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VFX Solidarity: Is the Future of the Visual Effects Industry at Stake?

03.3.13 @ 4:40PM Tags : greenscreen, jefffoster, lifeofpi, protest, rhythm&hues, scottross, solidarity, union, VES, vfx

Wonder why all your production friends on Facebook have changed their profile pictures to a familiar shade of green? News of Rhythm & Hues Studios going bankrupt, the studio behind the recent Oscar-winning Life of Pi, has acted as a catalyst for awareness. A recent letter written by Phillip Broste has been making the rounds via outlets like VFX Solidarity International, stirring up the visual effects community in a call-to-action. More info and an interview with independent VFX artist Jeff Foster after the jump. More »

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4 Tutorials to Help You Improve Your Green Screen Skills

01.25.13 @ 1:43AM Tags : greenscreen, howto, post-production, postproduction, richardharrington, tutorial, tutorials

We’ve all seen it: mismatched subject and background lighting, dancing edge pixels, and color spill; some of the hallmarks of a bad green screen composite. There are multiple factors to consider for a chroma key shot in preproduction, on set, and in post, and in the following videos Richard Harrington will take you through those factors and show you how to pull a good key and produce a believable composite. More »

9

Build Your Own Cyclorama or Cyc Wall Backdrop with NextWaveDV

11.25.12 @ 9:00PM Tags : Cyclorama, cycwall, diy, greenscreen

We’ve recently covered how to convert your garage into a fully functioning movie studio, and now, thanks to a helpful making-of breakdown video from NextWaveDV, you can construct the next step in the evolution of your home studio setup. You may already be familiar with the effect created by cycloramas — as NextWaveDV points out, Apple’s “I’m a Mac” commercials may be the easiest example to recall — basically, they allow for a uniformly-colored (and lit) backdrop to isolate your subjects in a kind of disembodied, heavenly way. Read on to check out this effect, plus what you’ll need to achieve it yourself. More »

9

Behind the scenes on my virtual runway shoot for [REDACTED]

06.24.10 @ 2:50PM Tags : aftereffects, behindthescenes, cinematography, greenscreen

I was recently hired to be the A Camera operator on a fashion shoot for a company that will go unnamed. I’m not trying to be mysterious — they had me sign a Non Disclosure Agreement, so I’m erring on the side of caution. Actually, posting nothing at all would probably be erring on the side of caution, but there were too many expensive tools and newfangled gadgets being put to use on the shoot for me not to share. As an indie used to low-budget DSLR shoots, getting my hands on a $200k camera was quite the departure. More »