user5136: I'm looking to achieve something similar to this effect in a short film for 2 shots :

This is from the new Hobbit movie, with of course a massive budget.  To me it looks mostly a digital effect they used.
I'm looking for ideas on how i could achieve something close to this - I don't expect to achieve something so polished as Peter Jackson et al.  The story uses the "angel" motif as a representation of personal power and self confidence, and this would be a way to demonstrate that visually, as the character feels it, we see it.
I'm not sure if a strong light source behind my actor, and some form of filter (i know little about filters) on the lens would work on it's own?
Or if it's better achieved in post-processing - perhaps in a grading step? If so, ideas on software i should investigate would be much appreciated.

user1950: You certainly could get a long way in camera. You might want to add a diffusion filter to your lens - or a stocking if you can't afford one, certainly a strong backlight, and by the looks of it maybe a touch of diffused fog. Then in post grade it up until the skin tone is starting to get crushed to white.

user5546: I like @stib's suggestions, and I have another option. (This will only work if the actor/actress doesn't move across frame much, and the camera isn't moving.) Shoot the actor/actress in front of a green screen. Take a still of the background, and doctor it up in Photoshop or some similar program so there is a "glow" around that part of the image. When you composite the shot, if the lighting is similar enough it could look very cool.
The effect would look even better if you dissolved between different backgrounds that were pretty similar. The glow would look more alive.  In fact, the glow could "appear" if you dissolve or iris out from an undoctored background photo to your background photo.

5136: <p>I'm looking to achieve something similar to this effect in a short film for 2 shots :</p>

<p><img src="https://www.silverpetticoatreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/tauriel-as-his-guardian-angel-lighting.jpg" alt="Elf effect form The Hobbit"></p>

<p>This is from the new Hobbit movie, with of course a massive budget.  To me it looks mostly a digital effect they used.</p>

<p>I'm looking for ideas on how i could achieve something close to this - I don't expect to achieve something so polished as Peter Jackson et al.  The story uses the "angel" motif as a representation of personal power and self confidence, and this would be a way to demonstrate that visually, as the character feels it, we see it.</p>

<p>I'm not sure if a strong light source behind my actor, and some form of filter (i know little about filters) on the lens would work on it's own?<br>
Or if it's better achieved in post-processing - perhaps in a grading step? If so, ideas on software i should investigate would be much appreciated.</p>
 1950: <p>You certainly could get a long way in camera. You might want to add a <a href="http://www.tiffen.com/tips_diffusion_filters.html" rel="nofollow">diffusion filter</a> to your lens - or a <a href="http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2012/05/diffusion-for-the-digital-age-part-2/" rel="nofollow">stocking</a> if you can't afford one, certainly a strong backlight, and by the looks of it maybe a touch of diffused fog. Then in post grade it up until the skin tone is starting to get crushed to white.</p>
 5546: <p>I like @stib's suggestions, and I have another option. (This will only work if the actor/actress doesn't move across frame much, and the camera isn't moving.) Shoot the actor/actress in front of a green screen. Take a still of the background, and doctor it up in Photoshop or some similar program so there is a "glow" around that part of the image. When you composite the shot, if the lighting is similar enough it could look very cool.</p>

<p>The effect would look even better if you dissolved between different backgrounds that were pretty similar. The glow would look more alive.  In fact, the glow could "appear" if you dissolve or iris out from an undoctored background photo to your background photo.</p>
