Beautiful VFX

December 16th, 2013

I just stumbled upon this spectacular reel of visual effects work for the film Stalingrad. The simulations of smoke and fire take it to another level.

What's even more impressive is the amount of work that went into this video just to show all of the layers and work that went into. C'mon! Look at those camera swings!

While not quite as impressive, you ca check out our Advanced Training Seriesyou might be able to see how some of this is possible combining Fume FX with 3Ds Max and compositing in After Effects.

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Andrew Kramer

POSTED:

12 years ago

72 Comments

Chong Hua

10 years ago

thanks for the tips!

Dynamic Studio

11 years ago

Hi guys, check our website it has really nice 3D images, http://www.dynamic-studio.com

Thanks!

murali

11 years ago

Very nice

Ù†Ø±Ù… Ø§ÙØ²Ø§Ø± ØØ³Ø§Ø¨Ø¯Ø§Ø±ÛŒ

11 years ago

its amazing , thanks alot andrew

Luke

11 years ago

I've been waiting on this movie for months to come stateside, anyone know the music?

Tiffany

11 years ago

Dang Andrew... You didn't have to put in his fall! LMAO! This all looks really cool though... can't wait to check it out!!!

netcut

11 years ago

this is crazy

, thanks a lot for the attached tutorial !

Kalle

11 years ago

Hi,

Wow!! Very authentic atmosphere!
Is there any of these familiar plug-ins used in the Stalingrad movie project?

br,

Kalle

Alexander

11 years ago

Hello from Russia! Welcome to Moscow!
I want to give a link to the excellent Russian program for color correction of images.
3DLutCreator
http://vk.com/3dlutcreator
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3dlutcreator/

Alexander

11 years ago

Sorry! Second link is https://www.facebook.com/groups/3dlutcreator/
this page in english

Mojtaba

11 years ago

Hi my master.
Very beautiful.

QAnh

11 years ago

Can you make tutorial of artillery hit the ground and water, please ?

Lazar

11 years ago

I'm not saying that i could do better, but some of the stuff in the Stalingrad reel look pretty plastic and low on detail mostly on the smoke and explosion simulations. The compositing is a full on set extensions and a bit distracting to the common eye. That is not just my opinion, i called my friend who is oblivious to the ways of vfx, and he had the same feel. The whole thing looks like a fancy game cinematic. Is it just me or are there more freaks around there hungry for more analog looking vfx.

Vinnie K

11 years ago

Maybe you and ur friend have been playing Call of Duty World at War too much... eh?

I think the breakdown is too much you can appreciate. I don't mean that in a bad way. But there are so many shots broken down you see many flattened images. That could narrow your seights..
If I look at the final render shots and considder the amount of work and details that has been put in this movie I never would use the words: fancy game cinematics.

There's one shot that could me the same feeling at 3:20. That was the only shot, other than that.. fine peace of work!

Lazar

11 years ago

The impression we got came from the movie trailer, so no breakdowns and last call of duty i played was like COD2 so it was a long time ago. I don't want to be disrespectful about the work, it is just that i like more simple and subtle compositing work. I just wondered is there someone else here looking for a more old school analog feel of cinematography.
Hat down for the guys that put it all together, from my experience it is a mammoth task requiring a lot of dedicated artist, art directors and organizers.

dex1000000

11 years ago

Not the topic ... But I want to draw attention ...
Russia suffered trouble - died Mikhail Kalashnikov. I am very sad.

11 years ago

You forgot to mention that this was all rendered in Element 3D.....

(Gotta love those new titan cards.)

GreenScreen

11 years ago

Must add my thanks to you for finding that and putting it up. I'd also like to say your accompanying tutorial with the train carriage exploding was pretty damn good, too. Only difference that I could see was in the complexity. You have a gift, Andrew.

Knight

11 years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6waz_6lsmY

we need a pack like this man,like Action Essentials-3 Rise Of The Andrew

sosha

11 years ago

http://www.video-effects.fr/ here also ?

Sameh Ahmed

11 years ago

great VFX,

check this guys http://youtu.be/zxF7Z1kLVYA

Arnold

11 years ago

Outstanding work and breakdown. Pity they got the Canadian flag wrong. To my knowledge there were no Canadians involved in the Battle for Stalingrad and that flag wasn't adopted until 1965.

Alex

11 years ago

It's really impressive! I can't believe it was filmed in Russia! If you have a free time please check out my short film called "Case 21": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fIONPcGxIg and leave your comments. It's my first film and we didn't have much money. I will be very grateful for viewing.

evilflip

11 years ago

It looks truly amazing and yet I can't help but feel it all look like a video game.

Darren

11 years ago

What is real anymore...

Kater

11 years ago

absolutely amazing !

Ashwanth

11 years ago

Woah :O
Goose bumps!!!

