Monthly Archives: January 2023

VFX and Post Production 4: Production Notes

Asset List

Animation List

• Character 1 Flying
• Soldier Looking Around
• Character 1 Floating
• Soldier Death (Cut in half)
• Character 1 Superhero Landing
• Confident Walk
• Fist Fight
• Drop Kick
• Big Body Blow
• Dodge Roll
• Wall Run
• Jumping Punch
• Jumping Kick
• Head Crush

VFX List

• Emissive Eyes
• Lasers
• Blood Spurts
• Blue Fire
• Dust
• Head Crushing Blood

Found Assets

References

Epic Games (2018) Paragon: Twinblast [Asset Pack]. Available online: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/paragon-twinblast [Accessed 5/1/2023].

Epic Games (2018) Paragon: Wraith [Asset Pack]. Available online: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/paragon-wraith [Accessed 5/1/2023].

Sibiriakov. K  (2021) City Environment Megapack vol 02 [Asset Pack]. Available online: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/city-environment-megapack-vol [Accessed 5/1/2023].

VFX and Post Production 3: Visual Effect Exercises and Explanation of VFX Piece

VFX Exercises

Basic

To start learning how the Niagara particle system works and how I could use it within my VFX piece I started by making some basic Niagara particle systems by following the tutorials provided to me. The basic particle systems I made were green smoke and a blue fire with purple smoke using sprite-based emitters. I changed the colours to add my own flair to the particle systems.

Intermediate

Another facet of the Niagara particle system is the ability to use a mesh in the particle system in place of a sprite. I followed another tutorial to make a balloon particle system based on a balloon mesh that spawned balloons of different colours based on the values set in the particle system.

Advanced

For more potential for how I could implement VFX into my final piece, I decided to also follow the advanced VFX tutorials to create a portal particle system and a particle system that emits fire from a skeletal mesh. Both of these systems allowed me to explore how materials can assist in making more interesting and unique particle systems. I decided to test the skeletal mesh fire system on a skeletal mesh that wasn’t included in Unreal Engine by default with a custom animation from Mixamo to see how this would look.

This exploration of the Niagara particle system gave me ideas of how I could further develop my VFX in my final piece. For example, I could use a mesh particle emitter to add gore to my blood VFX to improve the impact of that visual effect. It also improved my confidence in being able to make VFX that matches the ideas I had for my piece.

Explanation of VFX Piece

Animations

The animations in my final piece will consist of free to use Mixamo animations which I will implement into the piece using the sequencer. The Unreal sequencer will allow me to easily time and blend these animations as I have prior experience with the Unreal sequencer. Through some experimentation, I was able to get a model from an Unreal Engine asset pack to work with Mixamo animations by using the auto-rigger on the website. I had to edit the model slightly in modelling software as a gun was included in the model by default which I didn’t need for this character. I also used this model when doing the advanced skeletal mesh particle system. I researched what Mixamo animations there are available while making my storyboard so that it the actions were mostly feasible to what existed on Mixamo although there are some actions I may have to animate myself.

Lighting

My piece will mainly use high-key lighting as my piece is set during the day. However, I may be able to implement low-key lighting when the second character of my animation is launched through a wall and weakened as that area will be an interior and so I can have a lack of lighting. It will help to make the outcome of the fight more hopeless for the second character.

Sound

I will implement royalty-free sounds into my piece within the sequencer or animations to make sure they are correctly lined up with the timings of the animations. It would be easier to make the sounds included in the animations themselves as it means I wouldn’t have to put the sounds in the sequencer for every use of the same animation as it would be included by default each time that animation is used. I may implement background music using editing software instead to make sure it doesn’t overlay all the other sounds but I may not include music.

Post Processing

Using the post processing feature in Unreal, I am able to use the colour grading tools to change the feel of my different scenes. This can be helpful for when I want the piece to have a darker atmosphere. I can also use colour grading to make the world of my piece feel more dull and depressing to hint at the kind of world that my piece takes place in.

References

Mixamo (n.d.) Flair Dance Animation 1 [Animation]. Available online: https://www.mixamo.com/#/?page=1&query=flair [Accessed 3/1/2023].

VFX and Post Production 2: Storyboard and Animatic

Storyboard

Shot 1 (1 Second)

The first character is introduced flying across the screen very quickly.

Medium Long Shot

Shot 2 (3 Seconds)

The environment in which the piece will take place is shown as well as establishing the presence of two soldiers alerted by the first character.

Establishing Shot

Shot 3 (1 Second)

The first character floats above the environment as the camera zooms into their face.

Zoom Shot

Shot 4 (2 Seconds)

A close-up view is used as the first character starts to use their laser eye ability. The shot could zoom further in and make it an extreme closeup shot. I will experiment in Unreal Engine to see what I prefer.

Closeup Shot

VFX: Eyes lighting up to signify the laser ability.

Shot 5 (3 Seconds)

The soldiers are lasered in half by the first character.

