alt.movies.visual-effects FAQ [1/3] - Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
Version 0.7
February 1998
* D R A F T *
Compiled, Edited and Maintained
by
Fletcher H. Chenn
flet...@interport.net
che...@cs.nyu.edu
www.interport.net/~fletcher/visualfx.html
Part 1 of 3
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright (c) 1996 - 1998 Fletcher H. Chenn
All Rights Reserved.
This document may be distributed, reproduced, transmitted and/or referenced
in whole or in part as long as (1) this notice, the name of this document,
and the author and specified contributor(s) remains with any portion of this
FAQ that is referenced; (2) no profit is gained for use of this FAQ; and (3)
the contents are not modified in any way. This FAQ may not be included on
commercial collections or compilations or mirrored in any form without the
express permission from the author.
DISCLAIMER
Every effort has been made to maintain the accuracy of the information
provided herein. However, the author and contributors cannot accept any
moral or legal liability for inaccurate or outdated information contained
within. Furthermore, certain information presented in this FAQ is based on
the opinions and experiences of the author and contributors, and cannot be
taken to be legally binding. All trademarks referred to in this document are
the property of their respective owners.
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Comments, contributions, questions and suggestions are welcome and should be
directed to Fletcher H. Chenn at flet...@interport.net or
che...@cs.nyu.edu.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1: Introduction
* Purpose of the newsgroup
* Terminology
* Where to get the latest copy of this FAQ
* Abbreviations
* Credits
* What's New
Section 2: Frequently Asked Questions
* How do I get into the industry? (and related issues)
o "I wanna be a [insert your film career here]. How?"
o "I wanna work in movie FX. How?"
o Is a "Please return when finished viewing" label on a demo reel
OK?
o How do I get started in stunt driving or precision driving?
o Which is better, a technical background or an art background?
o How important are internships before you get a paying job?
* What schools have film programs or FX classes and programs?
o Film Schools and Universities
+ New York Film Academy
+ NYU Tisch School of the Arts
+ NYU School of Continuing Education
+ UCLA Extension, Entertainment Studies
o Special Effects Schools and Workshops
+ American Center for Computer Imaging & Animation
+ AnimAction / Bridges
+ Joe Blasco Makeup Centers
+ Complections International, LTD
+ SGI Silicon Studios
+ Special Effects Workshops
+ Visual FX/Filmmaking Instructional Package Web Page
o Internship Programs
+ ILM Internship Program
* Blue screening?
o Bleeding of the blue background around objects.
o What's the difference between blue and green screening?
Section 3: How'd They Do That?
* The Forrest Gump Feather Sequences - CGI or not?
* Flipping Cars with mortar (Broken Arrow/Last Action Hero)
* How do I make fake blood?
* How do I make fake glass?
Part 2 of 2
Section 4: Resources
* Magazines
o Cinefex
o Cinefantastique
o SPFX:Special Effects Magazine
o Make-up Artist Magazine
o American Cinematographer
o Hollywood Reporter
o Starlog/Cinemagic
o Cinescape
o Premier
o Other Magazines of Interest
* Television
o Movie Magic
o Hollywood Effects Masters
o Hollywood Stunt Masters
o E! Behind the Scenes
o HBO First Look
o Showtime: On the Set
o Making of..." shows
* Videotapes
* Books
o FX (In General)
o Movie Specific FX
* CD ROMs
* Internet
o Usenet Groups
+ alt.movie.visual-effects
+ rec.arts.movies.tech
+ rec.arts.movies.production
+ Other groups
o Mailing Lists
+ Show-Fire Special Effects Mailing List
+ CG Character Animation Mailing List
+ Animator's Mailing List
+ Animation Master Mailing List
o World Wide Web
* Recent Events
* Affiliations, Organizations and Annual Events
o The Moving Image Society
o ACM Siggraph
o United Stuntmen's Association
o ShowBiz Expo
* Where Can I Purchase Effects-related Supplies?
o BodyTech "BodyParts"
o Burman Industries
o Contact Lenses Online
o Michael Burnett Productions
o DeLaMare Engineering
o Pink House Studios
o Theatre Effects
o Tri-Ess Sciences
Section 5: F/X Industry Yellow Pages
* United States, West Coast (Revised)
* United States, East Coast (Revised)
* Canada (Revised)
* Europe (Revised)
* Asia (Revised)
* Australia
* Stunt Industry Directory (Revised)
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Section 1: INTRODUCTION
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Purpose of the newsgroup
Alt.movies.visual-effects is a forum for the discussion of movie and
television effects. This group is read by people in the effects industry and
non-industry people with an interest in effects. Current posts include
technical questions about specific effects shots, industry related news,
requests for advice on how to shoot a sequence, and notices of upcoming live
events and television specials and magazine articles relating to effects.
As with any other newsgroup, there are several questions that come up
repeatedly. This FAQ summarizes answers posted by readers to commonly asked
questions that have appeared in alt.movies.visual-effects. In addition, this
FAQ will also act as a resource to effects related sources and information.
A second FAQ file, called the a.m.vfx Companion FAQ lists upcoming media
events relating to effects, i.e. cable specials and seminars.
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Terminology
While the newsgroup name uses the term "visual effects," this does not mean
that the group focuses solely on visual effects (such as optical or CGI) to
the exclusion of other forms of "special effects." Discussion of all forms
of effects (and stunts) are welcome.
Please note that although there is a distinction between "special effects"
and "visual effects," I have not made such a distinction in this FAQ.
