Compositing visual effects shots professionally can be a complex
and expensive endeavor. However, its a relatively simple task to create your
own composites in Photoshop. And you can use things that you might have around
the house.
First off, pick a subject.. Do you want to do something with
a science fiction or fantasy angle. A giant monster on the loose?, a futuristic
city.? Try to pick something relatively easy and not terribly complex to begin
with. For demonstration purposes I have picked spaceships attacking Boston.
For this task you will need
-A digital camera with memory card
- A computer with Photoshop
- A sunny day to shoot outdoors
-A subject to shoot (miniature or person-you decide)
- Chroma blue background or white paper as background
As I time saver I have photographed a Klingon Bird of Prey
Model against a white background. You can also use a bright Chroma blue background,
which will make the separation against its original background easier.
1. Photograph miniature against background with
digital camera. Any digital camera will work.
2. Make note of camera position and lens
information. Also make note of position of lights so you can match to the
background.
3. Pick an outdoor setting to shoot the background
plate. Try to match the lighting of your subject in terms of where the sun will
be hitting the subject.
4. Transfer the digital files to the computer and
open Photoshop.Load images into program.
5. Add layer in Photoshop for background. Load background photo
6. Add second layer for subject.
7. Make a separation layer from the subject layer.
You do this by right clicking and clicking on make layer.
8. Use the eraser brush to create a transparent
layer around the ship. Now we can separate it from the background.
9. Cut and paste the subject Layer
over the background layer after you have separated it from its native layer
10. Use
Conform tool to position it in frame and adjust the size. Using Cut and Paste and conform you can add as many ships as you like.
11. Lock all layers. You should have a completed shot!
Congratulations. Do it 23 more times and you have one frame of film. (Just
kidding)
The basic principals of
compositing are all present in this exercise.
VFX,
ReplyDeleteInteresting How-to article. Your writing is clear and concise. The screenshots you provided drastically improve the instructions. I consider myself a visual learner so I always look for an image to supplement instructions.
The graphics may not be the Hollywood standard, but certainly attractive for a beginner.
-Spinach