Advanced Production Update 16/03/23

 Advanced Production Update                                                                                                                     16/03/23

Figure 1: Pictish whale animation

I've just finished the first draft of the most difficult shot in my film so far, in terms of composition.  The effects of the video were not that hard to apply, despite the fact the CC light rays plugin seemed to be restricted to the borders of the composition, but the main challenge was getting the movement right.  Previously when I've had to create moving keyframes in my compositions, it's been relatively straightforward, as it was a case of moving the figure from Point A to Point B but with the Pictish whale effect, it's been a lot more challenging because I've had to use it on a panning shot where the priority is to keep the object more or less central.  This has also involved adding some three-dimensional movement where the object moves towards the camera to make it look larger in scale, and so far it's taken a lot of trial and error.  Whilst I can definitely say that the original live-action shot will not require any more reshooting considering it follows the rules set by the tutor, the draft shot will need a couple more takes to get a moving effect that feels right.  I suspect maybe using a null object will fix the problem of fluid movement, but there is nothing really in frame for a 3D motion tracker to latch onto and assist with.  

Figure 2: Pictish whale composite test

The shot itself is more or less OK because it's a sweeping shot, and is more interesting than the original handheld shot that only had a mild shake, albeit with some annoying glare from the sun.  There is also a wire on the end of the frame that I've used as a marker for a mask, and the trick to fix it is to time it more carefully with the flow of the shot, since the current version speeds up a bit towards the end.  I might need to speed up the animated footage slightly as well to make it the right speed, and to pick a motion path that is the right speed and the right flow.  This may well be the shot of the film that requires the most trial and error.