BSA227 W1 : Caligari Test

Over the weekend I started looking into doing a test for the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari style, I realized that I could use green screen of people and combine it with simple cardboard cutouts. The movie I am using as inspiration had really crazy sets, but I think the main appeal of them was the way they were designed and painted. Nowadays they don't have to be massive anymore to be effective - at least that is if I can figure out how to do it correctly.

I stole some cardboard from work and decided to draw/paint on them in the same style as Caligari - where the lighting is ingrained in the surroundings.

ANNOTATED EXAMPLE

Luckily I already had some green screen footage on a hard drive so I didn't have to get out the green screen room just for this one test, although I have booked the room for next weekend for some more in depth tests.



I placed some boxes in a manner similar to what is seen in the film just to see whether or not the idea will work, I think this turned out quite well strengthening my resolve.

PAINTING THE CARDBOARD

This was one of the first things that I had to consider, how would I paint the cardboard? Since the paper worked so well for the ground I knew that I wouldn't have to do a layer of white paint, and knowing it would be in black and white meant that only black would be needed. All very easy, I decided to use vivids to draw onto the paper:



The perspective really threw me off, foreshortening is to the extreme and lines come out differently than I think they would. I am going to have to plan the set properly before just starting to draw it.

AFTER EFFECTS COMPOSITION

NOTE: I think it would be really special, and an evolution of what's already here, if the paint in the set design changed to represent the change in lighting. Where that guy is lighting a lamp for example: imagine if the star shape on the ground grew realistically as if from the lamp. It would be very unique and cool to see, but I don't know how I would execute it yet.

NOTE: The sound of colouring in with the markers could be incorporated into the sound design or music