What's this still motion effect called?

May 15, 2009 4:52 PM

This motion technique is used all the time on History Channel shows and the like, and I'd like to learn more about it.

But I don't know what it's called, so I don't know where to even start with my Google-Fu.

Basically, it uses what's obviously a still image; a figure in the foreground is isolated and is either moved or zoomed in relation to the background, creating a sort of parallax effect.

First, what's this effect called, and, secondly, any ideas, suggestions from Me-Fites on where I can find more info or tutorials on it on the interwebs? Thanks!

posted by jrchaplin to computers & internet (13 comments total)

Ken Burns effect?
posted by ALongDecember at 5:04 PM on May 15 [2 favorites has favorites]

Fist time I recall seeing that was "Human Behaviour" by Björk. Don't know what the name of the effect is though.

You can replicate this by using a zoom lense and physically backing away from the object while zooming in. For the effect to look good you want to match the zooming speed with the speed of the movement. If you use a dolly / rails you'll get much smoother results, of course.
posted by monocultured at 5:04 PM on May 15

[Unless it's just bluescreen and layers of stuff being enlarged in After Effects or the like.]
posted by monocultured at 5:05 PM on May 15

Here's one tutorial.

There is a PDF referenced all over (Google search), but it's a broken link. The various links that search brings up are helpful though.
posted by smackfu at 5:07 PM on May 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

monocultured, do you mean a dolly (or Hitchcock) zoom?
posted by ALongDecember at 5:07 PM on May 15 [2 favorites has favorites]

ALongDecember, yeup, that's just it. Wouldn't have thought of finding in on WP, thanks!
posted by monocultured at 5:11 PM on May 15

I would not call this Ken Burns effect. That is just a slow zoom/pan in on a photo, without isolating the layers and getting the fake 3D effect.
posted by smackfu at 5:14 PM on May 15

Eh, unless what you were looking for jrchaplin, was an actual still image and not just a "static film image" as I took it, in which case smackfu is right. It's all smoke and AE mirrors, that, and the linked tutorial outlines it nicely. Videocopilot.net has a nice tutorial on the subject here: Virtual 3D photos.

Too dang tired to be up at this ungodly hour…
posted by monocultured at 5:18 PM on May 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

A "ken burns" effect, is also known as a moco or Motion Control Camera effect. You'd have a camera on a stand, a photo that was mounted, and move the camera.

That's not this effect. This is a 'faux' 3d effect (dollying in/out.) The first 'big' use of it was in The Kid Stays in the Picture. It's a 3d move on a 2d picture.

Basically, they take a photoshop file and separate it into layers (at least two - a foreground and background.) Then, you clone in some extra pixels where the background 'doesn't exist. Then you use a 3d camera on a still (this can be done easily with Motion, After Effects, and most editing apps.) Want to go a bit further? Add a blur to the background and it appears that there's a depth of field.
posted by filmgeek at 5:24 PM on May 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

Yeah it's totally the Kid Stays In The Picture effect.
posted by Kirklander at 5:38 PM on May 15

It's a type of dolly zoom and a sort of stock film school shot, at least it was when I was in college (pre-digital) days when I was working as the studio technician. You mount a camera on a dolly that can hold a camera operator (like a Chapman Super Peewee III). While the dolly operator pushes the dolly backwards the camera operator racks focus on the subject faster than what it takes to keep them in steady focus. Typically, back then, you would rack focus to switch between a subject in the foreground and one in the background. If you time it just right the effect is that the subject appears to be getting slightly larger as the background gets smaller. It takes a bit of a trick to time the dolly operator and camera operator. I'm not sure how they do it these days with the magic of online post-production.
posted by mrmojoflying at 5:59 PM on May 15

Monocultured and smackfu have narrowed it down for me. The Kid Stays in The Picture effect is what I'm looking for: An actual photo (not moving image) in which subjects are isolated and moved within the frame to simulate motion.

Thanks everyone!
posted by jrchaplin at 6:05 PM on May 15

I've heard this called a 2 and a half D effect. As others have said, its a post trick. Not the same as a Hitchcock....
posted by jindc at 10:34 AM on May 16