Special and/or technical effects on 16 mm (k-3)

Opening or closing the iris isn't a special effect, it's
what you do with the camera's aperture to allow
more or less light in.

What kinds of special and/or technical effects would
you like to do?

I hope you have one of the crystal synced models, making a shortfilm with a wind-up camera is probably not worth the time

Making any short film, sync or not, is always worth the
time. Learning how to use light, composing shots and
using camera moves, working with actors and crew and
figuring out how to schedule people and manage a shooting
day is valuable knowledge. There have been hundreds of
thousands of excellent silent films made over the years
and even learning the challenges of adding dialogue to
non crystal sync footage is valuable.

Never let the limitations of your camera or other equipment
slow you down. Learning is always worth the time.

Damn.

Can we sticky that reply?

AB - when you say iris out/in, you mean an iris pull, like an in-camera fade to/from black?

I'm not familiar with the K-3, but you can do some really great in-camera double exposure stuff with a bit of work with 16mm cameras. Also, if there is any sort of slide-in filter in between the lens and the gate there are fun things that can be done there with filters and mattes (more double exposing).

I don’t recall the ability to backwind on a k3 for dissolves or double exposure shots, nor a variable shutter for fades, but I could be wrong. Are there any kind of single frame effects shots?

-Thanks-

I am actually not sure what effects I want to achieve. This is a film for class where I am only allowed to use a K-3. I want to do some expiremental things.

In my film I want to have my subject having a day dream. I figured an Iris in would be a good way to convey a dream/fantasy. But is there anything else I could do to show this?

Also am I correct in thinking that closing down closing down my aperture (such as F-5.6 till about F-16) will be how to acheive an iris in?

Thanks.

I see what you’re going for. That effect cannot be done in camera.

You could do that effect if you have a matte box. I don't think there
is a matte box made specifically for the K3, but if you're good a building
stuff you could create one.

On film, that effect is always done done in post production; either
at the lab or, now-a-days, with your editing software after the film
is transfered to digital.

Closing the aperture will achieve a fade out, not the effect of seeing
the iris close.

Ahh, okay!

Well I guess I will just try for the fade-in/out.

And I do that by closing and and opening my aperture?

I’m not sure if you mean the assignment limitation is in-camera effects only, if not, then of course your transitions in or out can be done easily with the right software.

I don’t recall that you can backwind on a k3 as I said above, but if you can’t, but can use some editing software, then you could do a faked double exposure.

Like the person nods off to sleep and stays dead still for a full wind (like 30 seconds), then without them moving at all or you moving the camera at all carefully rewind the spring and do the shot again, but after like ten seconds they wake up, stand, look around and exit.

Then in editing place one layer over the other (Adjust opacity and maybe darken one a bit) for the combined “Out of body experience” effect as they go off into their dream world.

-Thanks-

I have a K3 and it does not back-wind. The camera has a 150 degree rotating shutter, 1/20 at 8fps, 1/30 at 12fps, 1/40 at 16fps, 1/60 at 24fps, 1/80 at 32 fps and 1/120 at 48fps. It does have single frame capability at 1/30 shutter. You could use effects filters on the lens.

I agree with others that most can be done in post if you digitally transfer the film.

Makes me think of Shadow of the Vamipre

"Iris in..... begin"

If I understood correctly that you have to do it all in camera, then this sounds like a great exercise to make you be creative with limited technical means. If you can concept the film so that it looks cool with a bit of a rough, unfinished look then you could have lots of fun here and work quite quickly.

If you want to film in several passes in this camera you would have to accept not being frame accurate, unless I'm wrong and it has a frame counter. Some cool stuff is still possible. You can get the passes in approximate register with a marked frame at the head. Reset your footage counter, close the door or whatever with that frame in the gate. Unload and rewind your film in a darkroom for the next pass.

There is no assumption that the camera is shooting live action at normal speed, althogh I have seen some cool live action multiple exposures where the regestration between passes was almost random. If you are single framing then all sorts of strange and interesting stuff is possible.

A matbox was suggested. If you can borrow one just improvise the camera mounting. Or build one rough as yourself. Develop ideas that don't need to be accurate in execution. Have some fun.

Some of the guys think that a wind up camera is too low fi for making a good film. But it really depends on the ideas in the film. I have promised myself for years that I will mount my old Cineflex 35mm on little wheels like a bumble bee toy and take it for a walk like a dog down a crowded street (drag it) with the wheels hand cranking the camera. Cool but rough and simple.

Cheers
Gregg