Radar

11 years ago

It's always nice to see cool VFX! But sometimes people forget that movies are not all about visual effects. Scenario, acting, camera works, etc.. are more important! And VFX is just finishing touch that makes movie better.

Akmal

11 years ago

okay man, let's think about the incredible "Life of Pi" without this "finishing touches" like you say, i mean without VFX, or Titanic... Maybe Avatar... HM? I think, no matter how all stuffs like camera work, scenario, acting and etc. were cool, these films were a bit wierd to watch

Ingo Smitt

11 years ago

This is really amazing!
Thanks for showing us, Andrew.

Paul

11 years ago

Andrew, I really want to do stuffs like this, can you make some advanced tutorials making those big scene? Your Advanced Training Series are greate,but still has lots of space to improve ,I really want to be better at SFX

rfmusic

12 years ago

Wow!! Why they made this?!! Wasn't enough to make the film itself?!
but the amazing thing was that all those vfx were used in a way to express the real feelings, not making it pretty.
but I didn't get the the wheels!! was that plane planning to land on that situation?!! or was it to demonstrate how to use jet strike?!

Ben

12 years ago

I just say here for eight minutes, completely motionless, my mind blown away. It's not often you get that from a VFX reel... this is incredible, really, really, incredible.

Darrell

12 years ago

The amount of work hours, whatever that was, was worth it.

Zigor

12 years ago

This is the same company that made the FX for a movie called METRO.
Here's the VFX breakdown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H72IqJjP9l8

Vinnie K

12 years ago

What are your thoughts on this.....

Let's say there was a (huge) pack for E3D containing low-res landscapes, high-res tanks (rigged), planes (rigged) and buildings/structures. In addition a folder containing animated OBJ equences with fires, debree, smoke but also some animated exploding buildings and a couple of background images.

How close would you get in achieving this look? Also, what would you need additionally but staying within AE?

Vinnie K

12 years ago

Unbelievable piece of work.

It will take me about 8 years, 264 days and 22 minutes to create some shots I just saw. But I could be wrong for a day or two....

Arthur

12 years ago

"С??алинг??ад" - э??о сам??й п??овал??н??й ??ил??м Федо??а ??ондо??????ка, ??о??о??ими в ??ил??ме б??ли ??ол??ко видео э????ек????. ??осмо????ев э??о?? видео??олик кино можно ??же не смо????е???? - здес?? все л??????ее!

andrew

12 years ago

awsome stuff am loving it when am in KENYA

Alex

12 years ago

Second part:
http://polycloud.ru/blog/vfx/445.html

Alex

12 years ago

Sorry, here is articles:
http://polycloud.ru/blog/vfx/444.html
http://polycloud.ru/blog/vfx/445.html

alaindeloc

12 years ago

Alex, have you ever thought that most of the people and that includes Andrew Kramer don't speak and read russian?

Alex

12 years ago

Bad. Very bad Andrew. You said nothing about studio which did all VFX for Stalingrad. It's russian studio Mainroad|Post which located in Moscow. There is there web-site http://www.mrpost.ru/
And here you can find articles about there work on Stalingrad:
http://polycloud.ru/blog/vfx/444.html
http://polycloud.ru/blog/vfx/445.html

Andrew Kramer

12 years ago

I did link to their youtube video...

Shawn

12 years ago

Alex, right at the top of the video on this page, I can see Main Road|Post (Which, by the way, since you are so particular, you spelled wrong: "Mainroad" vs. "Main Road"). Relax a bit. Actually, forget that, GET EXCITED! Andrew Kramer just gave Main Road|Post a shout out. That's like getting a free Superbowl commercial in the VFX world!! So be encouraged, dude!

Arman Yahin

11 years ago

I am VFX supervisor of this film and head of Main Road|Post and I want to thank Mr. Kramer for posting our showreel on his site. Its a big honor for us. Moreover I want to thank him for his Lens Flares plugin for Nuke. We've bought it and used on this project widely as you can see in this reel. Thanks Andrew!

Mike Udin

12 years ago

????аме?? о??енил. Э??о ??спе??!

Abdirashid

12 years ago

This left me speechless till i finished watching it...
I always love your final out but..

Keyserr

12 years ago

what a hard work so much epic.

Terry

12 years ago

This is amazing. May I know what film is this?

Terry

12 years ago

IT's Stalingrad

JoeTV

12 years ago

Thank you for sharing, Andrew. Whenever I see something like this I can't help but think about all the pre-vis that goes into it. Which probably (hopefully) started with a great script. Which started with someone wanting to tell a story and realizing the only limitation to overcome is their own imagination.

Perhaps we are living in a second New Stagecraft Movement.

Aaryan

12 years ago

Hi Mr.Andrew Kramer
What u thinking about create a new plugin like fumefx for after effects?
it will be nice to work 3D smoke & fire in after effects..
Thank You....

Jaymond

12 years ago

Oh my Glob!

