Pulling off a decapitated head shot.

[eraserhead_in_time]

Hey guys,
I'm going to be filming a movie, which involves a character talking to a decapitated head that he is holding in his hand. I plan to take some CU's of the head as he holds it.
Can you tell me some ways one would go about filming it on set, and also later on in Post.
I'm attaching some storyboards to give you clearer idea.
THanks

He is lying down and holding the head right above him. I also want to include his POV as he looks at the head, so the decapitation effect has to sell in CU.

PS- Couldn't remove girl's body in Frameforge.lol. But you get the point.

 

[jkikerx78]

Here is a video I found on Youtube, hope it helps and good luck!

http://youtu.be/qG0uqRsAKK4

 

[eraserhead_in_time]

Cheers for the link but I don't plan on showing the decapitation occur.
He is talking to a decapitated head. And Since it's in CU, I can't use a fake head. I'll be using a fake head for the reverse shot, where only the back of the head is visible. But for the shot I showed above, I need to place a real actor in the scene.
Do I wrap her neck down in green cloth to key her out later? I don't know.

 

[jax_rox]

Green body suit. Key it out later. If you need to see her headless body talk, that's probably the easiest/cheapest way to do it.

The other option would be to cut a hole in the bed, big enough for his and her body to fit in.

 

[jkikerx78]

The problem with keying it out, one of many problems, is that its going to look like a visual effect...like he is grasping a floating head. If you are going for realism, your best bet is to cast a mold of the persons head and neck. This can be painted to look really cool and the physics of him holding it will look real.

 

[eraserhead_in_time]

Thanks for the reply. While the mold seems like the best bet, it is for a no budget short film and unfortunately there is no artist that even makes such things, in this part of India.
So my next best bet is green suit? There is not a lot of movement that he does with the head, so maybe if I place the actress on a low lying table above the actor with her head in his hand, It can be done?

The problem with keying it out, one of many problems, is that its going to look like a visual effect...like he is grasping a floating head. If you are going for realism, your best bet is to cast a mold of the persons head and neck. This can be painted to look really cool and the physics of him holding it will look real.

 

[jkikerx78]

Yes that will work. Do one shot of the actor with his hand where the head will be, but without the person in the shot....no table above the actor. Then shoot your body suit on table shot. You will need to either mask out (rotoscoped) the table...or make sure to paint it green so it can be keyed as well.

 

[eraserhead_in_time]

Hmm.. I get it.Thanks. My only other concern is, where the neck will be cut off from, Do I put makeup on that point on the actress herself or paint the wound later in Photoshop and track it to the neck?

 

[jax_rox]

The problem with keying it out, one of many problems, is that its going to look like a visual effect...like he is grasping a floating head. If you are going for realism, your best bet is to cast a mold of the persons head and neck. This can be painted to look really cool and the physics of him holding it will look real.

You could make it look like it's not a visual effect - but you'd need a motion control rig capable of repeating moves

 

[jkikerx78]

I would go with make up...save you a lot of time in post production .

 

[DanielCFilms&Productions]

Idea!

If all else fails use a 2 shot. Do one over the shoulder shot of the un decapitated person showing the face of the decapitated person at a close up. Use latex and sfx, blood ext. this way you can hide the rest of the body in sheets within the depth of field.

Anything else from back side to complete back can be a prop head (foam head and wig, latex ect.) ebay it. If its a woman the hair can cover the side of the face when you are filming. Use angles to cover as much of the lack of movement on the jaw on the decap. For the back of the head all you need is a bloody stump. Stay away from direct side shots like you have on your story board unless you plan on using a green suit and remove in post or can completely cover the body from neck down. All the audio of the actor can then be added during post.

Unless you are planing on CGI and green screen then use angles and depth of field to hide the body within the sheets. Its an alternative but hope this helps.

Angles that can hide the body could be:
Over shoulder at a Close up of face/decap head.
Back shot, camera at feet of the bed looking towards the stump of the decap.
For a direct side shot, a low shot probably 5 or so inches lower than the mattress so that you can hide the rest of the body within the sheets.