MIRROR WITH NO REFLECTION?

[dr0zombie]

Two things.. first... have you posted this out to the FX lab Site? http://www.theeffectslab.com/forums/index.php There are a ton of people on there with a huge range of SPFX experience.

Second, if this were me... and I did not have to reflect an object in the mirror, had time, and more money than I have..... Here would be my thought to try....... I would build a series of ornate alcoves with mirrors in them. Each alcove would be an individual floor to ceiling length mirror, say 7.5 or 8 foot. They would not touch each other but the frames would. You would build them so they have something out in front of each of them, like a pillar or post or something. In front of that would be a coffin, or more sculpted marble looking parts of the arches. The though being that you place one of the super small security cameras with a wide lens into the pillar, focus it so it is actually zooming in a bit, it picks up the movement of the people in front of it, you project that onto a haze piece of glass (around the outside) that is your mirror. You could have an area that allowed the people in the back to walk around and be reflected but those in front of the mirror would not be. You would have to use it in such a way that your vampire didn't walk in front of a camera. And this would be really expensive... and might not work at all... since I have never done anything close to this. But you could test it with say your own camera and a projector and see if you can actually make it work....... Honestly it seems really complicate and way too expensive for the overall effect it would provide. But while building tonight this was the brain dump on the thought...... here is a quick diagram .....

--X1--
M1 :arrow: Reflection area 1
--X2--
M2 :arrow: Reflection area 2
--X3--
M3 :arrow: Reflection area 3
--X4--
M4 :arrow: Reflection area 4
--X?--

BTW, if someone actually knows a way to do this that isn't so darn complicate I would love to learn it.

[Jim Warfield]

Some Japanese inventor a few years ago made a coat that had numerous little video cameras all over it putting the images onto the back of the coat , showing what was in front of the coat, making an almost invisibility coat.
Anybody else remember this?
Highland College had alot of trouble taking my I.D. photo, everyone else's picture ahead and behind me came out perfect (as "perfect" as genetically allowable, that is)
We stood in a long line, waiting our turns, sat in a chair, "Flash!", Stand around and wait maybe 4 minutes and the picture came out of the machine, got put into heat-shrink and you were done and out the door. Not me. All black!
"Get back in line, try it again."
I did, second try came out all black.
(all the other student's pictures were coming out just fine who were sitting there before and after my turn)
By the third time and another all black picture they were getting worried!
Finally a picture of me came out ok! Hurray! Not a Vampire afterall, call the priest back, cancel the garlic shipment from the market.
This whole little photo shoot was taking place a few minutes after my wife had told me that she wanted a divorce. Tell me again how the mind can't really influence the physical body or it's surroundings.
That must have been one great big overpowering black aura!

[larrymoss]

I'm real new around here (reading the forum for the first time tonight), but I'll jump right in on this. Going back to the suggestion of video cameras projecting on the mirror, what if the camera were running during the party and a previous video, or even stills, were taken before the party. If the vampires are all wearing the same color, including makeup, could you pull them out of the projected image using a chroma key?

No idea if it can be achieved practically, but it would allow some people to be reflected while others aren't.[/img]

[Xpendable]

I would build a duplicate room (make both rooms small so you don't waste too much space) with a small or medium 2-way wall mirror between the two rooms and the ability to independently control the lighting in both rooms. When the guests first come into the regular room, the lights are on in the room they are standing, but off in the duplicate room. The mirror looks like any other mirror and they see their own reflections. Have the lights flicker then kill them for a few moments... then bring them back on, but this time also bring the lights in the duplicate room on. Now their reflections are just barely visible or not at all. Dang that would be cool!

Of course this doesn't solve the problem of making just some people reflect. I won't try to tackle that one.

[gridbug]

I think about the only practical option is mirrors too dirty to see anything and a sign saying "Good Cleaning Service Wanted"...

[cheeseboy33]

I'm just curious if anybody has yet figured out a way to do this.

[Dreamreaper]

Green screen, put them anywhere.

[jakprintsHAUNT]

Maybe a twist on that invisible coat idea, but would be tough for the actor to execute. I was thinking maybe some kind of mirror at the actor's back, or the back half of their costume mirrored. Would be tough to execute and be perfect, but might get somewhat of the desired result.

Which that gave me another interesting idea...what about a wall or hall of mirrors with someone in a mirrored suit (made of something like space blanket). If it looked too unnatural, add some of the same material the suit is made of here and there on the walls. As long as the lighting were done creatively...it could be like the classic dot room effect but another twist on it?

an idea to work on if nothing else..


Mike "Pogo" Hach

[shawnc]

Sounds like someone has been watching too many movies. Do they realize that when things like this happen in movies you are only looking at it from one (the camera's) angle? And as you see different shots in a single scene, the camera stops and everything is moved.

Sounds like it would be an amazingly cool effect, but probably impossible and unbelievable expensive either way.

Edited to add: Sorry, I didn't realize how old this thread was. I'm sure by now that the people that wanted this done by the original poster realize how ridiculous it was that they even asked.

[deathstaste]

simple way

Just use real vampires!

[soultrkr]

Projected or peopers ghost are only 2 ways I can think of/ you can build the mirrors into a decorative box to make it look like an amoire and do rear projection to it or set up a mini set of the outside and do peopers ghost. not sure how you would enlarge the mini set.

[SAWDUST JONES]

Very Special Mirror

Errrr... it just so happens that I am in possession of exactly such magic mirror. Very sophisticated and I should point out that it utilizes "alien technology". As you might imagine, the government is after me because they want my magic mirror for evil military purposes, so we have to keep this all kind of on the down low.

That said, there are some abandoned building I know of, we can meet there, you pay me $10,000 dollars and I give you a map indicating the location of the magic mirror.

Take it or leave it.

[Matt Marich]

You can do this but every person won't reflect in the mirror, er, everyone's a Vampire. You use plexiglass instead of a mirror, dull the plexi so nothing reflects. put it on a set wall, in a small room, behind the mirror, build an exact replica room, get it? You can also emulate the ceiling behind this facade. if you feel confident, you can eliminate the plexi and just go for a full opening. With the right light levels, in a good dark corner, this effect can be amazing.

Steve Kopelman did a version of this at Alice Cooper's Haunt in Phoenix, the results were flawless. They had a girl pop out from behind and to the side of the mirror. His mirror was above a large fireplace mantle. They had every detail replicated, including a duplicate chandelier.

Now, i'm thinking you could simply project a still image behind the mirror instead of having to go to great cost in buying two of everything, Kip are you there on this one?

And now the cogs are turning, slowly...

Matt

[kpolley]

Yeah, the projected image is easier...but you lose the "depth". Using an actual 3D set makes the illusion totally real. An image wouldn't look right as you viewed it from different angles. Still...I see possibilites...

[Jim Warfield]

Tip the Mirror Slightly

From the top , tip it back, then only allow the person who needs to be reflected close to it to get their reflection picked up whereas the people further away won't get reflected from a distance.
Maybe a sheet of plexiglass could be mounted infront of the tipped back mirror to maintain the illusion of a flat surfaced mirror.
Maybe this could be made to work, maybe my underware is just too tight right now?
(Restricting blood flow to my butt!)