It's a nightmare, but do-able. On Ep.1, George kept having R2 roll off the green/blue screen and he had to be roto'd a ton.
_Mike
oooh i had my suspicions but i naively presumed they would have tools to automate the process...feeling cross eyed just thinking about roto'ing that much footage...:eek:
R2 isn't a huge roto problem because of his geometric nature, and it's amazing what high end compositing packages can do with suppression these days. It's also to their advantage that R2's details are blue, because they can use greenscreen instead of blue, and the results are generally better simply because of the order in which the incoming light to the camera hits the emulsion layers of the film (but of course, this point is moot if you're shooting digitally).
Mike, your R2 is outstanding. The subtleties in the shading amongst the complex materials (substrates, etc.) are fantastic. Like you mentioned before, I think that the only areas that might give it away as being synthetic are the textured nicks and bumps on the body panels and facade. Excellent work.
Most people do their specular glare/glow in post, so you have no idea what it would really look like, given a certain lens/optics system. Fortunately, Maxwell does, so this glare is physically accurate given the light source, lens optics, and exposure. Didn't have to touch a thing One of the nice parts of it, as well, is that the glare is not uniform, as it wouldn't be... Sort of ironic though - so much CG, we lose our ability to judge what reality looks like. Of course, with a different lens, different exposure..............
You've lost me now Mike,I actually thought this pic was a real photograph of R2 from a behind the scenes shot !! Can you please mark up what's real and what isn't next time Is that pic on your avatar real or is that CG too ?
Are you guys f'in with me... I can't tell Yes, the whole thing is "fake" - we'll call it CG, to be kind. Just a bunch of triangles, a few materials and 2 lights. By the way, the whole thing is lit with just those two overhead softboxes.. no special "fills" or anything.. the light you can see in frame, and the one reflected in his blue dome ring are it.
Honestly,I thought it was real behind the scenes piccy that you were using as an example of how the real R2 looks when lit,I even did a Google search to try and find the pic !!
At the last SFM'er in the UK meet up, Andrew March let me listen to some of the music you have done. I have to say I loved it. I have been looking to find some of your albums so I can listen to more. But I can find any in the normal Music stores (HMV, Virgin Megastore) and the local sci-fi shop round the corner form Lester Square, never get any in. Do you know of anywhere in the UK or London that I can pick up a copy of one of your albums?
Depends what you're looking for. My commercial CD's were Jazz albums, which I bought back from my label a number of years ago, and haven't bothered to have them distributed again. To be honest, I get more royalties from all the satellite radio and digital music programming, anyway. If you really want them, PM me and I can hook you up. If you're looking for film music/TV music, then most of that even *I* barely have access to, either because they're just one-offs that the studio owns "in perpetuity for all known media in the universe, etc. etc. etc." or I just never bothered to get a copy and go through the hassle of seeking permission to post stuff. But again, I might have more stuff if you give me an idea of what you're looking for. In any case, it means a great deal to me when people say that they like the music; that means it's made some little contribution, and for me, that's what it's all about. So thank you, from the heart.
Mike your work speaks for itself:thumb: ...imho there was no need for you to take the bait and 'lower' yourself to reply.
Personally, as someone finding his feet with cg, i feel that there is room for all levels and quality of work...at the moment id love to be where JDR is with his cg and i do find it slightly disheartening that you slate his work...albeit as a reaction to his slight...
JDR...chill man
i understand that there appears to be a bitter history between you two at the end of the day it is your thread but i feel that somewhere a fairy has just died!:( back to neverland with me then...
Sometimes you gotta stand up to the bully. -COMENT REMOVED by Aceman- It's not about the level of work. My work sucked when I started. Compared to some people, it still does. There's no shame - but indeed, honor - in the process of improving one's craft. The difference is you want to learn, and ask questions, and that's what it's all about. You're not slithering around the forum treating people like crap; he does, because he's a turd. In the end, believe me, I ask questions all the time too, from people far more talented than myself. I sure as hell don't walk up to Habib Zargapour and insult him and his work. He could hand me my ass on a plate with all the trimmings in 3 seconds. So don't let this stuff, or this guy, bum you out. I just got tired of his crap. Apparently, there was some sort of history there, but to be honest, I had completely forgotten about him. Clearly, though, he can't get enough of me They're always like that. :cool:
Make no mistake... I will always answer questions, provide tips, feedback, whatever. That's most of the reason I'm here. A lot of people PM or email me, too. In the end, we're on the same team.
I have cleaned up this thread in the hopes that we can continue to have a constructive and educational discussion. I would politely, but with a hint of warning, ask that if you can not conduct yourself at a minimum level of maturity that you refrain from posting in this thread.
