How to Film a Flying Video Effect
Master the classic visual-effects technique to create a seamless levitation video using practical filming props, green-screen masking, and precise motion framing.
This guide shows how to film a flying video effect in 45-60 minutes. Start with lock down the scene and record a clean plate; follow the safety notes and step checkpoints below.
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- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap See 20-second demo if you want to understand it first.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free help, or Voice-only if you do not want to use the camera.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Smartphone with 4K recording
- ✓ Stable camera tripod
- ✓ Video editing app with masking or chroma key
- ✓ Desktop fan
- ✓ Bluetooth shutter remote
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Low sturdy workout bench or wooden stool
- ✓ Chroma green fabric or sheet
- ✓ Gaffer tape
- ✓ Fitted clothing in non-green colors
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Ensure the stool or support bench is placed on a completely flat, non-slip surface before balancing.
- • Keep the balance height below 18 inches off the ground to eliminate fall hazards.
- • Never jump or drop from elevated surfaces during recording.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (5 Steps)
Lock Down the Scene and Record a Clean Plate
Mount your smartphone securely onto the tripod at waist height and turn off all auto-exposure and auto-focus settings. Clear all subjects from the frame and record a static 10-second video of the empty background room or outdoor area. This clean background plate will serve as the bottom visual layer to replace masked-out support objects later.
- • A completely still, 10-second video clip with locked focus and exposure.
- • Leaving auto-focus or auto-exposure on, causing lighting shifts between takes.
Position and Disguise the Support Rig
Place your low sturdy bench in the center of the frame and securely drape it in chroma green fabric, taping the edges tight with gaffer tape to eliminate wrinkles. Ensure the bench remains low to the ground to keep your balance centered while keeping the green fabric taut against the frame. Set up your desktop fan slightly off-camera facing the bench to blow across clothing and hair.
- • Green fabric is tightly secured across the bench with zero sagging or loose folds.
- • Using loose or wrinkled green fabric that creates heavy shadows and ruins the key.
Record the Flying Pose and Body Motion
Lie stomach-down across the padded green bench, balancing on your hips and lower abdomen while extending your arms and legs horizontally. Turn on the fan to simulate air resistance, activate the camera with the Bluetooth remote, and gently undulate your limbs to mimic mid-air floating for 15 seconds. Maintain steady breathing and tight core engagement to prevent rocking the base bench.
- • Body is fully horizontal with hair and clothing fluttering naturally in the fan breeze.
- • Over-tilting limbs downward so they obstruct or shadow the green fabric.
Mask and Chroma Key the Support in Editing
Import both clips into your editing software, placing the clean plate on the bottom video track and the floating action clip directly on the track above it. Apply a chroma key effect to the green fabric or draw a localized linear mask tight around your torso to cut away the bench. Adjust the mask feathering to 3-5 pixels to blend your body edges naturally into the background plate beneath.
- • The green bench vanishes completely, leaving your floating body seamlessly over the background.
- • Feathering the mask too wide, which causes visible ghosting around your torso.
Add Camera Dynamics and Atmospheric Polish
Nest or combine the visual layers, then add keyframe position shifts or a 3% digital zoom to introduce realistic handheld camera drift. Color grade both layers uniformly so your skin tones and shadows match the ambient environment perfectly. Add subtle wind sound effects and horizontal shadow adjustments beneath your floating silhouette for grounded realism.
- • Natural subtle camera drift and consistent shadow matching make the flight appear physically real.
- • Adding excessive digital shake that looks artificial and causes motion blur glitches.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by im_siowei — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Chroma green fabric? Bright green bedsheet, poster board, or towel
- No Tripod? Stack of sturdy books on a stable table
- No Bluetooth remote? Camera app 5-second or 10-second self-timer