Lucien Harriot

Previsualization or Previs is a part of the pre-production process where a creative team can visualize entire sequences of a film before anyone sets foot on set. It is extremely common in big-budget movies today and is truly an underappreciated part of modern filmmaking. Last year I had a class project where I directed a short film called Finger Guns. With only 6 hours to shoot the film and a small crew of 4 people. I knew that If I wasn't prepared I was not going to be able to finish it. So I decided to create my own Previs animatic, by myself, on a laptop, using only free software. Using an app called Polycam I was able to create a 3D scan of my shooting locations which gave me a scale-accurate virtual set. I then brought these scans into Unreal Engine 5. Where I was able to block out my setups and roughly animate my actors. As well as place virtual cameras, in order to edit together a rough cut of what would turn into the final film all in engine. This was such a freeing process, experimenting with new angles, lenses and camera moves. Through this process, new shots were added and a lot of fat was trimmed from the original shot list. Having the Previs on set was incredibly helpful to both the crew and actors, being able to understand how that particular shot fits into the larger film, ensured that everyone was on the same page. I love finding the intersection between traditional filmmaking and emerging technology. I am currently working on an updated workflow that will include accurate virtual lighting plans and motion-captured performances for actors. I'm also thinking of doing a tutorial-style video where I break down this process so let me know if you would like to see that. #UE5 #polycam #3dscan #Previs

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Mastering Metadata: Optimize Your Camera Settings for High-Quality Images Another highlight from my 10-part series: GenAI2 for Content Producers. Register for next chapter: https://lnkd.in/ewTJPdPc  #producing #animation #postproduction #vfx #visualeffects #filmMaking #healthcare #AI #generativeAI #AIfilmmaking #AIart #contentproduction #digitalMedia #mediaProduction #nextGenMedia #emergingMedia

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👇 This article provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of the VFX industry and the role AI will play. While many professionals share their opinions, the consensus is that AI will primarily serve as a tool to enhance efficiency and eliminate repetitive tasks, supporting artists rather than replacing them. However, considering the current state of the industry, the ongoing creative challenges, and the rapid advancements in AI, it seems we are on the brink of a transformative era. Neither the artists, the studios, nor the audience can anticipate what is to come. These are indeed interesting times. 🤔

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EP33. DESIGNING PROPS FOR #DOCTORWHO with Michael van Kesteren 🪛 Designing the 14th Doctors sonic 🎨 Breaks down the roles on offer in the Art Department 🎬 The process of prop making + loads more 👉 Links to the episode are in the comments. • #tv #podcast #gettingintotv #behindthescenes #screenindustry #screenskills #artdepartment #tvjobs #workingintv

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## differences between COP and COP2 contexts in Houdini. Whether you're a newbie or a pro, understanding these can transform your workflow! 🚀 ### COP Context: Your Go-To for 2D Image Magic 🎨 - **Image Processing Hub**: Think of COP as your built-in toolbox for all things 2D. From color correction to blending, it's got you covered. - **Direct Pixel Manipulation**: Get hands-on with pixel data, including reading geometry attributes to create procedural texture maps. - **Texture Creation**: Use COP networks to whip up textures, bake render passes, and composite final images like a wizard. 🧙‍♂️ ### COP2 Context: Bringing 2D to Life in 3D 🌐 - **2D to 3D Alchemy**: COP2 takes image data from a COP network and transforms it into 3D volumes, meshes, or point clouds. - **Seamless Integration**: Perfect for integrating 2D images into your 3D workflow. Generate textures and use them directly within your 3D models. - **Control and Flexibility**: Choose your COP network source, define 3D geometry types, and tweak sampling and scaling for precision. ### Why It Matters In a nutshell, COP is all about 2D image compositing and processing, while COP2 is your gateway to generating 3D geometry from 2D images. It bridges the gap between the 2D and 3D worlds in Houdini, making your projects more dynamic and integrated. 🌟 ### Meet COPERNICUS: The Next Big Thing! 🚀 Houdini 20.5 introduces COPERNICUS, a game-changer with over 150 nodes and GPU-accelerated image processing. It merges 2D and 3D workflows, offers real-time manipulation, and supports various data types for a seamless experience. Get ready for lightning-fast performance and unprecedented flexibility! ⚡ ### Why You Should Care - **Speed**: Faster, GPU-accelerated image processing. - **Versatility**: Work with 2D and 3D seamlessly. - **Flexibility**: Import volumes, height fields, meshes, and attributes directly. Jump into Houdini 20.5 and explore COPERNICUS to elevate your creative potential! 🚀 ### Dive Deeper! For more juicy details, check out these resources: - [Intro to COPs in Houdini](https://lnkd.in/g7MHcYcB) - [Houdini Cops](https://lnkd.in/gpVamZ3g) - [Sneak Peek: Houdini 20.5](https://lnkd.in/ga7e-3Zh) Let's create some magic! ✨ #VFX #Houdini #3DModeling #Animation #COPvsCOP2 #COPERNICUS #CGI #CreativeTools #LinkedIn #Houdini20.5 --- Feel free to tag fellow VFX artists and share your thoughts in the comments! 🗨️👇

