Creating video game effect/look in a film

[Noah Kadner]

Um could you be a bit more specific? What’s a video game look like to you? Send some youtube clips for examples please.

-Noah

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[Ásta Soffía pétursdóttir]

Something with the same style as a third person shooter.. Hitman for an example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GnVe5wxLyY

or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwegirAkCZQ (after 10 sec)

How would I get similar effects, without using CGI, with Panasonic HVX-2001? Does the player have to move extra slow or extra fast comparing to fps, or is there a way of shooting normally and then remove every 2. or 3. frame.. or something like that?

Ásta

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[Noah Kadner]

I don’t get what you mean. Why not just animate it in 3D instead?

-Noah

Check out My My FCP Blog and my new RED Blog. Unlock the secrets of the DVX100, HVX200 and Apple Color.
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[Ásta Soffía pétursdóttir]

Because:

1) This is a school project at UNI and we only get the camera for a week
2) We don’t have the tools, knowledge or time to make animation
3) It would look cool and original.. and would higher our grades if we could pull of to make it look like a computer game, even though it isn’t.

Somebody talked about filming an actor moving in slow motion, at 12 or 18 fps and there we should get the results we’re looking for, but I just want to make sure.

The story is about a computer game nerd who gets dumped by his girlfriend. To be able to deal with the situation, he imagines himself in a computer game where he gets a mission where he is supposed to kill her.

Ásta

[Jake Williams]

What about shooting your actors against a green screen? Then you could key in backgrounds from video games in post.

Jake Williams

[Ásta Soffía pétursdóttir]

That´s an idea… but it lacks the nerdish fun of making it by hand… not to mention original.

We seriously want to make it by the camera… got any ideas?

Ásta

[D. scott Dobbie]

Will you be using FCP to cut it?

If so, I’m guessing you also have Motion. In the Library, under Filters, you’ve got all sorts of effects you could play with to give your picture the flattened color CG look, to emulate the game.

Your final version should run at something like 12 fps though. That’s generally what the older animation was. Graphics are so much better and at 30fps or faster, on current games like Left 4 Dead.

[Sorin Mi]

Hi Asta

did you find a solution for that video game appearance? I am working on the same stuff and I was wondering what did you choose in the end for the most video game look-alike effect?

Thanks!

[Ásta Soffía pétursdóttir]

Hey Sorin.

We haven´t filmed yet, but we had a test day where we tried different settings on the camera, where an actor moved in different speeds.

Our conclusion was that if we film with the setting:
720/25PN at 12fps and shutter speed either 1/25 or 1/60, where the actor moves half speed, gave the most satisfying result. Then we erased every 5th frame in FCP and that is just beautiful 😉

25PN doesn´t record any sound though, so you will have to record that on the side or afterward and then sync it in post production.

Hope it helps, and good luck with your project!

Ásta

[Sorin Mi]

Hi Ásta
That is great! One more question: when you said the actor moved half when you recorded in 1/25 shutter speed setting – you meant your actor moved half speed while shooting or was just recorded at half speed and he moved normal?

Thanks!