Ok, so here's that shot I've been talking about. I still haven't finished it, but it's a nice work-in-progress for you to check out:
So the animation is out, and the camera move gets downright weird at one point, but that's okay, because it was all about lighting and compositing, and in that sense, I feel that I've almost nailed it. I'm just gonna add volume lighting and some more particle effects -- and a heat-vapour once the rocket's flame clicks off -- and it should be done.
After that, I'll put together a tutorial on how I did it, but no promises just yet :)
Now then, let's get pished!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
WIP for year's end
Was just impatient to show off a work-in-progress of my recent project. As mooted before, it's just a practice exercise for me to learn with, but I'm happy with what I've got so far. Check out these pics:
After
As you can see, I've dramatically lit the scene by playing in Combustion. I will reveal later on how I did this, once I've got the whole thing sorted out. Note also that the flames on the logs were added later. It was made in the same file in 3D Studio Max, but rendered as a separate pass. I think it can do with a bit of tweaking here and there, but it shows the power of compositing and how, with a bit of smarty-pants trickery, you can get some great atmos out of an otherwise boring shot.
Coming up next will be some volumetric fog and some extra particle effects, plus the full video which will really show off what I'm trying to achieve here. But that will have to wait until 2008!
Before
After
As you can see, I've dramatically lit the scene by playing in Combustion. I will reveal later on how I did this, once I've got the whole thing sorted out. Note also that the flames on the logs were added later. It was made in the same file in 3D Studio Max, but rendered as a separate pass. I think it can do with a bit of tweaking here and there, but it shows the power of compositing and how, with a bit of smarty-pants trickery, you can get some great atmos out of an otherwise boring shot.
Coming up next will be some volumetric fog and some extra particle effects, plus the full video which will really show off what I'm trying to achieve here. But that will have to wait until 2008!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Tail end of Xmas; a new year; impatient to do work
So the big consumerism day has come and gone, and now we're all gonna get really pissed , set of fireworks and pretend for about 5 minutes that we're much better people than we really are -- really!
To be honest, I want to get that behind me as well. I suppose I've grown past the whole new-years thing, and I'd much rather sink my teeth into some graphics instead.
I've been working on a test shot, which I shall reveal soon, designed to teach myself how to work with lighting and some other elements when compositing a 3D shot. I've spent a few hours here and there over the last 2 weeks putting this shot together, and it's almost time to render everything out and sink my teeth into the exercise proper. But I didn't go into work today (what with there being no actual work to do) and therefore did no extra on this shot. And since I'm not there, I can't even post up a work-in-progress pic. Oh well. I may do some tomorrow, and render it out whilst I get drunk over the new year. Then come back on January 3rd and try with an almighty headache (so I'm presuming) to work the composite.
Well I have the highest hopes of it all working out, because then I will have passed a milestone in terms of creating a visual effects shot. After that, I will only need to perfect my camera tracking and on-set data knowledge, and I might be worth some money to the industry!
By the way, if someone is willing to give of their time to help me learn about on-set data collection, and how to use it, please email me!
End of 2007 -- peace out! Let's not screw up '08, eh?
To be honest, I want to get that behind me as well. I suppose I've grown past the whole new-years thing, and I'd much rather sink my teeth into some graphics instead.
I've been working on a test shot, which I shall reveal soon, designed to teach myself how to work with lighting and some other elements when compositing a 3D shot. I've spent a few hours here and there over the last 2 weeks putting this shot together, and it's almost time to render everything out and sink my teeth into the exercise proper. But I didn't go into work today (what with there being no actual work to do) and therefore did no extra on this shot. And since I'm not there, I can't even post up a work-in-progress pic. Oh well. I may do some tomorrow, and render it out whilst I get drunk over the new year. Then come back on January 3rd and try with an almighty headache (so I'm presuming) to work the composite.
Well I have the highest hopes of it all working out, because then I will have passed a milestone in terms of creating a visual effects shot. After that, I will only need to perfect my camera tracking and on-set data knowledge, and I might be worth some money to the industry!
By the way, if someone is willing to give of their time to help me learn about on-set data collection, and how to use it, please email me!
End of 2007 -- peace out! Let's not screw up '08, eh?
Sunday, December 23, 2007
A short film
Well, I was talking to my boss 2 nights ago and it started as a fairly benign end-of-working-week/it's-nearly-xmas kinda thing, with some booze and smoke, but it turned into something else. Much nattering about the deeper truths in life, but also about some fundamental aspects of where we are in terms of a company and the slump we're experiencing both financially and spiritually - the one effects the other, you see.
