7 Special Effects That Anyone Can Do For Free

If you look at any of today’s high-end commercials you’d soon waive them off with ‘that was done in post’ kinda comment and or most you’d be right. But in this short flick cinematographer Matthew E. Rosen of underground logic shares 7 tips on shooting low budget / high-end look special effects.

Now, while there is something about doing it in the pure-in-camera old way, there are other advantages to doing effects in camera. Sometimes it is the logistics (like using 75 extras instead on 1,000) sometimes it is the complexity (like using a table top glass instead of rotoscoping) and sometimes it is the budget. As Matthew says:

There now so many post possibilities, we tend not to think at the simplest solutions to effects challenges. Sure we can do almost anything in post, but we can also do lots of stuff in camera, instantly, with practically no cost, and often with better results

And after doing commercials for Coca Cola, Globe, Johnson & Johnson and Kraft foods Matthew has a trick or two up his sleeve. And the nice thing about it, is that you can probably go out and do most of those tricks right now without the need for high budget or complicated logistics.

[Tutorial on Cinematography – 7 Special Effects That Anyone Can Do For Free | Matthew E. Rosen]