A Look at Visual FX
November 2nd, 2012

Who doesn't love a good VFX reel? I sure do. Being able to see what went into some of these amazing shots makes me appreciate the long hours of every vfx artist and gives some insight as to how the shots wereconceived.

And for those who aspire to do amazing shots like these just remember these shots were not created overnight. One layer at a time...

Andrew Kramer
POSTED:
13 years ago
78 Comments
11 years ago
The effects it's very real, i sow this movie, unbeliveble.
Hossam Almekhlafe
12 years ago
That's video is amazinag ! I want to make thie VFX , but
I think this video was designed by several designers not one!I think it cost MOST of the time but results are very impressive! Thanx Andrw , You'r The Best
jozik
12 years ago
It's not a Prometheus, just a quick test using 3d element and optical flare, couple pictures from internet and 30 min in after effects ))
https://vimeo.com/56337765
Zversus
13 years ago
which programs are they used to make the film?
Thanks in advance
John Stanowski
13 years ago
Ahh, I love Bae Doo-Na. Funny seeing her on VideoCopilot.
Trazaman
13 years ago
My main question is...which softwareS they use to work in cinema? I mean...for what I know after effects is not used on cinema special fx...
Emmit Blackmon
13 years ago
Nothing but major respect for the teams that did the effects of both movies. I was telling a friend of mine that I could do a "version" of what they did, but it would suck, lol. Props to the teams.
13 years ago
Thanks for the reply! The basics are kinda hard to understand. But when you practice enough you can manage everything. I really followed a lot of VC tutorials to achieve some skill in After Effects. But most of all you really need to practice a lot to teach yourself more and more. Good luck in the future bro!
Doug Davis
13 years ago
Amazing, I'm interested in becoming great with VFX work and want to go to school for it but I'm unsure where to go.. I went to ITT Tech and was bored half way through. I get my degree in march and would like to go to LA! Video symphony looks good although its not a degree based school but I'm not caring about that as much I just want the best resources to learn as much as I can. Help?
13 years ago
Hi there,

for those who wonder if this is possible in only After Effects. I made an attempt to make the first scene you see in the Prometheus VFX showreel.

Hope you like it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGoDwERpn1o

Greetings
Emmit Blackmon
13 years ago
Very nice. I was reading your comment on videocopilot.net. Props man, very creative. I just started in vfx and 3d modeling, animation. I have nothing but respect for people that do it or even attempt it. It isn't that it's hard, it's just that there is a TON of stuff to remember, right?
13 years ago
I worked on those Neo-Seoul shots! XD
Ry@bski
13 years ago
nice effect, perfect movies, how about those who first time using the fx software..like me im starting to learn.
Nick
13 years ago
Hey Andrew and everyone...I do VFX and everything and im 17 but I need a new laptop...does anyone have any suggestions?
Rafael Silva
13 years ago
I love watching FX reels
Robin
13 years ago
thanks Andrew!!!
i love the breakdown.
check out our app on the droid called firestorm using VC products!!
Kyle Halim
13 years ago
Hi Andrew . I've been wondering . How to make futuristic HUD on the side of a gun to indicates the ammo (like the game Syndicate) ?
Amer Awad
13 years ago
i want to be one of these guys, really amazing..
this could be a miracle to me if happened lool
Anthony
13 years ago
Hi Andrew.

This is a little experiment of Element.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IazyT5ppuEc

From france.
Vinnie K
13 years ago
Hi there Anthony,

It's a very nice animation. How did you trigger the particles from Element on the music?

What kind of font is that u used on the letters from Element?

Thnx a bunch!

Vinnie K.
Anthony
13 years ago
Hi Vinnie K.

I'm glad you liked it.

I trigger the particles from the Element using Trapcode Sound Keys.

