Spinning like The Mask

As Rick and imeiilfix have pointed out there are several ways to achieve this. From simple plugins to complex mocap workflows.

They both have hit the nail on the head in terms of what you would need.

In the MASK movie shot it is not just a simple Echo and trail effect added.

They have created the object in 3D space with camera movement tracked by using tracking markers which get keyed out.

In the movie you will notice the vortex wraps around Jim Carey which means 3D and particle work is involved.

For you to achieve an almost exact output you would need to use software like Maya, C4D or something that allows 3D mapping.

I think that is a thread on its own.

For now, as a beginner in the vfx world make use of plugins that will help you. Also make use of Motion Blur give it more realism.

imeilfx and Rick Gerard

Use the Echo Filter on the keyed footage to get this result. You can play around with the number of echoes, time offset and blending modes to achieve this :-)

The first thing you need is a clean plate and a layer that contains just the object you want to spin.

If you already have the footage and the camera is locked down, and the actor you want to spin around moves into position, you can sometimes create the clean plate by exporting a single frame from the movie to place behind the actor. You get the actor in front of the clean plate by rotoscoping. If the scene was shot with roto in mind then you may be able to use RotoBrush to automate the process. Once you separate the actor from the background, fix the area behind the actor by adding a clean plate, you put the anchor point right at the center of rotation for the actor and animate rotation. Then you could add CC Force Motion Blur and jack the values way up, or add Radial blur set to Spin and jack the values way up, or experiment with things like echo and compositing modes to get the look you want.

If the camera is moving then you have to throw in Motion Stabilize, Tracking, maybe some corner pin tracking, and probably some track mattes and maybe even some cloning.

The way they did those shots for the movie was to Shoot the scene without the object (character) they wanted to spin, use motion control to control moving cameras so they can get repeatable moves or make sure the scene could be properly tracked, and then shoot or create the object on greenscreen or create the character in a 3D app that could use the camera movement data from the original footage. In other words, dozens of people spend hours or days planning, setting up, and executing the shots and elements required to make a believable composite.

If you showed us the footage you are working with and described what you wanted to do in detail we could probably point you in the right direction. If you just grabbed the camera and shot a handheld shot of a friend walking into a room you are probably in trouble.

All depends on how the footage was shot, how that person is lit but first step could be in AE effects called Motion Trails and many some Glow.