So, I have this scene in my script...

Left-Handed Productions

Left-Handed Productions

EXT. BEACH - NIGHT

CINDY is walking through the shallow water on the shore, while JAMES films her.


CINDY

What're you doing with that camera, JAMES, you some kinda perv?

JAMES

Psh, you’re hilarious. No, I just figured since we’re living with each other now, we should have some home videos. You look great on camera!

CINDY


Well that's not pervy, that's cute! I love you so much!

CINDY begins to run towards JAMES.

JAMES

I love you too! Hey, be caref...

CINDY slips and falls, smashing her head on a rock. She lies motionless.

JAMES

CINDY!

JAMES drops the camera and runs to CINDY. He tries CPR, but realizes she's gone. He begins to cry.

JAMES

(Off screen)

Well I couldn't just leave her there...

Okay, so that's the mentioned scene. What MY question is, is how would we create the scene of her falling and cracking her head on the rock without harming the actress? Its going to be filmed like a home movie, so I was thinking that I want her to fall on the rock, and have her head end up on the ground behind the rock out of view, and have some blood leak out into the sand around the rock. In my head, the scene looks great. So yeah, any help is GREATLY appreciated.
 
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How big is the rock?

If you make the rock big enough, you can place a garbage bag packed tightly with those soft packing material thingies. You're filming from the opposite side, so we see her go down behind the rock, bounce a bit as her head hits and lie behind the rock.

James stays still with shock, long enough to catch the blood seeping out.

Ah yes, the blood. Create a very shallow groove in the sand beginning from behind the rock to where you want it to lead. Have a blood packet behind the rock and once the actress goes down behind it, she can begin squeezing it out into the groove. Remember to keep the groove shallow so you dont see it on camera. it doesnt need to be deep at all for the blood to follow its path. Nightime will help from seeing the groove as well.

Goodluck and lemme know how it goes!
 
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Oh, i forgot to add. The methods described above should be used carefully and at your own discretion. Remember to practice and safety comes first. The author of this post is not liable for any injury that may occur due to said methods, this includes the film failing. :))
 
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Cut on action..

Show rock
Show girl falling
Show dead girl with head on rock

The audience will fill in the rest..

What will sell this is that there must be a reason she stumbles, say earlier we see her fiddling with her broken sandal strap or shes a bit "tipsy" get the idea...

But then again, Special FX are FUN!
 
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You can use a green screen, indymogul shows you how to do that in one of the tutorials.

She can jump from a place that there is no more than 30 cm (and still be carefull) that looks like the place where the rock is. Then the falling part either use a dummy or green screen.

The smashing part it's usually more effective if you see the end more than the actual smashing. You can always use after effects for the blood if you dont have fake blood.

This is how we did a very low budget, no green screen, and no blood suicide jump...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg7tn9uykfY (check the end of the video). It's not amazing but everyone understand what has happened.
 
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I guess it's up to you how much or little you want the audience to see. The above ideas are good if you want the visual effect without cutting.

I (personal taste) would have her trip, maybe a pov shot of her falling towards the camera(rock), followed by a closeup of a look of shock on the guy's face while a sickening thud/crunch occurs. Then cut to her prone on ground.

I always find what you CANT see more cringeworthy ;)
 
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I agree with Wheatgrinder. I would have the girl stumble INTO the cameraperson, causing the camera to shake and him filming several seconds of beach and surf. When he steadies himself, camera still rolling, he turns to see his girl next to the rock and realizes what happens. This should give the actress enough time to take her position on the ground, face down in blood, without a scene sut. Just my opinion...
 
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sharkeatingman said:
I agree with Wheatgrinder. I would have the girl stumble INTO the cameraperson, causing the camera to shake and him filming several seconds of beach and surf. When he steadies himself, camera still rolling, he turns to see his girl next to the rock and realizes what happens. This should give the actress enough time to take her position on the ground, face down in blood, without a scene sut. Just my opinion...
Click to expand...

ohhh thats nice.. I forgot the camera person POV IS part of the cast..

FYI: Am I safe assuming the "rock" is on the beach.. not at the bottom of a cliff?
 
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If possible with the location (And if you want to cut to and from the footage he is shooting with the movie cam) , maybe her climbing up, walking out on, or just standing on some boulders/rocks might work.


MOVIE CAM POV:
Zoom in-
Her feet as she takes careful steps on the rocks.
Tilt up-
Her arms out at her sides like walking a tight rope-
She turns around.



REGULAR CAM SHOTS-
James stands on the beach with a movie camera Cindy above him on some rocks.


CINDY
What are you doing perv?

JAMES
I… I just wanted to remember you –us like this, like today.

She has a moment of unbalance.

CINDY
Whoa!

JAMES
Careful.

She recovers balance and looks out at the water.

CINDY
James, today.. “Us” is already in my heart, and will be..forever.



MOVIE CAM POV-
Looking up at her.


JAMES (OS)
Then can we use the camera to make pervy stuff later?

Cindy laughs.

CINDY
Or we can throw it and YOU into the wa—

She falls backward out of frame.

JAMES
Cindy!

Movie camera POV as camera is dropped to the ground (sand).



REGULAR CAM SHOT-
Over head pointing straight down-
James kneels over Cindy’s lifeless body in tears.
A pool of blood at her head.


JAMES
???????



-Thanks-
 
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wheatgrinder said:
Cut on action..

Show rock
Show girl falling
Show dead girl with head on rock

The audience will fill in the rest..

What will sell this is that there must be a reason she stumbles, say earlier we see her fiddling with her broken sandal strap or shes a bit "tipsy" get the idea...

But then again, Special FX are FUN!
Click to expand...

Don't forget about the sound of her head thudding/cracking against the rock!

I agree, off-camera would be easier and could be more effective (what's better than letting the audience use their imagination), but make sure to do good sound art for this, if the audience hears the thud/crack, and if the shots are quick, they won't even notice that they didn't get the money-shot.
 
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Wow you guys, these are all really great ideas. I certainly appreciate the help and the compliments, and I don't remember who posted their idea of the script, but I really liked the dialogue. This is my first attempt at a film of any sort, and my first attempt at writing a script, so I'm hoping it works well.
 
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LHP..

Go film this scene, follow it all the way through from preproduction to post production and upload your results. Doing the entire "film making" process will teach you more than you can imagine.. and since its just one days worth of shooting and just one scene, etc.. you not wasting a lot of time, and who knows, maybe this will be your trailer, or the scene you use to sell the concept to some other volunteers..

Doing this exercise taught me:

  • Story boards rock
  • when your on the set, you forget all your cool plans and ideas
  • shoot the plan, THEN go for the on the spot inspirations (all of my "inspired in the moment" shots end up in the garbage :) ..)
  • There is NEVER enough light
  • You shoot footage, you EDIT a movie
 
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