simulated newspaper clippings (physical)

FiddlerMD

FiddlerMD

Well-known member
I have a shot where I want to show some newspaper clippings on the wall. I want to obviously fill them in w/ my own info. I can create/print them find, but how do i get it to look like actual newspaper paper? will regular printed paper look good enough once filmed or is there anything in particular i can do to give it that authentic thin and dirty look?
 
I work at a newspaper. We use QuarkXPress to lay it out. Just look at your local newspaper and see how it's laid out. Six columns, a fancy header and the font is Times. For a movie I made, I used Quark to make a bogus newspaper story. I went downstairs and actually got some real newsprint paper and cut it to size for the printer at home. You can buy newsprint at hobby stores like Hobby Lobby, though. Good luck!
 
I think he was talking about the actual grade of the paper or getting normal paper to appear as if its real news paper, it has its own texture compared to normal office paper. At least I think thats what he is asking.

I'm not sure how you would replicate the same texture and weight without actually gettting unprinted (blank) newspaper...
 
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In Photo Shop (or similar) you can create a background color that would match. Add more yellow into the color for older cut outs and such. I found adding some noise with the noise filter in Photo Shop worked pretty good to make a general texture similar to news print. I think it all depends on how close you want to get to the text. If you getting really close with your camera I would go Kyle's route and buy newsprint and cut to size and if you need it weathered, print it now and set it outside, it doesn't take long.
 
If you really want to go low budget, swing by your local newspaper. They tend to have a lot of blank runoffs, and you could probably beg for a few.
 
yeah i'm asking about the actual paper - the layout isn't a problem. the craft stores i have around are stuff like "michaels" .. havent seen them carry actual paper like that but then i never really looked into it that closely.
I'll have to get pretty close to them w/ the camera so i want it to look as authentic as possible
 
Michael's should have it.

retaf99 & Anhar: when I said hobby stores, it's the same as art/craft supply stores like Michael's.

Most newspapers have a dumpster out behind the pressroom that they put old paper in. If they have "dry run" paper, it will probably be there, they don't leave it lying about for long. The stuff I got came off the actual roll. Just call or stop by and tell them what you are trying to do. Paper is cheap.
 
And for better effect, sometimes they only print one side. This gives you a blank side to create, and a real page to seal it.
 
We used to print prop newspapers with black and just a couple spot colors on news print using t-shirt plastasol ink. It was years ago before full color newspapers so we didn't have to make full color seps for the photos.

Itwas for the series' McGuyver and Wiseguy.

It's too bad you can't put large format newsprint in a color printer.
 
We have blank newspaper here. We use it as packing material. FiddlerMD, let me know if you'd like me to send you some.
(It's big sheets that you'd need to cut to size yourself.)

And for a realistic effect, make sure you scrunch some of the "news-clippings" up, or fold them a few times. If the clippings are supposed to have been collected over a long period of time, make sure you vary the look of the clippings some (i.e. some dirty, some clean, some worn, some pristine...etc.).
Also, if you print them with your laser printer, you'll find that the font/text will probably be too "sharp", and too black. If possible scour the free-font sites for an old-looking/out of focus/edgy Times-type font.
If that doesn't work you can print it normally on Letter sized, white paper; then scan it into PSP or PS, and manipulate it there to get the desired look, then print the final image onto the newspaper paper.
 
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