Visual Effects Foundations Core Concepts, Techniques, and Workflows

In Visual Effects Foundations, celebrated visual effects veteran and VES member Noel Hooper offers a thorough explanation of the tools, techniques, and workflows aspiring visual effects artists and students require to create engaging visual effects and break into today?s film, television, and wider entertainment industries. Accessible, full-color tutorials examine pre-production considerations, visual effects on set, imaging data, color management, lighting, integration concepts, postproduction workflows, career skills, and visual effects artistry. An extensive companion website features video demonstrations of the techniques described in the book, project materials, and instructor resources.

Introduction

History of Visual Effects in Filmmaking

VFX / Film Production

Production ManagementRoles of Visual Effects and Film Production

Pipeline

Pre-Production

Concept Art

Storyboarding

Pre-Visualization

Breakdowns

Production

On-set

Data Collection

Tech Visualization

Post Production

Post Visualization

Editing

Visual Effects

Sound

Digital Intermediate

Distribution

Chapter 1 : The Digital Image

Image Data

Channels

Bit depth

Resolution

Aspect Ratios

Pre-multiplication

File Formats

Codecs

Frame Rate

Color Management

Color Space

Display Gamma

Linear Workflow

LUTs

Log/Lin

Color Pipeline

Color scopes

Color Manipulation

Gamma/Gain/Offset/Contrast/Saturation

White Point/Black Point

Color Curves

Chapter 2 : Light

(50 pages)

Lighting Concepts

Color Temperature

Intensity

Shadows

Direct Lighting

Light Placement

Indirect Lighting/Global Illumination

Light Types

Light Quality

Hi/Low Key

Lighting Techniques

3 Point Lighting

Lighting Greenscreens/Bluescreens

Lighting Workflows

IBL

HDRI lighting

HDRI acquisition/creation

Plate analysis

Chapter 3 : Cameras

(50 pages)

Camera Concepts

Camera Construction

Lens Construction

Exposure

Aperture

Sensor/Film Back

Frame Rate

F-Stop/T-Stop

Depth of field

ISO

Bokeh

Shutter

Prime/Zoom Lenses

Motion Blur

Lens Distortion

Nodal point

Chromatic Aberration

Camera Techniques

Photography

Framing/Staging

Composition

Continuity

Types of shots

Camera Motion

Stereography

Camera Workflows

Tracking markers

Camera Tracking

2D Tracking

Lens Distortion

Metadata

Data Storage/Transfer

Chapter 4 : Action

(50 pages)

Action Concepts

Scene scale

Camera Position

Lighting Position

Action Techniques

3D Animation

Production Plates

Miniatures

Stop Motion

Dynamics/Simulations

Special Effects

Stock Elements

Matte Painting

Action Workflows

Survey

Object Tracking

Motion/Performance Capture

Facial Capture

Lidar

Photogrammetry

Laser/Cyber Scanning
Texture Acquisition

Camera Projection

Scene Data Storage/Transfer

Clean Plates

Chapter 5 : Integration

Integration Concepts

Perspective/Horizon

Scale (Physical and Temporal)

Color/Atmosphere

Render Passes

Image Matrix

Compositing

Integration Techniques

Keying

Rotoscoping

Color matching

Grain

Operations

Relighting

Motion Blur

Noise/Grain

Image Distortion

Temporal Distortion

Image Processing/Filters

Integration Workflows

Node Based Compositing

2D/3D Compositing

Layer Based Compositing

Depth Based Compositing

Deep Based Compositing

Stereoscopic Compositing

Case Studies

1. Rig Removal

2. Greenscreen Window

3. Matte Painting / Set Extension

4. Camera tracking – integrating 2D/3D elements to plate with moving camera

5. Object Tracking – integrating 2D/3D elements to plate with a moving object