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How to create Hulu's "Shut Eye" neon?

I am going to second this. The neon affect looks amazing. Getting the lettering to look neon would be fairly straightforward but getting the light to interact with the scene is where things get interesting.
 
So assuming thats a real hotel, that bit was probably filmed either in day time or at night but, if filmed at night then the part where the NEON sign appears was not dark while filmed- THAT'S where the magic happens. They darkened that part in post, that way when the signs turned on they could just brighten it back to normal BUT add a green tint to everything (except the lights)

So past that, looks as if they used a post light effect to illuminate the lettering before they turn on, and those letters are, or seem to me to be 3D objects, in which case would be rather simple to get that effect of the light bouncing off of them by just throwing a super soft directed light in post.

Where it gets a bit tricky, is when the purple letters turn on, but that's why it looks the way it does, they did not do that great of a job there. But basically throw a couple of directed light/flare or whatever they are called filters in a matching hue (purple). Soften a couple of more and bounce them off ever so slightly off the walls and bam.

If you can get the letters as 3d objects, know how to track a shot, and remember to film in the day time and Darken in post., or film at night but already lit and darken in post, then you can play with the lighting.

I don't know if that's what it is, that's how I would do it. At the end of the day, those neon lights could just be real, or that hotel could be a picture... I like it when I can't be sure.
 
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Thanks for the response, it seems that's the proper method. I never thought of darkening in post. I assume the process of darkening it goes something like making an alpha channel for the areas that you want to stay bright, then darkening the layer, then colorizing the bright areas, then adding some kind of colored solid/gradient with a blend mode? I'll have to give it a whirl. I only have access to C4D lite, but I've made some alright stuff for work with it.alright stuff I'll report back with a sample.
 
Thanks for the response, it seems that's the proper method. I never thought of darkening in post. I assume the process of darkening it goes something like making an alpha channel for the areas that you want to stay bright, then darkening the layer, then colorizing the bright areas, then adding some kind of colored solid/gradient with a blend mode? I'll have to give it a whirl. I only have access to C4D lite, but I've made some alright stuff for work with it.alright stuff I'll report back with a sample.


There you go, you are petty advanced so I'm sure you'll get it. It does look like it's at night, but regardless the point is the area that starts out dark with the sign, was lit in the original filming or original picture. And correct I would mask a second channel around the building shape of that area, and then darken that. probably create a third layer with the balcony alone, so i can put lights behind it.... In one of the middle layers add the letters and a light effect.

You know what you are doing, let us know how it turns out.
 
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