Sneak Peak

[PixelMagic]

Well, guys, there is no way I'll have time to finish my film before the January 31st deadline. So I thought I'd go ahead and show you some of the stuff I've been working on. Here is a CGI alien from my film. I still hope everyone will at least watch it, even though it won't be entered into Sci-Fest.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/PixelMagic/INVASION.jpg

[Brandon Rice]

Very nice man! Wow, I'm sort of happy you aren't entering. At least as far as the visuals go, that's mighty impressive!:thumbsup:

[wcs]

ahh, a humanoid alien, with ribcage and all. I remeber that I kinda liked how star trek explained this quality of most of the alien life on the show (I believe most races were seeded by a single father race that visited the planets in the past).

Anyway, good stuff. It's well-textured (and lit) and it seems you got the dvx grain pretty well handled. I look forward to seeing your finished product. If the rest of the sci-fest entries have comparable effects, then this should be an interesting competition. Can't wait to see 'em all.

[Aaron Marshall]

That looks terrific. I'd very much like to see your film when you're finished.

-Aaron

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

Dude -- cut a 30 second trailer and submit it to the fest for exhibition -- mad people will see it and be looking for it when you post your final

edited to add: that looks kick ass by the way

[MattinSTL]

Yeah that's insane to not throw SOMETHING down when it looks that good... you're probably giving away a prize to somebody else.

I'm bummed about not being in it this time... but I didn't want to just dump any POS on the fest... so that's that.

To see some entries with that level of polish would make me feel a lot better about it. Come to think of it I feel better already! Thanks.

(I was planning to set my cam on a pod and zoom in on an episode of Star Trek TNG, but I figured some of the more clever members would figure it out.)

[kimko]

wow thats kool tell us how you did it

[Slice]

That's a nice grab. Was the rest of the production on par with that?

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

wow thats kool tell us how you did it
he's the real deal CGI dude...

[Norm Sanders]

Thanks a lot, Pixel, you've convinced me to withdraw our entry, as we just can't compete with those kinds of VFX. Oh WAIT, you said YOU'RE not entering! WHEW! Load off my chest. :evil: :grin:

Sorry to see you couldn't make it, but GEEZ that would have been some stiff competition from you!!

So now that you're not entering, are you interested in doing any LAST MINUTE particle work? :beer:

[profnoxin]

We went the opposite way, with having no CGI effects. Your kick-ass alien makes me happy that we decided to go in the opposite direction.

Congrats.

[greeches]

hehe same here... no CGI at all, but damn that looks bad ass!

[Slice]

Yeah, me too ....absolutly no CG.

[GenJerDan]

Yeah. Me, too. Absolutely no good CG.

Oh. Wait a sec. You said no CG. There's a difference.

:grin:

[TC]

Wow, that's REALLY impressive.

Good work! I can't wait to see it.

[Norm Sanders]

Hey, TC, long time!

[Brandon Rice]

Yeah, what's up TC?

Oh yeah, and I have no CG either.

[EditPhish]

Very nice grab! I agree with Jd... cut a preview and put something up! I'd love to see that alien in motion :happy:

[PixelMagic]

Thanks, guys.

And yes, we are trying to keep all the shots in the film up to the same quality. I might put together a 30 second trailer or something as someone else mentioned. Here are a few more grabs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/PixelMagic/CU-Jonathan-in-CAR.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/PixelMagic/UFO_Firing.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/PixelMagic/ALIEN_HIT_CROWBAR.jpg

[Blaine]

Really nice. I love the look. :thumbup:

[Norm Sanders]

Yeah, we would have all lost. At the VERY least in the FX/CG category. Jiminychristmas!

BTW, in that first grab, are those Mutton chops REAL?!?! Are you shooting HD with those images? They look great.

Just what do you DO for a living? Where'd you get your training? And what's your favorite toothpaste?!?!

[Slice]

Your grabs look nice. Good work.

[PixelMagic]

Ha ha, yes, those chops are real. He is my best friend. The guy swinging the crowbar at the alien is me.

Well, right now, I am a student in college with a major in comptuer graphics, but I currently work at WAFF 48 NEWS in Huntsville, AL as Lead Computer Graphics Artist.

[EditPhish]

All I can say is WOW after seeing the recent grabs you put up. WOW.

I've been a computer graphic artist/art director for about 15 years and am only really getting "decent" at 3D stuff now (hasn't been my bread-and-butter). What software you using?

[PixelMagic]

I use 3ds max for creating the CG aliens and UFO. And After Effects for compositing them into live action plates.

[EditPhish]

Excellent, Pixel. I've got 3dsmax on my "wish list" -- working with much cheaper solutions right now. I've been a traditional medium artist my whole life, and 2D computer graphics come very naturally to me; Never had a problem with learning any software, until jumping into 3D... I've found it a pretty big learning curve (and I lack patience which doesn't help).

