{"id":51,"date":"2013-04-12T01:32:32","date_gmt":"2013-04-12T01:32:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/?p=51"},"modified":"2014-07-01T05:10:55","modified_gmt":"2014-07-01T05:10:55","slug":"its-not-my-bag-baby-errr-yes-it-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/?p=51","title":{"rendered":"It’s Not My Bag, Baby! Errr, Yes It Is"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Not<\/a>

Not even VFX will fix those teeth…<\/p><\/div>\n

Courtney (VEMG\/DFV Dept Coordinator over @ the Art Institute) & I were recently talking about reviving the old “VFX Team” class at Ai.\u00a0 Strange name, but the focus of the class is on-set VFX supervision.\u00a0 I’m excited about it – definitely would be a boost to get everyone shooting more and solving problems with brainpower & careful planning on the front end, and less muscling things out on the back end.\u00a0 Probably goes without saying, but if you don’t nail down the shoot you’re going to have a long, messy ride the rest of the way.\u00a0 This type of production exposure would be valuable in this brief window where, as a student, one might have a little control over one’s own post-production destiny.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

A well designed shot can make the rest of the process a breeze. \u00a0Or at least… \u00a0breezi<\/span>er<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I should probably tag this with the disclaimer that I’m still a “Padawan” when it comes to supervising vfx for a shoot. \u00a0I was lucky to get an early taste back in my commercial NYC days (this is 10 some odd years ago now), but not so much since taking positions at larger studios – even ones that had production work happening alongside VFX.\u00a0 Oh ya know, the occasional element shoot or student project comes along and those are good chances to buy a new toy or 2, shake off the rust, test theories, and keep skills sharp.\u00a0 But I still have lots to learn and feel like I have plenty of “book smarts” that need converted to “street smarts.”\u00a0 All along the way I’ve been been hitting up the more senior on-set folks who were around and nice enough to share wisdom, and constantly building my kit.\u00a0 I think this class would be a nice excuse to bust things out and fully explore the fundamental concepts.\u00a0 Now that we’re talking about it, I’m starting to get the itch!<\/p>\n

\"On<\/a>

On set w\/Hinge Digital<\/p><\/div>\n

All the years spent slugging it out in the trenches has proven valuable;\u00a0 for better or worse, it’s given me a dose of… \u00a0 well, to put it nicely – production “challenges.” Challenges which, as any Compositor worth a salt does, gives me a chance to reverse engineer the fix and see how the bullets could’ve been dodged in the first place…\u00a0\u00a0 along the way keeping a mental file cabinet of all this shrapnel to avoid.<\/p>\n

The on-set skills will definitely expand your mind and get you thinking critically.\u00a0 Dissecting.\u00a0 And once you graduate, I think you’ll find that although you might not be able to apply a lot of it instantly or directly, it’s just good to know the process, speak the language, and keep a catalogue in the back of your mind while you work the daily grind – to not only (for example) be able to pull a good key but take the time out to understand why a poorly shot key is blowing up on you, and what could have been done to avoid it<\/em>.\u00a0 I’ve not thought much about it or put this to the test, but I have a hunch many of the best on-set supes out there are former Compositors, with scars to prove it. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Continued on page 2<\/a><\/p>\n


\nOk – to start this off, I have to say I’ve come to realize the importance of\u00a0the bag.<\/em> What bag, you say?\u00a0 I’ve got a few collections going as a result of this Compositing career o’ mine, and all of the on-set stuff I’m about to rattle off is jammed inside of the trusty bag of on-set tricks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>It’s not very shiny like inside of the mysterious briefcase in Pulp Fiction, but ironically it does sometimes have a mysterious glow inside, if a set of battery powered LED tracking markers are left on accidentally. \u00a0Ha! \u00a0Mine turn on when you shake them so it seems like something is always glowing in there. \u00a0No, seriously though, the bag is actually pretty plain looking – but I did figure out early on that having a giant bag would play out well in the long run, as you collect things from shoot to shoot.\u00a0 So, if I could impart some wisdom:\u00a0 Supersize it.\u00a0 Head to some sporting goods store and pick up the biggest one you can find.\u00a0 You’ll find you almost never throw anything out, and being able to keep it all under one “roof” so to speak will do you some good over the long haul.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"First,<\/a>