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## differences between COP and COP2 contexts in Houdini. Whether you're a newbie or a pro, understanding these can transform your workflow! 🚀 ### COP Context: Your Go-To for 2D Image Magic 🎨 - **Image Processing Hub**: Think of COP as your built-in toolbox for all things 2D. From color correction to blending, it's got you covered. - **Direct Pixel Manipulation**: Get hands-on with pixel data, including reading geometry attributes to create procedural texture maps. - **Texture Creation**: Use COP networks to whip up textures, bake render passes, and composite final images like a wizard. 🧙‍♂️ ### COP2 Context: Bringing 2D to Life in 3D 🌐 - **2D to 3D Alchemy**: COP2 takes image data from a COP network and transforms it into 3D volumes, meshes, or point clouds. - **Seamless Integration**: Perfect for integrating 2D images into your 3D workflow. Generate textures and use them directly within your 3D models. - **Control and Flexibility**: Choose your COP network source, define 3D geometry types, and tweak sampling and scaling for precision. ### Why It Matters In a nutshell, COP is all about 2D image compositing and processing, while COP2 is your gateway to generating 3D geometry from 2D images. It bridges the gap between the 2D and 3D worlds in Houdini, making your projects more dynamic and integrated. 🌟 ### Meet COPERNICUS: The Next Big Thing! 🚀 Houdini 20.5 introduces COPERNICUS, a game-changer with over 150 nodes and GPU-accelerated image processing. It merges 2D and 3D workflows, offers real-time manipulation, and supports various data types for a seamless experience. Get ready for lightning-fast performance and unprecedented flexibility! ⚡ ### Why You Should Care - **Speed**: Faster, GPU-accelerated image processing. - **Versatility**: Work with 2D and 3D seamlessly. - **Flexibility**: Import volumes, height fields, meshes, and attributes directly. Jump into Houdini 20.5 and explore COPERNICUS to elevate your creative potential! 🚀 ### Dive Deeper! For more juicy details, check out these resources: - [Intro to COPs in Houdini](https://lnkd.in/g7MHcYcB) - [Houdini Cops](https://lnkd.in/gpVamZ3g) - [Sneak Peek: Houdini 20.5](https://lnkd.in/ga7e-3Zh) Let's create some magic! ✨ #VFX #Houdini #3DModeling #Animation #COPvsCOP2 #COPERNICUS #CGI #CreativeTools #LinkedIn #Houdini20.5 --- Feel free to tag fellow VFX artists and share your thoughts in the comments! 🗨️👇

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Catch my latest mix engineer analysis and breakdown on @SonicScoop

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Volumetric Capture: The Future of Digital Content Creation Volumetric capture, a groundbreaking technology, is revolutionizing the way we create and experience visual content. By capturing a person or object from multiple angles using high-speed cameras, volumetric capture creates a 3D digital representation that is incredibly realistic and lifelike. This technology has the potential to transform industries such as film, gaming, and virtual reality. Here is an example of it used for the hit Netflix show #OnePiece https://lnkd.in/eWTRbg8q The Technology Behind Volumetric Capture Volumetric capture involves a complex process that combines hardware and software. High-speed cameras are used to capture a subject from various angles, and specialized software is then used to reconstruct a 3D model of the subject. This model can be manipulated and animated in a digital environment, creating highly realistic and detailed results. Compared to traditional animation techniques, volumetric capture offers several advantages. It allows for more natural and expressive performances, as actors can move freely and naturally without being constrained by the limitations of traditional animation. Additionally, volumetric capture can capture fine details and textures that are difficult to achieve with traditional methods. Applications of Volumetric Capture Volumetric capture has a wide range of potential applications across various industries. In film and TV, it can be used to create realistic digital characters, environments, and special effects. In gaming, it can enhance the immersion and realism of virtual worlds. In virtual reality and augmented reality, volumetric capture can create more interactive and engaging experiences. Beyond these industries, volumetric capture has potential applications in fields such as healthcare, education, and architecture. For example, it can be used to create realistic simulations of medical procedures or to visualize architectural designs in a more immersive way. Challenges and Future Trends While volumetric capture offers significant advantages, there are still some technical challenges to overcome. One of the main challenges is the computational power required to process and manipulate large volumetric datasets. Additionally, there are concerns about privacy and consent issues related to capturing individuals in such detail. Despite these challenges, the future of volumetric capture looks promising. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see even more realistic and immersive applications of this technology. Researchers are constantly exploring new ways to improve the efficiency and accuracy of volumetric capture, and we can anticipate significant breakthroughs in the coming years.

