Sexy smoke effect

[Daniel Miler]

I need to create this very heavy smoke effect for a music video (in a 150 square meter studio), and from my experience with lighter smoke/ haze scenes I don't think the machines I usually use will be enough.

 

Need any advice on which type machines or smoke to use, or other tricks on how to get this thick smoke effect looking good on cam.

 

reference: https://youtu.be/UW0vOum0mBM?t=58

 

 

[Igor Trajkovski]

Maybe they used dry ice.

For some foreground smoke i have the impression it might be a moving layer in post.


best

 

Igor

[David Peterson]

Would it be totally crazy off the wall thinking of me to shoot this in front of a green screen? As then you'd only need a few meters deep of haze, then you could key out the background and replace it with even more haze to make it appear to be a very deep background of haze.

 

I was gaffer on this project:

Which you can tell was only very vaguely similar, as it is quite obvious there is a black backdrop not at all too far behind the dancers.

[Shawn Sagady]

They for sure used a lot of comped in smoke in this, especially the foreground stuff. Ideally you just need a really high volume fog machine from Roscoe or LeMaitre (Theatrical companies you can easily rent just about anywhere) and just worry about the frame, not the entire room. You will have limited time to accomplish the shots before it dissipates but if the airflow in the room is not to fast you should be able to build up some really good banks of fog in a short time.

 

EDIT: Heres a link to a solid machine. https://www.rosco.com/fog/vapour.cfm You can rent these from theatrical lighting companies pretty cheap for a day or two. Probably have to pay for fluid but these things can put out a LOT of smoke in a very short amount of time, and the fluid/smoke is all safe for actors and equipment. Just be sure where you are operating does not have particulate fire sensors or you will be getting visits from the fire dept.

 

Also be sure to light your smoke really evenly from the side or front to make it feel denser, lighting from the back will make it feel a bit whispier and glowy.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Shawn Sagady