Transitions into other realm references

Hey filmmakers! I'm looking for references of VFX or Special Effects that show a transition into a different realm or an alternate reality.

Here's one I found from the film Constantine (Minute 3:17):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te9OlRbdvQM

If anyone can point me to films or any more examples or opinions, I would really appreciate this.

Thank you! :)
 
Ah my good friend Jhoanna's shining role. Always love seeing her in that.

I'm the guy that will always have a slant towards the simple, classic... and doable. I tend to stray from hardcore CG for this sort of thing, but not from film techniques or tricks in general.

I'm coming at you with less specific movie examples and more general ideas, hopefully still valid.

Remember one of the most famous, and powerful, examples of all time is simply turning your film from B&W to Color. The opposite could be used as well.

Another great option is to Shoot with your characters blocking their scenes and running their lines as fast as they can, double time if possible. Then slow down your footage in post until its perceptually about normal speed and use ADR or time stretching (with pitch intact) to create a completely surreal effect. Again the opposite works as well.

I (again being a weirdo) found the continuous spinning top far more powerful and creepy than any of the big budget effects in Inception. A small almost subliminal slight bend of the laws of physics type thing can go along way for viewers. Something that just feels "off".

If you are OK not beating your audience over the head with the alternate reality an exclusive dutch angle or low Kubrick angle could give an uneasy, anxious or even slightly annoying feel to an entire scene.

Another cool trick is to lock your tripod and shoot a plate of a forest background, then move the actors into place and roll the scene (works best with minimal or at least normal actor movement beyond dialog). Then in post mask them onto the forest (you can be really rough with your masking since your actors were also actually against the same forest). Then the trick is to slow way down, or even stop, the plate shot so the trees aren't moving. Oh and zero foley. Then when they "exit the dimension" let the plate roll and dump in a nice wind.wav -- Some people may not even catch this, but they'll feel it.

Interested to know what you ultimately decide upon.
 
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Ah my good friend Jhoanna's shining role. Always love seeing her in that.

I'm the guy that will always have a slant towards the simple, classic... and doable. I tend to stray from hardcore CG for this sort of thing, but not from film techniques or tricks in general.

I'm coming at you with less specific movie examples and more general ideas, hopefully still valid.

Remember one of the most famous, and powerful, examples of all time is simply turning your film from B&W to Color. The opposite could be used as well.

Another great option is to Shoot with your characters blocking their scenes and running their lines as fast as they can, double time if possible. Then slow down your footage in post until its perceptually about normal speed and use ADR or time stretching (with pitch intact) to create a completely surreal effect. Again the opposite works as well.

I (again being a weirdo) found the continuous spinning top far more powerful and creepy than any of the big budget effects in Inception. A small almost subliminal slight bend of the laws of physics type thing can go along way for viewers. Something that just feels "off".

If you are OK not beating your audience over the head with the alternate reality an exclusive dutch angle or low Kubrick angle could give an uneasy, anxious or even slightly annoying feel to an entire scene.

Another cool trick is to lock your tripod and shoot a plate of a forest background, then move the actors into place and roll the scene (works best with minimal or at least normal actor movement beyond dialog). Then in post mask them onto the forest (you can be really rough with your masking since your actors were also actually against the same forest). Then the trick is to slow way down, or even stop, the plate shot so the trees aren't moving. Oh and zero foley. Then when they "exit the dimension" let the plate roll and dump in a nice wind.wav -- Some people may not even catch this, but they'll feel it.

Interested to know what you ultimately decide upon.

Hi Guanto!

Thanks for your reply. I agree with the simple and doable part. I love the B&W technique. Unfortunately, this film is for my final year project and I'm a Visual Effects major, and this was one of the parts where I'd be able to showcase some VFX skills.

Here's a litte storyboard I've drawn for that section. This was the initial idea where the walls would crumble and the person would transform with particle FX, but I quickly realized it was a little too much for me to chew.

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Basically, the woman deals a card, and she gets into this alternate reality, reliving the the experience of the card.
 
Hey no worries.

Yeah I am almost anti CG to be honest (meaning my passion projects will gasp for air in a desolate sinking quagmire while an audience of two 50-something cinephiles (one in a spaghetti stained A Clockwork Orange t-shirt and the other one wearing a faded black RUSH 2112 tee) high five each other... while your chosen profession will keep you gainfully employed with your credits scrolling by on 40' screens until you retire).

So needless to say if you need actual Constantine effects I'll be of little use. FWIW, if you didn't have the VFX restraints on you I actually think any of my more practical suggestions would work for your story... but I know that doesn't help.
 
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This might not be quite what your looking for. But I recently rewatched Highlander after a long time (though I've seen it a ridiculous amount of times in all).

It has some of the coolest transitions this side of The Gathering...but into flashbacks, not into strange alternate dimensions, or something. (Although... :P). I suppose flashbacks might count as a sort of different realm or an alternative reality? Anyway, cool transitions. I wouldn't argue it, but I suppose you could even argue its transitions are too slick for the movie's own good.
 
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