History Main / InCameraEffects

In-Camera Effects are special effects achieved by manipulating ''the camera or its parts''. The effect exists on the original camera negative or video recording before it is sent to a lab or modified. In-Camera effects include using filters like the GaussianGirl effect, mattes, or lighting artifacts, like lens flares; CameraTricks like zooms, pans, ForcedPerspective, and [[{{Dolly}} dolly shots]]; time/speed effects like time-lapse, slow- or fast-motion, reverse motion, stop-tricks or speed ramping; or specialty films like infrared or negative image.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E41TheHowlingMan "The Howling Man"]], a version of the filter technique is employed to depict the title character's transformation.

* ''Film/SeventeenSeventySix'': During the "He Plays The Violin" dance in the garden, seen [[http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/247430/1776-Movie-Clip-He-Plays-the-Violin.html here]], with the dolly shot starting at 3:25.

SuperTrope of MiniatureEffects, which is when a small replica of the scene is used when filming the real-sized version is not an option.

In-Camera Effects are special effects achieved by manipulating ''the camera or its parts''. The effect exists on the original camera negative or video recording before it is sent to a lab or modified. In-Camera effects include using filters like the GaussianGirl effect, mattes, or lighting artifacts, like lens flares; CameraTricks like zooms, pans, ForcedPerspective, and dolly shots; time/speed effects like time-lapse, slow- or fast-motion, reverse motion, stop-tricks or speed ramping; or specialty films like infrared or negative image.

* ''Series/TopGearUK'': [[ParodiedTrope Spoofed]] when Jeremy Clarkson attempted to get a 'dramatic soft focus' effect by smearing petroleum jelly on the camera lens. [[CatchPhrase Didn't go well]].

* ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett': In [[Recap/TheBookOfBobaFettS1E5ReturnOfTheMandalorian "Return of the Mandalorian"]], TheOner in which Din takes the elevator up to the bar and goes back down shows off the capabilities of the ILM StageCraft volume. Instead of building a working elevator, the crew can build a one-level set and animate the entire background to simulate the elevator going to different floors.

* With older, non-digital cameras, using a black screen or cover so that only part of the film is exposed (and thus the rest can have something else filmed onto it, for instance [[CrystalClearPicture the image on a TV screen]].
* A dark filter could be used to [[HollywoodDarkness simulate night-time while shooting in daytime]]. Unfortunately it does nothing to eliminate shadows caused by sunlight, leading to the slightly hilarious effect of having obvious sun-shadow at night.
* A filmmaker could create a "ghost" by exposing the film to the same scene twice, once with and once without the actor.
* [[MatteShot Matte paintings]] were often used as backdrops with the focus kept off them. Bipacking was a method where instead footage was shot of just the matte and then was placed in the camera, overlayed on top of the unexposed film. When the camera ran and the film was exposed, the image of the matte would be imprinted on it.

* ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'': The long shot of astronauts in the lunar excavation is achieved by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipack bipacking]], i.e., simultaneously using two reels in the same camera so two specific colors can be elevated (in saturation) above the rest. This helps to frame the well-lit monolith excavation against the dark-bluish moon landscape.

** ''Film/BenHur1925'': The lepers' sores are done in red makeup and then filtered out for the healing scene.

* Cinematographer Creator/KarlStruss made pioneering work with filters. He would have actors' makeup be done in red or green and then put red or green filters to take them out of the picture. The filter could be slowly changed and the make-up would be changed. In ''Film/DrJekyllAndMrHyde1931'', the early stage of the Jekyll to Hyde transformation is made entirely on screen with the camera on him, the physical character change being done with the use of filters and decent acting. The actor then drops off screen briefly while the finishing touches --a wig and prosthetic fangs-- are put in place. In ''Film/BenHur1925'', the lepers' sores were done in red makeup and then filtered out for the healing scene.

* ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'': The long shot of astronauts in the lunar excavation used bipacking.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': A version of the filter technique is used in the episode "The Howling Man" to depict the title character's transformation.

** The Hartnell, Troughton, and first Pertwee title sequences were used with 'howlaround' feedback (pointing a film camera at a monitor of its own output). The initial light patterns were created with a pen light.

** "The Keys of Marinus" had part of the lens blacked out with a filter and then the footage refilmed, allowing the teleportation effect. A similar effect is used for the shrinking grain in "Planet of the Giants". Attentive viewers may notice that before teleporting the TARDIS crew will always move in front of a completely black object.
** "The Web Planet" used copious [[GaussianGirl filters on the lens]] to create a misty atmosphere (or maybe obscure some of the more obvious screw holes and bits of operator t-shirt on the Zarbi).
** The second Pertwee and first Tom Baker title sequences were generated with slit-scan photography, inspired by the travel effect used in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey''. They are also ridiculously beautiful even by modern standards.

* ''Film/{{Terminator}}'': Traditional matte {{paintings}} are used in the last shot when Sarah drives off into the desert and AStormIsComing.

