Introduction to Special Effects

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Introduction to Special Effects

• Blue Screen (Traveling Matte)

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Static Mattes

• Mattes
• Double-exposure matte

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Double-Exposure Matte

• Step 1
• The original scene - actors on a plain on a nice
  day.Not very spooky.

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Double-Exposure Matte

• Step 2
• The sky is matted out with black paper placed
  over the sky on the camera's lens.

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Double-Exposure Matte

• Step 3
• The film is rewound and a dark, cloudy sky is
  filmedwith a matte placed over the previously
  exposed portion of the film.
  

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Double-Exposure Matte

• Step 4
• When the film is developed, the two shots appear
  as one.Very spooky!

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Variations on the Double-Exposure Matte

• Computer generated
• Separate shots
• optical compositing

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Traveling Matte

• Film a cliff hanger
• The actor/actress can do it
• Stunt person
• Blue screen special effects

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Traveling Matte

• Step 1
• Background plate film the river gorge on location

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Traveling Matte

• Step 2
• Film of the actor dangling from a rope in the
  studio, shot in front of a blue screen

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Traveling Matte

• Step 3 Filter to create silhouettes

A matte of the actors silhouette.
The reverse matte of the actors silhouette.
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Traveling Matte

• Step 4
• Combine the background and the actors
  silhouette.

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Traveling Matte

• Step 5
• Rewind the film and re-expose it to lay the
  actress into the "hole" that the matte created
  
• This is what the matted actor looks like

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Traveling Matte

• Step 6
• And the final shot looks like this

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Traveling Matte

• In order for it to work
• Actors (subjects) diffusion must match
  background
  
• No reflection from blue screen
• Cant wear blue
• Ease of computers/digital