Reels in Motion Visual Effects News

Modo set for upgrade

Scott Sullivan — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:25:58 +0000

Just a quick update. Modo is set for a pretty big upgrade. I’ll post more later after I go back over the details, but it’s looking good.

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SIGGRAPH: Days Away

Scott Sullivan — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 02:58:41 +0000

Next week starts SIGGRAPH out on the West coast. We’ll keep you up to date with any announcements that we feel are newsworthy.

Big news is expected from Luxology, makers of the 3D program, modo. This is the announcement I’m waiting for the most.

Interactive Video

Scott Sullivan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:55:44 +0000

Here’s a concept. Imagine you are a coach. Now, imagine a video in front of you and you want to analyze the motion and technique of the player.

Now instead of just fast forwarding and/or scrubbing through the video, imagine if you could drag the hand forward and backward in time. Or the bat. Or anything moving in the video.

That’s exactly what what DimP does. It analyzes the video for motion and converts that motion to a vector based path associated with the timeline.

This is one of those things better watched than described:

Click to watch video

My Other Car is an Abrams

Scott Sullivan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:14:29 +0000

Recently, I was working on a matchmoving project shot near my own house. Matchmoving is when something is shot with a moving camera and then that footage is tracked in 3D space.

The result is data that can be brought into a 3D program, like modo. This allows the ability to integrate computer graphics, like an Abrams, for example, with live footage.

I animated and rendered the Abrams in modo and composited the shot in Shake. The footage was from my DVX-100B, shot in 24 frames per second in widescreen mode.

Click the picture of the Abrams to play.
Reels in Motion Visual Effects Compositing and Matchmoving

A Massive Robotic Advancement

Scott Sullivan — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:30:06 +0000

Some of you may have hear of the computer software called Massive. It was designed to create a ‘massive’ number of virtual actors that interact with each other.

For example, Massive was used to create and control the armies in the Lord of the Rings. Certain “personalites” and reactions are fed into the ‘brain’ and the computer uses artificial intelligence to control and animate these computerized ‘actors.’

They have taken an amazing step and integrated this technology with robotic technology with Hanson Robotics! The robot communicates over wi-fi to a computer running the Massive software.

You can find out more about this amazing combination of robotics and software at their website:
http://www.massivesoftware.com/robotics/

One Camera to Rule Them All

Scott Sullivan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:50:09 +0000

This might be a bit of a stretch, but only because the only other contender for the “One Camera to Rule them All” is made by the same company: Red.

Today at NAB, Red announced another revolutionary camera. This camera (when officially released) will record up to 120 frames per second (double most other cameras), at 3K resolution (most only go to 1080p), with a 2/3″ sensor (most handhelds have a 1/3″ sensor), records using Compact Flash or HDMI or HD-SDI (most camcorders still use that thing called tape) and most of all, the price.

You see, for features like this, a camera would be $10,000 for most of these features and higher for other features (like the 3K resolution, 120 frames per second and recording to CF). This camera comes in UNDER $3,000.

This is really an exciting time to be in video production. The tools are now at a point where they are accessible to everyone and produce images that, just a few years ago, were once only obtainable by the largest big-budget films.

I’m going to report a bit more about this camera as we find out more about what it will be capable of. Their last camera, Red One, made quite a splash. No doubt this will be quite the hit as well.

Nine Inch Nails and the new distribution model

Scott Sullivan — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:37:47 +0000

Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails founder if for some reason you don’t know) has clearly got some forward thinking marketing and complete understanding of the future of the ‘new’ distribution model of the internet.

This past week, he released several versions of his latest album, Ghosts, a four volume set. The first nine songs (the entire first volume) was available as a high quality, DRM-free download - completely free! As in, free. The next option was, for $5, one could purchase the entire album as a digital download. Again, high quality (320kbps) file as an mp3 or AAC. And no copy protection on those files.

Finally, you can purchase, for $10, the actual CD. However… when you purchase the actual CD (which ships in April), you are given a link that allows you to immediately download the same high quality mp3 or AAC files as with the $5 purchase, and the CD will be shipped to you.

I think this is great forward thinking and he’s going to reap the benefits. After all, he’s doing all of this on his website. Not going through a record label.

This is just more mainstream evidence that content creators are beginning to distribute their work on their own. Whether it is a band like Nine Inch Nails or an independent film by any number of artists across the globe, we are seeing this trend rapidly grow.

And while the total number of sales are not as high as going through a record label (I believe Reznor sold 600,000 to 750,000 albums, well below the million album mark), they had several other benefits. They made more money (since they kept it all and didn’t give anything to the labels) and they were able to keep complete artistic control of their content both during production and then during the sales and beyond.