First, you’ll need a bag… and not just any bag…<\/p><\/div>\n

Ha, can’t say I’ve ever really had a reason to pull all this junk in my trunk out and take inventory, but here goes!\u00a0 I should say, this is meant to be a list without much explanation, but I’ll jot down a few scribbles and try not to be too vague if I can manage.\u00a0 Just for cleanliness sake, I’ll rally back around and bundle it up into a tight little list in the end for when it’s time to lock and load.\u00a0 That’s a little self-serving, as this is going to become my own little checklist to refer back to, since some of this stuff ends up in other bags and strung out across my office from time to time.<\/p>\n

I think it’s a fair disclaimer to start with the fact that much of this is hardware store custom jobbies because there’s no store out there for VFX Supervision that I know of. \u00a0No 24-hr “Blue\/Green Wall-Mart.” \u00a0(ba dum dum, peeesh) \u00a0Even at the pro level and in the studios I’ve been in, the mostly DIY vibe to the gear is pretty common…\u00a0 with hacks to the left of me, fabrications to the right.\u00a0 Honestly, the more you see it, it’s kind of relieving to know that we’re all in the same boat.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/p>\n

\"Roland<\/a>

Roland @ Hinge measures a bus for modeling in CG later<\/p><\/div>\n

Ok – let’s get into it.\u00a0 As the on-set link between the VFX team and the production, it’s going to be your job to grab reference.\u00a0 Lots and lots of reference.\u00a0 Reference is\u00a0k<\/strong>ing<\/strong>!\u00a0 Much of this can be done with your trusty DSLR, so make sure you have a good one and that you know how to use it.\u00a0 That is item A#1 on the list.\u00a0 Your camera.\u00a0 Plenty of SD cards.\u00a0 Batteries, preferably not empty.\u00a0 Lenses. \u00a0Also, consider a backup camera.\u00a0 No, your iPhone does not count.\u00a0 A small point and shoot gets the call.\u00a0 I recently switched from my trusty Pentax setup I had for many years to a Canon T3i (decked out with Magic Lantern) and a Canon SD800 for a P&S – it has the widest lens (28mm equiv) of any of the Canons and the CHDK firmware makes it highly customizable.\u00a0 In the end, Canon’s video capability finally got me to switch over, and the T3i has been fantastic.<\/p>\n

Item #3 – make sure you have a laptop, and don’t be afraid to use it! \u00a0Why not pull in some stills from your DSLR right on set to rough out a comp, check layering, push a grade around, get a quick read on a greenscreen or feel out a despill? \u00a0Drop ’em into Nuke or Photoshop and have a quick look! \u00a0I have an Eye Fi card and it makes this process pretty quick and painless.\u00a0 The laptop on set has saved me tons of problems. \u00a0Every once in a while, a quick bash comp will turn up an error in thinking and you’ll see some detail you missed, and occasionally it’s not too late to shoot another take or pass to get what you need.\u00a0 I miss my old 13″ Dell XPS, it was just the right size.\u00a0 I wanted a quad i7 so I’m up to a 15.6″ Samsung now, but hopefully the beefier chips start showing up in smaller packages.\u00a0 Smaller the better.<\/p>\n

Now that we’re getting into it, I should offer up a little setup.\u00a0 I meant to keep it strictly about the list but what the heck, let’s tease the class a little.\u00a0 In a nutshell (condensing majorly here): \u00a0 you’ll dream up solutions to execute each shot based on the script.\u00a0 You’ll tag team each shot w\/ the Director, DP, cam assistants and other powers that be.\u00a0 You’ll need to take care of business on behalf of the 3D team, and at the very least walking away with a worksheet that serves as a camera report for each shot.\u00a0 And if you know what you’re doing, a whole lot more.<\/p>\n