So then, in the interests of putting some new energy into everything, I mooted an idea and remembered an old script for a short film I had written. And after pitching it to my boss, seems we're onto something. He now insists that I direct, and he's taken on the role of producer. It's effects heavy and I know so very little about directing, but there again, I can see the whole damn thing in my head, so I suppose that's half the project taken care of.
Who knows what may happen, but it's interesting: my displaying some keenness to do, well, anything so long as it was a bit special, has turned back on me and I'm suddenly super-charged about it. It's funny, too, because my boss became so suddenly super-charged about the idea (not just the idea, but also because of his outlook on how such a project can charge up the other players in the company), which fed me instantly.
That, by the way, is the positive feedback loop that people should be looking for in life. One of the easiest ways to find it is to attend a Pearl Jam concert: they feed you (the audience) with energy, which you process and feed back to them in the way of cheers, which propels them to give off even more energy, etc. Seek that, for your well-being shall improve for it!
But I digress.
I don't know how things will go. The effects-heavy nature of the project is kinda beyond me, but at the same time, the script was written with effects in mind, and hence I have a strong idea of how to approach each shot, if not actually how to go about the minutiae of each shot. In the meantime, however, I have been experimenting with setting up your given 3D package to render out for your best compositing needs. More on that in the future.
For now, though, xmas has to get out of the way before anything moves forwards. And new years, I suppose. The script needs a revision, plus I have to get other people on board to help me make this thing. But I have a producer (he also wants to be cinematographer, and I'm fine with that), so all I need now is enthusiasm ... which I have!
So then, in the interests of putting some new energy into everything, I mooted an idea and remembered an old script for a short film I had written. And after pitching it to my boss, seems we're onto something. He now insists that I direct, and he's taken on the role of producer. It's effects heavy and I know so very little about directing, but there again, I can see the whole damn thing in my head, so I suppose that's half the project taken care of.
Who knows what may happen, but it's interesting: my displaying some keenness to do, well, anything so long as it was a bit special, has turned back on me and I'm suddenly super-charged about it. It's funny, too, because my boss became so suddenly super-charged about the idea (not just the idea, but also because of his outlook on how such a project can charge up the other players in the company), which fed me instantly.
That, by the way, is the positive feedback loop that people should be looking for in life. One of the easiest ways to find it is to attend a Pearl Jam concert: they feed you (the audience) with energy, which you process and feed back to them in the way of cheers, which propels them to give off even more energy, etc. Seek that, for your well-being shall improve for it!
But I digress.
I don't know how things will go. The effects-heavy nature of the project is kinda beyond me, but at the same time, the script was written with effects in mind, and hence I have a strong idea of how to approach each shot, if not actually how to go about the minutiae of each shot. In the meantime, however, I have been experimenting with setting up your given 3D package to render out for your best compositing needs. More on that in the future.
For now, though, xmas has to get out of the way before anything moves forwards. And new years, I suppose. The script needs a revision, plus I have to get other people on board to help me make this thing. But I have a producer (he also wants to be cinematographer, and I'm fine with that), so all I need now is enthusiasm ... which I have!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
3D Buzz
Oh yeah - can't forget to shout out to the awesome guys at 3D Buzz. This is an important link if you're into 3D ... because there is much to be learned from people who know.
Oh, and by the way, I'm not shouting to the not-awesome guys at 3D Buzz. Just so you know.
p.s. 3:25am = me even more tired!
Oh, and by the way, I'm not shouting to the not-awesome guys at 3D Buzz. Just so you know.
p.s. 3:25am = me even more tired!
Some links to get started with
Since I'm still up late and unable to sleep, I'll post some links with some starting info on being a VFX guy.
The on-set bag
Click here for a guide to making an on-set VFX bag and then when you're done there, click here for the juicy photos that show all the individual items.
VFXTalk.com forum
Here is VFXtalk.com's thread for supes.
Then, check out the thread that describes how to build a chrome sphere thingy.
That's all for now. More to come :)
The on-set bag
Click here for a guide to making an on-set VFX bag and then when you're done there, click here for the juicy photos that show all the individual items.
VFXTalk.com forum
Here is VFXtalk.com's thread for supes.
Then, check out the thread that describes how to build a chrome sphere thingy.
That's all for now. More to come :)
Nothing ... yet
Okay, so I created this blog cos it's 2:37 am and I can't sleep, and I wanted to see if I could post cool stuff here. You know, like video tutorials and whatnot. Cool stuff, not just embedded youtube shite. Well, it looks as though I can, although I'm yet to see how it works. Hopefully it works well. So ignore this post, it doesn't concern you!
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