2008 will see many more mainstream bands breaking from the labels and releasing their music on their own. We will also see many more independent films released for either direct download or DVDs available for purchase on the film’s website.

What is even more exciting about this trend is small effects houses like ours have seen an explosion in new films being created and the level of quality has risen dramatically with the affordable HD cameras on the market. I love being able to work on these independent films in true HD, shot by a crew of independents with a vision.

It is an exciting time and we are in the very beginning of this revolution. Get ready for all the rules to be broken by the people, for the people!

Quote of the Week:

Scott Sullivan — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:03:07 +0000

“Being a Mac user is like being a Navy SEAL: a small, elite group of people with access to the most sophisticated technology in the world, whom everyone calls on to get the really tough jobs done quickly and efficiently.”

-quote from unknown

The World in 3D

Scott Sullivan — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:39:38 +0000

As a 3D visual effects artist, I spend a great deal of time recreating and manipulating reality. Sometimes it is rotoscoping a person out of video footage and erasing any trace of that person. Other times it involves creating a 3D character that is animated and inserted into the footage. And other times an actor is inserted into a completely digital world.

During much of this, there is a point when the flat image of the footage must be recreated in a 3D world. This can be done using tracking software most of the time, but still takes a great deal of dedication.

Standford has come up with a technology that could really help the digital artist in years to come as this technology matures and becomes commercially available.

At the most basic level, they have developed a camera that can take photos in 3D.

Here is how this new camera operates. Normally, a digital camera has one sensor behind the lens. This sensor sends the data to a processing chip to turn that data into an image. A crude version of the human eye.

The Stanford camera is designed more like a fly’s eye. In lieu of one eye, the sensor is comprised of a 16×16 grid of smaller eyes. Software then compares each side by side sensor and computes what has changed. Then it calculates how far away each element is from the camera based on the movement. Large change from one sensor to the next means large distance.

How will this affect the digital artist?

With depth information, you could easily pass an object or another person behind someone else already in the footage. This can be done today, but involves tedious rotoscoping. With this tech, it would be as easy as stacking the ‘layers’ in a compositing program like Shake (what we use as our studio’s compositor of choice).

Here’s the link to the article:
http://www.news.com/8301-13580_3-9874436-39.html

Producing a Video Series: PreProduction - Build Your Shots

Scott Sullivan — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:05:35 +0000

Avoid Common Mistakes in Your Video
Try not to fall into the “look at me” attitude held by many editors. While that is what your audiences will be doing, it’s not what you want your viewers to be thinking. You want to guide their thinking and sell your story and your idea.

Instead, focus on your viewer. We just discussed details about this in the previous article in this series, but it’s worth repeating. Keep thinking what you can do for your client, not what they can do for you.

Don’t fall in love with your video. Whether you do your video yourself or you hire a video production company, don’t fall in love with your video so much that you get lost. It becomes very easy to focus on the trees and forget to look at the forest. It’s an overused phrase, but for good reason.

This is why feature films have initial screenings for select people. Directors will show their films to other directors, producers and editors for their input. After all they’ve been working on this project for months (sometimes years) and have become so involved that they sometimes have a hard time looking at their own film objectively.

So do what they do and invite honest criticism from close friends that you trust. You don’t want comments like, “Oh, looks great! I like it.” You should be looking for things like, “Ok, I like the tempo of the video, but this one shot tends to contrast too much with the others. Also, the spectator’s reaction is great in this shot, but you have a ketchup stain on your tie.” Look for honesty and specifics.

With these general tips out of the way, let me get this off my chest:

The 10 most common mistakes novice editors and filmmakers make with their cuts:

