iNTRODUCTiON 1
Introduction
The days when visual effects belonged to the exclusive domain of big budget sci-fi and superhero movies are long gone. VFX are now used extensively in almost any type of film and TV program in a wide variety of genres—not only to create spectacular visuals but also to support storytelling, overcome production limitations and reduce costs. Yet despite their widespread use as a filmmaking tool, visual effects remain a somewhat bewildering and often misunderstood part of the filmmaking process.
Most film schools, for example, offer courses in scriptwriting, cinematography, editing and sound, but few include visual effects on their curriculum. The vast majority of books, courses, and online tutorials are geared toward VFX artists, not the filmmakers who use their services. As such, most information sources are highly technical, software-oriented and focus on a narrow specific craft rather than the process as a whole.
This book fills in the gap by providing a comprehensive approach to visual effects from the filmmaker’s perspective. It is a detailed, practical guide to conceiving, designing, budgeting, planning, shooting, and reviewing VFX from the early stages of pre-production to the last bit of tweaking in post-production.
The book also illuminates and clarifies the different underlying concepts that have a direct effect on the complexity and cost of VFX shots, and discusses the various tasks and workflows that are involved in the process.
As the visual effects supervisor of Brainstorm Digital, an NY-based VFX company, I have had a chance to work on a wide variety of film and TV projects, and collaborate with an equally wide variety of directors, producers, editors, and crew members. Each of these projects was a unique journey. Some journeys were smooth-sailing, others a bumpy ride, but they all provided me with plenty of opportunities to experience first-hand the issues that filmmakers face when working with visual effects. “How can VFX help me solve this problem?”, “Why is this shot costing so much more than the other?”, “Will this camera move work for VFX?”, “Should we shoot a real element or use CG?”, “Roto or green screen?”, “Shoot with smoke or shoot clean?”, “Wide or long lens?”, “With or without tracking markers?”, “Why doesn’t the shot look real enough?”, “Why is the color different from dailies?”—these are just a few examples of the many questions that come up during production, questions that I hope will find answers in this book, both on a theoretical and practical level. In that sense, real-world examples are often the best way to explain a
iNTRODUCTiON 2
specific issue or aspect. And while there is of course a tremendous amount of fantastic VFX all around to refer to, there is a certain extra value, I think, in discussing examples from a personal, intimate point of view. So wherever I could, I tried to bring something “from the trenches”—to discuss a relevant case from one of the film or TV projects I was involved with.
Who is this Book For?
Throughout the book, I use the term “filmmaker” in its broadest sense because I believe there is a wide range of film professionals (and aspiring filmmakers) who can benefit from it
Directors, first and foremost, must be versed in VFX to fully unlock their potential. It is not only about knowing how to harness the power of visual effects to realize the creative vision and support the narrative, it is also about understanding how to do so within the constraints of time and budget.
Producers need to have a solid understanding of the various factors that affect cost and schedule when budgeting for visual effects and handling bids, and a firm grasp of the entire process, from pre-production to post-production.
Editors, by nature of their work, are intimately familiar with every shot in the cut, and are often the ones who review the VFX work and provide feedback to the VFX team.
Assistant editors and VFX editors are responsible for the communication and daily back-and-forth between the VFX team and editorial.
On the set, cinematographers and gaffers clearly benefit from understanding the needs of VFX when lighting green screens, shooting VFX elements or setting up for crowd tiling, set extension, and other types of VFX shots.
First and second ADs are the ones who run the show on set. The first AD is usually the one responsible for planning the shoot and is the one who gets into the details of setting up VFX shots and coordinating with various departments.
Production and location managers can benefit from a deeper understanding of the needs and limitations of VFX when choosing appropriate locations and arranging for the necessary resources.
Film students must be familiar with the basics of visual effects if they want to succeed in contemporary filmmaking—understanding the process and language of VFX is as important today as being well versed in cinematography, scriptwriting, sound design, and editing.
Finally, this book will benefit any person involved in filmmaking, or anyone with an interest in cinema and the world of visual effects. While the book does require a basic familiarity with filmmaking and cinematography terms, there is no need for any previous knowledge of visual effects.
