the fxphd deans blog

Sorry to not post for the last couple of days but let me explain..

I posted on Monday, on Tuesday we were shooting and Wed I was flying to LA - today is Thursday and here I am !

OK to recap on Tuesday as this is mainly a blog about production stuff and not a blog about how much I love Santa Monica - (or LA’s drive through Starbucks!)

We had a full day testing the Viper digital camera ahead of the shoot. The camera performed well.
We were testing the FilmStream vs the HD workflow. In both you have the option of 16:9 or Anamorphic, - but just how the Anamorphic works is beyond me right now - most certainly one to ask the guys at NAB. It seems to be an optical Anamorphic - but I am not sure.

We filmed a bunch of test shots to see how hand held we could go… all really helpful. We also tested recording to the Venom pack - and an SR deck and direct to the Codex field unit.
We tried it off the back of a camera bike (a 4 wheeler) for the bike shots - as well as just shoulder mount.
Later we moved to the office and shot green screen tests. I think we might use the greenscreen in some keying work in BKD - as it might be worth giving fxphd Post grads some material to comp with and play with yourselves.

It was a long day - starting at 4AM - so Jimmy and I could sort out BKD FCP edits at the office before being on set by 7am. We also field tested the P2 cameras for use in both BKD and at NAB. I am starting to fall in love with the P2… nice lens - good professional kit. Again I may discuss with John using the P2 for the stunt shoot - so you guys have some 720 P material to comp with.

Flight to LA was non-eventful - other than to say 14.5 hours is a long time for me to sit still without a latte !!!
Very good to be here with Jeff H, at the orginal Tech Bunker. We also recorded a fxphDOD via skype with both John and a couple of other profs. - Rose and Tahl who are both in Chicago - before NAB.

Hey pass the word - we will be doing daily fxguide podcast from Vegas… should be huge ! We also have some interesting gossip on one of the big three As (Apple, Adobe or Autodesk) and more that will all be on Sunday nights podcast.

Mike

PS
Last night I went to the Emmy’s Entourage function - very cool - great actors, not the best organised event - but watch next week’s Ep - we got to see it and it is very very funny - especially if you like Ari !

So we are preparing for tomorrow’s shoot. We have all the Viper gear and Codex etc for the shoot. Around 2pm today the DOP and Director are coming in for a pre-production meeting - and to discuss the tests we will shoot - so that when the actual production rolls on the 28-29-30th there are no surprises.

Meanwhile we are working on lighting designs and tests for fxphd bkd for this term coming.
All the gear is being upgraded to HD - P2 cameras - new kinoflos, dolly tracks, etc etc… a heap of new stuff. We really want to improve the production values. Plus we have a few surprises coming around NAB and the week after

Mike

Well it is Easter in Sydney - the rest of the world may need a couple of hours to catch up !

So continuing our production blog.. I figured I would give you guys an insight into one day of pre-production for a major fxphd shoot.
So this was my Thursday !

Day starts 5AM
Start by answering forum questions and posting stuff for the new Zoic story on fxguide - since 5 am -Jeff is doing most of the work on the podcast -I just need to add images we finally got approved from FOX.
I got into the office around 9.15am at the Tech Penthouse with a very large latte. (BTW I really recommend the Zoic podcast - it is a cracker - really detailed - I may do a later blog on podcasts but today is on production).

John and I independently spend on average 2 hours a day answering questions in the forum and emails at the start of each day - due to time zones that means we do this hours apart and hopefully tag team.

At the office I needed to clean off the flame which was going out on a job - while I am at NAB - no biggy but archives had to be checked etc.

10AM I had a meeting with Angie our producer re the shoots on the whiteboard… I love whiteboards.. this was a long discussion as we have currently scheduled …
- The helcopter shoot for the day after Easter, and the day before I fly to NAB
- The stunt shoot for when I return
- A one day shoot for a film clip ( i can’t name the band yet) - but we fxphd can use the footage
- A new pilot shoot for the secret project (more at NAB)
- A web hook up shoot for a new project that may happen in late May
- Fxphd background fundamentals shoots for me to camera (with the new HD cameras and lights)
- and the Zombie shoot …

now just the last one - we had a shoot date for the three day shoot.. and this was fine,.. then we lost the Viper to a feature in QLD for 5 weeks - no problem - it only delayed our shoot a couple of weeks, as this would be partly when I was in the USA.. but then we discover our makeup effects guys have to fly to Europe for a shoot for 3 months. So go this date.. no camera, go this date no effects… riiiiiight. More on this later, cant solve this now - but circle it on the whiteboard - several times!

11am and we have to get the gear for Tuesday’s shoot as everyone is closed over Easter. We call to pick up the gear.. and discover the camera missed the courier last night out of Melbourne and will now not arrive until 1 hour AFTER the helcopter is scheduled to be finished on Tuesday.
An hour later and Debby - our marvously office manager in the Melbourne office has arranged for the Camera to be flown up Express same day delivery. Meanwhile Angie, our producer, has solved the DOP being at the shoot, issues like the needs of the camera assistant, and “oh the local council just declaring we cant fly the chopper low at the location”, - the same location Angie has just worked days to secure - mail box drop - film at, and block the road off at - so we can fly this chopper in low and fast without danger. Angie deals - she is brilliant.
Meanwhile Jimmy is picking up the Codex deck in my car and getting the pipe dolly built for the afternoons filming.

12 midday… and we have a meeting with a director and producer about a feature film, good meeting but it takes a couple of hours.