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MARTIN GROVE'S FILM FLASHBACK: STAR WARS EPISODE 1 - THE PHANTOM MENACE - 25TH ANNIVERSARY REISSUE OPENS 5/3/2024 -- If you saw STAR WARS in 1977, you likely were jolted a bit 22 years later when it suddenly became the series' fourth episode. That renumbering came when George Lucas answered fans' calls for more STAR WARS movies. Instead of new sequels, he gave them a prequel trilogy -- starting with STAR WARS: EPISODE I – THE PHANTOM MENACE, which opened May 19, 1999 via 20th Century-Fox and, most recently, had a 25th anniversary reissue May 3, 2024. Written & directed by Lucas, MENACE's stars include Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor & Natalie Portman. Its story precedes the original trilogy by 32 years. Lucas had realized while writing STAR WARS that he had far more story material than would fit into one movie. After his first episode became a global boxoffice phenomenon with $775.4M in ticket sales, Lucas moved forward with two sequels that he didn't want to direct. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), directed by Irvin Kirschner & written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, did $538.4M globally. RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983), directed by Richard Marquand & written by Lawrence Kasdan and Lucas, did $475.1M globally. For the next 22 years, that was the entire STAR WARS movie universe. By the 1990s, advances in computer generated imagery (CGI) caught Lucas's attention because now visual effects were possible that he couldn't do for  the earlier episodes. It also helped that Lucas could now spend whatever it took to achieve his vision on screen. His first three episodes' budgets reportedly were $11M, $18M and $32.5M while reports put MENACE's budget at $115M. News of the prequels surfaced in October 1993 as Lucas was writing MENACE. Years earlier he'd developed enough backstories to make prequels work, which accelerated his writing. Lucas hadn't wanted to write or direct the prequels, but he wasn't able to bring others on board. He asked Kasdan to return to write MENACE, but Kasdan said Lucas, himself, should now resume full creative control of his STAR WARS films. Lucas reportedly also failed to get Frank Darabont (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) to write the script or to hire Carrie Fisher as the project's  script doctor. Lucas also went after directors, including Ron Howard, who recalled  in November 2015 that he, Robert Zemeckis & Steven Spielberg were all offered to direct MENACE. They all told Lucas he should do it, himself. Fortunately for Lucas, he took their good advice. MENACE grossed $1.03B worldwide. STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002), which Lucas directed & co-wrote (with Jonathan Hales), grossed $653.8M globally. And STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005), which Lucas directed & wrote, did $868.4M worldwide. #movies #martingrove #starwars  

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In this comprehensive Houdini tutorial series, we'll guide you through the essential components of creating dynamic and realistic destruction simulations. From rigid body dynamics to debris and pyro effects, this series will help you master the techniques needed to build complex destruction scenes. Part 1: Introduction to RBD What You Need for RBD Simulation: Setting Up RBD Packed Objects: Learn how to set up RBD packed objects effectively to prepare them for simulation. Ensuring Unique Names on Points: Understand the importance of assigning unique names to points for accurate simulation results. Using RBD Point-Level Constraints and Primitives: Discover how to use constraints at the point level to control the behavior of your RBD simulations. Note: The Bullet Solver in Houdini does not accept volume collisions, so it's crucial to set up your simulations accordingly. Procedures: Explore Physical Properties: Dive into the physical properties of materials to create more realistic simulations. Implement RBD Fracture and Activation: Learn how to fracture objects and control their activation during the simulation. Set Up Proper Collision Detection and Apply Forces: Understand how to detect collisions and apply forces like pop_drag and pop_spin_drag to influence your simulation. Animate Objects Along a Path: Animate your objects to follow a predefined path, adding more control to your destruction sequence. Simulate Using Proxy Objects: Use proxy objects for faster simulations, then transfer the cached point data to high-resolution geometry for final rendering.

