423 Intro to Special Effects in Cinema

SYLLABUS

423 Intro to Special Effects in Cinema

Spring 2012 – Monday, January 9 – Friday, April 27th, 2012

Class meets Monday evenings 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sound Stage #3

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or the SA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301, and is open 8:30am5:00pm Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

Tom Anderson

310 894-3456 day time telephone

Class SA

Mike C. Hsu

Text: Professional Cameraman’s Handbook -Vern & Sylvia Carlson

The American Cinematographer Manual - Fred H. Detmers

Course Description

A workshop designed to introduce the filmmaker to special effects as used in cinema. The class objective is to present material that creates a realistic atmosphere in which the future Directors, Directors of Photography, Production Managers, as well as future Effects supervisors and special effects technicians, receive a firsthand look and feel for the time requirement, logistics and costs associated with the production of special effects used in cinema. Possible quizzes.

Student Evaluation

Quizzes, assignments & workshop evaluation 1/3

Mid term exam 1/3

Final exam 1/3

Grade earnedPercentage of total

A91

B80

C70

D below 70

January 9th, 2012 Meeting #1

Course overview.

Introduction to Special Effects Techniques,

Special Effects cost and operational characteristics & history.

Special Effects categories: In the camera effects, (basic effects). Physical Effects. Visual Effects. Make-up Effects. Atmospheric effects. Miniature Effects, Computer generated effects.

Stage safety check out.

Equipment and procedure checkout. Introduction to 16mm Bolex, Ariflex-S camera systems.

Purchase for next class:

Leather gloves

Eye goggles

2GB SD memory

Assignment: Create a Film Trailer Script & Storyboard, to pitch to class. Trailer is for a fictitious film that you have made up.

1. Create a first draft script, containing a total of five special effects shots, one from each category on the list: at the end of this syllabus.
2. Create storyboard(s) sketches to illustrate each special effect shot.

Due: January 23rd, 2012 (Next class meeting).*

JANUARY 16TH, 2012 HOLIDAY – MLK DAY - NO CLASS MEETING

January 23rd, 2012 MEETING #2

Special make-up effects for Classic and Digital Cinema capture.

Blood, bones, slime and prosthetics. Casting body parts, frostbite, scars, wounds, scratches, tears, sweat and blood effects. Pitch Scripts.

Physical Effects.

Stunts, fights and breakaway props. Breaking and collapsing scenery. Breaking windows. Breaking bottles, crockery and chairs. Arrows, knives, swords and daggers, hot and molten metal.

Class Exercise*

Unit #1

Set Area #1 Bar Scene Effect objective:

Use of breakaway hand props

Unit #2

Set Area #2 Hotel Room

Effect objective: Brain splatter from gunshot

Unit #3

Set Area #3

Effect objective: Bullet hole in forehead – neck slice

Unit #4

Set Area #4 Driveway parking area

Effect objective: Gut stab blood effect

Unit #5

Set Area #5 Ext: Night: Black limbo: Falling snow

Effect objective: Frostbite victim in FALLING SNOW

Purchase for next class:

Plastic model airplane kit

Cement to assemble kit

January 30th, 2012 Meeting # 3

In-the-camera effects for Classic Film and Digital Cinema

Motion picture Camera registration systems: Moving-pin registration: Fixed-pin registration. Trailingclaw registration. Digital camera systems & codec. Steady test; film pitch; In-the-camera film fades mixes (dissolves). Reverse action, under/over crank photography. Superimpositions; placing the super; Colored superimpositions; Overlays; Double exposures Mirror effects; Glass shots and split screen (fixed-matte) shots. The nodal point as used in visual effects capture. Night vision. Special effects filters and image distorters (prisms). Mirror effects. Fifty-fifty mirrors. Scenic projection front and rear screen. Mattes & glass shots. Projected light effects.

Class Exercise*

Unit #A

SET Area: #2 Windows

EFFECT objective: Scenic projection rear screen color transparency slide source.

Unit #B

SET Area: #3 TV room in dorm

EFFECT objective: TV PROGRAM rear projection from 16mm motion picture print source.

Unit #C

SET Area: #4 Parking lot

EFFECT objective: AUTO in traffic, CU, Digital rear screen projection.

