How To Have One Actor Play Multiple Characters
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2021
- Whether you're planning on faking twins or in short supply of actors, here's some tips that will help you make one actor play multiple characters like a pro.
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There are plenty of movies that make you see double such as Coming To America, The Nutty Professor, or the Nutty Professor 2. Pretty much most Eddie Murphy movies, actually. And while this might seem like a movie-making trick of the past, it's actually still commonly used today in films like The Prestige, Adaptation, and Now You See Me 2. So whether you're planning on faking twins or in short supply of actors, here's some tips that will help you make one actor play multiple characters like a pro.
The first and easiest way to pull off a multiple character effect is to shoot a wide shot, framed wide enough for all characters. Now it's easy to think you can just set up your camera, shoot a few shots and voilà, you've got doubles! But it's a little trickier than that.
First it's crucial you don't move or bump the tripod or any of the set decor. You need the exact same framing for each character. So any changes to either the camera or the set could result in issues when trying to pull off a seamless crop in post. Second, the correct eyeline is what's really going to sell this effect. So in order to achieve this, use tennis balls on C stands and place them at eye level for the characters they represent.
For example, I did a shoot where an actress was playing seven different characters, so it was imperative that we not only maintain correct eyeline, but also character position. By putting letters on each tennis ball to represent the characters, the actress was able to quickly identify where she should be looking when addressing them.
Now, of course, things get even trickier when your characters are talking to each other, as they can easily step on each other's lines. So to make sure your talent is giving the appropriate amount of space between lines, I recommend having someone on set who can be a dedicated line reader for them. Every time you shoot a shot for a character, the line reader can then read the lines for all the other characters, giving your talent something to play off of and preventing dialogue from overlapping. But while a line reader definitely helps, timing can still sometimes be an issue.
Also make sure you also shoot close-up shots for each character, so you have something to cut away to if need be. Now a wide shot is usually the easiest way to achieve the multiple characters effect, but the effect can be fairly obvious, as characters are most likely staying stationary in their designated parts of the frame. So if you want to really sell that your characters are in the same space, you have to show them overlapping just like other actors would. You can of course achieve this by doing a lot of roto scoping work in after effects, but an even easier way to pull this off is by using a practical camera trick in an over the shoulder shot. By using another actor or actress as a shoulder double, you can make your characters feel like they are in the same space and talking to each other.
It's pretty simple to achieve this if you have only two characters to worry about. Just frame up the shot with the shoulder double and shoot. But you can take this a step farther by having a third character in the shot. To do this, first frame up your shot for all three characters. Then start with over the shoulder double and any character that shares the same side of the frame as they do, making sure neither cross into the third characters side of the frame. And of course, don't forget all those tips for maintaining eye line. Next, have the shoulder double step out and have your talent come back in as the third character in the scene. Again, being careful not to cross over into the other side of the frame. Once stitched together in post, you end up with a shot that feels real and avoids hours of painstaking rotoscoping.
So now that you know how to shoot one actor as multiple characters, you'll have twins in no time.
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#FilmItYourself #MultipleCharacters #CloneYourself - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
For a while I had planned a series of skits where a guy has the power to create clones of himself and uses it to do chores, but they start getting either invested in the original one's life or they are upset with their chores. Now, with proper editing and mentoring of yours, dreams can come true!
Oh fun idea! Yes do it!
Thanks for satisfying my curiosity of how the hell multiple characters are pulled off.😍🎯💪🏽👏🏽
No problem! Thank you so much for watching!
This is the video i have been looking for . Thanks
No prob! Happy to help!
I WAS CRYING WHEN IT WORKED
What about a video where all the characters are played by one person, but the characters all interact and move around? In "NUTTY PROFESSOR 2" during the family dinner scene, there's a long tracking shot where Mama Klump (Eddie Murphy) walks to the table past Ernie Klump Sr and Sherman Klump (also Eddie Murphy), then lowers her plate for Papa Klump (also Eddie Murphy) to take several beef ribs off the plate, then she sits down and they all start their meal.
Great question! For something like that they probably either used some green screen or they had a motorized camera that could do the same programmed shot multiple times and thus would shoot it each time for each character. The principles with eyeliner and comping would still be the same though.
