VFX News

Howdy!

2012-12-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,

I know its been a loooong time Ive made a blog post, but I've been busy with work and then moving from Montreal to Toronto for the last few weeks. I've finally made the move and almost settled in the new place, here in downtown Toronto. I'll soon be making a big post on the 'Best VFX Studios to work at' around the world.

So I finished work at Modus FX, Montreal as a Tracker and just joined Soho VFX here in Toronto as a compositor.
Stay Tuned.
Skit

A sneak Peak at Nuke 7.0

2012-09-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

What I got out of SIGGRAPH this year?(2012)

2012-08-11T16:24:00.002-07:00

hmmmm..it was fun, it was crazy..too much bling..but it was really informative and I ended up making contacts with a lot of industry people.

SIGGRAPH 2012 was in Los Angeles this year and it attracted around 30 thousand people. That is a big number. This was my first SIGGRAPH and it felt really nice to be meeting so many people from the Industry. You see, Im not used to that. As soon as I step outside my studio at the end of the day Im usually trying to come up with an answer to “What do I do for a living?“ An answer simple enough for a layman, for the guy at the department store.I was overwhelmed to meet so many people from the VFX industry.

Anyway back to the point. What did I get from SIGGRAPH?

- A lot of business cards.
- a big pile of swag.
- an urge to learn Python.
- An insight into the new technology.
- a lesson. NEVER TO GO AS A Student Volunteer again. Missed almost every good talk :(
- Bumped into Nick Campbell(the Gorilla)

(God, I look ..bad!)

- A chance to see Hollywood and Universal Studios.

Anyway, I had a really awesome time and its gonna be embedded in my head as a lifetime memory.

bonne soirée (yea Im working in Montreal)

Siggraph - 2012 - My Expectations!!

2012-08-03T14:04:00.002-07:00

Hey Folks,

Sorry for posting after a huuuuuuuuge gap. I graduated, then my brother got married and then I got a job(Thanks)..so yea, a lot of stuff happened and I wasn't able to post for a while. Meanwhile I received so mannnny emails(and comments too) about my 'VFX schools list' post(thanks) that ive decided to be regular with my posts now.

So, I got selected for SIGGRAPH 2012, as a student volunteer and its in LA this time. WOOHOOO!

I researched a lot and people have been telling me its the best place to network and make contacts in the industry etc. So, I have it all prepped up -

1. Business Cards - check
2. Updated Resume Copies - check
3. Demo Reel on DVDs - check
4. Soft Skills - check
.
.
.

Yup, so, I am expecting to see all the Big Shots of our Field. Like people from Pixar, ILM etc.
This is my chance to get a foothold in the Industry, getting my name out there. VFX industry(Animation/CG/VFX) is really small and that is what gives you the chance to travel the world being a CG artist.

I will let you guys know how it goes..CIAO!

Is Houdini 12 going to be a Maya killer?

2012-02-22T20:01:00.001-08:00

Side Effects software’s Houdini v12 is being pitched as a game changer for the current VFX pipeline. Already being preferred over Maya for ‘breaking stuff’, Houdini’s procedural approach is huge amongst hardcore VFX artists.

The only reason Id prefer breaking stuff in Maya over Houdini is because of Houdini’s too technical/too exposed workflow. But with the new instalment that is set too change.

The new version of Houdini comes with a New Geometry Engine, The Bullet Solver and Pyro FX 2.0. Also it will support multi-threaded systems which is gonna be a huge jump from its current standing. A better interface and a speedy workflow poses a big threat to its direct competitor – Autodesk Maya 2012.

The beta is set to be released in October this year but till then here’s a teaser -

Showreel of the Week!

2012-02-15T18:02:00.001-08:00

compositing reel 2010 from Sandro Blattner on Vimeo.

Pros: High-detailed work, fire&smoke

Cons: Blacks didn't match in the first shot.

Showreel of the Week!

2012-02-09T20:14:00.001-08:00

VFX_ShowReel_2008 from mathieu chardonnet on Vimeo.

Pros: Professional, variety

Cons: Breakdowns would have been awesome

DMM(Maya) vs. Voronoi(Houdini)

2012-02-03T10:22:00.001-08:00

In my constant search for a Houdini alternative I came across DMM, a Maya plugin for breaking stuff based on the materials. And I think its pretty good, get the job done without going through the tacky Houdini interface. Watch the video and decide for yourself -

DMM -

R&D | DESTRUCTION WITH DMM | PIRATES from Sylvain Nouveau on Vimeo.

Voronoi Fracturing -

Houdini 11 voronoi fracture test from Oleg Sharabanov on Vimeo.

Shit VFX Artists Say!

2012-01-30T15:19:00.001-08:00

Hilarious!

X-Men – First Class – VFX Breakdown

2012-01-29T18:06:00.001-08:00

Showreel of the Week

2012-01-28T18:23:00.001-08:00

Pros – Tracking, Smoke, CG Compositing

Cons – Color Correction, Grading

Why texture when you can use materials?

2012-01-22T20:11:00.001-08:00

Exactly, why would you waste time UV-ing your models and then texturing them when you can just use a photorealistic material instead. Im currently working on 1 FX shot where I have to make 10 cars float in the air. Now If I’d sit texturing each of them It’s gonna take me atleast a month(texturing alone)!

Now I know there are times when texturing is indispensable but most of the times you can get away with materials, mental ray materials. Now in this fx shot the no. plates are not visible neither can you you see the insides so Im just using the mental ray materials.

Use Materials, Save Time!

Final Destination – Behind the Scenes!

2012-01-21T08:37:00.001-08:00

Realflow 2012 vs Naiad!