This is a warning to keep the gloves up and hold a educational discussion. If anyone goes lower, I'll start issuing warnings.
Play nice.
Aceman
BTW - Mike - After reading through this thread it appeared to me that several members thought that the greenscreen image you posted was an actual behind-the-scene photo to show how they shot the R2. Their's no question that the space shot of the R2 is a CG created image. Just to clarify for everyone. I know I got kinda of lost in the thread.
I'd always assumed that the shot where R2 pops up through the hole in the ship and skids down the slope to where the droids are was CG R2 and the actual shots of them fixing are like the pic that JDR has posted,real props on a greenscreen stage !
Yeah it certainly looks that way, the close ups on the repair are actual real shots as JDR and Al3d describe although when he pops up through the hole and rolls down surely that is CG.
If it isnt then my version of R2 is looking more and more like the real thing
looks good mike. Maxwell is a wonderful r/s, aint it? Unfortunently it's painfully slow and expensive. However, that should be sped up and price lowered as they perfect the technology
1) That shot is CG. There are practical cuts in the sequence, but the shot in question is CG, confirmed.
2) Regarding how "slow" Maxwell is... my mental ray R2 that used to be posted here, takes 8+ hours to render. Maxwell can do that exact shot in 1.4 hours. Its speed just depends on the nature of the scene. So far, Maxwell's speed has not been an issue for me.
Posts
oooh i had my suspicions but i naively presumed they would have tools to automate the process...feeling cross eyed just thinking about roto'ing that much footage...:eek:
Mike, your R2 is outstanding. The subtleties in the shading amongst the complex materials (substrates, etc.) are fantastic. Like you mentioned before, I think that the only areas that might give it away as being synthetic are the textured nicks and bumps on the body panels and facade. Excellent work.
Heh. That made me do a double-take. I think the only thing that gives it away really as CG are the specular highlights. Maybe too overblown I think.
But fantastic nontheless.
_Mike
_Mike
boy oh boy have i got a lot of learning to do...
your work is breathtaking:thumb:
Ugh. I may have to start saving. Maxwell is not cheap.
Good tools are never cheap nor easy to find without help.:cool:
At the last SFM'er in the UK meet up, Andrew March let me listen to some of the music you have done. I have to say I loved it. I have been looking to find some of your albums so I can listen to more. But I can find any in the normal Music stores (HMV, Virgin Megastore) and the local sci-fi shop round the corner form Lester Square, never get any in. Do you know of anywhere in the UK or London that I can pick up a copy of one of your albums?
_Mike
Personally, as someone finding his feet with cg, i feel that there is room for all levels and quality of work...at the moment id love to be where JDR is with his cg and i do find it slightly disheartening that you slate his work...albeit as a reaction to his slight...
JDR...chill man
i understand that there appears to be a bitter history between you two
Sometimes you gotta stand up to the bully. -COMENT REMOVED by Aceman- It's not about the level of work. My work sucked when I started. Compared to some people, it still does. There's no shame - but indeed, honor - in the process of improving one's craft. The difference is you want to learn, and ask questions, and that's what it's all about. You're not slithering around the forum treating people like crap; he does, because he's a turd. In the end, believe me, I ask questions all the time too, from people far more talented than myself. I sure as hell don't walk up to Habib Zargapour and insult him and his work. He could hand me my ass on a plate with all the trimmings in 3 seconds. So don't let this stuff, or this guy, bum you out. I just got tired of his crap. Apparently, there was some sort of history there, but to be honest, I had completely forgotten about him. Clearly, though, he can't get enough of me
Make no mistake... I will always answer questions, provide tips, feedback, whatever. That's most of the reason I'm here. A lot of people PM or email me, too. In the end, we're on the same team.
_Mike
This is a warning to keep the gloves up and hold a educational discussion. If anyone goes lower, I'll start issuing warnings.
Play nice.
Aceman
BTW - Mike - After reading through this thread it appeared to me that several members thought that the greenscreen image you posted was an actual behind-the-scene photo to show how they shot the R2. Their's no question that the space shot of the R2 is a CG created image. Just to clarify for everyone. I know I got kinda of lost in the thread.
Hey al,
Can you scan them?
Thanks.
no scanner unfortunaly
If it isnt then my version of R2 is looking more and more like the real thing
Wiz.
2) Regarding how "slow" Maxwell is... my mental ray R2 that used to be posted here, takes 8+ hours to render. Maxwell can do that exact shot in 1.4 hours. Its speed just depends on the nature of the scene. So far, Maxwell's speed has not been an issue for me.
_Mike