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Eternal Sunshine + Blankface Effect
Hey
So I’m a total noob to after effects … what I want to know is how I can duplicate a similar effect as used in the movie eternal sunshine of the spotless mind — where as he travels back intime through his memories characters faces become ‘featureless’ — knowing michel gondrys work im pretty sure he used prosthetics (forgive the spelling) while filmming and not so much in post … I’m just trying to differentiate between flashback and reality footage … wherein I have taken my actors and greenscreened/rotoscoped them overtop of the two different periods in time of the story. Any advice would be greatly appreciated !!!
Cheers
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4 Replies
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[dirkdiggler83] “wherein I have taken my actors and greenscreened/rotoscoped them overtop of the two different periods in time of the story.”
Well, I can tell you that one way that Gondry accomplished this in Sunshine was not through the use of any post effects, just imaginative use of narrative. He played a lot with repetition and perspective, both of which could (and probably should) be accomplished with reshooting the same scene in different ways (perspectives/performances changing).
After that I think all you have to be concerned with in post is any scenes in which the characters might see themselves in their memories (requiring split screen or roto/greenscreening) as well as a good effect to differentiate the past/present/future. I would suggest using different color palettes, increasing contrast, adding grain.
As for the ambiguous faces, yes I’m pretty sure he used prosthetics, you could come up with something similar if you just use stockings over the face. Anything you do in post to obscure faces is probably going to look obviously digital (which might be desired) or take far too long to be worthwhile.
Darby Edelen
DVD Menu Artist
Left Coast Digital
Aptos, CA -
Thanks for the response darby …
I have already shot and production is complete … so using stockings is a good idea but out of the question … what suggestions do you have for accomplishing this in after effects ? Quickly
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You might have to resort to something very drastic/strange like Distort->Turbulent Displace or Noise->Median on an Adjustment Layer with feathered masks. You might also be able to use the Clone Stamp tool for some interesting effects.
Darby Edelen
DVD Menu Artist
Left Coast Digital
Aptos, CA -
ya the clone stamp is working … but its just so bland … anyways thanks for your help …
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