You’ll get a grid shot or do a round of them at the end of the shoot with the various cam & lens combinations, for lens distortion use.\u00a0 You’ll get ’em to cap the lens and shoot a quick grain sample if the shot is at a new exposure or different cam settings (or again, this can be done all in one go at the end).\u00a0\u00a0 You’ll get a quick pre-take of a reference gray & color card, or better yet you’ll get the 2nd AC to work it into his\/her clapper workflow.\u00a0 You’ll get lighting ref if the shot has CG.\u00a0 You’ll get lots of stills and possibly ratchet out a skydome for clean plate or environment reconstruction.\u00a0 You’ll get generic prop & actor photos from all angles and go hi-res with it if you need to do digi-doubles (actor scans are wild!).\u00a0 Usually, there’s a slew of matchmover type data and surveying that needs to be done, and that could fall on your shoulders for any CG shots that will need a camera. \u00a0I could go on…\u00a0 but you’ll have your hands full and you need to have quite a few things in the bag to cover all the bases.\u00a0 Ugh, now might be a good time to shotgun a “Simpler Times” lager from Trader Joes and think back to when you were just stuck with the hand you were dealt, rather than being the dealer!<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

I’ll stop rambling and get to it.\u00a0 In no particular order (mostly because this is all being cut and pasted from a round of emails with Courtney).<\/p>\n

Lighting ref?\u00a0 Chrome balls you say?<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A chrome ball from a Bent Image Lab shoot<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Here’s the exact one I have:
\nhttp:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B006GKDV1S\/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

They don’t sell it anymore but that’s the basic idea.\u00a0 You want a good solid reflective chrome with no cheap plating (nothing that can rub off, usually you can tell with a quick fingernail test), tinting or paint – think huge ball bearing.\u00a0 Solid and weighty is a nice bonus, but most of them aren’t.\u00a0 6″ is good enough but 8″ or 10″ is better – you want to be able to shoot from a distance with a narrow lens and try to get yourself out of the reflection for the most part, so a bigger one helps.\u00a0 Try to get it locally?\u00a0 Honestly, any garden shop.\u00a0 Fred Meyer, even (that’s a have-everything grocery store in the Kroger brand for you out of towners).\u00a0 This can and should be had for under $50 – usually referred to as a garden or “gazing” ball.\u00a0 Order online only if you have a shoot looming and can’t afford to go shopping in person, where you can verify if it’s a good one or not.\u00a0 I guess the test is – look at it.\u00a0 Ya see yourself?\u00a0 You can tell it’s you?\u00a0 Pick it up – feel good?\u00a0 Your hands haven’t turned green or rubbed off any coating?\u00a0 Bought!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

Ok, and to keep going on the subject of chrome balls, even though I rarely use them, I usually attach a suction cup tripod mount to the base of the ball, so it can sit perched on a tripod for photographing.\u00a0 Reliably.\u00a0 You can get the bits for this on Ebay or at B&H.\u00a0 Some people drill one into their chrome balls, but it takes a big steel or titanium coated drill bit so I just do the suction cup.\u00a0 Keep it simple, smarty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

Also, it makes sense to buy a 2nd ball and coat it with a 50% matte gray primer to use as a diffuse ball.\u00a0 Ace hardware, rattle can, $4.99.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Buuuuuut – that said, keep in mind that a chrome ball is the low res, cheap, DIY alternative to the doing it the right way – with a fisheye pano!\u00a0 Even better than unwrapping a chrome ball – do it up right and take a pano from the reverse angle, meaning where the CG object will sit on set.\u00a0 This is popped out in one go, w\/a Fisheye lens.\u00a0 If Ai were to make a long term “pro” investment, this is the way to go and the old chrome ball is pretty terrible compared to a real object-position HDR.\u00a0 Just a reflection map?\u00a0 180 degrees is fine.\u00a0 The usual IBL rig?\u00a0 Go ahead and take 3 120 degree steps with a ratcheting tripod and you’ll get full coverage with plenty of rez for a lighting setup.\u00a0 Even with +2 up\/-2 down (5 total RAW exposures, +\/- 2 EV stops each) you’ll be in & out in 2 mins.\u00a0 Some CG types prefer less exposures to keep the data set down, just ask beforehand and give ’em what they want.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\"panosaurus-hinten\"

