Different frames interacting with eachother. Help.

[rodri]

I don't know the name for it or how to explain it in three or less words.

Basically, my short is going to have four scenes going on at the same time. The each scene will take up a corner of the whole screen. I want to be able to have lets say scene 1, on the top right corner, interact with scene 3 in the top left corner. Ex. a character from scene 1 pushes arm out of frame, the arm then enters the frame of scene 3.

I know that it'll be tricking with editing and timing and such. My question is, how to start? Should I film one scene and base the timing of the other interactions between scenes on that one? I know it sounds confusing but its hard to explain. I'm trying to do something like this but on a much smaller level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfBlUQguvyw

 

[Red Prince]

My question is, how to start? Should I film one scene and base the timing of the other interactions between scenes on that one?

No! Start by blocking in your head, then write it all down. Use a song like they did, even if you do not intend to play the song in your video.

Music is a great natural timing machine. Instead of relying on a clock with numbers, you can time everything by the beats of the music. So, you can rehearse with your actors what to do at what moment in time (what beat in the music, that is).

When you have it all rehearsed, start shooting. During the shoot, play the music and your actors will do the right moves at the right time because they have rehearsed it several times, so they will do it automatically without thinking.

Make sure to record the music with each take. It will serve you as a visual time code (looking at the digitized wave), so you can sync all the different scenes on the screen in postproduction.

That accomplished, delete the music. If, however, you wish to use the music, sync it with all those clips in a separate sound track and then delete all the sound tracks captured while shooting. And add any other sound effects you need/want.