how to make 3 frames of gunshot effect?

I have a climactic scene, a gun is fired almost directly at the camera (a little to one side). It's a cap firing replica.

I need to show a bit of fire and smoke -- only 3 frames are involved.

What's the easiest way to do it. And what's a great way to do it?

Again, I can use Photoshop and paint the effect, but there might be a better way.

Thanks!

Get this:

[www.videocopilot.net]

Keyable gunshots and blood spatters. Works right inside FCP. Using it now myself for a few gunshots and hits.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

For three frames, I would have done it in Photoshop.

Koz

Check out Motion 2 particle effects - does explosion simulations real well.

Scott

The plug ins look great, Shane. And $60 bucks ain't that much for all that. I'm sure I'm going to buy 'em when I do an action pic.

Anyway, I did what Koz suggested -- you're right Koz, only three frames to paint...

So I did but I made the flash too small. And three frames go by like a shot -- I hardly see them.

I'll have to make the flare at the nozzle a little bigger.

I wonder how I can add a bit of smoke around the gun flare? Maybe just a little grey smudged around ... I don't know.

Oh, and Scott, the particles > explosions inside Motion didn't look like gunshot fire, but then this was the first time I'm using Motion :-) I couldn't move one of the fire effects I chose. It hung in the wrong place in the frame while the gun moved a foot up the Medium Shot of the actor firing. So it looked a bit odd.

I'm sure there's a way to tweak the effects in Motion to make it look like gun flare, but it would have to be by someone who's worked with Motion for a while.

Thanks all. I appreciate the help. I'm a few days from finishing this feature, which I started on a whim a couple of weeks ago. Wrote the treatment in one hour :-) Did the casting in the meantime... This is why I like HDV.

For yet more possibilities, here's a FAQ segment I wrote a while back:

Q. How do I create gunshot muzzle flashes?

WARNING: These are easily overblown and badly implemented.

Two general methods: 1) native filter effects, 2) Canned effects free or commercial.

1) Simple flashes in FCP using native effects.

Comments:
- Determine the length of the muzzle flash.
- For a handgun in daylight, it'll be short, 3-5 frames. Longer at night, 5-7 frames.
- For an automatic weapon in daylight, try short bursts, 3 frames, repeated as a series
for the length of the discharge.
- Lay down the audio spot effect as a good effect guide.

a) Choose the frame as finger pulls trigger for the effect start and Blade it.
b) Choose the final frame of the flash to end, and Blade it.
c) Duplicate the bladed section to just above the original track.
d) Create the flash mask: apply a 4-point Garbage Mask.
e) Cluster all 4 points in around front of the muzzle. Pay attention to pointing vector.
f) Create an "ice cream cone" diamond shape with the thick part at the muzzle.
g) Apply Brightness/Contrast filter to the bladed flash section. Crank up settings to taste.
h) Crank up the edge feather.
i) Adjust to taste, render, review.

Optional- Orange color balance adjustment to flash, especially for nighttime/dim scenes.

2) Canned weapon effects.

Some solutions:

[www.detonationfilms.com]
Excellent FCP-specific tutorial and free flashes.

[www.firearmfx.com]
All kinds of weapons and angles

- Loren
Today's FCP 4 / 5 keytip:
Fast scan your clips or timeline with Control-F12 !
Go slower with lower F keys.
Go reverse with F6 down to F2

The FCP KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

okay, just to end this ...

I painted three frames of the gunshot in Photoshop.

I made one layer with gun flash and another layer with smoke.

I made a third layer with muzzle flashes and stacked them on top of V1.

It's not great, but it works. I spent 4 hours on these 3 frames :-)

If I had the money to buy the plugin Shane recommended I would've done it.

It's just not cost effective to re-invent the wheel sometimes.

Quote

filman said: The plug ins look great, Shane. And $60 bucks ain't that much for all that. I'm sure I'm going to buy 'em when I do an action pic.

You need a gunshot effect for your film? That constitutes "action", does it not?

Quote

filman said: If I had the money to buy the plugin Shane recommended I would've done it.

There's a lot of smoke being blown around here. You must not think very highly of your own films not to invest a measly $60 more in what are professionally shot FX.

Anyway, Shane did not recommend a plug-in (which shows once again that you aren't paying attention vic as per usual)...he recommended an AWESOME set 60 of pre-keyed effects animations that cost $60. That's $1 per effect. You can't afford $60 out of you film budget? I put more than that in my gas tank tonight vic give us a break.

This is old news but bottom line here vic is you really don't want anyone to give you their best tips & tricks & suggestions for plug-ins because in the end you just want to do it your own way...which is having someone else do it for you for FREE. Nothing is cost effective for you because you want everything for FREE. Seriously...try posting your future requests on Craig's List & start your own catagory under tv/film/video entitled "Wanted for FREE". It's FREE to post there so you should have a ball:

[losangeles.craigslist.org]

Please don't feed the bear...

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.