Duplicate a Person in the Same Frame
This tutorial shows you how to make an actor appear twice in the same shot (i.e. as two people).
You will need:
- Camera & tripod (or other stable mount).
- Editing software with support for layers and transparency.
Broadly speaking there are two different ways to achieve this effect, both of which use image transparency. In the examples below, the checkered patterns represent transparent areas.
To keep it simple we will use a static background in both methods, meaning that the camera and background must not move.
Method 1: Split Screen
This is a very easy method, suitable for scenes where different versions of the actor are well separated. Shoot two versions of the scene, each with the actor in a different position. Make half of one of the shots transparent then and superimpose it over the other shot.
Method 2: Keying
This method is a bit more complex and requires software with keying capabilities, e.g. chroma key or difference matte. It is more difficult than the split-screen method but provides much more flexibility.
