Still Image: Princes Street At Dusk

This was a still taken from the old version of shot 08 which I could never get to work properly as a moving image. Again I still think it needs fixing but I've always been really happy at the way that the lights have come out for the background, and it was fun to do. 

Still Image : Alleyway

I've never been happy with this image. I know there is something wrong with the glass but there's something else which doesn't seem right. Thing is it works really well as a thumbnail so fire away with any advice on improvement. 

Still Images

As well as trying to finish the film I am hoping a back up plan to have some still frames depicting what it would be like if Sant'Elia's Waverley existed. This also acts as a back up plan should the film remain incomplete. It also allows me to create some work when I have no access to the studio computer on which I am having to do all my 3D work. It is a lot of extra work but should hopefully be worth it. To start with I have decided to work on shots from the animatic which I have currently had to cut due to time constraints. I do hope to go back and add these films at a later date so these images will also work as reference. The first two I am working on are the Alleyway and Roof shot, renders below, final images to follow within the next few days with luck:

Moving Textures

So I created a new fireworks file using a bit of black magic, some cheating and bizarre post production effects. Its gloriously cheap and nasty but  it is very shiny will do for the purposes of reflections. Initially I was thinking that I could apply it as a movie onto the glass on a separate render layer and comp it however I think I'll simplify the process and just layer it in post using an alpha mask taken from the glass layer. Felix however was kind enough to help me set up this test to show I at least considered it teehee...

Roto Update

Despite issues with maya files I'm almost on track...almost. With regards to the rotoscoping I have been having some issues plugging in the render I had set up into Felix's composition, I think its just me being confused so have asked him to have a quick look at it if possible. The Roto for the princes street shot has begun, it needs tweaking but after simplifying the sequence I'm going to be using I'm happy with where it is so far. Just the birds eye shot which Jenny Gauci has kindly offered to assist me with and the opening shot to finish now (which should be completed by tomorrow) so its been slow but getting there.

Princes Street Progress:

Match Moving Complete

This week started really well and disintegrated into a medley of problems involving corrupted files. One of the things which was lost was the maya camera track for the princes street scene and the tricky birds- eye shot. Brilliantly Link offered to assist and managed to get them done quickly and efficiently which has allowed me to set up some potential renders this weekend to go through the render farm. Link had some issue using both Autodesk Match-mover and pfTrack but eventually found a solution using Boujou and was kind enough to modify the birds-eye sequence to avoid a nasty camera shake at the start. I'm incredibly grateful for his time and effort and do check out his own work (which is just damn incredibly cool) here.


Birds Eye Camera Solve:

Opening Camera Solve:

Aims + Outcomes

Last rather dull page I'll be uploading. A useful one though which should help me keep on track in the next few weeks, as long as I demonstrate and achieve what I've set out to do then its all good. 

Animatic Type Time Test

Since beginning to edit the footage in nuke I discovered that my initial estimated timing for the film would be extremely off. I spent some time editing the live-action, working out which frames and shots to use and have come up with an animatic-type reel with the final timing for shots to use. The order of the shots will be changed and edited when I have the final film put together as I want to have a better dispersion of long/short shots and have a better progression through the weather and time of day. 

Ka Boom..

Better export settings to give you some idea what I am trying to achieve. I want to use the end shot, place my building in the scene silhouette style and have the film fade out. 

Compositing Starts

So rendered out a single frame yesterday from the bridge shot as a series of tiff's and png render layers. This is so I can start the shader rebuild for the 3D in NUKE. It was relatively unsuccessful, the specular was not rendering out and the shadow pass was non-existent. Tomorrow I will try an open EXR file to get a better quality and will try to render the shadows with Maya Hardware rather than Mental Ray. Thankfully we will be having a tutorial on Thursday but I wanted to get something set up by then to experiment with. Will hopefully get a comp set up by Friday and begin the final rendering from Thursday onwards. 

The original frame (beauty pass containing everything):

My first attempt at rebuilding the shader passes :

A final render as it stands (currently flat as is without specular/shadows):

Finiiiiished A Shot

Much the same as before but with added grain, depth and colour correction of the background. It may have to be extended in length by a few seconds however as it is one of the shorter shots but essentially it is done. Low quality video below, I'll get a higher resolution one up sooner.

More Theory

Another few pages for the production bible.  When I get onto the practical section I will stop uploading these until the final thing is done however many people have been asking recently what it is I'm doing and why so these pages are a good way of summing it up. 

Birds-Eye View Colour Correction

This shot is going to be a beast. I've cut it down for ease and due to the incredibly wobbly footage (which had to be taken through a grill from the scott monument after I carried far too much equipment up on a windy day). I wanted this one to have a late afternoon, sci-fi, orangey/ sunset feel to it so have attempted to adjust the colours accordingly. Unlike the Bridge shot I didn't add a grade or a colour correction as I was happier with the results without them. I'm hoping to add long shadows to this shot to show the effect on the street and emphasise the building's dramatic profile. 

Lighting Experiments and Glass Settings

I've also been experimenting with the lighting on the external shot looking in. I've been finding it tricky to get the right kind of atmosphere with the light as it is continually looking flat. Because there is frosted glass I would like the internal to be simply lit but glow slightly however maybe this is something I can do in post production. I have also been experimenting with different settings and presets for the glass in this shot. So far I'm not 100% happy with it as I would like it to be more grainy and translucent. I think what I may do with this scene is render it out in three layers : one with the internal back wall, one with the glass and one with the foreground. Although this will take longer it will allow me to experiment in 2D with the transparency and light in a more familiar way. 


Imported lighting from external scene:

Added 2 area lights and a spotlight to the internal model:

Adjusted the global illumination settings : 

Added in the glass presets from the external model: 

Began experimenting with the glass translucency and other properties:

External Turnaround

This is a quick camera turnaround of the external model with all the materials and textures applied. Pretty happy with it so far, hope it woks closer up for the actual shot renders which will be started in the next few days.