By Sk Badiruddin
A video of a computer-generated visual effects (VFX) tutorial is circulating on social media with false claims that it shows glimpses of a ghost like figure that was spotted in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh.
BOOM found that the original video was created using VFX by a US based YouTube channel Joseph Njovu Visuals. The video was uploaded on the platform on August 27, 2022.
The 30 seconds long video shows an apparition atop a truck and moments of it moving towards the curtained room from where it was being filmed.
The piece of misinformation was further amplified by local Hindi news outlets including News18 Bihar and Chitrakoot Samachar.
The Hindi news outlets shared the video and claimed that a spirit was seen hovering over a truck parked in Galla Mandi Shankar Bazar under Karvi Kotwali of Chitrakoot. However, both the outlets did not corroborate the viral video.
View the video report here and here.
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Fact Check
BOOM ran a reverse search on few of the keyframes of the video and found that an extended version of the video was uploaded by the YouTube channel, Joseph Njovu visuals on August 27, 2022.
The 1:56 duration video is titled as, "Witch caught on Camera | Vfx breakdown Cinema 4d and after effects". In the original YouTube video, the audio is different.
The description of the video reads as, "Here is a Vfx breakdown of my recent witch caught on camera, i got the animation from mixamo, and cloth was made in marvelous designer."
On September 24, 2022, the user also uploaded another video, titled "VFX tutorial | flying witch caught on camera Cinema 4d and aftereffects". The visuals artist demonstrates briefly the steps of making the video that he followed and the use of VFX making software.
The user also revealed in the video that he was told by someone that the video was being aired as real ghost spotted in Nigeria by social media. The user can be heard saying, "Here is how I made the viral flying witch video. This video has gone quite viral. When I made it, it was actually just for fun. People are thinking it as real."
We found the channel "Joseph Njovu visuals" has been creating VFX videos since the channel was created on Apr 21, 2021. View here.
Thedescription of the channel reads, "Welcome to magical effects studios youtube channel, if you are into visual effects then this is the right channel for you, you will learn all there is about vfx from beginner to advanced, subscribe to see the next great thing."
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