Panosaurus panoramic head<\/p><\/div>\n

I really like Bent’s setup for this, which is the Sigma 4.5mm lens ($600-$800) on an APS-C sensor.\u00a0 Or you can use the good ol’ manual Peleng 8mm (or other) on a 5D or 1D full frame sensor (cheaper, like $250).\u00a0 The best tripod head I’ve used is the Manfrotto 303SPH, what with it’s satsifying click… \u00a0 but you can also use what’s called a “Panosaurus<\/a>” on any cheapo regular tripod legs for the steal of a price at $99.\u00a0 Actually – when putting legs on it, it helps to choose something good and compact (that could fit into the vfx bag) but also be extendable so it can go from a couple feet off the ground up to eye level if necessary.\u00a0 Like, the type that has 4 extensions instead of 3.\u00a0 I’d go with lightweight sticks that need a little attention to be held in placed solidly (or sandbagged) over putting some heavy duty legs on it that stay put on their own, just because this setup needs to be highly portable and packable into our big bag – and not a grip truck, know what I’m sayin’?\u00a0 It really sucks to have to carry the tripod outside of the bag, or when you have to take your show on the road and get this on a plane.\u00a0 The Panosaurus head is great and what I have at home, and I’d go as far as to call it the hardware store version of the Manfrotto, and it works juuuust fiiiiiiine.\u00a0 In fact, pretty much everything I know, I know from KRS-One<\/span> the Panosaurus site<\/a>, and it’s a damn fine way to teach yourself the pano game.\u00a0 Check it out!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So that’s for taking lighting reference or reflection maps, but that setup can also be used for virtual environments if you ratchet the angles a bit more for a particular lens and do up a much higher resolution version.\u00a0 Again, check the panosaurus site and get to know <\/span>PTGui<\/a>.\u00a0 I usually go with a 28mm or 35mm lens for skydomes on a 5D and output it at 28k (you’ll be glad you did, even if it’s overkill – these domes are highly recyclable).\u00a0 A 35mm is a bit flatter without sacrificing too much field of view.\u00a0 And I owe a debt of thanks to the guru:\u00a0 Frank Rueter, who at one time was offering “stock” environment domes for sale and knows all, after being put through the wringer on Peter Jackson’s Kong and having to set up the pan & tile workflow at Weta.\u00a0 And I’m not ashamed to say I boosted his workflow, but the more of these I shoot the more I see why he made the decisions he did when he was dialing it all in. \u00a0He has a PTGui export script for Nuke and Nuke does a much better job painting seams on a 28k comp than Photoshop ever will.
\n<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Probably the next most important thing to have is reliable tracking markers, in all the right places.\u00a0 And before I drop the goods on you – thanks goes to Joerg Liebold at Psyop for years spent perfecting these bad boys.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Here’s the marker pattern<\/strong> you want. \u00a0Right click & save the full sheets for printing:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Marker<\/a>

Marker pattern<\/p><\/div>\n

Large markers<\/a><\/p>\n

Medium markers<\/a><\/p>\n

Small markers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

The best thing about Joerg’s tracking pattern was that when in focus, it gives you a pleathora<\/em> of tracking options, but when out of focus, it still gives you a damn fine\u00a0pleathora\u00a0<\/em>of tracking options.\u00a0 Ha – can you say “bulletproof,” El Guapo?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

A good idea is to print a batch out, cut ’em and have ’em ready to go on a moments notice in the kit.\u00a0 Fight the urge to laminate them because you can catch a bad reflection from lamination.\u00a0 Better to just use\/abuse and reprint each shoot.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n
\"The<\/a>

The one time red tape is actually a good thing…<\/p><\/div>\n

Also have to have tape so you can quickly manufacture any kind of marker.\u00a0 Along with the usual gaffer’s tape (which is great for sticking little X markers on clothing and fabric), also get the 3m 1\/2″ electrical tape.\u00a0 Buy mostly red but it also is helpful to have a blue, a green and then even yellow and magenta.\u00a0 But I would buy like 5 reds for each one of the others.\u00a0 Locally I get mine bought every time I’m in Tap Plastic’s shop, but you can pick them up online:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.parts-express.com\/term\/3m-1-2-electrical-tape?srch=3m+1%2F2+electrical+tape<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Also – it helps to have 2 other kinds of markers on hand.\u00a0 The quick ones that you can toss up and stick up high on a greenscreen cloth are critical for those wide shots or tricky ankle biter low-angle shots that directors always seem to love to get, and unless you want to pack a 20′ ladder or find one around the set, you’ll never get markers where you need ’em.\u00a0 So get ready to toss!\u00a0 And equally important are some pinpoint LED light based ones for night shoots.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

