Hollywood director Carl Erik Rinsch found guilty of swindling Netflix out of $11M for luxury cars, watches and mattresses
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15378535/Keanu-Reeves-director-Carl-Erik-Rinsch-guilty-Netflix.html

https://redd.it/1pktw89
@vfxbackup

For the past year I've been working on a sequel to my 3D animation. I've finally finished and here it is!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnnYLKGQK58

https://redd.it/1pkymcq
@vfxbackup

Notes with drawings are the best

Just a quick vent needed, when someone supplements a note on a shot with some drawings, it's the best. It's faster to understand, my artist brain picks up on the note more easily. I don't know why more leads and supes don't do it. Or even verbally chat with me, walk through a shot with me so I see and follow along with what they're seeing that needs change. I'm a visual creature, I thrive on visual communication.

I get quite a bit of written notes about a shot, telling me what's wrong, then not much follow up on how what to fix to change it. So then I have to keep messaging, taking screenshots, do my own doodles, to get more sustenance out of my lead/supervisor so I can figure out how to tackle the note.

Anyways, notes that come with a drawing/doodle are awesome. I'd like more of that for Christmas, thank you.

https://redd.it/1pl2svh
@vfxbackup

Claw Slash VFX
https://redd.it/1pl8hhn
@vfxbackup

VFX Before Color Grading: How Does it Work With flat Log Footage?

Most advice I’ve seen says VFX should be done before color grading.

What I’m still unclear on is how this works specifically with log footage, which is usually very flat. Since many VFX assets aren’t in log format, how are they typically integrated before color grading?

Do you usually:

Do some form of color correction on the log footage before VFX
Attempt to make VFX assets visually match the flat log plates?

Related question: how do you handle Rec.709 footage that are intentionally designed to appear flat or log-like? How are those typically integrated alongside standard Rec.709 VFX assets?

Curious what the standard professional workflow is here. I’m mainly asking because the idea of “reverse” color grading VFX assets just to make them fit flat footage feels off to me.

Thanks

https://redd.it/1pl8z49
@vfxbackup

What were the most unhelpful client notes you ever got?

Stuff like “make it more sellable!” for example

https://redd.it/1plb5ln
@vfxbackup

Just tried the “Gemini Christmas Prompt” on Media io

So I stumbled on Media.io’s new “Gemini AI Christmas Prompt” page (yes free!) and gave it a go today. I uploaded a selfie and used one of their Xmas templates. Within seconds I got back a cozy holiday-style portrait: it is amazing.

https://redd.it/1pleetq
@vfxbackup

Laptop for work on the go

What laptops are you all using, and are you happy with your choice?

I’m looking to replace a 15" 2018 MBP and since what I do 95% of the time is just remote into my Windows workstation I’m really not concerned with having a high spec laptop, but what I do really want is a decent screen.

Although I’ve enjoyed my MBP I think they’re too expensive and I don’t really care about brands or MacOS vs Windows.

https://redd.it/1plfxlm
@vfxbackup

How to do VFX for Log footage

I am thinking of doing some VFX for my upcoming short film using Blender, however I have no Idea how the workflow should be. Like should I first do the final grade of my video, then do the VFX shots to match my grade? I myself will be doing the editing, directing, and VFX.

Im new to doing VFX on log footage so please help me out! I have no idea if anyone's asked this already so some help would be very nice, and please explain it to me simply 🙏.

https://redd.it/1plk6wa
@vfxbackup

Bouncing Ball
https://redd.it/1plkgq9
@vfxbackup

AI usr in recent trailers

What shots in recent trailers do you think were either done by AI? Or at least AI used used in the design process? The bus from the supergirl trailer looks a bit suspect and some of the cars from fantastic 4 trailer are some I think AI was used in the concept art.

https://redd.it/1plnu0w
@vfxbackup

Light catcher in Houdini

Hi all,

I'm using Houdini 21, with Karma/Solaris.

I have a scene with an explosion in contact with the ground. I added a point light inside the explosion to have a better control of how many frames I want this light to appear.

The problem is that I can't have the geometry ground in the render, because I'm applying the explosion to a plate that already has a ground.

So, I want a way to make my geometry ground receive the light from both the explosion and the point light, but not appear in the render. Similar to when you disable primary visibility in Maya. I want something like a shadow catcher, but for light.

I tried using the render geometry settings node with the render visibility set to -primary, but it makes the ground disappear completely, not catching the lights.

Thanks in advance!

https://redd.it/1plqxxo
@vfxbackup

How Movies finally Made De Aging Look Good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBNXj9TA4n0

https://redd.it/1plu4yj
@vfxbackup

Question about CG Animation

I saw a post on here that was showing before and afters of How To Train Your Dragon, and one showed just a skeleton in the before, and then the full dragon model with its body in the after.

My question is that are animators actually animating just the skeleton and then another department is going to put the body on and do a muscle sim and stuff like that? Or is it just for show, for the breakdown.

https://redd.it/1plycpi
@vfxbackup

Hollywood panics as Paramount-Netflix battle for Warner Bros
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8dyy47qy82o

https://redd.it/1pm1o0b
@vfxbackup

Spent 2 months making a Blender Short Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAMuNjTNquE

https://redd.it/1pmbkcb
@vfxbackup

I'm automating Blender Camera Tracking (And I need your help)

I'm a huge fan of open source especially Blender, but when it comes its internal motion tracking system, it's - slow. So I created an addon that tries to automate the native tracking system inside of it. I have been somewhat successful by making it work for simple shots.

Here's me showcasing some of its features: https://youtu.be/NzI5vurW5C4

But as I explained in the video, I've fine tuned the system for different types of shots and the addon learns the settings locally by adapting those settings using math.

But to truly make it smart, I need to create a neural network(AI) that follows the patterns pros follow while they manually track. For that, I need data, which you can help provide.

If you are interested in trying out my automated addon, please check out the video link above and the Github link: https://github.com/usamasq/autosolve

https://redd.it/1pmfouq
@vfxbackup

Open to help with keying

Hi!
I worked as a junior compositing artist for two years and have been actively back in compositing for the last 6 months.
I am currently looking to strengthen my ahowreel and would be happy to help with challenging keying shots on an anpaid basis, as long as I am allowed to use the shot on my showreel.
If you are working on an indie project, short film, or any other production that needs solid keying - feel free to reach out.
Thank you!

https://redd.it/1pmg7bw
@vfxbackup

Any Budget VFX Asset Packs?

I'm an indie filmmaker making low-budget short films. Is there an all-in-one 2D VFX asset pack (muzzle flashes, explosions, smoke, fire, bullet impacts, blood splatters, etc.) available for around €50? I don't know if that's a realistic price, so don't judge

https://redd.it/1pmi7dz
@vfxbackup

To what extent is AI being used in movies and TV shows now?

I know its been used for things like deepfakes for a while, but is it now used for more things like explosions, extras, creatures, etc?

Also, at the rate AI is going, how much work previously done by humans on set and is post is being replaced by AI?

https://redd.it/1pmlvcz
@vfxbackup

Tips for optimizing VDB renders in Renderman/Katana?

I'm getting my ass kicked by some really dense VDB volumes that are being delivered to me in lighting. Adjusting dice settings helps, as does reducing the density, but I can only reduce the density so much before it really starts compromising the look, and I'm still not at a realistic render time. I tried a lot of other things without luck - does anyone have any magic bullets for helping with this? It doesn't help that the volumes are further being refracted through other surfaces, but the volumes are crazy slow on their own even when isolated for testing. I'm also open to suggestions that I could pass up the chain to FX to help.

https://redd.it/1pmoj0b
@vfxbackup