VFX Report 3

 FAIRY BREAD PRODUCTIONS 

Week(s) Commencing: 4th April - 18th April

VFX

HOD: Edwin Nicholson

Crew: Ian Jenkins, Becca Akersten, Vinnie Webb,

Summary:

This is a summary for the first semester holidays: 

• In the past two reports these have been the tasks that I have needed to complete. 
• Finalize what Render App we are using (Blender/Maya). 
• Wait for the script to be finalised. 
• Figure out what other VFX shots need to be made. 
• Compile VFX shot list 
• I need to do some blender tests and learn blender more. 
• Plan for Photogrammetry tests. 

All these tasks have been completed in one way or the other and in this report, I would like to take about that as this holiday was used to make sure these tasks were completed. 

First off, we have finalised what we are rendering our Animation on. We will be using Blender (Eevee). This is a fantastic opportunity to be using Blender as it has the right style of lighting style, it saves us worrying about VFX simulations being swapped into Maya and this is an opportunity to learn a new application so we can put Blender on our CVs and portfolios. This does not stop us from using Maya however as we have proficient modelers that are more skilled in that field. We can take the Maya modelling obj. files and export them into Blender. We have confirmed this to work. 

The Script has been finished. Now we wait for the finalisation of the 2D animatic. During this reports timeframe the thumbnails had been completed and the storyboard had just started to be worked on. Once the 2D Storyboard has been completed we can work on the 3D Animatic. We will be making a play-blast version of some of the 3D VFX. (Water sims and mock physic sims). 

 Figuring out what other VFX shots and compiling the VFX shot list has been set up. As of this report I have made the VFX shot list in Excel. This VFX shot list will be updated with the change made from the updated 2D storyboard. Currently there is confirmed water sims both of fake and fluid variety, physic sims, photogrammetry, particle effects and cloud sims. The VFX shot list is assessable to the team and can be edited as time progresses. I will add a photo of the current list to this report. 

On the 19th I will be looking for Chris Macdonald, who I believe oversees the Photography studio and ask him if it would be possible to take 50 photos of a cooked fish in there. We will be providing a tarp just in case of spillage of fish. In the next VFX report I will discuss how that went. I am hoping to book the studio out in that week as well. 

I have attempted done one Blender test in the holidays, which I will be honest is less than I should have done. So, this is something that I really need to get on too. 

 Other than that, the rest of the team have been going well working on the project. 

Current VFX Shot List

Tasks before next report:

• Learn Blender
• Photogrammetry tests
• Tests physic Sims
• Await completion of Storyboards