Me Again

Feels like a lifetime since I've been on here!

Where to start.

First off I'm working full time in a pc store in wanneroo which is cool...cheap parts is always good.

I'm in possession of an insanely powerful pc now so I can breeze through after effects.

I've got the galaxy s 3 which is very cool.

But best of all I'm currently working on a short film and a music video. Both just purely visual effects roles.

One is guns, smoke, bullets...all the cool, fun effects and the other is rain and background replacement. The kind of stuff that I'm hoping no one will know anything has been done vfx wise. Both extremely different but equally as great to work on and equally as challenging in different ways.

You might have noticed the blog name has changed. I changed that to the 'company' name I have created. Its just something to put in credits at the moment.

For now that's pretty much everything.

Also, keep an eye out on my YouTube feed...there's already a load more videos up that I had done between last time I was on and now.

LB

First Show Reel

So tonight I made my first VFX show reel. It's nothing flash and as it's all my first/early work most of it's pretty shoddy...but it's a step in the right direction.

I'll link to it in this post.

Nothing much else to say tonight really except that I'm tired, it's late so I am off to bed.

Until next time,

LB

(EDIT - It isn't letting me upload the video direct to this post so here is the URL :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-DV-SVxBhY

enjoy.)

3D Studio max; Part 2

A few days ago I got a copy of 3DS Max 2012. Ever since I've been on it making things, following tutorials and just seeing what it/I can do basically.

I've thrown out a couple of pretty shoddy attempts at a buclear bomb, some water and flamethrowers. My latest one was practice to intergrate live action footage I shot with some fire fx made in 3DS max.

It's no oscar winning piece of cg but it's a major accomplishment for me. It's the stepping stone to having 3D effects in my films/films I work on.

I'll link the piece I'm talking about at the bottom of this post.

LB

3ds max 2012

So today I got 3ds Max 2012. Very cool (very confusing) piece of software!

After an hour or so with a tutorial I had a simple water collision animation that looked pretty cool. Ultra basic but hey, I'm no expert!

I'll be uploading it soon and then moving on to some flame tests. Hopefully it'll come in handy for the next film I'm on.

LB

Latest VFX job

I think this is my first post from my computer, not my phone...some cool features on here! I didn't realise I could place a video inside my post. Handy.

Anyway, March is definitely going better than Feb! got a couple of interviews, working on a couple of films and I'm back on After Effects.

The video above is a small test for he next film I will be working on. In the film I will have to create the effects that 1 - a house is on fire; and 2 - a bin is on fire. So this is the test for number 2. The below video is a test I did months ago which actually got me the job on the film.

Anyway, CoD then sleep.

LB

A shit month

February has always been a bit of a weird month...nothing much happens really. This year though, I get a phone call saying I'm sacked. After 5 years of hard work and never missing a shift that's all I get, a fucking phone call.

Ah well, things are starting to look up. I'm still working on some gunfire for a film, I've got another film I'll be doing some vfx for next month then possibly more after.

If all goes well I'll have the beginnings of a decent vfx show reel.

Haha I also recently got hold of the idevice app "action movie fx"...very cool bit of software. Check it out, the basic app is free.

That's all for now but once I get a job and some money, big things will happen, watch this space in around September/October.

LB

Latest Effect

I've been working loads recently (I'm a projectionist) and a family friend is over so I've not had much time to get on the PC but tonight I've been on for about 5 hours and I've got a new effect/experiment.

A few days ago I recorded a short clip in my back garden and finally imported it tonight.

With this clip I wanted to make a meteor (or something along those lines) crash into my pool.

So I booted up AE, loaded the footage and realised I didn't have any meteor or smoke...so I started to create it.

About 3 hours later I had something I was fairly happy with that I created with the AE add on "particular 2".

Its looking OK for now, when I get chance I'll go over it again and get it better but I'll upload what I have at the moment...once its finished rendering!

Check it out on my YouTube or the links above.

Like usual its now 5am, I'm tired so I'm off to sleep.

LB

First Job

I was working on a film a little while back, i wont go into any detail but it was a great experience...middle of nowhere, stayed overnight, lots of cool stuff happened...and while talking to the producers/directors they asked if I would be interested in doing the gunshots for the film.

Obviously I jumped at the opportunity.

So now I'm looking over loads of actual gun shot footage, figuring out how different guns look/work and just practising basically.

So, things I need to research/practice...

1) muzzle flashes,
2) how bullets react to different surfaces,
3) how the surface reacts to different bullets,
4) how to light the surrounding areas that would be lit by the muzzle flash,

I think that's most things.

I'll upload the practice stuff once I'm happy with them.

Anyway, its 5am, I'm tired, I'm going to bed.

LB

Im back

Got on After Effects on our other computer...works surprisingly well!

I've just uploaded a new clip, its just a video copilot tutorial but it looks alright.

Learnt some great tips for tracking, rotoscoping and colour correction so hopefully I can apply them to my own work soon.

LB

Back online...possibly.

So as I said recently, my laptop is not with us any more.

After some time with it, I managed to salvage the hdd, ram,wlan card and graphics card. I have no use for them but you never know.

I'm glad to have the hdd as I can pretty easily get the stuff off it.

And now some fairly good news, our other PC isn't as bad as I thought. Its a bit low on gpu power but it should be able to cope with some light after effects use.

I have installed ae onto it and will give it a tryout over the next couple of days.

Here's hoping it works OK.

LB

No more computer

I was on my laptop last night, which is where I do all vfx etc., and it suddenly turn off.

After all last night and today trying to fix it, I've now given up!

I have no after effects, no footage, nothing.

Its been on its way out for over a year so was expecting this day to come.

I can't afford one any time soon so for now, I will be doing no more vfx.

This blows!

One vfx trial down

Today on my first day off work I got the camera, film a short back plate of my house and put it on my computer.

I took some pre keyed explosions, graded it, shook it a bit and ended up with a semi decent explosion.

I'll put it up on YouTube soon (link to my channel is above) and you can all tell me how to improve it.

Its nothing great but that's what the foundation degree will be for!

While I'm on the topic, I called the university today and my application was received, hopefully they will call me soon for an interview to determine if I'm to be accepted.

LB

(Edit - The new video is now on YouTube and is linked above in the thumbnails)

Vfx and Post Production foundation Degree

I faxed through my application for the course a few days ago and the closing date was yesterday...gotta wait now to see if I got a place.
If I do, I've then got to figure out how I'm going to get 13200 pounds for the course...that's not even with flights there and living/accom expenses.
I should really get a full time job!!

LB

More AE practice

The best thing about only having a casual position at your workplace...lots of time off between shifts! I'm not working until Sunday (one week from today!)

So I think it's time to dust off my camera, get a few things shot and start practicing different things in AE.

Some of the things I want to improve on are tracking, stabalising, green screen and colour correction. Pretty big range I know!

This week some of the things I'm going to attempt are...

1- Improve the footage of my sister driving (clip is linked in my video box above),

2- Stabalise footage I'll take when walking along a street,

3- Add something into the footage I just stabalised...not sure what yet,

4- Blow up my house,

And 5- Make an unlit cigarette appear to be lit using pre keyed flames and inbuilt particle add-on in AE for the smoke.

That's all for now, I'll keep updating this as I go with these 5 throughout the week.

LB.

Introduction

So who am I?

I'm Louis Byrne. I moved from a small town in Cheshire, England called Macclesfield to Perth, Western Australia in late 2005. Studied year 12 here, worked for a couple of years then began studying the Diploma of Film and Television in early 2009.

Now I've finished all my studies (for now!) and I'm working as a projectionist for a local cinema.

I've never really known what draws me to films. I studied directing (It's fun, but it's not for me just yet), I've watched hundreds of films and enjoy lots of different styles, genres, directors etc. and I've only just figured out what it is that makes me love a film...

Visual Effects!

Matrix, Avatar, LOTR, Xmen, Silent Hill, Inception, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, ...Dr Parnassus...It's a massive list and the one thing each of my favourite films have in common is amazing vfx (among other things).

Just yesterday I applied for a course in Manchester, England at the Futureworks Media School. It's a foundation degree in VFX and Post Production.

My long term goal is to work for the VFX powerhouse that is Industrial Light and Magic. It's THE VFX company to work for. My aim is (at the moment) to become a compositor there within the next ten years.

(The most VFX I have done so far is some small After Effects projects...check them out on my YouTube channel...there are previews/links on the home screen).

So that's me. Louis, 23, Projectionist, VFX wannabe.

This is the first post of many that will follow me on my journey to become a compositor at ILM.

LB