Is there a quicker way to make this effect?

musman wrote on 8/23/2004, 6:02 PM
I'm trying to edit togeather stuff for my latest shot film and was wondering how to acheive this effect. In the final scene of the movie a guy accidentally shoots his TV set with a handgun. We actually filmed the TV with the program running on it (that happens to be the charater's only reason for living) and tried to shoot the TV with a high powered pellet gun. Unfortunately, it was a solid on TV and didn't shatter when we shot it, even after 16 attempts. Eventually I took a golf club to it to make a hole then we filmed one last time shooting a pellet at the set to get glass to fly. But, the program wasn't playing at this time as the TV had stopped working after the 14th pellet shot. The problem is now trying to make the clips work togeather. Id like to:
1- Have the program running and have the glass fly and a hole appear on the screen.
2-Cut to a different shot and have the program running but flickering as the TV dies and the branches from the hole expand on the TV screen.

I figure for the first shot I can probably make something work by bezier masking out the screen from the clip with the flying glass and inserting the screen of the program running from another take.
The second shot is really tricky as I don't know how to make it look like the branches from the hole are expanding. I've tried bezier masking out everything but the central hole and using another mask that shows all of its branches. This looks way to instantaneous. I've seen tutorials on how to do a Indiana Jones-esque map showing a red line moving from city to city. Is there a way to do something like that with my TV? Perhaps some kind of enlarging cookie cutter type thing?
Sorry for the long post. I've been burning the candle at both ends trying to get this ready on time for our festival and I'm a little too green to really be taking this on anyway. But thank you very much for any help!

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 8/23/2004, 6:08 PM
Bezier masks with keyframes are easy to use to create the drawn lines you're asking about. However, to create the shattering effect, one thing you might try, is to lay down green cloth/paper/paint.
Get on 2 ladders; one for cameraman, one for another guy to drop a pane of glass. A few 12 x 12 sheets of glass would be quite cheap. Shoot it shattering on the green, use the green to key it out. You might want to light from across the green to give the glass a tint.
You might even shoot the glass breaking from the floor angle, and also from a side angle using green on a wall to catch that too, thus giving you 3 angles of shot, ready to cut together in a short few seconds of shatter. Composited over the television screen, using the 3D tool to match angle, you should be able to achieve a fairly realistic effect in a lot less time than it would take to draw cracks in the glass of the television with the Bezier tool.
musman wrote on 8/23/2004, 8:52 PM
Thanks, Spot. I'd love to try out what you mentioned about the shattering, but unfortunately I don't think I can before the deadline for the festival. We shot on film and my DP is still working on his feature and doesn't have time to do any reshoots. But, the shatter I did get from shooting the TV one last time (after hitting it with the golf club) doesn't look bad. But, there may be issues with masking out part of the glass's flight.
As far as the branches go, I can't figure out how to make them gradually expand. Once I close the mask, I can't seem to unclose it or do anything to add new points to it. So, I take the mask already with the branches in the mask, then delete the sections that extend to show the branches. But, when I preview it the switch is instantaneous, not gradual. Guess I need a bezier lesson, but I've watch that section of the FASST dvd a few times. Is the only way to do this to make a whole bunch of masks, each one from scratch? I can't figure another way to do it.
If anyone wants to take a look at stills of the clips I'm working with, they are here:

http://www.dtbdfilms.com/page7.html

I REALLY appreciate any help here!! Screen credit is a definite.
Spot|DSE wrote on 8/23/2004, 8:58 PM
there are 3 main tools in Bezier. After you've drawn your path, click the top one (or press D until it selects) and start to adjust the nodes/path points.
Next, if you need to add a point or remove one, press D again, or click on the path anchor tool with a + next to it to add a point. To remove a point, click on the path tool with the - next to it.
If it's giving you grief, click on the path adjust tool (top one) and click OUTSIDE your path, this will release all path points. then you can click on any one point you wish. Or more, if you use SHIFT while clicking.
musman wrote on 8/23/2004, 10:38 PM
Thanks, Spot. Now I think I'm finally getting somewhere with using the bezier mask the way it should. I've copied an already masked version, pasted it, made a few adjustments to take the branches about halfway, then copied and pasted that and moved the branches out all the way.
Previewed it and it moved gradually just like I wanted!!! So, I'm going to list you as Douglas Spotted Eagle, unless you want something else (or not to be named or something). You're also more than welcome to a copy when it's finished if you're interested.
mhbstevens wrote on 8/23/2004, 10:41 PM
New TV
Real Gun
Spot|DSE wrote on 8/23/2004, 10:54 PM
Nah, don't name me. if everyone here started crediting everyone who's helped someone else out from the forum when they're in a bind, the credits would be longer than most films. Buy me a Dr. Pepper sometime. :-)
thank you for the thought though, that's very kind. For any number of reasons this evening, I appreciate a kind thought.
Grazie wrote on 8/23/2004, 11:36 PM
Wotz up Matey?, "For any number of reasons this evening . . . " ?

.. hmmm....

Grazie
JasonMurray wrote on 8/23/2004, 11:51 PM
Hmm, I think we all need to buy Spot a crate of Dr Pepper...
musman wrote on 8/24/2004, 1:46 AM
If I gave Spot a Dr. Pepper for every time he's saved my ass it would be at least a crate. This is a big part of why I use Vegas. People like Spot and all the others here who help out people like me.