However, answers by contributors may make this distinction. I believe that
the generic, all encompassing term used by the movie-going public is
"special effects." No flames please.
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Where to get the latest copy of this FAQ
This FAQ is posted on a monthly basis to alt.movies.visual-effects and is
cross-posted to rec.arts.movies.production and rec.arts.movies.tech. You can
also view or download a copy of the FAQ by going to my home page at
http://www.interport.net/~fletcher/visualfx.html. You can always request the
latest edition by sending me e-mail at the addresses listed on the first
page.
In the future, this FAQ will be cross-posted to news.answers and alt.answers
and archived on rtfm. If there are other groups I should cross-post to (i.e.
comp.graphics.animation, rec.arts.animation, the Star Wars
(rec.arts.sf.starwars) and Star Trek (rec.arts.startrek.____) groups), let
me know.
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Abbreviations
This section will define any terms that have been used in this FAQ and on
a.m.vfx. Please send me any additional terms and definitions that you think
should be added.
a.m.vfx The alt.movies.visual-effects USENET newsgroup this FAQ is based
on.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. You need a BATF license
BATF to purchase some explosives, and to set off or stage some
explosives and pyrotechnics.
CGI Computer Generated Imagery
FX (F/X) shortened form of the word "effects."
r.a.m.p. the rec.arts.movies.production USENET group.
r.a.m.* the rec.arts.movies.____ hierarchy of USENET newsgroups.
SPFX Special Effects.
Uniform resource locator. Use a web browser (Netscape, Mosaic,
URL or lynx from a UNIX shell) to go to the listed sites. Web sites
start with "http://"
VFX Visual effects.
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Credits
Many people have contributed to this FAQ by asking and answering questions
in the newsgroup and by sending me information and corrections. I would like
to thank all of them and acknowledge their contributions. All names were
taken from the USENET header unless it was not included in the message
posted. Please send me your full name if it is not listed below.
Donald L. Ayrton, Alan Boucek, Randy Butcher, coo...@ibm.net, Jonathan
Chang, Colin "Spaz" Cunningham, Benjamin Craig (Internet Filmmaker's FAQ),
Russell Darling, Michel Hafner (Internet Movie Database), Paul Griswold,
Michael Hall, Tim Haupt, Hal Hickel, Jim Janecek, Alan Latteri, J. Hall
Manzanita, Matt Merkovich, Clarence Morse, Christine Ng (R.A.M.* FAQ), Scott
Mankey, poli...@wil.net, reylyn, Murr Rhame (show-fire mailing list), John
Samson, William Teegarden, tik...@aol.com, Susan, jfu...@netzone.com,
Chris Quinn, tik...@aol.com, tmac...@aol.com (sorry, I don't have your
full name), Chris Trimble, Harry Walton, Mark Whitney, mur...@eworld.com.
I would also like to thank the following people for submitting and updating
their company profiles:
Mark Harris (Base 2), Tim Montijo (Blur Studios), Paddy Eason (The
Computer Film Company), Oleg Schwarzew (Computer Group Ltd.), Stephan
Osterburg (Das Werk), Rory Hinnen (Dream Quest Images), Hank Driskill
(Digital Domain), Bill Spitzak (Digital Domain), Perry Harovas (Digital
Drama), Jim Finn (FINNesse Productions), Arvind Rajkumar (The Fix), Marc
D'Antonio (FX Models), Paul (Fusion Films), Rich Torpey (Image Design),
Jordan Gardner (Intentional Effects), David Reaume (Laird FX), Jason Greer
(Laughing Yak Effects Group), Nicolas Trout (Mac Guff Ligne), Geoffrey
Scott Miller, (Mad Cow Studios), Harold Mann (Mann Consulting), Deirdre
Antes (MASS.ILLUSION), Tommi Kinnunen (Miracle Works Ltd), Jamison Goei
(Neo Motion Pictures), Mark Hamilton (Rhythm & Hues Studios), Raul G.
Bulaong (RoadRunner Network), Robert Jan Leerink (Roberts Effects bv),
Mark Benard (Solstice Digital Imaging),Robert Herman (Stone Studios), Jim
Tuck (United Stuntperformers Association), Dieter Sturm (Sturm's Special
Effects), Markus Manninen (VOF), Jan-Eric Nystrom (Ani-mato), Zigmont
(Illusions By Zigmont)
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What's New
The following changes have been made since the last revision:
* About 30 companies were added/updated in the Industry Yellow Pages.
* A new frames version of the yellow pages was created which includes an
index of all companies in alphabetical order, regardless of what region
they are listed under.
* In the next few months, I will be updating other parts of the FAQ. The
Site will also be redesigned at the same time.
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Section 2: Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I get into the industry?
"I wanna be a [insert your film career here]. How?"
by Benjamin Craig, be...@vianet.net.au
From the Internet Filmmaker's FAQ (Subject 10.)
CinemaScape Australia - http://www.vianet.net.au/~benc/if-faq.htm
There are no hard and fast rules about breaking into the film industry. It's
extremely hard and very competitive. Many many many people dream of working
in the movies, but fall by the wayside in their attempts because it's
impossible to break in. The film industry lives off the concept of "who you
know" and quite frankly, that is the only way you're really going to get
anywhere. If you don't know anyone in the industry, go out and meet them.
Spielberg spent day after day down on the Universal lot, bugging them until
they gave him a job. One of the beautiful things about the film industry is
that once you're inside, it's a lot easier to meet the people that can make
your dream happen.
Also don't aim for the top (straight away). So you want to work for ILM in
special effects (reality check time) you and about a billion other people.
