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Is the First 'Instant' 3D Modeling and Motion Capture Camera the Future of CG Animation?

02.13.13 @ 8:34PM Tags : 3D, 3dsmax, animation, camera, capture, cgi, kickstarter, mocap, modeling, motioncapture, previsualization, software, vfx, visualeffects

In creating computer generated imagery, reference photographs of real-life objects may assist modeling, texturing, and animating a 3D object. In animation, this practice translates into something called motion capture, or ‘performance capture’ when facial expressions are the focus (see: Avatar). Fixed reference points on an object or surface help artists recreate something virtually, but Microsoft XBox 360′s Kinect technology is actually able to recognize shape and motion on its own, turning you into a full-body video game controller in real-time. The new Lynx A Camera looks to take this a step further. Meet the world’s first ‘point-and-shoot’ camera that can model and capture the geometry, texture, and motion of anything you aim it at, right before your eyes. More »

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Terry Gilliam on the Importance and Power of Storyboarding

11.7.12 @ 4:30PM Tags : previsualization, storyboarding, terrygilliam

The spine of any smooth production is its organization, and storyboarding is a key vertebra. Regarding this important phase of pre-visualization, we’ve heard in the past from great filmmakers such as Ridley Scott, Sam Mendes, and Conrad L. Hall. A not-so-recent interview with another visionary, Terry Gilliam, has recently surfaced — and if you’ve seen any of Gilliam’s work, you have a good idea of what fantastical imagery can be accomplished even on a budget (The Brothers Grimm was budgeted at $88 million, true, but Time Bandits was made for $5 million; ‘nough said). I think it would be safe to attribute some of Gilliam’s success in achieving somewhat under-funded flights of fancy to his artistic background, and therefore his ability to storyboard. More »

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Diagram, Shotlist, and 'Pocket-Block' Your Scene with the Shot Designer App

10.19.12 @ 4:00PM Tags : android, apple, apps, ios, previsualization, shotdesigner

Thanks to Hollywood Camera Work’s new app Shot Designer, you can now design and block camera coverage of your scene almost as fast as you can think it — even on your mobile device. An intuitive interface allows precise control for plotting (and animating) all the essential aspects of shooting your scene in a classic top-down diagram style. A limited (single-scene-at-a-time) release is available for free, and the $20 Pro version has some key perks too. Read on for the intro video and a more detailed list of Shot Designer’s features. More »

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The Art of Storyboarding with Ridley Scott, Sam Mendes, and Conrad L. Hall

05.26.12 @ 12:21AM Tags : cinematography, drawing, previsualization, ridleyscott, sammendes, storyboarding

Previsualization and storyboarding will vary production to production, but it’s important to have some sort of idea about what you’re shooting before you shoot it. Often there are stories about famous directors coming on set and making it up as they go along, but this isn’t the most ideal way to work, especially when your budget can’t afford 50 crew members to move set pieces and lights to compensate for your on-the-fly planning. Below are two videos, the first is a conversation with Ridley Scott about his own storyboarding work, and the second is a commentary with Sam Mendes and the late Conrad L. Hall comparing storyboards versus screenshots of American Beauty. More »