Question regarding effects needed

I have a shoot coming up where I want a mannequin to morph into a person. I plan on showing a close up of hands, feet, etc. until the transformation is basically completely where it will be a wide shot of everything after that. Could anyone give me a few tips on how to shoot this? Would I just have the model and the mannequin in the exact same position and do the show twice each time, mannequin then model?

I have a shoot coming up where I want a mannequin to morph into a person. I plan on showing a close up of hands, feet, etc. until the transformation is basically completely where it will be a wide shot of everything after that. Could anyone give me a few tips on how to shoot this? Would I just have the model and the mannequin in the exact same position and do the show twice each time, mannequin then model?

- Yeah, you have to shoot it locked off two times for each setup, might also need a blank 'plate' - Any movement of camera or subject require "more" stuff even on repeatable motion control rigs. But I would ask whomever is going to be doing the VFX 'composite' and possibly get them to set as well.

Well I think I am going to attempt to do the VFX as well. Extremely low budget with big visions and a big GOD

When you say blank plate, you mean the shot without the model or the mannequin as well? That sort of makes sense in my head.

It sounds like my best bet would be to have the camera completely locked off, no movement whatsoever. If I wanted to add camera movement it would be a tiny zoom in, which I could do digitally I'm sure after apply the VFX.

Well I think I am going to attempt to do the VFX as well. Extremely low budget with big visions and a big GOD

When you say blank plate, you mean the shot without the model or the mannequin as well? That sort of makes sense in my head.

It sounds like my best bet would be to have the camera completely locked off, no movement whatsoever. If I wanted to add camera movement it would be a tiny zoom in, which I could do digitally I'm sure after apply the VFX.

yep - the easy answer to any VFX shot is lock the camera off and shoot a clean plate also (as you guessed this would be without the elements that will be affected by the FX)

That's awesome thanks. I actually went on upwork, not sure if anyone's heard of it. Found a VFX guy. He also recommended a high resolution still image of each subject.

Without seeing any boards or layouts, here’s what i might do:

I don’t know if this has been mentioned but ideally you’d heave a larger external monitor, a capture box (BMD Mini Recorder eg) and some sort of video switcher or switching software so that you can shoot the lineup plate and mix through to the matching plate. Still store might work, but the ability to scrub the video would be good. You could probably rig edit software to do the same.

One of my rules of thumb is to shoot the most uncontrollable thing first and then the more controllable. In this case, the live person is what I might shoot first and then the mannequin lining up to the live clip. You might also shoot some things in reverse and then move the actors arm, for example. This is because it’s easier to move away from a mark than to hit one.

Are you shooting on green screen or some keyable environment? At least for part of it? It might give you more flexibility in keeping backgrounds the same during the morphs.

That is a GREAT idea with the external monitor, but the budget is no where near that.

Excellent idea to shoot the more uncontrollable thing first. The shots will be locked off so I am very happy about that. It will be a close up of a hand, a close up of a foot, etc. until the transformation is practically complete, or fully complete, and the "stiff model" then becomes alive and is in awe looking at herself alive, only then is there a far angle. Basically building suspense up to that point. So there wont be movement from the actress.

The environment is completely empty. Its like a gymnasium type floor that is solid grey across the whole thing with those pebble like pattern things that dont physically stick up or anything..blackness all around except for where my subjects are lit

If you can't have a monitor, perhaps a capture box and a laptop or computer would do. Just anything bigger than the camera's screen. You'd need to the ability to mix between the captured image and the live image. If you have a live monitor (could be a cheap TV) and no capture device, you can use a grease pencil and some acetate over the screen to trace the outline of what you're lining up to, like we did in the old days of film.