The thing that is over-looked these days is that there are a multitude of
other companies that do the same work as ILM, but just don't have the
profile. Try them first, particularly the small, budding ones, as they are
probably more likely to give you a job. And once you're in the field that
you want, it's up to you to prove that you've got so much talent that ILM
will come running to YOU.
Going to film school is another great way to learn the basics of the trade
(and find out whether you have the armored skin and stickwithitness to make
it in this, at times, demoralising occupation). However, don't expect to get
a job straight out of college like your buddy who did commerce. Most film
school graduates end up being very overqualified (on paper) for their entry
level jobs as PAs, coffee makers, assistants to assistants etc. One of the
biggest problems facing most film school grads is that they often have
little or no experience in using current industry standard equipment. This
is due to the fact that all but the most prestigious film schools are poor
faculties which cannot afford to keep up with the rapidly changing
technology of the industry (in my course a few years ago we used cameras and
editing equipment that was almost 30 years old - they still get the job done
but they are a far cry from the precision machines that today's industry is
using). There is not many ways of getting around this problem, so expect to
encounter new and fascinating equipment when you get your first job.
Nevertheless, film school can be a valuable and worthwhile experience for
giving you a grounding in the industry, as well as the ability to think
about what you are putting on screen. I found a book recently published by
the American Film Institute which deals with the subject of film careers. It
has information for beginners (such as "what does a producer do?") and
interviews with many industry professionals regarding their areas of
expertise. Interviewees include George Lucas, Robert Greenberg, and many
more.
Getting into Film
By The American Film Institute
If you are in the UK, you should grab a copy of A Career in Broadcast, Film
and Video. This booklet is published by Skillset (124 Horseferry Rd, London
SW1P 2TX, UK. Tel: 0171 306 8585) and is available free of charge. It
contains chapters on planning your entry strategy, training, industry
overview and more. Although it deals specfically with the UK industry, the
general principles should relate to any industry. I'm not sure whether they
will send free copies to overseas addresses, but you can ask.
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"I wanna work in movie FX. How?"
By Jim Janecek, Personal Effects Inc.
From the Internet Filmmaker's FAQ (Subject 10.1)
CinemaScape Australia - http://www.vianet.net.au/~benc/if-faq.htm
This response is bent towards live-action as opposed to computer graphics,
as that is my background, hope it helps.
Since I do not reside in CA I can't really give you any practical advice
about work in CA, however, I can tell you that the best way to jump-start a
career in SFX is to work for a company doing SFX. However, they probably
won't just hire you unless you come highly recommended or have useful skills
such as sculpting or fabricating or electronics.
So what do you do?
You work for free. As a Production Assistant (or gopher).
You get a copy of the LA 411 guide (call LA phone info or check out the
library) find all the SFX companies and tell them you want to work in FX,
NOT THAT YOU WANT A JOB, just that you want to work. You'll work for free.
It's hard to say no to a person who will work for nothing. This is the
fastest way I know of to break into any field.
However, be aware that egos drive a lot of people in the business. Many
people are very protective of their techniques and methods, so they may
think you are a "spy" or something, you may run into that type of mentality.
BIG TIP: Do not pretend you know everything, play dumb and soak up as much
info as you can. An FX company doesn't want a person who always thinks they
have a better idea or knows a different way of doing something. (your idea
may actually be better, but you really are not in a position politically to
offer it.) They want an empty page to work for them that they can train or
mold to do things "their" way.
After a while they may decide to pay you something, or maybe not, but in the
meantime, you have established a "presence" in the "biz". You will meet
other people in the biz and they will think you already work at so&so's FX
company.
The rest is up to you. Once you are in as a Production Assistant, you can
look around at various fields within the FX business and see if you have a
place there.
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Is a "Please return when finished viewing" label on a demo reel OK?
The original question came from Alan Latteri, al...@pobox.com on March 10,
1996:
When sending out demo reels, is it inappropriate to have something to the
affect of "Please return when finished viewing" ? The reason I ask is
because I saw this on a title house's demo reel, it also gets very expensive
shipping all these things out.
Here are some responses:
From Tim Haupt, mind...@eskimo.com. (March 10, 1996):
Sure it's appropriate if you want it back. Including a return envelope with
address and postage will also improve your return rate. A follow up call to
see if they had received and reviewed the material might be even better, as
then you would be making a real live contact, and might get some input.
It might be best if the "potential customer" kept it on hand. They might not
use you for a current project, but your talents might be just what's needed
for the project 6 months from now.
--------------------------------------------
From Matt Merkovich, fxm...@aol.com (March 10, 1996):
This may sound strange, but I dislike getting reels returned. When I send
out a reel it often doesn't result in work for weeks, months or even years.
Not to mention, the directors and visual effects producers you send reels to
will probably show your reel to others (if it is good). This is what you
want: more exposure. The cost of sending out reels is a promotional expense
that I view no differently than the pizza parlor down the street paying for
all of those promo flyers left on my apartment door or under the windshield
of my car. They certainly don't want them back.
While I too have seen the "please return" label on demo reels, it is
something I personally disagree with in terms of promotion philosophy. If
you send out demo reels to land a full time position, having your reel in
the recruiter's office if there is no position currently available increases
your chances for future employment far more than if the tape is returned to
you. If you are sending out reels for freelance work, the same thinking
applies."
--------------------------------------------
From Chris Trimble, tri...@panix.com (March 10, 1996):
I don't think anyone at our shop has a problem with sending reels back. Lots
of people applying are students and just can't afford dozens of 3/4" tapes.
