SciFi Gun Composition Test

Video Copilot's tutorial on how to make a SciFi gun shot using Shockwaves and a few standard effects in After Effects. I don't have my Greenscreen to hand, so I used the Project file supplied.

Needs a lot of work, but as a test, I'm quite happy with it, I will look at making my own Shockwaves in the future.

Jean-Claude Van Damme video competition!

www.nofilmschool.com has given out a challenge for compositing footage. STARRING JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME!

http://nofilmschool.com/2014/02/make-a-movie-with-jean-claude-van-damme-funny-or-die-make-my-movie-challenge/

I'm going to have a little fun with this!

L5 - Digital Visual Effects - Scene ideas.

This project involves working as a team to recreate the VFX from a scene in a film.

The group is;
Phil Baggot - Phil's Blog
Shaun Fontaine - Shaun's Blog
Chris McEwan - That's me!

We are all looking at scenes which we'd like to make, then pooling the ideas and selecting one.

Tron Legacy - Recognizer Scene - 0 to 40 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub4tJAJCpo4
There would be a lot of 3D Modelling involved with this  scene. The buildings could be done through either Matte Painting or adding 3D modelling elements to video footage.
There would be some Blue Screen work, possibly.

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World - Todd the Vegan scene - 2:08 to 2:34, then 2:43 to 3:29
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUbgQLGKXdM
Large clips and very likely insanely difficult to do, but would pretty damn cool.
There would be a small bit of blue screen work in the first clip, when Todd is hovering in the hole in the wall.
The hair would have to be simulated, which could be done in 3Ds Max. The green lasers and the de-veganise ray would be done in either AE or Nuke, as would Todd's glowing eyes.

UFO (2012) - Ship reveal scene - 1:07 to 1:14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU6XUD8tEOc
This is just the trailer, but I have the actual film (regretfully, but at the same time, not!)
The ship would be a 3D model and a shot of Leeds would be used as a clean plate.
Digital Doubles would be used for the crowds further down the street. This wouldn't really be an issue as they are out of focus, so detail isn't major. They could be animated in either Max or Motionbuilder.
Plus, this guy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU6XUD8tEOc#t=127

Shaun of the Dead - She's So Drunk - 1:20 to 2:07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAyF7zmJXjA#t=80
The DVD extras show you how this effect was done. The pole is digital and the hole through the zombie is made through multiple layers in post.

L5 Post Production and Visual Effects Technical Report

This Project was a massive learning experience for me. Not only was it the first time I used Nuke X, but made me realise just how easy it is to underestimate the amount of work you will be doing. Below I have supplied my Gantt Chart and Storyboards.

The first three weeks was spent preparing for the pitch presentation which included miniatures I would be using (one of which made it into the final piece, the Ember Shrine), the storyboard (below) and showing what inspirations I had for the project (also below).

I began researching digital matte painting using Digital Tutors videos.

When I started to look at Houdini, I required more tutorials, using Youtube (there were only a few useful to me, personally) and Digital Tutors once again. Houdini was used in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, which was one of my inspirations for one of the sequences I wanted to make, but was one of the sequences that was ultimately too much for me to do.

The couple weeks for worst case scenarios came in handy. I was having a couple issues working on three projects, and around the week 5/6 mark was when other presentations were needing finalised. Plus, trying to book the Blue Screen room around two work schedules and other room pre-bookings was tricky. I eventually got the footage shot in about Week 7/8.

Compositing the footage together was tricky, for a multitude of reasons. I had recorded the footage in PAL and the footage was Interlaced, resulting in poor quality final footage. The Blue Screen was poorly set meaning lots of folds were tough to key out. I used markers for props, so we knew where to look/focus and where to place hands and where to stand, which led to LOTS of Rotoscoping.

I managed to get the footage put together, then do the breakdown video showing how bits were made.

THEN THE WORST OF WORST CASE SCENARIOS HAPPENED. As mentioned in a previous post, I lost 90% of footage, WHILST BACKING IT UP TO MY LAPTOP!!! This was a major set back, made slightly less worse by me having already backed up the final video and breakdown video, plus uploading to the blog and Youtube. Small victories!

These links are also found in my Blog, 

 http://chrismcewananimation.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/a-couple-pieces-to-keep-in-mind-for-vis.html

The last two frames of this storyboard had been shot, but were ultimately not used. The sequences would have been too advanced for my skills and the time I had available to composite.

This board shows the "Scott Pilgrim" sequence. Inspired by the Roxy Richter fight scene, http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=h7PHXCLjel8#t=72

But instead of the disco ball glass showing the reaction shots, it was the bullet in the magazine as it spun through the air, showing Chris, Mike and a Zombie before the magazine was loaded and the zombie shot.

