Aesthetic 3D Lighting: History, Theory, and Application delves into the history, the theory, and the practical and aesthetic application of lighting in the fine arts and 3D animation. In this book, animation industry veteran and lighting expert Lee Lanier examines the importance of lighting and its ability to communicate information to the viewer. Lee examines the history of lighting as applied to the fine arts, film, photography, and 3D animation. He discusses the use of light color, light location and direction, and light shadow types to recreate specific locations and to generate moods. He includes guides for successful lighting in 3D animation. Software-agnostic examples lead you through useful 3D lighting set-ups. Chapter-long case studies step you through more complex 3D lighting projects in Autodesk Maya. An accompanying eResource (www.routledge.com/9781138737570) features 3D model files, scene files, and texture bitmaps, allowing you to practice the discussed techniques in Autodesk Maya and many other 3D programs. The lighting techniques covered in this book include: History of lighting as used in the fine arts The scientific mechanisms of light Light types and light application in 3D programs Light qualities including shadows variations Basic and advanced 3D lighting approaches 1-, 2-, 3-point, naturalistic, and stylistic lighting techniques Replication of real-world lighting scenarios and locations Overview of advanced 3D lighting and rendering systems

The only guide to the art and technique of color correction based on the invaluable knowledge of more than a dozen of the top colorists in the world. This book allows you unprecedented access to the way the masters of the craft approach their work. Containing decades of industry experience and professional colorist know-how, this book provides an understanding of what top-tier colorists look for in an image and how they know what to do to make it great. Featuring techniques performed in a variety of color correction software applications (DaVinci Resolve, Apple Color, Synthetic Aperture's Color Finesse, and more), this book turns what has long been a misunderstood "black art" into a set of skills that any colorist, editor, independent filmmaker, or motion graphics artist can begin to master. Packed with explanations, tips, and concepts that build on each other, you will learn how to: * fix poorly exposed shots and shots with color casts * create looks * match shots * master primary and secondary color correction techniques * use color correction to advance a story This edition includes * Downloadable resources containing two hours of video tutorials using DaVinci Resolve, extended interview transcripts and color correction sessions with the professional colorists featured in the book * A brand new tutorial-based chapter, with companion project files on the downloadable resources, so you can work along with the text * New insight from additional professional colorists, including legendary colorists, Bob Festa, Stefan Sonnenfeld, and Pankaj Baipai, showing you the 'hows' and 'whys' of each grade

Although cinematographers are vital to the filmmaking process, they don't always get the recognition they deserve. Directors of cinematography often are responsible for the look of a film and its lasting impression on the viewer, but their skills are not as readily appreciated as those of directors or screenwriters. David A. Ellis had the privilege of meeting with a number of accomplished cinematographers to discuss their art and craft. In Conversation with Cinematographers features interviews with 21 directors of photography--as well as two notable camera operators--most of whom still work in film and television today. In this volume, readers are taken behind the scenes of some of the most successful films and shows of the last several decades. Interviewed in this book are: * Sue Gibson (Hear My Song, The Forsyte Saga) * Gavin Finney (Colditz, Mr Selfridge, Wolf Hall) * Oliver Stapleton (The Cider House Rules, State and Main, The Proposal) * Phil Meheux (The Fourth Protocol, Casino Royale) * Brian Tufano (Trainspotting, Billy Elliot, The Evacuees) * Clive Tickner (Traffik, The Puppet Masters, Inspector Morse) * Stephen Goldblatt (The Prince of Tides, Angels in America, The Help) * Seamus McGarvey (High Fidelity, Atonement, The Hours) * Peter MacDonald (Excalibur, Hamburger Hill, Rambo 3) * Mike Southon (Gothic, Doctor Who: The Hider in the House) * Rob Hardy (Every Secret Thing, Testament of Youth, Ex Machina) * Harvey Harrison (101 Dalmatians, The Expendables, Sahara) * Mike Valentine (Shakespeare in Love, Skyfall, The Bourne Ultimatum) * Robin Browne (Gandhi, A Passage to India, Air America) * Adam Suschitzky (Life on Mars, The Whisperers) * Ken Westbury (Dr. Fischer of Geneva, The Singing Detective) * Simon Kossoff (Young Charlie Chaplin, Client 9,The Daisy Chain) * Chris Seager (Call the Midwife, Game of Thrones) * David Worley (Quantum of Solace, Thor: The Dark World, The Full Monty) * Trevor Coop (Amadeus, Ballykissangel, Chocolat) * Haris Zambarloukos (Mama Mia, Cinderella, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) * Peter Hannan (The Gathering Storm, My House in Umbria, The Razor's Edge) * Roger Pratt (Shadowlands, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Batman) These cinematographers recount their experiences on sets and reveal what it was like to work with some of the most acclaimed directors of recent times, including Danny Boyle, Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, Lasse Hallstrom, David Lynch and Steven Spielberg. With valuable insight into the craft of moviemaking and featuring more than forty photos, this collection of interviews will appeal to film professors, scholars, and students, as well as anyone with an interest in the art of cinematography.

