Help me electrocute a 'child'.

[Bar Solomon]

I have an upcoming project where a child (he's actually a very small 18 year old) gets electrocuted in a motel room. I planned for it to 'blow the circuit' in the room and everything goes 'black' for a short moment and in the dark you would see the sparks/flashes from the electricity. I want it to be a little bit over the top.

 

I'm shooting it with two cameras side by side and slightly stair stepped so one's a little higher. Then I'm lining up the same shot only ones on a slightly wider lens. The idea being that when the electrocution happens at the same time as the sparks and flicker, it's a rapid cut between the two cameras. Like a glitch in the film thats very subtle. Both cameras will be fixed on the same point so the framing doesn't change at all or the focal point.

 

How have you achieved sparks/electric flashes in the past? I was thinking an array of slightly out of sync speed lights.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Bar Solomon

[Bar Solomon]

The stepped camera rig I built is on a Fisher 10. It looks like this to help you imagine.

 

Also I'm sorry if for some reason I'm confusing, I'm dyslexic and typing isn't really my strong suite.

 

Edited July 17, 2013 by Bar Solomon

[dan kessler]

The cutting idea might work, or it might disappoint.

You seem to be thinking more in terms of special effects, rather
than visual effects.

Don't know your budget or capabilities, but there's always the
CG route. Sparks and electrical fx are definitely part of its
repertoire. Almost nothing you can't do, and you will have
absolute control.

Edited July 18, 2013 by dan kessler

[Bar Solomon]

I've been getting better with NukeX, but I feel like for it to really work it still needs practical help. I'm new to VFX layered shots and know more about practical lighting. I keep getting hung up on very simple things in nuke.

 

The cutting thing works and is very bizarre, I did a test with 4 cameras (NEX7 not the best quality) shooting an actor ripping off latex suit at 60p. Then I tried the rapid fire cutting to sound just to see the effect and test it. It's a technique I've been using in art films I'm working on but nothing narrative yet. I'm based in Santa Fe so I've been dipping my toes in more surreal images I suppose. I want this to blend my practical skills with VFX.

 

I've only really used VFX for a few things, mostly masking and simple things, or ambient light added. I'm trying to get better though so if there are any examples maybe, at least I can get an idea for what works.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bar Solomon]

I'm shooting on two Sony F3's so 4k isn't really an option and that seems pretty important with VFX from my limited experience with nuke.

[dan kessler]

There are a lot of unemployed CG artists these days.
Maybe you can line up one or two with decent
animation skills and their own software.

I'm thinking Van de Graff discharges from the
character, skeleton lighting up, maybe some
Tex Avery-style character animation, sparks, flames,
smoke, etc., etc., all perfectly matchmoved.
(you did say over the top)

Can you do that with practicals?

Oh, and 4k is not necessary for this.

[Bar Solomon]

I'm thinking more timmy in Jurassic park kinda fried, no skeleton but an over exaggerated version of reality. More for the flashes of light if that paints a better picture.

 

The other bits work, I have a great makeup artist that can make him look pretty fried. I'm going to story board a bit maybe I can have him fall over on the opposite side and show less. I'm still thinking about it. I would love to see any 'shocking' examples. I can usually break it down if I can see something similar. I'll be doing a test day and I'll post it here. I'd just like to have a few methods i can try.