Monday, September 12, 2016
BSA228, Lulu modelling is done? 12 September, 2016
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
BSA227, camera moves in Nuke and adding 3D bits from Maya, 7 September, 2016
Nuke software- does what After Effects does, but it's industry standard
tracking moving camera and how to bring that info into Maya
In a locked off shot, there isn't much to do except import still frame and create geometry to catch shadows of 3D character
import footage into AE to get the frame for Maya later on
pull bars over until one frame remains, composition- trim to work area, render,
save as PNG, save to tracking folder
use NukeX 9 v.8
nodal system, unlike AE which uses layers like Photoshop
hit s on keyboard to get script editor to come up
tab under big grey area will bring up menu and popular nodes
select read node
bring footage in
connect arrow between read(viewer node) and image
tab, type in camera to find camera tracker node
drag between viewer and image until arrow goes white then drop it
select camera tracker, on right side menu hit "track" button
program analyzes camera movements and inserts orange x and dots, whatever
once it's finished, select solve button and the shooting stars will go green or red in addition to orange
green=good, sticking
red= errors, you can delete those and resolve by clicking on them frame by frame and htting delete
errors 1 and under
setting ground plane
go to 3D view
back to 3D view, shift and select a number of green arrows until they go yellow
right click, select ground plane, set to selected, they'll go pink
back to 3D view to see your progress. The hot pink dots have been established as the ground plane
exporting camera with tracking info to use in Maya
camera- scene- create and scene nodes pop up. (This looks like ToonBoom Harmony's innards)
Double click on camera to get the camera to show up in the 3D view
Tab in big grey area and type "write" to get "writegeo" to come up. select and connect arrow to scene node
double click write geo to bring up menu
add .fbx to the end of the name so it will format properly
save whole composition as .nk
-----------------------------------------------------
Maya
set new project
make sure you're in PAL 25 frames and millimeters
I wasn't able to keep up with Vaughn and write down the instructions. import the fbx footage and group the locators then put them on a layer and disappear them. select camera and under environment tab take background colour down to black in folder select the png one frame in image plane and hit create to link the still frame to the camera?
make a 3D object in Maya and also a plane: assign new material and type in "use background" select that and the plane camouflages itself to look like the bg
put in two directional lights to create shadows. in second dLight, take off ray shadows
render two layers: box and shadow so the opacity of the shadow can be changed in AE
white shows what will show up in the scene- the box, it's shadow and the still frame in the background? Or will that bg be left behind and added again in AE.
launch render set up window (icon next to hypershade in Maya 2016 extention 2)
middle mouse drag and drop selected items to add to collection box
go back to render view box and render to check that the right things have gone into the collection
click plus layer again to create second layer, name shadows, right click and create collection
because we just want the shadow and not the box, we right click on collection of shadows and
choose create material override. slide all three sliders (specular colours, reflectivity and reflection limit to the left) and the box takes on the background, like the plane did.
up on scene tab, deselection movie clapper icon so only the layers with collections render.
recheck through "eyeball" of render setup menu to make sure just the box (in that layer) and just black (because you can't see the shadow) are showing up in the test render.
don't want to render the background, even on the plane, so delete png still frame once all the rendering stuff has been committed to.
batch render it all. Make sure it's been renamed in render set up and right click to select render layer
Problems with rendering in layers: something about ext 2 and the shadows "slipping" the fps rate didn't stick to 25 but changed to 24? re-rendered the batch with both layers at the same time and it got fixed.
