FINAL PIECE - Project Ideya

My Thoughts

Project Ideya has changed so many times now that both me and Liam barely know what the original idea was anymore. The initial plan was to merge 2D Animation with Live-Action.

But, however, it seemed that we were getting a head of ourselves slightly. As our tutor constantly reminded us not to be too ambitious with this Unit. More that we were to show that we could apply what we were learning in our VFX lessons to make a piece that directly shows that we have an understand of VFX Techniques.


So in that regard, yes, we have engaged with VFX Workflows. However, this term has been one to remember for me, personally. Though I did not state them, I do claim Mitigating Circumstances for this Unit and that explains, not excuses me, why I wasn't able to assist Liam with the final shot.

I was there when we captured the Live-Action and the genesis of this new idea came from the both of us sitting in a room and working together. But apart from assisting with the compositing at the very end there, I was absent from the production of this Final Shot.

In terms of what we accomplished and what I personally think of the finished piece, I do really like it. Sure it wasn't what we both originally set out to do and, yes, most of the time we were both frustrated with the limitations of the Unit and the fact that what we had to do never really felt very 'creative' to either of us. But, in a way, what we have ended up with here is not too far off from what we originally planned to do. It's a 3D, not 2D Animated character, sure, but if you look at the interaction between me in the shot and the character. THATS IT! We wanted that kind of realism to reflect in our final piece! It really does look like Im looking at the character and checking out her glowy chrome ball

In conclusion, it has been a long, arduous and emotion time for me. I have lost someone very close to me and it has been hard to focus on Uni work during this time. But ultimately, in a funny sort of way, me and Liam have ended up with a piece of Animation that directly shows that we have engaged with VFX Workflows and that we understand them at least. Yes, we were doing it mostly for the grade and we might not get many marks for creativity or imagination. But the final idea is still roughly the same as the idea we first had and that should speak volumes for who ever it is who is reading this.

Project Ideya - VFX Techniques in NUKE

Tracking Stabilising:
The original shot had a lot of shaking in it. This meant that it was difficult to Camera Track. The Tracking node in NUKE helped stabilise the motion in the footage.

Camera Tracking:
Tracking the environment in the scene to recreate a 3D space that'll be taken into MAYA for the animation and placing of the character.

3D objects:
After rendering 450 frames of Liam's Animated Character we had to bring it in as a sequence.

Merging layer:
Merging the animated frames with the Live-Action footage.

Edge Blurring and Softening:
We felt that the 3D model was too sharp at first so we added a blur node to help blend the edges.

Grade:
We adjusted the contrast and brightness in the model to help match it with the scene 

Project Ideya - ASSETS

For the Animated Character we used a pre-downloaded Morpheus Rig

Liam also created a 3D chrome ball which we used to create a reflective surface

We also grabbed a Panoramic Photo of the staircase in our College. Liam took this with a HDLR 700 camera using a Software called 'Noodle Ninja' so that he could shoot in 360 degrees.

Project Ideya - WORKFLOW

This project has gone through a lot of changes and its been difficult to set-up a structured workflow for both me and Liam to follow. We were meeting very regularly to discuss plans and share assets/ideas but there wasn’t really any Dropbox/Google Hangouts or remote sessions… simply because I don’t really like working like that. Plus, Ive gone through a lot of personal family-related stress recently so I guess you could call that ‘mitigating circumstances’. Despite these unfortunate circumstances, after the Formative, we knew we had a clear understanding of what we needed to change so we got together and came up with a quick workflow.

1) Firstly, we captured our footage using a DSLR Camera provided by Liam

2) Second, we created our character using MAYA and the Morpheus Rig

3) Third we stabilized and tracked our footage in NUKE

4) Then we animated our character in MAYA while using our recorded footage as reference.

