Questions about styles used through films and shows.
37
votes
6answers
9k views
Why is the bride's name bleeped in Kill Bill Vol 1
In the movie Kill Bill Vol.1, whenever someone mentions the bride by her name
Beatrix Kiddo
Her name is censored with a beep. Is this explained somewhere in the movie? Or is it just a signature ...
3
votes
2answers
274 views
Is the brain sequence similar to reality or not?
In Saw 3 a sequence is shown where Dr. Lynn Denlon performs a operation on John (Jigsaw) using a drill and other similar tools.
My first question is, how can they perform an operation where hardware ...
8
votes
1answer
197 views
Is Dogville inspired from Hitchcock's Rear Window?
Watching these 2 movies I found similarities between them. The visual city in Dogville reminds me of Rear Window, where the hero is watching to everything from his window.
Is this a case of an ...
16
votes
2answers
434 views
How did they create the hole in Robert Downey Jr.'s chest for the Iron Man movie?
Don't know if this is the right place to ask this, but I'm wondering how they created the hole in Robert Downey Jr.'s chest so they can put the reactor there? Here is the video "Iron Man: Behind the ...
5
votes
1answer
107 views
Where did flatlining come from?
A standard sign of death on TV and film seems to be someone's heart rate machine flatlining with a long, drawn out BEEEEEEEEEEP.
However, this is not what actually happens - apparently this noise ...
13
votes
1answer
238 views
How can a movie from 1987 be better in HD than SD?
How can a movie from 1987 be better in HD than SD? Does that apply to all movies that were recorded on old-style film?
8
votes
1answer
364 views
First Hollywood movie with “flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks”?
In Super (2010), I noticed the weird concept of flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks.
Which was the first Hollywood movie with the same concept?
36
votes
2answers
4k views
How do they film the mirror scenes in movies?
It always makes me wonder how do they place the cameras and crew members while filming a scene which is opposite to a reflecting object, such as mirror. Because, when filming the reflected objects we ...
6
votes
3answers
207 views
Why is it a common trend to pan the camera past an object then back to it?
The title might have been vague so let me clarify. I have see this in many movies and television series over the years, even cartoons. Let me create a scenario since I can't visually remember one to ...
9
votes
1answer
130 views
Why are there different audio levels for different languages?
I was watching the Star Trek Into Darkness trailers on Apple's trailer site. I watched the Announcement in english (US) and then the UK and AU versions and I noticed that background audio was at ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
What is including a sound from another movie as a tribute called?
Is there a term for when a movie intentionally includes a bit of a sound track from another movie solely as a tribute to the original movie?
7
votes
1answer
594 views
How do they film “flying human” scenes?
I am watching Chronicle (2012) and this question just popped into my mind. What technics are used for filming flying human scenes? Do they always use Chroma Keying or are there other technics?
1
vote
1answer
134 views
Rooftop contraption used to simulate realistic driving scenes
I recall seeing a behind-the-scenes feature wherein it is explained that realistic action sequences involving moving cars are now possible with the use of a device which allows the car to be ...
4
votes
2answers
298 views
How do they mix real characters with animated characters?
Some animated movies shows real characters( men / women) in them like movie Avatar. How do they mix real characters with animated characters? Is this cost more than purely animated movie? How is the ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
Breaking a whiskey glass with your bare hands: how would this have been done?
In Broken City, there's a scene where the character, Jack Valliant, breaks his whiskey glass by squeezing it with his bare hands. I'd first like to know if this is actually physically possible. ...
8
votes
1answer
5k views
How are the Iron Man suit scenes filmed?
In all three movies, you see Downey Jr (as Tony Stark, and occasionally Cheadle as Rhodes/War Machine) in the namesake suit, either completely covered, or with the head open or having the suit put ...
-1
votes
1answer
97 views
What are the artistic reasons to shoot “Curb Your Enthusiasm” in a higher frame rate?
What are the artistic reasons to shoot "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in a higher frame rate?
