Fake snow?

[Sagan]

Anybody got any ideas about making large quantities of fake snow?

I don't want anything that will be hard to clean up later, or anything harmful to the environment of course. Just somehting that's cheap and can be had in large amounts.

Any ideas, anyone?

Thanks.

 

[clang]

So you want snowdrifts lying on the ground? (as opposed to e.g. falling snow, which is pretty easy to fake in post). Unfortunately all fake snow is hard to clean up afterwards - you've got to shovel it up or hose it away somehow. And I've never come across any 'cheap' materials - you literally need enormous piles of the stuff so the total cost will never be that cheap. What's your budget?

You've definitely excluded the possibility of shooting at a location with real snow?

 

[Sagan]

So you want snowdrifts lying on the ground? (as opposed to e.g. falling snow, which is pretty easy to fake in post). Unfortunately all fake snow is hard to clean up afterwards - you've got to shovel it up or hose it away somehow. And I've never come across any 'cheap' materials - you literally need enormous piles of the stuff so the total cost will never be that cheap. What's your budget?

You've definitely excluded the possibility of shooting at a location with real snow?

Yes, I'd like to have snowdrifts on the ground. But I would settle for snow on trees, shrubs, small horizontal surfaces in the shot, (eg mailboxes, etc.)

I can add falling snow in post quite easily, as you say.

Budget is < $2000

Where I live we're just coming into summer, so location isn't an option. Even in Winter I'd have to travel a long way for location snow.

Might just do a bg plate with snow added in photoshop.

Thanks for your reply, Clang.

 

[clang]

Unless you have a really talented artist, i suspect the Photoshop option will be hard to get looking realistic.

Have a look at http://www.sno-wonder.com/order.asp - I've never used it, but it looks like it would suit you, and might at least be worth a test.

Whatever option you go for, you need to really plan your shots carefully - no point in paying for snow that the camera won't see.

 

[Sagan]

Unless you have a really talented artist, i suspect the Photoshop option will be hard to get looking realistic.

Have a look at http://www.sno-wonder.com/order.asp - I've never used it, but it looks like it would suit you, and might at least be worth a test.

No problem there, Clang. I'm a really talented artist!

Seriously, though, I think I could manage it by cloning snowdrifts from photographs and matching them up to similar contours in my bg plate.

Whatever option you go for, you need to really plan your shots carefully - no point in paying for snow that the camera won't see.

Quite right.

Thanks again.

 

[samuel.e.rodriguez]

for close ups, i've used mashed potato flakes in the past..(for falling snow). worked for me pretty well.

 

[maranfilms]

for close ups, i've used mashed potato flakes in the past..(for falling snow). worked for me pretty well.

+1, i have done the same trick, this is where shooting with a shallow dof will be to your benefit, you want to blur the snow a little (instant potatoes).

 

[Sagan]

I've got no problem showing falling snow, Sam. Got a good After Effects plugin that'll do that.

But then, if decide to have snow landing on the talent in the fg, I'll try potato flakes.


Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[clang]

Some potato flakes look er..potato-coloured rather than pure white Of course you may be able to correct in post, but that could throw other colour balance out if you're not prepared for it. Definitely worth a few test shots first.

 

[djbobbyrhodes]

You could try compressed air + water.

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I don't know how much you'd have to fight the weather to keep the snow on the ground though...

 

[Sagan]

Some potato flakes look er..potato-coloured rather than pure white.

Yes, I expect they would. I would want to avoid unnecessary colour correction in post, for the reasons you mention, Clang.

It will involve a bit of trial and error, I guess.