Creating a hand from the grave graveyard scene

[Marijke Drenth]

In a couple of weeks I'm participating in a short film festival. The story is basically finished and we'll start filming next week. However, there is one scene that leaves me mildly desperate. In the film we'll do a hand-from-the-grave-grabs-hold-of-someone's-arm-scene (I know, it's been done a million times, but I think it'll work well in the story).

As far as I can tell, it really involves burying someone in a box under a thin layer of dirt (so that's my first question, are there alternatives to actually digging a hole somewhere and stuffing somebody in there?)

If digging a hole is necessary, I was thinking of filming a grave yard but shooting the actual scene somewhere else (because I doubt we would be allowed to play around in the actual graveyard) and somehow insert that little patch of dirt in the graveyard footage, but I'm afraid I will not be able to make it blend together. Also, I thought of just making a fake grave somewhere, but then how do you make people believe that one grave is actually located in a graveyard?

In short, who has any ideas to make a kick-ass, pee your pants, hand from the grave, graveyard scene? I use Vegas Pro 8 for editing.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

 

This picture shows a set-up from "Jennifer's Body" where we did the hand popping out of the grave shot (not used in the final cut)... We built it on a stage, a raised platform so that the person could sit underneath and stick their hand up through the dirt. I don't recall what kept the dirt falling back through the hole for the hand, probably a rubber sheet as a membrane with an X sliced through and a thin layer of dirt but I'm not sure.

[Marijke Drenth]

Wow David Mullen, that is one professional set-up there. But I guess it would have to be for a film like that. So cool to see a behind-the-scene-photo of a film I've actually watched a couple of years ago!

 

My world of filming is way less professional. It's just me and three others with a handheld Sony camera and a tripod. But I think I can definitely use this (be it on a much smaller scale). Thanks!

Edited April 23, 2013 by Marijke Drenth