Enhance your animated features and shorts with this polished guide to channeling your vision and imagination from a former Disney animator and director. Learn how to become a strong visual storyteller through better use of color, volume, shape, shadow, and light - as well as discover how to tap into your imagination and refine your own personal vision. Francis Glebas, the director of Piglet's Big Day, guides you through the animation design process in a way that only years of expertise can provide. Discover how to create unique worlds and compelling characters as well as the difference between real-world and cartoon physics as Francis breaks down animated scenes to show you how and why to layout your animation.

David A. Ellis has interviewed some of the most influential and highly regarded cameramen of the last half century and more, and he has assembled these exchanges in Conversations with Cinematographers. While their names may not be known by the general public, these men and their work have left indelible imprints on the silver screen. Among those interviewed are several award-winning artists: * Douglas Slocombe (Kind Hearts and Coronets, Julia, Raiders of the Lost Ark) * Oswald Morris (The Guns of Navarone, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver!) * Christopher Challis (A Shot in the Dark, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Top Secret!) * Billy Williams (Women in Love, The Wind and the Lion, Gandhi) * Freddie Francis (Sons and Lovers, The Elephant Man, Glory) * Chris Menges (The Killing Fields, The Mission, The Reader) * John De Borman (The Full Monty, Hamlet, An Education) * Gilbert Taylor (Dr. Strangelove, A Hard Day's Night, Frenzy, Star Wars) * Jack Cardiff (Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, The African Queen) * Nicolas Roeg (Fahrenheit 451, Far from the Madding Crowd, Petulia) * Alex Thomson (Excalibur, Legend, Hamlet) * Walter Lassally (Tom Jones, Zorba the Greek, Heat and Dust) * Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire, The Last King of Scotland, 127 Hours) Along with several camera operators who were also interviewed, these cinematographers recount their experiences on sets and reveal what it was like to work with some of the most acclaimed directors of all time, including Alfred Hitchcock, Fred Zinnemann, Carol Reed, John Huston, David Lynch, and Steven Spielberg. With valuable insight into the craft of moviemaking, this collection of interviews will appeal to film professors, scholars, and students, as well as anyone with an interest in the art of cinematography.

Completely updated for current HD, UHD, 2K, and 4K workflows, Avid Editing blends the art and aesthetics of motion picture editing with technical, hands-on instruction. Appropriate for beginners and intermediate users who need to refresh their knowledge of essential post-production techniques, this fully revamped and full-color sixth edition is also an excellent tool for editors coming to Avid from other non-linear editing platforms. Topics covered include trimming, audio, effects, titles, color correction, customization, inputting, and outputting. A robust accompanying online eResource features professionally shot footage and Avid project files, allowing readers to work alongside the lessons taught in the book. The new edition covers: Avid Media Composer licensing choices Changes to the Avid user interface Basic and advanced visual effects Mastering Avid's audio tools Exploring Avid's Title Tool and NewBlue Titler Pro Understanding double-system sound techniques Syncing picture and sound files Understanding and applying LUTs The latest HD, UHD, 2K, and 4K Workflows

From a basic two-camera interview to an elaborate 26 camera HD concert film, this comprehensive guide presents a platform-agnostic approach to the essential techniques required to set up and edit a multi-camera project. Actual case studies are used to examine specific usages of multi-camera editing and include a variety of genres including concerts, talk shows, reality programming, sit-coms, documentaries for television, event videography and feature films. Other features include:

* Advanced multi-camera techniques and specialty work-flows are examined for tapeless & large scale productions with examples from network TV shows, corporate media projects, event videography, and feature films.

* New techniques for 3D projects, 2k/4k media management and color correction are revealed.

