The Visual Effects Arsenal: VFX Solutions for the Independent Filmmaker

by Byrne; Bill

• ISBN13: 9780240811352
• ISBN10: 0240811356
• Edition: CD
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2009-04-17
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Build your VFX arsenal with quick-access, step-by-step instruction on how to create today's hottest digital VFX shots. This essential toolkit provides techniques for creating effects seen in movies such as 300, Spiderman 3, Predator and others, with lessons on how-to: * splatter blood or digitally lop someone's arm off * create a scene with actors running from an explosion * create the "twin effect" (same actor, same location, 2 performances) * produce space-ship dog fights Organized in a ?cookbook? style, this allows you to reference a certain effect in the index and immediately access concise instructions to create that effect. Techniques are demonstrated in each of the most popular software tools- After Effects, Final Cut Studio, Shake, Photoshop, and Combustion are all covered. Brilliant, 4-color presentation provides inspiration and stimulating visual guidance to the lessons presented, while the companion DVD contains project media files enabling you to put concepts learned into immediate practice. * 4-color, step-by-step instruction for producing today's hottest digital VFX shots * VFX techniques are presented in each of the most popular software tools * Companion DVD features project media files allowing you to immediately implement techniques learned

Author Biography

Bill Byrne is a professional multimedia artist and editor for TV and film, with clients such as Electronic Arts, NBC, Tiffany Co., ABC Sports, ESPN, Panasonic, Snickers, and RCA Records. He is also a Professor of design and animation at The Art Institute of Austin, TX, as well as an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop CS3.

Table of Contents

Dedication and Acknowledgments	p. ix
How To Use This Book	p. 1
Sections	p. 2
Visual Effects	p. 3
Digital Compositing	p. 4
Computer-Generated Imagery	p. 4
The Underrealized Power of Available Software	p. 5
Your Toolbox	p. 7
Hardware	p. 7
A Digital Video Camera	p. 7
A Digital Still Camera	p. 8
Tripod	p. 8
Computer	p. 9
Other Considerations	p. 9
Software	p. 10
Image Editing-Adobe Photoshop	p. 10
Motion Graphics Software	p. 11
Video Editing	p. 12
Optional Software	p. 13
Compositing	p. 13
Three-Dimensional Software	p. 15
Third-Party Plug-Ins	p. 16
Final Thoughts on Software	p. 17
Preparing for Your Visual Effects Shot	p. 19
Tips for VFX Artists in Preproduction	p. 19
Storyboard the Effect	p. 19
Grab Your Camera and Do a Test Shoot	p. 19
Make an Appearance on Set	p. 20
Research the Technique	p. 20
Get a Commitment from the Producer or Editor on the Final Output Settings	p. 20
Be a Very organized Project Manager	p. 21
Creating a Digital Storyboard	p. 21
Project Management	p. 23
PROfiles	p. 25
Randall Dottin: Director	p. 25
The New Glass Shot	p. 27
Modifying a Building	p. 27
Adding Reflections to a Shot	p. 32
Sign Replacement	p. 39
Removing Objects from the Frame	p. 45
Changing the Weather	p. 48
Removing an Actor from the Frame	p. 56
PROfiles	p. 62
Jeff Martini: Video Editor, Motion Graphics Designer, Sound Designer, Multimedia Designer, Educator	p. 62
Green and Blue Screens	p. 65
Shooting and Removing a Green/Blue Screen	p. 66
The Driving Shot	p. 71
Screen Replacement	p. 78
PROfiles	p. 85
Roger White: Motion Graphics Designer	p. 85
Location, Location, Location	p. 87
Creating a 3D Room	p. 87
Scene Extensions	p. 92
My Evil Twin	p. 99
Cityscape Fly-Through Animation	p. 102
PROfiles	p. 113
Colin Stackpole: VFX Artist	p. 113
Digitally Processing Your Footage	p. 115
Basic Color Correction	p. 115
The Correction	p. 116
Color Treatments	p. 119
Film Looks	p. 122
Damaged Film Looks	p. 127
Predator-Style Infrared Treatment	p. 134
Rotoscoping Techniques-The A Scanner Darkly Look	p. 137
Stabilizing and Destabilizing a Shot	p. 143
PROfiles	p. 148
Mark Ezovski: Director, Editor, Motion Graphics Designer	p. 148
Horror Effects	p. 151
Evil Eyes	p. 151
Zombie Faces	p. 158
Digital Dismemberment	p. 165
Ghostly Apparitions	p. 172
PROfiles	p. 178
Paul Del Vecchio: Director, Editor, VFX Artist	p. 178
Action	p. 181
Vehicle Explosions	p. 182
Building Fire	p. 189
Creating Realistic Gunplay	p. 199
Cliffhangers	p. 203
Tornadoes	p. 208
PROfiles	p. 214
Jonah Goldstein: Director/Cinematographer	p. 214
Science Fiction	p. 217
Creating a 3D Planet Earth	p. 217
Alien Planets	p. 221
Star Fields and Light Speed	p. 225
The Disintegrating Man	p. 231
Light Sabers	p. 234
Morphing	p. 237
3D Spaceship Dogfight	p. 244
PROfiles	p. 252
Jerron Smith: Editor, Animator, Educator	p. 252
Flashy Techniques	p. 255
Frozen Time	p. 255
Time Remapping	p. 258
Wall of TV's	p. 262
Dancing Buildings	p. 269
Low-Low Tech Bullet Time	p. 273
PROfiles	p. 276
Bryan Wetzel: Editor	p. 276
Animation	p. 279
Two-Dimensional Character Animation	p. 279
The Digital Camera Stop-Motion Trick	p. 283
Bringing Inanimate Objects to Life	p. 286
Character Lip-Sync	p. 289
PROfiles	p. 293
Felipe Matos: 3D Animator, Writer, Director	p. 293
Text Effects	p. 295
Title Sequence Workflow	p. 295
Text Background Integration	p. 299
Horror Film Titles	p. 303
Three-Dimensional Text	p. 308
Return to Render	p. 311
The Spec List	p. 311
Rendering in After Effects	p. 312
Rendering in Motion	p. 314
Rendering in Combustion	p. 316
Output Issues and Demystification	p. 316
Title Safety, Action Safety, and Domestic Cut-Off	p. 316
Quicktime Codecs and Compression Standards	p. 317
Square and Nonsquare Pixels	p. 318
Frame Rate	p. 319
Color Depth (or Bit Depth)	p. 319
Final Thoughts	p. 320
Index	p. 321
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