Over the past few weeks I have been trying to gain more experience with using Nuke, sometimes frustratingly using it. However, during this time I have created a 3,000 word document that will be handed in as well to sum up what has been written in this blog.
I have been analysing this blog, and the PPD1 brief, and can't think of anything else to add to the blog, and believe I have looked into the Visual Effects Industry to its fullest extent without going over the top and not doing the work that I have projected to do in PPD2.
The website has been designed already and is live at www.michaeldixonuk.com, the blog contains designs for the final showreel, business card and CV.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Showreel
Example of how the final showreel will look.
Above is an annotated showreel to show how my showreel will look when it is finished.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
The Hobbit
An amazing look into The Hobbit Post Production.
It clearly shows the fun yet stressful environment Post Production is, with Peter Jackson actually saying it will be finished 2 days before the premiere. I would hope people think this is ridiculous but that is part of the Film Industry; you have a deadline, you have to stick with it or the whole film is delayed.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Useful Links
While going through some linkedin emails I found some really useful information about entering the VFX Industry and how to survive in the long term.
13 Key Skills to Becoming a Great VFX Compositor
Above is a link that links to 13 different skills that will make you much more aware of what is required for becoming a good VFX Compositor.
10 Simple Steps to Becoming a VFX Compositor
Above is a link on 10 steps that will make me a better VFX Compositor.
Learning VFX Compositing Skills
Above is a few tutorials on skills that I need to know when entering the VFX Industry.
Runner Information
Above is a link to some more information on a Runner position.
Visual Effects Supervisor
Above is a link to an interview with HaZ who I met at the Visual Effects Festival and is full of good information.
13 Key Skills to Becoming a Great VFX Compositor
Above is a link that links to 13 different skills that will make you much more aware of what is required for becoming a good VFX Compositor.
10 Simple Steps to Becoming a VFX Compositor
Above is a link on 10 steps that will make me a better VFX Compositor.
Learning VFX Compositing Skills
Above is a few tutorials on skills that I need to know when entering the VFX Industry.
Runner Information
Above is a link to some more information on a Runner position.
Visual Effects Supervisor
Above is a link to an interview with HaZ who I met at the Visual Effects Festival and is full of good information.
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Showreel Storyboard (Written)
0:00 - 0:03
Something that catches the eye of the viewer, the video resume used an explosion but I need something that is all my own and unique. So if I was to do an explosion, it'd be best to do it with a Fluid Simulator or created myself.
0:03 - 0:13
Name appears with contact information (website and email address) through a matte painting that I created myself, so if it was to be a sunrise then the sky and ground have to be created uniquely by myself and then the sunrise, i.e my name, appears.
0:13 - 0:35
Similar interview to the video resume but the only part that is properly filmed will be me sitting on a chair while the background is matte painted (possibly not on time constraints) and the use of rotoscoping to put myself onto the background image. This will show my capabilities as a rotoscope artist to the viewer so as the interview is progressing I can have the background going through layers such as the original footage, keying, lighting, alpha, etc.
"Oh. Hello."
"Michael Dixon, you have achieved great success in business, academic and personal relationships, and have been an inspiration to many people. What would you recommend to your numerous admirers who want to reach their highest potential?"
"The first thing to know about success is that it doesn't just come to you."
0:35 - 0:43
I continue the interview with the speech below whilst standing somewhere creating an energy ball, this show my ability to do such a thing within nuke.
"Most people associate success with money and power, but really, it's a state of mind."
0:43 - 0:48
Continuing the speech, the camera could follow me through the flat whilst descriptions/titles/prices appear of the objects I am passing, similar to the Fight Club reference in my preference example of a showreel.
"And when it comes to success, the only limit is that there are no limits."
0:48 - 1:15
Back to the original interview scene, however, something different has to happen, such as a crackle and the background changes to all white (similar to the white background within The Matrix film). Shows that my lighting skills are good and I'm able to do various ways of rotoscoping.
"All my life I have dared to go past what is possible."
"To the impossible?"
"Actually past that ... to the place where the possible and the impossible meet to become ... the possimpossible. If I can leave you with one thought, it's this: nothing ... and everything ... is possimpossible."
1:15 - 1:35
This is the section that displays the spaceship flying through space with matte painted planets in the background.
1:35 - 1:50
Blood splatter and gun fire visual effects created by myself.
1:50 - 2:00
If the showreel ends with gun fire then I could have the camera follow the last bullet and have the camera rotate to the back of it and then fade in my eye and fade out the bullet while zooming out to reveal more of myself with my contact details along the bottom of the screen. A sky and waving UK flag in the background will be the final touch.
Note: This contains all aspects that were in my previous showreel example so this can work very uniquely.
Something that catches the eye of the viewer, the video resume used an explosion but I need something that is all my own and unique. So if I was to do an explosion, it'd be best to do it with a Fluid Simulator or created myself.
0:03 - 0:13
Name appears with contact information (website and email address) through a matte painting that I created myself, so if it was to be a sunrise then the sky and ground have to be created uniquely by myself and then the sunrise, i.e my name, appears.
