:: Software and the purpose for each.
:: Graphic Design Grid
:: MOCAP
:: Tracking Sensor
:: Compositing
:: Image Sequence
:: Keyframes
:: Rendering
:: Pixel based vs. Vector based programs
:: Bullet Time Process and Purpose
:: Simulation (Matrix)
:: Purpose of the Blue Screen
:: Preproduction, Production, and Post Production
:: Interpolation (Matrix)
Explain how the "The Beheading" in The Last Samurai was done (Tip: How many pieces of footage were shot and explain the differences between the two? How then are these two pieces of footage brought together? What is a tracking sensor?)
:: Miniatures - Purpose and Process
:: Digital Doubles
:: Digital Rotoscoping -
:: Filming Miniatures
:: Contributions of ILM
:: Raytracing
:: Morphing
:: CG
:: 3 Benefits of CG
:: Jurassic Park (93) > T2 (91) > The Abyss (1989)
:: TRON
:: Toy Story
:: Use of the computer in Lion KIng
:: Layout
:: Rotoscoping
:: The Multiplane Camera
:: Celluloid
:: Limited Animation
:: 12 Principles of Animation
:: Achievements of Snow White
:: Stop Motion Animation
:: Armature
:: Purpose of preproduction
:: Events that lead to the success of Star Wars
:: Pupose of the Director
:: Producer
:: Visual Effects Supervisor
:: Production Designer
:: Director of Photography (DP)
:: Front Projection
:: Harnessing
:: Zoptics
:: Optical Printers
:: Costuming and Makeup
:: Scotchlight
:: Disaster Movies of the 70's
:: Purpose of the Demo Reel
:: Aspect Ratio
:: Zoatrope
:: Kinetescope
:: Thaumatrope
:: Persistence of Vision
:: Types of Lenses
:: Resolution
:: DPI
:: FPS
:: Journey to the Moon
:: The Travelling Matte
:: Pyrotechnics
:: Automoton
:: SFX in Theatre
:: Projection Systems
:: Altamira
:: Metamorphosis
:: Won Academy Award for Best Visual Effects 2007
PEOPLE TO KNOW
VFX and Film Pioneers
Know their Achievements and Main movies.
:: Willis Obrien
:: Edwin Porter
:: Fritz Lang
:: Cecil B. Demille
:: Ray Harryhausen
:: Alfred Hitchcock
:: Robert Houdin
:: George Milies
:: Lumiere Brothers
:: Dick Smith
:: Dennis Muren
:: John Knoll
:: John Gaeta
:: Lon Chaney
:: Patrick Tatopoulos
:: Douglas Trumball
:: John Lasseter
:: PIXAR
:: ILM
:: Stan Winston
:: Phill Tippet
:: The Fleischer Brothers
:: Walt Disney
:: Emile Cohl
:: James Stuart Blackton
:: Winsor McCay
:: Significance of the Flintstones
Week 10: Demo Reels, Design and Davey Jones
Topics covered this week:
Intro to VFX
Week 10 : Design, Demo Reels, Software and Visual Styling.
Design / Typography and Presentation
A very talented programmer from IBM once told me, "It doesn't matter how good your product is, if people don't know about it, you are not going to make money." This is called marketing and companies spend billions so that you know of their product. They do this through messaging and communication. Where? Commercials, newspapers, magazines, your cell phone, the internet, there's even product placement in Movies. Anyone remember Reece's Pieces in the movie ET? Graphic design makes sure that this messaging clear effective and aesthetically pleasing for a particular market.
Design communicates through the interaction between image and words. Put the two together, and they become a powerful medium. The images get your attention, but the typography is the content or food if you will. Its through typography that you educate, influence and share.
As visual effects students, you will be working with type in movies, broadcast graphics and your demo reel. Be sensitive to this. A particular font displays an emotion, so learn what they each have to say. What's the difference between a serif font and a sans serif font and what are some of the characteristics of each? One is classical and one is modern, which one are you? You need to decide this for your demo reel.
Design comes down to presentation.
Imagine that your work is a gourmet meal. How is your meal presented on the plate? I've seen mediocre work that is accompanied by good design and clean presentation and it brings the work up many levels. On the other hand, I've seen work that is awesome, but because the presentation and design were an after thought, the entire piece falls. Take pride in your work so people will take you seriously.
