Let's all do the Hamster Dance

I usually like to take a quasi serious approach towards these posts. Despite my greatest attempts, I almost always fall flat on my face. Now I bet I know what you're thinking. Is this going to be the turning point? Is he finally going to write something that I can learn from? Will I finally be putting my time to good use? Nope! Sorry, dude. There may, at some point, be a change in the tone of my posts, but this is not that post. The fact that the post is titled "Let's all do the Hamster Dance" should have been a strong indicator. I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you, but as long as you're here you might as well keep reading!

Let's get down to business. And no, I'm not referencing the forever-adored song from Disney's Mulan. I mean I should probably tell you why you're here. But good luck getting that out of your head now. Have you seen the commercial for the "totally transformed" 2014 Kia Soul? Of course you have! Because, like all the Kia Soul commercials, it features our favorite fuzzy hamsters. Well, if you haven't seen it yet, here it is:

2014 Kia Soul Hamster Commercial from Asad Baig on Vimeo.

I'd really like to just take some time to discuss this advertisement. Mostly because there are hamsters. Actually, entirely because there are hamsters. From watching a VFX breakdown video, I learned that the Kia hamsters are actually actors wearing suits that were later CGI'ed into the furry creatures we've grown to love. Up to this point, I was positive the hamsters were entirely computer-generated. I honestly had no idea, whatsoever, that the hamsters' heads were usually the only parts completely created in post-production. Here's the video I'm referring to (yes, I see that it's titled "2013 kia," but they're mistaken):

2013 kia making of from Andy Boyd on Vimeo.

What I simply cannot figure out is why the animators would always seem to add the hamsters' upper torsos only to take them away. Why wouldn't they just add the head and neck? The only explanation I can really think of is that it would help more accurately map out the hamsters' movements. I could be completely wrong, and probably am, but I'm all out of ideas.

The most fascinating part of the entire commercials for me can be found in the video preview image above. When the hamster (or actor) jumps into the pool, clearly one would expect to see a cloud of bubbles following behind it. Well, the makers of the commercial hit it spot on. Most of the bubbles were originally created from the actor physically jumping into the pool and swimming, but much of the cloud had to be added in after shooting since the hamster is larger and shaped differently than the actor. I know there are plug-ins and whatnot that can be used with ease to create such effects, but I'm just assuming some of the final product is the result of the animators' talent.

Like I said, this was not meant to be a well-articulated post, nor was it meant to teach you much of anything. I'm not the one who wasted your time. You did that to yourself. I just needed an excuse to type out "hamster" thirteen times (including this time...and the title).

Element 3D

Want to make realistic objects in After Effects that are truly 3D? Now you can, and it's never been easier with the Element 3D plugin! Created by the guys over at VideoCopilot.net, Element 3D pushes the boundaries with all the things you can do in After Effects. 3D objects, 3D text, 3D environments; Element 3D does it all, and it does it incredibly easy!

So how does it work, you might ask. Well, it's a lot simpler than it might first appear. First, let's talk about Primitive Objects.

Primitive Objects are just what they sound like, objects that are, well, primitive! Inside the primitive objects folder, you'll find an array of cubes, spheres, cones, pyramids, etc. all available with the click of a button. Once you create a primitive, you can use other primitives to help shape the object you wish to create. But what if I want to create something more fancy than just a cube? Well......

For all of those who are artistically gifted, with the click of a button, you can import 3D objects from many different 3D softwares. I don't remember which ones Element supports, but I do know it supports Cinema 4D files and 3DS Max files. Along with that, you can also import .obj files, which are universally used in many different programs. Great! We've got our objects, but it's all gray... Now what?

Welcome to the Material Editor! Element 3D comes packed with many preinstalled materials for you to apply to your objects. You can also create and edit materials very easily. So let's say we made a rock in Cinema 4D, imported into Element, and have a rocky material you want for the rock, what now? Simple, just drag the material onto the rock and you're set! You'll then be able to edit things about the material in the bottom window, to make things unique about that object.

I wanted to write this week's blog post about Element 3D because it is by far my favorite plugin I've used in After Effects! If I want to make something looks nice and pretty, and make it 3D, I quickly rush to Element, because I know I can make some awsome things.

Welcome to Film Riot

Ever wonder how movies did all their fancy After Effects effects? Of course you did! We all do, and that's what Film Riot's here for! Created by a group of film makers who love what they do, Film Riot teaches viewers how to do a wide arrange of things that the pros do. From pre-production to post, Film Riot encourages people to learn all the techniques.

Along with step-by-step tutorials in After Effects, Film Riot also has great Do It Yourself videos, to help you make the best cheap gear you can get. Film Riot can show you the ways of making cheap light stands, shoulder mounts, sliders, and more! While I haven't used all the DIY gear, I have used the slider, and I must say it is great! For less than $20, the DIY slider flows beautifully, and was a great tool to work with in many shoots.

Don't feel like learning, but feel like making instead? Great! Film Riots encourages viewers to not only watch their videos, but to go out and shoot their own films. Offering weekly video challenges, Film Riot wants you to go and make stuff! It makes sense when you think about it, the best way to learn the techniques they teach is to go out and actually do it!

So that's Film Riot! If you're interested in becoming a film-maker, or just want to learn more cool techniques, I highly recommend checking these guys out.

Cardboard Warfare

 

Want to know the limits of After Effects and motion graphics? Well there are none, as seen in this video. The short film entitled "Cardboard Warfare" showcases a short military style fight scene where all the weapons are made of, you guessed it, cardboard! While the video doesn't do anything too flashy, all the weapons look like they're actually functioning, without actually functioning. This little short film ended up exploding on the internet, and multiple sequels have been made since release.

