Size Wise Activity 7: Recreate a Scene

Analysis and Prediction

Expected Activity Time

Recreate a Scene (total time 40-80 minutes)

Option 1: Using Size Wise Tools to Find Object Distances (20 minutes)

Option 2: Predicting Distances (20 minutes)

Materials and Prep

• Recreate a Scene Student Sheets
• iPad with Size Wise for each group of 3-4 students
• Wifi access to send work to other iPads or online project space
• Measuring tapes
• Prep:Make sure students have ample space to take pictures at different distances (hallways are good)

Introducing the Activity

Not all special effects are computer generated.

Below are links to two YouTube clips from a video about how forced perspective was used in Lord of the Rings.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3ZiHEQimwE#t=137 (watch from 1:37 until 3:42)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWMFpxkGO_s

Using what you have learned from other activities, choose a picture of a movie scene and recreate it using forced perspective photography.

To Do

Option 1: Using Size Wise Tools to Find Object Distances (20 minutes):

• Have students think about movies they have seen, especially those that involve moments with large people or animals in contrast with smaller people or things.
• Once they’ve found a picture of the scene they want to replicate, have them snap a photo using the Size Wise app. The challenge is to recreate that scene with group members standing in for the characters.
• Using Calipers, the Ratio Tool and the Distance Tool, have students analyze the picture and figure out how far away from the camera their friends would need to stand in the final photo. If they’d like, they can consider using an action figure for one of the characters.
• Once they have collected all the data they think they need, have them set up the shot and take the photo. How does it look?
• Have students write an explanation of their process and why it works.

Option 2: Predicting Distances (20 minutes):

• Have students think about movies they have seen, especially those that involve moments with large people or animals in contrast with smaller people or things.
• The challenge is to recreate that scene, but there’s a catch: Students need to predict the distances that the people and/or objects need to be away from the camera.
• Have students choose a scene and create some diagrams to help make distance predictions. Make sure students show their work.
• Note: Some data will have to be collected by measuring the photo and each other. At least one piece of data might come from a decision the students make. (How big will the main image be on the iPad?).  Some data will be calculated. (Where will everyone else stand?)
• Once they’ve predicted where everyone should stand, have them set up the shot and take the picture. Ask: Were you right?

Discussion

Once students have attempted to recreate the scene of a friend’s picture, ask:

• How did you go about predicting the necessary distances from the camera to correctly recreate the scene?
• Were you able to do this without physically moving around until you fit in the shot?

What mathematics did you use to help you calculate where people should stand?

Extensions and Inquiring Further

A great extension is for students to swap recreated scenes with another group and try to replicate it.  Without looking at their classmates’ data, have students try the following:

• Analyze this new scene the same way. Have them set up the shot and take the picture.
• Does the diagram you made of your friend’s picture relate to the things you did to recreate your own scene? How so?
• Now have them compare their data to the data of the original designers. It’s very unlikely that it would be exactly the same.
• How is it different? Are some aspects of it the same?  Write an explanation of which mathematical relationships are very close between the two pictures, and which are very different.

(Option 1) Recreate a Scene Using Size Wise Tools to Find Object Distances

Using what you have learned from other activities, choose a picture of a movie scene and recreate it with your group members using forced perspective. You’ll use Size Wise tools to analyze your chosen image and predict the distances.

• Think about movies you have seen, especially those that involve moments with large people or animals in contrast with smaller people or things.
• Once you’ve found a picture of the scene you want to replicate, snap a photo with Size Wise. Your challenge is to re-create that scene with your group members standing in for the characters
• Using Calipers, the Ratio Tool, and the Distance Tool analyze the picture and figure out how far away from the camera your friends would need to stand in your final photo.
• Once you’ve collected all the data you think you need, set up the shot and take the photo. How does it look?  Write an explanation of your process and why it works.

Check out the example below.

• Of course the person on the table isn’t really that small, he just appears to be small enough to hold in her right hand.
• The white line on the ground is a tape measure that helped position the subjects at the predicted distance from the camera.
• Instead of using a tape measure, you can use the calipers and the Distance tool. The distance tool can tell you how far away students are from the camera.

Option 2: Recreate a Scene by Predicting Distances

Using what you have learned from other activities, choose a picture of a movie scene and recreate it with your group members using forced perspective. You’ll calculate the distance from the camera for each group member to stand.  Show your work!

To Do:

• By now you should have done at least a few of the introductory activities in the app.
• Think about movies you have seen, especially those that involve moments with large people or animals in contrast with smaller people or things.
• Your challenge is to recreate that scene, but there’s a catch: You need to predict the distances that the people and/or objects need to be away from the camera.
• Choose your scene and create some diagrams to help make your predictions of distances your group members need to stand. Show your work!
• After you’ve made your predictions of where subjects should stand and you have clearly shown the math used to figure out your placement, set up the scene and take the picture. Were your predictions right?  Did you get the shot?

For hints, check out the example below:

• Note that of course the person on the table isn’t really that small, he just appears to be small enough to hold in her hands.
• The white line on the ground is a tape measure that helped position the subjects at the predicted distance from the camera.
• The distance tool can tell you how far away students are from the camera.

Recreate a Friend’s Scene from a Movie (Extension)

Look at your classmates’ recreated scenes and see if you can replicate what they did.

• Swap re-created scenes with another group, but don’t take their data or their mathematical predictions
• Analyze this new scene the same way as in Part 1.
• Set up the shot and take the picture.

Recreate a Scene
Reflections

1. Compare your Size Wise recreated picture to the original photo you chose. What do you notice? How close were your predictions?

2. How did you figure out the distance each object or person needed to be from the camera in order to fit correctly in the scene? Describe your process including any data or calculations you used.

In Camera Mode, you will use:
	To enter and calibrate the height of subjects and objects.
	To see how far away one has to stand to achieve an effect.
	To reflect on the things they notice about the pictures they take. They can email the notes to themselves.
In Gallery Mode, you can use:
	To write ratios seen in the photos the have taken.
	To drag in up to four pictures and compare the data.