I think we send it back as default, actually (unless we ask to hold onto
it).
About having reels left around at houses like pizza coupons... if you've
been doing it for years and Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and the Abyss
are on your reel, then that's probably a good idea. If you're just getting
started, you're going to have a lot better stuff on your reel in 6 months
anyway, so don't waste your money if you don't have to.
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How do I get started in stunt driving or precision driving?
The original question was posted by Clarence Morse, ilu...@execpc.com in
rec.arts.movies.production on March 28, 1996:
I would like to get involved with stuntdriving or precision driving in films
or commercials. I currently have experience racing autos and would love to
move into films using these talents. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Here are some responses (all posted to r.a.m.p.):
From Randy Butcher, reels...@msn.com (Reel Stunts Productions)(Mar. 30,
1996):
It's rare these days to find stuntmen(women) specializing in any one field
despite the fact it might have been this special field that got them into
the business in the first place. Learn as much as you can about other
aspects of the stunt business and you'll be greatly respected for it.
Where do you live? Near a major film center like L.A., New York? If not, my
advice to you is to go to where the work is.
Although your racing skills will definitely be an asset to your stunt
driving career, there are many things you won't have learned. My suggestion
is that you call the Screen Actors Guild in L.A. or one (or all) of the
major stunt companies in L.A. (Stunts Unlimited, The International Stunt
Association, Stuntmen's Association) and ask their help. Perhaps someone
there can suggest a school of some type (although doubtful). I train people
now and again, but rarely. As well, I'm in Southern Ontario working out of
Toronto mostly.
Best of luck and don't give up.
--------------------------------------------
From Susan, jfu...@netzone.com (March 28, 1996):
Buy a weedeater? Stuntguy told me, "There are a whole lot more stuntmen out
there than there are jobs. That's why we're all lining up at (stunt
coordinator's) door to mow his front lawn. We're all over there doing home
repairs trying to get on his good side."
There was a stuntman doing a very brief fight scene with Charlie Sheen. He
got punched, he fell backwards, he got dragged away. I went to dust him off
between scenes and said something like, "oh, this must be getting a little
old."
He said, "Every time Charlie drags me across the parking lot, it's another
(big pile o' green). He can drag me around for the rest of the day, if he
wants too."
I don't remember exactly how much he was getting per drag. It approached my
weekly pa salary, though, so you can really see the attraction of mowing
some guy's lawn.
--------------------------------------------
From reylyn, rey...@aloha.net (March 29, 1996)
The [previous] reply was correct in every sense. However, you probably need
to know more about how to get in touch with these stunt people:
Your goal is to obtain a SAG card somehow. Get an 8X10 professional headshot
taken and put together some kind of resume. Register with some "extra
companies" - find anyway to get on that film set! You've got to put yourself
in front of these guys. Its important to be persistent but not pushy or
annoying. Practice your skill constantly and take up other sports as well.
Plan on attending Show Biz Expo in LA this year. The stunt associations
usually have a booth or two set up.
While your beating on those doors, plan on having lots of patience!
--------------------------------------------
From poli...@wil.net (March 29, 1996):
Send a resume to every stunt coordinator and stuntperson you can and cross
your fingers to start with.
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Which is better, a technical background or an art background?
The original question came from Jonathan Chang, ja...@columbia.edu:
Thanks for the posting and letting people know that the industry is looking
for good character animators. I, however, am a student and do not know what
kind of things the industry is looking for. Is your company looking for
computer character animators or traditional character animators? In any
case, please post more information about what the industry is looking for in
a future special effects artists/employees.
Here are some responses:
From Alan Boucek, abo...@panix.com (Oct. 22, 1995):
A good character animator can always learn how to use a computer, but not
necessarily the other way around. In general, artistic ability is far more
important than technical fluency. Most good artists find it very important
to know their tools inside and out though.
--------------------------------------------
From Paul Griswold, fus...@netcom.com
You got it! Although, for our upcoming project, we really need people with a
strong computer character animation background. Nothing pleases us more,
however, than someone who actually has a good background in the traditional
arts.
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How important are internships before you get a paying job?
The original question came from anu...@aol.com:
What about internships; how important are they before you get a paying job?
Here are some responses:
From Chris Trimble, tri...@panix.com (Sept. 27, 1995):
An internship is only important if it is meaningful to the employer you're
aiming to get a job with. An internship as a video engineer at a post house
can really mean jack-squat when you're trying to get a job as a character
animator. Lots of internships ARE meaningless, and that's part of the
problem. The minute you start talking about how you filled staplers at your
summer internship, the potential employer is just going to go onto the next
thing on your resume. Sometimes, you do find an internship that has you
doing real work. You'll usually see this at smaller houses. This is what you
need to seek out. You should be as skeptical about taking the internship as
they are about giving it to you. It might be a waste of your time.
Of course, if you get an internship at the same house you'd like to work
for, that may mean a lot more... even if you did empty the garbage. ;-)
> Eventually my wish would be to work at ILM (wouldn't everyone, > laughs)
or some other film FX studio.
Point I think worth noting. You should learn about LOTS of the effects
houses before aiming towards one. All of them have an attitude and way of
working... you need to find one that you'll be happy at. And, I don't mean
just look at their work. Find some people who work there or have worked
there or know people who work there and ask them how they liked it and what
working there was like.
> My other question is just how good do you have to be to > get a job (or
internship) with a large company (like ILM)?