\"ball_darts\"<\/a>The “sticky” ones are basically ping pong balls covered with velcro in a criss-cross pattern.\u00a0 You won’t always be lucky enough to get a cloth screen (vs. painted) but it does seem more often than not these days.\u00a0 These are commonly called “ball darts” and you can get refills for ball dart games – they work fantastically.\u00a0 But in all honestly, it’s easier to make your own, because ideally you want them to be greenscreen green balls with red velcro.\u00a0 A little paint will go a long way.\u00a0 Basically like this:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.starmagic.com\/store.cgi?2105261+3D3A1B18<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

There’s a little bit of an art to getting them back down…<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

And last is something for night shoots that need markers, a few strings of these might save a shot:\"led_string\"<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.partybrights.com\/product\/1100-68\/Battery-Operated-20-LED-Lite-Sets-65-inch-Transparent-Wire.html?meta=GAW&metacpg=1100-68&gclid=CMew-PjzwLUCFSSCQgodNgoAQw<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Even better are (again) ping pong balls with what’s called an “LED Throwie”<\/a> inside rigged to an impact sensor… \u00a0 but that’s kind of an advanced move. \u00a0And some bare throwies sans-ping pong ball are gold, too – it all depends on the shot but I’d definitely have the bare parts available.\u00a0\u00a0 Some people use clothes pins to attach them to the battery instead of tape – depends on if you need them to be magnetic. \u00a0They’ll glow for a couple of weeks, so they are usually kind of disposable and only used for one shoot.\u00a0 It’s also helpful to get some of the keychain LED lights with on\/off switches for putting further away.\u00a0 They can also be diffused with a ping pong ball.\u00a0 They work well when you’re trying to place some markers, I don’t know, like in the nosebleed section of a stadium shot.\u00a0 I believe many of the flashlights are 3w bulbs instead of the 1w bulbs that are commonly used with throwies, and the extra oomph can come in handy.\u00a0 Clean out your local hardware store of these once you find a cheap source.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Another extension of this for expansive wide shots that I’ve seen out there are garden stakes (wood), painted greenscreen green with an LED light tagged to a tiny LR44 or CR2032 battery on top. \u00a0Again, you basically want a small footprint, focused, 1w clear (with little, if any, diffusion) LED with minimal glow. \u00a0Speaking of glow and diffusion, I should mention that the ping pong ball as a diffuser is mostly useful on dark greenscreen set shoots, where you’re more or less throwing out the background in post later. \u00a0Too much glow makes them hard to paint out, so even though the ping pong ball version is highly visible and easily tracked, you don’t want to use them on any sort of live action shoot where you’re keeping everything in frame, because you’ll have to paint out this big glow area. \u00a0For any dark shot where you are keeping the background and want minimal paint work, the tighter light of the raw LED is probably the better option, defocus dependant.\u00a0 The strings can work well for super wide establishing shots to give you a nice area of tracking detail, and the throwie versions might work better for tighter shots and closeups where you’re only placing a few of them carefully into the shot. \u00a0Just make sure whatever you throw down is easily painted out and be efficient with where you put them and how many you put down.\u00a0 Try to get good BG, MG and FG tracking detail on big camera moves.\u00a0 Understand that you don’t always need markers if you have good detail in the frame.\u00a0 Perhaps bring your DLSR and shoot a quick tracking test if you have a few minutes prior to the shoot or have access during the tech scout.\u00a0 You’ll start to build up a catalog of what is and isn’t automatically trackable – you know, the seats in your stadium may make great natural tracking markers but the grass football field up front might throw your tracker for a loop and not have any detail.\u00a0 So you blanket the grass with markers and leave the rest unmarked (and save your paint artists some mind numbing paint outs!).\u00a0 Another tip probably best left for class is to generally try to keep at least 7 decent manually trackable tracking marks visible at all times.\u00a0 I’ve caught myself counting those more than a few times while looking at a monitor tap just so I mentally know things are going to go ok later.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Ha, when it comes to markers, I’ve seen some pretty creative solutions over the years.\u00a0 The on set guys at Psyop had a funny story about being low on resources and trying to source something late night before a shoot – which ended up being neon colored beads from let’s just say a less than reputable source.\u00a0 This was done late, late night after flying into some remote location to shoot a music video the next morning.\u00a0 Ha, that one still makes me laugh out loud 10 years later…. \u00a0\u00a0 I’ve probably said too much already.\u00a0 I guess the moral is:\u00a0 when in Rome, go with whatever damn tracking markers the Romans have available at 11 at night, even if they are a string of neon colored beads from an “adult” shop.\u00a0 Whatever it takes to get the shot.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Ok, the next most-critical thing on the list is the lens distortion grid. \u00a0I’ve seen laser etched ones that are immaculate, but not exactly portable. \u00a0This is how I “roll…” \u00a0 literally. \u00a0A giant print – hopefully the printing dept at school has a poster printer or plotter (Ai has a printer that can do up to 60″ wide).\u00a0 Then laminated – find a shop with a large format laminator and try to get the lamination thick enough so that you can roll it up and not risk any creases (I believe mine is 8 pt or 8 mm on both front & back – whatever the measurement is, they start charging more when you go for 10+). \u00a0Locally I use Precision Images over on Sandy & 9th – the lamination will cost about $65. \u00a0Then you can use it paired with a 4’x8′ piece of plywood that is already standard issue in any grip truck (the cage should have this?).\u00a0 It just needs to be clamped on.\u00a0 You don’t want this mounted on foam core – you want it to be as flat as possible and foam core warps slowly over time. \u00a0I’ve found it still stays pretty flat even after being rolled up if it’s clamped in several places… \u00a0but try your hardest not to let it get any hard creases while transporting it here and there. \u00a0Don’t worry about the reflection in the lamination, harmless.
\n<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

