how to make someone fall off a building

USNFilms

USNFilms

I'm shooting a short film in exactly a week and it involves some terrorists who are shooting off the side of the building. well, I have them all getting shot and I think it would be cool if at least one of them fell off the side of the building.

The building is probablly 15-20 feet tall so I can't for example have them fall off and put a matress at the bottom...;)

I have a 10X20 ft green screen and I know I could use that to help show someone falling off the building, but I just don't how I would make it look like they're actually falling. I don't want them to just stand straight and animate them coming down.

any advice/tips from experience in this?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
get a bar stool or similar and have the actor lay on it in front of the green screen, flailing their arms and legs as if they were falling - you can either mask out the stool manually, or you may be able to drape it with green material. If they've got long hair or a scarf or something like that you could put a fan on the floor below them blowing upwards to add to the illusion.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Did anyone say, STUNT DUMMY?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TSahjJtjww

Robotrix2P04.jpg


Cyborgs&Humans.jpg
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
the effect you're looking for starts around 9:25 of this video. it's not quite exactly what you described, but i think it could help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z13xHXlNW9w
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Don't show the actual falling: just show the result.
Just like all the crime series do (CSI, Midsummer Murders, etc).

Offcourse you could maybe show the start of the falling as a medium, so you can't see there is no edge and he'll fall on a matras.

It's all in the edit.

When shot from a distance: use a dummy.

Falling with greenscreen almost always looks silly (and very B-film), so wonder whether that shot of 4 secondes is worth a day's work.
In Return of the Jedi you can get away with it: the Emperor falls in a very deep shaft. (But it still looks fake) ;)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hrmm. I think it could work if you would shoot the scene without anyone falling from a side angle and not straight on. Just the edge of the building.

Then bring out that green screen somewhere and figure out the angle at which the guy will fall based on the scene you shot, and actually have him jump back and fall on the floor.

Now in post you can put him in. But you should only show the part where he starts to "leave" the roof. I suggest you don't shoot a guy actually falling on green screen. After that, color correct.

Then you can shoot a scene where one of the enemies looks at the edge at which his companion fell. Its already implied that he fell lolz
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
One shot of one on the roof. before he falls. Then he gets shot, and tie a rope to his waist under his shirt and have him fall off. attach the rope to somethjing off screen or on the side of the building. If he dies dedicate the movie in his honor. That should suffice for his family's emotions.

The green screen sounds a lot better lol. Unless you actually have someone who's willing to take that chance. Fifteen -twenty feet is not that high, if you had TWOO mattresses you'd be fine. I used to jump feet first off garages when I would play manhunt, only ever sprained an ankle. How high's your average garage?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ok 99% of film making I am clueless about. Now stunts is where I exceed. First of all never do what chamburger said with the rope. It will hurt the person severly and may cause death. If you can find a person who can fall properly then my fallowing suggestions will work if not go with the green screen. First get a bunch of foam rubber. You will need enough to cover an area of at least 8 feet by 12 feet and about 8 feet deep. That will be enough material that will have the best deceleration for the person to survive. When you put in the foam rubber into what ever container you use do not compact it much (perferable none) but fill the entire contaner. As for posable cantainers if you can arange it use the big garbage containers. But do not do this unless the person that is falling knows how to fall proper and not with out some kind of immediat medical on scean. It is how i would do it and I personally have done a jump from about 25 feet with a simallar set up and it worked and i was fine.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top