ANYONE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS VIDEO TRICK?

[Walter Biscardi]

Either doing a split screen with the guy gardening on one side of the screen and the standup on the other side. You lock down the camera and shoot both scenes with the locked camera. Then do a split down the middle and be sure he doesn’t cross over to the wrong side during the standup.

Or shoot the standup in front of a green screen and key him over the gardening shot.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Shane Ross]

This requires the use of a green or blue screen behind your interview subject. Then make sure they don’t wear anything blue or green.

Read this:

https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/basic_compositing.html

[Ed Dooley]

Like, for example, if you use a blue-screen and they have blue eyes, make sure they don’t wear them that day. 🙂
Ed

[Shane Ross] “This requires the use of a green or blue screen behind your interview subject. Then make sure they don’t wear anything blue or green.
“

[Sebastian Leda]

Don’t use a green screen in the garden!!!

Sebastian Leda
Editor
Digital Post Services

[Tony]

This is a very complex and time consuming process because you will need to find two identical clone twins who can act on screen.

The only agency I know which can help you out is called Clones R Us. com which has a datebase of hundreds of clone twins who happen to be actors skilled at the type of work you need to do.

But the tradeoff is you will save lots of post production time not having to learn FCP, after effects, Motion, and all that other complex software. Just hire the actors and find some college kid with a mini dv camcorder and you are all set to start shooting.

Enuff said,

Tony Salgado

[Jeff Carpenter]

I think Walter’s split-screen idea is probably a lot easier than messing around with Green Screens.

The problem with split-screens is that you can usually see the line. Doing it outside only adds to that problem because the sun will probably change slightly between takes. If you’re using manual iris you can sort of adjust, but it won’t be perfect.

The solution is to set up your shot in such a way that there are natural lines WITHIN the shot. Place things on the ground like hoses. Use a tree. Whatever it is, just put something between them that you can hide a line on. That’s the key to making it work.

Then, instead of doing a simple split-screen, export a frame to Photoshop and make a mask. In other words, make an image that is half black and half white, each representing half of the scene. If you do it this way you can draw a very compicated line that goes all over the screen. Save that b&w image.

Then, in Final Cut use the “Image Mask” filter and drop your B&W image in it. You’ll figure out how it works pretty quickly.

Take a look at this example, I’ve put the finished video here, and if you scroll below it you’ll see what the mask looked like:

https://www.redfeathervideo.com/kirk/

Notice how the mask goes down the edge of the wall and along the pattern in the carpet? That helps hide any problems with the mask or any lighting differences. I shot that back in high school and did it on my old Adobe Premiere 6 on a G3 iMac. So it’s not a very complicated trick that needs much horsepower, that’s for sure.

You might want to try something like that, but no matter what you chose, TRY IT on your own time before you actually shoot something that matters. You’ll learn a lot the first time you try something like this, so do it on something that doesn’t matter.

[Don Greening]

I thought ‘Attack of the Clones’ was just a movie…..

[Bret Williams]

Or you could just draw an 8 point garbage matte. Either way, feather it and you’ll get wonderful results.

Outside, the light changes alot, so the twins might be a good idea.

[Bret Williams]

This reminds me of the Southpark episode where we encouter Cartman and his evil twin. I thought it was pretty darn hilarious that whenever they were on screen at the same time, there was a slight line separating them, as if they had to do a split screen like Walter described.

I’m also a sucker for outtakes at the end of a cartoon movie.

[Tom Matthies]

Also be careful where you set your focus for the different shots. It usually doesn’t work well to focus on the far shot and to then refocus for the second half of the shot which will very likely be much closer. Shoot as wide as possible to maximize your depth of field and try to refrain from setting two different focus points. It will make it more difficult to match the two shots later.
Tom