm DeSoto on Oct 10, 2008 at 10:05:10 pm
oooooooooooookay, I wasn't sure exactly how you were using the fabric. Gotchya now.
Thanks.
Mind if I squeeze two questions into one post? How would you pull off the electrical discharge? I was just planning on using Trapcode's Shine effect, but something a little cooler would be nice. Any pointers?
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." --Albert Einstein
