The tricks on Halloween aren't exclusive to the pesky kids who throw toilet paper and eggs at houses anymore, as a U.K. news station pulled off a neat camera trick for today's spooktacular holiday. This "headless" meteorologist managed to win the day with his inventive weather report that may not exactly send a cold front of tingles down any spines, but will impress nonetheless:
While it's certainly possible to achieve this kind of effect alone at home with hours of post-production and CGI, weatherman Alex Deakin managed to pull off his weather forecast using a bit of green screen magic and a helpful volunteer. In a video that was released on Twitter following the report, Deakin is seen wearing a green screen cape that hides the rest of his body. Meanwhile, his colleague Chris Page (who is also a weatherman on the station) is holding Deakin's head whilst wearing a green screen mask over his own face.
It's a rather simple trick sure, but the Channel 5 news crew pulled it off wonderfully. Perhaps the most impressive part is how still Chris Page managed to keep his own head, keeping his shirt collar from disappearing during the weather segment. One wrong turn and the illusion would be ruined, since a piece of his shirt would go missing before the audience's eyes. (Although maybe that would be spooky?) Their in-tandem perfection seems to have paid off, as two clips from the weather report seem to be making their way across the world today as fast as the usual news blunders and funny moments similarly do.
The headless bit is a big part of the allure, but what really drives the whole segment home is the puns. For those that might have missed it, many cities on the map have been renamed to fit the Halloween feel. Most of the gags are pretty humorous, but whoever thought up "Liverghoul" and "Belfangs" really deserves a pat on the back. Conversely, whoever came up with the abomination that is "Londemon" might need to be written up for poor wordplay as that reads like someone saying "lawn demon" with a Jamaican accent. Boyeee.
We're all about the Halloween fun here today on Cinemablend, and celebrities like Kristen Bell and Gwyneth Paltrow really seem to be as well. For those looking to spend their Halloween evening getting spooked, be sure to check out our list of movies that should be Halloween classics for rental tips as the darkness approaches. For those just wanting it all to be over, turn off the porch light and hunker down with some good television. Those unsure of what to watch can visit our fall premiere guide for a detailed list of the hottest premieres and returning shows.