* Technical breakdowns analyze system requirements for monitoring, hard drives & RAIDs, RAM, codecs and computer platforms.

* Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro and several other software programs are detailed.

* Tables, charts, screen-grabs, photos, web-links, blogs, tech school lists and other resource tools for further study.

* Unique interviews with the 'Masters of Multi-Cam' including EMMY and academy award-winning directors and editors who share their project notes and give insight to award-winning techniques.

Table of Contents

Preparing for the Shoot; Shooting for Multi-Cam Projects; Timecode & Sync; Tapeless and Digital Acquisition; Avid; FCP; Premiere Pro; Preparing to Edit; Custom Settings; Editing Multi-Cam Projects; Working with Audio; Advanced Multi-Cam Techniques; Integrating Single Camera Elements; Finishing; Media Management; The Future of Multi-Camera Production

Following the first wave of stereo 3D film and TV content, there is a groundswell of opinion among those with 3D production expertise that if 3D is ever to be more than a novelty or "theme park" experience, the creative potential of the new format needs far greater exploration. Stereographers, who represent the key new role on set liasing between director and cinematographer, believe it is a key part of their business to inform and inspire directors and producers about the potential of 3D stereo. Here, leading directors, editors, and cinematographers of stereo 3D film and TV production argue persuasively that stereo 3D techniques should become a staple visual storytelling tool on a par with lighting, set design, or sound. They share their views on how this evolving set of technologies and filmmaking techniques can be used to create a new aesthetic and language for visual storytelling.

Projected-image art occupies an increasingly important place in the contemporary art-world. But does the projected image have its own specificity, beyond the histories of experimental film and video on the one hand, and installation art on the other? What is a projected image, and what is the history of projected-image art? These questions and others are explored in this thoughtful collection of nine essays by leading international scholars of film and projected-image art. Clearly structured in three sections - 'Histories', 'Screen', 'Space' - the book argues for recognition of the projected image as a distinctive category in contemporary art, which demands new critical and theoretical approaches. The contributors explore a range of interpretive perspectives, offering new insights into the work of artists including Michael Snow, Carolee Schneemann, Pipilotti Rist, Stan Douglas, Gillian Wearing, Tacita Dean, Jane and Louise Wilson, amongst others. The Introduction supplies a concise summary of the history of projected-image art and its interpretation, and there is a focus throughout the book on detailed analysis of individual artworks. -- .

Matchmoving has become a standard visual effects procedure for almost every situation where live action materials and CG get combined. It allows virtual and real scenes that have been composited together to seamlessly appear as though they are from the same perspective. This authoritative step-by-step guide from one of the best matchmovers in the business allows you to master this technique that has been called the foundation upon which all VFX work stands. Author Erica Hornung (sr. matchmover for Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Matrix: Revolutions, and more) imparts her techniques, tips, and wisdom from the trenches that will have you matchmoving like a true professional in no time. Lessons in the most popular matchmoving software (Maya, Boujou, and others) are included, as well as tips and techniques for surveying on set, dolly moves, and operating nodal cameras. Individual chapters dedicated to object and character matchmoves show you how to matchmove for shadow casting, adding weapons and other objects, focusing on center of gravity, as well as complete CG character support. The downloadable resources include Quicktime examples of techniques shown in the book, as well as project files that allow you to master these techniques yourself by working alongside the lessons featured in the text.

On January 10, 1999, a mobster walked into a psychiatrist's office and changed TV history. By shattering preconceptions about the kinds of stories the medium should tell, The Sopranoslaunched our current age of prestige television, paving the way for such giants as Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones. As TV critics for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, New Jersey's The Star-Ledger, Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz were among the first to write about the series before it became a cultural phenomenon. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show's debut, Sepinwall and Seitz have reunited to produce The Sopranos Sessions, a collection of recaps, conversations, and critical essays covering every episode. Featuring a series of new long-form interviews with series creator David Chase, as well as selections from the authors' archival writing on the series, The Sopranos Sessions explores the show's artistry, themes, and legacy, examining its portrayal of Italian Americans, its graphic depictions of violence, and its deep connections to other cinematic and television classics.

Recounts the life of two-time Academy Award winner, Ralph E. Winters, whose career spanned two-thirds of the 20th century. Drawing from his own ascent through MGM studio system, Winters guides the reader through a history of American film editing, beginning with its earliest days when film was torn by hand. An essential, entertaining nuts-and-bolts look at the mechanics of editing, as well as Hollywood life alongside such luminaries as Billy Wilder, Sam Zimbalist, and Blake Edwards-a must have for film buffs and moviegoers alike.

