split screen?

[Joshua Rheaume]

In movies such as adaptation, Austen powers and parent trap, they have one actor play two rolls, and both characters may be in the same frame together. How is this done without giving an obvious green screened look?

 

 

-Joshua.

[David Mullen ASC]

The simple thing is to lock down the camera and have the actor stand on the left side of the frame and then on the next take, stand on the right side of the frame, and then use a split-screen compositing technique to combine the left side from the one take to the right side from the second take.

 

In optical printing, it would involve using hold-out masks. In fact, the same thing could be done in-camera using a double-exposure technique in film, and hold-out mattes in front of the camera -- but you'd have to hide the fuzzy split line in the shot somewhere, usually along a vertical line like a bookshelf or pipe, etc. With digital compositing, it's easier to create an odd split that doesn't follow a straight line.

 

A chroma key would only be involved if an actor crosses in front of something on the other plate, like passes in front of himself. If he never crosses the split, it's not necessary.

[Mark Allen]

....the more complicated method involves motion control cameras.

 

but you can actually have actors cross by using rotoscoping as well.... in fact....

 

Here is a little something for you to watch:

 

http://effectscorner.blogspot.com/2006/01/...ing-part-1.html