VFX/CGI POST-PRODUCTION
When the last lamp on the set shuts down and the material is already pre-edited, can you finally tear your forehead, finisz your job and hand over the work to the colorists? Unfortunately, practice teaches us that this will only happen if the overall design looks perfect and there are no elements to imrpove. In 99% of cases however, it turns out that not all shots meet our expectations and before the production starts futher, some of them needs to be imprpoved…
Before we go any further, it is important to explain the differences between CGI and VFX, as these concepts are often confused with each other. CGI is simply short for Computer Generated Imagery. VFX (Visual Effects) are special effects. The difference between them is that CGIs are characters, plants, worlds and othereffects used in post-production, e.g. keying, matte painting or removing elements from the background. VFX can also consist of various CGI components, e.g. when you insert a digitally generated character into a pre-recorded shot.
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If the director assumes that the film will feature scenes that will require the use of special effects, he must start working for these effects during the production. Predictability and planning will play a key role in further work. For example, the character we want to cut out will be recorded on the green screen + the same shot with the same camera angle but without that character and the green screen behind it should be recorded. In places where VFX or CGI elements are to appear, it is worth sticking the so-called trackers (how such tracker looks like, you can see HERE). The tracker can also be a regular sticker contrasting with the object on which it will be applied. Trackers help to integrate new element sinto the movie. It is very important to think Ahead, because it makes it easier for the effects specialists to work and thus the price for their service will be lower, the progres will be faster and the end result will be better. Therefore, we encourage you to carefully manage the script, storyboard and film set. However we realize that even the best of them will slip up sometimes. In such cases, today’s technology comes in handy, thanks to which almost all materials can be saved, so keep your heads up.
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We encourage you to get fammiliar with our VFX/CGI offer:
chroma key
Keying is one of the most popular mothods of cutting out the objects from the backgound. It is used when the character was shot on the green/blue screen – green or blue background.To correctly key the character you have to take care not only of good lighting of the character (which is compatible with the lighting of the future scene), but also good sight of green screen. An Important aspect is also to pay attention to the fact that it does not accidentally reflect the surroundings. The camera and the resolution that we will make the film will also be important. Most accurateky, this task will be performer on a material with a high color depth, e.g. 10-bit instead of 8-bit or on RAW files. This does not mean however, that only such films will be appropriate for it. With adequate lighting, all recordings should be sufficient for proper keying. If there is camera movement in the key scene, appropriate trackers should be sticked to the greens screen before recording it. Trackers are very helpful when you paste a new background which has to follow the movements of the camera. When the green screen does not cover the entire frame, there is nothing to worry about. It is enough that the character on it does not go beyond its borders. The rest of the background is cut out with the help of masks.
The cost of keying the material will depend on:
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Quality of the record and green screen visibility
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The length of the shot
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Camera movements in the event of a later background addition and whether trackers were used for this purpose
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The subject does not go beyond the background
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In estimation the prices are looking as follows:
Keying – from 50 $
Keying in difficult conditions, e.g. bad background ighting – from 100 $
Incorporating the keyed object into the background – from 100 $
Incorporating the keyed object into the background, with the camera movements – from 200 $
ROTOSCOPY
As with keying, rotoscopy is a method of removing characters from the background. It is used when, for various reasons, it was impossible to use the green / blue screen. In the case of rotoscopy, we do not need to use a green background as the figure is cut out with masks. Rotoscopy offers more possibilities, but is much more time-consuming. Performing a rotoscopy will be more difficult the more details there are in the background. Rotoscopy will also prove to be irreplaceable in the case of keying when the character goes beyond the green screen. The higher the resolution of the source material, the more accurate rotoscopy can be performed. RAW or 10-bit files will also affect its detail, but in practice the differences between them and the 8-bit codec will be small.
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The costs of rotoscopy will depend on:
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Duration of shot
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Quality of the record
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Camera movements in the event of a later background addition and whether trackers were used for this purpose
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In estimation the prices are looking as follows:
Rotoscory – from 100 $Å‚ for one second of cutting out
Incorporating the excluded object into the background – from 100 $
Incorporating the excluded object into the background, with the camera movements – from 200 $
REMOVAL OF ELEMENTS, NOISE REDUCTION, STABILIZATION AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
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The apperance of the recording can be imrpoved by using noise reduction, stabilization, color correction, elimination of burnouts or by removing objects from the background. Thile these treatments are a fairly easy taks in the case of photography, in the case of living image, the task becomes more difficult. Trackers, birds, people, street lamps, ugly infrastructure, power lines, advertisements, cars, as well as details on the face such as moles and wrinkles. All these defects make our scene imperfect and it could be so. We offer beutifying shots by removing unwanted elements form them.
