Front projection effect
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2010) |
A front projection effect is an
Description
In contrast to
The actor (or subject) performs in front of the reflective screen with a
Front projection was invented by Will Jenkins.[2] For this he holds U.S. patent 2,727,427, issued on December 20, 1955 for an "Apparatus for Production of Light Effects in Composite Photography" and U.S. patent 2,727,429, issued the same day for an "Apparatus for Production of Composite Photographic Effects."
It was first experimented with in 1949, shortly after the invention of Scotchlite, and had appeared in feature films by 1963, when the Japanese film
Zoptic
Front projection was chosen as the main method for shooting
Perisic called this technique "Zoptic". The process was also used in two of the
Introvision
Introvision is a front projection composite photography system using a pair of perpendicular reflex screens to combine two projected scenes with a scene staged live before the camera in a single shot.
It allows foreground, midground and background elements to be combined in-camera: such as sandwiching stage action (such as actors) between two projected elements, foreground and background.[5]
In its simplest form, images from a projector are directed at a beam splitter oriented at forty-five degrees. Two retro reflective screens are used, one to return the reflected image and one to return the pass through image. Set between the beam splitter and the retro reflective screens are mattes with cut outs that allow the projected image to strike each retro reflective screens in select areas. This combination, as seen by the camera, gives the appearance of images behind the actors (reflected image) and in front of the actors (pass through image). The camera sees the pass through image on the reverse side of the beam splitter and the reflected image through the beam splitter and combines the two eliminating the need for compositing in post production. To compensate for the large difference in the distance from the camera to the two screens an additional lens is used in the pass through image path.
The more complicated setup involves the use of two cameras, two projectors and multiple beam-splitters, light traps, filters and aperture control systems. This setup provides the opportunity to use different content for foreground and background.
Introvision was first used in 1980–81 during the filming of the science-fiction movie
Front projection versus other techniques
Compared to
However, advancements in digital compositing and the increasing use of digital cameras have made digital the most common method of choice. The last major blockbuster to extensively use front projection was the Sylvester Stallone action thriller Cliffhanger from 1993.[citation needed] More recently, the film Oblivion made extensive use of front projection (though not retro-reflective) to display various sky backgrounds in the home set. Spectre also used this technique for its snow mountain hospital and glass building interiors. The advantages for the in-camera effect were a reduced need for digital effects and green screen, interactive lighting in a reflective set, and to provide a real background for the actors.
See also
- Film production
- Pepper's ghost
Citations
- ^ Trumbull, Douglas (September 4, 2013). "The making of Silent Running (1972)". Soundtrack Specialist – via YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ Leinster, Murray. "FAQ". www.murrayleinster.com. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ Nakano 2005, 2:08. Toho got a hold of it [front-projection] and we used it right away... So, in Matango it was extensively used for the yacht scene.
- ISBN 0-240-80351-5.
- ^ "Front projection composite photography system combining staged action with two projected images".
- ^ "Firsts Introvision". Cirquefilm.
- ^ "Composite Components Company / SMPTE / Front Projection: Tessellating the Screen". Archived from the original on August 5, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- ^ Cerone, Daniel (January 13, 1991). "Voyage to the Next Dimension – With the visual effects process Introvision, film makers can transport actors to settings limited only by the imagination". Los Angeles Times.
General sources
- Perisic, Zoran (2000). Visual Effects Cinematography. Focal Press. ISBN 978-0-240-80351-7.
- Nakano, Teruyoshi – special effects director assistant (2005). Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People (DVD). Media Blasters.