Sparky
Producer
Status? Would that be Credit or in Society?
Posts: 2,784
Online Status:
|
Post by Sparky on Apr 15, 2021 18:18:28 GMT
Arrrgh. These used to freak the hell out of me when I was a kid. The modified nighttime "Thames" ident added to it.
A mate's wife is a lecturer at Sheffield Uni's 'Film School' - a student wanted to re-create these for a project years back - I was roped into to "advise"....
All actually quite simple; just a large open fronted lamp for the shadow, and the getting the camera position right - as it's all forced perspective and using the shadow of the chair to mask other bits.
The bit on these titles that really freaks me out is the last bit with the hands.... still does today.
Even knowing how its all done.
ATV had a junction slide (with a caption on the bottom "Tommorrow" "Tonight" etc). The photo they used on the slide was the final bit with the fingers....
The bit that makes it even more freaky is that the shadow of the person is the same as the Ghost I saw in front of me 2018 (photo posted elsewhere).
|
|
Sparky
Producer
Status? Would that be Credit or in Society?
Posts: 2,784
Online Status:
|
Post by Sparky on Apr 15, 2021 18:29:26 GMT
The titles to this freaked me out - even before it all turned into a horrific tale. That old gut instinct was right - even then.
Not the titles themselves, but the Flying YTV chevron used to send me off behind the sofa...
|
|
|
Post by Arthur Pringle on Apr 15, 2021 19:42:10 GMT
Oh dear, Savile's introduction to the part with the Vietnamese children, he seems to commit virtually every racial 'gaffe' imaginable in the space of a minute
Even James Herriot seemed to be behaving inappropriately with a child.
|
|
Nightfly
Screenwriter
Posts: 904
Online Status:
|
Post by Nightfly on Apr 15, 2021 20:05:13 GMT
The bit on these titles that really freaks me out is the last bit with the hands.... still does today.
Even knowing how its all done.
Very clever and very effective titles ! From the split second of the first scene you see at the end of the clip it looks like the start of the "Rachel In Danger" episodes of AT. Young girl goes to stay with her estranged father whom she has never met and ends up staying with the imposter who has murdered him shortly before her arrival. Edge of the seat stuff from what I can remember. The episodes are on YouTube.
|
|
|
Post by Arthur Pringle on Apr 15, 2021 22:06:34 GMT
Funny I was only looking at Stephen Greif's twitter the other day after watching 'Citizen Smith', looking down his tweets he mentioned the death of the writer of 'Rachel In Danger', John Bowen & in passing that his partner was David Cook, the first presenter of 'Rainbow'.
|
|
Sparky
Producer
Status? Would that be Credit or in Society?
Posts: 2,784
Online Status:
|
Post by Sparky on Apr 16, 2021 6:15:53 GMT
Oh dear, Savile's introduction to the part with the Vietnamese children, he seems to commit virtually every racial 'gaffe' imaginable in the space of a minute
Even James Herriot seemed to be behaving inappropriately with a child.
The Racism on top of whatever he was up to backstage. Half expected Saville to reel out the Mother in Law gags next.
Gladly, he never appeared on Wheeltappers.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Online Status:
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2021 0:17:15 GMT
Not the titles themselves, but the Flying YTV chevron used to send me off behind the sofa...
Like Bully did with me everytime he zoomed into the screen and moo'd. That noise still makes me shudder.
|
|
Sparky
Producer
Status? Would that be Credit or in Society?
Posts: 2,784
Online Status:
|
Post by Sparky on May 23, 2021 20:39:09 GMT
As it's been chucking it down. Had a look at how these titles were done. It's based on those very early silent Horror shorts which were all lit very contrasty/shadowy.
Sheffield Uni film school tried it about 10 years ago - something wasn't quite right with them.
So... Armchair positioned against white backdrop in a dark room lit with a bright open fronted lamp - to get the sharp shadow. The light should be positioned at an angle to the RH side of the chair.
Camera positioned at a slight angle to left of chair about 15ft away. Second chair (much smaller) possibly a stool, positioned to the RH side of the camera in direct line with the armchair. The shadow of this 2nd chair is hidden in the shadow of the arm chair.
Actor walks backwards in front of light source, as the actor reaches the stool, should turn and sit on the stool to face the armchair with hands placed on knees. Last cue - move arms hands out & spread fingers.
The actor walking backwards towards the 2nd chair to me makes it look a little more sinister.
Obviously, some setting up the position of the camera in relation to light and actor is required. Other interesting effects can be achieved by moving one or the other.
So - currently not popular with Mrs Sparky for nicking the dining chairs and sticking them in the garage for an hour or so....
|
|
Del Boy
Moderator
Posts: 9,899
Online Status:
|
Post by Del Boy on May 25, 2021 11:35:52 GMT
As it's been chucking it down. Had a look at how these titles were done. It's based on those very early silent Horror shorts which were all lit very contrasty/shadowy.
Sheffield Uni film school tried it about 10 years ago - something wasn't quite right with them.
So... Armchair positioned against white backdrop in a dark room lit with a bright open fronted lamp - to get the sharp shadow. The light should be positioned at an angle to the RH side of the chair.
Camera positioned at a slight angle to left of chair about 15ft away. Second chair (much smaller) possibly a stool, positioned to the RH side of the camera in direct line with the armchair. The shadow of this 2nd chair is hidden in the shadow of the arm chair.
Actor walks backwards in front of light source, as the actor reaches the stool, should turn and sit on the stool to face the armchair with hands placed on knees. Last cue - move arms hands out & spread fingers.
The actor walking backwards towards the 2nd chair to me makes it look a little more sinister.
Obviously, some setting up the position of the camera in relation to light and actor is required. Other interesting effects can be achieved by moving one or the other.
So - currently not popular with Mrs Sparky for nicking the dining chairs and sticking them in the garage for an hour or so....
You didn't paint it red did you Sparky.
|
|
Sparky
Producer
Status? Would that be Credit or in Society?
Posts: 2,784
Online Status:
|
Post by Sparky on May 25, 2021 15:11:53 GMT
You didn't paint it red did you Sparky. No. We weren't popular as we nicked two chairs and bunged them in the garage for most of the morning. It was easier than moving the arm chairs....
None the less, still mucking about with the acquired footage. My youngest wanted to use it as part of his school work. That'll more than likely make us less popular for frightening class loads of 11 y/o kids....
I assume you mean these titles Del... That'll need a few bottles of Ketchup.
These titles aren't as sinister as the others.
|
|