I don't get used to it, maybe it looks better in new TVs, but I have an old CRT and the first time I watched the ...
3
votes
0answers
52 views
How did they shoot/record the One Day More scene?
In Les Miserables, I understand all music numbers (every scene, that is) were recorded live on set with the actors leading an accompanying pianist off-site. How then could they shoot the One Day More ...
3
votes
1answer
50 views
Which technique is used to show the grown up Renesmee?
In the end of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Alice's vision shows the grown up Renesmee. So how this scene got achieved? How they managed to show a young Renesmee to a mature Renesmee?
7
votes
1answer
97 views
Why do films have more cuts than they did 20 years ago?
The "20 years" is an arbitrary figure but I have noticed that films tend to have way more cuts than they did in earlier days of film making. Sometimes there will be a conversation in the room and ...
8
votes
4answers
244 views
Is a helicopter used to shoot such scenes?
Often in movies we see moving vehicles from above. Personally, I think they are shot using helicopters. But if so, why can't we hear the noise of the helicopter? It can't be a balloon, can it? Because ...
3
votes
1answer
147 views
Why do movie coroners eat while they do an autopsy?
I have seen this in movies and in TV. They are either already eating, un wrapping their lunch or offering food to the cop that wants info on the body. I would have though food within range of a dead ...
7
votes
2answers
271 views
Why do they always close the eyelids of dead people?
You have seen it hundreds of times in movies. Someone dies and the doctor, priest, cop or someone else, moves their hands over the dead person's eyes and the eyes magically close. It's as if the eyes ...
1
vote
1answer
166 views
How slow motion Holi scenes are shot?
I always want to know that how holi scene with slow motion gets captured. Is it purely a slow motion or is it CGI or any other technique?
Below are some screenshots to demonstrate the effect
...
4
votes
4answers
485 views
How do they make a huge crowd in a movie?
We usually see a huge crowd in a movie:
In scenes in war movies having a huge crowd, where you'll have an army force with costumes
In musical shows set in a movie, games like football, cricket, or ...
14
votes
2answers
510 views
What was the earliest mass-release movie that used Matrix-like “bullet time”?
One of the things that The Matrix was famous for was "bullet time" cinematography.
I'm fairly sure that, while it was the first one to use the technique extensively and become famous for it, it ...
4
votes
1answer
205 views
Camera shot with close-up next to farther away standing person
While watching Final Destination 3 I noticed a very characteristic camera shot. At a scene where the main character, Wendy, sits in her room at the computer (watching the supposedly foretelling ...
8
votes
1answer
330 views
How is dialog between two people filmed?
I was always wondering how dialog between two people is filmed.
Suppose there are two people talking. The screen is switching between faces of the characters while they talk.
How it is done in ...
3
votes
1answer
118 views
How were the zooming sequences performed?
In Limitless, one of the initial scenes features a unique zooming effect that is a rare find.
How was this achieved and do these scenes serve any purpose story-wise or meant as a simple mind trip to ...
4
votes
0answers
1k views
First use of on-screen text messages, like in Sherlock and House of Cards
The BBC's Sherlock (July 2010-) uses a novel visual trick to show the contents of an SMS message directly on the television screen, so we can all read it without having to look at a dull phone screen.
...
6
votes
3answers
831 views
Do they really drink or eat when shooting movies?
Many times in movies and TV shows characters are showed as eating or drinking activities (water, beverages, alcohol). If a shoot takes many retakes, then the actors will not want to eat after going ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
How slasher scenes get shot?
I love watching Slasher movies like Saw, Final Destination etc, but always wonder that how they shoot these kind of scenes which looks too real. Scenes like where body parts get slashed, broken in two ...
12
votes
1answer
737 views
How do they make horses fall down in war movies?
I have seen horses falling down many times in war movies while running. How do they make horses fall down in war movies? Are they highly trained to know fall down at some place or some barriers are ...
19
votes
3answers
2k views
What techniqes are used by directors to make an actor cry?
