How To Have One Actor Play Multiple Characters

Whether you're planning on faking twins or in short supply of actors, here's some tips that will help you make one actor play multiple characters like a pro.

There are plenty of movies that make you see double such as Coming To America, The Nutty Professor, or the Nutty Professor 2. Pretty much most Eddie Murphy movies, actually. And while this might seem like a movie-making trick of the past, it's actually still commonly used today in films like The Prestige, Adaptation, and Now You See Me 2. So whether you're planning on faking twins or in short supply of actors, here's some tips that will help you make one actor play multiple characters like a pro.

The first and easiest way to pull off a multiple character effect is to shoot a wide shot, framed wide enough for all characters. Now it's easy to think you can just set up your camera, shoot a few shots and voilà, you've got doubles! But it's a little trickier than that.

First it's crucial you don't move or bump the tripod or any of the set decor. You need the exact same framing for each character. So any changes to either the camera or the set could result in issues when trying to pull off a seamless crop in post. Second, the correct eyeline is what's really going to sell this effect. So in order to achieve this, use tennis balls on C stands and place them at eye level for the characters they represent.

For example, I did a shoot where an actress was playing seven different characters, so it was imperative that we not only maintain correct eyeline, but also character position. By putting letters on each tennis ball to represent the characters, the actress was able to quickly identify where she should be looking when addressing them.

Now, of course, things get even trickier when your characters are talking to each other, as they can easily step on each other's lines. So to make sure your talent is giving the appropriate amount of space between lines, I recommend having someone on set who can be a dedicated line reader for them. Every time you shoot a shot for a character, the line reader can then read the lines for all the other characters, giving your talent something to play off of and preventing dialogue from overlapping. But while a line reader definitely helps, timing can still sometimes be an issue.

Also make sure you also shoot close-up shots for each character, so you have something to cut away to if need be. Now a wide shot is usually the easiest way to achieve the multiple characters effect, but the effect can be fairly obvious, as characters are most likely staying stationary in their designated parts of the frame. So if you want to really sell that your characters are in the same space, you have to show them overlapping just like other actors would. You can of course achieve this by doing a lot of roto scoping work in after effects, but an even easier way to pull this off is by using a practical camera trick in an over the shoulder shot. By using another actor or actress as a shoulder double, you can make your characters feel like they are in the same space and talking to each other.

It's pretty simple to achieve this if you have only two characters to worry about. Just frame up the shot with the shoulder double and shoot. But you can take this a step farther by having a third character in the shot. To do this, first frame up your shot for all three characters. Then start with over the shoulder double and any character that shares the same side of the frame as they do, making sure neither cross into the third characters side of the frame. And of course, don't forget all those tips for maintaining eye line. Next, have the shoulder double step out and have your talent come back in as the third character in the scene. Again, being careful not to cross over into the other side of the frame. Once stitched together in post, you end up with a shot that feels real and avoids hours of painstaking rotoscoping.

So now that you know how to shoot one actor as multiple characters, you'll have twins in no time.

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#FilmItYourself #MultipleCharacters #CloneYourself

[joelmwara]

Who also is here in 2024 learning this?? It hasn't been easy for me to understand how it's done, but now I am satisfied with it.

[matheusmariani]

For a while I had planned a series of skits where a guy has the power to create clones of himself and uses it to do chores, but they start getting either invested in the original one's life or they are upset with their chores. Now, with proper editing and mentoring of yours, dreams can come true!

[ade_inspire]

This is the video i have been looking for . Thanks

[Dimitris_Gazis_PIANO]

What about the conversation the right timing ?

[ninjadude]

I was looking for a video to explain how they pulled off the multiple character trick in Back to the Future part 2. This helped and even shows the techniques they used to pull it off.

[dionkelly]

What about a video where all the characters are played by one person, but the characters all interact and move around? In "NUTTY PROFESSOR 2" during the family dinner scene, there's a long tracking shot where Mama Klump (Eddie Murphy) walks to the table past Ernie Klump Sr and Sherman Klump (also Eddie Murphy), then lowers her plate for Papa Klump (also Eddie Murphy) to take several beef ribs off the plate, then she sits down and they all start their meal.

[classicalretroback]

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity of how the hell multiple characters are pulled off.😍🎯💪🏽👏🏽

[oyetoufik]

Can you give me with practical way to close up and two character how to it? its shooting on camera to close or editing zoom?

[mehakydv]

Thank you so much for this usefull tip.👍✌️

[dionkelly]

Now you know how EDDIE MURPHY does it. Except he can also talk in several different voices. Lots of people still don't know it was him also playing the elderly Jewish guy in COMING TO AMERICA. He also played a mock RICHARD SIMMONS in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR.

[GotLoveWillow]

Great tips! How do you record a voiceover between two characters but have one character sound like they're in the same room?

[patrickgamble]

Hi

I like this idea - I wrote a comedy Horror short that went good in some contests which centers on three identical sisters who differ in hair style, dress but all have supernatural abilities. Success of such a short largely relies on how good a single actor can pull off multiple roles so it rests largely on talent but while the screen division works for couch and conference room scenes for most scenes you need a body double to take all those over the shoulder or where whilst walking down a hall together or in a car you catch the others arm etc. Mark Ruffalo did a great job playing two brothers in "I Know This Much Is True", where one brother was a lot heavier and used body doubles effectively.  There are probably a couple of scenes where there is the screen separation but the bulk require portions of the body double shown to give the audience the impression the characters are different people.  Tatiana Gabriele Maslany plays multiple characters in Orphan Black - so its always good to check out movies and shows that have been successful and have had one actor playing multiple parts to see how they tackled it.

[kylestoutzBCF]

How do they do it with a moving image tho🥲😭

[venesoespaniorpromilamoolivja]

thanks it rearly worked for my acting compony

[annspirit]

No one of us had psychocol problems we are spiritual individuals and have more then one life ❤ this characters are our protecters from diffrent life we lifed in the past

[tunkunrunk]

wow ! exactly what I need . I have one actor only, and don't want to hire others . But I'm using Proshow Gold from photodex, can I do it with that video editing software ?

[tubasaur]

4:53 - why does her hat turn into a side ponytail?

[DKs_youniverse]

what an amazing tip!! Thank for this video mam. God bless you always.

[tweetybird]

How do we do something like what you had a the very beginning of your video, where you popped in? Would you make a video on that? Thank you.

[TheDailyMemesShow]

This is gold. I appreciate your input so much that its value is akin to me being a flower which is feeling that refreshing mist coming out of your true love for your craft that leads me to maintain my unique fragrance, my attractive shape and color 😊

Thanks for your help!❤

P.S. Rejoice! If it pays off, in the end, I'll let them know (i.e.: "show, don't tell" method 😉), then abundance galore...

I know you don't understand what I'm talking about now, but you will get it later, I promise ❤🎉✨🙏💪😎🗝️