A few effects...

[thecheez]

Hi guys,

I'm in the final stages of writing a short film for the end of my 2nd year at uni but need to know how easy a few effects would be before I decide to include them in my script. Some help here would be appreciated keeping in mind I am a poor student and therefore budget = nothing!

Ok, firstly I want my actor to cut his forearm with a razor blade going down from inside wrist towards the elbow leaving a bleeding wound. I want to then cut a similar shot but be able to reverse then footage so that he 'uncuts himself' but without him using the razor blade (make sense?) As if the blood was going back into him. The whole thing is going to be quite tightly framed.

Second one it my actor climbing through a mirror as if it was a long window through a wall and then a hand coming back through the wall. I've got After Effects 6.5 so don't mind doing stuff in post but my previous attempts at green screening haven't been the most brilliant :/

Any suggestions much appreciated, Cheers

 

[oneinfiniteloop]

Well, what you first have to do is break down the shot and decide how to approach it. The first shot with the cut wouldn't be too difficult, but you would have to do some of it practical. Doing blood (liquids in general) in post on a tight shot takes a little bit of experience with rendering, etc. So, you would have to find a way to rig blood, etc. You can do the wound in post with a simple matte painting revealed by a mask as he cuts down his arm.

The second one can be tackled in many different ways, either keying or roto work, etc.

The best thing I can suggest is to do tests. That will at least give you an idea of what you're looking at.

 

[CineMischief]

Not sure what they are exactly, but stage productions get the knife cutting with blood really well without doing it digitally. There are 2 separate chemicals (don't know the name off hand)...one goes on the knife and the other on the actor's skin. When the knife chemical comes into contact with the actor's chemical, a reaction occurs delivering what looks like a bloody red, oozing wound.