In camera special effect

Anthony Powell · November 21, 2005

Does anyone have any ideas on a situation I have been confronted with on a film that is due to be shot on Super 16mm with a Bolex EBM?

Their is a scene where a beam of light is to shine through a crack in a wall and transfix an old man who is caught in it's beam. The effect that the director wants to achieve from either as neutral angle, or from the side, is that the beam of light should appear to have an almost 'material' quality to it, and that instead of just instantly enveloping the old man who is in it's path (as say a torch would when switched on and pointed at something), it should appear to advance slowly towards him.

Been scratching my head about this for some weeks so any help / insight would be greatly appreciated. Must stress though, that this effect must be achieved IN CAMERA if possible.

Thanks...

Peter J DeCrescenzo · November 21, 2005

... Their is a scene where a beam of light is to shine through a crack in a wall and transfix an old man who is caught in it's beam. ... either as neutral angle, or from the side, is that the beam of light should appear to have an almost 'material' quality to it, and that instead of just instantly enveloping the old man who is in it's path ... it should appear to advance slowly towards him. ...

Would smoking the set and using a fresnel instrument with a snoot on it work? (The output of this light would depend on the ambient light level on the set.)

Or is there another light source which is better than a fresnel for casting a beam of light through smoke?

Also, would a shining the light through a relatively small hole punched in opaque material (such as a sheet of black foamcore) produce a better-defined beam of light compared to using a snoot?

(I'm asking, I don't know the answer.)

- Peter DeCrescenzo

Edited November 21, 2005 by Peter DeCrescenzo

Matt Irwin · November 21, 2005

Does the source of the light beam have to be seen in the frame at any point?

A beam projector or a leko (maybe a VNSP par?) would be better for a beam than a fresnel, methinks. If the source is out of frame, a piece of foamcore with a hole should work. You'd just have to move the light parallel to the sheet of foamcore and pan the light to keep it on the hole.

Leo Anthony Vale · November 21, 2005

Does anyone have any ideas on a situation I have been confronted with on a film that is due to be shot on Super 16mm with a Bolex EBM?

Their is a scene where a beam of light is to shine through a crack in a wall and transfix an old man who is caught in it's beam. The effect that the director wants to achieve from either as neutral angle, or from the side, is that the beam of light should appear to have an almost 'material' quality to it, and that instead of just instantly enveloping the old man who is in it's path (as say a torch would when switched on and pointed at something), it should appear to advance slowly towards him.

Been scratching my head about this for some weeks so any help / insight would be greatly appreciated. Must stress though, that this effect must be achieved IN CAMERA if possible.

Thanks...

---A beam splitter with artwork of the beam off to the side. The beam is 'wiped' on with a moving mask and effect lighting on man is brought up with a dimmer or cutter as beam 'hits' him.

---LV

Glenn Hanns · November 21, 2005

Does anyone have any ideas on a situation I have been confronted with on a film that is due to be shot on Super 16mm with a Bolex EBM?

Their is a scene where a beam of light is to shine through a crack in a wall and transfix an old man who is caught in it's beam. The effect that the director wants to achieve from either as neutral angle, or from the side, is that the beam of light should appear to have an almost 'material' quality to it, and that instead of just instantly enveloping the old man who is in it's path (as say a torch would when switched on and pointed at something), it should appear to advance slowly towards him.

Been scratching my head about this for some weeks so any help / insight would be greatly appreciated. Must stress though, that this effect must be achieved IN CAMERA if possible.

Thanks...

You could try a split image effect with a piece of glass at 45? to camera. Then with a beam of light setup off camera you could 'reveal' the beam as slowly as you wanted by having a piece of black cloth first cover up the effect and then slowly move out of the way. Very old trick but will work. Heres a pic.