And the font name is "PROMETHEUS"

From france.
13 years ago
Thankyou
.:UPDATE:.
No .. It's still not a SciFi model! .. But it's another FREE 3D model called "THE BOOK". For those who wants to have all kind of 3D models! .. The ZIP archive includes .OBJ, .E3D and all TEXTURE MAPS. You can also create your own textures for that. Feel free to download .. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HERE:
http://www.as-art.ch/downloads/thebook-v01/
Rob Callicotte
13 years ago
Thanks asART! I appreciate your generosity.
Warren
13 years ago
Thanks for sharing this; seeing the layers build, was very helpful. I esp liked seeing how the rear of the truck, with actors and lights, were composited into the 3d building/truck shot... it was extremely informative. Finally, guys and ladies, let these be inspiration points- many of us are one-man, or one-woman studios: we've got grit, and imagination, and we can show what imaginative, gritty people, no wait, grit-filled, grit-saturated, no, wait, ok, whatevers, can do! Be glad you aren't a cog in a VFX army: what's your job? oh, another grungy wall with a door this time. Or, hoo boy, more smoke, again, three weeks of smoke. No, way, today I'm vaporizing this, later I'm crushing text, plus working out something or other with searchlights, guards shooting in the night... plus the sound effects, the sound track, and what, what next? By four in the morning, you, the VFX army of ONE, have done more than most people who went to be at a reasonable hour will do in weeks and weeks or even days and days! GRR! yeah! hoo yeah!
13 years ago
Can we get a long series tutorial like that. Just like you did for the demon cam. Modeling ships, Creating mattes, Rotoscoping, set Extensions...
And Please do some tuts for c4d like integrating. You had one c4d tutorial and it is about 3D text. Please. I am always amazed by you. Keep Up the good work
مرتضی
13 years ago
خ?????? ازت ????????????
thank you very much
you are BEST
13 years ago
The real question???. How much of this can be achieved now with VC ELEMENT???

Andrew, would you ever consider doing a new singles series based upon a very indepth class on how to achieve something very similar layer by layer using an OBJ model within after effects and Element and then all the additional layers to create a full composite sequence?

I think that could be highly valuable to your subscribers and product!

Tristan.
alaindeloc
13 years ago
The real question is.. When this belief that movies like Prometheus or Total Rekall can be done in your bedroom with After Effects and a plugin has started and when will eventually stop?
Vinnie K
13 years ago
Hi Tristan,

I so very very agree with you 100%.

It's very clear to understand how these scenes were set up by seeing this explained. You will learn way more on how to achieve different shots and scenes.

I am in!

Vinnie K
Holland.
Rezi
13 years ago
Wow It is cool vfx. Andrew Kramer can you upload tutorials like vfx .. modeling cool ships inside 3Ds max and Texturing in Element ?
Tobias
13 years ago
I think, you're right, we all love great VFX or VFX-reels. But i ever think, i want to do it by myself and then i think i have to learn everything with 3d, what is very cool but would cost a lot time. Then I think of my pc and of the rendering time..... Could you make some tutorials about 3d high polygon modeling ? Because on the most other sites of the internet, you have to pay a lot and i mean a lot, of money, just for tutorials. Please.
Shashwat kauraw
13 years ago
Hello,Andrew
My name is Shashwat kauraw and i am your biiiiiigggggg faaann!!!!!!
I am 15 years old and i am from India ,I daily watch your tutorials and practise them daily 5 hours ... As I am only 15 so i can not buy element 3d or some other plug -ins of yours because my parents do nat allow me to buy ..... But i really appreciate your hard work .. Keep doing ..all the best .
Eric
13 years ago
...Yet you have found the After Effects lying under your Christmas tree...
Jovica
13 years ago
If anyone can tell me where I can find the digital camera?
I found these textures in the Sound_alternate_maps and music_4k_maps folder. Here???s link of them : http://imgur.com/01F23,zyhTO,DHiH3 PLEASE!
13 years ago
hey Andrew It's been a long time i didn't comment on any thing but seriously this one is Hmmmmm
it's wort it thanks....
Leo B
13 years ago
hahaha just unbelievably awesome
hey guys im short of words
Felix66
13 years ago
Hey Andrew, it is cool seeing how "manufactured' shots like these are created and mind boggling the degree of care, skill and shear determination needed to create them. It's even cooler to see shots that would not necessarily be so obviously a CG composite, like this very excellent break down of the "John Adams" mini series, regarding the making of your fine country.
Check it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTUs7hDq2PA&feature=relmfu
13 years ago
The real question.... How much of this can be achieved now with VC ELEMENT???