This volume is dedicated to the phenomenon of staged photography, the trend that has revolutionised the photographic language since the 1980s. Through over 100 works, the catalogue tells how photography was able to reach the heights of fantasy and invention between the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st-century, previously almost exclusively entrusted to cinema and painting. Goldfish invading bedrooms, icefalls in the desert, imaginary cities, Marilyn Monroe and Lady D shopping together: all of this can happen thanks to veritable stages set up in order to build a parallel reality, or thanks to new technologies and, in particular, through the increasingly sophisticated use of Photoshop, released in 1990. Photography, the realm of documentation and (presumed) objectivity becomes the realm of fantasy, invention and subjectivity, completing the last decisive evolution of its history. Works by: Jeff Wall, Cindy Sherman, James Casebere, Sandy Skoglund, Yasumasa Morimura, Laurie Simmons, David Lachapelle, Bernard Faucon, Eileen Cowin, Bruce Charlesworth, David Levinthal, Paolo Ventura, Lori Nix, Miwa Yanagi, Alison Jackson, Julia Fullerton Batten, Jung Yeondoo, Jiang Pengyi. Text in English and Italian.

First Cut offers an opportunity to learn what film editing really is, and to learn from the source. Gabriella Oldham's interviews with twenty-three award-winning film editors give a full picture of the complex art and craft of editing a film. Filled with animated anecdotes and detailed examples, and updated with a new preface, this book provides a comprehensive treatment of both documentary and feature film editing.

Color and Mastering for Digital Cinema explores the implications for motion picture post production processes and changes required to the supporting equipment and software. While a new concept to the motion picture community, the selection of the wide gamut, output-referred XYZ color space for digital cinema distribution is based on decades of color science and experience in other industries. The rationale for choosing XYZ and the other color encoding parameters is explained and the book also provides a full case study of the development of DLP Cinema(R) projectors by Texas Instruments. Finally, this book explores how the XYZ color encoding concept can be extended to support enhanced display technologies in the future.
This book contains:
* Brilliant 4-color illustrations that compliment the color science explanations
* Never before published industry information from author Glenn Kennel, a world leader in digital cinema color technology
* Descriptions of key issues and background on decisions that were made in the standardization process
By Glenn Kennel, Glenn Kennel is VP/GM of Feature Film Services at Laser Pacific Media Corporation, a leading provider of a full range of post production services for television and feature film. Recently, he worked for the DLP Cinema group of Texas Instruments in a role that included technology and business development. Previously, in a twenty year career with Kodak, he led the development of the Cineon digital film scanners and laser recorders and the prototype HDTV telecine that became the Spirit Datacine. As a consultant, he helped DCI draft the technical specifications for digital cinema. Kennel also chairs the SMPTE DC28 Colorad hoc group and the DC28.20 Distribution working group. He is a SMPTE Fellow and has received the SMPTE Journal Award. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
* Brilliant 4-color illustrations compliment the color science explanations
* Never before published industry information from author Glenn Kennel, a world leader in digital cinema color technology
* This book describes the key issues and provides background on decisions that were made in the standardization process

THE ADVANCED DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER'S WORKBOOK is packed full of real-world yet incredibly practical and effective solutions to move digital photographers to a new level of performance. Contributors include twelve world-class professional digital photographers who share their tips and tricks. The authors provide details to move you beyond the basics of capture, processing and output to more sophisticated workflow functions and techniques that will help you create world-class images. They cover rigorous yet easy-to-understand approaches to: capture a great image in black-and-white and color, correct color, calibrate and set up systems properly, creatively manipulate and enhance the image, and produce an excellent print or output of the image. Contributors: Steve Anchell, Stephen Burns, Yvonne Butler, Eric Cheng, Joe Farace, Lou Jones, Rick Sammon, George Schaub, Jeremy Sutton, Tony Sweet, Taz Tally, Eddie Tapp

High end digital cinematography can truly challenge the film camera in many of the technical, artistic and emotional aspects of what we think of as 'cinematography'. This book is a guide for practising and aspiring cinematographers and DOPs to digital cinematography essentials - from how to use the cameras to the rapidly emerging world of High Definition cinematography and 24p technology.

