People in Glass Jars at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Special Interest Areas > Techniques for Independent Production
Register FAQ Today's Posts Buyer's Guides

Techniques for Independent Production
The challenges of creating Digital Cinema and other narrative forms.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old March 4th, 2007, 08:40 AM   #1
Major Player
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Lewisburg PA
Posts: 752
People in Glass Jars

I have a client who wants to make a video in which people appear inside glass jars. The idea is a line of Ball jars each with a person living inside it.

One's first thought is "green screen" but shooting a glass jar against against a screen for compositing presents a considerable challenge due to reflection of color in the glass etc.

How would you go about producing such an effect. Is it practical for DV?
Peter Wiley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 4th, 2007, 09:02 AM   #2
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: switzerland
Posts: 2,133
for such effect it is not the glass jar you need to green screen, it is the people.
Giroud Francois is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 4th, 2007, 09:20 AM   #3
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Denton, TX
Posts: 334
Probably with furniture (e.g., a kitchen table or something), too...be kinda boring just to have a person standing around inside a jar...

ciao,
Matt
Matt Vanecek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 4th, 2007, 09:30 AM   #4
Major Player
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Lewisburg PA
Posts: 752
Yes of course the people have to be green screened as well. The trick is to composite the people and the jar against the background.

And yes, since the people are going to living in the jars there may be small bits of furniture like chair and side table etc.
Peter Wiley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 4th, 2007, 12:26 PM   #5
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Columbia, CT
Posts: 168
What about a paited matte, to put over the people instead of green screening the glass. This way you could paint an overlay, a background and your background, all different layers. If you do this in after effects, you'll have all of your photoshop controls on hand. Much more control than keying a glass
Greg Hartzell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 4th, 2007, 07:09 PM   #6
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 2,211
I'd be tempted to make the glass jars in a 3D package as opposed to using real photos. I assume you want reflections and refractions which imply that the people are behind glass, as well as partial reflections etc that would be coming off the back of the bottles.
Jim Andrada is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 9th, 2007, 06:43 PM   #7
Major Player
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 423
Try shooting your jars against a black background and then using a difference matte to eliminate the black. Should give you a real jar with real highlights that would be layered in front of your people, and then both of those layers in front of your background.

Just a thought...
__________________
"... the drama is on your doorstep..." - John Grierson
www.grvideo.net
Kevin Randolph is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Special Interest Areas > Techniques for Independent Production


 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:24 AM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network