Andrew, would you ever consider doing a new singles series based upon a very indepth class on how to achieve something very similar layer by layer using an OBJ model within after effects and Element and then all the additional layers to create a full composite sequence?

I think that could be highly valuable to your subscribers and product!

Tristan.
13 years ago
HEEEE!!! Prometheus: Look at the planet rings at 1:03 and then take a look at the planet rings at 2:03 The planet has turned around!!! Great to see that the pro's make mistakes, haha
Vinnie K
13 years ago
Wenluc,

I see..... But are you saying that planets dont rotate on it's axes and round its orbits.....?

Are you? or...... nahhhh!
You're not.
Vinnie K
13 years ago
I am working on a 3 minute film as I am totally inspired by these break down. It's tough to really handle all the lighting, colouring and filters.

Does someone know which filters they are using in the Prometheus VFX?

As you can see after all the animations and layers have been put in you can see they add (adjustment?) layers with some sort of filters.

Anyone could an idea of which filters they used?

Thanx a bunch.

Vinnie K.
Jeremy
13 years ago
I just saw CA yesterday, the Neo Seoul sequences were really awesome, it's cool to be able to see a breakdown of what went in.
jaron
13 years ago
what kind of program does people use for doing this?... it is not after effects right?
13 years ago
It depends which VFX company is doing the job...
For example "Digital Domain" which is one of the biggest VFX companies in the world is using mostly NukeX,
Flame (by Autodesk) is also very common.
After Effects is used in some cases for compositing shots but it's not as good dealing with high-end material/2k-4k resolutions/Stereoscopic technology etc...
ahmed almodrs
13 years ago
Amazing! these fx real hard and done by alot of people art
Jovica
13 years ago
If anyone can tell me where I can find the digital camera?
I found these textures in the Sound_alternate_maps and music_4k_maps folder. Here's link of them : http://imgur.com/01F23,zyhTO,DHiH3
.:NEW 3D MODEL - ENERGY DRINK CAN:.
Here comes another one for you guys! Get it right now! Brand new free 3D model called "Energy Drink Can" is out now!
This time the ZIP archive includes .OBJ, .E3D and an AE file. Open the AE project file (CS 5.0) too se how you can create your own texture maps for this model .. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HERE:
http://www.as-art.ch/downloads/energy-drink-can/
Pixelito Design
13 years ago
Can somebody ban this clown and his annoying advertisings? Thankyou
.:NEWS:.
Hi @all .. Take a look at our latest client work ???TOP 5 KILLS??? template.
It???s all done in AE using VC ELEMENT 3D and other plugins. It???s done for ???The Prime Phonix??? only. Hope you will like it .. I will apperciate your comments .. Cheers !

WATCH IN HD-720 HERE:
http://youtu.be/1yGw3C0M0DU
Basith Calicut
13 years ago
so is this all 2d layers that later bcome 3d set extensions ?111
13 years ago
One layer at time...
ThomasO
13 years ago
These videos are always an inspiration and humbling. What I liked about this footage is the way they showed the integration/compositing the various elements.
.:UPDATE ??? NEW 3D MODEL:.
Another new free 3D model is avialable now. It???s called ???Round DECO-TABLE??? .. Feel free to download and use. The ZIP package includes .OBJ and .E3D files only. By using VC ELEMENT 3D you can simply choose one of the original materials builtin ELement 3D as your texture. I hope you will like it .. Cheers !

DOWNLOAD HERE:
http://www.as-art.ch/downloads/round-deco-table/
Vinnie K
13 years ago
As you not being asked to promote your own products on a totally different forum and website I just wanted to say that your Ad's are annoying and if you can help it then PLEASE offer 3D Models that are at least ON TOPIC... in this case SciFi 3D Models...

A deco table? C'mon bro... give me a break.

