Counselors Training on VFX

Pro

-Sagar KapoorCSA 2

11/FET/CS/1115

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Post-production is, in fact, many different processes

grouped under one name. These typically include:-

Editing the picture / television program

Writing, (re-)recording, and editing the soundtrack.

Adding visual special effects - mainly computer-generated imagery (CGI) and digital copy from which release prints will be made (although this may be made obsolete by digital-cinema technologies).

Transfer of film to Video or Data with a telecine and Color grading.

Post-production

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“Visual Effects" is referring to digital post-production

and "special effects" referring to on-set mechanical effects and in-camera optical effects.

Special effects are created during shooting, and Visual effects are done in post.

Visual fx Vs Special fx

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Special Effects

1. Mechanical effects 2. Optical Effects

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They are also called as practical or physical effects

and are usually accomplished during the live-action shooting

The use of- mechanized props, scenery, scale models, Pyrotechnics Atmospheric Effects:

creating physical wind, rain, fog, snow, clouds etc

Mechanical Effects

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Optical effects are done by manipulating the camera

and lighting which in turn will make your scene look different than what it looks like to the naked eye.

This could involve working with camera lenses, types of lighting, or camera movements that give a certain look to the shot.

The special effects supervisor is in charge of making the creative decisions and works directly with the director on set to achieve what he/she wants.

Optical Effects

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Visual effects (commonly shortened to Visual

FX or VFX) are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot

Visual effects often involve the integration of live-action footage and computer generated imagery (CGI) in order to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or simply impossible to capture on film.

They have become increasingly common in big-budget films, and have also recently become accessible to the amateur filmmaker with the introduction of affordable animation and compositing software.

VFX ( Visual Effects)

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A visual effects supervisor is usually involved with the

production from an early stage to work closely with production and the film's director to achieve the desired effects.

"visual effects" refer to digital post-production and "special effects" refer to on-set mechanical effects and in-camera optical effects.

VFX

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Visual effects may be divided into at least four categories:-

Models: miniature sets and models, animatronics.

Matte paintings and stills: digital or traditional paintings or photographs which serve as background plates for keyed or rotoscoped elements.

Live-action effects: keying actors or models through bluescreening and greenscreening.

Digital animation: modeling, computer graphics lighting, texturing, rigging, animating, and rendering computer-generated 3D characters, particle effects, digital sets, backgrounds.

VFX

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Animation Rotoscopy Rig and Wire Removal Camera Tracking and Match Moving Green and Blue Screen & 3D elements to interact

with live action Matte Painting Color Correction

Visual Effects

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Animation is the process of creating a continuous motion and

shape change illusion by means of the rapid display of a sequence of static images that minimally differ from each other. The illusion—as in motion pictures in general—is thought to rely on the phi phenomenon.

Animations can be stored or recorded on either analogue media, such as Flip book, motion picture film, video tape, on digital media, including formats such as animated GIF, Flash animation or digital video. To display it, a digital camera, a computer, or a projector are used.

Animation creation methods include the traditional animation creation method and those involving stop motion animation of two and three-dimensional objects, such as paper cutouts, puppets and clay figures. Images are displayed in a rapid succession, usually 24, 25, or 30 frames per second.

Animation

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.This animation moves at 10 frames per second.

The bouncing ball animation consists of these six frames

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The Enchanted Drawing is a silent film best known for containing the first animated sequences recorded on standard picture film, directed in 1900 by J. Stuart Blackton, who is because of that considered the father of American animation

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Rotoscoping is an animation technique in which animators

trace over live-action film movement, frame by frame, for use in animated films.

Originally, pre-recorded live-action film images were projected onto a frosted glass panel and re-drawn by an animator.

This projection equipment is called a rotoscope, although this device has been replaced by computers in recent years. In the visual effects industry, the term rotoscoping refers to the technique of manually creating a matte for an element on a live-action plate so it may be composited over another background.

Rotoscoping

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Rotoscoping

The artist is drawing on a transparent easel, onto which the movie projector at the right is throwing an image of a single film frame.

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Rotoscopy

Rotoscoped frames of Eadweard Muybridge's Horse in Motion engraved into twenty metal discs. The metal plates were photographed after they were engraved and then edited into sequence.

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http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-08-01-rotoscoping_x.htm

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In an action movie there can be literally hundreds of wire

removal shots. A production technique called a “wire gag” is used where the talent is rigged up with wires to either assist him to leap over a tall building with a single bound or as a safety feature to save him from certain death.

Wire Removal

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Whenever you are trying to

remove an item from a shot, a background frame must be created for the area covered by the offending item.

This background frame with the item removed is called the “clean plate.”

Wire Removal

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A close cousin of wire removal is rig removal. A rig is any kind

of device used on the set to hold up an item up for filming. After the rig has done its job, it must then be removed from

the scene. It is usually rigid like a rod or pole.

Rig Removal

The city fathers were unwilling to cut the light down and the director simply had to have this particular camera position to get his shot. The solution – rig removal.

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Rig Removal

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Camera tracking is the process

of matching the movement of the CG camera to the movement of the camera used in the live-action footage. As a result, it is a crucial part of all visual effects shots.

Despite its importance, it is completely invisible in the final shot.

Matchmove and Camera Tracking

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If CG elements (the crow in this case) interacts with

objects which are a part of the footage (the branch of a tree), then matchmoving is needed for that object or character.

The CG model of that object or character needs to replicate the movement of the actual object or character.

