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POV camera shot in to mirror?

L

londonfilmmaker

There is a similar sounding thread to this on the front page of this forum but it didn't discuss what I was looking for.

I have a concept I'm planning in which the entirety/vast majority of the film is shot in a POV angle in a single continuous shot. Part of the reveal in the script is when the protagonist looks in to a mirror (as 'we' do - as the camera is POV).

The obvious problem here is that pointing a camera at a mirror will show - the camera! I have a home made rig with counter weights for a small DSLR that I plan on shooting it with which allows the camera to move with an actor 'hands free'.

Any ideas? I know a few bigger budget films have done this (possibly 'Hollow Man' did this - though I would have to watch it again). I am working on a miniscule budget of sub $5k.

I have toyed with an idea of just filming the actor from the perspective of the mirror, in effect filming an actor being his own reflection, but it seems convoluted.

Thanks.
 
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Cover the mirror in green, shoot your actor from the mirror's POV in a separate shot and then greenscreen it in post. It's the technique done in Peep Show on Channel 4
 
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micster said:
Cover the mirror in green, shoot your actor from the mirror's POV in a separate shot and then greenscreen it in post. It's the technique done in Peep Show on Channel 4
Click to expand...

Okay, so you're saying shoot the original POV from the actor first looking at the green mirror, then second shot from the perspective of the mirror looking at the actor who will perform the reflection, then merge the two in post? Sounds plausible, will look in to that!

EDIT: And ironically, I hate Peep Show and stopped watching after the first episode for that reason - definitely time to purchase the box set!
 
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jax_rox said:
you talking about something like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCTGdhXCSks

blue/green screen
Click to expand...


Great clip and impressive. Need to see that film again, so underrated.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't appear as though the camera is pointed directly at the mirror, therefore there would be no need for green screen as it was shot at an angle?

I'm after what the first reply mentioned i.e. a 'Peep Show' style POV, where we literally are the character's eyes. The scene I'm planning has the character look up in a bathroom at a mirror on the wall - he is literally 3-4 feet away and we see his reflection in the mirror through his POV.
 
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If it's through his POV, then all you need to do is film the actor straight on, using the camera as "the mirror" and then take that clip and horizontal flip (or just do nothing to it, if it's the mirror's perspective)
 
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