@@Film_It_Yourself Does it take a while to get used to talking to tennis balls on poles, or basically acting with other people who really aren't there, especially for beginners or people who haven't done it before? Singer Janet Jackson said in "NUTTY PROFESSOR 2" during scenes with 3 or 4 characters played by Eddie Murphy, she spent a lot of time acting and responding to either a tennis ball or an "X" on a flag. And also ruined a lot of good takes while on set because she couldn't stop laughing so hard.
I’m sure it would take a while for an inexperienced actor (don’t forget Janet Jackson isn’t really an actor) but I’ve found most actors are totally fine with it. After all actors have big imaginations and a lot of acting exercises require them to basically pretend. Plus now a days they are very used to green screen environments.
Now you know how EDDIE MURPHY does it. Except he can also talk in several different voices. Lots of people still don't know it was him also playing the elderly Jewish guy in COMING TO AMERICA. He also played a mock RICHARD SIMMONS in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR.
Check out Martin or United States Of Tara
I was looking for a video to explain how they pulled off the multiple character trick in Back to the Future part 2. This helped and even shows the techniques they used to pull it off.
Happy to help! Great film example of it too!
Thank you so much for this usefull tip.👍✌️
No prob! Thank you for watching!
Wowwwwww what an amazing tip!! Thank for this video mam. God bless you always.
No prob! Thanks for watching!
Hi
I like this idea - I wrote a comedy Horror short that went good in some contests which centers on three identical sisters who differ in hair style, dress but all have supernatural abilities. Success of such a short largely relies on how good a single actor can pull off multiple roles so it rests largely on talent but while the screen division works for couch and conference room scenes for most scenes you need a body double to take all those over the shoulder or where whilst walking down a hall together or in a car you catch the others arm etc. Mark Ruffalo did a great job playing two brothers in "I Know This Much Is True", where one brother was a lot heavier and used body doubles effectively. There are probably a couple of scenes where there is the screen separation but the bulk require portions of the body double shown to give the audience the impression the characters are different people. Tatiana Gabriele Maslany plays multiple characters in Orphan Black - so its always good to check out movies and shows that have been successful and have had one actor playing multiple parts to see how they tackled it.
Totally! And great point about the actor having to be able to pull it off! It's definitely a major challenge for them.
Sir do you write comedy skits content?
Awesome video thank you
Thanks for watching!
This is so cool!!!!
Thank you!
Hi, I like your video a lot and it helps making my own projects. But I have one question. How you know, when you react to your double character. How you know when to answer? Thanks for your reply.
Hi Daniel! Great question. So you’ll want to have someone else there to read the other lines for your actor. It’s best if that person has acting experience so the actor being filmed can have something to react to. Hope that helps!
congratulations on your sundae win keep going your awesome
Thank you so much!! 😊
Nice!!! Do you have a video of you actually editing the shots in post?
Hi there! Thanks for watching. I don’t exactly have that but I go over the basic editing steps here: th-cam.com/video/rYeGEEioXFg/w-d-xo.html
I also have this video going over my complete editing workflow: th-cam.com/video/9gAerhHpLFc/w-d-xo.html
@@Film_It_Yourself Thank you kindly!!
No prob!
The nutty prof was 😂❤
wow ! exactly what I need . I have one actor only , and don't want to hire others . But I'm using Proshow Gold from photodex , can I do it with that video editing software ?
Hi there! Yep you totally can! You can learn how here: th-cam.com/video/rYeGEEioXFg/w-d-xo.html
Well, I told I will be play only one character, maybe it is hard to practising someone to play character from my idea. So I get caught this attention to this video than can play more than 1 character. Feels like I can make movie what I want. 🎥🎬❤❤
Oh awesome!! Good luck with your film!
This is so helpful and fun thank you! I am doing something with 3 characters but they all are wearing masks so I'm wondering if the eyeline tennis balls are necessary?
Great question! If you can still see their eyes then yes. If you can’t you can probably get away without it, just make sure they are still all facing the right direction.
Also if they are wearing masks that cover their face you could probably get away with having other actors play them and dubbing over them.
@@Film_It_Yourself Can't see the eyes so copy that!