Unit #D

SET Area: #1 Bar

EFFECT objective: GLOWING EYES front projection Scotch-lite.

Purchase for next class:

Plastic knife (from toy store) must look menacing.

February 4th, 2012 Meeting #4

Visual effects

Red/green/blue screen capture techniques and lighting. Miniatures and motion control capture. Nodal point. Motion control, live action. Traveling matte creation. Color separations. Rotoscoping mattes. Intro to composite programs. Creating animation, composites and special effects for TV, film and more – with After Effects.

Class Exercise*

Unit #A

SET Area: #4 BLUE SCREEN Miniatures

EFFECT objective: DC3 Miniature in flight

Unit #B

SET Area: #3 House EXT: Miniature

EFFECT objective: Green Screen Scotch-lite front projection

Unit #C

SET Area: #1 GREEN SCREEN bar window

EFFECT objective: Lighting the GREEN SCREEN

Unit #D

SET Area: #2 GREEN SCREEN Claymation

EFFECT objective: Stop motion animation/claymation/green screen

Assignments

Forced perspective project with airplane miniature.

Due date: March 19th, 2012 (Meeting #8).

February 13th, 2012 Meeting #5

Miniatures

Miniature effects “on location”, “in the studio”. Foreground hanging miniatures. Miniature construction, kit bashing. Miniature lighting. Models. Atmospheric effects for miniature sets. Review last week’s practical exercises.

Class Exercise*

Unit #A

Project Area #3 EXT: House at night

Project objective: Place partygoers into miniature house window

Unit #B

Project Area #1 EXT: Open field at night

Project objective Place soldiers next to parked tank forced perspective

Unit #C

Project Area #4 Bar

Project objective: Place miniature lady into beer bottle 50/50 mirror

Unit #D

Project Area #2 INT: Living room window view Night

Project objective: See distant house through living room window

FEBRUARY 20TH, 2012 HOLIDAY – PRESIDENTS DAY

NO CLASS MEETING

February 27th, 2012 Meeting #6

Atmospheric Effects

Fog, clouds, smoke, rain, mist, hail, lightning, storms. Snow, falling, set dressing and as used for miniatures. Frost & Ice. Wind, blizzards, dust and cobwebs, wet & dry. Dry ice generators, Water in the studio. The smoke gun. Lava, Quicksand and swamps.

Class Exercise*

Unit #1

Set Area #2 Living room Int: Night

Effect objective: Rain on windows - lightning

Unit #2

Set Area #3 EXT: Park bench: Night: Limbo

Effect objective: Gun shot victim on snow covered picnic table

Unit #3

Set Area #4 Car Ext: Night: Limbo

Effect objective: Smoke & rain

Unit #4 Documentation UNIT

Unit #5

Set Area #1 Abandoned room Int: Night

Effect objective: Cobb webs dust – lightening – Bride ghost in shadows

March 5th, 2012 Meeting #7

Special effects props

Construction, polystyrene fabrication and modeling. Mold Making. Latex casting. Glass fiber lay-ups and casting resin. Plastic forming machines. Plaster of Paris & plaster turning. Numerical indicators. Radar and oscilloscopes. Sci-fi lights and electrical flashes. Ray guns & blasters. Laboratory and chemical effects. Popping corks and shaking equipment. Some special plants. Photographs on the screen.

Class Exercise*

EFFECT objective: Build Special effects Prop – bleeding knife

Create a body part from plaster of Paris.

Deadline for extra credit proposal submissions.

REVIEW MID TERM EXAM

MARCH 12, 2012 - SPRING BREAK - NO CLASS MEETING

March 19th, 2012 Meeting #8

Pyrotechnic effects PART I

The law. Safety precautions. Pyrotechnic and other smokes. Bullet effects using compressed air. Bullet effects on people. Bullet effects in glass and mirrors. Bullet effects on vases and bottles. Bullet effects in scenery.

Class Exercise*

Unit #A

SET Area: #3 Room in dorm

EFFECT objective: BULLET EFFECT in scenery.

Unit #B

SET Area: #4 Parking lot

EFFECT objective: SMOKE & BULLET EFFECT ON WINDSHIELD.

