robert.magee Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Learn how Framestore London used Houdini to add multiple VFX to James Cameron's Avatar... http://bit.ly/cXErgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkinmonkey Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Congratulations to Framestore for taking part in Avatar big FX show! The article is really inspiring, a lot of effect to take in consideration to develop. The only thing I find not so attractive in the article is the total lack of technical/"making of" movies/animations/stills of Framestore in order to watch (and admire) the real job behind the movie: I'm an artist and I need them more than words, especially if there are the over-super-used stills that are around from a lot. Maybe there are copyrights, maybe there was not so much time to edit the article, but just simple colored particles moving around are more challenging than final result for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightcouldb1 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macha Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 (edited) Looks exciting to me and surely a lot of other folk. From a marketing point of view I can't help but feeling that sentences like The smoke effect was achieved using custom VEX code could be off-putting to potential users? (Perhaps something like There's this button right and it made the smoke stuff, innit, know what Im saying would pull in the crowds) Edited March 26, 2010 by Macha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert.magee Posted March 26, 2010 Author Share Posted March 26, 2010 The only thing I find not so attractive in the article is the total lack of technical/"making of" movies/animations/stills of Framestore in order to watch (and admire) the real job behind the movie: I'm an artist and I need them more than words, especially if there are the over-super-used stills that are around from a lot. Maybe there are copyrights, maybe there was not so much time to edit the article, but just simple colored particles moving around are more challenging than final result for me. These articles are created with the generous help of customers throughout the Houdini community. Often the artists are taking time from other work and that time is greatly appreciated. The acquisition of images is something which involves the VFX house in question and the movie studio who has distributed the film. Sometimes with bigger budget movies final art which has been pre-approved by the studio's PR department is made available and we appreciate being able to put pictures to the words. If behind the scenes shots are also made available then that is great but it is often best to run with approved beauty-shot imagery. When customers are taking the time to share their story with us we do not feel that it is our place to be picky about which images are supplied. Hopefully the ideas discussed in the story are able to assist you in some way. Robert Magee Product Marketing Manager Side Effects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheUsualAlex Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Looks exciting to me and surely a lot of other folk. From a marketing point of view I can't help but feeling that sentences like The smoke effect was achieved using custom VEX code could be off-putting to potential users? (Perhaps something like There's this button right and it made the smoke stuff, innit, know what Im saying would pull in the crowds) I don't think the whole custom VEX code thing is quite a off-putting sentence tho. In a way, it simply means that Houdini itself has the necessary tools to get you what you need without resorting to additional outside tools or building a C/C++ based tools. Just like having a custom surface shaders, I supposed. Just my 0.02 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
static Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 I don't think the whole custom VEX code thing is quite a off-putting sentence tho. In a way, it simply means that Houdini itself has the necessary tools to get you what you need without resorting to additional outside tools or building a C/C++ based tools. Just like having a custom surface shaders, I supposed. Just my 0.02 cents. This is the main reason they post this stuff. It's to show the flexibility houdini allows different studios and how using it almost exclusively (with little proprietary help) can get you production worthy results. This article, along with all their other previous case studies have specifically focused on this regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkinmonkey Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 (edited) Mr. Magee, my purpose wasn't to be offensive either with article's author or with Framestore, whom I thank both for their time and for sharing interesting informations: again, I'm really happy that Framestore and Houdini had a part in Avatar's special effects, because, before article was published, I thought only Weta and Maya were responsible for all the movie. I hope You read in these few lines how important is knowing where Houdini has been used and to do what, especially from a point of view of a beginner who, like me, reads entirely an article but after watching over and over clips and images in every little detail: watching the viewport of own loved software showing a wireframe scene that made people from all around the world saying "WOW!!!" makes me proud, especially about career decision, makes me happy, especially because I can say to other people "I'm using the same tools!", makes me persevering, especially when dark times come. Then a so unexpected and wonderful piece of news about Houdini used in the movie of the century made me so electrified I wanted a little piece of that dream Framestore artists have lived and have told in detail in the article. So, in the end, I'm so sorry, I apologize for my totally lack of tact for my previous post, I had no intention to be disrespectful. Sincerely, Michele Carbone Edited March 27, 2010 by thinkinmonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert.magee Posted March 27, 2010 Author Share Posted March 27, 2010 I apologize for my totally lack of tact for my previous post, I had no intention to be disrespectful. Don't worry, I didn't take your comment as being disrespectful. I just wanted to let you know what the process is to get permission for the images. We are so used to having lots of access to behind the scenes info in the news media these days that I can understand your desire to see more. But since we are not the press, our use of imagery requires special permission that sometimes restricts what images we see in the end. I have actually had situations where the perfect image for a story is at frame xxx of a trailer and using quicktime I can easily get a VERY high-quality grab of that. But since that is not an approved shot via the studio's PR department we cannot touch it and instead choose from another pool of shots that might not be quite as relevant.In almost all cases the Houdini artists working on the movie would love to send us lots of cool process shots but they know that there are proper channels for that which they must respect. Thanks for your interest in Houdini, Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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