Face horror

[mhh]

We are in the process of filming a short horror film in which the plan is to have the main character stabbed in the face. One of the shots would also subsequently show the character with half his face missing, running diagonally from above the eyebrow to the opposite cheek, leaving only one eye. This eye would then momentarily blink.

We have after effects and access to a green screen if necessary. Would anyone have any advice on how to achieve these effects, filmed in subdued nightime lighting ? We had a thought of using a melon or similar to stab a knife in and then replace the melon, in after effects, with the face. But we have no idea how to achieve this or how it would work.

For the half face missing we thought we could use the mask function in after effects. We did some tests and it didn’t turn out too good. In order to blend convincingly we had to use a fair amount of feathering to the mask which made the edges of the sliced face too soft. We were also thinking about maybe wearing a green hat slanted across the face, then keying it out, but we’re worried that the subdued lighting would result in an unacceptable key.

Any ideas or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[tcindie]

Sounds like a job for effects makeup.. a prosthetic would be ideal.

[mhh]

Thanks for the reply. Is prosthetics really the only option? I would have hoped that AE would be capable of achieving something.

[tcindie]

I'm sure you could accomplish it digitally, but it'll probably be a lot easier to do practically. Maybe a 3d model of the head?

[Robbie Comeau]

If you use a mask on his face, sure it will cut it out, but then you wont see the background. So put the camera on a tripod, and shoot the scene with the talent IN it, and then shoot it AGAIN with him OUT OF SHOT! Then in editing, put the layer WITH HIM OUT OF THE SHOT..UNDERNEATH the footage where he is IN IT. The when you mask out the top layer, you will see the background, because you shot him WITH HIM OUT OF IT. God i am a good teacher!

[tcindie]

It could be done with a single shot by copying the layer and offsetting it so that the space behind is always empty background.

[mhh]

Thanks guys. TheComo, that's precisely what we did using the mask function (one layer above the other with the character in the upper layer and the tripod fixed so that the background was the same) But what we found was that unless we applied feathering to the mask there was a thin black line outlining the shape of the mask. Feathering removed this but then made the edge of the sliced face too soft. I don't understand why this black outline would be present.

[Tom Marshall]

Post a screengrab if possible. Then we can try and help you figure out the problem. :)

[mhh]

Here are 3 attachments showing the clean background, character with mask and then composite. As you will see the mask shows clearly defined edges in the composite. The only way to remove these edges is to feather which makes the edges too soft. I have a feeling that the reason for the edges around the mask is that the lighting changes slightly with the character in place. Hence the background doesn't match exactly.

[tcindie]

While the edge is certainly a problem, there are bigger issues here.. that the shadow is wrong, and the head is too flat. You should try comping in something to show depth, a little bloody rim around the far edge so the head actually looks three dimensional..

Problems will arise when your actor starts turning his head though..


Really quick 'n dirty photoshop explaination -- His shadow is still wrong. Also I didn't do anything about the hard edge: