Any comments please

I've been making a virtual set and am pretty happy with it - and thanks to the generous help from John Cuevas have solved a problem but wondered if anyone felt they could make some suggestions for improvements (I'm sure there is plenty of room for some)! - I have Invigorator so now I have something workable (so at least the client gets something) I 'm going to try and introduce some real 3d models ... anyone any more thoughts please ?

Roger

Thanks Tom ... yes he's just kind of bunged in there as a placeholder and will be 'refined' when I get the footage sorted ... and yep I must check the lighting when I do the shoot, good of you to take the time.

Roger

Hi Roger

Its always tricky offering advice but I'll have a go ...

.....starting to look pretty smart but now that the technical stuff is out of the way put your artistic hat on and maybe check over the general 'look' of the comp .....

For instance I'm assuming the talent is 'central' to what the job is about but he is a bit 'flat' when compared to the b/g piccies so I would try boosting the contrast and tweaking the chroma a bit -- maybe also flatten the b/g piccies a wee bit so that they compliment him and do not compete.

Similarly the spot light --- at the moment its straight down and 'mimicks' the talent so again I would try and adjusting things a bit so that it occupys a supporting role / maybe try and lose the hot spot at the narrow end / maybe try artisticly angling the beam / maybe try dropping the overall brightness / and maybe then try using 3 spots in a line to compliment the 3 photos on the r/h side ......

This could look rubbish of course --- you have to try it to see ....

Also maybe take a look at the sharp edge on the plinth and the front face -- its ok but not as convincing as the reflections on the top and the floor.


--- anyway my tuppence worth ............


Chris Brett /// uk

I'm of the opinion that good art direction serves a purpose. Beyond just looking cool, design should support the idea behind the piece. Can you share a bit about the messaging and tone or feeling you're trying to convey?

Without that direction, one thing that jumps out at me is the low ceiling height in the virtual studio. Because studio ceilings usually support lighting grids, they are practically never seen, so showing one here is a bit unconventional. Also, it makes the space feel smaller, maybe even a little claustrophobic around the inserted talent. Taller walls that extend closer to or even beyond the top of the frame -- or perhaps a change in camera angle -- will give your talent a bit more air.

(Of course, back to the subject of art direction, if there's a reason in messaging or tone to make the talent seem a bit boxed in, then disregard my remarks and carry on!)

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog - What I'm thinking when my workstation's thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Roger Burton] "The ceiling is meant to be a 'suspended' ceiling ... not the studio ceiling but yes it's a bit low, in fact, the more I look at it all the 'proportions' need a good looking at !"

Got it -- but I couldn't read the ceiling as suspended; it looks like it's sitting on top of the walls. Maybe making it a bit smaller than the room or breaking it up into a few very large tiles will help sell the suspended look?

The scenic design overall doesn't have a lot of depth to it -- you're relying on the camera position to create all the depth. Perhaps letting the displays jog out from the main wall, or building in some other scenic details (truss, columns, boxy structures) will provide a greater sense of depth.

If you are using the CS6 ray tracing renderer, you can bend flat surfaces to add some good-looking curves. If not, you can do it in CS5.5 and earlier with Mettle FreeForm AE (bundled).

A quick Google Images search on "virtual sets" will show you what I mean regarding using architectural elements to create depth.


[Roger Burton] "My real concern is now they can see a set, they may want to wander around pointing in all directions at screens appearing from the floor and the roof and flying in from everywhere ... I must try and explain that I am not Pixar !"

You might them provide a few preset cameras. Take a quick peek at a news broadcast or hosted entertainment show for some references.

I'd recommend you consider pre-rendering the camera angles or any camera moves (trucks, dollies, zoomes, etc.) and providing AE templates with the pre-rendered 2D assets (stills for static shots, movies for camera moves) plus the 3D camera and 3D placeholders for live, replaceable content and presenter positions.

Hope this helps!

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog - What I'm thinking when my workstation's thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

Thanks Walter, such good advice ... yes I think making the ceiling a little smaller than the set is an excellent idea. I'm going to rebuild it any way and actually concentrate on 'real' sizes and proportions, at the moment I'm getting strange camera movements/angles because it's all out of proportion (I made it from scratch basically to see if I could build a box and put a camera in it and it grew like topsie so now I've experimented I'll get serious with it, in many ways in response to your and others advice. Yes also I think I'll try making the framed images and the monitor real 3d in Invigorator so they can have real shadows - also the 'pillars' or something will help give it 'depth, I've looked at loads on-line ... a matter of avoiding the 'cheesy' sci-fi look that so many have, OK in their place but this client is a bit cerebral.

The client's editor/producer is an excellent chap and we'll be able to work together and get the 'talent shoot' to work I hope, he'll give me camera lens height details etc so it should go well.

Good of you to contribute Vishesh.

Roger