Pixelito
13 years ago
Stop that advertising. Thank you
Topdwn
13 years ago
I don't have any problems with your postings. I appreciate the free 3D offering you are supplying. Will I use them all? no, but it will help build my very weak collection of 3D objects. I really don't see the link to advertising other then the fact asArt links take him back to his website where his OBJ are located. I will however say, that the links point directly back to his obj file to download. As long as VC doesn't have a problem with asART contributions and/or method, I don't have any issues with it.

Maybe it's me, I'm new to AE, 3D and motion graphics in general, so any and all help, I appreciate.
Jim H
13 years ago
If they aren't advertisements, they sure look and feel like them. Formatting your posts with your own headlines (i.e. .: NEWS:. etc.) and marketing lines like "Get it now!", makes people skip right over these posts as they just look like spam, even if that isn't your intention.
Vinnie K
13 years ago
Hi there asart,

It's absolutely none of my business what you do. However if you choose to advertise your products & company name on a forum which is not yours, also not being a partner of VC, and which has 1000's of followers you can expect some critical notes. at least be able to handle that.

It could very well be that you find me very selfish cause I am not meeting up your Ad talks but to me YOU are using a platform, not owned by you, to promote your products, Business name and even use links to your products. Come again on being selfish?

Look, if you punch in a comment about your products, that's ok bro. But you use approx. 8 comments on multiple products in just one thread which is not even On Topic.
This type of Ad's, asart, is a disgrace.

Have you even try to reconsider what the consequence will be if everybody start doing what you do?? We will have tons of commercial threads and comments. WHICH IS NOT THE REASON WHY WE COME HERE FOR!

You have the email of your customers, as you say, so email them and don't infect this forum with your Advertisements.

Have some dignity for VC, this forum, it's members and why they come here for. Try to realise that not everybody else is selfish ....

.. a look in the digital mirror can be refreshing once in a while.

Vinnie K
a true follower of VC.





Alex.V
13 years ago
Hi Andrew !!
I need to thank you, really you are amazing, im from Lebabon and i'm still learning from your tutorials, I watched them all, and every day I check your website waiting for new amazing tutorial, oh yeah, i bought new vga card to run your plugin Element 3D, really cool plugin, and optical flare also, finally, from Lebanon, a big THANK with bevel (LoL) to you
Trey
13 years ago
I'm a HUGE "The Walking Dead" fan. I've always been impressed with their VFX as well.

Season 1 Demo Reel
https://vimeo.com/20541810

Season 2 Demo Reel
https://vimeo.com/37280492
13 years ago
looks amazing as always so awht's the new always amazing
13 years ago
Andrew, stop posting videos which is worse than yours!
Ben
13 years ago
I love watching FX reels, They give me ideas on how to improve my work.
togep
13 years ago
Can anyone tell which movies are they. I Want to watch them!!!!!!!!!!
sk
13 years ago
First one is 'prometheus', the second is 'cloud atlas'
togep
13 years ago
Thank You Sir!
maruthi
13 years ago
this my short film....i would like everyont to watch this plz...till 26 sec thr is prob with the video after that it will be gud thnk u

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_310iHZ7IU
13 years ago
Prometheus was an incredible flick.
13 years ago
Could-a used more Sam Loya.
Daniel
13 years ago
I can make that in like 5 seconds!!! Gosh!!!
13 years ago
He Andrew! Can we make scenes as seen in the second reel with the upcoming city pack???
13 years ago
Wow! I always love watching behind the scenes and effect reels. One of my favorites is the amazing spiderman footage reel! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5qLuQVSe8k an half hour of behind the scenes!
13 years ago
In VFX, almost everything can be done in CG, like environment, ships and character for digital double.
13 years ago
Amazing stuff! Thank you
Greetings from Germany
Vinnie K
13 years ago
Especially the Prometheus VFX are very inspiring.

Besides the 3D models if you give it a shot with skies, environment, mountains, rocks (all 2D) and using a lot of filters and Color Correction --> Curves you would do the trick.

However you need impressive models (I don't neccessarily mean women) and not to forget impressive aerial shots of some vehicles.