tracking moving camera and how to bring that info into Maya
In a locked off shot, there isn't much to do except import still frame and create geometry to catch shadows of 3D character
import footage into AE to get the frame for Maya later on
pull bars over until one frame remains, composition- trim to work area, render,
save as PNG, save to tracking folder
use NukeX 9 v.8
nodal system, unlike AE which uses layers like Photoshop
hit s on keyboard to get script editor to come up
tab under big grey area will bring up menu and popular nodes
select read node
bring footage in
connect arrow between read(viewer node) and image
tab, type in camera to find camera tracker node
drag between viewer and image until arrow goes white then drop it
select camera tracker, on right side menu hit "track" button
program analyzes camera movements and inserts orange x and dots, whatever
once it's finished, select solve button and the shooting stars will go green or red in addition to orange
red= errors, you can delete those and resolve by clicking on them frame by frame and htting delete
errors 1 and under
setting ground plane
go to 3D view
back to 3D view, shift and select a number of green arrows until they go yellow
right click, select ground plane, set to selected, they'll go pink
back to 3D view to see your progress. The hot pink dots have been established as the ground plane
exporting camera with tracking info to use in Maya
camera- scene- create and scene nodes pop up. (This looks like ToonBoom Harmony's innards)
Double click on camera to get the camera to show up in the 3D view
Tab in big grey area and type "write" to get "writegeo" to come up. select and connect arrow to scene node
double click write geo to bring up menu
add .fbx to the end of the name so it will format properly
save whole composition as .nk
-----------------------------------------------------
Maya
set new project
make sure you're in PAL 25 frames and millimeters
I wasn't able to keep up with Vaughn and write down the instructions. import the fbx footage and group the locators then put them on a layer and disappear them. select camera and under environment tab take background colour down to black in folder select the png one frame in image plane and hit create to link the still frame to the camera?
make a 3D object in Maya and also a plane: assign new material and type in "use background" select that and the plane camouflages itself to look like the bg
launch render set up window (icon next to hypershade in Maya 2016 extention 2)
middle mouse drag and drop selected items to add to collection box
go back to render view box and render to check that the right things have gone into the collection
choose create material override. slide all three sliders (specular colours, reflectivity and reflection limit to the left) and the box takes on the background, like the plane did.
up on scene tab, deselection movie clapper icon so only the layers with collections render.
recheck through "eyeball" of render setup menu to make sure just the box (in that layer) and just black (because you can't see the shadow) are showing up in the test render.
don't want to render the background, even on the plane, so delete png still frame once all the rendering stuff has been committed to.
batch render it all. Make sure it's been renamed in render set up and right click to select render layer
Problems with rendering in layers: something about ext 2 and the shadows "slipping" the fps rate didn't stick to 25 but changed to 24? re-rendered the batch with both layers at the same time and it got fixed.
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
BSA228, Motion Trees, 5 September, 2016
For assignment two, concept art plus finished 3D renders and motion cycles. Check out show reel examples on blackboard for ideas. The character is set on a neutral background so emphasis is on design and movement.
Motion Trees: what is the character doing
Idle: what is the character doing when it's not doing anything? It needs naturalistic, character movement. Some games use two idle cycles for variety and to express emotional states of basic readiness and impatience to get moving
walk cycle:
run cycle:
jump cycle:
crouch cycle:
Then look at game mechanics, decide what they need to do:
grab cycle
question animation
can walk, run,jump from idle but can only grab from idle or walk
Unity has particle effects to get glowy effects around the character or objects
Motion Trees: what is the character doing
Idle: what is the character doing when it's not doing anything? It needs naturalistic, character movement. Some games use two idle cycles for variety and to express emotional states of basic readiness and impatience to get moving
walk cycle:
run cycle:
jump cycle:
crouch cycle:
Then look at game mechanics, decide what they need to do:
