Clever Way To Insert Yourself Into Your Video

Steve K

Director Alfred Hitchcock famously did a cameo in his many movies.  So in the movie "Lifeboat", filmed entirely in a lifeboat with survivors of a torpedoed ship, how does he do it?    "Hitchcock's cameo occurs about 25 minutes into the film, where he appears in a newspaper advertisement for the 'Reduco Obesity Slayer' weight loss system, manufactured by fictional The Reduco Corporation."  This is a pretty good technique to get other explanatory stuff into a video without a lot of dialogue, I think.

https://the.hitchcock.zone/wiki/Lifeboat_(1944)_-_Hitchcock%27s_cameo

 

Diomede

Peter Jackson inserted himself in some of his movies.

Yes, having characters pass a newspaper stand or including advertisements on sgns and billboards can be a good way to quickly establish time and place.  In Sky Captain, two characters meet at a screening of Wizard of Oz, which not only tells the audience it is the 1930s but also helps set the tone for the film.

I bet with your experience you know a lot of other good tips for establishment shots, and examples from movies.  Any favorites?

Steve K

Diomede said:

... 

I bet with your experience you know a lot of other good tips for establishment shots, and examples from movies.  Any favorites?

One that comes to mind immediately is the word "again".  As in "The neighbor's garage blew up again?!"  which might indicate a meth lab ... 

Also, automobiles can really set the time, like say a '57 Chevy Bel Air.  Although that might be diminishing lately as many cars seem to look the same year after year.

Steve K

I recently watched "The 400 Blows" directed by Francois Truffaut in 1959.  Set in Paris, it does use the Eiffel Tower but also a lot of great street scenes around the city.  

https://www.rogerebert.com/scanners/opening-shots-the-400-blows

https://tinyurl.com/nhhnaja6