Computer Graphics with Photoshop - Industrial graphics

Author

Industrial graphics

ronviers@gmail.com

2007-02-19, 6:14 am

Hi,
What role does Photoshop play in the special effects used in a movie
like 'Ghost Rider'? I have only seen the trailers, and I suspect they
use specially rendered scenes for trailers, but it looks like they
have done a superior job of blending the effects into the background.
I just looked at 'Hulk'; I found the movie unwatchable even though it
has Jennifer Connelly in it, and found the effects blending to be
spectacularly bad - and this movie is not that old. It seems unlikely
that technicians would use PS to do frame by frame edits to finish a
scene. But I can see how they might use PS to create something like
bookend frames and some other software to do tween frames. I suppose
its possible that PS is not used at all but something like it would
have to be used and it doesn't seem reasonable that an effects company
would code another product when PS can be purchased for only 600usd -
which must be peanuts for Lucas.

Thanks,
Ron

ST.D.AL

2007-02-19, 6:15 pm

On 19 Feb 2007 00:46:52 -0800, ronviers@XXXXXXXXXX in comp.graphics.apps.photoshop wrote:
>Hi,
>What role does Photoshop play in the special effects used in a movie
>like 'Ghost Rider'? I have only seen the trailers, and I suspect they
>use specially rendered scenes for trailers, but it looks like they
>have done a superior job of blending the effects into the background.
>I just looked at 'Hulk'; I found the movie unwatchable even though it
>has Jennifer Connelly in it, and found the effects blending to be
>spectacularly bad - and this movie is not that old. It seems unlikely
>that technicians would use PS to do frame by frame edits to finish a
>scene. But I can see how they might use PS to create something like
>bookend frames and some other software to do tween frames. I suppose
>its possible that PS is not used at all but something like it would
>have to be used and it doesn't seem reasonable that an effects company
>would code another product when PS can be purchased for only 600usd -
>which must be peanuts for Lucas.

Photoshop is generally used for scene backgrounds (stuff that remains
static). The heavy lifting is done by motion designers (as opposed to
graphic designers) and CGI techs/designers. They generally work in 3d
applications like Autodesks Maya, Combustion/Shake etc.

ronviers@gmail.com

2007-02-19, 6:15 pm

On Feb 19, 11:07 am, "ST.D.AL" <marat...@linux.ca> wrote:

> Photoshop is generally used for scene backgrounds (stuff that remains
> static). The heavy lifting is done by motion designers (as opposed to
> graphic designers) and CGI techs/designers. They generally work in 3d
> applications like Autodesks Maya, Combustion/Shake etc.

I found that Caf=E9 FX does the special effects for 'Ghost Rider' (and
Pan's Labyrinth (which I have not see but looks good)) so I checked
their website to see what kind of people they are hiring and sure
enough right after Render Wrangler (whatever that is) was the a Senior
Level Character Rigger / Technical Director - Maya. So clearly Maya is
the thing to know. BTW, they made a point of mentioning that there are
5000 resumes in the queue, not that I had any illusions of working
there but it is disappointing that so many people so much more
qualified than I am are available for those positions. The amazing
thing is that a student version of Maya is available for only 341usd.
Not that that is cheap but cheaper than Photoshop.

Mike Russell

2007-02-19, 10:14 pm

<ronviers@XXXXXXXXXX> wrote in message
news:1171912935.272942.55210@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

[re working at cool places]

> BTW, they made a point of mentioning that there are
> 5000 resumes in the queue, not that I had any illusions of working
> there but it is disappointing that so many people so much more
> qualified than I am are available for those positions.
....
I used to work for one of those places: Lucasfilm. Most of the people there
are straight staffers - not brilliant at all but in there because they knew
someone who already worked there. Ignore the numbers. Personnel is a bunch
of drones. If you really want it, and keep at it, you can get in. I
started as a sysadmin and moved on to other projects.
--
Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com/forum/

ronviers@gmail.com

2007-02-19, 10:14 pm

On Feb 19, 5:30 pm, "Mike Russell" <RE-MOVEm...@Curvemeister.comRE-
MOVE> wrote:

> [re working at cool places]

> I used to work for one of those places: Lucasfilm. Most of the people there
> are straight staffers - not brilliant at all but in there because they knew
> someone who already worked there. Ignore the numbers. Personnel is a bunch
> of drones. If you really want it, and keep at it, you can get in. I
> started as a sysadmin and moved on to other projects.
> --
> Mike Russellwww.curvemeister.com/forum/

At some point I would like to be part of a serious but fun group,
where everyone works hard and pulls in the same direction, but I
realize how rare those opportunities are. I also know that, for me at
least, it is not about getting what I want but earning what I get.

Thanks for the support,
Ron