Otis College of Art and Design: Visual Effects Lab, 2011

 

 

VFX Lab Fall 2011: Greenscreen / CG Bkgrnd. / Matte Painting Project

 

 

 

Assignment Objective:

Seamlessly integrate CG backgrounds with Green Screen footage.

The use of greenscreen footage is ubiquitous in our industry any time we need actors in places or situations that are to dangerous, no longer exist or when it is impractical to create a real set (due to time and or budget constraints).

For this two week assignment we are going to create a "story beat" of action using greenscreen technology for the previously stated reasons. Again we are going to create a "story beat", it is not necessary to create a complete story for this particular project (a few action shots will suffice for this 2 week turnaround). We will also be creating the backgrounds. These can be CG backgrounds (3D or Matte Paintings as well as manipulated photographs). Take care to make note of the lighting direction(s) and overall lighting color and quality, as you will need to match this in order to achieve a seamless composite.

 

Choose a genre:

Horror (The Shining, Saw, Zombieland),

Western, (The Magnificent Seven, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre )

Futuristic / Science Fiction (Tron, Bladerunner, Minority Report)

Childrens Film (Back to the future, Mary Poppins, Spirited Away)

Action Adventure (The Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Ben Hur)

Historical / Epicl (Kundun, The Ten Commandments, Schindler’s List, Das Boot)

Musical (Slumdog Millionaire, Moulin Rouge, Sweeney Todd)

Drama (The Godfather, The Shawshank Redemption, Chinatown, Taxi Driver)

Gangster / Crime Drama (Good fellas, The Wire, Clockers, Heat)

 

Conceptualize a sequence or a "beat" of no more than 4 shots.
Design a CG background (3d) or Matte Painting for Vfx shot and shoot your own greenscreen footage and integrate them with Nuke.

 

Each sequence should be no more than 10 seconds (300 frames).

 

I would encourage you to work in a group of 2-3 people.

 

 


This project will be composited and color graded in Nuke.

Due week 10 (Nov. 01 - Nov. 07): Greenscreen footage shot and captured, background elements in progress.

Due week 11 (Nov. 08 - Nov. 14): Final project done. Turn in a QT movie with a shot breakdown at the begning of class. (compression motion jpeg A, size should be 1024 wide).

 

 

Elements Required:

CG background (3d or painted in photoshop) and Greenscreen foreground elements


 

 

Things to consider:

Have a solid idea of what it is you want to accomplish and make a plan, make sure you set intermittent goals and deadlines.

 

Certain things do not key out well on greenscreen. Some shades of Yellow (and yes green) do not key well.
Stripes and checkered fabrics are also problematic.

 

Remember the Primary Compositing goals:

-matching the light direction, color and intensity in the background image and the greenscreen footage.

-matching the black and white points

-matching the midtones

-matching the Focus or Depth of Field

-matching Lens Flares or interactive lighting

-matching Existing Grain

 

-Lighting: indirect, direct, backlit, interior vs. exterior. At the time of the greenscreen shoot it is very important to match the lighting conditions of your chosen background.

-Composition and framing. Camera position in relation to the subject and well as the background.

-Production value: Location, wardrobe, method, material, or stagecraft skill used in the production, general quality of the production.

-Footage should be shot HD in progressive mode (1080p).