POV Shot (First Character)

VFX: Lasers, blood spurts from the soldiers and blue temporary fire made by the lasers.

Shot 6 (3 Seconds)

The first character now lands in the environment causing a bit of destruction to the ground. The camera shakes when this happens.

Medium Long Shot

Shot 7 (4 Seconds)

The second character is introduced by confidently walking towards the first character.

POV Shot (First Character)

Shot 8 (6 Seconds)

The two characters trade blows until the first character is kicked back. The camera is stationary at first but it rotates behind the second character when he kicks the first character for the next shot position.

Medium Long Shot

Shot 9 (4 Seconds)

The first character drop kicks the second character a fair distance away (goes off screen) and then transitions into a floating pose.

Long Shot

Shot 10 (4 Seconds)

The first character tries to laser the second character but the second character dodges and starts to wall run. Seen from a POV perspective until the second character starts to wall run as the camera rotates behind them to transition to the next shot.

POV Shot (First Character)

VFX: Lasers and blue temporary fire made by them.

Shot 11 (4 Seconds)

The second character uses the momentum from the wall run to punch the first character mid-air knocking them to the ground as the second character lands.

Over the Shoulder Shot

Shot 12 (6 Seconds)

The two characters trade blows again and the second character is kicked back this time.

Medium Long Shot

Shot 13 (4 Seconds)

The first character follows up with another stronger kick that launches the second character through a wall.

Medium Long Shot

VFX: Dust particles from the wall breaking.

Shot 14 (3 Seconds)

The second character is weakened by this blow which allows the first character to menacingly walk towards them.

POV Shot (Second Character)

Shot 15 (5 Seconds)

The first character uses their strength to crush the second character’s head.

POV Shot (First Character)

VFX: Blood spurt from the crushed head.

Shot 16 (5 Seconds)

The first character walks back out into the street covered in blood.

Long Shot

Shot 17 (2 Seconds)

The first character stops up close to the camera with their eyes closed and opens them as the piece ends.

Big Closeup Shot

Animatic

References

Clipart Library (2019) Blood Splatter Png #1662483 [Image]. Available online: http://clipart-library.com/clipart/rcjr6yE5i.htm [Accessed 12/12/2022].

mrrap4food (2020) Mysterious Music (Who are you Super Hero?) [Audio File]. Available online: https://freesound.org/people/mrrap4food/sounds/501111/ [Accessed 13/12/2022].

Smith C (2017) Selective Focus Photography of Fire Photo [Image]. Available online: https://unsplash.com/photos/uNsl7UOr_Ec [Accessed 12/12/2022].

Smith, C (2018) Red Fire Digital Wallpaper [Image]. Available online: https://unsplash.com/photos/BdTtvBRhOng [Accessed 12/12/2022].

VFX and Post Production 1: Overview

Description

The basic premise of my piece is that two superpowered individuals fight in a city street causing major damage to the surroundings until one of them is brutally killed. One of the characters will be a Superman-type individual with the ability to fly, super strength and laser eyes while the other will be more of an ‘ninja’ type relying more on technique rather than raw strength although they will still have super strength and superhuman reflexes. I will develop this in Unreal Engine allowing me to make use of the knowledge I already have with the sequencer tools in the engine while allowing me to gain experience with the Niagara particle system which I will utilise for at least some of the visual effects within my piece.

It will begin with the first character flying into an urban street finding a squad of soldiers that he quickly dispatches using his laser eyes before the second character arrives. The two characters will at first trade blows showing that they are mostly equally matched. Eventually, the second character will be launched through a wall into a building and be left in a vulnerable state. The first character will take advantage of this by picking up the second character who will struggle as his head is crushed by the first character. The final shot will be the second character slowly walking out of the building completely covered in blood.

Inspiration

My main source of inspiration for this piece is the TV show The Boys as I decided while developing my idea that I wanted it to be quite brutal and bloody but not necessarily realistic in how it displays this which is a main component of The Boys as an experience. A specific fight from the show is shown in the video below. This fight displays something similar to what in I want to create in the characters just go at each other with no care for the environment.

Another scene from the show that I wish to draw inspiration from is this scene below. The main thing I would draw inspiration from in this scene is the use of a close up shot on Homelander to show his mental state/emotion and how he reacts to it. Realistically, I won’t be able to emulate a scene of this nature but I want to use at least a shot similar to this to show when the first character of my piece uses his laser eyes ability.

References

Amazon Prime Video UK (2022) That Scene When Homelander Has A Meltdown And Kills Everyone | The Boys | Prime Video [Video]. Available online: https://youtu.be/yZ1egVORfn0 [Accessed 7/12/2022].

Prime Video (2022) Homelander vs. The Butcher and Soldier Boy | The Boys Clip | Prime Video [Video]. Available online: https://youtu.be/Rsjo7NQW0-E [Accessed 5/12/2022].