\"grid\"<\/a>Here are the basic instructions and the file, courtesy of our man in Brooklyn – Eric Alba (thanks Eric).\u00a0 I like the one with the small squares, but not the one w\/the XO:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/log.ericalba.org\/post\/6110986710\/lens-distortion-grids-pdf-for-download-vfx<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
You should also check out the Syntheyes grid<\/a>\u00a0for another spin on this, although I find it less versatile than Eric’s checkerboard. \u00a0Depends on the job and what software is being used – check with your friendly local matchmover. \u00a0I’m a big fan of WarpD in 3D Equalizer, (some nuts & bolts info here<\/a>) kicked out to the 3DE Nuke node, but there are plenty of ways to skin a cat.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Next you need a good light meter for checking green screen lighting.\u00a0 I have an old beater, but I secretly lust for a real Sekonic, like a L-308DC.\u00a0 They run about $180 used, but any good meter will do.\u00a0 If you can get one of the Blue Moon here in NoPo has plenty, just test it a bit first and plan on dropping the prerequisite $50 or so, and you should be fine.\u00a0 Ai’s cage probably has this already but would be good to get a dedicated one for the dept.\u00a0 A good greenscreen should be 1 stop apart across the whole thing, and range between 40 & 70 IRE on the waveform, depending on what you plan to put in the BG in place of the screen, but now we’re getting into juicy class info for another time…<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Also good to have a few scrims and diffusing material with clamps to put on the greenscreen lights (make friends and always ask first before you touch another person’s light).\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 It does help to have the exact diffusion material with you and know how to use it, because sometimes even greenscreens are not as high on the grip’s priority list as they should be and you don’t want to have to go rifling through their stuff.\u00a0 I swear, if I see another Arri 2k with no diffusion, just raw or barn doors pointed point-blank at a greenscreen…\u00a0 my head hurts just thinking about it. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 \u00a0 Also some blue, red and orange gel scraps should be in your bag for despill filtering purposes.\u00a0 Larger the better – you want big scraps you could diffuse a few Kinos with if necessary.\u00a0 Roll ’em up, they’ll fit in your bag.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\"X-Rite<\/a>