I really like this video because it shows that the skies are the limits when it comes to After Effects, and if you can think it, you can do it! Once finished with this class, I'd like to be able to make cool videos like this. Even though it doesn't do any crazy advanced editing (all the cardboard is actually real cardboard), the way everything is edited makes things look really smooth and good.

Green Screen Movie FX Studio App

            Since we shot our green screen footage this week I thought I'd post about an app which may not be as advanced as our class material nonetheless can be something to play around with on the side. This app was introduced in 2012 but was recently updated, it has some sort of complexity as well as one hell of a studio editing program for an iPhone and or iTunes application compatible device. The application is suprisingly easy to use while also having a pretty impressive tool set when adding special effects in postproduction. More specifically this app allows you to use the chroma key special effect to replace video or pictures with additional media.  The app comes with a boat load of built in videos to begin your green screen experience. As well as the built in videos you can also import pictures and videos to splice yourself in (whether or not you can rip the files off the app to utilize in After Effects or another program is behind my research). Some of the application features consist of real time compositing, capture resolution, chroma match quality, camera focus mode and many more. Overall the Green Screen Movie FX Studio is a powerful special effects editor that allows you to create projects for only $1.99 at the iTunes application store, this is a must buy. Here is a quick start tutorial that gives you a sneak peak of the application... (the app was created by epocfield)

Here is some examples of clips made using the application...

Motionographer Jobs

This past summer I worked as an office production assistant for a company called Red Car NY. They are are a national creative editorial company that offers their clients a diverse roster of creative editors, designers, animators, and visual-effects artists. Throughout my 3 month internship I was fortunate enough to spend time watching a Flame Artist work his magic. Now you may be asking your self, how what is a Flame Artist and how do they get their name. More often than not many jobs get their names from the tools they use and a Flame Artist is no exception. Flame is a computer program used to create 3D visual effects, advanced graphics and 3D compositing. Visual effect artist can use this program for real-time color grading and editorial finishing post-production solutions.

Typical solutions that Flame artist can fix consist of color correction, removing microphones/lights from background of the scene, adding special effects such as fires, mythical creatures, soaring bands of color, or flying splatters of blood.

Example of a Flame Artist using flame to relight a shot in a film.

Depending on their skill level a flame artist salary can range from $26,000 to $112,000 a year. Clients will typically pay them by the hour. Usually a Flame Artists office is a a lager room so that their clients can sit in an watch what you are doing and give them suggestions on your revisions. 

If you feel that you are ready for a challenge, and work well under pressure and are a team player becoming a Flame Artist might be the job for you! 

Happy Batsgiving or Happy Bat Friday!

This week we are taking a look at a video from CollegeHumor's BADMAN series. This series has been racking the views for quite some time now on their website with videos over 500,000 views, some even have over a million views. They take scenes from Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy and parodies them, turning everyone's favorite hero into the worst version of him yet (and that means worse than the time that Batman was also Green Lantern). Here's a clip:



Just the pits, ammiright? The series uses a number of effects to make it as close to movie quality as possible, including motion tracking with fire and eye color displacement. The series' visual effects are done by a group called Gloo Studios Inc. Based out of British Colombia, this post-production/visual effects/production group has worked with a number of producers and post-production managers of broadcast content for TV and Film. They work with all styles and genres of productions, from multi-million dollar productions to indie producers and filmmakers. Their collaberation with CollegeHumor on many videos, not just including the BADMAN series, has really taken humor to the next level of online videos.

 

Green Screen Review

Hey everyone, considering our current project of chroma keying ourselves into a movie, here is a good review that I watched and refreshed some things I forgot.

Take note at a couple of parameters in After Effects that you may forget when chroma keying in Keylight...

Screen Pre Blur- use this after adjusting your screen matte, in the video he uses a setting of 2 and it helps to "feather" the edges through blurring.

Screen Shrink/Grow- use this to get remove the soft green edge around your subject, the video uses a setting of -3.5, (*negative* because you need to take the green out) but this is determined on a case-by-case basis.

And most importantly to get a good chroma keying result- use the eye dropper as close to your subject as possible!

Best of luck with your keying.

Mike Gaines

I really could not think of anything class-specific to write about; so I am going to write about a visual effects artist that I personally know!

Mike Gaines is a "digital artist" -- his works has ranged from graphic design, camera work, visual effects, post production, producing, and teaching!

I attended the Summer Institute for TV, Radio, and Film Production (ITRP) at Boston Univ back in high school, Mikey was the post-production / effects teacher and we have become good friends

His personal production company is "a graphic design company focused on providing quality, budget conscious projects for film and television productions. Since its inception, Gaines Images has expanded to include visual effects, DVD menu design and web design"

although he has little footage / productions on his YouTube, I did find this one After Effects video he made -- unfortunately he doesn't show how he actually stabilized it, but it is just so cool that we have the capabilities/technology of AE to turn a shaky shot, into something so smooth and stabilized

like i've said, he also worked as a special / visual effects artist for various productions (some series of FX, TNT, also Never Back Down feature film and others) -- the most interesting stuff I have seen from him his the screen compositions. it seems kind of complicated, with having to keyframe motions and create the on-screen image ... after talking with him, he says it is relatively easy

http://www.gainesimages.com/vfx/index.html

at 1:25 -- examples of his picture fixes are shown and very briefly the process

at 2:45 of his reel -- he provides demos of the motion graphic / animation work he has done for the various projects

all of which are effects and tasks that I think we could easily do in class, from all the material we have learned