questions from the new guy

[gotboost2jz]

Okay so I'm bascially brand new to this whole scene. Usuaully i just stick to acting, giving out ideas, and so forth. But a friend and I are working on a short film and i have a few questions in regards to effects. First, how would one go about making someone "fly" offscreen? Second, how about making "fire"? Third, how about some links that offer sound sound effects for things such as battles, sword clashes, and so on (or anything really)? I'm sure thats a lot to ask and I'm sorry for being a total noob but I don't know where else to ask. Thank you.

[gotboost2jz]

...Anyone?

[Indy]

The only thing I can help with is the sound effects. Try looking on eBay or Amazon for sound effect CD's. Or really just surfing Google. there are CD's like 1000 Sound Effects and TONS of those. Type in "Sound Effect CD with _____" Whatever you're looking for. If you use " " it will find it exactly how you typed it. Also try visiting sites like... I dunno, www.soundeffects.com or www.hollywoodsoundeffects.com I dunno if they are real but I do remember looking up some a while back for Dark of the Moon. There are so many sound effects out the, it's amazing.

edit; www.soundeffects.com is real. also try www.soundfx.com.

And what program are you using? If it's Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 I bet I can help with the other two if I look.

[Mark W]

Both the effects you want are best done for real but most editors will do a good job of faking it.

[Alan Mills]

For a sword fight you're best off making your own sound effects. You'll find that a real sword fight sounds dull and quite lifeless. These are always dubbed with better sound in the movies to get that lovely twang sound.

Take a microphone out and find a nice solid metal railing by the side of some steps somewhere. The sort of thing skaters love to 'grind' (apologies for knowing this lingo!). The just hit it with different objects (sticks, stones and other bits of metal) to get different variations. You'll get a much 'better' swiord sound from that than you ever would from a real sword. Quite an irony eh?

Flying off screen? You mean like superman? Best done as bluescreen.

Fire? Use a particle system like Combustion, After Effects or (my personal fave) Particle Illusion.

[gotboost2jz]

Originally Posted by Alan Mills For a sword fight you're best off making your own sound effects. You'll find that a real sword fight sounds dull and quite lifeless. These are always dubbed with better sound in the movies to get that lovely twang sound. Take a microphone out and find a nice solid metal railing by the side of some steps somewhere. The sort of thing skaters love to 'grind' (apologies for knowing this lingo!). The just hit it with different objects (sticks, stones and other bits of metal) to get different variations. You'll get a much 'better' swiord sound from that than you ever would from a real sword. Quite an irony eh? Flying off screen? You mean like superman? Best done as bluescreen. Fire? Use a particle system like Combustion, After Effects or (my personal fave) Particle Illusion.

for the flying i mean more like someone jsut floating off screen. the camera wont follow him. hell jsut fly up (and i have no idea what bluescreen is)

and for fire we were wanting to fight insde a ring of fire. i was game for using real fire but i think the other person is a little skeptical. again, i have no idea what those methods you metnioned are.

thank you for the help though. it is getting me somewhere and it means a lot

[gotboost2jz]

sorry, i dont mean to double post, but do you think filming him falling on screen and then reversing it and slowing it down would look okay? (for the flying away part i mean)