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Unlock the Power of Image Editing: Extending and Enhancing Images with AI Another highlight from my 10-part series: GenAI2 for Content Producers. Register for next chapter: https://lnkd.in/ewTJPdPc  #producing #animation #postproduction #vfx #visualeffects #filmMaking #healthcare #AI #generativeAI #AIfilmmaking #AIart #contentproduction #digitalMedia #mediaProduction #nextGenMedia #emergingMedia

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Here’s a video of me playing around with NIFTYCase modular synth and jamming, finding some tunes for my upcoming track "Taka Baba" with my friend Tomo. Explaining more about mod synths and AI below: 🎹 Dive into Modular Synths Modular synthesizers have shaped music since the 1960s, allowing artists to craft unique sounds by connecting modules. From analog to digital, modular synths offer endless possibilities and creative freedom. 🛠️ The Tech Behind Modular Synths Modular synths consist of independent modules for generating, shaping, or modifying audio signals. Artists design intricate sounds by patching these modules together. 🤖 AI in Synths: A Rich History AI and machine learning have been integral to synths for decades. Early AI integration involved randomizers, creating unique sounds by generating random parameter values. Today, AI's role has expanded: 1. Intelligent Randomization: AI now generates musical random values within specific contexts. 2. Pattern Recognition: Machine learning analyzes music libraries to identify patterns and styles. 3. Adaptive Learning: AI adapts to a musician's style, suggesting new configurations. 🎶 The Future of AI in Synthesizers AI promises exciting possibilities: Automated Sound Design: AI could automate sound design, generating entire tracks based on brief inputs. Real-Time Collaboration: AI can facilitate real-time collaboration between artists, creating cohesive sounds. Enhanced Creativity Tools: AI could provide advanced tools for experimenting with sounds. The integration of AI in synthesizers is transforming music production, making it more accessible and opening new realms of creativity. At createprotocol.org we are launching a groundbreaking new sdk making the possibilities and use of ethical AI and enhancing the economy of intellectual properties in creative industries unlike the large scale theft by existing ai apps and give a way for them to use it ethically and reward the IP holders. Phase 1 Access limited to 100 devs from large companies to small startups is going live in July mid. Find out more and register for early access before the world. createprotocol.org What excites you most about the future of modular synths and AI? Share your thoughts below.👇 #AIinMusic #ModularSynths #SoundDesign #MusicProduction #FutureOfMusic createprotocol.org norikoshakti.com

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How to Create the "Hacker" Voice Effect in Protools Studio After recently being asked to voice a hacker's spiel (to cover their identity), this gave me the opportunity to tinker around with the GTR Stomp Plugin from Waves (which I demonstrated in this video) #audioediting #protools #voiceover #hacker

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Transforming Eyes: Adding Detail and Enhancing Beauty Another highlight from my 10-part series: GenAI2 for Content Producers.  Register for next chapter: https://lnkd.in/ewTJPdPc  #producing #animation #postproduction #vfx #visualeffects #filmMaking #healthcare #AI #generativeAI #AIfilmmaking #AIart #contentproduction #digitalMedia #mediaProduction #nextGenMedia #emergingMedia

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The future is wild 😳 Within long we'll be able to dive into any image to do ai location scouting. Then, when we find a fitting location, we'll bring it to life with characters, our own set-dressing, scene lighting, effects and most importantly characters. Tools used here was Latens, Krea, Magnific, Luma Dream and a small bit of Kling. #ai #art

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Pumped to finally release this new spec project for jetboil (Johnson Outdoors) I worked on with friend and collaborator Eric Bishop over the last couple months. Virtual production is an amazing new technology that has spread like wildfire on bigger productions over the past few years. In the most basic terms, it merges the real world with the digital world to create photos or videos. Rather than shooting on things like green screens, the technique puts live action subjects in front of a digital background so the director and actors can actually see the environment they’re in while filming. It also effectively eliminates a ton of tedious post production work. Sound like an awesome short cut? It’s not. While it does get rid of a lot of monotonous computer work, all the time you might think you’ll save is spent on the front end of the production. So why do it? First, it’s amazing to see the end product while you’re still on set. This allows for a ton of creative flexibility while shooting. Second, I’d swap out post production work with creative planning and problem solving any day of the week…it’s just much more fun. And third, it gives you access to environments that would never be available or even possible in many instances. It turns out good virtual production digital displays are WILDLY expensive. So, we challenged ourselves to shoot something very high quality and commercially viable on a big screen TV from Costco Wholesale. That’s right…The video you’re seeing above was shot in a warehouse in Cleveland, Ohio on a TV from Costco. If we can pull this off, imagine what’s possible with the real deal! And, it works great with photo as well. I love talking about the process, so drop any questions in the comments! Shot on Blackmagic Design with Canon USA lenses

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