Hi, Grant Freckelton
This is Walid from Libya working in this field (CGI) since 1994, trying my best to learn from the best.
Its wonderfull work very nice movie just one Quz whats the Applications and the platforms that uesed in this film ( plz dont till me its a top secret)
thanx and i am so glad that i am asking you.
Walid Al Zayani
3d-2d Graphics Designer, Animator & VFX Maker
Thanks for the answers. I saw the movie yesterday in the pre-premiére. I didnt know what I was going to see in the cinema, just knew the headline “300”. Just after 10 minutes of the film I told my friend that:" Hey, it’s all about the special effects! Just my intrest". About the movie, the story was weak and too much action can be tiresome for some audience…anyway thats not the case. The artwork in this movie was great! I loved the glossy eyes and scene with oracle - truly beautiful how magic comes real! 
And those colours! Inspirational. One thing disturbed me tho. How the blood erupted from the bodies, slow motion or not, it more felt like some mush not liquid…I havn’t seen the comics tho, maybe it was a must be. Could have been different solutions maybe, this and that and maybe even ON the camera like in “Braveheart”. Good work, the worlds next step in quality.
Hi Mr.Grant, first of all great job on the visuals! I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I will as soon as it’s out in the theaters here in Jordan.
my Q:
I really liked the story of how you got imployed… by the net I mean. Is it a usual path for artists or is it just a gamble?
And another thing, is it possible for someone who didn’t study visual effects or art in a school ( say a computer student ) to work as an artist for a big studio if he had the talent? and self taught?
Thanks
I want to watch “300”, great work ! :bounce:
I love many works by Animal Logic 
Congra Grant Freckelton !
Thanks Mr. Freckelton for your answers and insight! One day I hope my portfolio will be good enough to meet industry standards and, like you suggested to us here, shop it around like crazy.
I did more searches on the VFX of 300 and found this article and video. Mods, if these links don’t belong in this thread feel free to move them wherever necessary:
http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/profiles/300/index.php
http://www.studiodaily.com/main/technique/tprojects/7812.html
Thank you Grant, this helps a lot. Never knew so many Artists worked on visualising the film before the scenes were created.
Hi Grant i dont want to ask you something i want to tell you that the VFX in the film where Great, and i would love to see you making more VFX for films, a tiny question would be:
what year you started making vfx not for films, i mean your very beggining when was it, thanks.
Hi Grant, Excelent work! just saw the movie… seeing a movie like that is really inspiring me as an artist.
Thanks Grant for a really great work, i hope it will give many artists desire to do more excelent works or at least it gives me one…
Just one quick question, can you tell us a bit the process for the fighting scenes, especially the first one when leonidas showing off his fighting skills and changing weapon from spear to sword(this scene is not from the comic). The scene is sureal but realistic at the same time. Thanks
I think 300 is so well done it will become a barometer for judging other cgi pieces…Good job Grant! This film will win every possible award, no doubt.
I had a couple of questions regarding the production cycle.
How did the CGI needs affect directing the actors? Were there times where things had to be reshot to accomodate these needs, or was compositing in this case more of a reaction to the recieved footage?
I was also curious about the post-process in terms of discovery. Were there things you stumbled upon, or found out new looks/concepts in post that you hadn’t planned for? If so, how did they come about?
Thanks again for creating such a work of art that also happens to be a film!
Hi Grant,
It was nice to read that you’ve gone on to bigger and better things after leaving Perth it gives hope to rest of us living here in the VFX/Animation desert. Channel 10 had an expose on 300 a couple of weeks ago and it looks absolutely stunning so congrats to you and the rest of the team.
Hey Grant,
my questions -
are there any easter eggs in the film?
do you think one day, with the help of special effects, that people with physical disabilities will be able to play roles in films like this? Do you see this as a possible emerging market?
and do you have any favourite old films, with great examples of art direction? Things by Ford, etc…
Thanks!!!
Hey, thanks for answering my question Grant!! Here’s another more interesting question if you have time: what’s the most outside-of-the-box (or memorable) technique you guys used?
Hi Grant, I have another question if you don’t mind. I just saw 300 again for the second time, this time in IMAX. Both times I saw it with friends who are non-CGers and both times they all said they did not believe one bit that those were all the actors’ abs. They say “Those must be CG abs, even the old guys”. Now I told them that idea was impractical but also I was not 100% sure. They did not believe me because they said “you can do anything in CGI”. So my question to you about this is: are all those abs real?
Thanks in advance!
Hello Grant, I have a question about the amount of creative license applied to the way the cg creatures were modeled and animated.