2pm I grab a sandwich, while Jimmy sets up the lights and the P2 for filming my next Background Fundamental intros. We only have an hour as we have a conference call at 3pm. We now film in HD for BKD and we are testing the new firewire option for the P2 camera - so we can avoid P2 cards. Jimmy has some issues - but this guy can work any machine - any piece of software, anyone ever made - he has an amazing talent for working our anything ! Jimmy get is to work, but I have now only 30 mins to record 22mins of dialogue. We dont even try the teleprompter.

3pm - We finish on time ! But the conference call is moved to 5pm.. I see this as a great a chance to solve the camera problems. With Angie and I working the phones we start solving problems. Problems such as the call Angie has had while I was filming to say the Viper will not fit in the nose mount of the helicopter (!) . A few calls to Queensland where the seriously helpful Andy is on location and we discover he has a solution - we just now need an SR deck that will work off 12V inside the Helicopter and 3m of cable - but finding a portable SR deck with 2 hours till close of business before Easter !!! Meanwhile Angie has done call sheets, solved council problems and solved a hundred other problems I did not know we even had…
I also sort out gear for the making of fxphd crew, since we need to film it and film us filming it… we always need two crews.
I solve, 4 x 12 v batteries, a video split, tripod, lens (we want to now shoot tests after the chopper shoot - to make sure we have the right gear for the main three day shoot - the one we still have no camera for.. (still on the list to be solved)). And BANG I solve the SR deck - thanks to an old friend. Fxphd is only possible due to the generousity of companies such as BroadCam, Panavision, Thompson and others. These companies are so helpful and so generous - that even with no notice, busy and slammed as they are themselves - they make time to help us out. I really love this industry.

4.30 Jimmy and I head out to get more gear, Jimmy calls around to find SR stock, we have run out in the office and with an 8am call time on Tuesday and Easter shutdown- we have 30 mins to find some
While we go and start meeting people and picking up a dozen or so camera boxes… Angie solves another 100 problems - she is brilliant at not letting anything phase her.. the secret to production if there is a secret - is to work with people who are not drama queens. People Like Angie and Jimmy just never scream, never get worked up - and just solve problems. One of these problems Angie solves is my conference call I am no longer around to have.

6pm and I have another meeting and solve our camera for the three day shoot !!! Whoaaa… phone our guys in QLD to let them know and wish them Happy Easter and fly back to the office to meet with Prof. Rose about her CS3 classes - which are looking great. I say goodbye as I will not see her until Vegas. I then met with Doug re FCP and record a podcast about the coming term. Jimmy will work back tonight to help Doug with recording his next FCP class and wait for the main camera.

7.30 No camera - Jimmy offers to wait - I head home to see my family. Mental note: buy Jimmy large amounts of beer to say thanks. I speak to the camera assistant bout gear and filtering tests, plus answer a few more emails quickly. I will met the DOP and the Camera assistant on Monday - at the office for a camera test before we go on location, if we can find the courier and our Camera… this is getting a tad serious.

9.45 - Get the call from Jimmy that the Camera has turned up ! Whooaaa we have a shoot.. Jimmy heads off, Rose and Doug stay on late into the night to finish their classes.

Wow what an amazing team of people - just could you get a better team ? No one complains - everyone is a professional - what a great day, what a great group of people.

Sleep.

6am Easter Good Friday … Jeff and John have been working overnight doing Lustre classes and publishing the Zoic story - excellent!)
…now I did promise to blog yesterday, bugger - oh well where to start ?

hit save and publish (I hope the readers dont mind there is no nice pic like John’s LA story

mike

Just wrapped up recording the last classes of the Lustre course last night with grader/artist Jeff Olm. Flew into LA yesterday morning and headed right on over to the Autodesk office to set up recording.

fxphd postgrad Ido dropped by to help out and was invaluable in getting the session done. It was great to meet in person, as he’s been a big help on phd (he did the new oil rig legs). As a bonus, he got to spend about an hour on a tricked out Lustre system. I gotta say…I was quite impressed at how quickly he got working on the system. I mean….of course I knew that Cedric could teach, but….
Jeff is doing work during the day in Hollywood on pilot, so he was kind enough to spend his evening with us. His background is broad — from visual effects, to grading in a film workflow, to grading on location — I think Lustre class members will find the interview interesting.

After some discussion in the fxphd forums we decided to go ahead and blog this term… so I will try and post here most days during the term… Let’s see if it works and if not - we can change direction !

Today is a Thursday - we have pre-production meetings about April 10th Helicopter Shoot for fxphd and I am going to film some intro pieces for the background fundamentals ep 00 for O week. We have the new lights and new camera organised - as well as a dolly and new post stuff - which should all be good.
We will also be getting the Viper to test ready for Tuesday - as we need it the day after Easter.
Organising the shoot is a huge deal - just getting road closures and everything is insane - but we wanted to get you guys some cool high res chopper footage to work with.
I am also trying to organise the stunt shoot - and another shoot I cant talk about until NAB, and a third shoot (or is that fourth) for a film clip thing for next term’s bkd. Oh and arrange podcasts for fxguide, fxphd and vfxshow - and of course deliver fxphd classes - for next term. So it is VERY busy here right now.

On the net I found this while researching a story on Fun Four 2: Silver Surfer - an upcoming story on fxguide… just too funny…

this from IMDB FAQ section
Q: I’ve seen the frame from the trailer where you can clearly see the Silver Surfer’s…um…’manhood’. Is that really Doug Jones’…um…you know?

A: No, the suit that Doug was wearing kept everything safely tucked in. The ‘manhood’ we see in all of 1-2 frames was a digital add in by someone in post, most likely someone from WETA. Whether or not this person still has a job is unknown.

Mike