So if you, like me, don't have a helicopter in the backyard we should ask Andrew and his team to make some 3D Models (like he used in one of his Element Commercials).

Wouldn't it be great to make a 4 minute movie with (bought) 3D models from VC.

Let everyone upload it to a special VC youtube contest channel and the most voted movie gets a $250 cheque to be spent at VC?

I am sure everybody would be amazed where VC followers come up with.

What you think of this contest?

Vinnie K
VFX junkie
13 years ago
Wow, it's just amazing how those VFX designers can create a whole scene from 2d images. Just the idea to create a futuristic city amazes me. This really shows us what kind of creative people we have on earth. Thanks Andrew, for sharing this with us. It's really enjoyable!
SND
13 years ago
Thanks For Sharing Andrew .Thanks A Ton
The real smithy
13 years ago
Thanks Andrew for these links. I'm always amazed on how much detail these companies put into such split sec scenes. Prometheus is a brilliant film, loved it, true Ridley Scott film. It's one if those films (for me), that I cam play in background and not watch it and still enjoy the sound of the film.

Cloud atlas looks really amazing, can't wait till that comes out.
Would it be possible for you to pst a demo reel of work you've done for other companies or projects outside of video copilot?

Thanks again
Farshad
13 years ago
Professional as always , thanks man
iman barare
13 years ago
ohhhhhh my god . veri nice
مسعود
13 years ago
yeah , i agree ...
thanks a lot .
Barhom
13 years ago
I'm enjoy when i see like this Amazing stuff ..... Thanks For Sharing
Jack H
13 years ago
COOOOL! Hey, you should make a sci-fi tranportation model pack! With spaceships! And planets! And Sattilites (on the element video?)! And MORE spaceships! KOOL!
Robbie
13 years ago
For the planets.... Just use a sphere
hinkik
13 years ago
That would suck since then every video on youtube would feature the same space ships.
Emmit Blackmon
13 years ago
I love the products that Andrew and his team sell. I have a few. But even though you have and continue to buy those, expand into 3d modeling and animation to learn to create your own items to incorporate into live action. Oh, and keep buying Andrew's products as well. lol.
13 years ago
Wow!!! So thats how its done!!!!
David Arz
13 years ago
Andrew,i'm your fan from Ukraine!!)))
13 years ago
Damn, I always get disheartened watching things like this. Just when I think I'm getting good at this VFX malarkey I see something that makes me realise just how much of an amateur I really am.

Cheers Andrew
13 years ago
Hey Jaymond - don't ever allow yourself to get disheartened. Like the earlier posts read, these shots were done in huge teams with vast amounts of resources. Keep doing what you're doing as long as it's what you want to do, and who knows? You may end up as part of a VFX team one day, working on a large scale production.
13 years ago
Thanks for the encouragement Steve. Nice showreel btw.
Emmit Blackmon
13 years ago
Hey Jaymond, these reels are made to inspire you. If you are like me, the reason you may get disheartened is because it seems that the learning to achieve that level of work is like a mountain you can't climb. Just remember that if you love doing it, it doesn't matter. Just keep on doing it. Just keep in touch with people in the vfx commmunity and keep coming to the videocopilot website and maybe try creative cow. We need to keep inspiring each other.
lisa
13 years ago
All these visualls created with Element 3d?
JeffV
13 years ago
Simply amazing. Watching videos like these is what inspires us to keep pursuing what we love to do as artists. Thanks Andrew for sharing!
Frank
13 years ago
Amazing! Great to see.
Serge
13 years ago
That was awesome/inspiring/amazing..... After watching that I just said to wife "Hey wots up? It's after effects time...." I'm in so much trouble now!!!
Ron in Calgary
13 years ago
I can see that I need waaaaaaaay more tutorials. Absolutly amazing stuff, thanks for sharing.
Rob
13 years ago
Thanks so much. Besides being interesting, it's more fodder to burn on our learning engines.
13 years ago
These are truly amazing reels. They show just how much a team of dedicated visual effects artists can achieve if they are passionate about their work.

