editing Compositing suggestions: Duplicates of same actress in frame.

[David.rhsc]

Working out pre-production on a short at the moment where we may try to have our lead actress watching herself in scene. Curious to know if anyone has done something like this, and what suggestions, gotchas, on-set tips folks might have.

I have a vague idea of how we could work it, and after discussing the blocking with the director, might be able to get away with a double in the foreground (we would see her OTS and soft in the fg), but it would be better (and more in line with the piece) if she could give a "knowning glance" over her shoulder and into camera, while the scene plays out.

Thoughts?

 

[Santhem]

Working out pre-production on a short at the moment where we may try to have our lead actress watching herself in scene. Curious to know if anyone has done something like this, and what suggestions, gotchas, on-set tips folks might have.

I have a vague idea of how we could work it, and after discussing the blocking with the director, might be able to get away with a double in the foreground (we would see her OTS and soft in the fg), but it would be better (and more in line with the piece) if she could give a "knowning glance" over her shoulder and into camera, while the scene plays out.

Thoughts?

There's a ton of options to do this. You could shoot a wide shot two times, from a tripod. Make sure the actors aren't in each others way and the comp is really easy.

You could shooting over the shoulder with background and shoot the actor on greenscreen, comp those together. You could shoot the overshoulder on greenscreen and the actor+background if you want the actor to interact with the background.

I'd just make sure to have greenscreen with you on the shoot, you'll be fine. And as always when working with greenscreen: make sure the lighting in the 2 shots you comp together is consistent.

 

[David.rhsc]

Thanks for the start.

Our shot is definitely locked off, as we are already planning to have background elements (deco on the walls) and one character's (a guy sitting with a guitar) hair/props/etc change as the protagonist recalls the details as being different. The scene takes place in a mental space, so we have freedom to play.

The director wants to establish the camera as being her, watching herself (by and large) while in this space, and while talking about it we thought it would be an interesting moment to have her walk into frame to observe and dictate the changes while the scene plays out.

So there's some layering involved. Talent can easily be spaced so they aren't crossing each other, so that takes that portion.

I am inclined to green the back wall, so that we can do the art changes as a plate rather than trying to do them on the day with actors present. Seperation would be an issue here, and if we are already doing jumps to change a prop, a hairstyle, etc, perhaps we should consider doing the wall in that piece, and having the comp portion be just the lead actress.

I am concerned about the changes on the male character with the female in frame.

I almost feel that we want to shoot him in the set, and both versions of her against a screen.

Should have added more detail in the op.

Probably should have dropped this in "On The Set," as I'm interested in how I can (in shooting it) make this as straightforward as possible for the post peeps. Our location has several rooms that we are not using (and with enough space) that we could have a screen ready and lit for whatever pieces we needed to grab.

 

[Cracker Funk]

I almost feel that we want to shoot him in the set, and both versions of her against a screen.

If I'm understanding your description of the scene correctly, that's what I would do, everything shot in the same room, with the camera locked down.