This book covers the on-the-set' knowledge you need to know - its emphasis lies in practical application, rather than descriptions of technologies, so that in this book you will find usable tools' and information to help you get the job done. From getting the look' to lighting styles and ratios, what is needed for different types of shoots and the technical preparation required, this is a complete reference to the knowledge and skills required to shoot high end digital films. The book also features a guide to the Sony DVW in-camera menus - showing how to set them up and how they work - a
device to save you time and frustration on set.
Paul Wheeler is a renowned cinematographer/director of photography and trainer, he runs courses on Digital Cinematography at the National Film & Television School and has lectured on the Royal College of Art's MA course and at The London International Film School. He has been twice nominated by BAFTA for a Best Cinematography award and also twice been the winner of the INDIE award for Best Digital Cinematography.
THE first step-by-step guide to high end digital camerawork
Keep up to date with the very latest technology
A practical on-the-set' guide that helps you get your job done

Digital Filmmaking has been called the bible for professional filmmakers in the digital age. It details all of the procedural, creative, and technical aspects of pre-production, production, and post-production within a digital filmmaking environment. It examines the new digital methods and techniques that are redefining the filmmaking process, and how the evolution into digital filmmaking can be used to achieve greater creative flexibility as well as cost and time savings. The second edition includes updates and new information, including four new chapters that examine key topics like digital television and high definition television,making films using digital video, 24 P and universal mastering, and digital film projection. Digital Filmmaking provides a clear overview of the traditional filmmaking process, then goes on to illuminate the ways in which new methods can accomplish old tasks. It explains vital concepts, including digitization, compression, digital compositing, nonlinear editing, and on-set digital production and relates traditional film production and editing processes to those of digital techniques. Various filmmakers discuss their use of digital techniques to enhance the creative process in the "Industry Viewpoints" sections in each chapter .

The beginning of the author's adventure with a camera - filming wildlife across the world for the BBC Natural History Unit and other major TV companies - began in 1978 when he joined the RSPB's film unit. Untangling the Knot gives an in-depth look into what is involved in capturing the sequences needed for a natural history film, using comprehensive diaries and over 200 photographs. Mike describes the stresses of international flying with 20 cases of film equipment, sometimes alone, to distant corners of the world. The hardships of living and working for weeks in remote regions, avoiding tropical diseases, the onslaught of forest insects, long hours of waiting from dawn to dusk, and of frustration and disappointment when the elements or circumstances conspired against him. There are times of great elation too, when animal behaviour never seen before is captured on film. Working with top biologists and highly-experienced pilots was an essential partnership in understanding the subject to be filmed, often in remote regions where the challenge was reaching the subject in rainforest canopies, on remote islands or in featureless arctic tundra. In a career spanning 35 years, several of the programmes in which he was involved have won major awards. He describes filming Attenborough in Paradise in New Guinea with Sir David Attenborough as a career highlight, where he filmed behaviour of Birds of Paradise that had never been seen before. His last programme, Jewelled Messengers was the fulfilment of an ambition to make the ultimate film on hummingbirds with producer Paul Reddish, using the latest high-speed, high-definition cameras, and which was shot mainly in Brazil and Ecuador. The story concludes when he realizes his dream of visiting the Ross Sea region of the Antarctic. Mike considers himself lucky to have worked in so many spectacular regions of the world and this book enables readers to travel with him and share his incredible experiences.

Filmmaking is an art, but, like so many art forms, there are basic underlying tools and techniques and a body theoretical knowledge that must be understood and mastered before artistic expression can flourish. This book is an invaluable resource for all aspiring DoPs.
Practical Cinematography can be dipped into for quick reference - perhaps to answer a specific question or deal with practical problems relating to a shoot - or read from cover to cover. It discusses the principles of cinematography and the expertise which is unique to the Director of Photography (DoP). It deals with all the basic theory such as color temperature and sensitometry, and all the practical things a DoP needs to know, from the make-up of the crew to how to prepare an equipment list.
* An accessible introduction to the principles of cinematography written by an award winning cinematographer
* Illustrated with 150+ images
* Includes a new section on DV

From the Renaissance on, a new concept of the frame becomes crucial to a range of artistic media, which in turn are organized around and fascinated by this frame. The frame decontextualizes, cutting everything that is within it from the continuity of the world and creating a realm we understand as the realm of fiction. The modern theatrical stage, framed paintings, the novel, the cinematic screen-all present us with such framed-off zones. Naturally, the frame creates a separation between inside and out. But, as this book argues, what is outside the frame, what is offstage, or off screen, remains particularly mysterious. It constitutes the primary enigma of the work of art in the modern age. It is to the historical and conceptual significance of this "off" that this book is dedicated. By focusing on what is outside the frame of a work of art, it offers a comprehensive theory of film, a concise history of American cinema from D.W. Griffith to Quentin Tarantino, and a reflection on the place and significance of film within the arts of modernity in general.

