VFX resources: + quality with – effort = professional efficiency
We would be idiots if we did not take advantage of the possibilities of VFX resources for post production.
The philosophy of work has to follow two criteria: effectiveness and quality.Let’s take an enlightening example.Why, for many years, is the technique of “matte painting” used? For a matter of efficiency and quality. If you had to build some fantastic scenarios, the task would be immense. Sometimes, just for a few seconds. It is more convincing and realistic to do with this technique. In addition, there is much more freedom of creation. In our case, the one of the architectural visualization, I will put an example that you will understand immediately. What is the point of modeling, texturizing and illuminating a tree-lined park that surrounds our building if we can make a photomontage? This is one of the post-production utilities.
We should always ask ourselves the same question:How do I do it sooner and better?Regardless of the big decisions answering this question, related to the modeling or not of an environment, we should also ask the same question for what I call “action brushstrokes”. Those details that make the result something special.
These “brushstrokes” that differentiate the vulgar by the affection with which they are made. I’ll give you some examples of VFX resources.
VFX resources: hunt birds flying
You may want to incorporate flying birds into your scene.You have two ways to get it. The first is to model the birds in 3D to later prepare the rigging of their movement and flight. It can take you days, if not weeks, to do so that the result is credible. Of course, you will have the freedom to move them around your scene as you see correct.
But, what if I tell you that you have a faster alternative and more realistic results?
Yes, it exists. It is none other than to film them and place them in my scene. But you’ll have to go find them, record them, work your post production, and finally incorporate them into your scene.
You will be saying that this process also takes a lot of work, they are also many hours and the results, moreover, are uncertain. I do not know if I’ll find the birds I need.
Forgive me now to advertise my STORE, but it is that it comes to me immediately. There you will find multitude of birds ready to be used in your works. And then you will say:
“Yes, of course, but it will cost me money”
Make a calculation and tell me how much money you would value doing for yourself.
Now visit our STORE and tell me if it’s worth it.
I will be happy to buy birds or any of our resources but the reason to take as an example is that, for yourself, you find that there are many times when it is much more profitable to buy a resource than to do it for yourself.
As I said at the beginning, the search for efficiency and quality is what should govern your decisions.
Time and money are the factors that affect your effectiveness.
Think about it.
VFX resources: the whisper of the trees
In the case of the birds, I have told you about the cost of modeling and preparing rigging. The truth is, the cost of rendering is ridiculous. It is not a determining factor.
However, in the case of trees it is dramatically.
When you want to incorporate a tree into your scene it is not valid any tree. It must look real. Modeling a tree, or dozens of them requires very high hardware resources.
With a mid-range computer it will cost us a lot to get a great result. Its realistic appearance is based on modeling with a very high number of polygons. Modeling and, moreover, giving movement and that the result is convincing besides hardware it requires of great technical skill.
This is another good example to look for a solution outside the 3d world.
And yes, Bingo! You will also find resources of moving trees in my STORE. You will save a lot of time and you will get optimum results as you will find vfx resources of REAL trees in motion.
I invite you to discover how to implement these films within your work following this guide.
You must work to adapt these files to the light situations of your scenes. And yes, it will take you work. It is true that if trees in 3d are part of the scene, their incorporation in terms of lighting will be perfect. You must only assess whether it is worth it or not.
Gone with the wind
Nature is amazing. His observation allows us to discover wonderful things every day to little observers that we are.
One of the elements that always appears in our scenarios is the sky. It does not matter if it is a situation with clouds, without them, at sunset or raining. VFX resources are there to help us.
It’s the background canvas that maintains a direct relationship with the lighting of your scene.
It is variable throughout the day and never repeated from day to day. Do not you think it’s wonderful? It’s magic.
The truth is that the changes are continuous but, except in very windy situations, they are priceless. We do not realize how that canvas varies. The time lapses of skies (accelerated reproductions of a recording) show us this hidden reality. The transition between “canvases” becomes evident and attracts us. I believe that by the discovery of something that happens before us and that we had never appreciated. The same happens when ice cream or melting processes are shown.
In the 3d world there are plugins to emulate this phenomenon with increasing credibility. But, from my point of view, there is nothing like nature.
In our hands will be, use those skies in motion as we are interested, taking advantage of the alpha channel of our scene. It is simply to show the passage of time in an accelerated way or the simple delight that is to enjoy this phenomenon visually. Again, non-destructive post production will allow us to do tests until we find the effect we are looking for using vfx resources.
Yes, you will also find all kinds of skies in our STORE ?
People go from one side to the other
Wow the people!
It is one of the most complicated struggles in postproduction.
If we have not decided to use software type ANIMA
we have 3 options:
- Do not put people on the move.
- Using library sources
- Record ex profeso
Sometimes a combination of different solutions may be used.
From my point of view,
it is more dignified not to put people in motion than to place them and not fit.
In this case, the work is surrounded by a certain halo of “mystery”. It seems that we have seen a space when there is nobody else there, just us and our camera.
This can be a defensible solution when we make the film of a home but, it is difficult to maintain if what we visualize is a soccer stadium.
The second option is not easy because it is difficult to find quality resources. If you find them they are scarce and I am not totally convinced. Either they do not have the needed resolution, or they rely on neutral illuminations that they then “sing” when they are inserted in a stage with sunlight. The few that exist are usually non-professional actors and that shows. They appear overacted and attract attention. In addition, the style of their clothes is either pretentiously elegant or simply tacky.
The third option is the best. It is about making the suit tailored to each production. I recommend that you see this post where I describe the process of incorporating a real person into a 3d environment.
With this system you get the most professional results but they have two important drawbacks. On the one hand, the need to plan production by millimeter. As you will see in the post everything must be super studied before you start. On the other, the economic cost of having the actors. They charge for hours and, if they are professionals, they will not lower of 1.000 € per day.
Normally, depending on the degree of ambition of each project and its corresponding budget, we will take the most appropriate option.
Things sound
Go to the street, stand and listen.
Normally, we do not fall into the account of the sounds that surround us. Let’s think about our things and do not look.
Do the exercise. Walk and notice the sounds you hear.
If you are in a city you will hear:
- Cars
- Buses
- People talking when you cross them
- people shouting
- Some bird
- wind
- Leaves of the trees moved by the wind
- Your bartprints
- A more or less constant background noise
…
Should I follow?
There is no need to.
You have activated your listening skills and that is what is important.
When we talk about post production, you will not only think about image.
You will think about how to squeeze this choice of sounds beyond the background music you have chosen.
At the beginning of this video, water was not only seen, you could also hear. This mutual audiovisual aid made the result more credible.
Do not abuse these resources.
In fact, the best effects, whether visual or sound, are what you do not see, those that are not appreciated. If it is so and nothing stands out is that we will have done our job well. But, yes, it also uses these “sonorous brushstrokes”.
Do you want to discover the third secret? : SECRET 14 | Video composition process : the final composition