grab cycle
question animation
can walk, run,jump from idle but can only grab from idle or walk
Unity has particle effects to get glowy effects around the character or objects
BSA206, 80s films, 6 September, 2016
introduction of "High Concept" films- the Hollywood Blockbuster
easily categorized characters
familiar and easily described plots
high on stylish and slick production qualities
aimed for broad mass appeal
multi-platform promotional channels- home video/tvc/fast food tie-ins
prototypes from 70s were Jaws, Star Wars and Alien
Creators
Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer credited with creations- Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun and Flashdance
Teenagers
target audience changed to preteens and teens
Porky's, Revenge of the Nerds
John Hughes
made teen-oriented "coming of age" films
Sixteen Candles, The breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Sequels
before 80s, a few sequels
many sequels were made which were usually the same story with a few changes
Revenge of the Nerds 2, Porky's 2
Horror
John Carpenter's successful Halloween (1978) caused a revival of horror films in the 80s
Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th
Action Sequels
Rambo- four films
Rocky 6 films
Terminator- 5 films
Conan the Barbarian-2 films
Indiana Jones, Beverly Hills cop, Die hard, Lethal Weapon also had multiple generations
Karate Kids, Ghostbusters, National Lampoon Vacation, Gremlins, Police Academy
Parody Films
Airplane, Naked Gun, This is Spinal Tap
Animation
Tron (1982) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Science Fiction
Blade Runner, The Thing, RoboCop, E.T., Back to the Future
Drama
Field of Dreams, Cocoon, Dead Poet's Society
War
Gallipoli, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Born on the 4th of July
Dance (good example of how they used songs to sell movies)
Flashdance, Footloose, Dirty Dancing
Adventure for pre-teens
The Goonies, the NeverEnding Story, Labyrinth
Big Flops
Howard the Duck
Marvel comic strip character from 1977
Disney threatened to sue based on similarity to Donald Duck
Marvel gave him pants to stop the suit
1986 film made by Willard Huyck and George Lucas
regarded as one of worst big budget movies from the 80s
Batman (1989)
directed by Tim Burton
Superman started superheroes but they were comic-like
Batman noted for dramatic shift in tone and opened door for current super hero boom
made 411 million and merchandising made 750 million
film budget was 35 million
Batman had appeared in the movies in the 60s and 40s, too
MTV- 1 August, 1981 Played "Video killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
In your own experience, has there been a sequel that is worse than the original film?
Independence Day (1996) was exciting, fun, full of great references to classic sci-fi with great characters. Will Smith swooping in to pick up his girlfriend and son! Jeff Goldblum trying to get back together with his ex! Bill Pullman giving an excellent rallying speech! I could go on. Independence Day Resurgence (2016) was AWFUL. I rolled my eyes TWICE, never a good sign, and specifically in response to Liam Hemsworth's dumb romance with the president's daughter. NO Will Smith, and his girlfriend, Vivica A. Fox has two minutes of screen time before she is killed. What?? Only partial Jeff Goldblum who has this inexplicable fakey romance with the most believable female scientist in cinema, the messy-haired Charlotte Gainsbourg. It's a case of two steps forward, one step back. Bill Pullman gives another rallying speech but by this point, I am mad and want my money back. Then he dies exactly like Randy Quaid's character died in the first Independence Day. Total Crap. Roland Emmerich is responsible for both films.
In your experience, has there been a sequel that is better than the original film?
Terminator:Judgment Day (1991) built on the excellent sci-fi premise of Terminator (1984) and added more character development to Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor , more story complexity and better special effects to the original. James Cameron directed both films.
Provide name, year and director of films above
consider what made the film better/worse? Was there a different director or actors? Was the story stronger/weaker/the same?
Then, research and provide a summary of the influence of MTV on film making
MTV started playing the short form movies that record companies were putting out to promote their artists. The "videos" soon became art forms in their own right with fast editing, high production values, and easily digested story arcs. As the 80s progressed, movies started to borrow heavily from music videos, especially action films, with speed cuts, high energy sound tracks and breaks in the film to showcase one or two big songs.
