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colintheys
03-12-2008, 08:25 AM
Hello all,

My first job out of college was to do the VFX for this ultra-low-budget horror/gore flick. We just got a trailer out this week and I'm curious to get some feedback on the FX work. I realize there are only short clips in the trailer, but there are 26 FX shots ranging from little things like the debris with the car going off the cliff/the spear through the face to full-on monster shots and I can't upload any clips not in the trailer.

WARNING: Contaings some (fake) graphic violence:
Flash: http://www.syntheticcinema.net/banshee/fango
Quicktime: http://www.syntheticcinema.net/trailer/bansheetrailer640x360web.mov
Quicktime HD: http://www.syntheticcinema.net/trailer/bansheetrailerHD.mov (http://www.syntheticcinema.net/trailer/bansheetrailer640x360web.mov)
Youtube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RrchgXSD62A

Select Shot Breakdowns:
QuicktimeHD: http://www.colintheys.com/files/banshee/bansheebreakdownsHD.mov
Youtube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PzXRlEspoP8

Car Crash:
Quicktime HD: http://www.syntheticcinema.com/banshee/carcrashfx.mov

This is a one-man digital FX show (I didn't do the makeup) with over 125 CGI shots (I did everything in this trailer but the title graphic,) so for me it has been as much about time management and efficiency as final quality. I try to keep up a pace of about two shots per day. That said, I'm looking for some honest feedback and suggestions for the future. I realize that this is hardly masterwork.

Also, I'm curious to know if this sort of work has any value in the FX field when looking for an entry level position. A demo reel of 85 mediocre shots seems like it's not super-desirable.

Thanks,
-Colin Theys
torresmedia
03-12-2008, 10:59 AM
Nice trailer! But as you said: It's way to quick to actully see your detailed work. Is it possible that you could make a movie with your best clips, and maybe break them down? :) Seems like som really good work (the little I saw) :)
colintheys
03-14-2008, 07:32 AM
Hi,

Well, I talked to my boss and got permission to post breakdowns of three of the monster shots that went out in the trailer. Here's a link.

Thanks for taking the time to look!
-Colin


http://www.colintheys.com/files/banshee/bansheebreakdownsHD.mov
colintheys
03-24-2008, 08:12 AM
breakdowns and trailer are now available on youtube. Quality is low, but hey, whatever it takes to get people to watch, right! Any critiques are very welcome...

Breakdowns: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PzXRlEspoP8
Trailer: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RrchgXSD62A
mistasam02
03-25-2008, 05:45 PM
Awesome!! :D Your movie is super campy to the max :applause: but the vfx look better than most stuff on the sci-fi channel. Looked like a fun project! Good job!
noizFACTORY
04-28-2008, 10:20 AM
Hey Colin,

Considering the budget and the one man show that you're handling, I have to say that its really good work. I felt the second shot was much better executed than the first one (from your fx breakdown video). The first one still doesn't look like its there yet. The creature (banshee I assume) doesn't integrate all that well with the live action plate yet. But maybe you're still working on that shot?

All the best!:thumbsup:
colintheys
04-30-2008, 06:42 AM
hehe. nope. I'm definitely not still working on it! Our schedule rarely affords the luxury of revisiting a shot (on purpose.) :D Color correction does make everything look a little better tho. But thanks for the kind words and I'd be curious to know what aspect in particular stands out as needing work for future reference. When I was working on it, I blew through the standard comp I set up and felt like something wasn't quite working, so I threw on a lens flare and called it done, which felt cheap, but got the people visiting our office to go "wow!" so I decided it was good enough and moved on to the next one. :) Any particular aspect that breaks the illusion for you more than the second shot?

Thanks!
-Colin
colintheys
05-05-2008, 10:38 PM
Hey everyone,

A new brief FX sequence I've been able to post. It's still a work in progress, but there's an awful lot of CG done to make this car 'crash' look as awesome as we could squeeze out of pushing a car down a hill. :) Literally. Assoc. Producer Bob Robertson pushed the car with his truck.

Quicktime HD: http://www.syntheticcinema.com/banshee/carcrashfx.mov

The title graphic was designed and rendered by J. Matthew Root (www.jmrart.com (http://www.jmrart.com))

The model of the car was created for the movie by Kyle Scheall and is now available on turbosquid: (http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/1968-plymouth-fury-3ds/399422)

Thanks,
-Colin
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