Inquiry: Emulating "Gattaca Look" in PS?

Michael J wrote:

I was wondering if anyone would know how to create the look that you see for Ethan Hawke on the movie poster/DVD cover for the movie Gattaca. I just finished watching this movie tonight. I’d have to give it 2 thumbs up.

Are you talking about this image?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0767805712.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Cheers,
Nicholas Sherlock

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 16:51:07 +1200, Nicholas Sherlock wrote:

Are you talking about this image?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0767805712.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Hi Nicholas, actually more this image:

http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product.asp?sku=166549&m aster%5Fmovie%5Fid=10030

(you can click to enlarge the image)

MJ

In article , says
….

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 16:51:07 +1200, Nicholas Sherlock <

com> w

rote:

Are you talking about this image?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0767805712.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Hi Nicholas, actually more this image:

http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product.asp?sku=166549&m aster%5Fmovie%5Fid=

10030

(you can click to enlarge the image)

MJ

Based on that image, I’d shoot about 4:1 lighting, with a medium-hard strip over the right shoulder. Then kick the overall contrast up to really block in the shadows, and run a few Blur passes to obtain the glow that I think I see. The colors lean toward the cool side, so an Adjustment Layer>Color Balance might be in order.

If you didn’t have the control of the lighting, one could build the shadows with a Selection, making sure to do a good Feather.

A bit of Posterization, say 32 colors, might also help in that case.

Just thinking,
Hunt

On 7/19/05 9:02 AM, Hunt uttered:

In article , says
…

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 16:51:07 +1200, Nicholas Sherlock <

com> w

rote:

Are you talking about this image?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0767805712.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Hi Nicholas, actually more this image:

http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product.asp?sku=166549&m aster%5Fmovie%5Fid=

10030

(you can click to enlarge the image)

MJ

Based on that image, I’d shoot about 4:1 lighting, with a medium-hard strip over the right shoulder. Then kick the overall contrast up to really block in the shadows, and run a few Blur passes to obtain the glow that I think I see. The colors lean toward the cool side, so an Adjustment Layer>Color Balance might be in order.

If you didn’t have the control of the lighting, one could build the shadows with a Selection, making sure to do a good Feather.

A bit of Posterization, say 32 colors, might also help in that case.
Just thinking,
Hunt

I say grab a photo and play to your heart’s content! I understand the new version of PS allows you to Save History. That sounds great so that you know how/what you did, and about time too. I’m still suing PS 6.0.1, so…

I just played with it, but kinda went my own way with it. I duplicated the layer and used high pas to select certain areas, played with colors, etc.

I didn’t do Posterize as I didn’t like the effect, but I allow GIF export to sort of posterize the middle version. I prefer the top and bottom versions more though.
www.imagessence.com/imageviewer/Gataca/
I applie Median and sharpening to the bottom version.

Playing is so fun, and instructive;¬)

inez

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 18:03:01 GMT, iehsmith wrote:

I say grab a photo and play to your heart’s content! I understand the new version of PS allows you to Save History. That sounds great so that you know how/what you did, and about time too. I’m still suing PS 6.0.1, so…
I just played with it, but kinda went my own way with it. I duplicated the layer and used high pas to select certain areas, played with colors, etc.
I didn’t do Posterize as I didn’t like the effect, but I allow GIF export to sort of posterize the middle version. I prefer the top and bottom versions more though.
www.imagessence.com/imageviewer/Gataca/
I applie Median and sharpening to the bottom version.

Playing is so fun, and instructive;¬)

Very nice effect! Thanks for kindly sharing your experimentations.

I think what Hunt said is correct also (as he spoke about the lighting, 4:1 ratio, hard light over right shoulder, etc). That would probably be the most "involved" part of the whole process. Of course, the shadows and highlights could be faked, but I’ve always believed one is best to make it as "real" as possible starting at the camera, then add the many great effects.

Once again, thanks for sharing. Think I’m going to set up the lights, tripod and Nikon and try a little experimenting here 🙂

MJ

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 18:03:01 GMT, iehsmith wrote:

I say grab a photo and play to your heart’s content! I understand the new version of PS allows you to Save History. That sounds great so that you know how/what you did, and about time too. I’m still suing PS 6.0.1, so…
I just played with it, but kinda went my own way with it. I duplicated the layer and used high pas to select certain areas, played with colors, etc.

hey inez, what exact filters / procedures did you use to get this effect?

On 19 Jul 2005 14:04:50 GMT, (Hunt) wrote:

Michael,

This would have been a good article to X-post into both PS NGs. That way, all of the comments, etc. would show in both, simultaneously. Some people are not keen on X-posting, but yours is a perfect example of where it would actually benefit.