Listen, there are 2 million people with Infini-D and a Mac AV that are
sending their resumes and reels to ILM. In other words, you do have to make
yourself stand out a bit. In my experience, unreadable resumes, provocative
demo reels, ripoffs of better animations, and length of demo reel don't help
for much. Here is the main thing to think about: work on getting an
INTERVIEW FIRST ... not a JOB FIRST. Be confident that when they meet you,
and you get a better chance to explain yourself, you'll convince them about
the job part. Everyone who's doing the interviews realizes the catch-22
about the experience, so don't think you have to make yourself bigger than
you are.
hope it helps, -trimbo who works at a small house so take it with a grain of
salt
--------------------------------------------
From Eric Schafer, esch...@imap1.asu.edu (Sept. 29, 1995):
Agrapha (agr...@aol.com) wrote: : I'm an animator, and FX designer. >At
companies like ILM, : you'll end up doing the grunt work. they interviewed :
me for technical support (shuffling and converting files). [...]
True, you might end up doing what's in the job description ;-). Interesting
dilemma though: big companies have more specialized jobs. I did an
internship at ILM over the summer (but don't e-mail me asking for Jorge's
cell phone #!). Intern jobs varied tremendously, from "filling staplers" to
doing actual production work.
My internship advice (for what it's worth): be as specific as you can when
saying what you'd like to do, in what department, and how you can
contribute. Luckily, I ended up doing what I said I wanted to do (visual
effects software development), learned some very useful (though proprietary,
damn)--stuff, and made some meaningful contributions for Jumanji TD's. Yet
another saying comes to mind: "Be careful what you ask for; you might get
it."
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What schools have film programs or FX classes and programs?
Here are a list of schools and programs available that train you in effects
and effects related areas (i.e. animation). Each effects house may run an
internship program for students. Harry Walton, ha...@spimageworks.com (March
14, 1996) wrote: "[I] don't know of any schools that teach special effects
but UCLA or USC would be great schools for film making in general. Special
Effects or Visual Effects is something you would have to learn on the job.
In general you can prepare yourself for an effects career by studying such
things as Art, Design, Sculpture, Chemistry, Physics, Mechanical Design and
Engineering and Architecture to name a few."
Hey! promote the group. If a school asks you where you heard about them, say
in the alt.movies.visual-effects group and/or the FAQ!!! :-)
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Film Schools and Universities
New York Film Academy
The NY Film Academy is located at 100 East 17th St., New York, NY 10003.
Tel: (212) 674-4300; Fax: (212) 477-1414. An intensive animation workshop is
offered and covers classic Oxberry Animation, SGI 2D/3D, computer animation,
story writing, directing, cinematography and editing as they apply to
animation. The program is 8 weeks and costs $5,500.00. Classical animation
workshop includes cel animation, pixilation, rotoscoping, claymation and
oxberry stand. Tuition is $2,000.00. Call for other courses.
--------------------------------------------
New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts at NYU can be reached at the Office of Admissions,
721 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10003-6807. Telephone: (212) 998-1918
and Fax: (22) 995-4060. You can also send them e-mail to
TISC...@uccvm.nyu.edu. I will add a description of their courses in a
future release of the FAQ.
--------------------------------------------
NYU School of Continuing Education
(This section is blank.)
--------------------------------------------
UCLA Extension: Professional Studies in the Entertainment Industry
UCLA's Film, Television, Video, New Media, and Theatre division has
extensive programs related to effects, including, inter alia, sequences
titled Digital Creation for Film and Television, Computer Modeling,
Animation and CAD, The Collision of Games and Movies, Special Visual Effects
Cinematography, Digital Visual Technology, and Introduction to Creating
Digital Effects: An Intense Silicon Graphics Workshop.
Contact UCLA to request a course catalog from UCLA Extension, Entertainment
Studies Room 437, PO BOX 24901, Los Angeles, California 90099-2137. Call
(310) 825-9064. The phone number to enroll is (310) 825-9971 (Fax: (310)
206-3223)). In person registration in Westwood is at UCLA Extensions
Building, 10995 La Conte Ave, (310) 825-9971 and in Universal City at UCLA
Extension Center, Universal CityWalk, 1000 Universal Center Drive, (818)
752-7398
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Special Effects Schools and Workshops
AnimAction / Bridges
Someone posted a question about the Bridges animation program offered by
AnimAction in Santa Monica. If anyone has any information and/or comments
about this program, please send me e-mail.
--------------------------------------------
American Center for Computer Imaging & Animation
The School of Communication Arts has classes in 3D computer animation in
Softimage SGI studios and other classes. Call (800) 800-2835 in Minneapolis,
MN or (800) 288-7442 in Raleigh, NC or e-mail to sc...@aol.com for more
information.
--------------------------------------------
Joe Blasco Makeup Centers
Joe Blasco Makeup Centers are located in Hollywood, CA ((800) 634-0008) and
Orlando, Florida ((800) 252-7261)) and provide 4 and 10 week programs in
makeup effects, prosthetics, etc.
--------------------------------------------
Complections International, LTD
Complections' school of makeup is located at 482 Wellington St. W., Toronto
Canada, M5V 1E3 Canada. Tel: (416) 340-2661; Fax: (416) 340-0504; Email:
complexionsmake-up.com; http://complectionsmake-up.com/ You can specialize
in film, theatre, S/FX, prosthetics, fashion and wig making.