To get better at design, look at magazines like CA. Know what a graphic design grid system is, how to achieve contrast and balance and composition. Look at how the site below was designed. They use a grid system to align all of the elements of the page, doing so gives the visual look and underlying sense of form. You should be able to sense the grid underneath. The grid gives the viewer a sense of comfort. When they feel comfortable, they are more inclined to interact with your piece. As a designer, it also gives you a sense of confidence so you can go in to a design with a boldness.
Do you see how the grid was used in the website above?
At the school, there are lots of people who will help you with this, but you need to seek feedback. Avoid designing or creating in a bubble, because its not how the professional world runs. Great work runs through the collaboration others and its at a fast pace.
• Quick Demo on how to use a graphic design grid.
How is design used in the Getreal Clip. How does it flow?
Demo Reels
Your demo reel shows off your best work. It shows off not only your skill in a particular area, but it also showcases your attention to detail and the overall package, this includes music and continuity.
Look at how these visual effects students present their work. If you understand their process, then that is good design at work. If this didn't have good design, images would be all over the place and their message wouldn't be clear. Design is the first thing you learn here at the school (Fundamentals of Design) and is also the last thing you implement, as you create your demo reel / website.
Web: Software primarily used for internet design
• Macromedia Flash
• Macromedial Dreamweaver
• Adobe GoLive
3D Software / Animation Used for modelling, texturing and lighting objects or characters in 3D. As you have seen in the demo reels, sparks, smoke or shadows can be rendered out separate passes which are then later composited on to another piece of footage.
• Discreet 3D Studion Max
• Alias Maya
Compositing (What does this mean). Use this to put pieces of footage together. Titling can be done here, and so can visual effects.
• Adobe After Effects
• Discreet Combustion
Video Editing: Used to edit footage on a timeline. Here you adjust timing, pacing, titling and even sound. From here, you can also export the movie into different formats.
• Final Cut Pro (Mac)
• Adobe Premiere (PC)
Sound: These are used to edit, manipulate and create new sounds. Sounds are usually saved as .wav files (pc and mac), or .aif (mac). mp3's are used too.
• Soundtrack Pro
• Pro Tools
• Sound Forge
"Meet Davey Jones"
Academy Award Winning Visual Effects
Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest DVD
"Domino"
Manipulating film to create visual Styling
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HOMEWORK
Study for your Final Exam
Week 9: MOCAP, Digital Doubles and Miniatures
Topics covered this week:
• Motion Capture
• Miniature Creation
• Bullet Time
• Using Blue Screen
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (10 points each)
"THE MATRIX"
1. We know how "Bullet Time" is created but why do it in the first place?
2. What is simulation and why is it important?
3. Why is the color blue or green used in visual effects?
4. What is interpolation and why is it important?
"THE LAST SAMURAI"
1. Explain how the "The Beheading" in The Last Samurai was done (Tip: How many pieces of footage were shot and explain the differences between the two? How then are these two pieces of footage brought together? What is a tracking sensor?)
"KING KONG"
1. List the different 6 WETA departments and a brief explanation of each.
2. What does MOCAP stand for? What are some of the advantages of this?
3. List the steps in creating miniatures:
4. Explain Digital Rotoscoping and why is it important?
5 What is a Digital Double and how are they created?
MONSTER HOUSE
1. How was Mocap used in Monster House?
2. Once characteristic of the movie, was that it had a handheld feel to the shots. Articulate as best as you can how this was achieved?
Week 8: Entering the CG Era II
Topics covered this week:
• T2 & Jurassic Park
• Contributions of ILM to film industry
Intro to Visual FX / Week 8 - Enter the CG II.
Discussion Questions
Making of Terminator 2 Documentary. 1991 "No Feat But Our Own" Running Time: 24 minutes
1. People to Know:
Who are these people and what were their roles?
• Dennis Muren
• John Knoll
• Stan Winston
• James Cameron
2. What was significant about the movie "The Abyss" (1989)?
3. Terms - Define the following. • Raytracing
• Renderring
• Digital Compositing
• Digital Rotomapping
• Morphing
4. T2 was the first movie to marry digital puppeted effects with live action. This brings about many problems to solve. Of all of these problems, which one would be the most important to you and why?
5. How many CG shots were used in T2?
6. Visual effects companies became worried when CG started to be more popular. Do you think their worry was justified? If it was you, what would you do? (Your experiencing this right now).
1. What's the process of creating mechanized (Non CG) dinosaurs?
2. What does an animatic show, that a storyboard cannot show?
3. What were some of the limitations of using the Go Motion technique.
4. What is the Dinosaur input device?
5. What sounds were combined to create the TRex roar?
Week 7: Entering the CG Era
Topics coverd this week:
• Tron: The first movie to introduce the world to Computer Animation. An article about the Tron sequel (Tron 2.0) can be found by clicking the link http://www.3gcs.com/tron/2.0/index.htm
• Toy Story: The first CG animated film.