1. Bad Audio – If I can’t hear you, you just wasted the audience’s time. After all, would YOU watch a movie if you couldn’t hear it?
2. Out of Focus – Believe it or not, I have seen way too many videos with shots that are out of focus or go in and out of focus due to ‘autofocus’.
3. Too Slow or Too Much Dead Time – Anything that doesn’t add to your story takes away from your story. ‘Nuff said.
4. The Shaky Cam – Ok, if your audience feels motion sickness watching your video, you’ve got a problem. Some new films like the shaky cam look, but really, use a tripod. Trust me.
5. Performer/Talent is Too Small – I hate it when I watch a video of a stage and I think that I see a tiny little performer. Wide shots are great. They help establish location and setting. But you’ve got to cut to a tighter shot right after the wide shot.
6. Too Many Crazy Edits – I know we are in the age of fast edits, but if you cut too fast, I can’t even tell what you’re doing. This is actually a problem many magicians have while on stage – rushing their tricks. But that is a different book
altogether!
7. No Target Audience – The video is too general. Each video should be designed to hit a specific target audience. I don’t want to see college show material on the same tape as a trade show gig. You lose credibility.
8. Poor Lighting – This will be discussed in great detail later in the series, but, like number 2, if I can’t see your video, how can I like your video?
9. Bad continuity - Make sure you have a unified story and theme and stick with it. Don’t jump around and show everything just because you can. Confusion is your worst enemy. After all, you know what you want to say, but your audience doesn’t know what you are thinking unless you edit the video just right.
10. They didn’t hire me! Okay, not what you were looking for, but I’m only half joking. At least check out my website, ReelsInMotion.com for details and tips on producing a video. And my shameless plug: I not only produce promotional videos and specialize in visual effects and video magic, but also critique existing videos you may have.

Your Storyboard

A storyboard is a graphical representation of what you plan to shoot, all drawn out on paper. It usually looks similar to a comic strip. In fact, each frame in your storyboard will represent a different shot.

There are several reasons for drawing out a storyboard this early in the process. It helps you visualize your video early on
Allows you to see how certain shots will relate to each other You’ll be able to anticipate mistakes before they happen
During the actual shoot, this visual guide will help dramatically If you are hiring a crew (professional or friends), it helps you convey your ideas

You don’t need to hire a professional artist to draw up your storyboard. You can do it yourself.

How to storyboard your video

First, get a blank piece of paper, turn it sideways (lengthwise) and make several squares in two rows. Leave some room between the rows. Everything you want to include in your video will be drawn out in this storyboard.

Million Dollar Tip: Go over to your DVD collection and pop in any movie. Go to the “Behind the Scenes” section and see if they have a storyboarding alternate angle. I know the following have this feature: Matrix Reloaded (2003), Matrix Revolutions (2001), Unbreakable (2000).

Watch and see how they show the storyboard and how it compares to the actual movie. By switching back and forth, you can get an idea of how to use the storyboard to help create your video.

You do NOT need to have perfect drawings either. You can draw stick figures. It really doesn’t matter how good the drawings are. The main point is that you want to show all the different shots. Show a wide show. Show a closeup. Show an audience reaction Just as long as you can tell what they are. Use the extra space under each drawing
to describe the action in more detail.

Now, while you still have those DVDs out, get ready to receive a multi-million dollar lesson in film, moviemaking, storytelling and graphic design, all at once.

Get a million dollar education in video for $3.99

Put in your favorite DVD. Go to the special features. Now pull up the theatrical trailer for the movie. The TV trailers are good too, but only last for 30 seconds most of the time. You want the theatrical trailers (the previews they show before another movie) since they will be closer in length to your promo video.

Hollywood production companies will spend fortunes just on this one part of the film. Think about it. The theatrical trailer is the film equivalent of an entertainer’s promotional video. It takes a longer show (usually a 90 minute show) and shows you the most interesting parts in a quick “promo video” for the movie.

And it does it in just such a way that makes you want to go out and see their “show.”

Please don’t take this to mean just go out and copy what they did in the latest action flick. You’ll learn more by watching how they used lighting, camera angles, music and even colors to create a “mood.”

For example, low camera angles make the subject look powerful. Higher angles make the subject look weaker. Orson Wells used both of these examples wonderfully in Citizen Kane (1941). I would highly recommend watching this classic. Even today it is still a great film.

Go through your video and performance in your mind and think like you are making a movie. How would you, as a director, film each portion of your act to make it as dramatic (or comedic) as possible?

Also, watch how the camera moves. You’ll notice in almost every movie you watch there is one something missing. The zoom. The guys in Hollywood will not use a zoom. In fact, film cameras have a fixed lens – they cannot zoom in. Instead they use what’s called a “dolly shot.” The entire camera is on a miniature train track and the entire unit is rolled towards or away from an actor.

By using this technique of moving the actual camera instead of just zooming in, you can create a more dynamic shot. There is more action and the viewer feels like they are moving towards the subject. You can tell the difference by watching the background image. Does it just “get bigger?” This is a zoom. Does the background move as the
subject grows? This is a dolly shot.

So get a feel for how the camera can be used. This will give you many ideas that can be directly applied to your video.

As you do this, brainstorm and make a list. Don’t limit yourself. Even if you get a crazy idea like doing a “bullet time” effect (that freeze frame three dimensional effect used in all the Matrix films), write it down. Try not to get in the habit of limiting yourself.