11. The Terror of the Troll Toll, A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters

Chapter 11. – Behind the Scenes

Posted by tysonvick on

Brin Merkley returns as Philomena Dashwood and joins Bert Malcom as Thunder Boy in the latest chapter of A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters, The Terror of the Troll Toll. Here is a look behind the scenes!

Photographing the Heroes

This chapter feature a series of adventure photos which utilize green screens which were replaced in post.

Bert and I traveled to Lizzie’s house, where she did hair, make-up and fed us!

Brin and Bert pose in the outtake for Instagram as it is taken by two different cameras.
Brin and Bert pose in the outtake for Instagram as it is taken by two different cameras.

Bert and Brin had little to no time to get to know one another, and were just thrown together early, early in the morning because Brin had to get to work by noon.

When I tell the models that Brin is more important and should be in the foreground, Bert jokingly pushes her out of the way.
When I tell the models that Brin is more important and should be in the foreground, Bert jokingly pushes her out of the way.

Both models had a big costume change in the middle of the shoot. Bert’s replaces his western garb for a hero costume which features a huge headdress, or war bonnet. Thunderbird goggles feature in most of his costumes. Brin wears one of Alisa Kester’s lesser known costumes, a Chinese Steampunk gown with very lengthy sleeves.

Brin winks knowingly at us as Bert stands by in this outtake.
Brin winks knowingly at us as Bert stands by in this outtake.

Brin noted that all of our male models are fantastic singers and quite musical! Bert spent much of the day singing.

Bert observes the camera.
Bert observes the camera.

Sadly, Bert and I had to leave Lizzie and Brin behind to continue shooting for the rest of the book!

The culture clash will make sense in the final book as Philomena wears a Chinese gown and Thunderboy gets his hero outfit with Native Headdress.
The culture clash will make sense in the final book as Philomena wears a Chinese gown and Thunderboy gets his hero outfit with Native Headdress.
Bert Malcom as Thunderboy
Bert Malcom as Thunderboy

Making the Troll

The troll is a creature I built from clay, findings and plastic frames. This is the only pic I have of it being constructed:

Building the troll.
Building the troll.

A Look at Post Production

This chapter features quite a few digital photo composites. Brin and Bert were only available for a short period during a strange time of day, so we had to shoot in front of green screens. Below you cans see some photo choices and composite mock-ups.

Behind the scenes look at the beginnings of the composite image.
Behind the scenes look at the beginnings of the composite image.

In the photo below you can see the final image:

A final image from A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters.
A final image from A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters.

Next is a little sketch of where I wanted the troll fight to go.

A mockup of where I want the final image to go.
A mockup of where I want the final image to go.

Below you can see the final image:

In this final image from A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters the character Thunderboy (Bert Malcom) fights the troll.
In this final image from A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters the character Thunderboy (Bert Malcom) fights the troll.

I hope you enjoyed this look behind the scenes. Come back again soon!

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