Next VFX fest?

It's only a challenge to you if we come up with 15 second multicut mini movies? That was never what was expected. You are looking or a challenge, keep doing what you are doing, make it 5 seconds long and do it in a week. I would think from your work, producing what you do in a week would be very challenging.
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Raptor is a great guy, and he knows his stuff. I think he had a great point to make. Like I said in my monster post, something that has to be done is catering to the needs of the participants. The reason why the other fests get viewers is because there is discussion and general fun in the process. This isn't. Everyone goes in a corner, does their work, and posts it. End. I think we need to take the method of other DVX fests and incorporate its methodology.

And Larry is absolutely right. No one is going to half ass their work to make a fool of themselves. Even if it is for fun and as a learning experience. I learned that the hard way. People want to really show what they have. And Larry, Raptor, and I understand this fully.

I don't think it is anyones interest to single someone out and poke fun at their credibility. I think that was half the reason I never was interested in working with this fest. Too much drama and general crap.
 
Raptor365 said:
I gave my opinion for what it's worth, the same as everyone elses.
My only other advice would be to listen to what other people are saying and try to accomondate them in some way.
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I have been wracking my brain to do just that. Maybe we could have a kind of mentor thing where folks like you and Mark and other heavy hitters can stay out of a fest or two and stick to giving advice and technical info?

I want to get more participation too, and I realize that you guys have full time jobs and little time to spare. What's the solution? If it takes you Rap 3 weeks to put in 15 hours (something I could do in three days with my schedule), how do we fix it so there is enough time but not too much?

Maybe we should start having the more experienced guys team up with some of the lesser? What if we started on a smaller scale with something like hitting someone with a lightning bolt, or throwing a fireball and making a tree explode, or having a force field around you and having it deflect bullets in a matrix kinda way. Maybe something like the "Jumper" Effect or Day to Night.

Or maybe something even easier, like cloning or color grading or color balancing two shots that are different color temps?

I will supply any video footage we need, and I also have a copy of Illusion 3 and other video effects that I will happliy make for the cause.

Start off with very easy ones to us (even though I know you said you wanted true competition) and graduate in complexity. This isn't a board where there are a lot of people who do VFX, maybe that would bring some in.

I'm stumped on what to do.
 
I guess when Raptor and Mark represent 2/5th of the entire population of the fest, that wouldn't make much sense.

In regards to content, we need something that allows people to have fun. IE. Digital Environmental workflow. Take an image of your choosing and do whatever you want with it. Composite something. Add birds. People can also make something from scratch.

Attack: something attacks something else. Wether it be a guy with a gun. Or a monster attacking a city.

Powers: Forcefields, lighting powers.

Natural environmental workflow: create weather or other natural phenomenon.

Disasters: create an earthquake, or volcano, or something along those lines.

Sci-fi: Robots running around, spaceships.

Any of those allow people to do something simple from compositing to full out design. The ideas are there. We have all had input. I have said my idea of how to run it and won't repeat it again. I've had my 20 centavos of ideas.
 
Mattykins said:
I guess when Raptor and Mark represent 2/5th of the entire population of the fest, that wouldn't make much sense.

In regards to content, we need something that allows people to have fun. IE. Digital Environmental workflow. Take an image of your choosing and do whatever you want with it. Composite something. Add birds. People can also make something from scratch.

Attack: something attacks something else. Wether it be a guy with a gun. Or a monster attacking a city.

Powers: Forcefields, lighting powers.

Natural environmental workflow: create weather or other natural phenomenon.

Disasters: create an earthquake, or volcano, or something along those lines.

Sci-fi: Robots running around, spaceships.

Any of those allow people to do something simple from compositing to full out design. The ideas are there. We have all had input. I have said my idea of how to run it and won't repeat it again. I've had my 20 centavos of ideas.
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That's exactly what I have been talking about. Some of that could be very complicated, and some can be easy. and as I wrote above,

"I will supply any video footage we need, and I also have a copy of Illusion 3 and other video effects that I will happliy make for the cause."


And I still think a team up would be fun too.


Personally, I'de love to do some kind of Powers thing. Using psyonics to make someones head pop.

Heck, I even have an old version of Elastic reality that runs wonderfully, and they stopped making it in 2000, so I don't think we'd get into trouble sharing it. It's still one of the best morphing programs out there, and is incredibly easy to use.
 
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Is this officially dead?

I would say a Sci-Fi deal would be great considering the script fest, and the newly released Twilight fest. Might be able to get some people here work?

