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- Thread starter Gord.T
- Start date
Mattykins
Cute Member
It is entirely up to the artist. We encourage you to do so. However - you don't have to post the current render in your WIP post.
pia12254
Well-known member
Hey guys,
I've been keeping an eye on this contest because I would love to see VFX collaboration grow on these boards!
I would like to provide my thoughts on how to generate more interest/involvement. I know some of this will be redundant from what others have said but here goes:
- Change name to "VFXFest - Supernatural" (or equivalent...CG was a little confusing to me as well)
- Make it more focused/specific (i.e. "Has to be between 5-15 seconds long. Include a matchmove element...etc.)
- I think would be mutually beneficial to incorporate FX work from various films being made by members of these forums. For example, you could ask filmmakers to submit a shot from their film that needs some VFX work. The competition could then be to choose one of the shots and submit it or you guys could narrow it down to a specific shot each week/month/quarter and everyone works on the same shot (a bit easier to compare/judge/vote). That way the filmmaker might actually get something that he can use and the winner can have his VFX work in a film!
Anyway, I know it is often a tiresome and thankless job to put together something like this and I REALLY, REALLY appreciate the work you guys are putting into this! Don't give up!
Daniel
I've been keeping an eye on this contest because I would love to see VFX collaboration grow on these boards!
I would like to provide my thoughts on how to generate more interest/involvement. I know some of this will be redundant from what others have said but here goes:- Change name to "VFXFest - Supernatural" (or equivalent...CG was a little confusing to me as well)
- Make it more focused/specific (i.e. "Has to be between 5-15 seconds long. Include a matchmove element...etc.)
- I think would be mutually beneficial to incorporate FX work from various films being made by members of these forums. For example, you could ask filmmakers to submit a shot from their film that needs some VFX work. The competition could then be to choose one of the shots and submit it or you guys could narrow it down to a specific shot each week/month/quarter and everyone works on the same shot (a bit easier to compare/judge/vote). That way the filmmaker might actually get something that he can use and the winner can have his VFX work in a film!
Anyway, I know it is often a tiresome and thankless job to put together something like this and I REALLY, REALLY appreciate the work you guys are putting into this! Don't give up!
Daniel
Horncastle
Well-known member
Hey Guys,
Thanks for organizing this - here's my (rather late) feedback. I did have a look at the rules/threads when you first launched the Fest. However, the deadline at that time was Dec 20th and since I did Scriptfest 3, which I have just finished reading/commenting on, I decided I didn't have time to enter here. Now I see the deadline has been extended. At this point there's still not much time though, so unless I can knock up something simple quickly ... Anyway, please keep doing them - I think they can definitely be worthwhile. Some thoughts:
1. Try and keep the deadlines away from the deadlines/voting/commenting periods of other fests on the forum.
2. Keep in mind that the really hard core CG guys are probably going to be more attracted to competitions at places such as CGSociety.
3. I'm afraid I disagree with pia12254 - don't make it too focused/specific. It's a huge wide area, different people do different things. Make it a fest where different people can play around with different techniques - stills, mattes, modelling, animation, green screen, motion tracking. I think a fest where people can do as much or as little as they want is more likely to get off the ground in my opinion. It's not about winning, after all, (although it's always nice!!) - it's about experimenting, having fun, swapping ideas and opinions...
Keep it up and good luck to all the entries.
Jason
Thanks for organizing this - here's my (rather late) feedback. I did have a look at the rules/threads when you first launched the Fest. However, the deadline at that time was Dec 20th and since I did Scriptfest 3, which I have just finished reading/commenting on, I decided I didn't have time to enter here. Now I see the deadline has been extended. At this point there's still not much time though, so unless I can knock up something simple quickly ... Anyway, please keep doing them - I think they can definitely be worthwhile. Some thoughts:
1. Try and keep the deadlines away from the deadlines/voting/commenting periods of other fests on the forum.
2. Keep in mind that the really hard core CG guys are probably going to be more attracted to competitions at places such as CGSociety.
3. I'm afraid I disagree with pia12254 - don't make it too focused/specific. It's a huge wide area, different people do different things. Make it a fest where different people can play around with different techniques - stills, mattes, modelling, animation, green screen, motion tracking. I think a fest where people can do as much or as little as they want is more likely to get off the ground in my opinion. It's not about winning, after all, (although it's always nice!!) - it's about experimenting, having fun, swapping ideas and opinions...
Keep it up and good luck to all the entries.
Jason
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
Appreciate the feedback Horncastle. (Bear in mind the time of year. :beer
are strictly 3D formats. This is primarily a film site. What we do, 'we' as
in the 'other guys' far outways what any standard 3D artist on those sites
are doing. This is not just 3D, it's everything under the sun. No
competition at all imo. They are welcome to join in and compete if they
want. Last I heard, I do believe you can not even mention dvxuser at that
site without getting it deleted. Soooooo.
Like I say, they are welcome here. We don't discriminate.
I agree. The thing I'm really most concerned about is keeping all creative
doors open.
