Action film techniques

[matteusclement]

I need to know a few action movie techniques and how to do them.

1. Actor being kicked or blown back
Do you use rope to pull the actor back then photoshop the pull cord out?

2. Videos on behind the scenes for action movies would be great.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Basically, yes, and buy this book,The DV Rebel's Guide: An All-Digital Approach to Making Killer Action Movies on the Cheap. Click the link (it's to Amazon) and buy it right now. Your next response to this thread should be 'Hey, I just bought that book."

It's by Stu Maschwitz (Prolost.com blog, Red Giant Software, Orphanage VFX house) and is one of the best DIY, nuts and bolts type books I've picked up.


Lethal

 

[matteusclement]

I already have that book and it did not cover the issues I need to resolve. But it was a damn good book.

 

[LethalWolfe]

What issues are you trying to resolve?


Lethal

 

[floh]

If you are looking into action movies, I wholeheartedly recommend you to watch "Film Riot" on youtube! The main director is brilliant and the show is very entertaining while still teaching you cool action film effects.

They did a whole episode on exactly the kick-back-effect you were talking about:
Kickback from Shotgun

In addition, they had another episode where the same actor was thrown across the room here:
Use the air for Kung Fu...

Two different ways to go at the effects, one with a pullback rope, one with a chair and a clean plate of the background.

Yes, I am a big sucker for this show and might sound like an advertiser, but I just love the guy's humour. They do two episodes a week.

 

[matteusclement]

If you are looking into action movies, I wholeheartedly recommend you to watch "Film Riot" on youtube! The main director is brilliant and the show is very entertaining while still teaching you cool action film effects.

They did a whole episode on exactly the kick-back-effect you were talking about:
Kickback from Shotgun

In addition, they had another episode where the same actor was thrown across the room here:
Use the air for Kung Fu...

Two different ways to go at the effects, one with a pullback rope, one with a chair and a clean plate of the background.

Yes, I am a big sucker for this show and might sound like an advertiser, but I just love the guy's humour. They do two episodes a week.

BOOM!
This is what I needed. Thank you.

 

[diamond3]

I just started watching those film riot videos a few days ago and they are great. Entertaining and educational. If anyone has any other youtube videos that they subscribe to that do the same sort of thing, I'd like to see them.

 

[floh]

If anyone has any other youtube videos that they subscribe to that do the same sort of thing, I'd like to see them.

Same here, I would be very interested in that kind of stuff!

Sure you don't remember everything you see on youtube, but it's not much effort for education and at least I obviously remembered that they had an episode on what the OP was looking for... so you know where to look when you have a problem.

I personally am always watching Film Riot, sometimes Freddie Wong, especially his second Making Of Channel. Other than that, there is good old Indy Mogul for DIY stuff. And Tom Antos has some tutorials up his sleeve. I haven't really looked into VFX Bro yet and I have kind of outgrown the Frugal Filmmaker, where I don't learn much anymore. Andrew Kramer from Video Copilot is awesome if you use After Effects.

I am subscribed to all of these. Now go ahead everyone, name some more channels that I can check out!

 

[matteusclement]

Same here, I would be very interested in that kind of stuff!

Sure you don't remember everything you see on youtube, but it's not much effort for education and at least I obviously remembered that they had an episode on what the OP was looking for... so you know where to look when you have a problem.

I personally am always watching Film Riot, sometimes Freddie Wong, especially his second Making Of Channel. Other than that, there is good old Indy Mogul for DIY stuff. And Tom Antos has some tutorials up his sleeve. I haven't really looked into VFX Bro yet and I have kind of outgrown the Frugal Filmmaker, where I don't learn much anymore. Andrew Kramer from Video Copilot is awesome if you use After Effects.

I am subscribed to all of these. Now go ahead everyone, name some more channels that I can check out!

Those are some goodies that I know and others that are new. Thank you very much. I will post some results later down the road.