Transformation of Moving object

[Steve Roberts]

This is a special effects shot that needs to be planned. Along Dave’s lines:

Do you have the shots? If so, the shots will dictate how you solve the problem, if it can be solved at all.

If not, then how do you picture the shots in your mind? Panned with the ball? Wide shots? Can your cameraman keep up with the ball? How many takes do you want to do? Will the ball be sharp or blurry? Large or small? If large, can your cameraman follow a ball at that magnification?

What will be in the shot at the point of soccer-to-football transfer? Sky? Buildings? Field? Will both balls be in the same location in the frame? If not, how will you account for the difference? Slide the shot? Watch the edges.

Are you imagining a camera following the kicker, craning up to follow the ball, showing the change in the sky, then craning down to find the receiver? This can only be done with all CG (3D) or two crane $hot$, CG, and a budget for a lot of takes.

Be aware of what you’re imagining. Sketch it out. Storyboard it.

[Darby Edelen]

[Steve Roberts] “This is a special effects shot that needs to be planned.”

Frankly, I would just be cheap about the whole thing and cut from a soccer ball flying through air to a football receiver catching a football. The audience will insert the ‘special’ effects in their head =)

Have you seen the recent Nike commercial featuring a loosely connected montage of a football player running ‘through’ various plays on varied days in a range of weather? The cuts in that are fairly easy to see if you’re looking for them, even though they try to obscure them… It works though, because nobody wants to see those cuts. The idea gets across crystal clear, and that’s what’s important.

Darby Edelen
DVD Menu Artist
Left Coast Digital
Aptos, CA

[Steve Roberts]

Ah. Yes. Well said, Darby. 🙂