X-Rite Passport w\/gray card or Datacolor SpyderCheckr<\/p><\/div>\n

Definitely need to have a Macbeth chart (and also a balanced gray card or black to white ramp) for color consistency reference and neutral grading – these can be had on Ebay or Wayfair for a good price, or at local camera stores. \u00a0\"clapper\"<\/a>I’ve seen bad versions of these built into the clapper (as right) but the best and most usable ones are a little “click click” snap open folder that has the official chart w\/a gray card intact – all in one go.\u00a0 I’ve seen ones with a larger gray card you can meter off of if necessary (as left) like the Datacolor SpyderCheckr, but I’ll admit the one I bought in the end is the X-Rite Color Checker – it’s a long story, but X-Rite bought MacBeth years ago and makes some seriously reliable color stuffs.\u00a0 Dig it! \u00a0I have the “Passport” model and it’s probably the best $75 I’ve ever spent. \u00a0Toss that bottle of aspirin on your desk into the trash. \u00a0The Passport has a smaller gray card chart swatch but otherwise is about the same as the SpyderCheckr – both have dependable reference colors and technology you can count on. \u00a0This should pretty much be your frame 1.\u00a0 Every…\u00a0 single…\u00a0 time.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

\"Passport_model2\"<\/a>Ya know, a dedicated copy of the VES Handbook should be in the kit. \u00a0It would be the textbook for a class like this; \u00a0don’t leave home without it! \u00a0It’s absolute gold – a fantastic reference and has helped me on set a lot when I need to quickly brush up or become an expert on something.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42 \u00a0I had one put in the library and could probably request another:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/The-VES-Handbook-Visual-Effects\/dp\/0240812425\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361227125&sr=8-1&keywords=VES+handbook<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"VES_Handbook\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

Also – how ’bout a tape measure!\u00a0 20 ft.\u00a0 Also also need a digital “laser” tape measure. \u00a0Or more accurately known as a “distance measurer.” \u00a0I’d recommend you avoid the cheap “ultrasonic” models and pick one up that is actually using a laser – they go for about $70 new but I was able to get mine used on ebay for $25. \u00a0Also helps to have the iPhone or Android app that will measure camera rotation, etc (there are free versions).\u00a0 Also also also need a laser pointer on your keychain, a cheapie is fine. \u00a0This comes in handy when trying to measure and survey things, and just generally when trying to point to something on set.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Also need a camera report worksheet for each shot that records all of the lens and camera data.\u00a0 Here’s a nice one I picked up along the way from Niles Heckman:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

http:\/\/www.thesprocketship.com\/vfxpdx\/stash\/Heckman_VFXplateDataSheet_v2.pdf<\/a><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\"On<\/a>

On set w\/Hinge<\/p><\/div>\n

If you’re going to do the work eventually, fill out what you want – no one cares about this but you and you’ll be able to skip much of it.\u00a0 But if you’re covering for someone else, try to be more complete. \u00a0There should be like 50 sheets of it printed out in the kit ready to go.\u00a0 Also, a full pad of grid paper is handy… \u00a0 if anything needs to be measured and rebuilt digitally, it’s handy for making a quick blueprint.\u00a0 Index cards are another thing extremely handy to have.\u00a0 I know, I know, I’m getting into knick knacks now but I’m just listing it as I pull it out of my bag.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Never leave home without a small flashlight, if that’s not obvious. \u00a0A pocket one with some pop – 500 lumens is a good amount.\u00a0 Maybe 200 minimum.\u00a0 These shoots often have deep, dark corners and you’ll want some light on demand when you’re putzing around the lighting grids, running around the forest and such.\u00a0 Something like this<\/a>.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

A couple of cans of that verifiably perfect chroma green & blue screen paint would be handy – sometimes you have to make a quick foam or cardboard prop or something.\u00a0 Red screen?\u00a0 Only time I’ve used that is underwater shoots where everything is desaturated and bluish cast and most caucasian skin almost goes white, but it’s good to\u00a0<\/span>be ready for anything.\u00a0 I use the Design Master rattle cans<\/a> because they’re cheaper than Rosco. \u00a0Green is still king with the new breed cameras if the rest is equal. \u00a0Someday someone will invent a blue channel that’s not nasty…<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Speaking of nasty, let’s talk about reflections for a moment. \u00a0It’s handy to have some baby powder and clear matte paint for taking reflections off of various things. \u00a0“Matting agents” might make a nice use of a google search – there’s some pretty amazing chemicals out there.\u00a0 The paint & roto dept will often have to clean up offending reflections so it’s nice to be able to bury ’em at the source.\u00a0 Also, watch out for camera ops who don’t check the monitor for their own reflection showing up somewhere in the shot. \u00a0They should know better but it tends to happen – you may have to introduce them to the miracle of polarized lens filters…
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n