I have always wondered what techniques directors use to get amateur actors, specially young ones to cry. How someone surrounded with so many film crew and cameras can concentrate enough and feel so ...
3
votes
2answers
6k views
Do they really have sex in movies?
Many times in movies ( specially Hollywood ), actors and actresses are shown doing intercourse ( Not talking about pornographic films ). Do they really do this? Or fake it?
That's really up to the ...
4
votes
1answer
218 views
How are stunts where vehicles are seriously damaged (such as explosions or crashes) filmed?
In many movies vehicles are apparently seriously damaged. How are these stunts filmed? Are these made animated? Does it costs more to shoot these types of shots? Do these shots have retakes?
Examples ...
10
votes
2answers
379 views
How do they film money in TV or movie?
Money shown in movies or TV shows before 30-40 years was looked fake. Is there a law that prohibits was showing real money (bills and close ups of coins) in a TV commercial, show or film? How do they ...
8
votes
1answer
398 views
How do they show a tooth-less mouth?
So today I was watching Grown-up again and saw the tooth of Lenny's daughter fell and we can see she had no teeth. Similarly, I remembered a scene with a missing tooth in the Hangover part 1. So I ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
Props used in Hal Roach shorts
How did they make the cars fall apart, on cue, in those old comedy shorts from Hal Roach Studios? example: Blotto with Laurel and Hardy
12
votes
2answers
1k views
Are real guns used in movies?
For example, in "Matrix Reloaded", we see that the agents fire on the car driven by Morpheus. We see that the bullets penetrating the body of the car.
If the gun is not real, how did it happen?
If ...
2
votes
2answers
208 views
Why animation was used in several scenes of Revolver?
Revolver. Though, An amazing movie regarding EGO, EGO and EGO...
At most times, the movie included actual animations of Andre, Liotta and several other characters. Like - when the money was stolen, ...
10
votes
2answers
905 views
Is Hulk a pure CGI being?
In The Incredible Hulk and The Avengers, the Hulk is an obvious CGI character.
However, I am unclear as to how much of him is actual CGI vs motion capture or if his face is a real person's face or ...
5
votes
1answer
547 views
What kind of make up is used to make Harvey Dent's horryfying face?
Everytime I see The Dark Knight, I am surprised looking at the make up of Harvey Dent (Two Face). What kind of technology is used in such make ups and how are they done? The make up was really scary. ...
1
vote
0answers
62 views
Why can't we see the camera? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do they film the mirror scenes in movies?
In a lot of movies, we see, a character is standing in front of a mirror and watching him/her self. From our view, it looks ...
5
votes
4answers
516 views
The hobbit, how is it possible that 48 FPS is better than 24 FPS
I have a question about the movie the hobbit. People claim that the quality of the movie is way better because the movie is recorded and displayed in 48 fps. Normally this is 24 fps.
My opinion is ...
8
votes
3answers
8k views
Do the actors really go nude in the shooting of the movies?
I often wonder if actors really go nude for certain scenes in films.
I am not talking about those movies where we can see the sexual body-parts or genitals of the actors/actresses, but instead less ...
7
votes
2answers
98 views
Is it a highly trained mouse?
The mouse used in Mousehunt, the mouse is shown extra ordinarily clever. Was that a real mouse used in that movie or another computer created bug? Whatever it is, it seemed very real!
6
votes
1answer
88 views
What does the television-esque film style in the episode “I Am Anne Frank, Part II” represent?
In the second season episode of American Horror Story, "I Am Anne Frank, Part II", we're told that Anne Frank is actually Charlotte Brown, delusional and obsessed wife of Jim Brown, a new character to ...
5
votes
2answers
459 views
Is this mask really possible?
Sometimes we see a mask is used by an actor of a film by which he drastically changes his face. I was under the impression that only after plastic surgery one can change his face. I stumbled upon this ...
17
votes
2answers
670 views
What is a “performance capture” animation movie?
The recent movie "The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn" is a performance capture animated movie. What is a "performance capture" movie and what is the need for this technology when the ...