0:13 - 0:35
Similar interview to the video resume but the only part that is properly filmed will be me sitting on a chair while the background is matte painted (possibly not on time constraints) and the use of rotoscoping to put myself onto the background image. This will show my capabilities as a rotoscope artist to the viewer so as the interview is progressing I can have the background going through layers such as the original footage, keying, lighting, alpha, etc.
"Oh. Hello."
"Michael Dixon, you have achieved great success in business, academic and personal relationships, and have been an inspiration to many people. What would you recommend to your numerous admirers who want to reach their highest potential?"
"The first thing to know about success is that it doesn't just come to you."
0:35 - 0:43
I continue the interview with the speech below whilst standing somewhere creating an energy ball, this show my ability to do such a thing within nuke.
"Most people associate success with money and power, but really, it's a state of mind."
0:43 - 0:48
Continuing the speech, the camera could follow me through the flat whilst descriptions/titles/prices appear of the objects I am passing, similar to the Fight Club reference in my preference example of a showreel.
"And when it comes to success, the only limit is that there are no limits."
0:48 - 1:15
Back to the original interview scene, however, something different has to happen, such as a crackle and the background changes to all white (similar to the white background within The Matrix film). Shows that my lighting skills are good and I'm able to do various ways of rotoscoping.
"All my life I have dared to go past what is possible."
"To the impossible?"
"Actually past that ... to the place where the possible and the impossible meet to become ... the possimpossible. If I can leave you with one thought, it's this: nothing ... and everything ... is possimpossible."
1:15 - 1:35
This is the section that displays the spaceship flying through space with matte painted planets in the background.
1:35 - 1:50
Blood splatter and gun fire visual effects created by myself.
1:50 - 2:00
If the showreel ends with gun fire then I could have the camera follow the last bullet and have the camera rotate to the back of it and then fade in my eye and fade out the bullet while zooming out to reveal more of myself with my contact details along the bottom of the screen. A sky and waving UK flag in the background will be the final touch.
Note: This contains all aspects that were in my previous showreel example so this can work very uniquely.
Video Resume (Written)
The following is a breakdown of what happens in the How I Met Your Mother video resume, it will give me a much greater understanding of what to put into my showreel.
0:00 - 0:03
Explosion
0:03 - 0:13
Intro of name appearing as if a sunrise.
0:13 - 0:35
Self Interview giving some good points about the character.
"Oh. Hello."
"Barney Stinson, you have achieved great success in business, athletics and personal relationships, and have been an inspiration to many people. What would you recommend to your numerous admirers who want to reach their highest potential?"
"The first thing to know about success is that it doesn't just come to you."
0:35 - 0:43
Appears on a motorbike giving a small speech and then revs the engine at the end.
"Most people associate success with money and power, but really, it's a state of mind.
0:43 - 0:48
Appears grooming a horse with another small speech.
"And when it comes to success, the only limit is that there are no limits."
0:48 - 1:15
Self Interview again giving some more character traits he holds.
"All my life I have dared to go past what is possible."
"To the impossible?"
"Actually past that ... to the place where the possible and the impossible meet to become ... the possimpossible. If I can leave you with one thought, it's this: nothing ... and everything ... is possimpossible.
1:15 - 1:40
Montage of various video footage.
1:40 - 1:51
Zoom out from the earth for it to appear in the character's eye and fade out. Then zooms out from the character to be standing in front of an American flag with his name at the bottom and a 'HIRED' stamp displayed at 1:49
If I follow a similar time path, but changing a bit to make it more personal and aimed at the VFX Industry, it will come out at a perfect 2 minute showreel.
0:00 - 0:03
Explosion
0:03 - 0:13
Intro of name appearing as if a sunrise.
0:13 - 0:35
Self Interview giving some good points about the character.
"Oh. Hello."
"Barney Stinson, you have achieved great success in business, athletics and personal relationships, and have been an inspiration to many people. What would you recommend to your numerous admirers who want to reach their highest potential?"
"The first thing to know about success is that it doesn't just come to you."
0:35 - 0:43
Appears on a motorbike giving a small speech and then revs the engine at the end.
"Most people associate success with money and power, but really, it's a state of mind.
0:43 - 0:48
Appears grooming a horse with another small speech.
"And when it comes to success, the only limit is that there are no limits."
0:48 - 1:15
Self Interview again giving some more character traits he holds.
"All my life I have dared to go past what is possible."
"To the impossible?"
"Actually past that ... to the place where the possible and the impossible meet to become ... the possimpossible. If I can leave you with one thought, it's this: nothing ... and everything ... is possimpossible.
1:15 - 1:40
Montage of various video footage.
- 4 planes doing maneuvers
- Someone doing a flip on a surfboard
- Cheetah running
- Monster Truck in the air
- Bomb Cloud
- Street Luge
- Cheetah growling
- Someone jumping off a cliff and when the parachute opens the word 'TRUSTWORTHY' appears instead of a parachute.
- Line of horse riders
- Very fast boat traveling across water.