Your UFO looks great... love it! Take a long time to render?

[PixelMagic]

Well, it's really hard to say how long it takes to render, because I don't render it in one pass. I use a process called multipass rendering. What that means is that I am rendering out the key light, fill light, and onboard lights in separate passes. All in all though, I would say the UFO takes about 4 hours of work per shot.

[EditPhish]

Well I really hope you do a trailer or something... I'd love to see some of the footage in motion :) -- From the screen-grabs it's looks like you did an excellent job!

[Brandon Rice]

Dang dude, these images are ridiculously incredible! Awesome stuff, can't wait to see this thing in it's entirety!!

[HagerNYC]

I'm sitting here looking at the CGI I'm compossiting, and looking at your grabs, and considering stopping right now. lol I can't tell you how much it means to me and probobly everyone else here that you, unfortunately can't make it. hee hee hee. Seriously though, that looks fantastic!!! Do you have a site with other CGI work you've done?

[ZombieSquid]

In the future, we will all have sideburns. Great looking stills! I've played around with Lightwave, 3ds, Poser, Bryce etc. and I gotta say that the lighting on the model is what impresses me the most. It really looks to be "in" the scene.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

I've also experimented with sideburns -- but have never achieved comparible results.

[KevinPeeples]

So are you going to reconsider entry now that youve got til friday to upload?

[Brandon Rice]

I think the rule still stands that the film must be completed by 12AM tonight.

[spidey]

yeah were dne just making ure the encodes right.

[yasodic]

holy crap that is impressive, I have got to see this when it is done!

[Norm Sanders]

I think the rule still stands that the film must be completed by 12AM tonight.

That'll have to be an "on your honor" thing then, as I'm sure there's no way to really track it. Someone can easily say they're having issues rendering, encoding, etc. ... all the while making those last minute touch ups.

Personally, now that it's a soft deadline, if someone's film can be just a LITTLE bit better by having that extra day & actually being able to finish, then I'd rather see their improved result. Since it'll come down to the major basics of story, camera work, editing, etc. ... I don't think the one day will make a film a winner when it wouldn't have been without that extra day, but it can make it more enjoyable to watch.

[penfever]

Jarred mentioned in one of the other threads that it was a 'soft' deadline, and I'm sure he'd be understanding - especially when the footage is this good. Go ahead and cut a trailer to enter, man!

[PixelMagic]

I probably will cut a trailer I suppose. But it won't be for competition because I've already shown my work here. But I'll do that.

[ProfD]

Wow...maybe I'll be able to do that level efx in the near future....I'm like Brice...geez...glad you didn't enter..heh. Would love to see your completed work.

ProfD

[ProfD]

Wow...maybe I'll be able to do that level efx in the near future....I'm like Brice...geez...glad you didn't enter..heh. Would love to see your completed work.

ProfD

[ProfD]

Wow...maybe I'll be able to do that level efx in the near future....I'm like Brice...geez...glad you didn't enter..heh. Would love to see your completed work.

ProfD

[Beat Takeshi]

had too much to drink?

[ProfD]

I guess so...

[Brandon Rice]

LOL! Post 800 baby!

[Slimothy]

Pixel-You should definately cut a trailer because I don't want to have to wait to see something from the project. The grabs look fantastic. Great, great stuff.

[Brandon Rice]

I totally agree, cut a trailer, it looks freakin' awesome!

[PixelMagic]

Alright guys, I just called my director, and he's gonna get me the footage tonight to begin cutting a trailer. I'll try to have it ready by Friday.

[Brandon Rice]

NICE!!! Can't wait to check it out!

[KevinPeeples]

NICE!!! Can't wait to check it out!
Ditto

[Larry Rutledge]

Snap! That's awesome. You wouldn't want to "build up your reel" by doing some pro-bono work for me would ya? :huh:

Great job! Looking forward to seeing the trailer.

Peace!
Larry

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

can't wait to see it!

[g0ldenb0y55]

Yeah dude! Can't wait to check it out!

[PixelMagic]

Got the trailer about 50% edited.

[g0ldenb0y55]

YEAH! Going to be up by this evening??

[PixelMagic]

Probably tomorrow.

[g0ldenb0y55]

Awesome, can't wait! Really looking forward to it!

[Brandon Rice]

Yeah, lookin' forward to it dude!

[Karl151k]

Lookin good!

[janzie]

i can´t wait to see it...but i still think you should submit it tonight

j.

[PixelMagic]

I will try to submit tonight, but I seriously doubt that I can finish tonight.

[bcaruthers]

WOW that alien looks realistic...too bad you were not done in time to submit the film. I can't wait to see the trailer.

[Madmanden]

That looks mighty impressive! Can't wait to watch the trailer!

[ecarr]

i gotta say, that's some impressive stuff. makes me wanna start messing around in lightwave again.