I hope to become a professional in the visual effects industry (probably a compositor or a matte painter at first then eventually a VFX supervisor), and I aspire to do high-end visual effects and to push the limit of visual effects possibilities.
Garcia Wen
13 years ago
That was AMAZING!
I wish one day I could do sth. like that....
karthik
13 years ago
Hi Andrew!!

Just wanted to know if ALL of these effects in a single sequence are done by only one VFX pro??

I had a dream to do such effects. But, I want to know if just one person can do it from beginning to end.

Thanks Andrew for sharing such a great video on VFX
13 years ago
The visual effects in Prometheus (the first reel) were done by 1,050 people (http://bit.ly/SysLyH).

There were approximately 1,300 visual effects shots in Prometheus, so on average that would be about 1.24 artists per shot. Of course, that is impossible, and each visual effects artist most likely worked on more than one shot. Also, each department works on each element of each shot that pertains to that department. So a modeler in the 3d modeling department would probably work on multiple models in multiple shots. The same goes for the other departments too, like the compositors do the composting for each shot, the matte painters do the matte paintings for each shot, etc. Basically, each artist works on his part of each shot rather than working on every aspect of a single shot.
Dan
13 years ago
Eric is correct, but also remember that the bulk of those thousand people were all artists who do repetitive tasks like mattes, rotoscoping, color, etc.. there could be as many as 100 artists working on a single shot, but only one artist who puts most of the elements together.

I'm not sure if that's what you meant, but the "elements" that go into a shot are all produced by many many people, but the actual work of compositing is usually done by a small team of a handful of people on each "scene" or even the whole movie (smaller films) to ensure that they match each other perfectly. The same elements stitched together by different people can have vastly different looks.

Your other question, if it's possible fr one person to do it all, of course it is. But then you will be creating all of the elements (the dust, 3D models, landscapes, camera matching, etc etc etc by yourself. Often this is not practical on any kind of deadline.
Rock
13 years ago
http://vimeo.com/31202906

This is a short film by Nick Ryan. It has many VFX that are on a very professional level. They are so good it is like they are from a feature film. BUT, they were done by one person (Nick Ryan) and not by a thousands others. So it IS possible to do very good VFX by yourself.
Luke
13 years ago
I studied Digital Compositing and stuff while in Uni (i work in motion graphics and editing right now), what would be your best tips to create digital shots for a show reel? Being a one man band is pretty hard so any thoughts on how I could make some shots for a showreel would be appreciated.
13 years ago
Firstly, Rock. Thanks so much for the link. I watched rilmriot promote this short movie a few weeks back and never got round to watching it. Good post, it had some nice cinematography shots!

Dan & Eric, although I ?first thought? the statement of the creators of the dust elements etc were taken to the extreme?.you guys are 100% on the nail. You can claim you did all the work yourself along with adding special effects and plugin elements. Although if you didn?t personally create the dust, the lens flair the rotoscoping , or 3D objects?then it is a TEAM effort. Not a one man band.

Anything is possible with a big enough bag off money behind one person, but to claim to be connected to a great ?team? is priceless, humbling and the only way the big boys do it.

Thanks for the insight
13 years ago
Firstly, Rock. Thanks so much for the link. I watched rilmriot promote this short movie a few weeks back and never got round to watching it. Good post, it had some nice cinematography shots!

Dan & Eric, although I ?first thought? the statement of the creators of the dust elements etc were taken to the extreme?.you guys are 100% on the nail. You can claim you did all the work yourself along with adding special effects and plugin elements. Although if you didn?t personally create the dust, the lens flair the rotoscoping , or 3D objects?then it is a TEAM effort. Not a one man band.

Anything is possible with a big enough bag off money behind one person, but to claim to be connected to a great ?team? is priceless, humbling and the only way the big boys do it.

Thanks for the insight
Tal
13 years ago
Everything is a function of time. so if you take for yourself 15-20 years probably you can do that by your own.
Kunwar
13 years ago
karthik this vfx visual work revolved around many people not a single person do.....like one compositor,another for tracking,CGI(3d ar#%&!t) andy many categories....so its level is something like dreamwork for ourselves......make sure practise more make new creative ideas