Post production work

Finished the rendering, and basically finished it. These are some thoughts and screen shots from the post production process.

The whole composition is quite large to render out of after effects with the additions of the vignettes, colour correcting and credits. The black vignette was added to give it a more cinematic filmy look. I have increased the contrast and raised the brightness slightly as it was a little dark. There is also blurry vignette to also enhance the frame. Unfortunately I am missing a background for the outside. I didn't have enough time to do this so just created a slightly yellow tinted plane underneath the diner images to show the outside as bright and letting the sun in.

I edited the sound in Adobe Soundbooth. Using the track I had (Jingle Jangle), various fades and delays and reverbs to achieve the moody music towards the end. The camera flash sound was found on a royalty free sounds website. I faded the music out towards the end for the credits to a familiar but still slightly moody tune that is played through the film.

Micro Update

Getting the last few frames rendered now. Only 9 split between 3 machines so shouldn't be bad. Then going home and finish the final edit.

After Effects work

Currently working on post production work. Nearly all frames have been rendered fully, Some however are still going overnight in the studio. (I shall pick them up in the morning and slot them into my After Effects file.

I have added the blurry and black vignette, the camera flashes, adjusted the contrast and brightness slightly. I have also done a bit of painting in areas i have problems. Such as the knife area had a random light patch, which i painted over and keyframed to disappear with the opacity.

It is very subtle in still shots but very noticeable when it flashes on screen during the camera movement. So I painted it out, which I might have to do for a few more sections. The top one shows the mistake, towards the center below the knife, while the bottom image shows it painted out simply using clone tool in photoshop (Haven't worked out how to use clone in after effects yet)

Rendering

Rendering this year has proved a huge challenge compared to last years.
 The main factors that affect it are:

• A bigger project
• Higher resolution textures
• Use of Final Gather (greatly increased render times)
• 1 Long shot.

This time last year, for the train sections i was looking at approximately 5-8 minutes a frame, and the imp between 5-8 again. This years work is taking roughly 20 minutes a frame. The main reason for the use of final gather, but it has achieved the look I want. However, if given the time again i would definitely work out how to light properly to decrease render times.

I am currently nearly finished rendering my whole project out of maya. I have been in the studios full days and longer since monday trying my best to make them handle my project and they seem to of been okay. Hopefully by the morning it shall all be finished, and I'm looking at an all nighter thursday for compositing and editing. Just have to remember to post some updates and screenshots and possibly a few effects as i go along.

I look to be on target for the hand in on friday all going well. I am pleased that it is rendering out (although slow). At this stage I have had very little time to test my shots in movement, so I have had to wing it and I am fairly happy with the result. Post production should make it sparkle though with some colour correction and effects and the sound will really bring it to life.

Some Lighting Changes

I thought I was ready to render today, However after a couple of test shots, I realised the environment is too dark. So I have added lights to the ceiling. But not too strong. Just there to be subtle and I think it looks nicer than before, but I'm not completely sure.

 The light with just a glow.

Actual light source, using area light.

Close to finishing

Have been lacking in post's due to frustrations of working last minute and trying to render on studio computers. (which are terrible, but are gonna have to do). Basically finishing lighting. 

Post production is where it is really going to shine hopefully. Just lots of colour correcting, and some subtle effects here and there all going well. 

Have to hand in by friday and going in tomorrow to render, hopefully done overnight if i can use 20 odd computers. That's all for now. Will hopefully get round to doing some post production blog posts with screenshots.

Been creating some test renders to show for tomorrow's hand in. These have some post production work in such as the vignette applied as well as some colour correction.

This is also my current playblast of the scene. Unfortunately not lit and rendered due to time restrictions but rest assured this WILL be done for the degree show and will hopefully bump my grade up hugely.

Some light Post Production Work

I am writing this in the early hours of the day when we are handing in. Unfortunately as expected I was not able to get it rendered on time for the first hand in. So its a playblast with audio and credits atm. Nothing too flashy either with the credits. I thought i should post this screenshot to show how simple the project is at this stage.

It is pretty bare, But when i have the proper render from maya, There will be lots and lots of adjustment and solid layers with effects and colour correction to be done.

The Good, The Bad and the Test Renders

So this week coming might be slightly hectic yet also relief. Hectic to get something in for Wednesday that is decent and shows exactly what I am doing with my project. Relief that i have another 2 weeks to finish properly.

But currently I do not have the render time to do the whole thing before wednesday. I estimate on my machine alone(Running 2.4ghz Quad core CPU, with 3.5gb of ram) that it will take a possible 100-125 hours to render all frames. That is without seperate render passes.

Good news is that I can utilise the studio computers in mass to render this scene out. Which if using at great capacity, could have this render done in less than a day. (Due to new systems, Higher specs and many computers to render on).

The bad news is that from what I have heard, seen and experienced, the studio systems are extremely unreliable in handling large scenes with lots of shaders and textures, this is even before lighting. So it might be extremely tight for the odeon submission. I am worried about how this may affect my project, because realistically I won't physically be able to render everything from my computer. I have heard from other people that their maya projects are also experiencing difficulties with the computers in the studio. I'm hoping this problem can be sorted extremely soon, as it doesn't seem to be down to an individual user having a messy scene. I find it really weird also how my home desktop of lower spec handles my scene better.

Enough of my mini rant. I'm gonna post a test shot I've been working on. I aim to get quite a few more ready for wednesday. As I think I will be handing in a playblast of my scene (with sound), with test renders just because I can't physically render in time without sacrificing resolution, format and quality.

The gun has been edited in photoshop to emulate a look to how it will finally be. However it may still be changed more. The records in the jukebox have not been edited and are straight render from Maya. I am quite excited to see how this beginning shot will work out once rendered.

Project Overview

I am currently working on lighting and rendering my scene. I need to focus on getting something handed in for the initial submission then focus on getting it better for the degree show.
While waiting for a render, I thought I would quickly summarise all that has gone into the project. (All work is by me unless otherwise specified)

1. Initial Idea of cluedo-esque story through a run down american diner.

2. Concept work created by Amy Callaghan (environment and character experimentation), Hollie Steptoe (enviroment) and Liam Kirkman, Also a character design by Kelly Brookes

3. Storyboarding followed by Animatic created in maya through a scene blockout (playblasted) and some characters based on the standard norman rig (Adapted by others on internet).

4. Modelling stage including the use of: Box modelling, Polygons, Nurbs, High density model meshes, low density model meshes. Majority of modeling with Maya and some in Mudbox. 

5. Texturing all objects. 90-95% of shaders are standard maya/mental ray, other 10-5% are borrowed from various CG royalty free download sites. Textures created in photoshop with some in mudbox aswell.

6. Camera work with fly-through of scene.

7. Environmental animation.

8. Lighting. Mental Ray for Final Gather, Raytraced shadows and Global Illumination. Not yet finished lighting but likely using a combination of physical sun and sky and some point and area lights.

9. Rendering out 1024 by 576 with a device aspect ratio of 1.778. Rendering IFF images.

10. Compositing work in After Effects with PAL/DV1/Widescreen setting for DVD playback. 720 by 576, 25 Frames per second

11. Editing will also be After Effects along with titles and credits.

12. Sound created in Soundbooth and added into the final After Effects composite.