* A version of the filter technique was also used in ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "The Howling Man" to depict the title character's transformation.
* The TV ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' series would achieve the shaking of the bridge when under attack by [[StarTrekShake simply shaking the camera and getting the crew to wobble about]]. Later SF productions with a bigger budget, such as the ''Trek'' films, replaced the cheesy effect with PracticalEffects: sets would be placed on top of a large platform and the camera would be still while the entire set was shaken. That would be counted as PracticalEffects.
* Spoofed in ''Series/TopGearUK'' when Jeremy Clarkson attempted to get a 'dramatic soft focus' effect by smearing petroleum jelly on the camera lens. [[CatchPhrase Didn't go well]].
* An in-color version of the filter trick: Zaphod's color-changing sunglasses in the TV version of ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1981'' were made out of polarizing filters, with another polarizer on the camera lens. When all three were oriented the same way, light passed through freely and the glasses were clear. When the one on the camera was turned, it blocked the light that the glasses let through, turning them black while everything else appeared unchanged.

** The Hartnell, Troughton and first Pertwee title sequences were used with 'howlaround' feedback (pointing a film camera at a monitor of its own output). The initial light patterns were created with a pen light.

** "The Web Planet" used copious [[GaussianGirl filters on the lens]] to create a misty atmosphere (or maybe obscure some of the more obvious screw holes and bits of operator tshirt on the Zarbi).
** The second Pertwee and first Tom Baker title sequences were generated with slit scan photography, inspired by the travel effect used in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey''. They are also ridiculously beautiful even by modern standards.
** The second Tom Baker title sequence and those of Davison and Colin Baker (the 'starfield') were generated using similar slit scan techniques and a camera filter that gave light a prismatic, rainbow look.

* Every single effect in ''Film/BramStokersDracula'' (1992), including some quite complicated shots.
* In ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', the long shot of astronauts in the lunar excavation used bipacking.
* Cinematographer Karl Struss made pioneering work with filters. He would have actors' make-up be done in red or green and then put red or green filters to take them out of the picture. The filter could be slowly changed and the make-up would be changed.
** ''Film/DrJekyllAndMrHyde1931'' had the early stage of the Jekyll to Hyde transformation made entirely on screen with the camera on him, the physical character change being done with the use of filters and decent acting. (He then drops off screen briefly while the finishing touches -- a wig and prosthetic fangs -- are put in place.)
** In the 1925 version of ''[[Film/BenHur1925 Ben-Hur]]'', the lepers' sores were done in red make up and then filtered out for the healing scene.
* The [[VertigoEffect Tracking Zoom]] is made by having a camera on a dolly zoom in while the dolly moves away. The subject stays in the same place but the perspective of everything around it changes. You've probably seen it many times, sometimes the human eye can give this effect but for an example, the distorting zoom in on Sheriff Brody's face in ''Film/{{Jaws}}''.
* Traditional matte paintings were used even as recently as the first ''Terminator'' movie: the last shot where Sarah drives off into the desert, and AStormIsComing.
* An In-Camera example is the "He Plays The Violin" dance in the garden during ''[[Film/SeventeenSeventySix 1776]]'', seen [[http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/247430/1776-Movie-Clip-He-Plays-the-Violin.html here]], the dolly shot starting at 3:25.
* A modern, digital camera example came in ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater''. All of the scenes of the infected were shot with the shutter speed of the Canon XL-1 camera set very high, resulting in an unsettling and "jumpy" look.
* A hand-cranked camera was used during part of the shootout in ''Film/HotFuzz'', allowing both undercranking and overcranking to be used for added dramatic effect.

[[AC:Digital cameras]]
* Even inexpensive video cameras from 2015 and possibly earlier supported selecting sepia (all shades of brown) and black-and-white through a menu on the camera's viewscreen.
* As of 2019, Sub-$100 video cameras producing 2.7K video can provide sepia, black and white, cool (increased bluing), warm (increased yellowing) as well as shades of all blue, all red, all green, and all purple, plus a black-and-white "blur" effect. A Website/YouTube video demonstrating all of these and some others [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLNI69Zum1E can be found here]].

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Live Action Television]]

* An in-color version of the filter trick: Zaphod's color-changing sunglasses in the TV version of ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' were made out of polarizing filters, with another polarizer on the camera lens. When all three were oriented the same way, light passed through freely and the glasses were clear. When the one on the camera was turned, it blocked the light that the glasses let through, turning them black while everything else appeared unchanged.

* A version of the filter technique was also used in ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode "The Howling Man" to depict the title character's transformation.

** In ''Film/BenHur'' (the 1925 one), the lepers' sores were done in red make up and then filtered out for the healing scene.

* As of 2019, Sub-$100 video cameras producing 2.7K video can provide sepia, black and white, cool (increased bluing), warm (increased yellowing) as well as shades of all blue, all red, all green, and all purple, plus a black-and-white "blur" effect. A YouTube video demonstrating all of these and some others [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLNI69Zum1E can be found here]].

* As of 2019, Sub-$100 video cameras producing 2.7K video can provide sepia, black and white, cool (increased bluing), warm (increased yellowing) as well as shades of all blue, all red, all green, and purple, plus a black-and-white "blur" effect. A YouTube video demonstrating all of these and some others [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLNI69Zum1E can be found here]].