What sorts of challenges arise when trying to blend these very stylized, illustration-based creatures into a live-action scene, in terms of trying to keep the overall scene consistent enough so that the cg creatures don’t stick out like a sore thumb? (I haven’t seen the graphic novel, so I’m assuming the cg animals were based more on the illustrations than they were on real life anatomy)
When I’m trying to get at is…even though the creatures(specifically the wolf, elephants, and rhino) aren’t meant to be exact versions of the real thing, the fact that they’re being inserted into a scene with live action requires that their bodies are still subject to certain physical constraints like gravity, range/angles of limb movement, and responding to other physical impacts and barriers. How do you and/or the director decide how to guide the creative staff in striking the right balance between fantasy and reality?
There were some shots that I think were more successful at this than others. The charging rhino made me wince a bit because I just couldn’t accept the way its front legs looked and moved. Then again, I am extremely OCD about these types of things so maybe it’s not really an issue for anyone else, hehe…
Grant, I must like every artist wants to make a mark, be applauded loud and turn the block least expected. Many thing, that kind of an achievement is hard and very rare. The movie 300 just shattered another such myth. Long did we all await for this movie. We have been keeping a close watch on the production diaries and Zack Snyder’s daily dose of bloodshed. It all looked so very amazing. You all made film making process look so simple, yet strikingly vibrant with that style and adaptation. But wait… the most important thing was to see the impact on the big screen. And there was the answer at the BO. I watched the first show on IMAX, and it was a killer. Liked every bit of it. With such a simple and dull hue palette, the story had its feel and life. This is my salutation to the work, to the idea, to the presentation and to the entire workforce behind it. Kudos to you all. I assume, we have a lot more to look at in the coming future.
The release must have been a big day for you too. How was your feeling?
Cheers
Rakesh
I saw the trailer and the Images , and wants to congratulation about the sharp and memorable illusion and images that try to makes this movie take the promise to continue the ways of the last master pieces of it’s kind, like " Lord of the Rings " and shame on that such a good responsibility take a worst path to make a deal with it. I think one the most critial cuase to make us prove our talents is to please the other eyes that are thirsty to find a way to the Home of humanity which bulit upon the hill of beauty,kindness and truth.
this Film is out of this way !
FIrst of all a great thanks to you doing this. These “meet the artist” threads are always a great way to learn something and post special questions!
I wasn´t able to watch the movie yet because it´s not out here in germany. But from what i´ve seen in trailers and on pages it´s a real great piece of art and i think anyone will agree that this is because of you.
Now to my question, it´s more general and personal than about the movie but maybe you do still have the time to answer it.
So i´m from Germany and i´m already 25 years old, i never studied art or anything else and made no apprenticeship in any kind of technical or creativ industry. When i was 14 i guess i started drawing little comics, made a few portraits and so on,with 20 i made first steps in 3d i know a few about lightwave and maya but had a real slow learning curve (did typical mistakes like getting meshes from the net rather than learning modeling), i wanted to get a job in this industry at that time but it was too small in germany there wasn´t even a name for the jobs at all so i didn´t know what to do (i was real naiv too). Then i started doing 2d stuff again and 2 years ago i even started making photography, so in a way i may did things backwards by doing 3d first and then got to 2d and photography. It´s somethign i think i got a real advantage from anyways. I visit a photo club meeting every friday and from all photographers i´m the only one with a high level of knowledge about blending photographs and 2d or 3d material.
The thing is my job i make for the living is simple and i really hate doing it. But i really like to have a home and somethign to eat so i need it lol
I try to learn every minute i can, i spend a lot time reading about photography 3d and conventional art, i use my handy to read websites at work, in my break i read a book, and even at the toilet i got magazines. I really learn a lot but have only so few hours in a week to try these things!
I can say that i know a lot of graphic programms and that are things like layout designs, photography and postwork i´m really familiar with, but i don´t know how to get a foot in the industry, because of my regular job i don´t even have time to do a good portfolio or something like that, i don´t have the money to start my own business or an apprenticeship (in germany an apprenticeship is very poor paid, but without a piece of paper that proofs what you supposed to be able to do it´s very very hard to get a job here)
I´m playing with the thought of just getting in the water. To take a rather big credit and to start my own Photo and design studio ,and with time try to get in other parts of the industry too. But i´m a little afraid because i have no experience. But i really want to do something in the industry.
Well not really a question and i´m getting confused again. Well, maybe you still have a few ideas or something for me now that you know my circumstances.
Thanks, and keep on the good work, it´s really impressive and inspiring!!