FOMF Production Diary

The three new effects sequences fit right in.  I’m very happy with them.

Have exported the remaining exteriors in the first sequence.  If I do this right, then I hope my next session will complete the initial exterior shots.

Which would be extremely cool.

Inadvertently flying over an ambush

Slammed out three effects shots today.  Not horribly complicated, but I’ve been a little leery about approaching the rain effects.  After reviewing, I think when combined with the right audio, it ought to be just fine.  Looking forward to the rest of it being done!

Heh, I just realized the still was captured when the running lights were OFF, so you can only barely see the helicopter up there, flying over the building.

Trying to get convincing running lights on a helicopter.

Actual running lights would have been easier.

Doesn’t look too bad, though.

Subcomposition designed for  larger piece that includes lots of compositing with live footage.  So, I’m excited to see it all come together.

Mark bringing the stricken copter in.

Finished the scene with the helicopter getting shot down. There are a few shots of ground-action that need to be fiddled with, though. Pushing them across the network to the laptop. I think they ought to go quickly.

“…for finish this damn movie!”

Finished two effects today — the actual RPG strike, and an electrical board on the helicopter blowing up.

I’ve got to add an effect to the shot of them running from the helicopter, but I don’t anticipate much trouble from that.

The thing that bogs me down the most, unsurprisingly, is having to work with cranky old versions of Premiere and After Effects.

Managed to get a rocket trail I actually liked!

Will post a still after the rest of the atmospherics are done.

Took AGES to scroll through all the footage looking for a shot of the helicopter bucking from impact.

Spent the evening inching through the HD model footage, looking for two to four seconds of the tail bucking in a way that I can make it look as if it’s been shot.   Found one “well, that’ll do if I can’t find anything else” and still have one file to go.

Hope I won’t have to go out and shoot another chunk of the helicopter.  Shouldn’t have to…

Less than a minute before crashing in the dead city

Another effect done (and rendering).

One more helicopter effects and I can finally put the helicopter stuff to bed.  I know it’s a small victory, but a victory nonetheless!

I’ve already fixed the lack of blurriness to the fast-moving stuff, but I didn’t bother to update the still.

In other words, it looks better in the video than on the still.

Descending even more rapidly into the dead city

Lessons learned here include:

• Making somewhat convincing flame
• Stabilizing a model over a long shot
• Casting proper light on the body of a model
• Making light and flames “dance” properly
• Making a convincing main rotor
• Making buildings look good as they swoop by

Still working on the helicopter video. Moved on to the crashing part. Managed some very convincing flames and lighting effects.