2012-01-19T22:44:00.001-08:00

Watch the videos first -

1. Realflow 2012

part count: ~23mil particles calc time: 02:07:55 preview: ~2h

2. Naiad

part count: ~7mil particles
calc time: ~6.5h
preview: ~3min

Man, Naiad is way fasterr!!! what do you think?

Showreel of the week

2012-01-19T22:04:00.001-08:00

Pros – Lighting, Breakdowns

Cons - color correction(sound waves) in the last shot.

Tinker Tailor–VFX Breakdown

2012-01-18T21:11:00.001-08:00

The Best VFX Software?!

2012-01-16T14:49:00.001-08:00

Well, obviously there are many and each has its own speciality. Here, I am listing some of them I have been using for the last few years being a VFX/Animation student. (not ranked in any order)

1. Autodesk Maya -

Main Uses – 3d Modeling, Animation, Dynamics, Simulation

Maya, hands down, is the most used 3d application in the Industry. Although, I was a bit hesitant at first in making the transition from 3ds Max to Maya because the complex UI scared me, Ive never looked back once I moved to Maya, be it for modeling, animation or, most importantly, dynamics/fx.

2. Adobe After Effects -

Main Uses – Motion Graphics, Compositing

Almost every VFX artist’s first love! Simple yet powerful.

AE has the most user-friendly interface as opposed to any other VFX software that exists. Although its mostly used for motion graphics these days, its a great tool for both fx and compositing. Remember to check Andrew Kramer’s http://www.videocopilot.net/ if you haven’t yet!

3. The Foundry Nuke -

Main Uses – Compositing

Used by most of the post-production facilities all over the world. While it's an excellent VFX system, Nuke isn't a motion-graphics tool. I never wanted to switch from AE to Nuke cuz I was in love with AE’s interface and although I still use AE for some motion design stuff Nuke is my main compositing tool.

4. SynthEyes -

Main Uses – Camera/Object Tracking, Match-moving

The easiest tracking software. SynthEyes’ super-simple UI is its biggest asset and it didnt take more than an hour to know it in and out. I haven’t tried PFTrack yet but I have heard that its much more complex.

5. Adobe Photoshop

Last, but not the least, the software used alike by both advanced users and noobs. Photoshop has been a part of almost all of my projects ever! Used by almost every one in the multimedia industry, it never gets old!

Working with new stereo 3D glasses

2012-01-16T09:04:00.001-08:00

In class working with stereo footage..

GoPro + VFX = Awesome!

2012-01-14T08:06:00.001-08:00

I came around this video while watching some GoPro videos on Vimeo. Guess what happens when you give a GoPro in the hands of a VFX artist, Awesome!
I know the explosion color correction isnt that good but the ships are spectacular!

The Making of Battle LA

2012-01-12T13:25:00.001-08:00

Project: Battle: Los Angeles
Budget: $70 million
Project duration: Approx. 22 months (March 2009-Jan 2011)
No. of shots: Approx. 1,000
Studios: Cinesite, SPIN VFX, Hydraulx, Shade VFX, Matte World Digital, Intelligent Creatures, AXISvfx, Luma Pictures, The Embassy, Soho VFX, MPC
Running time: 112 minutes

Just imagine: your military career is about to come to an end when, just days before your long-awaited retirement, hostile alien forces invade the world.

Talk about bad luck.

Unfortunately for Sgt Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), that’s exactly what happens in the movie Battle: Los Angeles, which is out on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK this week.

The original idea for the film was based on events that occurred in 1942, when an unidentified aircraft hovered ominously over LA.

The uncertainty surrounding the mystery object has left it open to much speculation over the years. In this version, the enemy is aliens – lots of them.

With the city of Los Angeles not keen on hosting huge pyrotechnics, director Jonathan Liebesman and the Battle: Los Angeles crew travelled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to shoot the live action and get a bargain on their explosives.

Huge 3D environments were created by the SPIN VFX crew using predominantly Maya and Nuke, with help from Flame

That left room within the relatively modest $70 million budget for plenty of CG work: the film features approximately a thousand CG shots, many full of complicated visual effects.

After being noticed for its impressive work on the TV series Generation Kill, VFX house Cinesite was awarded 100 shots.

With a crew of 32 and a 10-month deadline, the workload pushed production to its limit.

Like the movie itself, the workflow was somewhat unconventional. “It had to be simple, quick and efficient – different from other pipelines,” says Cinesite’s VFX supervisor Ben Shepherd.

further reading - http://www.3dworldmag.com/2011/07/12/battle-la-the-making-of/comment-page-1/?mtc=comment-7658#comment-7658

Showreel of the week – Sheer Genius!

2012-01-11T20:08:00.001-08:00

One word- BLOWN! This guy is a creative genius to say the least.

Pros – mindblowing use of timelapse, awesome tracking, uhh umm.. brilliance!

Cons- …u kidding me?

Render a 2-hour 3D animation in a matter of seconds with this!

2012-01-10T21:52:00.001-08:00

Just imagine how fast you can render a heavy animation with this -

.. on mental ray! ..in HD!

Behind the Magic of Rango – The Characters!

2012-01-10T12:01:00.001-08:00

Excerpts -
“..Everything in the film was key frame animated..” – Tim Alexander, VFX Supervisor
“..All the characters in the film are asymmetrical, which makes them look more organic..” – Tim

Nuke was the main compositing package used by the artists at ILM in the film.

The 10th Annual VES Awards!

2012-01-10T10:32:00.001-08:00

The VES Awards recognizes and honors the most outstanding visual effects work of the year and honors the artists who created them. The 10th Annual VES awards are being held February 7, 2012!

The VFX behind Mission Impossible 4!

2012-01-09T21:58:00.001-08:00