Pond Bottom Cam: Frog Belly Reveal

Test shots for an under pond water pov concept I had as a way to bring greater dimension to the landscape itself as well as to show better what the Frog character is symbolizing. I tried various amounts of tulle and lighting to see if the concept worked, which I think it fully does!

(The bottom right shot makes me laugh. It's of my head, holding a rubber goldfish in my mouth HA!, captured during the test by mistake. As this was just a quick test, I didn't want to keep crawling under the set so I'd I just reach under the pond with my hands and couldn't see where I was aiming. I got better, you can see the fish "floating" in the lower left shot).


As soon as Cirelle and I installed the moss green ultrasuede-like fabric to the bottom of the set's pond, I realized I could shoot the reveal of the Time Frog's Belly Works from underneath by positioning the camera between the birth canal-like folds of the fabric and shoot up, through layers of sheer tulle water, to the sunlight above the water's surface.

I think it'll be a marvelous way to get a shot of the Time Frog's belly, to reveal the clockwork there. It will be hazy, but not as silhouetted as these tests. I can use a small underwater (:^}) directional spotlight to show off the belly area more clearly.

I've already begun designing the frog's clockwork and eyes. I plan to use photographs and cut out paper gears instead of real metal watch parts. I just want to suggest a working mechanism, not actually fiddle with making one.

Soon I hope to show you how kick-ass fantastic the pond is coming along shore-side! We're having so much fun with it.

Comments

  1. Dead End5:06 AM

    These tests are pretty fantastic! Absolutely wonderful.

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  2. The shot with the fish in it looks amazing! I wouldn't have expected you could get such a lovely, watery effect just using fabric... though, I often think you are a bit of a magician the way bend everyday objects to suit your purposes.

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  3. Thank you both! I love it too! And so appreciate your words of encouragement!

    If I were just doing all this myself with no one to show each part of development, I doubt it could be done at all! Certainly not as boldly!

    So, thank you for commenting and for watching.

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  4. BEAUTIFUL!!!! I will definitely be using your technique when it comes time to do Jenny G.

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  5. YAY! Oh yes, Uba, I can totally imagine Jenny seeing her victim Nola from beneath the murkiness! Oooooo, scary scary.

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  6. Wow, so beautiful. The fabric seems like such a perfect solution! Very watery and pond-like... So curious to see this animated!

    I like the silhouette lighting, as well.

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  7. Yay! Thanks, Stephanie! I'll keep the silhouette effect overall, I like it too, will just follow YOUR fabulous lighting tut (a bit--not as marvelously detailed as your lighting) and use tiny directional up lights aimed at the frog belly clock works.

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  8. Shelley, these tests are gorgeous! They not only look realistically like water, but they're beautiful and elegant too. I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

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  9. I so appreciate your remarks, Thessaly Rose. Thank you so much!

    Cirelle came by today and worked on the pond plants. It thrills us how real it all looks! Vaowow!

    Posting planned soon...

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  10. Anonymous5:53 PM

    Oh my goodness, I just love this angle. And that shot of you is great. You really just captured the frogginess of it.

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  11. Puuuurrrr Teee.

    jriggity

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  12. Ribbbit, Peggy! Thanks!

    Thanks, Justin, Man!

    Thanks, Rich!

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  13. Oh yea,,,looks just like water,,you are amazing,,,can I come for a swim....15 milisecond of fame..giggle.
    hon

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  14. Believe me, Marcie, you are a STAR in 1/2L. Those things you've sent are throughout the set and props! SO INCREDIBLY HELPFUL!!!!

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