• The Lion King: Combining computer with traditional animation.
MAKING of TRON
1. In your own words, list at least two reasons why was Tron significant to movie making.
2. Look at computer effects done today and compare those to that of Tron. What are some of the differences you see?
3. In the light cycle sequence, how did they create the feeling of vastness?
MAKING TOY STORY
4. Which was the first animated film? Tron or Toy Story?
5. How long did Pixar spend in preproduction?
6. Explain the concept of Layout.
LION KING
7. How was the computer used during the Wilde Beast segment in Lion King?
Week 6: Beginning of Animation PRE CG
Animation History Crash Course
Topics coverd this week:
• Discussion Questions
• Midterm Review
• Early Animators and the accomplishments of each:
James Stuart Blackon, Emile Cohl, Lotte Reiniger, Winsor McCay, The Fleischer Brothers and Walt Disney.
• Terms to Know:
rotoscoping, rotograph, multiplane camera, celluloid, Disney animation process, limited animation.
ARTISTS TO KNOW:
James Stuart Blackton (below)
Considered to be the father of Animation. The first to be able to record hand drawn moving images on film (1906).
Emile Cohl
Was famous for creating the first animated cartoon character. Check out the 1908 French animation called "Phantasmagorie" below.
Winsor McCay (below)
Illustrator of the popular comic strip "Little Nemo in Slumberland", was the first to use over 10,000 drawings to create "Gertie the Dinosaur" in which he interacted with the animation. The film below "The Sinking of the Lusitania" provided viewers an opportunity to witness the event.
Winsor McCay's Gertie the Dinosaur (below).
Max and Dave Fleischer (below)
The Fleischers were pioneers in animation who created memorable characters such as Betty Boop, Popeye and Superman. They were also responsible for the development of animation techniques such as rotoscoping and the rotograph.
Walt Disney
One cannot mention animation without mentioning Walt Disney. The production of Snow White was a milestone in animation for its many firsts.
• Many doubters didn't think it was possible for a feature animation to hold the attention of an audience for over an hour.
• First Full Color Feature
• First to feature a soundtrack
• First to use rotoscoping for realistic movement in a feature film
• First to show a variety of characters (The 7 Dwars).
• First animation with visual effects (water, rain and lighting)
• Multiplane Camera
• Feature animation production pipeline.
• Pencil test machines
"How Animations Are Made" Documentary:
Limited Animation
Developed during the advent of television in the 50's and 60's. Frames were cut, movement was limited and greater degree of storytelling was left to the soundtrack. After watching "The Flintstones" clip below, how else was limited animation used?
Limited Animation Continued
Sometimes the soundtrack and the editing carried the animation. Notice how there is little or no animated movement in the "Rocky and Bullwinkle Show". What then makes this type of work interesting and engaging for viewers.?
Intro to Visual Effects
Week 6 :: Discussion Questions
The Beginnings of Animation Please read pages 209 - 230 about the early beginnings of animation.
1. Please answer below. In the pages mentioned above and through the videos today, you will learn about innovators such as Winsor McKay, The Fleischer Brothers and Walt Disney. Compare and contrast animation to film visual effects. What are the major similarities and differences?
2: Who invented the Celluloid? Explain in your OWN WORDS, why this was important to animation? (p. 215)
3. List three stop motion puppet animators mentioned in this section and their movies. I'll do the first one....
1. Ray Harryhausen: Clash of the Titans
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________
4. The first feature animation was created by a lady named Lotte Reiniger (Prince Ahmed 1923). What in your opinion constitutes a feature? And what technique did she use? p. 223
5. What did rotoscoping and the rotograph do for animation? p. 224 - 226
6. Type the words "Snow White Firsts" in the Google and list at least 5 innovation firsts for this animated feature film. Be prepared to share this with the class next week.
Week 5: Midterm
• You will be tested on everything on this page and items from our text.
• Field Trip to the Damm Short Film Festival
Week 4: Metamorphosis II - The Epic Topics coverd this week:
• >> Role of the Procution Designer
• Powerpoint Presentations: Creatures.
• The Epic
• Braveheart - Discussion Questions
• Star Wars: Age of Empires - Discussion Questions
Braveheart / The Making of Braveheart (running time 20:00) Discussion Questions:
1) What is an epic? Are they important? Name some films that you know of that would be considered an epic.