- 2 planes doing maneuvers
- Dark sky with lightning that forms the word 'PUNCTUAL'
- Wave crashing over with the word 'AWESOME' appearing as if coming over the wave as well
- Fuel Truck with the word 'DETAIL-ORIENTED' on it falling and then exploding
- Chimp on roller skates
- Man and Chimp on roller skates spinning in circles
- The earth zooming out.
1:40 - 1:51
Zoom out from the earth for it to appear in the character's eye and fade out. Then zooms out from the character to be standing in front of an American flag with his name at the bottom and a 'HIRED' stamp displayed at 1:49
If I follow a similar time path, but changing a bit to make it more personal and aimed at the VFX Industry, it will come out at a perfect 2 minute showreel.
Be Unique
I've been trying to think of the best way to self promote myself and I must admit that it's very difficult to do that and be unique. The most important word there is to be unique and that was the final and 13th point I made in my Self Promotion blog post back in September.
I believe my business card looking like a playing card is quite unique in itself, but also interesting to look at and whilst looking at graduate showreels and even people in the industry, the showreels follow the same pattern:
The actual inspiration to this came while I was watching How I Met Your Mother (a popular TV series in both America and UK) and was the character Barney's video resume as shown below.
The video resume has a lot of humour in it, however, it is very different and unique, and I want to use that uniqueness to my advantage. Hence why over the coming days I will be storyboarding my showreel again but in a different manner to be unique.
You may be thinking that this is a completely stupid idea, however, there is a lot of rotoscoping and keying within the video and gives me a chance to show off my work in a different manner. I will try to storyboard all, or at least part of the showreel, and show it to Phil to get his opinion before starting it off completely.
I believe my business card looking like a playing card is quite unique in itself, but also interesting to look at and whilst looking at graduate showreels and even people in the industry, the showreels follow the same pattern:
- Name and Contact Details
- Best Work
- Second Best Work
- Alright Work (If they have any other work to show)
- Third Best Work
- Breakdowns
- Name and Contact Details
The actual inspiration to this came while I was watching How I Met Your Mother (a popular TV series in both America and UK) and was the character Barney's video resume as shown below.
The video resume has a lot of humour in it, however, it is very different and unique, and I want to use that uniqueness to my advantage. Hence why over the coming days I will be storyboarding my showreel again but in a different manner to be unique.
You may be thinking that this is a completely stupid idea, however, there is a lot of rotoscoping and keying within the video and gives me a chance to show off my work in a different manner. I will try to storyboard all, or at least part of the showreel, and show it to Phil to get his opinion before starting it off completely.
Website
This is all five parts of my website, it contains my old work but it will soon be updated to much more modern work relating to the VFX Industry.
The filmography link goes to imdb.com but as I enter the film industry, it will point to my own profile on imdb.
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Complete Website
Currently the website isn't connected to my www.michaeldixonuk.com domain but if you're viewing it for (hopefully) the next couple of days then please go to this link.
Link
It currently displays work from the past couple of years of studying and is aimed at Video Games and not the Film Industry. It will be updated throughout the Academic year with more recent work relating to becoming a VFX Compositor.
Link
It currently displays work from the past couple of years of studying and is aimed at Video Games and not the Film Industry. It will be updated throughout the Academic year with more recent work relating to becoming a VFX Compositor.
Monday, 22 October 2012
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Friday, 19 October 2012
Storyboard Example
Taking everything from the previous post, this video shows examples of other people's work into the way I want my showreel. I wont necessarily stick with this layout of the work until I get a feel of my work and how it's going to all flow into the one video.
*Edit: If the video, when click play, says set to private then click the Youtube logo on the frame and you can play it on Youtube rather through this blog.
Showreel Storyboard
This is just a quick look at how I want my storyboard to look, it may end up differently as I create it but it has the general feel of what I hope to accomplish.
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Business Card Example
This is a business card design that I may use, as you can already see, the red writing on the right hand side shows some things for myself to consider before buying a number of them.
Website Building
This is just an example home page to the website, I think it's a good start, however, I'm still not 100% on the design of it. For the time being, I think I'm going to put the website to the back of my mind and concentrate on it later for a fresh perspective.
Webpage Creation
This website is inspired by Pietro Orlandi website. It's very precise and straight to the point, and is centrally located so is viewable quite easily. The addition of the showreel on the first page means that potential employers can view it as soon as possible.
The only changes, which would have to be worked out when creating the webpage is where to put certain contact information so its viewable at all times.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
Storyboard Part II
This is the next part of the storyboard. It shows a that I will be splitting up my previous work so as to make the typography flow a little better throughout the video.
Saturday, 13 October 2012
Typography so far...
Finally got the video to upload properly to Youtube. It's not finished yet and it's a bit unconventional so far but it goes over the VFX Capital, the locations of Visual Effects studios in London and Double Negative Showreel. So it's definitely getting there.
There isn't any sound yet for the main video, I will be looking for that at a later date.
There isn't any sound yet for the main video, I will be looking for that at a later date.
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