Materials:
cans or bottles of pop
a glass
tennis balls
gaffer's tape
posterboard
Displacement of the camera's point of view can lead to some amazing gravity-defying effects. These are quite simple to pull off, and the results are hilarious when you adapt them to various objects and situations. To make a drink appear as though it's flowing sideways out of a bottle:
Set up the solid colored posterboard for your background. These effects really stand out when you tape them against a solid background.
Place your camera in front of the posterboard. The camera must lay on its right side, level with the plane of the floor. You may need to tape it down to a tripod or a book for steadiness. A small bean bag is also helpful in leveling because of the camcorder's irregular shape.
Bring the pop bottle into frame. You'll want to adjust it so the pouring action is visible, but not the glass in which it will fall. Your hand should also be out of the frame.
Roll tape and slowly pour the pop into the glass.
To make a thrown ball appear as though it stops and returns to the thrower in mid-flight:
Position your camcorder and background as above. You may want to use a large piece of fabric or a wall for this effect. It gives the shot more room.
Position yourself off screen, below the view of the camera.
Roll tape and gently throw the ball up into the frame. This effect is only convincing if the ball does not exit the frame when you throw it. Otherwise it will only look like a ball is simply crossing the screen. For maximum effect, the ball should reach its arc at the very top of the frame.
