Explosion, Fire, and Smoke

Today we will be learning about these effects using these tutorials:

and...

tomorrow we will learn more effects in maya and also learn about multi-passing.

Get muzzle fire at this site or get images online.  Muzzle fire only lasts 2 frames:
http://footagecrate.com/muzzle.html

After Effects (AE) and Matte Painting

Matte Painting combines several techiques into one. It combines photo manipulation, 3D models, live action footage, and digital painting.

Download images and work on basic color correction, masks, and creating layers:
https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0BztHuML_19mKRnZTUWRFZVhiZk0/edit

A matte Painting tutorial to help out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue0j7TProTM

Matte Painting tutorial to help out:
http://psd.tutsplus.com/tutorials/painting/matte-painting-101-meteor-impacts/

Green Screen

Green screen is another form of compositing.  It allows a production to shoot an Actor in production and then replace the background(green screen) with something else.  When filmming green screens, the background needs to be a flat color.  This can be trick because of how you place your actor against the green screen.  If the actor is too close to the background it can cause shadows. If a light is too close it can cause a highlight on the screen.  Either add/remove more lights from the scene to get rid of shadows and highlights or reposition the lights.

 

Key Light is a program that is specific keying (removing) the background; However, since we don't have access to a program like that the best alternative is After Effects.  Using Color Key is the easiest way to get the look that you want.  After Effects main function was not in chroma key but there are methods in keying out your background.

NOTE: KeyLight is offered in After Effect to key out more effectively the background.

Resources:
Practice Green Screen
http://www.hollywoodcamerawork.us/greenscreenplates.html

View a sample Clip of placing Trackers in you Green Screen scene
http://www.hollywoodcamerawork.us/vfx_sampleclips.html

Learn more about KeyLight
http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/keylight/

Learn about Sky replacement
http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/advanced_sky_replacement/

VFX Project

This project is due: March 1, 2013 at the end of class

Goal
Students will learn the fundamentals of visual effects in live action production. Students will get the chance to film a live-action short, design a poster, and create VFXs and a title sequence.

Projects

• Poster
• Title Sequence
• Visual Effects Examples
• Finished Short Film (at least 5 mins)

The projects will consist of in-class assignments, lectures, and video tutorials.

Each group needs to have a finished short film with a poster or a trailer to a film with a poster. The final project will be based on creativity and originality of the required effects. The required effects are as followed:

1. A composited shot (Green Screen) with a live action or 3D environment
2. Explosion
3. Firing object
4. a modeled prop from each member of the team that works in the scene
5. AE effect
6. 3D title (Open Credits)
7. AE titles (End Credits)

The final project needs to have sound effects and either dialogue or narration. There needs to be at least 2 “actors” (group members) in film/trailer

Additional information will be provided in class.

In preparation for the VFX Project...

These tutorials are based on Mental Ray and Multi-pass.  Mental Ray is a Renderer that enhances the light, texture, and overall look of your Maya Scene.  Multi-pass helps the production pipeline move faster by rendering out specific models and "elements" of a scene.  An example of a pass is rendering out just the shadows, or a diffuse pass or an AO pass.  Take one of these tutorials.  Some of what will be discussed in the tutorials will not be discussed in class so you can easily get the upper hand on your short film in class.

Maya Mental Ray Rendering
http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Final-Gathering-in-Maya-MentalRay/24520
Maya Mental Ray Lighting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_-q40qF1Q0Q
Maya Mental Ray: Final Gather
http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Final-Gathering-in-Maya-MentalRay/24520


Multi-pass:  Some of what will be discussed here is with at least a basic knowledge of Mental Ray
http://www.cgchannel.com/2010/07/tutorial-multipass-rendering-in-maya-and-mental-ray/

Particles!

Today we will learn about particles in Maya and After Effects.

MAYA DYNAMICS
Beginners

• http://library.creativecow.net/articles/castaneda_alvaro/Maya_Tutorial_005/video-tutorial
• http://simplymaya.com/autodesk-maya-video-tutorial/effects-and-dynamics/maya-dynamics-set-for-beginners/?tut_id=198
• http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tutorial/Rigid-Bodies-Gravity/41354
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oOpkFWUmIk

Intermediate

• http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/duncan/waterfall_using_fluids_and_nparticles
• http://en.9jcg.com/comm_pages/blog_content-art-92.htm
• http://www.learning-maya.com/61-0-dynamics--fluids-tutorials.html
• http://dreamsin3d.com/glass_tutorial.html

Advanced

• http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/mayanparticlesadvancedtechniques2012.pdf
• http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/duncan/dust_storm
• http://cg.tutsplus.com/tutorials/autodesk-maya/create-a-realistic-explosion-in-maya-using-maya-fluids/
• http://en.9jcg.com/comm_pages/blog_content-art-102.htm

AFTER EFFECTS "Effects and Presets"
Beginners

• http://library.creativecow.net/mize_rob/AE_Flame-Effects/1
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Selvki0EzSY
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCQ4T4Thy2w
• Anything on videocopilot.net

Intermediate

• http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/time_freeze/
• http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/energy/
• http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/3d_light_casting/

Advanced

• http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/demon_face_warp/
• http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/disintegration/
• http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/blast_wave/