1st Edition

Visual Effects for Film and Television

By Mitch Mitchell Copyright 2004
    246 Pages
    by Routledge

    248 Pages
    by Routledge

    * An invaluable insight into the use of visual effects in film and television
    * Fully illustrated with diagrams to show you step-by-step techniques
    * Covers visual effects processes from front-of-camera to post-production
    * Integrated approach to film, video and digital techniques
    * Redefines the rules of photography so that they can be broken for effects
    * Shows the line of development from the oldest to the newest processes
    * A must for cinematographers, editors, designers and students of VFX alike
    * Everything you need to know to plan and supervise visual effects shots
    * Essential reading for anyone working in commercials/advertising photography or effects

    Written by an experienced professional, this manual is the essential guide to understanding the principles and background of modern visual effects.

    Visual effects are at the forefront of a digital revolution in the film and video industry and are becoming more and more important to movie language. This book teaches the practical techniques and skills required to incorporate effects successfully into both film and television production.

    Introduction
    What makes an effect 'special'?
    Why create 'effects'?
    Film, video, digital and string
    Film
    Video
    Conclusion
    Stocks and formats
    Film formats
    Film stocks
    Video formats
    Methods of creating visual effects
    Photography for effects
    Camera parameters
    The lens
    The shutter/pulldown system
    Video shutter and speed
    Filters and lens attachments
    Other image enhancements
    Temporal manipulation
    Stop frame/motion animation
    Timelapse
    Timeslice
    Miniatures
    Visual effects shooting toolkit
    Imaging without a camera
    Film
    Direct application
    Photogrammetry
    Chemical applications
    Video
    Digital
    Creating the backing Lighting and setting up Steps for a basic
    Front of camera
    Optical effects
    Filtration
    Masks and vignettes
    The glass shot
    Photo cut-outs and
    hanging miniatures
    Mirrors
    Special processes using
    mirrors
    Composite photography
    Mixes and supers
    Film multiple imaging
    Video superimposition
    Matte and split-screen
    Video/digital switch and
    wipes
    Rephotography/re-recording
    Film rephotography
    Video re-recording
    Combined action with pre-shot backgrounds
    Physical backgrounds
    Shooting backplates
    Background (scenic) projection
    Rear projection
    Front projection
    Miniature projection
    Large-screen video
    (including video projection)
    Self-matting processes
    Brightness separation matte
    Multiple run mattes
    Colour separation matting
    Film historic
    Video historic
    Choice of formats
    Choice of keying colour
    Complex colour screen shots
    Staging colour screen shots
    Special uses of blue/green screen processes
    Compositing colour screen shots
    Difference matting
    Computer-based systems and techniques
    Computers - external processes (for control)
    Recording/post systems
    Camera systems Computer-controlled camera movement
    Computers - internal processes (for digital imaging)
    Formats
    Input to digital world
    Output to analogue
    Digital image manipulation
    2D digital image manipulation
    Compositing software
    New life into old methods
    Perfecting the illusion
    3D computer-generated imaging (CGI)
    Digitizing (getting information into the computer)
    Rendering (getting the images out of the computer)

    Biography

    A pioneer of digital effects, has lived their development from "Dr Who” to "Harry Potter”. Starting his career at BBC television Mitch helped develop early colour TV effects systems. Later, as Director of Visual Effects at The Moving Picture Company, he supervised the effects on literally hundreds of commercials. Since becoming Head of Imaging at Cinesite in London he has worked on projects including "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”, "TROY”, "King Arthur” and "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”. Mitch lectures and writes on visual effects imaging and is also Visiting Professor at Bournemouth University.

    "There is such a wealth of information...I believe that it will be useful and interesting for established filmmakers and students alike...it is the best book of its kind that I have ever read." - Image Technology

    "A well-written guide to producing visual effects, both with cameras and computers, this forms an excellent background to film and TV technology." - Lighting and Sound