Not so much for what we know we can do, but for those that can introduce
new concepts, ideas and methods. It's what we "haven't" seen yet is what I
think we need to let nurture, instead of saying 'do this','do that'. But as
said before, that also has it's place because that's real world work.
So we'll try and juggle both between real working jobs and open ended
creativity.
And I agree it's not about winning, at all. It's about sharing most of all and I think that's where most of the trouble lies. There seems to be a lot of 'I have to protect my ideas and work' but I don't think that's the case.
Anyways, hehe, really appreciate the feedback man and we're listening.
Thanks man.
Noteworthy. Thanks.Horncastle said:
lol. Sorry man. Those places have nothing on what's going on here. ThoseHorncastle said:
are strictly 3D formats. This is primarily a film site. What we do, 'we' as
in the 'other guys' far outways what any standard 3D artist on those sites
are doing. This is not just 3D, it's everything under the sun. No
competition at all imo. They are welcome to join in and compete if they
want. Last I heard, I do believe you can not even mention dvxuser at that
site without getting it deleted. Soooooo.
Like I say, they are welcome here. We don't discriminate.
Horncastle said:
I agree. The thing I'm really most concerned about is keeping all creative
doors open.
Not so much for what we know we can do, but for those that can introduce
new concepts, ideas and methods. It's what we "haven't" seen yet is what I
think we need to let nurture, instead of saying 'do this','do that'. But as
said before, that also has it's place because that's real world work.
So we'll try and juggle both between real working jobs and open ended
creativity.
And I agree it's not about winning, at all. It's about sharing most of all and I think that's where most of the trouble lies. There seems to be a lot of 'I have to protect my ideas and work' but I don't think that's the case.
Anyways, hehe, really appreciate the feedback man and we're listening.
Thanks man.
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Horncastle
Well-known member
Actually there is a lot of 2D going on there too, but the important thing is:
and, above all, this:
Sounds like you're on the right track
Jason
rogar-Love(DBG):
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
Well, it's pretty difficult to get this fest off the ground without feedback. Cat's got everyones tongue?
The bottom line is there is an obvious lack of interest right across the board.
There are many reasons for that. Too many in fact to get into.
A bit of my own feed back:
I can't count recently how many people I've seen that have had "VFX Artist" tagged into their sig. I suppose that goes along the same lines as "Film Maker, Director, Writer...". It doesn't mean anything; it just looks good on a sig. Unfortunately that dilutes the meaning for the ones that actually live it imo. CGI, not Visual Effects specifically is a very difficullt job to do right. If you consider the scope of what CGI and VFX covers you might start getting an idea.
With this fest I hoped to introduce people to the various areas that CGI covers. There are enough subjects to cover the next couple years. Maybe that's the wrong approach, so what is the right one?
Who can motion track, use photogammetry tools, do Mattes, model inanimate objects and characters, texture and paint them, animate objects and characters, CC, particle effects like smoke, water, flames, oceans, realistically, maybe tornadoes too, terrains-earth like and alien, ect, plus write, direct and edit your multipass renders so they look half decent? It's pretty tough for a one man show. I personally have never met anyone that didn't specialize in a given area of CGI, that was any good. Including anyone who had "VFX Artist" in thier sig. God that's annoying.
So, I think, the CGIFest is destined to fail because, quite frankly, it's too hard.
No one can do it. And the ones that can have better things to do.
So...I'm just an administer of this fest, and I'm sure to cease my participation at the end of the current fest, however if someone else has an interest in continuing it up, contact Jason.
Otherwise I'll finish up here and, barring anyone else stepping in, run the dvxfest leaders fest at the end of the year.
Thanks to everyone that participated and worked behind the scenes, Mattykins and TowerFan to note.
The bottom line is there is an obvious lack of interest right across the board.
There are many reasons for that. Too many in fact to get into.
A bit of my own feed back:
I can't count recently how many people I've seen that have had "VFX Artist" tagged into their sig. I suppose that goes along the same lines as "Film Maker, Director, Writer...". It doesn't mean anything; it just looks good on a sig. Unfortunately that dilutes the meaning for the ones that actually live it imo. CGI, not Visual Effects specifically is a very difficullt job to do right. If you consider the scope of what CGI and VFX covers you might start getting an idea.
With this fest I hoped to introduce people to the various areas that CGI covers. There are enough subjects to cover the next couple years. Maybe that's the wrong approach, so what is the right one?
Who can motion track, use photogammetry tools, do Mattes, model inanimate objects and characters, texture and paint them, animate objects and characters, CC, particle effects like smoke, water, flames, oceans, realistically, maybe tornadoes too, terrains-earth like and alien, ect, plus write, direct and edit your multipass renders so they look half decent? It's pretty tough for a one man show. I personally have never met anyone that didn't specialize in a given area of CGI, that was any good. Including anyone who had "VFX Artist" in thier sig. God that's annoying.
So, I think, the CGIFest is destined to fail because, quite frankly, it's too hard.
No one can do it. And the ones that can have better things to do.