--------------------------------------------
SGI Silicon Studios
Silicon Graphics has opened the Silicon Studio Training Centers in Los
Angeles, California and London, England. Courses cover modeling and
animation, technology, studio technology, editing and compositing and 2D
imaging and painting. For more information and a course catalog, call (800)
S-Studio or check out their web page at http://www.studio.sgi.com/.
tmac...@aol.com wrote that courses include Alias power animator,
Studio/AutoStudio, designer, wavefront dynamation, kinemation,
explorer/visualizer. Electrogig 3dgo, and side effects PRISMS and of course
the "Silicon Studio Solutions" software and says that the classes are
expensive, but that "you can get exposure to the software/hardware that a
lot of industry uses. The best part is after you finish one of the classes
(can't remember which one) you will write it to tape, thus you have a reel.
After you take a class they will rent the equipment to you for $25 per hour
(of course you can't use it for production). I don't know of any other place
that does this."
--------------------------------------------
Special Effects Workshops
Special Effects Workshops offers 10 week special make-up effects courses and
a five-day seminar in special make-up effects. These courses cover beauty
make-up, character make-up, special make-up (including an advanced course),
advanced prosthetic make-up, special effects puppetry, stop-motion model
animation, classical cartoon animation, and advanced visual effects.
The school is located in New York City at 410 West 47th St., New York, NY
10036. They can be reached at (212) 245-3624 or via e-mail at
sfxst...@aol.com. They are also present in Mass. at 148 West Street,
Granby, MA 01033. They can be reached at (413) 467-2761 or by fax at (413)
467-7062.
--------------------------------------------
Visual FX/Filmmaking Instructional Package Web Page
Lee Stranahan sells an instructional video/CD-ROM training package for film
makers, visual effects artists, videographers and 3D animators called
"Access Denied : The Art Of Visual Effects Film Making." Stranahan's ad
states that "the package includes both an entertaining and instructional
videotape, and an information packed CD-ROM." The cost is $69.96. E-mail:
Kstra...@aol.com; http://users.aol.com/stranahan/access.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internship Programs
ILM Internship Program
Both Lucasfilm and ILM run and internship program three times a year for
several months. Only the summer program is available to those who reside
outside the United States. For more information contact Lucasfilm at (415)
662-1800 or (415) 721-3550 (fax) or check our the Lucas Digital Ltd. web
site (covering Lucas Digital, Skywalker Sound and ILM) at
http://www.ldlhr.com/. If you are eligible and are interested in applying,
you can fax or mail your request for an intern information packet to: Lucas
Digital, Ltd., Attn: Internships, P.O. Box 2459, San Rafael, CA 94912.
The Lucas Digital website describes the intership program as follows:
Our internship program is designed to expose students to various aspects of
the entertainment industry. We offer a variety of positions in such areas as
software & information systems, public relations, computer graphics, human
resources, web/interactive, editorial, legal, sound, art, feature post
production and commercials.
Depending on current production projects, we usually hire 10-20 interns each
session.
All prospective interns must be a junior, senior or graduate level student
currently enrolled at an accredited college, university or graduate school
and must be returning to classes full-time when the internship is over. For
eligibility, students must have a 3.5 GPA in their major and be eligible to
work in the United States. Students with a GPA of less than 3.0 will not be
considered for the summer program.
For the Fall and Spring terms you must be enrolled in classes at a local
college/university within commute distance of the internship and the
internship is part-time and unpaid. The Summer program is full-time and paid
minimum wage. The application deadline for the Summer 1997 program is March
28, 1997. Applicants who are selected for the program will be notified
approximately 2 weeks before the start of the session.
We do not offer apprenticeship programs or any other training programs for
non-college students.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Section 3: How'd They Do That?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This section includes frequently asked questions from a.m.vfx on specific
effects sequences and how they were done (or how to do them). I will add any
questions that raise a decent discussion with a continuing thread. If the
question is simply answered in a sentence (or by saying, "See Cinefex #xx),
it probably won't make it here. :-)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Forrest Gump Feather Sequences - CGI or not?
Someone posted a question regarding the feather sequences in Forrest Gump.
Basically, the poster wanted to know if the scenes used a real feather or if
it was entirely computer generated. This response was based on the "making
of" segment on the Laserdisc. This question raises a lot of debate, as can
be seen from the end of Nick's answer. Aside from the original question,
another issue that arose is the distinction between the term "CG" and the
manipulation of digitized images on a computer. The remaining posts touch on
this issue.
From Nick Passino, pas...@garply.com (Date: Mar 11 1996):
Okay- I JUST finished watching the "making of" from my LD- here's exactly
how it was done:
A feather was tied to a wire and shot bluescreen, twisting twirling etc.
The opening sequence was choreographed and shot w/o the feather, except for
one on hanks' foot.
The bluescreened feather sequence was digitized. Then this was SEVERELY
manipulated on a SG to match the opening (real shot) camera shot. The
feather was perceptively changed to float forwards and backwards (depth not
in the bluescreen), twirled sideways and upside down, looping, hovering,
being pushed by the wind of the car (CG on the reflection on car glass and
car paint), resting on a guy's shoulder (not in the bluescreen), then
finally morphed onto the one on tom's foot.
They had to take all of the bluescreened footage, and select very specific
feather angles for some of the stops, and paste together their own twirling
sequence for the whole shot. In short, the way it twirled and danced was
-not- what you see in the movie. They pasted very specific frames together
for this, then changed the virtual distance from the camera, 3d
spatial(depth), angle (up down sideways, etc.), stops and just about
everything else to come up w/ the final sequence.
