Acquiring some VFX skills is a natural path for most people who are currently using all the great tools we have today for video/film production and editing. The technology has matured to the point where we (the average single graphics guy or gal) use it almost on a daily basis.
Make it Polycount
As a 3D lover I am also a regular frequenter of Polycount. Some of you out there will no doubt already be familiar with this site, but for those that aren’t – it’s a community of pros and hobbyists that specialise in creating 3D for videogames, and it is always brimming with infatuating content.
VFX on your tablet!
Cinefex, the long standing centre of behind the scenes VFX information is now finally available on the iPad and online, check out the free copy of issue 127.
Tuesday Tips & Tricks!
What’s up guys, Ash here, welcome to the first episode of Escape Studios Tips' and Tricks video series!
Guess Who?
Although we can’t unveil the name of the top secret industry speaker at our next Academy Tour (on the 6th of March) I insisted that we dispatch a couple of ‘Guess Who?’ Q&A’s to get your minds racing, exciting!
We're going through ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...
If you're a regular through our doors then you might have noticed a few changes. Here at Escape HQ we've been busy building, painting, schlepping, and revamping our office area, studios and break out space for a new and rather fresh look. There's still quite a few bits and bobs to do but here's a look at what we were then and what we are now...
Make 2013 your own! New course dates launched
2013 is set to be a massive year for film, (take a look at our recent blog post to see what cinematic delights we’re yet to sink out teeth into) so why not make it a massive year in film for you too?
Behind the scenes at Cinesite - See you there?
Hoth in your front room.
This rather charismatic chap called Barry has made his very own diorama model of the battle sequence on ice planet Hoth, from the Empire Strikes Back.
Escape this Summer
While the days are cold, the nights are long, and we’ve seen the back of Christmas and New Year festivities, at one point or another, we all find ourselves daydreaming about the return of the summer sun. The smell of sun cream, the call of the beach, and the excuse to whack on a pair of shades, making ourselves look AT LEAST 20% cooler, is but a dream away at this, the tail end of January.
Total Rigging in Total Recall: Webinar
On 7th of February 2013, Escape HQ will be welcoming Jakub Krompolc, who is head of rigging at London’s Prime Focus world.
CVMP 2012 - Reflections (and Refractions)...Part Two!
So we shall pick up from where we left off in my previous blog, Reflections (and Refractions) from CVMP 2012 part one.
Kicking off 2013 with Head of 3D at Framestore Commercials, Diarmid Harrison Murray.
To see in the New Year in style, we have a number of events planned for January 2013, the jewel in this stone clad crown of a month though, is a live interview with escapee and head of 3D at Framestore Commercials, Diarmid Harrison Murray.
VFX - want to see how it's really done?
Fancy taking a peak behind the VFX scenes at Framestore's cinema? Framestore are one of the biggest post houses operating on Soho (London's VFX Hub...) today. They've worked on everything from The Golden Compass to Avatar to the Skyfall titles). We're conducting our last Open Day of the year there next Wednesday and we're rather excited about it!
Python Tips & Tricks from a NUKE Master; Recording Now Available!
Last Monday, November 19th, we ran a very popular webinar with Victor Perez, a master when it comes to using Python inside NUKE. A whopping ninety nine people attended this live webinar to hear what Victor had to share, and we’ve had an incredible number of requests from people who couldn’t attend to share the webinar recording. For us, this interest has been very encouraging, and we look forward to bringing you more webinars like this.
November’s Free Tutorial: Confessions of a Junior Compositor
How does someone go about getting a Junior Compositor role at an international VFX studio like The Mill? Well in this month’s tutorial Simon Richardson reveals how it all started for him. From experimenting with Adobe’s After Effects at University, Simon was introduced to basic keying techniques in a layer based system. And this was when the seed was planted that would flourish into him conquering NUKE, and working at one of the top VFX studios in the world.
The Foundry Demos November
In August we let you know that The Foundry would be holding a selection of online demos for NUKE, MARI, KATANA and HIERO, which were so darn successful that we are pleased to announce their return.
October’s FREE Tutorial: Bring a Photo to Life with Camera Mapping
This month’s free tutorial is a sneak peak of a workshop presented at the VIEW conference in Turin, Italy. Earlier this month one of our VFX tutors, Daniel Shutt, led a 6-hour workshop to demonstrate camera mapping, transforming a still photograph into a photo realistic animated shot. A technique used in film, commercials and broadcast television, it’s now time to apply this process to your own projects.
September’s Free Tutorial: "Hellboy" Inspired Maya Animation
For those of you looking to get more adventurous in Maya, September’s free tutorial is a must see. This is the perfect opportunity to spice up your showreel with something a little different, while learning a diverse range of new skills in the process.