Unit #C

SET Area: #2 Dorm room table

EFFECT objective: BULLET EFFECTS on vases and bottles

Unit #D

SET Area: #1 Bar

EFFECT objective: BULLET EFFECT using compressed air

MID TERM EXAM

March 26th, 2012 Meeting #9

Pyrotechnic effects PART II

The law. Safety precautions. Pyrotechnic construction. Pyrotechnic mixture. Pyrotechnic explosions. Types of explosions. Firing boxes and explosions. Remote controls. Safe studio explosions. Flames. Fires and furnaces. Fire effects in the open. Fire effects in the studio. Destruction of an Automobile.

Class Exercise*

Unit #A

SET Area: Parking area

EFFECT objective: Auto has engine trouble

Unit #B

SET Area: Scene Dock Miniature House NIGHT

EFFECT objective: EXPLODING HOUSE

Unit #C

SET Area: #1 & #2 Warehouse NIGHT

EFFECT objective: Ceiling falling debris due to gun shot.

Unit #D

SET Area: #3 Dorm room

EFFECT objective: EXPLODING TV MONITOR

April 2nd, 2012 Meeting #10

TEAM#1Production Stage 3 Call Time 6:00 p.m.

Class Exercises in techniques as applies to the scripted page. *

ASSIGNMENT: COMPLETE PHOTOGRAPHY OF PROJECT

CLOSED SET

April 9th, 2012 Meeting #11

TEAM#2Production Stage 3 Call Time 6:00 p.m.

Class Exercises in techniques as applies to the scripted page. *

ASSIGNMENT: COMPLETE PHOTOGRAPHY OF PROJECT

CLOSED SET

April 16th, 2012 Meeting #12

TEAM #3 Production Stage 3 Call Time 6:00 p.m.

Class Exercises in techniques as applies to the scripted page. *

ASSIGNMENT: COMPLETE PHOTOGRAPHY OF PROJECT

CLOSED SET

April 23rd, 2012 Meeting #13

TEAM #4 Production Stage 3 Call Time 6:00 p.m.

Class Exercises in techniques as applies to the scripted page. *

ASSIGNMENT: COMPLETE PHOTOGRAPHY OF PROJECT

Review for the Final Exam

April, 30th, 2012 STUDY DAY NO MEETING

May7th, 2012 Meeting #14

Screen Dailies from class exercises.

FINAL EXAM*

* Counts towards final grade

EXTRA CREDIT PROJECTS

In presenting a project for extra credit consideration, the following is a guideline for the acceptance of any submission.

1. A written paper outlining the objective of the project and storyboards indicating view angles and equipment placement must accompany all submitted projects.

1. All stated objectives must include a storyboard of the action, with dialog/narration shown beneath each board frame.

1. All projects must be in the form of motion picture film 16mm or higher, or 16/9 or 24p format.

1. A detailed camera report and crew list must accompany each project.

1. A slate must appear at the head or tail of each take within the project and must display the following:

1. Title of Project
2. Director’s Name
3. Cameraperson’s Name
4. The date of the filming
5. Scene# and Take#
6. The film stock ID
7. Sound or MOS
8. A color bar chart. All items must be readable when viewed through a moviescope or video play back.

1. Each film project producer must present his/her project in a screening before the class body, along with a statement of objectives.
2. Project proposals must be submitted prior to October 31st, 2005 (The 10th class meeting) to be considered for “go ahead”.
3. All expenses, including processing and film, are the responsibility of the film producer.
4. If two or more producers combine resources to consolidate costs, each much produce an entirely separate scene or sequence.
5. Work on extra credit projects in not to be completed during class time.

Script Special Effects ElementsCategories

In-The-Camera Effects

Reverse Action Speed up Action

Slow down Action Superimpose

Double Exposure Fade

Dissolve Titles

Mirror/glass Shots Any in-camera-effect

Split Screens Matte shots

Make-up Effects

Body casting Slime

ProstheticsAging

BurnsScars

Bullet woundsany make-up effect of your choice

Miniatures

DC-3Miniature of your choice

House Miniature from script storyboard

WWII Tank

Atmospheric Effects

Fog Snow

Lightning Clouds hail

Smoke Rain

Ice Frost

Mist Dust storms

Quicksand Any atmospheric effect of your choice

Physical Effects

Stunts

Break away props

Chase

Digital Effects

Any Digital effect of your choice

Green/Blue/Red Screen