Removing someones eye. & adding maggots (lovely i know)

Adobe After Effects

Removing someones eye. & adding maggots (lovely i know)

Posted by Josh Brine on April 28, 2012 at 9:29 pm

SO yeah basically im helping out on a short film on the 6th, and ive been asked to remove someones eye, and have maggots falling out of it.

So im thinking, few dots on the face, around the eye area on set nice contrasty colour, track them in mocha, create a eyeless eye in photoshop &/or AE. pin it to the mocha track. feather etc.

so far is this a correct way to shoot it?

as for the maggots, the actress isnt, (obviously) willing to have maggots on her face, so im thinking, get a maniquin head, wrap it/paint it green. pour maggots on it. film it and track that to the actress? with warps n stuff to get it looking like it properly fits her face?

so yeah, just wanting to ask some questions n get some answers before i have to shoot. so i can avoid some issues.

https://vimeo.com/18275127

this effect is similar (at least the eye part) to what im hoping to achieve, but with maggots!

Thanks
Josh

Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!

This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Vimeo framework” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.

Josh Brine replied 14 years ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
2 Replies

Ross Shain
April 30, 2012 at 7:46 pm

Usually mocha can handle face tracking without track marks and you can avoid having to remove them after the fact. Keep in mind that mocha will give you a “flat” surface, but like you say using warps or displacements will help create the illusion there is depth.

Depending on the motion, you might be able to use the new mocha AE v3 features to get a 3D camera solve and then use FreeForm to do true 3D mesh warp around the face.

You may also have to break the face into multiple surfaces (one for front and sides) depending on the motion.

If I were you, I would avoid using “real maggots” and use a particle system such as Particular with a good source animation OR 3D modeled and animated bugs.

It is doubtful that shooting on a mannequin would really help you here as the motion will not match the actors. If you have the budget & time, using a more sophisticated 3D tracking system like PFtrack’s geometry tracker would be the best way to do this kind of effect, but I do believe that mocha and some ingenuity will get you there.

All the best,
Ross

Ross Shain
Imagineer Systems
http://www.imagineersystems.com
Josh Brine
April 30, 2012 at 8:19 pm

Awesome thanks for the advice, I have a follow up question

I am familiar with blender, and could probably pull of maggot meshes and animations, I also have particular, I haven’t heard of free form so I’ll look into that,

How do u picture the workflow for this piece?

Here is how I see it now

Track face with mocha,
Use free form/warps and 2d images to create an eye socket
Pin the element to the face, using multiple tracks if necessary.

If I’m right this is the somewhat easier section as long as the movement is straight forward, which I believe it is.

So what process do u picture for getting a 3d model of maggots looking like its on the talents face? How would u animate it in 3d application to fit an ugly on the footage?

I really appreciate your advice
Thanks
Josh

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums