DIY Special Effects: A Forced Perspective Walkthrough, Back to the Future Style

For part two of Shanks FX’s Back to the Future series, the DIY Special Effects artist decided to show you how to use forced perspective in your photography, using a model version the iconic Delorean from the cult classic films as an example.

By taking into account the scale sizes of the DeLorean models, Shanks was able to come up with a mathematical equation that would yield consistent results and ensure the cars fit in seamlessly with the full-sized environment.

The formula looks something like this:

Distance from Camera (ft) x Scale of Model = Distance between [model car] and [background]

Shanks notes in the video that the formula might need tweaking depending on the lens you’re using, but overall it’s a solid starting spot. For their purposes, they used a Canon 5D Mark II with a 17mm wide-angle lens.

Check out the full walkthrough below:

If you didn’t catch part one of the series, you can find it here. And be sure to stay tuned for part three by following Shanks FX on YouTube.