Introduction

The Hidden Identity Effect is one of everyone's favorite effects simply because there are so many different ways that it can be used, and because it is one of those universally-recognizable effects. It's an effect that has been burned into our collective consciousness due to its use on such shows as 60 Minutes, Nightline, and especially COPS. The effect has obvious comical applications, such as having parents and children comment on each other with their identities kept well "hidden" for use in birthday, graduation, or wedding videos; and for use with friends, relatives, and coworkers commenting "anonymously" at special occasionssuch as promotions, award ceremonies, and retirement dinners.

While in this chapter we are applying the effect to a facethe most well-known use of this effectyou can use the effect to hide a poster on a wall, a license plate on a car, a hand gesture in crowd, a logo on a tee shirt, or a baby's diaperless bottom that, without this effect, might have left a great clip unusable. Now, you can simply "pixelize the problem" and save the clip!

When you are ready to use this effect on your own clip, the clip you use should follow the conventions of the "hidden identity" clip as much as possible for best effect: someone sitting in a chair, in their living room or dining room, talking directly to the camera or to an unseen person just off camera. Of course, any shot of any kind of action can also be used and have the hidden identity effect applied successfully to it.