So- IMHO it's CGI, because even the dinos in Jurassic started from real,
scanned images of skeletons, real animal movements, etc. They started from
real stuff, and made what they needed for the film. This is exactly what the
did to the feather too. The fact that they twirled a feather in front of a
bluescreen -doesn't- make it not a CGI sequence.
--------------------------------------------
From tik...@aol.com (10 Mar. 1996)
CG or CGI? I think we are splitting hairs over definitions.
When I started working on *Computers* doing *Graphics* it was known as CG
(that would have been in 1984 - on the Genigraphics Workstation). So, based
on that - I see CG as Computer Graphics. Now, as the years have gone by, the
overall conception and definition of the word might have changed.
Now, CGI - means Computer Generate Image. This would be the Dino's and ole
Buzz Lightyear, and tons of other things that most people do not even
realize.
As for the "Feather" that got this whole debate started. It was shot as a
blue screen element. But, it was animated in a match move application by a
animator (working on a computer). There were several takes and sequences
that were merged together to create the final feather sequence - which was
then digitally composited into the bg plate. So, it was not a *Computer
Generated* element - but more a Digitally Manipulated element.
Let the debate continue . . .
--------------------------------------------
From Colin "Spaz" Cunningham, co...@coredp.com (Mar. 6, 1996):
> It was a real feather digitally manipulated and composited. I > guess that
makes it non CG but where do you draw the line. > If they had scanned a real
feather and mapped it onto a CG object > would it be CG of still just a
fancy composite.
Well, you'd say the feather was a real element just manipulated digitally.
It wouldn't be right to say that the feather is CG 'cause that would imply
the element itself is computer GENERATED (which it isn't). If you scanned in
a photo of a feather and mapped it onto 3d geometry, then it would indeed be
a CG element. People scan in photos all the time for texturing purposes, so
if I scan in elephant skin and apply that to a 3d object of an elephant, the
final rendered element wouldn't be considered "practical". IMHO, it's pretty
obvious where to draw the line.
--------------------------------------------
From Chris Trimble, tri...@panix.com (Mar. 5, 1996):
Items shot on blue/greenscreen and digitally composited are not CG. CG, at
least where I work and I'd guess throughout the other major houses, stands
for COMPUTER GENERATED. That means that it's modeled, animated, lit, and
rendered using a computer. Digital enhancement and keying are not CG and we
call those "Flame Jobs" or "Paintboxing". I did a spot where I had to
_raytrace through_ a live object, and I still don't call that CG.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flipping Cars with mortar (Broken Arrow/Last Action Hero)
Donald L. Ayrton, DAY...@eagle.wesleyan.edu wrote:
I recently saw the trailer for BROKEN ARROW and one effect really caught my
eye: The overhead shot of the shockwave passing (and lifting) a Humvee.
How'd they do that? I'm guessing lines of det cord buried in the sand and
set off with a nail board, and perhaps some sort of pneumatic gimmick under
the Humvee to lift-n-tilt it.
--------------------------------------------
Jim Janecek of Personal Effects Inc. replied:
Det cord would only make the sand fly apart.
I haven't seen the trailer yet, so I can only surmise that it was done
traditionally:
The normal way vehicles are popped up or rolled is to weld a steel mortar to
the frame that can hold a piece of telephone pole (cut down to about 2 feet
long). The wood chunk is crammed into the mortar with an explosive charge at
the end. When the charge goes off, it propels the telephone pole into the
ground. The mortar is long enough so that its only a few inches off the
ground so once the pole has nowhere else to go, the vehicle will rise up
away from the ground. The rapidly expanding gases in-between the pole and
the end of the mortar are pushing the vehicle up and eventually over.
You can see this effect in LAST ACTION HERO, I think the first scene is
Arnold running away from a house as it blows up and the concussion is
supposed to flip a squad car over.
They shot it so you can see the pole come flying out of the bottom of the
car when it goes off. It didn't matter because they were filming a movie in
the film.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
How do I make fake blood?
J. Hall Manzanita, man...@dorsai.org writes:
In response to fake blood, get a bottle of Kayro Syrup (or any other light
corn-syrup), add in red food coloring, a little blue, and just a touch of
green. Obviously, most of the food coloring you use should be red. By
experimenting with the amount of blue and green, you should be able to come
up with some very realistic looking blood. However, this will not "run
freely from a wound", but it will do well for bloodstains, zombies, gunshot
victims, etc. I can't off the top of my head remember how to do flowing
blood. Anyone else remember how? Oh, and if you're doing a horror movies,
the above recipe is safe for the talent to eat."
--------------------------------------------
Murr Rhame, mu...@vnet.net writes:
MB2 BLOOD FORMULA
Flour Base:
7.5cc to 10cc plain all purpose flour per cup (250cc) of water. (7.5cc = 1/2
level tablespoon , 10cc = 2 level teaspoons) Mix flour into water completely
(no lumps) before heating. Bring to boil then simmer for 1/2 hour. Stir
frequently.
Let cool before adding food color. Stir in any surface scum. Makes a good
base for stage blood. Slightly slimy. Fairly low surface tension. Soaks and
spreads well.
One cup batch of MB2:
1 oz (29cc) Red food coloring (Durkee (R) brand or equivalent) 1/8 teaspoon
(.6cc) green food coloring (Durkee (R) brand or equivalent) Add flour base
described above to a total of one cup (250cc).
This is both much more realistic and simpler than the old Karo (R) corn
syrup, Hershey's (R) chocolate syrup and food coloring based formula. There
is no sugar and very little food in the MB2 formula so it's probably less
attractive to insects. Shelf life is fairly short (days) at room temp. Does
not go rank but ferments a bit and looses viscosity. I have not tested
refrigerated or frozen storage. This formula will temporarily stain skin.