Ok, so looking through the bag here, I don’t see anything else in here that seems critical for VFX so I’ll leave it at that.\u00a0 Ha – I have a pack of my wife’s hair ties – those have saved some roto in their day. \u00a0 Which brings us to the wrap up list:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

———————————————————————<\/div>\n
A bag for all of this, possible separate camera bag<\/div>\n
DSLR + laptop<\/div>\n
1 fisheye lens\/ratcheting pano head<\/div>\n
or\u00a0 1 chrome garden\/gazing ball, 1 chrome ball painted 18% matte gray<\/div>\n
Several sheets of tracking markers printed to normal white paper or matte card stock, pre cut<\/div>\n
3m electrical tape (lots!)<\/div>\n
dart ball markers (12 or so)<\/div>\n
garden stake markers (6)<\/div>\n
LED battery string lights (10 bulb) (4)<\/div>\n
light up ping pong balls ready to go,\u00a0 DIY “throwies” (12 or so)<\/div>\n
12 or so of the 3w LED flashlights with a real on\/off switch<\/div>\n
White standard ping pong balls (36 or so)<\/div>\n
Glow in the dark ping pong balls (12 or so)<\/div>\n
Yellow “wiffle” style ping pong balls (12 or so)<\/div>\n
Orange “wiffle” style ping pong balls (12 or so)<\/div>\n
Lens Distortion 4’x8′ printout, laminated, clampable<\/div>\n
light meter<\/div>\n
light diffusing material for green screen help<\/div>\n
red\/blue\/orange gels for shifting color temp of greenscreen lights<\/div>\n
clamps for gels\/diffuser<\/div>\n
macbeth chart\/gray card- or better yet: X-Rite passport<\/div>\n
VES handbook for mobile use<\/div>\n
tape measure<\/div>\n
digital tape measure<\/div>\n
iphone app for camera tilt, dutch, etc<\/div>\n
laser pointer<\/div>\n
index cards<\/div>\n
small flashlight<\/div>\n
camera report worksheets (a bunch, like 50!)<\/div>\n
chroma blue\/green spray paint for props, etc<\/div>\n

matting agents for reflection help
\nWindex for cleaning windows, etc, and a quick clean up of the mirror balls (seriously!)
\nHair ties\/”scrunchies”
\nBike frame pump with a blower nozzle or canned air – has a lot of uses
\n1 can of Simpler Times, for when the going gets rough.\u00a0 An airplane bottle of Wild Turkey is a fair substitute<\/p>\n

——————-<\/p>\n

\"On<\/a>

On set at Bent Image Lab – that’s Jim Birkett with Modest Mouse<\/p><\/div>\n

That should cover the basics. \u00a0A few cool things I’ve come across or done up, but nothing all that profound, really. \u00a0I hope to add to it as I do more and more of this sort of thing.<\/p>\n

Call it a work in progress and a post I will no doubt add to as challenges (and ideas) come and go.\u00a0 Hopefully the class gets the gears churning and we can expand on all of this. Actually, if I’m adding to this kit in the coming years…\u00a0 that means very, very good things.<\/p>\n

Wanna chime in on the subject and add anything or an opinion?\u00a0 Drop a comment.\u00a0 I’ll see ya on set!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Courtney (VEMG\/DFV Dept Coordinator over @ the Art Institute) & I were recently talking about reviving the old “VFX Team” class at Ai.\u00a0 Strange name, but the focus of the class is on-set VFX supervision.\u00a0 I’m excited about it – definitely would be a boost to get everyone shooting more and solving problems with brainpower… Continue reading →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[37,8],"class_list":["post-51","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","tag-compositing","tag-pixel-nerd-stuff"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Cfrz-P","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51"}],"version-history":[{"count":60,"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1521,"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51\/revisions\/1521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}