Looking for ideas to film this creature effect without going CGI

sigepwriter

sigepwriter

Member
Here's my setting, it's the middle of the desert. My characters end up surrounded by creatures that are an allegory for their own death. For the sake of this post lets just assume they look like the Grimm Reaper without legs. Now my first thought was, no big deal I can just have them wear green screen leggings and I'll key it out. Now my issue is I have multiple of these creatures on screen at a time, and it being the desert and all it's going to be kind of obvious with the foot prints. I really don't have the budget to spring for 3d character animation (as this is a short). Any suggestions will be helpful. I would love to try and keep them "floating" as it adds to their other worldly-ness.
 
This may not be helpful to you technically, just another perspective, but:
it might actually be pretty cool just to have torsos with some ragged costume flaps that leave footprints without legs. Just to work within your limitations. Although I would be more concerned about the shadows cast.

You could also shoot the creatures on a green-screen (and floor covering) separately, which would make it easier to have them "float around," if that's what you're going for. But that creates an extra challenge for your talent potentially, and casts no shadows at all on your real set.

It's a tricky shot no matter how you look at it. I hope you update us with the finished result!
 
It's funny, I was thinking in absolutes (like it had to be completely one or the other). But If I did green screen for the wide shots, and had them on set for medium to close ups and the character interactions (for which there are only a few), it should work out. Thanks for helping me brain storm!
 
If I was an actor I'd find it hard not to laugh if I saw the grim reaper wearing bright green tights... ;)
in that regard, going all green screen might be the best. Other solution would be if you could make it work somehow with one main floating green tights reaper that the character can react to and the others are all green screen...
 
When composting the green screen footage be sure to add shadows to tie it to the scene, it's really easy to do no matter what composting program you are using. With After Effects I like to use Red Giant's Shadow effect (part of their Warp plugin). It has lots of nice 3d transform options so you can turn your matte into a cast shadow effect. But there are other ways to do it using just the stock effects too. Those kinds of little touches can really sell a shot.
 
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