CGTalk - LOTR - 'The Void' effect?

View Full Version : LOTR - 'The Void' effect?

mental

09-29-2003, 10:27 PM

heya, i just rewatched the Fellowship Of the Ring on DVD and i've been scratching my head over this particular effect (it also showed up in the newest Matrix trailer).

whenever Frodo puts on the ring he enters the Void where he and his surroundings have this flame like blur and warping effect applied. at first i figured that they rendered out several dynamic layers in a 3D and based the blur of several masked layers (frodo, the wraiths, foreground and background) off of that but the effect looks too intelligently applied to be that haphazardly done.

would anybody have a theory on how they achieved this effect or better yet know if this has been explained before?

thanks!
-mental :surprised

Oxide

09-29-2003, 11:54 PM

What was done in LOTR is I think explained in Cinefex issue #89
"The chilling wraithworld effect was characterized by high frequency streaking and whirling vortex images. To create the effect WD artists emitted 3d particle streams off of tracked 2d plates, then smeared them using in house software pluged into Shake"
That is the quick version...

raca

09-30-2003, 06:53 PM

Maybe Trapcode Shine will do the trick

hanasand

09-30-2003, 08:53 PM

*wee my first post*!

I heard different, if I remember right then they used shots of real flames to displace the background where Frodo is looking. So just import your clips into after effects (or whatever compositing software you use) and set the shot of fire as the displacement map. :)

mbxsi

10-01-2003, 07:35 AM

Originally posted by raca
Maybe Trapcode Shine will do the trick

oh please ;)

have you ever used trapcode shine...

hanasand

10-01-2003, 02:21 PM

I tested out the effect and used the shine effect in one layer before displacing it all with the fire clip.. turned out ok

mental

10-01-2003, 06:53 PM

thank you for all of your replies guys.

@Oxide: that's exactly what i was looking for ;) i'll see if i can hunt down that issue of Cinefex from a friend or i'll just order a back issue.

using the stock footage of fire effects sounds interesting. fortunately i have the luxury of using several 2d and 3d particle solutions so i think that i'll try and make it from scratch and follow the LOTR method as closely as possible.

thanks again!
-mental

fig

10-07-2003, 05:46 AM

hanasand is correct about them using flames to displace the footage, check out the extra dvd's for more info.

chris

arvid

10-07-2003, 08:49 AM

oxide is right as well ;) I've read that cinefex issue

CGTalk Moderation

01-16-2006, 05:00 AM

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.