How did we fake this encounter?

[Luckmeister]

A friend and I decided to make a little video faking an encounter with a ball of light. We set up my camcorder on a tripod pointing into my front yard (daytime, but nearing dusk). I walked into the camera view and suddenly looked at something above but out of camera view. As I watched, a small (about 3" dia.) ball of light descended into view and hovered in front of me. I then held out my hand and it appeared to settle down onto my palm. I looked at it for a few seconds and then blew on it, which sent it quickly whisking off out of frame.

The video was made from conception to final take in 20 minutes. It was shot in one continuous take with no editing done. No wires were used. It was an illusion. How did we do it? I figure someone on BAUT will come up with the technique used.

I've shown the video to a number of people. It blew their minds and none could guess how we did it. Some viewing it totally believed it happened just like it seemed. We made it 16 years ago. I think I still have the original Video-8 tape of it somewhere. Maybe I'll try to find it and make a clip to post.

Luckmeister

[Moose]

I think I still have the original Video-8 tape of it somewhere. Maybe I'll try to find it and make a clip to post.

Please. I couldn't really begin to speculate without seeing the end result, but it sounds really cool.

My venturer troop hosted a bonfire a good ten years ago, for the local scouting kids from all local branches in the local provincial park. We used a model rocket igniter and a little bit of gunpowder sprinkled near lighter fluid to remotely light the fire.

Imagine it, our seniormost scoutmaster "called upon the spirit of Baden Powell" to light the fire, and it did. Just like that. The only sound was the collective "Woah!" from the kids. :D Retrieving the igniter without tipping off the kids was tricky, though, we pulled the cable away from the fire, but the plastic had caught. We had to let it burn out first before we could retrieve it.

[tofu]

Just off the top of my head I would say that you had a paine of glass in between the actor and the camera. You shine a flashlight or something on the glass to make the ball, but otherwse the glass is invisible.

[SAMU]

I suppose you could have a flashlight just off frame shining into the lense which makes disks of light appear. We often see this done in western movies or in the desert where someone looks up into the sun and the camera pans up to show how godawful hot it is.

[Luckmeister]

Just off the top of my head I would say that you had a paine of glass in between the actor and the camera. You shine a flashlight or something on the glass to make the ball, but otherwse the glass is invisible.
Oooh, you guys are just too good!!

The video was shot from inside my home through the livingroom window. My friend shined a flashlight onto the window, which reflected back into the camera. With careful positioning and a little rehearsal, the reflected light looked like it was suspended in the front yard and interacting with me.

I remember a UFO video someone shot years ago through a side window in a moving car. A bright streak flashed through the air above the horizon. It was quickly apparent that the window was closed and the UFO was actually a glint of the sun reflecting from a car passing on the other side in the opposite direction. That video had been used as good evidence by the UFO researchers." :doh: It was when telling my friend about it that inspired us to make our video.

Luckmeister

[tofu]

Psychics used to do the opposite of what you did. Instead of shining a light at the glass, they'd shine a light at a person so that person's image would appear in the glass as a sort of ghostly apparition.

[publiusr]

I wonder how many ball lightning photos were faked...