Invisible Skateboard

All i no, is that it is an EXPENSIVE camera.....I think up to a million dollars or something like that, and it can track footage like crazy, im not sure
 
I imagine they had the camera set up with one of those automated movement systems. I can't remember the exact name off the top of my head though. Basically, a computer it hooked up to the dolly, crane and camera controls so you can make multiple dynamic passes over and over.

It's used in Hollywood all the time. Basically what you would have is a moving back plate that exactly matches your foreground plate, and you use keying and a rotoscoping to extract what you want.

Same principle as doing it with a static camera shot, but you can have much more dynamic shots because the camera moves, but is computer controlled.

Can't remember the name of it though.
 
Abu Reno said:
I think they used mokey. That app is amazing!
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I've seen and read about programs like that. They are cool. They use adjoining frames to rebuild sections of a damaged frame, and can take old film and create crazy impressive results.

However, I don't think (and both of the examples they showed on their home page) the software handles moving footage that well, especially wider angle stuff where lens aberration at the sides is much more pronounced.

I'll but it was simple Motion Control, Keying, and rotoscoping.
 
I say just regular rotoing and copy/pasting what the board is covering with the before and after frames, you can tell they had to redraw the shadows on the feet because they would be covered by the skateboard. Seems very time consuming but very :badputer:cool.
 
Motion control camera. Replays the same move after you shoot a shot with no people there as a clean slate. Key clean slate into the green board keys and then remove the shadows of the board and clean up the shadows inside the board keyhole area.
 
Don't forget not all shots where moving, so on those static shots, a normal camera is used(as opposed to a camera on a Motrack)

In fact anyone could replicate the static shot, without the need for an expensive Motrack cam.
 
How can you tell that it was done with a motion control rig?
Youtube's compression artifacts don't allow for critical analysis.
 
milksac said:
How can you tell that it was done with a motion control rig?
Youtube's compression artifacts don't allow for critical analysis.
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Because it would be the Most logical way to do it, also because its usually standard practice.

Of course, they could have just keyed and then cleaned up the missing BG of the skateboard (basically similar to wire removal) but then that would simply take huge amounts of time, and also since the amount of area to be fixed up is big (compared to wire removal) it would probably be very noticable, even with youtube compression.
 
nicholasraeburn said:
This is so easy it's actually painful WHY DO YOU THINK THE BOARDS ARE GREEN!
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Because as the others have already said, keying the boards is but only one part of the method, the other part is replacing that key with the BG, now if its a static shot, no problem just shoot a clean plate, but what if that shot is moving? what are you going to replace the keyed BG with?

Yes the principle is "painfully" easy, but for the moving shots the equipment is also "painfully" expensive :)
 
Anhar Miah said:
the equipment is also "painfully" expensive :)
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The expense is why I'm not easily inclined to say a motion control rig was used. Was the person that made the video the child of a studio owner? "Hey dad me and my buddies want to make a skate video this weekend, can we use the motion control rig?"
I think they roto'd and cloned/painted out the ground and feathered it to the extent that the compression would cover up the seams. You're right though there are certain scenes like the rail slides that would be very difficult to paint out.
 
I own the "Yeah Right" DVD that these clips came off of. The keys/roto work are VERY clean at DVD quality. I'm sure they used a motion track rig to get those results.. doing it by hand would not have been that good.

milksac said:
The expense is why I'm not easily inclined to say a motion control rig was used.
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Some skate videos can have decent budgets, as they are sponsored by the skate team's company (think Etnies, DC, Element). I'm sure they could afford a day rental of the rig, especially in the CA area.
 
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This isn't some kids playing this was shot with Mark Ecko money I believe.

Just because it is footage of some kids skating doesn't mean there isn't a full production crew of adults with money behind the camera.
 
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