Igniting the Screen: Building ‘Like a Rookie’s’ Burning Cigar Shot Digitally
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When You Need A Little More Coverage
Sometimes when you’re editing, even though they obviously did their best on set with the time they had, well… sometimes there isn’t enough coverage and your left looking for solutions to fix a unnatural looking cut. One such situation arose with cutting the upcoming short film ‘Like a Rookie’, premiering on April 14th, 2024. Faced with the need for another coverage shot we quickly devised a plan. A digital close up of a cigar would be introduced, solving our editing issue and enriching the narrative with an undercurrent of tension and foreboding.
With instant access to the set available, it being parked conveniently on our hard drive, we were loaded up and working within minutes. A Quixel Megascans cigar asset was used and modified to have an emissive glowing tip. In Blender, we ran a smoke simulation and created the stream of smoke rising from the burning cigar. Then the elements were assembled in Unreal Engine including digital background characters and the live action footage of the singer. The digital camera was set with a near focus and a shallow depth of field for a classic cinematic look. Finally the image was colour corrected to match the style of the rest of the film. All said and done in under an hour.
![Cigar Close-up](https://opticalwizardry.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CigarShot_3.1.2-1024x576.jpg)
Flexibility at Every stage
Our approach to virtual production emphasises flexibility and creativity. Whether your planning, in the thick of production, or fine-tuning in post-production, our technology and expertise allow for unparalleled adaptability. The ability to alter scenes on demand and overcome unforeseen challenges swiftly is what we love about virtual production.
Our mission is to democratise access to high-end virtual production technologies, making it easier for filmmakers to tell new and exciting stories. By eliminating the traditional barriers of cost and complexity, we are opening up a world of possibilities.
Join Us on this Journey
Make sure you watch ‘Like a Rookie’ on April 14th, 2024. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content and stay up to date. If you’re inspired by what you see and eager to explore how our service can enhance your next project, reach out to us. You next project could be the one to push the boundaries of what’s possible in filmmaking.