How to Make a Cheap VFX Rain Shot in 1 Minute
Learning VFX isn't as hard as you think. Sometimes, all it takes is the length of a TikTok.
Until recently, VFX has been a daunting task. Whether you're adding in CGI elements to a live-action background plate, or creating the whole thing from scratch, making it look good takes patience and a well-rounded understanding of several cinematography fundamentals. But as VFX software becomes more affordable, or free, in the case of Blender, creatives aren't restricted by the money they can or can't shell out.
This is where filmmaker Collin Black comes in with his super short, yet super informative TikTok video on creating VFX rain. For a shot in his short film, Sleeping with Clouds, Black created a fully CGI house and added real elements from Action VFX (a common reoccurrence in his work and mine). If at first glance you didn't know this sequence was fake, I'll eat my shoe.
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Making a Home
While the video alone is quite clear on how Black created his shot, let's dive into a bit more details to cover a few things he might have glossed over. The entire shot used a combination of CGI, stock footage, and real rain elements.
To make his house, Black used Blender to create several iterations of the building. We say several because he didn't like them and finally ended up watching a tutorial to get it right. One would think that modeling a simple house would be easy, but to create something that has some life and dimension to it requires a few extra steps.
We'll link some tutorials to give you an understanding of how four walls and a roof aren't all that you need.
Tutorials
- Abandoned House by Andrew Price (the one used by Collin Black)
- Architectural Modeling by Justin Geis (advanced modeling)
- Modeling Buildings by Ian Hubert (lazy modeling)
If you follow Price's tutorial, you'll see him focus on creating depth with his house model. This is why he made it L-shaped and gave it a little porch so that not every wall was just a flat surface.
With Geis' tutorial, creatives will get a bit more in-depth look at modeling a house from an architectural drawing. While it's a bit advanced, it's a really good breakdown to show how light can propagate within a multi-room house.
Which brings us to Hubert and his lazy tutorial on modeling a building. With his walkthrough, we learn that what's inside a building or house is just as important as what's on the outside. Combining all of these three shows us a bit more about why Black's third house works better than the first two. The porch gave it more depth, the combined roof broke up boring lines, and the interior light made it more dynamic.
How to Make It Rain
For the rain, Black used some of the most reliable VFX elements I've ever used. Action VFX was something I used almost a decade ago for some of my short films.
But how did Black make his rain look so realistic? While we might think that adding in one rain element would do that trick, we have to consider that the flat image we're looking at isn't actually a 2D space.
That's why Black ended up using multiple rain elements at once by stacking them throughout the scene. Not one on top of the other, but in different planes of his scenes. This gave the rain more depth and made it feel like it was falling within the scene. Black also added some flourishes, like rain pouring down the house and falling onto the lens.
All Together Now
So, what did we learn? How do we make something look realistic?
As in cinematography, we need to focus on creating depth, either by adding elements into our background and foreground or making sure our lines run to some vanishing point in the distance. If you look carefully at Black's video again, you can see that the house is rotated slightly away from the camera. We're not looking at the house dead-on.
Whether you're creating a fully CGI shot or something more tangible with your camera, we should all consider how our 3D space is going to look in our 2D frame. Much like in our article about 90s anime, the trick is to think about your image in multiple layers and build it out, one section at a time.
Let us know what you think of this tutorial. If you manage to do something similar, share it in the comments!
Source: Collin Black
'History of the Wold, Part II'Credit: Hulu
10 Directing Lessons From Yasujirō Ozu
Ozu always kept it simple, beautiful, and deep.
Yasujirō Ozuu, a name synonymous with the golden era of Japanese cinema, has inspired filmmakers and cinephiles across generations. His approach to storytelling, framing, and character development offers a treasure trove of lessons for aspiring directors.
In this post, we delve into ten of his most influential techniques.
Let's get started.
1. The Importance of "Ma" (Negative Space)
Ozu’s use of "ma," or negative space, in his compositions teaches us about the power of what is not shown. His frames often feature empty spaces that speak volumes, encouraging viewers to engage more deeply with the scene.
2. Low and High Camera Angles
Ozu's signature low camera angles, often at the eye level of a seated person, create an intimate perspective. This approach invites the audience into the world of the characters, making the experience more immersive.
His high camera angles of buildings, bird's eye views, and static scenery shots emphasize a world that changes before our eyes.
3. Minimal Camera Movement
In stark contrast to contemporary filmmaking, Ozu often used a static camera. This technique forces the viewer to focus on the subtleties of the performance and the composition of each frame.
4. The Pillow Shot
Ozu frequently inserted "pillow shots," short, transitional scenes of nature, everyday objects, or settings, to create a contemplative pause in the narrative. This technique allows for a moment of reflection and emphasizes the environment's role in the story.
5. Restrained Editing
Ozu’s editing style is marked by its restraint. He often avoided conventional editing techniques like cross-cutting, instead opting for straight cuts that offer a more straightforward, contemplative flow.
6. Finding The Profound in the Everyday
Ozu's films often revolve around everyday life and simple stories, yet they touch on profound themes like family dynamics, the passage of time, and the clash of tradition and modernity.
7. Subtle Performances
Ozu directed his actors to deliver understated performances, believing that subtlety could convey deep emotions more effectively than overt drama.
8. Set Design
Ozu's meticulous set designs were integral to his storytelling. He carefully arranged every object in the frame to reflect the characters' inner lives and the film’s broader themes.
9. The Beauty of Simplicity
Ozu teaches us the beauty of simplicity in both storytelling and visual composition. His films, devoid of complex plot twists or elaborate cinematography, capture the essence of the narrative through simple yet powerful means.
10. Respect the Audience
Ozu respected his audience's intelligence, never over-explaining or spoon-feeding the story. He believed in the viewer’s ability to piece together the narrative and find personal meaning in it.
Yasujirō Ozu’s filmmaking philosophy transcends time and cultural boundaries, offering universal lessons for directors. His emphasis on simplicity, subtlety, and the profound in the everyday makes his work a continuous source of inspiration and learning.
It's amazing to have art like his to study and breakdown as we emotionally connect with its storytelling.
Now go watch his films and take these lessons into your own work.