Car shot test

Now I have decided not to do the soup/vomiting scene I needed something to replace it with. I have decided to run Jacobs character over with a car. I did some research on how to create this effect and here a short video on Vimeo showing hints and tips on how to film using a car.

Drive-by Shooting: Using Your Car to Make Better Videos from Vimeo Video School on Vimeo.

The effect I want to re-create is at 3:04 in the above video. In order to make it look like the character is bring hit by the car there are several steps to take:

1. Film the footage

The action is filmed backwards. Have the actor laying on the bonnet of the car as it reverses down the road. As the car passes past the camera the actor needs to roll of the bonnet into a standing position. 

2. Reverse the footage

Using editing software you can reverse the footage, this way it looks like the character is being hit by the car rather than him rolling off of it. 

3. Speed up the footage

The filming was done at a slow speed to not harm the actor. So now, you can speed up the footage to make it look like it was happening at high speed.

Here is my own attempt at this effect:

I was pleased with how this looks, however there are a few things I will do differently next time:

• Have the character talking or doing an action rather than just standing in the road - this makes it more realistic. 
• Make sure the actor starts (ends when filming) in the centre of the shot - This makes the shot look more proffesional. 
• Ensure the car ends (starts when filming) completely off shot - The stopping distance of the car would not be that short if the car was actually travelling at great speed. Therefore the car needs to end off screen to make it look as realistic as possible. 

Vomit shot test

During one of the scenes in my short film the two main characters are spinning round, holding onto each others hands in a typically romantic fashion. The female character's expression changes and she vomits onto the main character. (It wont be real vomit, I will make up some fake mixture with the same appearance.) The scene consists of point of view shots from each of the characters, and consequently as the female character vomits onto the male she will be vomiting towards the camera. I need to protect my camera from the mixture whilst it is projected towards it. To do this I have come up with a plan. 

I have got a clear sheet of perspex plastic to place in front of my camera, this way the fake vomit will hit the plastic rather than my camera. This, however, could pose a few problems:

1. How am I going to keep it in front of the camera?
I can just hold it in place. The camera will be set on a tripod to steady the shot anyway. Once the record button is presses I will have my hand free to hold the plastic in place. But, thinking about it my other actor Jacob who will not be in this shot will be around, he can hold it in place for me so I can work the camera.

2. What will it look like on screen?
I was worried that the shine from the plastic would show up on the shot. There was no way of knowing if it would with out trying it. So I took some test shots.

Without plastic                                                                   With Plastic

The differences between the two shots are minimal. I can see a slight shine on the shot with the plastic in front of the camera but it is hardly noticeable. It is also worth considering that these photos where take inside under artificial light, the scene will be filmed outside so the light will be different and be less reflected by the plastic. Also the shot will only last three seconds in the film, I think the audience will be focusing on the action if the shot rather than anything else that may or may not be noticeable.

My next task in relation to this shot is to test out some fake vomit to see what looks best on camera. What fun...