2) Tension in a scene creates drama and interest. It locks us in and engages us. In the Braveheart scene you just was tension created?
3) List some of the elements involved in creating an epic film? How important is location?
4) How is preplanning and preproduction helpful in executing many of the shots?
5) What are some of the dangers?
6) As we enter the CG era, how is technology being used to create new epics. In your opinion, are these advancements good or bad?
7) There are many films that would be categorized as epics that have created within the last 5 years. What are some of these films and why do you think they did not succeed?
The Epic
Star Wars :: Empire of Dreams
Discussion Questions
1) Timing plays an important part in the success of a film. What were some of the historical events (social and political) that made Star Wars a success in the 70's?
2) Who were the other budding young film directors who also saw great success during this era? List them, and the films that gave them notoriety below.
3) As a director, is it important to have creative freedom - - Or - - is it more important to adhere the requests of the "corporation"? Is it possible to do both?
4) Who is Joseph Campbell and how did he influence these films?
5) Use the internet and list the visual effects accomplishments of Star Wars below. List one other movie that used each of these effects.
6) If you were a movie producer, what would be your definition of a talented director?
7) How important was preproduction during the pitch phase of the original Star Wars? Who did he hire to create these original images?
8) How do you feel about merchandising in film? Does it ruin the effect, or does it add to it?
The Epic
Star Wars :: Empire of Dreams
Other things to note while watching the documentary:
• Filming on Location.
• Casting
• Costuming
• Budgets
• Editing
• Timeline Crunch
• Motion Control Cameras
• Stop Motion / Model Making
• Health
• Sound Effects
• Matte Painting
• Creature Design and Mechanics
• Set Design
Week 3: Metamorphosis I
This week, we'll be learning how films change the appearance of actors and environments to propel story. Please review pages 52 - 66 in your text to enhance your learning.
VTC Learning - A visual dffects "heads up" on how to handle what's to come.
Maya
After Effects
Combustion
"iPup Update
Week 2 Review and New Terms: Powerpoint Pres. Week 3 :
• Composition
• Rule of Thirds
• Depth Cues
• Animatics.
Metamorphosis -
n. pl. met·a·mor·pho·ses (-sz)
1. A transformation, as by magic or sorcery.
2. A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.
3. Biology A change in the form and often habits of an animal during normal development after the embryonic stage. Metamorphosis includes, in insects, the transformation of a maggot into an adult fly and a caterpillar into a butterfly and, in amphibians, the changing of a tadpole into a frog.
4. Pathology A usually degenerative change in the structure of a particular body tissue.
The process called "Front Projection" made shots like this in the movie "Superman" possible.
1) List the disaster movies that became popular in the 1970's. What was it in your opinion that made these movies popular?
2) What breakthrough films did Douglas Trumball work on? Explain the idea of atmospheric diffusion and why was important for the movie "Close Encounters" p.57. Why is this important in the creation of the "disaster movie"?
3) Who were the main visual effects artists in charge of disaster movies such as "Poseidon Adventure" and "Towering Inferno" p.59 - 61?
4) What was the name of the company responsible for creating the reflective material and Scotchlight, used to make the technique of front projection happen (p.64)? What do they make today
5) What is Dick Smith referring to, when he says he uses a series of appliances? p 295 - 300?
Week 2: Early Visual Effects II
This week we will be learning about the early effects developed during the 20's and 30's. Please familiarize yourself with the people and their films mentioned below the schedule of the day.
Week 2 Lecture :: Early Effects 2
Powerpoint Assignments Recap
Collect and Review Homework
Review last week.
FPS - Film vs. Video
Aspect Ratio
Zoatrope
Kinetescope
Year for Trip to the Moon : Importance?
VFS - demoreels
The Production Process: Powerpoint
Pre - Prod - Post Production Process Lecture
Early Effects
The Great Train Robbery: Edwin Porter (1903) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc7wWOmEGGY
Explain how and where the matte process was used in this film. p. 28
For what purpose was glass painting invented? What were its drawbacks?
p.28 - 29
What was the primary visual effect used to create and animate the creature?
How did they incorporate shots of humans and monsters? p. 32 - 33
Fritz Lang and Erich "Metropolis" (1927).
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View a compilation of scenes from "Metropolis". (FYI, Matrix and Star Wars imagery will show first.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Wkejn1Fak
List 3 effects used for the 1927 movie "Metropolis". p. 31 - 32
Frank Williams (1916)
(The First Blue Screen)
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What is the "Travelling Matte" and when was it used. p. 34
List 6 effects that were developed during the 20's - 30 's. p.29 - 35.