Just a thought,

You’re right, Hunt. If I’d been thinking I’d of X-posted to both groups

On 7/19/05 4:43 PM, Michael J uttered:

Once again, thanks for sharing. Think I’m going to set up the lights, tripod and Nikon and try a little experimenting here 🙂

Wish I had ’em to play with! 🙂

inez

On 7/19/05 6:11 PM, Michael J uttered:

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 18:03:01 GMT, iehsmith
wrote:

I say grab a photo and play to your heart’s content! I understand the new version of PS allows you to Save History. That sounds great so that you know how/what you did, and about time too. I’m still suing PS 6.0.1, so…
I just played with it, but kinda went my own way with it. I duplicated the layer and used high pas to select certain areas, played with colors, etc.

hey inez, what exact filters / procedures did you use to get this effect?

Well, that’s the problem with not being able to save History in PS 6.

I know I duplicated the base layer. I used Color range to select the shadowed skin, and I think I used Hue/Saturation to color, feathered, inverted, deleted. I think I may have just lasso (w/feather) selected the highlighted part of the face from the base layer, copied/pasted above blue layer and set that layer to overlay. I know from my layers that I Copied Merged and pasted to new layer where I think I played with levels a tad and used the Dodge tool. I have another 20% Normal layer with a bit of shading on it that I don’t recall how I arrived at.

Somewhere, maybe in a layer that got merged (or something I discarded), I remember using High Pass and a Hard Light setting, but for the life of me I can’t remember…

For my 3rd version I know I just used Median and a couple of Unsharps, using the History brush to fix some edges.

I’ve always wanted to be able to save History for just this reason; not to undo, but to be able to duplicate what I’ve done.

Sorry. I basically played and didn’t write it down:(

inez

In article <BF02FF1D.3657D%>,
iehsmith wrote:

<snip>

I’ve always wanted to be able to save History for just this reason; not to undo, but to be able to duplicate what I’ve done.

I’ll occasionally make notes to myself in the Caption field under File Info — but it certainly can be hard to remember to document things while one is ‘playing’.

—
Odysseus

iehsmith wrote:

I’ve always wanted to be able to save History for just this reason; not to undo, but to be able to duplicate what I’ve done.

You know that you can keep a running log of most everything done, right? Certainly, it cannot be used to recapitulate as you wish.

I have a feeling that the feature you speak of is being seriously considered. It would really make CS stand out.

On 19 Jul 2005 14:02:11 GMT, (Hunt) wrote:

If you didn’t have the control of the lighting, one could build the shadows with a Selection, making sure to do a good Feather.

A bit of Posterization, say 32 colors, might also help in that case

Still working with it. I’ve certainly discovered that to get that effect perfect isn’t quite as easy as it first seems, but will keep trying.

www.imagi-vision.com/gattaca.html

In article , says
….

On 19 Jul 2005 14:04:50 GMT, (Hunt) wrote:

Michael,

This would have been a good article to X-post into both PS NGs. That way,

all

of the comments, etc. would show in both, simultaneously. Some people are

not

keen on X-posting, but yours is a perfect example of where it would actually benefit.

Just a thought,

You’re right, Hunt. If I’d been thinking I’d of X-posted to both groups

No problem. Also, some might take you to task for it, but in the PS groups, I think that it is a good thing. That way, all comments follow the thread. Since not everyone gets, or reads, both NGs, you should get some different comments from each group.

Regardless, you posed a nice little problem (problem in the positive sense, here) for everyone to chew on.

Hunt

On 7/19/05 11:56 PM, Michael J uttered:

On 19 Jul 2005 14:02:11 GMT, (Hunt) wrote:

If you didn’t have the control of the lighting, one could build the shadows with a Selection, making sure to do a good Feather.

A bit of Posterization, say 32 colors, might also help in that case

Still working with it. I’ve certainly discovered that to get that effect perfect
isn’t quite as easy as it first seems, but will keep trying.
www.imagi-vision.com/gattaca.html

I think you’re petty darn close. I kinda drifted off towards my own vision (as is often the case;) while I was playing.

inez

"Michael J" wrote in message

On 19 Jul 2005 14:02:11 GMT, (Hunt) wrote:

If you didn’t have the control of the lighting, one could build the shadows
with a Selection, making sure to do a good Feather.

A bit of Posterization, say 32 colors, might also help in that case

Still working with it. I’ve certainly discovered that to get that effect perfect
isn’t quite as easy as it first seems, but will keep trying.
www.imagi-vision.com/gattaca.html

excellent results so far, it’s quite close to your inspiration