Practical Effects In Camera: Of Casting Fire, Water, and Air
First of all, let me start this blog entry with the disclaimer that today’s entry is going to be the exemption to my rule and my usually very long blogs. Today, I am going to write about the practical camera effects that I’ve researched and conducted throughout the course of this module.
Although the shots pertinent to the abovementioned camera effects will most likely not make it into the final edit by the looks of how the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK lockdown are currently playing out, I feel that this topic and my research towards it needs addressing just for completion’s sake.
The Point of Departure
Since my script features a series of effects, such as water that starts boiling on its own, air being created in a little vial, and small “poofs”, it was only a matter of nature that we would have to address these issues as well.
Initially, we planned on creating a few of them in post. However, that idea had to be cast aside quickly upon looking at the workload that it would entail for our only editor. As such, the only solution to these effects had to be to create them practically. And as thus, they would also require to be tested thoroughly.
Whilst this testing had been an ongoing process ever since January, and we’ve since then met with one of the Production Design lecturers in February to discuss the practicalities of these effects, it was now time for the final tests.
As such, we had several methods available that we set out to test.
Testing Air
Although this effect seemed like the most difficult to achieve without the use of visual effect, this one turned out to have a surprisingly easy solution that furthermore looked aesthetically stunning if done right.
Conducting research into this effect, we came across rheoscopic fluid as a possible solution and researched more into the practical application of it:
Online Tutorial on DIY Rheoscopic Fluid:
Since we collectively decided that this was the solution to go for and test out – it looked nice, seemed simple and safe enough to achieve, and might work if the colour is matched perfectly (and the glitter is lost). Even our Production Design lecturer was intrigued by that concept and took it upon him to experiment with it.
As such, after a couple of days, he gave us a sample of what he had done on the fly (please disregard the colour, that was just a preliminary test done with a pigment that was quickly available to him):
First Attempt of Rheoscopic Fluid:
(Apologies on the display error - this video refuses to play in landscape format even when put through editing software)
Since we still liked the effect on camera, we settled on this solution and our art director started ordering pigments in blue and silver shades to be able to replicate what could look like wind in a vial.
Testing the Waters
Next up was a test on the boiling water effect. Since the alchemist in our script is essentially working magic and boiling water that previously sat idly in a bowl, it was necessary that we would find an effect that would believably portray water that starts boiling on its own.
For this, and consulting a fellow student, there was an array of possible solutions to test out:
Pouring boiling water
Pouring hot water on bicarbonate soda
Pouring hot water on limescale and kettle descaler
Using carbonated mineral water
Using effervescent tablets
Using carbonated soft drinks like e.g. Sprite and 7Up
Connecting an aquarium pump to a small hose and feed that through the bottom of the bowl
Apart from the last option – which required a lot of time and testing on the part of our production designer and art director that she did not have available – we tested all of the abovementioned solutions… to no avail!
Whilst all of them seemed to be a good idea and sounded plausible, most of them failed immediately. For example, the boiling water did not look impressive enough on camera and was furthermore a hassle to keep on standby for filming. And any solution from pouring hot water on bicarbonate soda to using soft drinks had the massive downside that they foamed too much, did not look like boiling water at all, and/or produced coloured foam…
So what to do? Here, our art director Eline had an idea that solved the issue entirely: She took the third option from above (the one with the kettle descaler and hot water), removed the limescale and reversed the order:
Camera Test for Self-Boiling Water
And lo’ and behold! It was something to work with!
Testing Poofs – A Fiery Solution
Last but not least, we come to the “Poof!” effects mentioned in the script! As our Commander Mark Zane is transmuting elements in our script, he is also transmuting the element of fire. Whilst we initially planned to only indicate a minor “poof” with the help of a fog machine, this turned out to be the most complex and most carefully to plan effect that we aimed to recreate.
Since our main lead voiced to have issues with artificial fog, we naturally had to reframe from using it, causing us to find another solution. However, since this effect is important to the script – it is part of a comical relief – we decided that we would give it a go and attempt to use a minor, very contained flame.
Disclaimer
As this proposition sounds like the recipe for potential disaster, let me point out here that we naturally conducted these camera tests under strict Health and Safety guidelines, with fire-retardant materials, such as e.g. fire-retardant surfaces, fire blankets, and water – as well as with a dedicated person present to . Any other potential risk was further mitigated using flash paper liquid that was handled by our trained and experienced production designer.
As such, here follows the experiment that we conducted igniting SFX flash paper liquid:
Camera Test for Self-Igniting Fire
And what shall we say? It was exactly the visual that we were looking for. Here, and with the help of long lenses and forced perspective, we aimed to recreate a small fire coming alive, surprising our – up until then still very sceptical – main character.
With these experiments conducted, and with the necessary Health and Safety paperwork and precautions ready (we scheduled to have relevant equipment and a dedicated fire marshall on set for the day we film that effect), we are finally good to go into production for “The Pillars of Creation”!
References:
Health and Safety Executive (n.d.) Health and Safety in Audio-visual Production. Your Legal Duties. [PDF] Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg360.pdf [Accessed on 14 March 2020].
Health and Safety Executive (n.d.) Film, TV and broadcasting. [online] Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/theatre-tv/film.htm [Accessed on 14 March 2020].
Magnet Tricks. (2017) The Vortex Dome ~ Rheoscopic Fluid Display ~ Kalliroscope. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/cq4aHJrFXGE [Accessed on 21 April 2020].
Paul Bryan TV. (2016) How To Make a Rheoscopic Fluid Galaxy Bottle | DIY Science. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/-0x5p83g91s [Accessed on 21 April 2020].
Svea Hartle. (2020) Practical Camera Test for Self-Boiling Water. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/I5R3DxLZQF0 [Accessed on 25 May 2020].
Svea Hartle. (2020) Practical Camera Test for Self-Igniting Fire. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/hr3mLrhNOfc [Accessed on 25 May 2020].
Svea Hartle. (2020) Rheoscopic Fluid Test. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/QmTv4n-cxq8 [Accessed on 25 May 2020].
Wayne Schmidt. (2018) DIY Rheoscopic Fluid. [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/5TGFqoZiM1U [Accessed on 21 April 2020].