Provincializing Bollywood argues that Bhojpuri cinema exemplifies the overflow of a provincial derivative form that defies its place in the given scheme of things. Situating it at the intersection of vernacular media production and the infrastructural-political reordering of provincial north India, the book shows that Bhojpuri media's characteristic 'disobedience' is marked by a libidinal excess - simultaneously scandalizing and moralizing - to address the inexact calculi of Bhojpuri speaking region's'underdevelopment'. Bhojpuri media therefore demands that it is assessed not merely for its internal content but within the comparative media crucible, marked by interpenetrating forms and histories as diverse as those of ecological distress, musical traditions, gendered segregation, real estate, urban resettlements, and highway modernities. Foregrounding the libidinal excess, language politics, and curatorial informalities, Provincializing Bollywood synthesizes Bhojpuri media's spectacular public insubordination and its invocation of a shared debt, which is by no means regional in its provenance.

Sound for Film and Television, Third Edition provides a thorough introduction to the fascinating field of recording, editing, mixing, and exhibiting film and television sound. It strikes a fine balance between aesthetic and technical content, combining theory and practice to approach sound as both an art and a science. This new edition has been completely updated to reflect the latest advances in HD technology, new hardware and software systems, new distribution methods, wireless sound capture, and more. Also, analog-related content has been reduced and transferred to the chapters covering historical techniques. Sections on troubleshooting and FAQs have been added to help you avoid common pitfalls in sound production.

Written by one of Hollywood's leading sound experts, Sound for Film and Television provides a solid grounding in all aspects of the sound process. Basic principles are presented with illustrations demonstrating how they affect the day-to-day activities on a film or television set, in the editing room, and in the mix room.

The accompanying audio downloadable resources contain more than 50 tracks that demonstrate practical, real-world examples of key concepts presented in the book.

A companion Web site provides further resources and information:

www.focalpress.com/cw/holman-9780240813301/

Please use the access code located in the beginning of the book to register for access to the Web site.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Third Edition

Introduction

Chapter 1 Objective Sound

Chapter 2 Psychoacoustics

Chapter 3 Audio Fundamentals

Chapter 4 Capturing Sound

Chapter 5 Microphone Technicalities

Chapter 6 Handling the Output of Microphones

Chapter 7 Production Sound Mixing

Chapter 8 Sync, Sank, Sunk

Chapter 9 Transfers

Chapter 10 Sound Design

Chapter 11 Editing

Chapter 12 Mixing

Chapter 13 From Print Masters to Exploitation

Appendix I Working with Decibels

Appendix II Filmography

Appendix III The Eleven Commandments of Film Sound

Appendix IV Bibliography

Glossary

Index

About the Author

The Companion Website

Instructions for the Accompanying DVD

Visual effects cinematography is the art of creating special effects during a film or video shoot using camerawork, optical illusions, and miniatures to create realistic-looking effects. Filming the Fantastic reveals the secrets of achieving these effects to filmmakers on a modest budget. Many effects are now created in postproduction (after the shoot) and require incredibly expensive workstations and 3D animation software that are beyond the reach of independent filmmakers. With this book, filmmakers are empowered to create professional effects during the shoot for little money. Sawicki teaches filmmakers to invent solutions and use their ingenuity to get it right the first time so they don't have to "fix it in post," a notoriously expensive and time-consuming process that derails many movies. The book has been updated from start to finish, including new technology, even more inside secrets, HD, even more step-by-step illustrations, and more user-friendly advice from inside the trenches. A website features step-by-step features with raw footage and backgrounds, a compilation, and several lectures given by the author. Readers learn how to effectively photograph and create miniatures, matte paintings, green screen setups, crowd replication, digital rear projection, replicate props, models, fire, smoke, floods, and explosions, and so much more -- all to create elements that will composite together flawlessly.