I don't know. I would love to see this up and running. But if we are going to bicker about how it should be done. Then I say ditch it and call her a failure.
 
Obviously there is a conflict in the direction this fest should go.

I'm for handing full control over to Mark Johnson. He works on the ground and knows the VFX biz.

Matt Grunau can start up a new one aimed at beginners, if that's the impression I get, and I do.

//A side note: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7A8Mkg1qYQ

Why would you ask me and Mark to stay out of the fest and only join in to 'help' you guys? I don't understand. Is that to give you a 'chance' to win?

Mark IS the guy to learn from. He IS the guy 'I' aspired to be as good as from the day I joined dvx and have since had the opputunity to do a little work for him.

So, pardon me. Let Mark J run the damn thing.
You need only look at his resume to see why.
IMO.

(yeah, I'm a little pissed, but it needs to be said.)
 
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I say give it to Mark. I mean, I am fully willing to sit down (or e-sit down) with Mark and Raptor to design a new system of how this can be done to get people involved. I think Raptor and I were on to something with getting more exposure to this fest. In fact I think that is almost needed to resurrect this thing from a royal disaster which people are bickering about this thing to an actual fest that stands up to the DVXuser fest aura.

Matt, I see what you want to do, however I don't think it will work in this setting. I don't know how many more people can say that this needs more time. Even Barry said it needed more time.

This needs a major overhaul, and I think a "sit-down" with a few guys here could make that happen and make this great.
 
My vote is for a bit more time and more opportunity to share work in progress. WIPs are helpful to both the participants and the viewers. Length of the vfxFests shouldn't be as long as the dvxFests, but a month would be reasonable me thinks.

...Patiently waiting for the fun to begin again...
 
TowerFan said:
My vote is for a bit more time and more opportunity to share work in progress. WIPs are helpful to both the participants and the viewers. Length of the vfxFests shouldn't be as long as the dvxFests, but a month would be reasonable me thinks.

...Patiently waiting for the fun to begin again...
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I agree. Obviously we can't compete with the dvx film fest given the nature of VFX, although it is open to CG, if you can do it. Believe me, I'm thinking constantly. Someday, maybe.

So a month sounds good. But I think it should involve techniques that we can apply to real world problems, like for those guys in the dvx fest that need help in the VFX area.

Simply put, practical problems for short films. And that's where a guy like Mark, who has experience in this area, is invaluable.

That's where I want to go, in part. And, if you don't mind, if I decide to make a little video out of it, to make it somewhat entertaining, well, you can vote for it as you see fit. I don't get paid for this stuff so if it's not fun for me, and I can't do what I want, screw it.


As I said, you can do what you want, I'll do what I want, and let people vote.
To be honest, Id rather lose.
I learn more from losing than I do from winning.
 
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Ok, guys. First my apology for being absent. I had hoped we would get things rolling so that we'd be able to resume the VFX Fests before now. However, we (Fat Monster) got wrapped up in hosting the DVXUSER Film Festival (which was a huge success by the way). As a result of that event, we've been taking meetings with several producers who are interested in discussing our involvement in some film and television projects.

I'm in the Denver airport right now and will be making a swing to the East coast before returning Tuesday. I plan to use my free time while on this trip to have some discussions with Matt and with the mods regarding where we go from here. I just now have been able to read the responses and discussion here and apologize for being out of the loop until now.
 
People, go read my original post, my original idea. very short effect clips, clearly defined. I only suggested that you and Mark take a fest or two without participating so you would have more time to concentrate on answering questions, sharing your knowledge and workflow, and helping out those who would need it. It's not like there are only going to be 5 of these where sitting out one or two to lend a hand to others is going to crimp anything, it was a suggestion only, and I am more than willing to sit out a few fests to do just that.

All I wanted was for people to learn. That comes more by getting help during the process than getting an explination at the end of how it was achieved.


My idea was never aimed at "beginners" but let's face reality, most of the people here ARE beginners. There aren't that many Raptors, Marks, or Matts on this board. I was only suggesting that we take some time to teach and enlighten others so they can actually contend. That was all. My idea was that by fest 5 or 6, we would have a hell of a lot less beginners, and more people on a higher level. It really is as simple as that.

Think of it this way Rap, how many people on this board do you thing can match you or Mark? I'de wager to say noone. So having fests with a few guys that kick ass and always win will drive people away.