5) After that we Added lights to our scene to match the character

6) Finally, we composited the 3D into the Live-Action and combined them in NUKE   
   (This is where we Colour graded and paint-brushed to make it look more realistic)

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Final Shots and Compositing - PART 2

This is the footage we're working on for our final shot. Originally, we opted to not use this one as it wasn't very appealing but after looking at our looming deadline we were told to forgo our creative desires and go with something bland. I, personally, have no opinion of this footage... yes, we needed some kind of Live-Action footage to get the grade, but this one?! I really thought the other several-hundred ideas me and Liam conceived (and subsequently we were told to change our ideas over four different times) were a lot more personal to us, as creators, as artists... this just feels like we're factory workers being told what to do. Boring, uninspired and no imagination. Which, by the way, are all probably factors we will get marked down for... that'll be ironic.  

Final Shots and Compositing - PART 1

This is the footage we will be manipulating into our Final Shot. The idea; using simple Tracking Techniques we learned in class (NUKE) we are going to make it look as if the Actor falls into the shot from the ceiling and lands in a superhero-esque fashion, with smoke and dust superimposed when the character lands.

Using Tracking and 3D Assets, Colour Grading and HDRI Photography, and After Effects Techniques we are going to cut the Live Action footage and remove the Actor (me) then re-insert him in NUKE. The final shot should look like the Tutorial we referenced in a previous post on this very blog. It's not a very imaginative idea and it lacks any kind of Creativity or personality. But, however, at this stage of the Unit, with less than two weeks until Submission, it's what our tutors are telling us to do and it's really the only hope we both have of passing the Unit.  

Personal Impressions

So our lucky 'Project Ideya' has gone through some brutal, and quite honestly, much needed simplification techniques, reassessments and re-thinks but we've finally settled on a solid idea. After some much needed down-time with Liam after our Formative Assessments with Mike, we decided to drastically narrow down our idea to it's core and focus on simply displaying our abilities in NUKE and After Effects. A simple less-than-thirty-second-shot idea that will get everything we need to show for submission visually demonstrated and represented.... simple and by the books.

The problem I personally find with this approach is that it is very soulless and bare-bones. There's hardly any creativity in our idea now, we're only doing it for the grade at the end of the Unit. We started out with such a keen and inspired idea, albeit ambitious, but to be perfectly honest I'd rather shoot high and miss than play it safe and have to produce something mindlessly and heartlessly like we're doing now. Perhaps I digress, and maybe it's just the way I feel at this point in time, but Im not at all enjoying this Unit anymore as of the Formatives... all soul has gone. This is no longer learning for me. It's following instructions. It's not Art anymore... it's labour.    

Visual Effects Workflows in After Effects

After reassessing our idea we realised we wanted to go for a more realistic approach. To do this we needed to go out and catch some new footage.

During one very productive afternoon, me and Liam went and filmed some test shots around our college. We also looked at a very inspirational online tutorial on Visual Effects (I have linked the video in an above post).


NEW FOOTAGE - Card Game Idea:

We initially thought of going back to basics and having a very simple idea such as an animated character having a simple card game with a Live Action actor. This Video is obviously just the Live Action Reference but if you use your imagination Im sure you can understand what it is we're trying to achieve.

We also filmed an additional scene from a different angle to play around with Colour Grading and Lighting Effects once we drag it over on into NUKE or After Effects. We realised that the lighting conditions in this scene weren't exactly ideal for the type of shot we had in mind, but we will edit the footage once we go into our Final Composite.

ASSETS - Animatic Key Frames

Upon creating the Animatic for the now scraped idea, I used Traditional 2D Animation Techniques and referred to the best of the best for additional help and techniques.

During this time I studied the lectures and Master Classes of Richard Williams. This was the Animation Director for 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'

Specifically, I looked at his teachings on the Walk Cycle, where he talks about the importance of the 'up's' and the 'downs' of the Key Frames. Also, the contact positions and the fact that he mentions most Walk Cycles in 2D Animation are done on '2's' (12fps).

He also states that it's possible to make an animated character look faster than intended if you work in 25fps. 

I really heeded his advice hear, and to be perfectly honest I already knew all of this. Richard Williams has always been a great inspiration to me and Ive studied his teachings many times in the past when Ive engaged in 2D workflows.

It was just great to brush up on some of these techniques.