Project Specification

In this project I will explore methods and techniques used to produce digital visual effects shots. By using said techniques I will produce one or more visual effects shots that will become part of my show reel. I will use the research from my ongoing Portfolio module to figure out the skill set visual effects facilities are looking for in a graduate student, and will come up with ideas for shots based on the results.

From what I have gathered from the Portfolio research so far, most entry level jobs in the visual effects industry, at least jobs in the bigger facilities, basically boil down to tree positions: Rotoscope artist, Matchmover and Runner/Assistant. As I don’t want to start as a runner, I should make sure I incorporate rotoscoping/keying and matchmoving, both 2D and 3D, in at least some shots. In addition I would like to look closer at a few other techniques, such as camera projection, 2.5D and colour grading.

At this time, I haven’t yet decided on what shots to do, but I have a few ideas I will be discussing with my supervisor. These include a crowd duplication shot, a helicopter crash shot I already have footage for, compositing one or multiple 3D airships, space ships or hot air ballons over a city skyline, your basic car-hits-person-shot where I also already have some footage, doing set extensions and maybe have a go at bullet time/freezing time.

To make things easier for both my supervisor and me, I will carefully consider ethics and the limitations of the university equipment when I’m coming up with ideas for shots. In other words, on the ethics side of things there should be only Teesside University student actors, no child actors, no stunt men and generally no stepping on anybody’s toes. When it comes to equipment limitations I should stay away from actors running in front of the green screen given the limited space, no helicopter shots or outdoor crane shots and no jumping from great heights while the camera looks on from below if a green screen background is needed.