Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Week 6 Photo Challenge: Special Effects

I created this a couple a quarters ago with Mr. Carter.  He showed the class all the new equipment we got in the video room.  I didn't want to waste the opportunity to use all this great equipment so I came up with an idea, flames in my hand.  To create this effect I had to use my skills I developed in Mr. Baker’s class, matchmoving.  I didn't use matchmoving, instead I used camera matching.  I first setup all my lights to shoot on the green screen.  This was easy, all I had to do was turn on the pre-installed lights.  Then I set-up up my camera angle.  I was working all by myself so being the camera man and the actor wasn't that easy.  After I set-up the camera, I measured the height of the camera.  Then I took an apple box and measured all sides.  I placed the apple box on the end of an arm to a c-stand at a 9o degree angle.  I placed it right in front of the camera where I would be standing.  I then measured the height of the apple box and the length of it away from the lens of the camera.  All these measurements are very important know to create your virtual camera within Maya.  It takes the guess work away.  After I got all my measurements, I started rehearsing my actions.  I decided to walk into frame from the right side, hold my hand out, and open my hand at the same time looking at it, with my hand open I would twist with my waist making sure not to move my arm.  I knew it would make my work easier if I didn't move my arm as I twist.  Then I extended my hand out to the camera to show the audience the flame, and then I looked up to the camera, gave a grin, and then blew the flame and quickly walked out of frame.  After I got done recording, I checked out my work on the computer.  The system is really cool because as you record on these studio cameras, it records directly in Final Cut which is in the studio.  In Maya, I setup some bones that followed my arm action and I created a fire effect and parented to the end of my rig.  After rendering it out I brought it into After Effects.  I used a video clip of flame bursting out as I blew it.  I also took out the green background and replaced it with an image I found on the web.