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Dream Sequence (in-camera FX)


Andrew Russo

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Anyone have any fun in-camera ideas for shooting a dream sequence? So far I've got, tilt/shift, unseat/reseat the lens, and for filters I was thinking of playing with the glimmerglass, promist, soft FXs, etc.) Any other ideas?

 

Anyone use any glass elements in front of the lens (with or without abrasions on it) that they like?

 

Thanks!

 

Best,

 

Andrew

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if you were on film i'd say throw the camera pulldown and shutter out of sync.
Double exposure could be amazing too if you really planned it out well.

 

Maybe shoot super deep depth of field for evrything in the dream, hyper real.

 

center spot filter is an option too (but to be honest i don't much like that hazy/filter/lensbaby type look it's just-- well used. not that that's necessarily bad, but perhaps it pays to be differant).

 

Maybe doing the whole thing on telephoto lenes.

 

Maybe do it just with lighting cues (eternal sunshine for example has some great spotlight examples)

 

whatever you do, embrace it.

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There's a great dream sequence in 'Ivan's Childhood' that's all done in the dark with the camera on a dolly, a spot light, and clever blocking: https://youtu.be/AKo7RgIBF-4#t=53m43s

 

I would look at films by Tarkovsky, Fellini, and Bergman for more ideas.

 

There's also another good one in Scorcese's 'Bringing Out the Dead' that is shot in reverse, with the actors performing backwards. It's snowing in the scene, so the snow floats upwards and the actors' movements are strange and awkward. Very trippy and surreal.

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Yep, it's a neat idea. Coppola also used it in 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' for the scene in the crypt when vampire Lucy climbs back into her coffin. So creepy.

 

I stole the idea for a horror project I shot last year, where a possessed character crawls across a series of bathroom stalls and backs up inside of one. Turned out great!

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Nice. I recall for one dream sequence i did we put the actors on doorway dollies and pulled them so they moved without "walking"

Worked out ;; they "walked in place" which was interesting, but unsettling to watch because it didn't match up right-- as was intended.

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Hey guys, thanks for all the responses. There are some great ideas in here. I think I sold the director, Joe Dante, on the Bringing out the Dead play it backwards scene, with really long lenses, with a little KY or Vasoline in front of the lens. Should be a wild day!!!

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we just finished this silent 28min Art film (will vfx remove couple of modern things from the background later but otherwise finished :) ) , I used lots of very slight Vaseline and Nose Grease filters on this one in certain scenes combined with Black Promists.

for example the scenes starting at 16:16 (the following night scene) and 11:23 (inside the blacksmith's shop). this is what I meant by using "very slight" vaseline filtration to mostly alter the highlights without extensive distortion Vaseline filtration usually creates.

 

https://vimeo.com/212097418

 

(the story is loosely based on Finnish mythology and I shot about half of it with Sony Fs7 and almost half with Eclair Cameflex on 35mm film. most of the Vaseline scenes are with Fs7. additional unit shot some drone shots with DJI Phantom3. some imperfections here and there but most of the scenes have great visuals I think, especially for the budget and the very challenging shooting conditions :lol: )

Edited by aapo lettinen
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For what it is worth here is a short bit of playing around we did after doing a plate of a train passing for a book promo teaser.


© S.Rice, Darling Films, Thornlie, Western Australia. Some years back, there was this spooky film which opened with a tall skinny, almost cadaverous man walking with a strange fluid gait along a small-town USA main street. The look was achieved with a slow-motion camera effect combined with a faster pace of walk, a technique more commonly associated with music videos these days.
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