"BROKEN" Feature Film VFX Test Clip w/ Breakdown

BROKEN2005

BROKEN2005

Well-known member
Hey Guys,

Just wanted to give you an update on "B R O K E N" the feature film. We have finished the screenplay and it is in the hands of our producers. We are currently in development on the visual effects, conceptual art, etc for the flix. Wish us luck :kali:

We wanted to share one of our vfx tests. It is rough but we did do a breakdown on how it was done for you to see the process.
Let us know what you think.

Check it out:
bk_vfx1_preview.jpg


For the for clip FULL click here: http://www.whatisbroken.com/bk_vfx_test.html

Also, I will be shooting another short film in the coming months while we are waiting for BROKEN to go into full drive. I haven't shot a frame since BROKEN and I am itching BAD!!:huh: More details to come.

Thanks again for all the support, the emails, and good wishes. The BROKEN: Special Edition DVD seems to have been very well receieved and according to all your emails and posts is helping a lot of filmmakers and storytellers. I wish you all the best of luck in your future projects!!!
Make it happen!:nads:
 
The effect looks great.

I loved the look of "Broken". I found your DVD very inspirational.

Best of luck with the feature.

Chris
 
Cool! I'll look forward to the feature. I've watched your DVD 4 times since I bought it a few weeks ago. I totally love it! I agree that it's "very inspirational".
 
Nice BTS scene there.

How did the screenplay turn out then? Were you guys completely happy with it? What budget range do you think it could roll in at?

EJ
 
EJ Pennypacker said:
Nice BTS scene there.

How did the screenplay turn out then? Were you guys completely happy with it? What budget range do you think it could roll in at?

EJ
Click to expand...

We are very happy with the script. I think everyone will really enjoy the story. We are looking at $3-5 million.....:kali:

Wish us luck!
 
Hey,
these are the shots driving me mad!
I just don´t seem capable of pulling a good key with DV, your shot looks fantastic!
Could you please tell me how you postprocess?
Are you using ultra2 or DVmatte?
I´m only looking for a good clean key for talking head docu work...
And why did you use a key here anyway? I´m not into VFX, could´t you have used your effect directly on your source footage, since you ain´t replacing the background...?
Hehe, as said I´m an effects-dumbo...
 
Where the glow effects 2D or 3D? Im embarking on a heavy effect short and some of the shots have energy bursts similar to that. Any tips?
 
They used Shake for the VFX on BROKEN, so they either used Keylight or Primatte for keying. Keylight can get pretty good results, and it comes with AE as well.
 
For my information:

Why did you have to do that key in the first place if you already had that background? What did it really help with the special effects on her hands?

I really need to do something like that for my short, the hands glowing, but I have no idea how to go about doing it.

Can you explain the process a bit more?
 
That effect was great. Thanks a lot for posting it so others can see how you did it. I second Spartacus' question as to why you felt you needed to use a key here. Couldn't you simply have composited in the 2d or 3d glow effects and the regular floor as well? Did your technique address a problem (or potential problem) I'm not aware of?
 
Kholi said:
For my information:

Why did you have to do that key in the first place if you already had that background? What did it really help with the special effects on her hands?

I really need to do something like that for my short, the hands glowing, but I have no idea how to go about doing it.

Can you explain the process a bit more?
Click to expand...

Thanks guys! We used green screen to be able to pull her off the background to do the effect on her hands. If we wouldn't of done that we would have had a killer roto job. It also helped us with the background and controlling the look and lighting of the clean plate.

We used SHAKE and we also did a bit of roto work to get a clean key. On MiniDV it is VERY DIFFICULT TO PULL. Standard MiniDV doesn't have the color info, it has 4:0:0 color space and your need a least 4:2:2.

We did this test as a simple test to try out some ideas. I would never shoot green screen on MiniDV for a finished product. The feature will probably be on a HD format, we are still deciding.
 
BROKEN2005 said:
Thanks guys! We used green screen to be able to pull her off the background to do the effect on her hands. If we wouldn't of done that we would have had a killer roto job. It also helped us with the background and controlling the look and lighting of the clean plate.

We used SHAKE and we also did a bit of roto work to get a clean key. On MiniDV it is VERY DIFFICULT TO PULL. Standard MiniDV doesn't have the color info, it has 4:0:0 color space and your need a least 4:2:2.

We did this test as a simple test to try out some ideas. I would never shoot green screen on MiniDV for a finished product. The feature will probably be on a HD format, we are still deciding.
Click to expand...


Great. That's what I thought. You needed the matte to composite the effects over, correct? Why wouldn't you just make a matte of her hands instead of her entire body? Or was that taken to adjust lighting on her as well?

I think I'll be needed greenscreen for some shots. =DDDD
 
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Also, about shooting Greenscreen on DV--

There's nothing wrong with it, IMO. I've seen plenty of finished products where a superb key has been pulled.

It seems like you guys really know how to light and pull one well, so there shouldn't be any reason why you would not do it.
 
Kholi said:
Also, about shooting Greenscreen on DV--

There's nothing wrong with it, IMO. I've seen plenty of finished products where a superb key has been pulled.

It seems like you guys really know how to light and pull one well, so there shouldn't be any reason why you would not do it.
Click to expand...

On a mathamatical stand point, from what my vfx guys tell me and my own experience, to pull a "KING KONG or STAR WARS" quality key on DV is very hard. Just my opinion. But if it works for you and it gets your story out there then all the better!!!:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
BROKEN2005 said:
On a mathamatical stand point, from what my vfx guys tell me and my own experience, to pull a "KING KONG or STAR WARS" quality key on DV is very hard. Just my opinion. But if it works for you and it gets your story out there then all the better!!!:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
Click to expand...


Oh.. .. well of course. But, they've got the millions of dollars to pull those King Kong or Star Wars keys in the first place.

As far as budget goes, if you have three million to divy up on heavy special effects that'll actually sell the story, then okay. For short films, though... there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing it, I think. Just know how to light and you're good to go.

---

Back to the topic, though. You totally have to give us a step-by-step of that process you've taken a clip of. I bet a lot of us really want to know how you did it. Don't make us wait for the FEATURE DVD BTS!!!!
 
BROKEN2005 said:
We did this test as a simple test to try out some ideas. I would never shoot green screen on MiniDV for a finished product. The feature will probably be on a HD format, we are still deciding.
Click to expand...

...since this was only a test and your going HD for the final piece, maybe your VFX guys could write a little "how to" about pulling a testkey like this for us DV leftbehinders hehehehe
I have to repeat: I WOULD BE VERY SATISFIED WITH A DV KEYING RESULT AS SEEN IN YOUR TEST!
 
By the way... can you give us a breakdown on the work flow used to achieve that awesome key? I would personally like to know how you brought your DV footage into your Keying software (what format, compression, etc...). Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.:)
 
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