"Dream" look

[Ron Chau]

I am creating a video that has a dream sequence.

Any suggestions on color correction, saturation, contrast, gamma, etc., to create a "dream" look to my footage ? I'm already tilting the frame and adding a silhouette glow, but want to change the look of the footage too.

I was thinking of a high contrast with a warm color on the midtones, but I haven't come up with anything that looks right.

[Ken Hull]

Ron,

I remember an Ingmar Bergman film where he used black and white, extreme high contrast for a nightmare sequence. Worked quite well.
But if you are going for a "happy" dream, I'd suggest color, slightly warm tint, soft lighting, shallow DOF, and fuzzy edges (Vaseline smeared around the edges of a UV filter).

Ken

[Leslie Wand]

some combination of glow and blur, with perhaps a cheesy wave / ripple wipe in / out?

it's also very dependent on whether it's a spoof or serious dream sequence?

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

It's all very subjective; one person's dream is another's nightmare...
A dream can sometimes be in slomo - so many combinations to think about...

[Jeff Harper]

As Ken suggests: a soft, white, feathered edge can be used. In Vegas use Cookie Cutter.

It's very simple and effective, but as as been said it depends on the look you're going for. Seinfeld used this method in his dream sequences on his show.

[Rob Wood]

an After Effects trick from the 90's referred to as instant-sex.

1) take the track and duplicate
2) leave bottom track alone.
3a) set upper track to screen or additive
3b) add b-i-g blur to upper track
3c) drop opacity of upper track to 10-20%
3d) tweak blur/opacity amounts to taste.
3e) optional: experiment with saturation or gamma boost/cuts on upper track

[Chris Barcellos]

Also, with double tracks running, try offsetting the two tracks by a frame or two

[Ron Chau]

Still not sure I'm satisfied with the look, but here is what I have so far. Need to shoot and edit the "pre-dream" stuff.

Test on Vimeo

[Jeff Harper]

I don't like the border. I don't think you need it. It's too much, but that is just my opinion. The rest looks great and takes aways the need for it. A very slight white feathered border, if that, would be more effective.

Nice sequence otherwise, very nice!

[Leslie Wand]

wow, is it over the top or what!!!

agree 100% with jeff, loose the blue - it's awful. and for my 2.5 cnts worth, cut way back on the fx.

try a simple approach, maybe glow, slow-mo, no point in rubbing in the 'dream' since you've clearly established that with the opening shot....

[Jeff Harper]

I'd like to see it as is without the border first!

[Ron Chau]

Thanks for the opinions. I was actually going for an over the top exaggerated look with the idea dreams are super vivid and exaggerated. However, too much of a good thing is a very easy trap to fall into.

I have to shoot the pre-dream footage and will modify the dream portion too.

[Jeff Harper]

Ron, you went too far, the skewed border, etc is too much. Nice idea, and absolutey see what you're trying to do, but it looks too amateur.

Google dream sequence videos, and see what you can find. Borders for dream sequences are usually very slight, unless I'm mistaken.

Good luck. It is a painful process, this getting creative and taking criticizms. You are braver than I am!

[Gerald Webb]

I dont like the blue border, Id like to see the clip without the border completely.
But I absolutely love the grading on the sequence.
I think the transitions could make it dreamier, maybe some weird transitions from one scene to the next, ie zoom to an item in the scene and back out to an item in the next scene.
Love the music.

[Jim Snow]

One thing that is important is to 'sell' the fact that the subject in the beginning is falling asleep. The subject that you used looks tense or troubled and the fact that she feel asleep isn't convincing, The background noise conflicts with her falling asleep as well.