01/10/06 - ROTOSCOPE HEADACHES!
For anyone who doesn't know the techniques of film FX, let me introduce you to a process that will cause your eyes to pop out, your head ache and your mind to explode! Rotoscoping. And any rotoscopers out there will know exactly what I am talking about. It is without a doubt one of the slowest most challenging elements of special digital FX work.
Let me explain, relative to this show. In one shot Gaylon moves along a semi-circle of youth offenders and performs a holy baptism, Gaylon style, by inviting them to each "Kiss The Ring" in turn. As each one kisses the ring the script calls for Holy Light to be surround them, or a beam of holy light as their head throws back and they become tranced.
This was all shot on the day 3 shoot and I knew the technique I would be using was Rotoscoping.
In order to place an effect BEHIND the foreground elements (in this case, Gaylon and the youth offenders) I must first make what is known as a Mask, or Travelling Matte. This involves creating a cut out shape around an element so you can put fx elements BEHIND it, or cut it out to place over other things.
See the screenshots for what I am talking about. Each element must be masked out so it remains untouched by the effects after, in the case of these screenshots you wil see that the current mask is that of Gaylon's right sleeve. Each mask is made up of many many points, or nodes. This means that for each frame of film you must re-position the dots to make the shape fit.
Now in the case of say, a square shape or something basic, you can use what is called keyframe animation...where you can set the start point, and the end point...and the software will fill in the gaps. This may need some tweaking to make it match properly but is reasonably quick.....but not in something like this. The sleeve for example is made of cloth and the action in the shot is fast, so it moves shape CONSTANTLY, which basically means I need to pretty much hand place the dots on every single frame of the shot. Now......figures......24 frames of film per second....and this shot is around 11 seconds long......so, I am hand animating the Mask Shape over 264 frames. And this can range from a quick move as the camera slightly moves (remember this HAND HELD CAMERA, so it moves ALL THE TIME!)....or could be as complex as the cloth shape moving so much you essentially need to redraw the shape from scratch.
I have completed the one sleeve after HOURS of work. I now need to start maksing the other elements (like the rest of Gaylon in foreground, or the peoples heads and torsos etc in the mid ground). THEN, and only then can I start to introduct the light beam effects behind them.
Let me explain, relative to this show. In one shot Gaylon moves along a semi-circle of youth offenders and performs a holy baptism, Gaylon style, by inviting them to each "Kiss The Ring" in turn. As each one kisses the ring the script calls for Holy Light to be surround them, or a beam of holy light as their head throws back and they become tranced.
This was all shot on the day 3 shoot and I knew the technique I would be using was Rotoscoping.
In order to place an effect BEHIND the foreground elements (in this case, Gaylon and the youth offenders) I must first make what is known as a Mask, or Travelling Matte. This involves creating a cut out shape around an element so you can put fx elements BEHIND it, or cut it out to place over other things.
See the screenshots for what I am talking about. Each element must be masked out so it remains untouched by the effects after, in the case of these screenshots you wil see that the current mask is that of Gaylon's right sleeve. Each mask is made up of many many points, or nodes. This means that for each frame of film you must re-position the dots to make the shape fit.
Now in the case of say, a square shape or something basic, you can use what is called keyframe animation...where you can set the start point, and the end point...and the software will fill in the gaps. This may need some tweaking to make it match properly but is reasonably quick.....but not in something like this. The sleeve for example is made of cloth and the action in the shot is fast, so it moves shape CONSTANTLY, which basically means I need to pretty much hand place the dots on every single frame of the shot. Now......figures......24 frames of film per second....and this shot is around 11 seconds long......so, I am hand animating the Mask Shape over 264 frames. And this can range from a quick move as the camera slightly moves (remember this HAND HELD CAMERA, so it moves ALL THE TIME!)....or could be as complex as the cloth shape moving so much you essentially need to redraw the shape from scratch.
I have completed the one sleeve after HOURS of work. I now need to start maksing the other elements (like the rest of Gaylon in foreground, or the peoples heads and torsos etc in the mid ground). THEN, and only then can I start to introduct the light beam effects behind them.
posted by Ricardo Lacombe | 17:50
2 Comments:
yo mayn u are soo dedicated to ur work you really should give ur self a big up, i dont think people realise how much time and effort you have to put in during post production, i salute you mayn!
I agree with Theo, we all appreciate the hard work and dedication Ricardo is showing with this post shooting work. Obviously we couldn't do it without you dude...so I am sure I speak for everyone when I say thank you and you rule!! :-)
Ajx
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