Making an actor look like a ghost

J

jerbuds

Active member
hello everyone...

I am trying to make one of my actors in a scene look like a ghost, very transparent, with leaving the other characters looking normal. I have tried to lower the BLACK transparent bar on the clip but this will make everyone transparent. Is there a way with FCP4 or with another special effects program to make just my one actor transparent?


Thanks peeps...

Jeremy
 
If you don't have a shot w/o the actor you want to make transparent so they can be layered, than the only thing i could think of is placing one layer over another (of the same clip). Cropping to isolate the actor (there is actually keying method, but I don't recall what it's called right now), than lower the opacity and maybe add effects to the actor.

HOWEVER, if the actor you want to isolate is moving this wouldn't work to well. It would only work if the actor was still.
 
yeah i was afraid of that...well thanks Rasquachemedia.

Nothimg is actually shot yet...still trying to figure out the best way.

Thanks
 
Simplest way would be to shoot the actor and the BG seperately. Actor either goes on a greenscreen or on the same shot locked off so his shot can be faded over the empty BG at 100%.


Noah
 
LOL...yeah green screen sucks on DV. Plus I would like my actors to interact with each other...physically! This is getting harder by the second!!!!
 
Ehhh, it is about to get harder... If you don't want to green screen you can always use another layer of the same footage at the same start point.
What I would do if it all came down to this... is that I would crop the top layer, ghost footage to be just th ghost dude. Then I would have to move that crop all around the entire time. But, that cropped footage would be transparent to the amount that I would like it. I would suggest using the eight point crop thingy. The only problem is that it may, most likely, look a little shitty, a.k.a. rough around the edges.
If all else fails, re-shoot the ghost subject with a sheet over him, or her. Lol.

Good luck, perhaps post some footage of your progress? And a little explination.
 
LOL...Yeah the sheet is what it might come down to...lol...thanks Kyorin.

I will update with the results...
 
Lock off camera. Shoot ghost with black cloth behind him. Remove cloth and shoot scene with living actors.
Mix in post.
other option:
Lock off camera.
Shoot scene with no actors. Then shoot scene with all actors.
Use 4 point garbage matte to isolate 'ghost' actor and mix with clean plate (no actors)
Rotoscope required for when actors and ghost cross each other.
 
Scott's metyhod will work great, and it can also be used to have the same actor appear in the scene more then once at the same time. It's lots of fun, but requires planning and lots of post work. It is do-able.
 
I agree, Scott's idea is probably the most effective. Be sure to NOT MOVE THE CAMERA!!!!! If it moves an inch the whole effect will be ruined. If it stays perfectly still, it'll look great.
 
Hey, it is really easy, no need for greenscreens, black clothes or anything. Here's 2 methods, I have used both. If you need your ghost to walk in front of actors or anything, it gets more complicated and greenscreening would be best. The problem is achieving a decent key on DV.

1. Lock off the camera on a tripod. Shoot your real actors in the scene, the ghost can also act, but ensure he stays in his own space and doesn't "overlap" with other actors. You can then shoot a empty shot of the background and layer that over just the ghost with about 50% opacity (or whatever you like the look of.) I would use a 8 point garbage matte and keyframe in to any movement in order to make only the ghost "transparent." This technique does not work with complex moving backgrounds for obvious reasons. You can vary the technique to suit. Try shooting with no ghost and then adding it from a second pass of just the ghost garbage matted on top of the empty space.

2. This technique allows for some camera movement (around a fixed axis), and is achieved in camera. I have used this technique with flawless results on a 35mm feature. Use a large pane of glass (we removed one from the loaction's dining room!) and stand it securely between the scene and the camera. The ghost then stands on the camera side of the glass, well lit ( I used several HMIs) and against black. Position the camera so that the reflection of the ghost in the glass fits perfectly into the scene. It may sound dodgy, but this works really well, and you know exactly what you are getting - all dialogue can be timed perfectly etc. We also overcranked slightly to add an erie quality to the shot. This technique is especially good on film, as it avoids scanning the negative for DI.


The most important thing is to test it for yourself. If you decide to do the effect digitally, bear in mind you need to lock off the camera or use motion control ($$$$!). You could get away with having a moving shot and motion tracking a ghost from a static shot over it, but test carefully and be prepared to spend ages on it! If you shot HD and downrezzed to SD, you could add a camera movement in post, moving across the high resolution image, without loosing quality.
 
Just thinking about what Scott said, if you took a key from a white cloth behind the ghost, but deliberately pulling a over feathered matte, you could create a white "haze" around the ghost that may look good...but it might look crap, so try before you buy.
 
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