Monthly Archive for March, 2008

Red Light Green Light

Published
by
Matt
on March 29, 2008
in Work
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Wow, the orphanage is one tense movie. Go see it.

A couple of interesting things have happened this week, One was contact from a well known facility and training centre regarding a roto artist position. From the sounds of the kind of person they need I think I’d fit in really well. An element of going in at the deep end involved, but that rocks for me.

However… They’re yet to get back to me and given their wording ‘desperately seeking’ I assume this means they’ve found someone more suitable. Shame!

Alex got back to me regarding the composites I created for his film, I’ll add it as a category and post some more information up in a minute. They’ve been kind and credited me as a compositor, which now means I’ll have a rather interesting addition to my imdb.

Word is that work next week is going to be extremely busy, so it’ll match the pace of the independent work I’m doing. Hopefully the end of April will be a time of celebrations as these projects come to a head, and new ones begin.

Also worthy of note is that I spent a bit of time putting together a reel that will be online as soon as films are released and that I re-coded my entire cv as a web document that feeds off of a database and can be printed as a pdf file. Pretty cool ;) Trouble shooting a couple of issues when you print the pdf at the moment.

-Matt

Nuking Easter

Published
by
Matt
on March 24, 2008
in Tantric Tourists
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And there was me thinking I had been clever, getting all my work for Lord of Pain done before the weekend so I could effectively do nothing/play computer games/read a book.

I got an email late on Friday from Alex over at Slack Alice regarding a shot that really needed a plane from another shot being composited into the skyline coming in to land - moderately easy sounding stuff, keying something out of a sky. Right? Too easy even, so I decided to spice things up by vowing to only use Nuke instead of going my usual route through After Effects.

It’s been a bit of a journey.

Problem 1 - HDV is a real shit. I’m primarily based on a Vista machine and this footage is coming from an FCP Editor(OSX) and we’re transferring the files through ftp. This means I’m downloading them on my PC > Transferring to my Mac > Exporting as tif sequences from FCP > Transferring back to PC just to be at a stage where I can start working. The same skullduggery required for sending the final renders off as I needed to send them back in the AIC HDV, as I received them. Let’s hope it’s all ok.

problem 2 - Nuke v5 isn’t particularly stable with the oflow node, I was unable to actually render past 5 frames and ended up reverting back to 4.7v2 to solve the issue. Perhaps this is down to me not understand Nuke fully.

problem 3 - The art of not really understanding. Whilst I feel the online training I have received/am receiving is extremely educational and well done - there was always going to be an element of experimentation and failure and I expect there will be many, many more hours of such things to come.

Anyway, shot done. My first shot soley with Nuke.

*tears up* I’m so proud.

Matt out.

Keep on truckin’

Published
by
Matt
on March 18, 2008
in Work
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I think it’ll be a good idea to have a day each week where I have some time set aside to post, regardless of how many other times I have that week - though there’s always the problem of having to then post when nothing has happened.

This week’s cracking on, Only managing to get work done on a single shot during the weekend due to illness and a prolonged installer issue which led to a full uninstall/clean/reinstall which took up most of the day. That said, it meant I had time to compile some footage for my reel as well as get progress done regarding my reel dvd which I plan on sending out to a few select places in may.

Career wise I am still in a precarious place. Whilst I feel that my job is currently safe being a runner at diverse - at most it can only last until august. I’m at a stage where I really need a foot in the ‘technical’ door as an artist of trainee in some way - my next job needs to be in the vfx industry rather than tv production.

Working here has provided me with some great experience and I feel has helped me proove to myself that I can work well within a team environment. Now I simply want to progress towards my ambition of being a vfx artist.

…So where do I look and what do I do? Productionbase was fantastic in terms of gaining an entry level position in the ‘industry’ though it won’t really cater for the positions I now seek. Some thought will have to go into this, as I don’t really want to be without work come august.

In the meantime, more independent/unpaid work and meeting more cool people from vfx websites as well as the training courses. Hopefully sooner or later I will impress someone enough for them to offer me a job.

Can’t help but worry a little, despite that all being quite a way off.

-Matt

22 Shots Finished

Published
by
Matt
on March 11, 2008
in Lord of Pain
. 0 Comments

Work continued with Lord of Pain over the weekend seeing the amount of completed shots rise to 22. There is still a lot of work to be done though slowly I feel that both Dan and myself are ontop of things and the film will be good for it’s april deadline.

The work so far has been very diverse, including day for night grading with added weather effects and background replacement, removing blowdarts from peoples legs and comping them in their neck, removing doors from backgrounds during quite turbulent camera motions. The characters are all very pronounced and the film is a deadpan delivery of some absurd and amusing content. That’s all I can reveal.

More to come!

Back in time, though not with the team

Published
by
Matt
on March 11, 2008
in Work
. 0 Comments

Now that the process is over I can reveal that the previously mentioned 2D/3D Artist position was for a programmed called ‘Time Team’. Unfortunately I wasn’t offered the position - though I was aware of their options and considerations and feel that they have made a correct choice with who they have gone with.