If the full storyboard had been composited, the video would run for about 2 minutes. I'm going to keep a hold of the storyboard, as I may just animate it during some downtime, like Christmas or Summer.

Node Pipeline in Nuke

Following a spectacular meltdown in the HDD department, I had to recreate scenes to get the node pipeline.
Two of the scenes I managed to recreate are the opening and ending scenes (quite fitting, really).

Intro Scene.

This shows the blue screen footage being reformatted and transformed, so as to match up markers that I used as door props. The keylight knocks the blue screen out, the light wrap and Edge Blur makes the actor fit the scene better. Merged with them are Roto nodes, which were used to remove markers. Also merged are the background images which have transform nodes, so I could move them to fit. Ending with a Write Node to render, and a Viewer to show the scene in frame.

Final Scene.

Set the same as the opening scene, Roto nodes are once again used to knock out Markers, but also used to cover the doors for the door kick. The background is an animated background. Two of the nodes (appearing black) are keyed assets from Action Essentials - Video CoPilot, muzzle flashes for the firing guns which close out the scene.

Sod's Law

You know when they tell you to back your files up?
I do that! But did you know that when transferring files from a Portable HDD and the power goes off, cutting it's connection, there's a chance of corrupting your files, or even ruining your HDD.

Well, my 2TB HDD is RUINED. Whilst in the process of preparing the final stages of my VFX project, having taken snapshots of my Node Pipeline and everything... GONE.

I managed to save a couple files, images, a few videos, a couple shots which were backed up from a previous session, but the rest. Gone. I'm having to redo the Pipeline images with the footage I have managed to save.

Thankfully, I had already backed up the final video and breakdown video, plus uploaded them to Youtube and my blog (PHEW!)

To make matters worse, I thought my Desktop PC's motherboard was fried and needing replaced.
It was a matter of taking out and replacing (I.E. putting them back, not buying new ones) the RAM. I had tried to put the portable HDD into my PC as a mounted Storage device to reclaim my files, but that didn't work. I went to Maplin, Leeds Central (big thanks, guys! You helped me out to no end!) to get a SATA/IDE HDD Adapter, to turn any HDD into a USB read portable HDD, but sadly that didn't work.
I tested 4 HDDs out to make sure the cables were fine. The C: from my Desktop, that worked. The D: (a 2TB HDD for storage in my Desktop) and that worked. An old 2.5" 40GB HDD from my PS3 before upgrading the drive, that worked too! But the original portable HDD was dead.
Looks like I have some new Necromunda terrain ;)

Visual Effects images

Using photographs, I was creating background images for the visual effects piece.
Some were used, others weren't.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF VISUAL EFFECTS

The making of my visual effects piece included lots of Blue Screen work. When recording, we shot a few takes of each sequence so I could pick the best ones to use. I've also included the animated door kick section. c

Visual Effects Project Finals

Level 5 Post Production and Visual Effects.

This is the Breakdown video of how I made the final piece. It shows a couple sequences being put together and one of the images used and how it is changed from the original photo.

The final piece. Starring Chris McEwan and Mike Arnold, music by Synthadel. Composited with Nuke X.

Walkway Completed

The walkway I was making is complete. Using Rust Effect, hairspray and a stiff bristled brush, I made the paint look worn and the rust as though it's bubbling through paintwork. The black patches are Magnetic strips.

Miniature development.

Terrain pieces, which will be used (not only for tabletop wargaming) as part of Matte Painting and compositing.

Based from the Necromunda terrain pieces from the 90s, I am making them from Foamcore. Basing in black, then a base layer coat in grey, detail can be added with Plasticard and other pieces (straws for pipes, piping for vent tubes, cables for... cables...)
Once ready, they will be shot on Green Screen, then keyed out (like how I will be making the Ember Shrine in the film)

Showing scale for 28mm models. The car repair mesh used on the walkway supports the model well. It is sandwiched between a layer of Foamcore and Plasticard.

A couple pieces to keep in mind for Vis Effects project.

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?task=view&id=1822&Itemid=68

Scott Pilgrim - Houdini sections (Mr. X and Double Negative used Houdini at various sections)

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1645800/scott-pilgrim-inside-creation-six-fights.jhtml

Interview/breakdown with Frazer Churchill, Visual Effects Supervisor on Scott Pilgrim

http://www.fxguide.com/featured/Scott_Pilgrim_and_VFX_Against_the_World/

Gives a breakdown of the effects used in the fight scenes

(VERY) early visual effects!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8aoUXjSfsI

Just found this on Youtube and it has some interesting early visual effects and compositing techniques which were used right up into the 80s, before digital compositing was used. Plus some multiple exposure techniques used at the beginning of film making and into the Golden Age of Hollywood! Interesting watching!