View Full Version : The Mirror Effect
monte
09-04-2004, 01:46 PM
I'm hoping this is the right place to ask this...
I've been thinking of ways to do this for some time, the mirror effect that is. Where a person is infront of a mirror in a location and they're doing something while the reflection is doing something else, and it still stays that way even when their arm moves infront of the mirror.
The only way i could think is insert the second bit of footage under the first, while cutting out around the persons arm... bleh i dont know where im going with this...
So what are some good ways to achieve this?
You could shoot it using a green screen instead of a mirror. Than film what you want the reflection to be doing from the proper angle and key it in.
There's also a way I know of in AE, but the person, and the reflection can't ever cross eachother.
DVX100Shooter
09-04-2004, 07:28 PM
The Kanye West song "All Things Fall Down" uses a unique mirror effect in some of the shots of him in the bathroom. I am not sure if that is what you mean. But they shot some of that scene using a Green screen.
monte
09-04-2004, 08:16 PM
TC, you mean do it all infront of a green screen? Then key them both in to a blank room that the mirror is in, and then have them both run.
What I mean is, I would make a green screen, then have a shot from the appropriate angle (from behind) of the guy doing his thing, then a shot from the angle it would appear on the mirror of him doing something else and key them into a blank scene?
Right?
I meant just go into a bathroom, cover up the mirror (or where a mirror would be) with a green screen, and key in the reflection. Less work that way.
monte
09-06-2004, 06:14 PM
Wow, I'm retarded :)
So obvious... damn...
What program would I be keying in these different elements? If multiple please just list em, and i'll find me some links :o
We all have days like that. No worries. :)
I would use After Effects. There is new keying stuff in Premiere Pro, but I haven't tried it yet, so I cannot comment on it.
TylerGred
09-08-2004, 04:53 AM
I meant just go into a bathroom, cover up the mirror (or where a mirror would be) with a green screen, and key in the reflection. Less work that way.
I don't know why, but I don't think this will work well? I could be wrong though...
I mean... it will work, but I don't think it will produce a good reflection.... You'd have to film two seperate ones correct? The reflection and then the one with the green screen covered up??
I'm not sure though, keep us posted.
Neil Rowe
09-08-2004, 06:42 AM
yeah that pretty much sums it up
..if the person or objects do not cross over the mirror at all .. you could just record the scene 2x without moving the camera, and have him do one thing , and then another, and overlay on vid onto the other, and just matte in the mirror section or whatever from the one layer like you were thinking.. that would be the easiest.
if you need stuff to pass in front of the mirror, you should stick a green screen over the mirror when you record the second scene.. then instead of matting around the objects going over the mirror, you could just use a green screen key to reaveal the other layer underneath. ..again you dont want to move the camera .
and ppro 1.5 has really nice keying.. the "green screen" key is a one step application, and it works very well.