This morning brought with it two pleasant surprises. As I arrived at work I recieved a text from Marcus, a Smoke Operator and all round top chap who I bumped into during my time at game. I owe my first real exposure to seeing a post production studio environment to Marcus as well as some fantastic opportunities which sadly, fell through. It’s good to be back in touch.

Secondly, I also recieved a call from Ash regarding some VFX work on his new short. I’ll stay tight lipped about it for now as details are still pending. Me and Ash have worked together before so I am looking forwards to the footage he brings my way as well as excited regarding his finished piece.

And conclusively, week 8’s lessons at fxphd are going well. 2 more weeks to go at which point my intermediate lessons begin. Looking forwards to creating some work with Nuke/Fusion rather than After Effects as well as start to migrate some project work away from AE which is currently a struggle due to impending deadlines.

 -Matt

Playing catch up

Published
by
Matt
on March 7, 2008
in Work
. 0 Comments

Given that I’m recently resurrecting my website (properly this time) it makes sense to include a brief diorama of a few previously unmentioned events to catch the log up - this will be useful if ever discovered by aliens so that their perception of time and events on our planet do not get mixed up.

 November 07.

I work part time in a game store, spending the majority of my time in applications learning new techniques and completing visual effects shots for Independent or Amateur films like Between the Lines or Nightcast. It’s brought me some moderate successes and I’ve enjoyed myself, though the industry still feels impenetrable. I work in a game store.

November 8th 07

Responding to an advert for a techie/intern opportunity (part time) for a small production company called Slack Alice paid off. They’ve landed a job, a big job and would like my help just smoothing things over. I spend my weekdays being an edit assistant/tape logging and spending time with Alexander Snelling - a Mac trainer, company head and editor. I work in a game store, and with Alex. Things are cool - though I will not be needed long term.

November 18th 08

My time with Alex draws to a close as the edit for the new Sex Pistols live dvd gets underway and the initial set up/putting together machines is complete. Alex’s knowledge of the industry has been a real help and I look forwards to seeing him again.

November 26th 08

Signing up to productionbase.co.uk turns out to have been a really good move. A company within the BBC called me on a Friday and I start work on Monday. The work is boring, office/admin tasks within a translation department. The building and the people are cool, and will hopefully lead elsewhere.

January 2nd 08

Just recieved word that a short film I helped on called ‘Fused’ directed by Daniel Cox, the director I am currently working on Lord of Pain with, has been voted through as regional winner for the Bafta 60 seconds of fame award. Bloody awesome! Fused is going to the Baftas!!

January 08

I’ve just had an interview for a runner/tape op position with a company in Kensington called ‘Diverse’. I would specifically be running for their post department - largely client hospitality. The atmosphere within the company feels good and I have come away feeling positive as well as having liked the company and it’s people.

January 16th or thereabouts, 08

I’ve been called back for a 2nd interview with Diverse, this time with the head of post - who I had assumed would be a suit. I was wrong, yet another great person working within Diverse - and soon to be one more! :P I start on the 6th! Goodbye clock checking!

Also worthy of note is that I’ve enrolled onto some courses at fxphd.com about time I learnt Shake and Nuke.

January 28th 08

The Bafta’s were cool, despite our competition being in my opinion - a total fix :) There was an entry called Speed Date which was a fantastic piece of work, that anything beat it would ring alarm bells. The quality of the piece which did pretty much exploded conspiracy bells the world over. Oh well.

Recently met with Dan, Amelia and the Bat regarding Lord of Pain. I enjoyed the edit. Dan remains a really great person to work with and I am pleased that recently we’ve been able to take the working relationship away from being internet only and towards something more human. I can easily imagine myself working with Dan for a while to come. Lord of Pain cracks on, with over 50 vfx shots to complete.

March 6th 08

I have been very lucky to be working a runner position in a company so accepting of my ambitions. The work is relaxed, the people fantastic. Because of John’s (head of facility) kindness I have had an interview with Time Team for a 2d&3D artist position, which would be a fantastic step into a technical position.

March 7th 08

Had a second interview with Time Team, depending on which route they take I am possibly the best candidate (hi/low experience). I’m not sure how positive to be regarding my chances - though I felt the interview went well and I was able to express both my concerns about as well as what attracts me to the position.

 Now, 15:10 March 8th, 08

That’s about it so far. Work continues on! The plan is to have a showreel together around April as Lord of Pain should be finished around then, as will some of my fxphd courses. Reeltastic!

Left with the feeling that things, future included are good. Whatever happens - I remain at Diverse, somewhere that I would be happy working for a longer period did I not desire to move into the visual effects industry. Also worthy of note is meeting people from vfxtalk.com and fxhphd.com for a drink at london pubs/bars. Really great to mix with people who share a similiar interest, I feel like I have made some friends as well as recieve some good advice at the same time.

More as it happens!

-Matt