Creating Trails from a Kids Sparkler

[Ivan Kovax]

Hey Guys,

I was thinking to create a long trail from one of those sparkler toys as a child waves it to and fro in the air (the ones you light up for kids during fireworks or celebrations) and was wondering what the best way to do this was?

My thoughts were as follows:


1. Film the actual shot person playing with the sparkler.
2. Then on the same lens size and distance film a sparker in SLOW MOTION against a BLACK FABRIC such that one can do a clean luma key and composite that in later. Get several variations of movement. Eg. 1 still shot of sparlerl burning, another few emulating the most ion captured in the actual take, and perhaps a fe simple up and downs, sideways, and randoms thrown in for good rase (you never know when they can come in useful).
3. Track and composite the luma key over the actual shot as a series of layers in after effects such that it creates a decaying trail effect.

How effective would this method be, and/or could you suggest an alternative path to achieving this effect if you think my method would be inappropriate?

Signing off, outta Tokyo...

Ivan

EDIT: Perhaps I could film the whole thing in slow mo, then create several layers at various frame rates (startin from normal to high speed) with masks around the sparkler?

 

[paulherrin]

it seems like you may want to try an isolated echoing effect. otherwise maybe a cg sparkler would work for the purposes of a trail.

 

[Ivan Kovax]

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the reply. Is there any cg sparkler that would could recommend? I think the director was more thinking an effect like that DHL commercial (which is clearly CG) but I am trying to work out both ways just in case...

Ivan

 

[Björn Benckert]

360 shutter and then post "compound" over the amount of frames you want the trail.

even nicer high speed like 98fps, to get a lot of frames, and then compound with a soft curve to get the trail to have a soft end and start.

If you shoot in pitch black you can use additive compound in float then you get a nicer brightness for your highlights.


360 shutter is key. It's a wonderful feature that opens up huge possibilites when it comes to trails.


A cool thing is to make the compound layer with a falling curve over frames and then add a layer with just the first frame of the compound then you get a twinking star with a trail after it.

 

[Nick Morrison]

360 shutter and then post "compound" over the amount of frames you want the trail.

even nicer high speed like 98fps, to get a lot of frames, and then compound with a soft curve to get the trail to have a soft end and start.

If you shoot in pitch black you can use additive compound in float then you get a nicer brightness for your highlights.


360 shutter is key. It's a wonderful feature that opens up huge possibilites when it comes to trails.


A cool thing is to make the compound layer with a falling curve over frames and then add a layer with just the first frame of the compound then you get a twinking star with a trail after it.

Bjorn how about shooting HDRX as well? So that the actor and the trails are captured at different shutter speeds (the actor sharper, and the trails more blurred out...assuming my understanding of HDRX is at least passable....)

 

[Chris Elkerton]

Have you thought about Trapecode Particular?

 

[paulherrin]

i'm not sure i've seen the commercial, but i assume you're looking at something similar to this: http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/light_streaks/

https://vimeo.com/34597466

if you can make it (or jump) to the end of the spot there's some stylized sparklers that i made with a few instances of particular in ae, you could definitely get something realistic based off whatever you shoot, i highly recommend red giant's plugins, especially trapcode particular - super fast and simple. i probably have the effect in an ae file, otherwise i'd be happy to help walk you through it.

as for shooting, bjorn and nick bring up good points, if you're against black(ish) you'll have an easy(ish) time isolating the sparkler and echoing it, otherwise it could get complicated - in which case i'd shoot a real sparkler and plan to sub in a cg one for the trail. shooting hfr & hdrx would also be a good idea.

 

[Ivan Kovax]

Everybody thankyou so much! This is all great advice. You guys are great!

Ivan

 

[BRANDON JAMESON]

360 shutter and then post "compound" over the amount of frames you want the trail.

even nicer high speed like 98fps, to get a lot of frames, and then compound with a soft curve to get the trail to have a soft end and start.

If you shoot in pitch black you can use additive compound in float then you get a nicer brightness for your highlights.


360 shutter is key. It's a wonderful feature that opens up huge possibilites when it comes to trails.


A cool thing is to make the compound layer with a falling curve over frames and then add a layer with just the first frame of the compound then you get a twinking star with a trail after it.

Hey Björn,

THanks for your generosity of time and talent, I continue to learn so much from your posts.