Before MTV, the focus of editing was on moving the viewer along a narrative arc and slowly building to the climax. By contrast, MTV's editing style fast is focuses on the emotion of a single scene with no beginning, middle or end to a story. This style influenced Saving Private Ryan's opening Omaha Beach landing during D-Day set piece.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/06/walter-mitty-music-video-movie-mtv-directors
easily categorized characters
familiar and easily described plots
high on stylish and slick production qualities
aimed for broad mass appeal
multi-platform promotional channels- home video/tvc/fast food tie-ins
prototypes from 70s were Jaws, Star Wars and Alien
Creators
Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer credited with creations- Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun and Flashdance
Teenagers
target audience changed to preteens and teens
Porky's, Revenge of the Nerds
John Hughes
made teen-oriented "coming of age" films
Sixteen Candles, The breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Sequels
before 80s, a few sequels
many sequels were made which were usually the same story with a few changes
Revenge of the Nerds 2, Porky's 2
Horror
John Carpenter's successful Halloween (1978) caused a revival of horror films in the 80s
Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th
Action Sequels
Rambo- four films
Rocky 6 films
Terminator- 5 films
Conan the Barbarian-2 films
Indiana Jones, Beverly Hills cop, Die hard, Lethal Weapon also had multiple generations
Karate Kids, Ghostbusters, National Lampoon Vacation, Gremlins, Police Academy
Parody Films
Airplane, Naked Gun, This is Spinal Tap
Animation
Tron (1982) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Science Fiction
Blade Runner, The Thing, RoboCop, E.T., Back to the Future
Drama
Field of Dreams, Cocoon, Dead Poet's Society
War
Gallipoli, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Born on the 4th of July
Dance (good example of how they used songs to sell movies)
Flashdance, Footloose, Dirty Dancing
Adventure for pre-teens
The Goonies, the NeverEnding Story, Labyrinth
Big Flops
Howard the Duck
Marvel comic strip character from 1977
Disney threatened to sue based on similarity to Donald Duck
Marvel gave him pants to stop the suit
1986 film made by Willard Huyck and George Lucas
regarded as one of worst big budget movies from the 80s
Batman (1989)
directed by Tim Burton
Superman started superheroes but they were comic-like
Batman noted for dramatic shift in tone and opened door for current super hero boom
made 411 million and merchandising made 750 million
film budget was 35 million
Batman had appeared in the movies in the 60s and 40s, too
MTV- 1 August, 1981 Played "Video killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
In your own experience, has there been a sequel that is worse than the original film?
Independence Day (1996) was exciting, fun, full of great references to classic sci-fi with great characters. Will Smith swooping in to pick up his girlfriend and son! Jeff Goldblum trying to get back together with his ex! Bill Pullman giving an excellent rallying speech! I could go on. Independence Day Resurgence (2016) was AWFUL. I rolled my eyes TWICE, never a good sign, and specifically in response to Liam Hemsworth's dumb romance with the president's daughter. NO Will Smith, and his girlfriend, Vivica A. Fox has two minutes of screen time before she is killed. What?? Only partial Jeff Goldblum who has this inexplicable fakey romance with the most believable female scientist in cinema, the messy-haired Charlotte Gainsbourg. It's a case of two steps forward, one step back. Bill Pullman gives another rallying speech but by this point, I am mad and want my money back. Then he dies exactly like Randy Quaid's character died in the first Independence Day. Total Crap. Roland Emmerich is responsible for both films.
 |
| He makes my eyes hurt. |
 |
| C.G. sees no reason to put on make up or comb her hair because, merde, this is a crisis and she is a scientist. |
In your experience, has there been a sequel that is better than the original film?
Terminator:Judgment Day (1991) built on the excellent sci-fi premise of Terminator (1984) and added more character development to Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor , more story complexity and better special effects to the original. James Cameron directed both films.
 |
| S.C pre-Terminator: questionable hair, chipper outlook for the future |
 |
| S.C. post-Terminator: pared down, bad ass. Not sure why she's given up wearing a bra, but what's important is she knows how to use that rifle. |
consider what made the film better/worse? Was there a different director or actors? Was the story stronger/weaker/the same?
Then, research and provide a summary of the influence of MTV on film making
MTV started playing the short form movies that record companies were putting out to promote their artists. The "videos" soon became art forms in their own right with fast editing, high production values, and easily digested story arcs. As the 80s progressed, movies started to borrow heavily from music videos, especially action films, with speed cuts, high energy sound tracks and breaks in the film to showcase one or two big songs.
Before MTV, the focus of editing was on moving the viewer along a narrative arc and slowly building to the climax. By contrast, MTV's editing style fast is focuses on the emotion of a single scene with no beginning, middle or end to a story. This style influenced Saving Private Ryan's opening Omaha Beach landing during D-Day set piece.
The Technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Theory, and Practice
By Ken Dancygerhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/06/walter-mitty-music-video-movie-mtv-directors
Monday, September 5, 2016
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