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The costs of improvement of shots will depend on:
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Duration of shot
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Quality of the record
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Camera movements and the objects covering the object designed to cut out.
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In estimation the prices are looking as follows:
Leveling or eliminating noise in the recording – from 50 $
Stabilization of the shot – from 30 $
Eliminating burnouts – from 200 $
Removing an element from the stage – from 100 $
Replacing the car registration plate with another – from 150 $
ADDING OF THE 2D/3D OBJECTS
Sometimes instead of removing objects, you have to add them to the material, for example to incorporate a tree, building or people. Pasting in additional elements can liven up our scene or simply enrich it with something that could not be recorded on a film set, e.g. a medieval castle or a fog. While special measures will not be necessary when inserting a road sign, when landing an UFO, interaction with the environment will turn out to be crucial in achieving a realistic effect. It involves many variables, such as the angle and intensity of light, movements of dust and plants, cracks, reflections of the surroundings and others. An explosion will demolish the infrastructure around it and missles hitting the wall should puncture and crush it. The production of an apparently simple effect may turn out to be very complicated proces, starting from 3D modeling, lighting, animation, interaction with the environment and its place in the composition. The more work has to be done, the longer the production time will be and the cost of the production will be higher. A very important aspect is carrying out the work according to scenario, because any changes introduced during or after the production of the effect may turn out to be expensive and difficult to implement. Considering the level of complexity, even the smallest feagment designated for change can break the basis of the entire project. To avoid this, you need a detailed scenario or storyboard that will specifically outline where the objects should appear, how they should look and what should they do. For our part, we provide the client with a real-time preview of the work progress. For example, at the beginning we will send the object animation for approval, then its position in relations to the scene, interaction with the environment, lighting and a ready composition. This approach will allow for possible changes to be made at a specific stage of the work, before they go any further, which will result in saving time and money.
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The costs of adding the objects to the scene will depend on:
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The type and number of objects added to the scene
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Interaction of objects with the environment
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Length of the shot
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Camera movements and elements in the recording that the should cover the added object
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In estimation the prices are looking as follows:
Adding a 2D object – from 100 $
Adding a 3D object – from 300 $
Adding a 2D object with integration into the surroundings – from 400 $
Adding a 3D object with integration into the surroundings – from 800 $
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matte painting
When we go out into the world in search of new, fascinating film locations, we quickly realize how overwhelming this task is. Sutiable sceneries are usually hundreds of kilometers away from us and the lack of time and resources will not allow us to reach them. So we compomise and record the material in less attractive places. This does not mean however, that in the end they will look the same as on the day when camera captured them. They can change beyond recognition, thanks to the use of matte painting. Matte painting basically means composing a scene from different elements. It consists in removing, replacing and adding to the recorded shot new details, the sky, areas, buildings, people, plants, animals, etc. Matte painting gives you unlimited possibilities in creating new images, without having to leave in search of the perfect recording plan.
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The costs of matte painting depend on:
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The type and the quantity of added objects
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Interaction of objects with the environment
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Length of the shot
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Camera movements and elements in the recording that the should cover the added object
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In estimation the prices are looking as follows:
Matte painting – from 100 $
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3D ENVIRONMENT
Sometimes even matte painting may not be enough to make a scene come true. Especially if the action takes place, for example, on Mars. In such cases, everything is generated with the help of a computer. A digitally created environment has many advantages. For example, you can interfere with them freely, move around in it, and all added elements will remain consistent with the environment. In addition, generating such a world is not limited by anything, you can also create a scene on the water, in space or on another planet. Pasting characters and elements similar to those added in matte painting is also possible in this case. The only downside to digitally generated environments is the price that includes the cost of purchasing or building often expensive 3D models.
To avoid corrections, you will need a detailed script or storyboard. Also here, we provide the client's insight into the various stages of work.
The costs of creating an 3D environment will depend on:
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The type and the quantity of added objects
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Interaction of objects with the environment
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Length of the shot
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Modeling or suitable models
In estimation the prices are looking as follows:
Matte painting – from 100 $
To find out about the price range, please fill the FORM at the bottom of the page.
3D environment – from 700 $
3D environment + adding a character from green screen– from 1200 $
3D environment + adding an 3D object– from 1700 $
To find out about the price range, please fill the FORM at the bottom of the page.
