Presentation Slides

Test 1 | Further Light Wrap Test

After having problems creating a light wrap in one particular shot in my Test 1 video, I have created a light wrap using After Effects in addition to the highlights created with the node in Nuke.

Original - no light wrap:

With only Nuke light wrap:

With this particular, and all light wraps:

I have sourced this tutorial by Jerzy Drozda, Jr. It was recommended by Matt Cameron. 

Here is his description of the process:

"Apply a 'Set Channels' effect and set the source RGB values to the background composition. Apply a 'Channel Blur', blur the RGB channels by 10 and blur the alpha channel by around 200. Invert the alpha channel by applying a 'Levels' effect and swapping the 'Output Black' and 'Output White' values. Matte the result with the original alpha by applying 'CC Composite' and setting 'Composite Original' to Stencil Alpha. Next duplicate the light wrap composition and change the Alpha Blurriness to a value of about 30 for a sharper light wrap. Finally set the blend modes of the light wrap compositions to Add and reduce the opacity to taste."

I definitely think this is an imperative effect to create in compositing, and this has made the shot come on leaps and bounds in my opinion, and I now see this video visually as fully complete. The audio will hopefully be created over the next month in the form of a trial for the proposed sound engineer for the final film, and then I will upload a final version onto the net.

'The Escapist' - Basic Pre-Vis

I have emulated the shots in the edit for Time Based Art students Michal (of LittleEarth Productions) and Jeppe's 3rd year music video 'The Escapist':

I have visualised the story with basic pictures (from Googling) animated, and incorporated Thomas Hogben's particle simulations.

The timing is inaccurate; myself and Thomas meet on Friday to develop it, render it and composite it more; the hand-in for the pre-visualisation is next Wednesday; and the final piece will be produced by late January for festival submissions in February.

I am the director of the animation, and I am collaborating with Tom at the moment, with others getting involved later in the process to finalise the sequence. I am compositing the piece and animating in After Effects.

Concept Art Image

Here is a Photoshop/After Effects image of one the panels from the first storyboard:

It is an important shot in the story, the scattering, but unseen figure, casting a double shadow behind them which crosses over on the hip - hinting at the siamese nature of the character.

The setting is factory-esque which ticks the boxes of atmospheric smoke in film noir (as well as the shadows). The setting changes and reflects different worries and areas of the character's inner thoughts and feelings as the short film goes on.

This shot is proposed to be composited with a live action shoot, with added smoke and CG elements to enhance the peculiarity of the setting - much like many of the shots.

Looking at the storyboard, it is mostly made up of anticipation and reaction shots in close-up or mid, when it comes to timing. This is one of the 'selling shots' which are of the main area of my compositing research and practice, although there are more complicated shots than this such as the extreme long shot of him silhouetted having entered the vast environment.

More to come on these as well as some more areas of focus in the storyboard...

Storyboard 1

Here is the first full storyboard:

So, these are the initial/still-basic ideas for the film's sequences (if you can make anything out). It is likely, and hoped, that they will develop substantially. 

Some of my aims in the storyboarding process are:

• To tell the story with 'pure cinematics' in showing the character's thoughts through them anticipating and reacting to events and what they see
• Creating a 'film noir' feel through the visuals - smokey and shadowy
• Reflecting parts of their possible character history and thoughts such as a pampered childhood, sharing and not owning, surgery, work - as well as the initial and real setting of an abandoned factory 
• Avoid cliches by creating visually the situation people would not expect
• Make choices of things that are achievable, both with budget and time, as well as specialist roles available
• Show the character to be slightly useless (or even a little clumsy) as well as looking for their brother, as this is their specific characteristic as well as desire.
• Make good use of cinematic conventions (such as shot types and movements, and axises) to aid the story and even homage to other films
• Make sure suspense is built, or comedy is delivered at the right times
• Create a vision of the character as possibly self-destructive in nature.

In order for these to be achieved, I need to develop this storyboard and then open it up to my collaborators for debate and development (in the next few weeks to a month), as well as do more research into siamese twins and techniques (these will develop more in semester 2).

Cling Film Film | Pure Cinema/Suspense Test

I wrote, storyboarded and directed a short test in 'pure cinema' as Alfred Hitchcock defines it. It is fairly long - 12 minutes, and copies the technique of the three shot process over and over, and with the timing it should in theory create suspense. This test was created so I could practice storytelling techniques, so within my masters study such techniques were easy for me so I can concentrate on the likes of compositing more directly.

The film was shot in June 2012, and editing was completed in August 2012. However, due to problems with meeting with the musicians and sound engineers to record the music, there has been a heavy delay in the finishing touches. We hope to record it December of 2012.

Here is the version with no music:

And, here is an example of the the music:

There is also planned to be, and has been rehearsed to have, a play-off between fiddle and saxophone...

Anderson McGinty Webster Ward and Fisher | Music/promo video

I worked with Matt Cameron and John Fairfield of Flyboy Film Productions, along with Nuria Valdeon on the animation sequence of a promotional/music video. It was great to get involved, and it was officially launched tonight.

Here is Pigeon Song:

Great job everyone (you can be the judge of  that as well...)

Hope you enjoyed.