@@Film_It_Yourself Great point!! thank you so much!
This is gold. I appreciate your input so much that its value is akin to me being a flower which is feeling that refreshing mist coming out of your true love for your craft that leads me to maintain my unique fragrance, my attractive shape and color 😊
Thanks for your help!❤
P.S. Rejoice! If it pays off, in the end, I'll let them know (i.e.: "show, don't tell" method 😉), then abundance galore...
I know you don't understand what I'm talking about now, but you will get it later, I promise ❤🎉✨🙏💪😎🗝️
Glad I could help!
How do we do something like what you had a the very beginning of your video, where you popped in? Would you make a video on that? Thank you.
Hello there! Thanks for watching. I already have. 😊 You can watch it here: Filmmaking Q&A - How To Multiply Yourself In A Video
th-cam.com/video/rYeGEEioXFg/w-d-xo.html
@@Film_It_Yourself thank you. I'll check it out now.
thanks it rearly worked for my acting compony
So glad it helped! 😊
Pls wat app do u use to edit ur videos
Hello there! Thanks for watching! I use Adobe Premiere Pro.
How do you make each character have distinct voices? The same person, but the voice is so different people assume it is two different people.
Hi Lucas! Great question. There’s two ways you could do it. You could either cast an actor that has the ability to do different voices (for example voice actors are very skilled at this) or you could film the scenes and then after the fact record another actor’s voice that syncs up to the original actor’s performance. This is called ADR or Automated dialogue replacement. To do this, have the second actor watch playback of the finished scene and record them to match and dub the scene.
Which editor can be used for this ??
Hi there! Great question. Most video editing programs can do the simple person of this. I used Premiere Pro. However when you have characters crossing in front of other characters then you’ll need to do some rotoscoping in programs like After Effects. Hope that helps!
You should do a movie playing 5 or 10 characters. Not enough women do any movies playing multiple characters. Why is that? So far LILY TOMLIN and LINDSAY LOHAN are the only well known women who did it.
How do they do it with a moving image tho🥲😭
Hi there! Do you mean like camera movement?
amazing video but i might require bit more help then this , my idea is not of round table its kind different and i believe your're the right person to ask for help
if you may please provide a mail id i can share brief there.
Hi there! You can find my email address on the about tab. Thanks!
I did this before for the first time
Oh! How did it go?
What app to use please
Hi there! I used Premiere and After Effects for this.
@@Film_It_Yourself thank you
What about for instance in norbit whetn two characters touch each other? How could eddie play that?
Ah great question! I haven’t seen that film but I’m guessing they used a body double (someone who looked very similar build and face wise) and then also used CGI to put the other actor’s face on the body double. Or they did a lot of rotoscoping.
@@Film_It_Yourself thank you very much for a reply
No prob!
What the name for one person multiple role
Like what’s it called? I’m not sure there’s an official name for it.
4:53 - why does her hat turn into a side ponytail?
Hi there! They are two different characters. I could see how in this it might be confusing but in the actual film it’s not. 😊
How would this work for being in a car?
If you did a two shot through a windshield you could do the same idea of splitting the screen down the middle. Then for over the shoulders inside the car you could get a shoulder double.
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🥰🥰🥰🥰
I neeed a lot of help from you 😔
I’m here for you! 😊
@@Film_It_Yourself yes need to start working with you properly 🔥🔥
How to do this on tiktok haha
Hello there and great question! I found this handy article that explains how to do it: filmora.wondershare.com/video-editing-tips/best-free-clone-yourself-apps.html
Does this video make you wish you really had 5 twin sisters? Or could be sextuplets?
Haha right? Actually the footage in this video is from a short film I did where that actress plays seven different characters all talking to each other. 😊 It was quite a feat to shoot! And yes! It’s so amazing what Eddie Murphy can do!
@@Film_It_Yourself I was beginning to think this art form was dying being that so many big name talented actors rarely ever make movies playing multiple characters other than Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Tyler Perry, Lily Tomlin, and Lindsay Lohan. Jennifer Lopez was said to have played 8 characters in the music video to her song GET RIGHT, but she never did that in her movies yet. Jamie Foxx never did that in his movies, and Martin Lawrence hasn't done it enough in his movies.