Seems to wash out of cotton cloths OK.
--------------------------------------------
Michael Hall, mh...@netam.net writes:
The Penn & Teller book "How to Play With Your Food" has a very good fake
blood recipe. It's included in the bleeding heart jello but it works very
well as stand alone and flows very naturally. Go to your local book store
and copy it out !
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
How do I make fake glass?
mur...@eworld.com writes (27 Feb 1996)
2 cups water
1 cup white corn syrup
3 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
Mix all ingredients together. Then let it come to a boil. It will boil at
220 degrees. Let go to 300 degrees and pour. The molds work best if made of
silicone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blue screening?
Several threads appeared on a.m.vfx regarding blue screening techniques.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bleeding of the blue background around objects
The original question was:
If most optical compositing was done with color difference, I always wanted
to know why some scenes in the Star Wars movies, particularly the first one
had blue lines around pilot's helmets, and ships occasionally getting a blue
tinge when they flew fast past the camera?
Here are some responses:
From John Samson, pu...@usa.pipeline.edu (March 5, 1996):
It is possible to determine which system was used. If you see blue edges on
the Star Wars models, then bluescreen was used. This is one of two things:
blue spill, where blue light from the blue backing used to separate the
foreground models reflects, or "spills" onto the foreground object surfaces.
Or it is the edge on the film itself where the foreground model and blue
backing mix. In this area the blue backing could be significantly darker, or
lighter, than the backing itself, making it different from the blue of the
backing enough to not disappear in the final composite, yet close enough in
hue that it still appears as blue.
With modern digital compositing, colors can be selectively desaturated, so
that all blue tones in an image can be drained of color, or changed to
another color to blend it into the foreground.
--------------------------------------------
From coo...@ibm.net (March 5, 1996):
In the star wars movies, that blue edging seems mostly to occur with live
action scenes, less so with models. I read once where with certain
foreground objects, you can sometimes just make RGB separations, and then
just copy the green separation twice to get a "cheap" color difference
effect. Since most of the Star Wars ships are just gray with some red paint,
I bet that's what they usually did with the model shots.
But with the live action some of it looks like regular bluescreen or
something was done wrong, or both regular and color difference opticals was
used. A good example is in Return of the Jedi. These fighters knock out a
tower on the super star destroyer, and when it blows, the smoke is blue
colored around the edges. Two officers spot a fighter on a collision course,
and when they turn to duck the edges of their uniforms turn a bright blue!
--------------------------------------------
From Hal Hickel, h...@pixar.com (Feb. 29, 1996):
Nick Passino, pas...@garply.com wrote: >>> (Original post deleted) >> >> I
don't know that it is possible to tell which system was used >> by looking.
And even color difference is not perfect. You'd >> need to ask someone who
worked on the film. Likely some of >> these imperfections are what they are
cleaning up for the re-release. > > It's because Star Wars was pretty much
the first film to do it, and > as it was a new technology, didn't have the
edging precision that > we do now.
Actually the "Color Difference" Blue Screen process was developed by Petro
Vlahos for the Motion Picture Research Council. Subsequent development of
the process for production applications was conducted by Walter Beyer of
Universal Studios and W.E. Pohl of Technicolor.
See Walter Beyer, "Traveling Matte Photography and the Blue Screen System",
American Cinematographer, May, 1964, pg. 226.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's the difference between blue and green screening?
This question was posted by Scott Mankey, man...@shell.portal.com:
What's the advantage of using a green screen over a blue screen? Isn't it
the same technique, just different colors? Perhaps a green screen gives less
of a green fringe around the subject than the sometimes noticeable blue
fringe.
A similar question was also posted by Mark Whitney: I wonder though why blue
was used exclusively in the old optical days, even when the foreground was
blue colored. In the superman movies, some shots were traveling matte and
they used bluescreen even though the costume was blue, that must have been
tough to matte.
Here are some responses:
From William Teegarden, gre...@ix.netcom.com (13 Jan. 1996) (in response to
Scott Mankey's question.):
It's because green screens have minimal amounts of red in them. When
shooting actors against a green screen, it's often easier to key out the
green than to key out blue, as skin tones contain obvious red. Since green
has almost no red in it per say, getting a clean matte is easier.
Also, suppose your actor was wearing a blue shirt.
--------------------------------------------
From Chris Quinn, sn...@nyc.pipeline.com (Jan 13, 1996) (in response to Mark
Whitney's question):
The truth must be told! Blue resolves much higher then almost any color.
Just as red is a long wave length blue is quite short, this is why you can
pull a matte from blue with finer detail then with green or other colors.
Now that most matte work is done in real time on a computer if you give the
computer an easier (sic) job it does it faster and blue my friends is easy
and fast.
--------------------------------------------
From coo...@ibm.net (Jan. 15, 1996) (in response to Mark Whitney's
question):
Blue may be a shorter wavelength, but I thought grain was the important
factor in better matting work. At least in digital, I have read that Rob
Legato who did stuff for Star Trek and Apollo 13 used red or green
background apparently because the emulsion layers are less grainy and get a
crisper matte.
As for superman, true front projection was used a lot, but the screen had a
limited size, so for shots of superman flying into the distance or vice
versa, he had to be optically shrunk. Plus I read that they couldn't get the
zoptic license for Superman IV so they did all the flying shots on that one
entirely bluescreen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 1 of 3
--------------------------------------
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