Daniel Yun Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 Hey all - My friend is doing a production where he'd love to get alot of depth of field for character shots, however with the power of video it's somewhat limited - so i mentioned to him that (as good or bad as it sounds) there was this screen you could place behind the 'actor' that acts like a diffusion - throwing the background out of focus somewhat? I've seen it on the web before, however for the life of me cant find it again to show my friend! Does anyone know what i'm talking about and have a link to it? It's a hand held diffusion like screen you simply place behind actors to fake depth of field. Thanks guys! :D (I've also mentioned mini 35 and such .. but he's on a zero budget so .. ehh) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adam Frisch FSF Posted July 15, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted July 15, 2006 It can be done. It was done in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, for instance. It's also used in Francis Lawrence's new Pussycat Dolls video at the end as a stylish element. Go to www.dnala.com and click on his name to see that nicely shot video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Yun Posted July 15, 2006 Author Share Posted July 15, 2006 It can be done. It was done in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, for instance. It's also used in Francis Lawrence's new Pussycat Dolls video at the end as a stylish element. Go to www.dnala.com and click on his name to see that nicely shot video. Oh yeah! For sure! I dont doubt it cant be done .. haha i really enjoyed sunshine .. for a whole bunch of reason. What i was mostly looking for (because it's driving me nuts) is that screen thing i saw once online which fakes a background diffusion behind an actor - mostly used for close up shots. (definatley not wides) But yeah it sure can be done - my friends just finiky about DOF. crazy! Thanks for the heads up though - checking the website now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hayes Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 I?ve thought about using Hampshire frost for that. I?m going to test it out soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Frank Barrera Posted July 15, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted July 15, 2006 Something I've been experimenting with lately is using a 6' X 6' frame of 1/2 or 1/4 white net behind the talent. It's all about the lighting of the background and keeping the Key light off of the net. You can get some very strange effects with this. Or even hitting the net with a theatrical gelled special. Sometimes it even looks like a bad green screen. It's fun. Good luck FB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Michael Nash Posted July 15, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted July 15, 2006 A black net would help the diffusion of the background without reducing contrast so much. It's basically like a scrim used in theater. I read about a documentary once that used different colored lighting on scrims behind interview subjects. With video the thing you have to watch out for is the diffusion material itself coming into focus -- nets can sometimes show up (depending on a lot of vraiables); Hampshire Frost etc. might be smoother and less noticeable if it comes into focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted July 15, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted July 15, 2006 My friend is doing a production where he'd love to get alot of depth of field <snip> so i mentioned to him that (as good or bad as it sounds) there was this screen you could place behind the 'actor' that acts like a diffusion - throwing the background out of focus somewhat? You mean "very little depth of field" or a "shallow-focus look", not that he'd love to get a LOT of depth of field (i.e. deep-focus). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Yun Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 Bob1Dp - hampshire frost? wow i'll have to check it out on the net! Frank Barrera - Haha yeah! It sounds fun! My friend whos using something similar to this effect is going for a similar strange feel/shallow depth of field .. sounds like something fun to experiment with! Michael Nash - A black net? Ah i'll also look that up! Thanks for the tip on that about the net! I'll keep it in mind since my friend mentioned he may be getting me to shoot the video for him .. in which case i'll just try to get as much shallow depth of field as i can for him through distance and such. haha it's fun when you friend is a director and wants more than you can give ... on such a small budget ..! David Mullen ASC - Shallow focus look, as mentioned ala depth of field. haha definately not deep focus. I think i may have just imagined this 'shallow depth of field' look screen .. but i'll check out the hampshire frost and black net! thanks guys!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hayes Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 Hampshire frost is a really funny material. It is almost clear and the diffusion is sort of a horizontal pattern. Gaffers and grips would show it to me and I hated it and never used it. I found it too thin and I didn?t like the diffusion pattern which sort of streaks the highlights in one direction. Then I started playing with it and for all sorts of on camera effects. Here I used it to create and underwater battle with a duck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Yun Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 Wow thanks for that bob1dp! It really is a kinda crazy diffusion .. What an interesting look! How far away from the camera is the hampshire frost? haha i've got 10 bucks on the duck ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest david west Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 http://www.indietoolbox.com/ they probably put a frame around the material that bob1dp recomended..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Yun Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 David West! Thankyou!!! :D Woophoo i'm not crazy! This is what i saw ages ago! :D Many happy hats for you! Thanks man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Pacini Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 Barry Green from Fiercely Independent Films in Las Vegas makes & sells these. (Sorry, I don't have the link at the moment.) MP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Yun Posted July 18, 2006 Author Share Posted July 18, 2006 Barry Green from Fiercely Independent Films in Las Vegas makes & sells these.(Sorry, I don't have the link at the moment.) MP Hey Matt! Oh really? Awesome! I'd love to get a link/quote from Barry if thats cool? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Brian Wells Posted July 18, 2006 Premium Member Share Posted July 18, 2006 Hey Matt! Oh really? Awesome! I'd love to get a link/quote from Barry if thats cool? Thanks! Barry sold the line years ago and is no longer associated with the product. As I recall, indietoolbox.com was selling an interview-sized screen for around $500 a year ago. Update: I checked the site and the current price is $650.00US, shipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Chaszeyka Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Barry Green from Fiercely Independent Films in Las Vegas makes & sells these.(Sorry, I don't have the link at the moment.) MP For what it's worth Barry is no longer residing in Las Vegas. I believed he has moved on to the east coast. North Carolina maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Yun Posted July 18, 2006 Author Share Posted July 18, 2006 Barry sold the line years ago and is no longer associated with the product. As I recall, indietoolbox.com was selling an interview-sized screen for around $500 a year ago. Update: I checked the site and the current price is $650.00US, shipped. Great thanks for that! I live in australia - just talked to my friend about the price (who wants the product) - ahhh money conversion is fun ;p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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