So...I'm just an administer of this fest, and I'm sure to cease my participation at the end of the current fest, however if someone else has an interest in continuing it up, contact Jason.
Otherwise I'll finish up here and, barring anyone else stepping in, run the dvxfest leaders fest at the end of the year.
Thanks to everyone that participated and worked behind the scenes, Mattykins and TowerFan to note.
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Mattykins
Cute Member
Raptor,
I am chiming in here after a long absence. I've worked with VFX for a little while. I helped some people out with basic stuff. I am doing a lot of the VFX on my latest piece. But fact of the matter is this thing has been through numerous revisions. Version 1 ended in bickering. Version 1.1 ended due to lack of interest. Version 2.0 had hiccups. Version 2.1A didn't do so hot either.
I think we were lacking in time. It takes hours and hours. Nothing hurts more than rendering out a scene and noticing something that went astray and having to repeat the process. Even a few frames at several hours per frame. It's exhausting.
There is a ton of work to do in these entries. Digital Domain and ILM employ the vast amount of people they do for a reason. Few people I've met can hold their own alone.
I am personally sad to see this the way it is. I took on a supervisory role that really didn't exist a while ago. Raptor and I gave it our all a while back. Lots of emailing, IMing, joking, spellchecking, and revising went into the revision of this fest.
And I agree, it's a hard one. I wish the best for anyone that takes it on, if they ever take it on again. I will always be here for a PM idea bounce or a supervision role in a new reincarnation should anyone want to take me up on it.
But to everyone who participated, it was awesome. Thanks guys for letting this new revision go on for so long.
I am chiming in here after a long absence. I've worked with VFX for a little while. I helped some people out with basic stuff. I am doing a lot of the VFX on my latest piece. But fact of the matter is this thing has been through numerous revisions. Version 1 ended in bickering. Version 1.1 ended due to lack of interest. Version 2.0 had hiccups. Version 2.1A didn't do so hot either.
I think we were lacking in time. It takes hours and hours. Nothing hurts more than rendering out a scene and noticing something that went astray and having to repeat the process. Even a few frames at several hours per frame. It's exhausting.
There is a ton of work to do in these entries. Digital Domain and ILM employ the vast amount of people they do for a reason. Few people I've met can hold their own alone.
I am personally sad to see this the way it is. I took on a supervisory role that really didn't exist a while ago. Raptor and I gave it our all a while back. Lots of emailing, IMing, joking, spellchecking, and revising went into the revision of this fest.
And I agree, it's a hard one. I wish the best for anyone that takes it on, if they ever take it on again. I will always be here for a PM idea bounce or a supervision role in a new reincarnation should anyone want to take me up on it.
But to everyone who participated, it was awesome. Thanks guys for letting this new revision go on for so long.
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
I agree. I've spent the better part of this year learning new software and it's getting to the point where I'm spreading myself too thin and can't get anything done. Man oh man, it's just an endless amount of learning.
It's a shame we couldn't get the fest to fly. I don't have any answers other than letting someone else take another crack at it if they like. I've lost my ambition to run it now so it's better I move along I think.
I started working on a picture last night and continuing with it today, as a stress reliever of sorts. I'll probably post a wip in the 3D area later today. I haven't done one of these in a while but I enjoy it.
John LaBonney
Well-known member
Fellas:
First of all, I appreciate your efforts on this fest.
I'm not sure that I agree that it hasn't been all that successful. The third contest had a pretty good selection of entrants, and while I don't know how #4 is looking, I decided not to enter that one as the project didn't really excite me all that much. But to each his own.
I encourage you to keep going and continue CGIFest. It may seem like not much is happening over a long period of time, but consider it anyway. I would concentrate on the challenges themselves and make them appealing to a wide an audience as possible.
Thanks guys!
First of all, I appreciate your efforts on this fest.
I'm not sure that I agree that it hasn't been all that successful. The third contest had a pretty good selection of entrants, and while I don't know how #4 is looking, I decided not to enter that one as the project didn't really excite me all that much. But to each his own.
I encourage you to keep going and continue CGIFest. It may seem like not much is happening over a long period of time, but consider it anyway. I would concentrate on the challenges themselves and make them appealing to a wide an audience as possible.
Thanks guys!
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
A couple replies in 2 months speak plenty for me. I can't run a fest if there isn't one. The previous fests were fine. The past 2 fests drew zero responses. So, hey, I had to arrive at a decision. I'm not against the fest, I'm for it. If I as head of the fest can't keep it going then I need to step aside and let someone else try. That's how it works in my book. The job's open to anyone who wants it, just contact Jason.
The DvxFest leader fest will still happen at the end of the year, regardless of who oversees it, or if ofcourse dvxuser decides otherwise, it's still on as planned. So there's still a good 5 months left for that. Surely, no excuses about not enough time to get one in. (which reminds me).
The DvxFest leader fest will still happen at the end of the year, regardless of who oversees it, or if ofcourse dvxuser decides otherwise, it's still on as planned. So there's still a good 5 months left for that. Surely, no excuses about not enough time to get one in. (which reminds me).