Creative Communities of the World Forums

The peer to peer support community for media production professionals.

Activity Forums Adobe After Effects Changing Person’s Skin color using AE

  • Changing Person’s Skin color using AE

    Posted by Eric Addison on December 26, 2006 at 4:55 pm

    I had a call from a possible client who wants to know if it would be possible to shoot someone, and then change their skin color in post. She wants to shoot a caucasian man, then change his skin color to resemble an African-American male….I’m thinking that using AE alone isn’t going to be enough to make this happen…am I wrong? Anyone have any ideas?

    I’ve played around with a still shot of her actor, but haven’t had much luck in creating anything that looks good….

    John_ogroat replied 19 years, 4 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Cowdog

    December 26, 2006 at 7:30 pm

    [Addman] “I had a call from a possible client who wants to know if it would be possible to shoot someone, and then change their skin color… “

    Yes, usually if you shoot someone, they will turn a soft muted pale gray over time.

    Dogs on the other hand, we don’t change color — well, except for chihuahuas, because of that hairless thing that they have going on.

    Me, I only change color after too many bowls of beer and then it’s to a soft bluish or green tint that I personally shift.

    But in response to your serious question: It would be a tough call to pull that one off — well, with any real credibility, anyway.

    Yer pal,

    Cowdog

  • Eric Addison

    December 28, 2006 at 1:15 am

    Thanks for the feedback…I figured out early on in my tests that this probably wasn’t going to work, and the client was just trying to save money….

  • John_ogroat

    December 28, 2006 at 6:24 pm

    hmm seems like a tough one,

    Would a morph into a different, black actor do the job, or does it need to be the same white actor, only black?

    If the actors facial shape needs to stay the same,and if you want to be very long winded, maybe making a 3D replica of the actors facial features, and then colour it as black skin, maybe by mapping real black skin onto the 3d model, then overlaying it on AE and animating it to fade up to say 70% opacity…

    If the actor is moving/talking or the camera is moving, then this approach would be a very big undertaking.
    A locked off shot with no motion would be easier.

    Probably not feasable, but interesting?

    I think I’d go with the morph. If the actor is involved in action, then I think I’d tell ure client to quit dreaming, or phone up ILM 🙂

    John

We use anonymous cookies to give you the best experience we can.
Our Privacy policy | GDPR Policy