This is important as it can be used to cast shadows, receive reflection, and is also a very good base for animators to plan out their animation.

Matchmove and Camera Tracking

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The camera tracking information lets you add 3-D animated effects into live-action footage, such as:

Animated 3-D character insertion (mascots, beasts, flying pixies, you name it). A favorite for commercials.

Vehicle insertion. Aircraft, boats, cars, trucks, spacecraft, things you wish you could get live, but couldn't afford or don't exist.

Architectural Pre visualization (ground level or helicopter)

Virtual set extensions (boy, that's a fancy newsroom!)

Matchmove and Camera Tracking

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It is the combining of visual elements from separate

sources into single image, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene

Compositing

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Compositing

Compositing is taking real-life elements with Computer Generated (CG) Element and putting them together - so they seem like they were shot together.  The viewer never suspects something is "not right".

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Chroma key compositing (or chroma

keying) is a technique for mixing two images or frames together in which a color (or a small color range) from one image is removed (or made transparent), revealing another image behind it.

This technique is also referred to as color keying, color-separation overlay

Chroma keying

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It is commonly used for weather

forecast broadcasts, wherein the presenter appears to be standing in front of a large map, but in the studio it is actually a large blue or green background.

The meteorologist stands in front of a blue screen, and then different weather maps are added on those parts in the image where the color is blue.

Chroma keying

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If the meteorologist himself

wears blue clothes, his clothes will become replaced with the background video.

This also works for greenscreens, since blue and green are considered the colors least like skin tone

Chroma Keying

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Chroma Keying

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Chroma Keying

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Chroma Keying

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Mattes are used in photography and special

effects filmmaking to combine two or more image elements into a single, final image. Usually, mattes are used to combine a foreground image (such as actors on a set, or a spaceship) with a background image (a scenic vista, a field of stars and planets). In this case, the matte is the background painting. In film and stage, mattes can be physically huge sections of painted canvas, portraying large scenic expanses of landscapes.

A matte painting is a painted representation of a landscape, set, or distant location that allows filmmakers to create the illusion of an environment that is nonexistent in real life or would otherwise be too expensive or impossible to build or visit.

Historically, matte painters and film technicians have used various techniques to combine a matte-painted image with live-action footage. At its best, depending on the skill levels of the artists and technicians, the effect is "seamless" and creates environments that would otherwise be impossible to film.

Matte Painting

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Matte Painting

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Matte Painting

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Color correction by using color gels, or filters, is a process

used in stage lighting, photography, television, cinematography and other disciplines

The intention of this is to alter the overall color of the light; typically the light color is measured on a scale known as color temperature, as well as along a green–magenta axis orthogonal to the color temperature axis.

Without color correction gels, a scene may have a mix of various colors. Applying color correction gels in front of light sources can alter the color of the various light sources to match. Mixed lighting can produce an undesirable aesthetic when displayed on a television or in a theatre

Color Correction

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3Ds Max 3Ds Max is a 3D modeling, animation and rendering software. The

application relies on widely used computer 3D technology which works by creating groups of “points” (known as vertices) who form surfaces when connected. The illusion of three dimensions is created by modeling objects out of multiple surfaces. Still pictures, movies and game environments (among other media) can be created with this technique.

After Effects – Adobe The most commonly used visual effects software. It’s primary uses

include motion graphics (title intros and logo animations) and compositing (adding fake stuff into live footage). This program is great for beginners to visual effects. It’s ease of use and wide range of uses make it the perfect tool for Indy filmmaking and small productions teams.

The following software applications are commonly used for visual effects on

both professional and consumer levels.

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Boujou

A 3d motion tracking software that allows the insertion of computer graphics into live-action footage with correct position, scale, orientation, and motion relative to the physical data of the original footage. Also known as matchmoving Boujou is similar to PFTrack and Syntheyes

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Mocha- Software used for planar tracking and rotoscoping.

Comes with tools for wire removal, clean plate generation, lens distortion correction and mesh warping, to deliver an all-in-one VFX tool set. mocha Pro is designed to complement any editing, compositing and finishing environment, and offers digital media artists a powerful, intuitive and innovative planar tracking-based solution with a streamlined interface, accelerated workflow and the power to easily manipulate and track shots not possible with traditional solutions.

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Imagine how difficult it would be to actually handle so many people

for the army scene in the movie Gladiator. 

What would be the cost and the precautionary measure necessary if you actually had to blast a helicopter for your project?

Why go to a foreign country with your whole crew for shooting just one song when you can simulate the desirable atmosphere with the help of modern technology?

Instead if you choose to utilize the Special Effects services of CMPT that specializes in providing the mind blowing effects that not only reduced the burden on your pocket but also enriches your visuals and leaves your viewers spell bound.

Advantages of VFX

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CMPT Advantage- CMPT can create endless possibilities and bring

dreams, illusions, and fantasies to life. There is no limit to what the special effects guys at CMPT can create. We have a poised blend of animators, illustrators and designers whose combined powers of creative imagination and can take your audience to a different world through special effects. CMPT offers a wide range of artistic solutions to entertainment industry such as:

Movies Music Videos Advertisements Games

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http://www.hollywoodcamerawork.us/

trackingplates.html http://www.cgtantra.com/index.php?option=com_cont

ent&task=view&id=267&Itemid=40 www.wikipedia.com Richard Rickitt: Special Effects: The History and

Technique. Billboard Books; 2nd edition, 2007 Matchmoving: The Invisible Art of Camera Tracking,

by Tim Dobbert

Resources

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Thank you!!