How to achieve this effect.. Fisheye?

kk5551 wrote on 1/22/2009, 4:19 PM

Hi all, It's been awhile since I've posted, but glad to be back.

I am wondering 3 things from Sarah and Adam's Reflection at this link http://www.pointedigital.blogspot.com/:
1) Does it look like they are using a special lens to achieve the effect seen at 23-30 seconds (and throughout) or is this done w/ editing software?

2) How do you guys achieve such smooth camera movement? I am shooting w/ a TRV950 and don't currently have a Steadicam or anything. What do you use?

3) What is a good way to get the "shadowed edges" as seen at 1:58?

Thanks
Kade

Comments

Bob Greaves wrote on 1/22/2009, 5:46 PM

Fisheye, steadycam and a touch of slomo. Nicely done.

richard-courtney wrote on 1/23/2009, 1:43 PM

fisheye can be done using a bump map.
Using a paint program generate a circular gradiant centered.

(a water ripple example can be found on this forum)

Smooth moves can be done using a "track dolley" or steadicam rig.

farss wrote on 1/23/2009, 2:23 PM

1) Fisheye or extreme wide angle lens or adaptor. You cannot do this in post. You can try to fudge it however it's physically impossible to get the extreme wide field of view that a fish eye lens gives. Raynox sell relatively cheap extreme wide angle adaptors for most video camera. I wouldn't spend more money on the very expensive fisheye lenses as it is a look you can soon tire of.

2) Steadycam and with a low mount, also known as doggy cam. I have the fairly cheap Steadypod which lets you hang a small HDV camera at the bottom for low shots. Doesn't work too well with full fisheye's 180 deg field of view as you end up with the rig in shot.

3) Filters in front of the lense although you can get pretty much the same in post. Old school way of getting selective soft focus is a piece of flat glass is front of the lens and a ring of Vaseline. Unless you know what you're doing perhaps safest done in post as you cannot undo the effect of filters in front of the lens.

Bob.

FuTz wrote on 1/23/2009, 4:03 PM

If it's just for a banner on the web, you can do it with Vegas.
Otherwise, as soon as you want definition, you'll need a fisheye lens (or very wide angle).

richard-courtney wrote on 1/23/2009, 7:23 PM

Actually I was thinking the Spherize FX will give you that fisheye distortion but
not the extreme wide angle of glass lens.