Special Effects Email

As I was trying to find out the name of the effect used in the Disturbia video, or even how it was done, I couldn't find any answers on the internet from just searching on Google. Instead, I came accross an animation, illustraton and visual effects website called Anachronistic Productions. On their website, gives users the opportunity to ask questions to the people behind the company. I had emailed Christian Darkin and he had replied giving me the answer to how the effect was created and advice about filiming during the performance. Before the reply, I had a chance to practise with the sharks footage on Final Cut, to try to achieve the same effect as seen in Disturbia. I had cut the frames from in between the movement during the dance sequence, but had not sped the clip up and I didn't paste the frames back in. So the effect wasn't achieved but following the reply from Christian Darkin, I will paste the frames back into the sped up clip to see if this would achieve the right effect.

The email and reply below,

Sent by me, on 25 Sep 2010, at 00:17:

Hello,

I am about to direct, film and edit a music video for my A2 Media studies, and I came across an effect which I am dying to know how it's done and the effect's name! The effect is from Rihanna's Disturbia video, where the video has many jerky, quick movements. I've tried testing this in Final Cut Express, but I can't seem to get it right. What I did was, I got a clip and cut out some of the frames during a dance sequence and then watched it over, but it didn't give that psychotic jerky effect like in Rihanna's video. What is the name of the effect, and is it achievable in Final Cut Express, and if so, how?

Thank you very much for your time,

Hasina

Reply from Christian Darkin(26/09/2010):

Hi,

I think it's a combination of fx and good choriography. In the edit I think you need to cut out a few frames between every movement (yes every single movement) speed them up and put them back in again.

You'll get a problem doing this because it will throw the dancers timing out so you'll have to make the dancers compensate somehow with their performances

Christian