setting someone on fire...

[xander171]

any ideas???

[jstxanothrxstory]

It depends how big the fire is. If it's a forest fire or something big, I'd say set a small area on fire and just shoot it from different angles. Or use stock footage.

[BloodyHandsProd]

there are a lot of ways to set someone on fire. the best would be to set perhaps an arm on fire using flame retardant materials and only shooting for a very short time, with a fire extinguisher or two right off camera ready for the sign, which yeah, you should have a sign in case the actor panics (i've never done any of this personally, but that's how i'd do it). from there you have other shots of a dummy on fire, or you use a shot of the shadow of the person in which case you can have an object infront of them on fire, looking in the shadow as if the flames engulf them. then also toy around with shots of the persons face behind some fire, making it look closer than it really is. skillful editting and interesting camera techniques will make it look like you seriously set someone on fire.

[ReelSplatter]

xander171 said:

any ideas???

You don't! For the love of god please don't even consider setting one of your actors on fire! Fire stunts are the most dangerous kind, and unless you have a professional pyrotech and stuntman at your disposal, don't try it.

I've heard more than one horror story about people recieving 3rd degree burns from screwing with this type of stuff. I knew a guy in High School who tried it, sort of like a Jackass style stunt, and he got arrested, he's lucky they put him out, as he only recieved a few serious burns.

You can fake it though. Bloodyhands has some good suggestions. Set up a metal stand and light a fire on it, have your actor stand far behind it, and zoom the camera in through the flames. That's how most low-budget flicks do it. You can also try to find some CG fire to superimpose over the actor, though I've never seen it work very well. Aother good way is to do it with lighting, tape some orange and yellow cellophane over a couple lights and light a small area of your set with it. wave a piece of paper in front of it every couple seconds to create a flickering effect. You don't have to show the actor burning, just use sound effects and have him screaming. Set up a fog machine off camera and use cardboard to waft the fog into the shot to mimic smoke. Then show the aftermath of the flames. Burn the actors costume a bit, dirty it up with some ash and have him wear it, and do some burn make-up on him.

The last and most dangerous suggestion I have is to light a dummy on fire. Again, you'll probably get arrested if you get caught, so be careful. Make sure you have a couple fire extinguishers on hand. Along with some buckets of water. I do not recomend trying this method, but it's better than attempting a live burn.

[billydfx]

I know a guy who makes a living setting himself on fire and he told me about a new product that is out. It's basically a jell that you can put on someone's flesh, hair, ect. and it will burn without hurting that person. I'm not sure what the product is called, but I know they used it in the Masters of Horror episode Dance of the Dead.

[effectsneeded]

heptane which you can get from a chemist. it burns but its actually the vapour that comes off it, not the liquid, but for gods sake, don't try setting someone's whole body on fire.

[skrewballceo]

use the cansiters from a caterer that are used for under the trays its cold to the touch but will burn for about 10 mins on a moving body

[moviemagicmaker]

If your budget does not allow for a pyro expert do not under any circumstances set your actor on fire. First of all you are setting yourself up for all kinds of legal action even if you do not hurt your actor in the process. And heaven forbid something should go wrong. Best case there is just a mild burn. Worst case you could kill someone.

If you are looking for a way to do it low budget then you might need to settle for some effects fire footage over your main footage of the actor pretending to be on fire.