In-camera iris transition

[Jarin Blaschke]

I have a shoot in a couple months with Panavision gear where we need to do an in-camera iris effect - that is, in the tradition of silent film, have black circular borders grow until the circular image shrinks to nothing. Apparently, Panavision no longer has this item which attatched to their rods, and those working there can't provide any insight as to where we could get this item.

 

Does anyone out there know of where I can obtain this item? Any independent comanies in LA that would rent, rather than sell this item? Any home made contraptions recomended? This transition is for one shot. Thanks.

[Charles Haine]

I'm not 100% this effect can be done in-camera. Anything mounted on the camera would be fuzzy while creating this effect unless you were working with tremendous depth-of-field (Frazier-lens style, or very wide angle lens with a small stop).

 

I'm pretty sure that even when done in the silent days, that was an effect created optically after the shooting was done. If you really want to do it, you could look for something called a capping shutter. This is a rod-mounted device that has flanges similar to a lens iris (though only three or four, not many), that closes over a lens when you are doing intervelometer work and want to seal off the lens to stop light leaks in-between exposures.

 

That MIGHT create an effect similar to what you want, but I don't know how precisely they can be controled, and I don't think they can be moved around frame the way the old school iris effects could float. Basically, not a very good choice.

 

I suspect this is going to end up as a post-effect.

 

chuck haine

[Steven Budden]

Isn't that something like the keyhole matte box effect only backwards, and on to infinity?

 

Steven