How many PMs have you gotten about making more simplified fests so more people feel confortable joining? I have gotten more than I would have thought. People want to come and play, but do not want their work to make them look like noobs. C'mon dude, that has to make sense to you. Hell, I can do just about anything I want, and I cringe at the thought of going up against you and Mark. And if I feel that way, imagine who else does.

Yes, I would like to "dumb it down' for just one fest or two, but if that brings more people in, and more importantly, they learn, gain experience and gain confidence, would that not be worth just two fests? I think it would.

Mark is the Admin, and he will steer us where he thinks we need to go. If people don't like my ideas, and Mark wants to do it the way he wants to, then that's the way it will go.


I just wanted to have something where we all contribute and help people learn. That's it. Not just show off our skills, but help each person who wants to be a part of it do just that.


But Mark will weigh in and let us know what he feels is the best way. Lets wait and here what he has to say.


On a side note, does anyone have any ideas for the next one? I say use video and have super powers of some kind.
 
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There's nothing to sort out. You are one of the two best here, and you know it. You know you are good, I know you are good, people that view your work know you are good.

The rest of us at this stage can't compete. I really and truly wanted you to not only submit work, but also be just as willing to really help out with people that want to learn.

You have a lot of skills, I really and truly just wanted you to share those skills and be a little less concerned with trying to win.

Dude, you know you or Mark can win every fest if you wanted. You guys are a huge fountain of knowledge.

Share it! Please? That's all I meant.
 
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I understand both sides here but my "small" opinion is if there was a fest like this and the regular DVXfests I'd say let everyone and anyone join.

I'm a strong believer in competing against better people will only make you better. While winning is great the journey and knlowdege one could learn form the fest and others is the real win.
 
triplej96 said:
I understand both sides here but my "small" opinion is if there was a fest like this and the regular DVXfests I'd say let everyone and anyone join.

I'm a strong believer in competing against better people will only make you better. While winning is great the journey and knlowdege one could learn form the fest and others is the real win.
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There is nothing "small" about your opinion, and that is yet another obstical we have to get over. Everyone who comments is equal, and their words should be counted as such.

Maybe the way I envisioned things is not the best way. If Rap, Mark, you, and others wanna do it your way, even though it may run counter to what I believe to be the best way, then we should go the route that keeps people here.

I just want to share my knowledge and pick some else up. that's it.


Again, Mark is the Admin, we should let him weigh in.

But please don't say your opinion is "small". It's not. everyone's voice and ideas should carry the same weight, and people should not hesitate to share them.



NOTICE TO ALL:


If you don't agree with me, or don't see the things the way I do, weigh in and let your voice be heard!
 
Thanks Matt good know my vfx opinion isn't small :) I"m just very new to the game!

Either way if something happens it will still be pretty cool. I haven't even entered a DVXfest which I need to do hopefully the twilightfext.
 
Matt, I think you took my phrase "if I can't do what I want" a little too literally.

At any rate I'm willing to call a truce. I'm not interested in arguing anymore either.

I guess we just butt heads on this one.
So I'll step aside and let you guys work it out.

-Good luck.
 
Please refer to my aforementioned post regarding potential ideas. All ranging. All allowing different levels, full creativity, and generally will allow people to do whatever. I've had my say on what I think should be done. I've given a multitude of all-inclusive ideas. And really - you don't seem to see them

You are right, I did take things too personaly, and was almost agresssive in my responses.

But I would like you to know that Rap and I worked out a bunch of things via PM, so everyone is cool.

Let's let Mark weigh in. I would really like to do something video based, and I did go back to your aforementioned (Christ that's a big word) post, and you have some great ideas.

And to be quite honest, I think to an extent the bickering is good. No one has gotten personal, no one has verbally attacked anyone else, we have just passionatly stated our ideas and positions.

The fact that things have gotten so heated really shows how seriously and how passionately we consider our work.

There is always something positive, even when things look negative.

I don't know what to do about the next fest, but I would REALLY like to try something video based. I am going to go and re read your other post again, to try and find something that would be fun for everybody, and will also be a good learning experience for the ones just starting out.

Thank you for your opinions Matt, we are all friends here, and are allowed to have different ideas, so long as we are willing to respect other people's opinions, something after reading my own posts, is clear I did NOT do.

For the love of Pete, someone pick a topic (please be video based) and lets get another one in the works. Anyone with an idea, please bring it up, and let's please try to have a new one set up by Wendsay or so.
 
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what about a UFO crash landing, or a UFO attack?

just kidding,

maybe something like a passenger jet crash? I mean that can be approached so many ways, i mean it can be done a special effect, or a visual effect route, etc...
- Derrick
 
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