Could do with a 'making of' the making of.

Ennien

12 years ago

I am proud of MainRoad, cuz I'm russian too. Very glad to see this showreel in here. Good luck to them and to Mr.Kramer

Tom Dooley

12 years ago

Yes that would be very helpfull.A tutorial on recreating an older City part on an animated clip with people and old cars included

Tom Dooley

12 years ago

That's exactly the kind of tutorials I am looking for. The cinema kind of special effects.I have some work coming up soon, at it consists of rebuilding parts of a City during second World War.Nothing about combats but recreating some City parts of that time, with people walking around,close and far to the camera.Vehicles of those days are also included.What could realy interest me, is the interaction of real people with CG Vehicles.Outside.That's also the same that I proposed for a tutorial with your planes.Some people in the Blog misunderstood that.

Fazel

12 years ago

Holy Shit :O this is something incredible, i wish i was one of those CG artists :S

Leupsi

12 years ago

Oh my god Andrew, this video is like a christmas gift. Such an awesome work, every shot looks so amazing. My mouth just fell on the table. ^^

angel

12 years ago

espero algun dia poder hacer estas cosas que son demaciado buenas trabajo con cinema 4d y se que con este sodware puedo hacer cosas geniales. un saludo

Nick C

12 years ago

Oh My God that's beautiful! I don't know what's real anymore. I'm completely awestruck.

funik

12 years ago

omg.. reallyy awesme awesme.. ant tutorials for that cinematic cc.. 3d models to real 3d models .. plzz upload tutorials

mike

12 years ago

Good lord ! I will able to do this in 50 years...

Shaswata Indra

12 years ago

For Sir Andrew this is cakewalk

Farmfield

12 years ago

Very cool with a unified physics system with particles, hard and soft body physics and voxel based fluid sims all working nicely together. Houdini absolutely rules in this kinda thing. Like the scene at 2:48, that would just be such an insane amount of work just conforming the look and feel if it had been done using separate systems - and you'd still never be able to get as good looking behaviour...

immi khan

12 years ago

every single frame was awesome ... it just blow my mind like it blows the jet .... incredible work

thunderossa

12 years ago

WOW! That is one of the best breakdowns that I've seen. Hopefully their hard work will pay off.

Marcel Linden

12 years ago

amazing!!!
I wish that I could do that

Solomon

12 years ago

Awesomeness!! the breakdown is to die for

Badhon

12 years ago

thnx for shaing. jst awesome

yggrassil

12 years ago

wow tutorials please mr.andrew!!!

Joseph Solomon.L

12 years ago

OMG !!! Awesome work !! hats off to you Guys !!! i cant even blink my Eyes !!! awesome .... OMG!! everything is sooo real!!!! well Done!!

Drake

12 years ago

Wow, this has to be one of my favorite VFX reels I've seen! Fantastic work, and I just adore the breakdowns.

theMightyThor

12 years ago

MY GOD that was INCREDIBLE!!! the only thing missing was Sam Loya. WOW just WOW

Blerim

12 years ago

Hahahahahah, No no Sam is here in Explosive Training.

theMightyThor

12 years ago

MY GOD that was INCREDIBLE!!! the only thing mission was Sam Loya. WOW just WOW

oli

12 years ago

my comment got deleted.. was just asking when the future pack metropolitan was coming out

The vfx in this video as incredible!!!

Evren

12 years ago

So how we learn that ultra detailed, absolute - cinematic stuffs? Deficient sources :/

Farmfield

12 years ago

How do you learn to make high end VFX? By studying. Everything you saw in that reel was made in Houdini - which incidentally is about the only 3D software on this level (other than Blender) that is attainable, economically, to everyday people. They offer a free version for learning and they have an entry level edition available for $99/year. SideEffects themselves also got a sh!tload of tuts on their site - for free. The math and Python training needed is also available free online, on Youtube, Vimeo.

Now, putting in the time and effort needed to become the next Allan McKay - or Andrew Kramer - that's another story altogether.

asART. 3D and motion graphics

12 years ago

Very impressive and inspiring work .. Thank you for sharing!

Dakota

12 years ago

Incredible! I hope to work on projects like these some day. Check out my reel: http://digidabble.com

Dakota Wixom

12 years ago

I've also got a few AE tutorials here:

http://digidabble.com/after-effects-tutorials/

Cheers!

Lukas

12 years ago

Amazing!! The evolution of VFX is incredible. Sometimes we can see to much computer work, green screen etc. but some films like 2012, Hobbit, DEMON CAM!! are really incredible.

M.hamza

12 years ago

OMG ..What a beautiful work ..In love with the helicopter part

Someone

12 years ago

Meanwhile in Russia...

SimplyNoob

11 years ago

hi , is the houdini software are hardest to learning or very easy like after effects? :\ help please i dont know ( Sory for bad english )

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