Was this done in camera or on a green screen?

dtjohns1

Well-known member
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o9dXLNuXic&feature=avmsc2

Im pretty sure up to 2:25 this is a one take shot but im trying to figure out if the footage afterwards is done in camera or on a greenscreen. I was thinking greenscreen because I didnt think they would have the rapper that close to those explosions plus i know it would be hard from them to go off and he not flinch or something lol.
 
Sorry but I can't view the video. It say's it's blocked in my country due to copywrite reasons.

However based on your description I think it's very unlikely they would put their talent anywhere near a live explosion. On the rare occasions when greenscreens/compositing is not used for explosions in a film, a stunt double will be used.
 
I don't like a lot of modern hip-hop, but that's a cool video! I don't see anything that looks composited though. It's all just great choreography. The fire looks real enough, and I don't know why they wouldn't be, but it's possible fumeFX was used in 3dsMax as it's increasingly common just for cost reasons.
 
It also could have been just good pyrotechnic work. If I knew I was safe from flames I wouldn't be too worried either. Especially if someone was filming me trying to look like a bad ass.
 
Yeah, more than likely it's just good pyrotechnics. The only reasons it wouldn't be are cost/logistics. First you'd have to find a town that would let you start fires wide open like that, then hire a pyro crew, and hire a fire truck for the day(s), and don't forget insurance. It could get expensive for a minimal effect. These things look spot on done in a computer now for a fraction of the cost.
 
Well judging from the rest of the video, there wasn't much money put into to production or casting. It looks like he just took people from the local area and threw them into the video.
 
I'm not sure how exactly they did it. There is a bit around 2:40 where it does start to look a bit greenscreened to me, but then the ending doesn't look greenscreen...so I really have no clue.

Regardless of how they made it, that's one of the best rap videos i've seen in a while. Fantastic job to whoever made it.
 
I'm not sure how exactly they did it. There is a bit around 2:40 where it does start to look a bit greenscreened to me, but then the ending doesn't look greenscreen...so I really have no clue.

Was there anything particular that caught your attention to indicate that it might be greenscreen at 2:40?
 
Was there anything particular that caught your attention to indicate that it might be greenscreen at 2:40?


To my eyes, it appears that around 2:40 the rapper starts to suddenly stand out of the background more. There also seems to be a bit of a contrast difference between him and the background. If it is greenscreened they did a fantastic job.
 
To my eyes, it appears that around 2:40 the rapper starts to suddenly stand out of the background more. There also seems to be a bit of a contrast difference between him and the background.

He's being backlit by fire and getting rim lighting from an explosion. That'll definitely make your subject 'pop' in a composition.
 
I wonder more how they went from the establishing bird's eye view to the steadicam tracking shot. Did they put the camera operator on a crane, lower it, and then he/she walks off?

And when the rapper appears in the televisions - I wonder if it's easier to match move the screens in post and then composite that in, or try to get it in camera with an earlier take fed into the televisions.

Any insights?
 


"Shot on 35mm
One continuous take- zero cuts.
We used the second take."

I wonder more how they went from the establishing bird's eye view to the steadicam tracking shot. Did they put the camera operator on a crane, lower it, and then he/she walks off?

I would imagine it's a crane, yes. Looks like the handoff is at 00:13 because the camera stops moving and pans instead, then at 00:29 you can see exhaust fumes from where they had to move it out the way.

That said, the fire looks quite real to me (not FumeFX at least, because no matter who uses it it looks dreadful). Looks quite likely some of the smoke was enhanced in post, though. All the budget was probably spent on the pyrotechnics, doesn't look like it was spent anywhere else on the video.
 
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