Quick Question re: Home Editing

**Leepy** · 06-02-2008, 02:38 PM

Hello there

First time user. I've recently stopped shooting my shorts on 16mm film and have moved over to digital (mini DV). I couldn't believe the power of digital editing/shooting. I use Premiere Elements on my home PC. I got so excited when I realised that Premiere Elements could do blue screen that I embarked on my first special effects film. I thought: what's the simplest monster I can create and manipulate with blue screen? The short is called Doodlebug and you can see it here:

Doodlebug The Best Ever Fifty Quid Monster Movie You'll See - Virgin Media Shorts

The process took ten months; I'm very proud what we managed to achieve, at home(!) on such a low budget (fifty pounds).

My quick question is: I'd like to take my special effects film making at home to the next level. Premiere Elements isn't really a compositing/animation programme; it's an editing package with a little blue screen application embedded in there.

So, which reasonably priced PC based software would you recommend, please, specifically for creating special effect shorts (animation and blue screen)?

Thanks for this.

Lee

**Alan Mills** · 06-11-2008, 06:27 PM

Actually I really liked this. Some of the camera angles didn't really work for me though but on to what really matters...

You've Probably pushed 'elements' to its compositing limits with that. Th egreenscreenign has left an obvious greenoutline around the boy in a lot of shots. Not really your problem but one of the tool used to key with. you really need a proper compisiting tool to do a better job.

you may have been able to colour correct some of the compositted elements inside Elements (no pun intended) so they better match the shot but that is a different artform in itself.

What does make it look home-grown though isa the level of compising. i.e. the fact that the boy casts no shadows.

but even though this does cheapen it somewhat, it;s still a great little movie. Even better when you consider it;s done in 'elements'

**Leepy** · 06-12-2008, 08:14 AM

Hi Alan

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I missed a trick with the shadows. I did think of this early in the process but lost sight of it. I did a reflection of the boat at the end of the film, so I'm sure I could have pushed elements to create shadows.

And yes, I also missed a trick with the colour correction of the white doodlebug, to make it match the plates better.

But I'm glad you liked the film as a whole. I've just finished the clay model for my next film, so I'm gonna take what I've learned here and move on.

Thanks again for the advice.

Leepy