How would you show someone's imagination?

HKB

HKB

Well-known member
Not sure if I'm posting this in the right spot or not but here it goes. I'm doing a short film and I go from a real character to an event that they imagine or are thinking about. I'm not sure how to separate reality from imagination to clue the viewer in.... any help would be appreciated.
 
Lots of ways: here's three; shoot it with a lensbaby lens, give it a different grade, add streaks or diffusion.
 
Use your imagination of course... :happy:

I am kind of being serious and only partly being a smart a*rs*.

Think about shooting your self in the state of imagining something. The audience then needs to "follow thru your head" to what you are "imagining".

If its really wild and fantastical...its probably obvious its "not real" so thats easy.

If its really out of context ... content and looks wise..its probably shifted the audience someplace you want them to go with you.

Eyes are a good transition into the mind.
 
Actually, all the footage has been shot. I was thinking of changing the saturation to make the color less vivid. By diffusion do you mean gels or changing it while editing?
 
Shooter said:
Use your imagination of course... :happy:

I am kind of being serious and only partly being a smart a*rs*.

Think about shooting your self in the state of imagining something. The audience then needs to "follow thru your head" to what you are "imagining".

If its really wild and fantastical...its probably obvious its "not real" so thats easy.

If its really out of context ... content and looks wise..its probably shifted the audience someplace you want them to go with you.

Eyes are a good transition into the mind.
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Yes... trying to do that. Good point with the eyes.... but I shot it already so looking for effects. It really has more to do with just everyday life... nothing fancy.
 
You shot it then you ask how to make it work!

Vision less (no imagination) and an arse-about-face way of working ... if you ask me.

Sorry for being so harsh... but theres a film making lesson in here for you somewhere,
 
Of course.... I wouldn't dare shoot it any way else. I'll let editing software change it to the desired effect.
 

Of course.... I wouldn't dare shoot it any way else. I'll let editing software change it to the desired effect
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Whatever that maybe when you find it!

(Did you have a script or did the actors do what they want when they wanted to?)

Just messin with ya. "different folks...different strokes"
 
Presuming the viewer is supposed to immediately know when they're seeing events in the character's imagination (as opposed to you intentionally fooling them for plot purposes), then yes, you just need a different 'look' to the imagination shots - could be as simple as adjusting the contrast or colour saturation. Have a look in your NLE's video effects and try a few experiments. Only you know whether a dreamy look or hyper-realistic look or bleached look or whatever will suit.

But if you are going for two different looks, you do need to be very careful about consistency - make sure you've graded all your non-imagination shots consistently, and all your imagination shots consistently, or you run the risk of confusing the viewer.

Don't forget sound too - the imagination shots could have a different ambient background noise (or lack of noise, e.g. perhaps distant traffic is audible in non-imagination shots only)
 
clang said:
Presuming the viewer is supposed to immediately know when they're seeing events in the character's imagination (as opposed to you intentionally fooling them for plot purposes), then yes, you just need a different 'look' to the imagination shots - could be as simple as adjusting the contrast or colour saturation. Have a look in your NLE's video effects and try a few experiments. Only you know whether a dreamy look or hyper-realistic look or bleached look or whatever will suit.

But if you are going for two different looks, you do need to be very careful about consistency - make sure you've graded all your non-imagination shots consistently, and all your imagination shots consistently, or you run the risk of confusing the viewer.

Don't forget sound too - the imagination shots could have a different ambient background noise (or lack of noise, e.g. perhaps distant traffic is audible in non-imagination shots only)
Click to expand...

Hey thanks.... the sound will be an issue since it was shot in the city with lots of background noise. I will try to adjust the noise.... nice suggestion. I was also thinking of a split screen during periods in which the person imagines an event. The spilt screen will show the person writing about the event that they are thinking about..... this might help the viewing audience understand better.... do you think that will work?
 
Can you do a moving split screen in your NLE? I can see that being used to introduce someone's imagination: start with someone writing, the side of the screen pushes in, showing the events being written about, perhaps taking over the whole screen, then eventually retreating back out the side again as reality returns. You'd still want the separate 'look' to the imagination shots.
 
Take a look at some of the award winning 30-60 second cinema/tv ads. These are a good reference on how to visually show imaginary ideas to an audience very very quickly.
 
This "imagination" thread is classic.

You shot a scene about someone imagining something..without imagining it your self... then you ask others to imagine what the footage is and supply you with imaginitive ideas to make it seem as if it is "imagination".

I am amused that you ask.... "will that work?"

Why not just try these things ...then you will see and know.
 
If you want a stock standard 'imagination' idea then copy Adam Sandler's 'happy place' in Happy Gilmore. That's the most common standard. Slow motion is another, watch the 'babe' scenes in Wayne's World. To go 'nightmare' watch any horror film. Otherwise as Shooter suggests, use your imagination and do tests. Even using any other suggestion you're going to need to do tests anyway so might as well come up with something that makes your project unique. Dutch tilts, over/under exposure, blown highlights, colour enhancement or reduction, framerate and playback speed, altered lighting and sound - it's not rocket surgery.
 
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