HOMEWORK:
Use the textbook to complete the discussion questions and view the clips provided to enhance your understanding about the subject. Turn these in next week and have fun.
Week 1: Welcome
Welcome to Intro to Visual Effects. I hope you wil enjoy the class as much as I will enjoy teaching it. Together, we will study the processes and practices of how visual effects are created in some of our most favorite movies. The most important thing for you, is to purchase the textbook, from which most of the assignments will derived.
The visual and special effects for performances done by Cirque Deu Soliel are some of the best in the world. Many of these effects such as lighting, costuming, stage engineering and projections that dazzle the eye on stage can be used in film as well.
• TOPICS COVERED IN CLASS:
Intro to Visual Effects
Week 1
================
Welcome
Introductions
name / major / where you are at now / your experience w visual effects / the one movie that i don't mind watching over and over again.
Syllabus / Class Overview
Instructor Background & Portfolio
Aisa's Movie
iPup Progress
Text Exercise / Browse Your Book
Which picture did you find yourself stopping at? Ever wonder why this is appealing?
Foret Blue Visual Effects Demo Reel.
Illusion and Magic
What makes it work?
Visual Effects: Illusion or Magic?
Early History - Powerpoint
Altamira
Egypt
Pyrotechnics (China)
Theatre (Cirque Deu Soleil)
Automatons
What else did Robert Houdin invent in addition to the automaton?
Projections - What were they? pg. 17
Early History II - Innovations
Explain "Persistence of Vision"
1826 Thaumatrope
1834 William Horner "The Zoetrope"
pg. 20 - 21 Theatre Effects
What were some of the circumstances that lead to the creation of the first special effects house. What about money?
Explain the effect of multiple and double exposure?
Explain the matting process that Melies developed and why was it used?
Magic Trick Revealed
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HOMEWORK:
Week 1 - Discussion Questions (20 points each)
What were the some of the first effects of Robert Houdin? p.11
Describe the first projections, what were they? p.17
What is "persistence of vision" and how does it make visual effects and animation possible? p.18
With the invention of the Kinetescope, the Lumiere's (p.22) saw great success and decided to pursue a direction opposite of an artistic direction. Which direction did they choose to go? What do you think about that?
What were some of the circumstances that lead to the creation of the first special effects house. What about money? p.23
Explain the effect of multiple and double exposure, and what was it used for? p.23
===============================
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
With a partner, create a powerpoint presentation on one of the visual effects artists featured in our text. Conduct research to garner basic information, include additional photos and be sure to cite the information. For our learning, nclude the greatest achievements of this individual and the dates at which they happened.
You must use at least 10 images and the presentation must be at least 5 minutes long. Please choose one of the following:
Erich Kettlehut (Metropolis, 1927)
Willis O'Brien (King Kong, 1933)
George Pal (War of the Worlds, 1953. When Worlds Collide)
John Fulton (The Ten Commandments, 1956)
Douglas Trumbull (2001 A Space Odyssey. Close Encounters of the third Kind (1977)
John Dykstra (Firefox, 1982. ILM)
Phil Tippet (ILM, Dragon Slayer, Robocop)
Joe Viskocil (Pyrotechnics in Independence Day, Star Wars, True Lies)
Martin Bower (Alien)
Gene Rizzardi (Alien Resurrection, Titanic, Apollo 13 and Star Trek Next Gen.)
Robert Short (E.T., Splash, Beetlejuice)
Jean Marie Vives (Alien Resurrection, Joan of Arc).
Syvain Despretz (Gladiator, Alien)
Nikki Penny (Effects Producer)
Volker Engel (Godzilla, Independence Day)
Rythm and Hues Studios (Daredevil)
Richard Taylor (Lord of the Rings)
Pitof
Nicolas Rey
John Gaeta (The Matrix)
Owen Patterson (The Matrix)
Lon Chaney (Phantom of the Opera)
Jack Pierce (Dracula, 1930)
John Chambers (The Planet of the Apes)
Dick Smith (The Exorcist, Ghost Story, An American Wereworlf in London)
Stan Winston (Jurassic Park, Predator, Terminator)
Patrick Tatopoulos ( Godzilla, Underworld, iRobot)
Miles Teves (Legend, Batman, Blade, Legend of the Vampire)
Mark Coulier (Harry Potter)
Walt Conti (Free Willy, Anaconda)
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NEXT WEEK:
Early Film & Ray Harryhausen and Stop Motion
