CaptainDisillusion

Weather Ahead

Hi friends,

Content update: I've been working on a script for what I think will be a pretty cool video. It keeps teetering between a concise, tightly-packed Quick D or a satisfying, slow-burn traditional debunk. Either way, it should be a fun watch.

But as I work on this, I've also hit one of those patches in my real-world life, which statistically tend to happen (especially the longer yo...

'CD/Blur' Behind-the-Scenes STREAM

REMINDER: the stream starts in 30 minutes!

----

The Blur video has reached 1M views! So as per tradition, let's do a behind-the-scenes "director's commentary" livestream.

This Tuesday, June 10th, 5PM ET

I've gathered over 50 pieces of media about the effects, graphics, and the filming process. I'll show them off and attempt to talk about the math, in a way that my feeble brain understands it, as we go through, analyzing the video scene...

Cosmos Sketch - IMAX OPEN MATTE WIDESCREEN VERSION

In the final video, the Cosmos bit was matted into a 4:3 aspect ratio to stay authentic to the original show, but we shot and did all the VFX in normal 16:9.

So here, for the first time in history, I present you with this exclusive look at the newly digitally restored original aspect ratio of the piece!

Note the awkwardness of some of the framing, and certain elements, such as the FFT machine, being in shot earlier than would be ideal, diminishing the comedic impact. The filmmaker...

Early Access: "CD / Blur"

Hello friends!

I bring you... a new video!

Don't remember the last time I worked on something where I felt so uncertain every step of the way about whether I'm explaining things correctly. And where I've had to make so many revision and tweaks to the concept, to the visuals, and even to the sound. It's like it just didn't want to get made!

But in the end, I think video holds together and manages to be entertaining.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

COMMENTARY LIVESTREAM - 'SNL VFX Mystery'

REMINDER: Stream starting now!

As the latest video approaches 1M views, let us humble ourselves by taking a critical look at its concept & execution. I'll share some fun behind-the-scenes material and try to figure out what, if anything, I learned this time.

Join me LIVE on Wednesday, Jan 15th, 2:30PM ET!

Or watch the replay whenever!

'SNL VFX Mystery' - Music & Sound FX ONLY

I haven't done this in a while. Here's a version of the latest video without the dialogue tracks, to better hear the delicious details of the sound design. For registered audiophiles.

Early Access: "SNL VFX Mystery | Quick D"

Hello!

Here it is, the latest video! I can't help feeling like it holds a new record for amount of time spent creating vs. amount of content, but... I did work very hard on it the entire time and... I hope it briefly brightens your day!

Sound Design STREAM

I'm spending tomorrow working on sound FX of the upcoming video. If you don't mind crazy noises and want to hang out/work along with me, join the livestream! (starting at 2:30PM ET)

FinalComp STREAM: 3D...Studio?

Greetings, patient friends!

It's that time again. After chiseling, sanding and polishing over 100 shots of the upcoming video to shiny perfection, I've arrived at the last one. And I'd like to livestream the process of working on it!

The VFX on it are so elaborate, I'll need some help. So Intern Joey will join us via an interstellar video link (that will definitely not cause a bunch of technical problems throughout the stream) and show off his mad 3D modeling skills.

We...

COMMENTARY STREAM: Beckham Beach Kicks Debunk

UPDATE: As those who joined live know, the broadcast was sabotaged by a disgruntled projectionist, Eduardo. But we were able to band together, defeat him, restore the feed, and continue with the commentary!

To make the replay slightly less annoying to watch, I have edited out a boring chunk, mostly consisting of a glitching 'STAND BY' screen. Hope you check it out! (The remaining content, not the boring chunk)

----

Now that we've all h...

Intern Football Face Smash Outtakes

Here are some delightfully painful slow-mo bloopers of Alan getting hit in the face by a non-American football ball for ya!

Beckham Debunk AGAIN BUT BETTER

Thanks to the helpful suggestions from some of you, I had a chance to fix some minor and major technical issues and reupload!

• Several VFX shots improvements

• Replaced the Canon 5D/7D cameras shown with generations that existed at the time

• THE WHOLE VIDEO WAS ACCIDENTALLY IN MONO 😱

• Color encoding needed a correction to display more accurately on YouTube

  Please consider watching the video again. You might not consciously notice...

  2024-08-02 18:47:17 +0000 UTC View Post

NEW VIDEO: Beckham Beach Kicks DEBUNK

Hello!

So here it is. Another effortful video about something silly. I hope you like it.

This is early access, so lemme know what you think!

(FYI: proper subtitles are not ready yet, but they'll be there by the time of public release. Sorry for any inconvenience.)

Sound Design Work Stream

UPDATE

Looks like I had accidentally scheduled the stream for 1 PM, but it is in fact 2, i.e. any moment now. Sorry for any confusion!

------

Hi!

As planned, tomorrow at 2PM ET, I'll stream working on sound effects spotting (finding and placing them) for the upcoming video. There's just the last section left, so I'm hoping to finish the process on stream.

It'll be a bare-bones type of deal, just me staring at my screen, trying to concentrate while auditioning lot...

FinalComp STREAM: "Fast Forward to Today"

UPDATE: Folks, I'm pushing the stream by a day, to Jul 10th. Just need a li'l more time to set up some new graphics & remember how to operate it all. And my brain needs just a tiny break from computers!

---------

I'm on the last VFX shot! And it only makes sense to prolong the process by streaming myself working on it from start to finish. I'll be using in Blender, After Effects, and my mouth (for speaking).

Making...

A Live Update From a Creator Who is Alive

Greetings friends!

I rise out of the swamp that is the overly-complex VFX stage of another video to bring you a graphical update of its progress.

As before, the picture is a representation of the whole edit and the green parts are what's completely visually finished. It's 36 of 129 shots, but it amounts to exactly 50% of the video.

I've also included my face so you can remember what it looks like. I'm really sorry that it takes forever to make these things.

This v...

Director's Commentary Stream - CD / Shutter Speed

REMINDER: The stream starts in 30 mins! Hope to see you there!

---

The challenges, the triumphs, the horrible mistakes...

Let's take a fun, in-depth look behind the scenes of the latest video, with me, the maker of it. RAW AND UNSCRIPTED.

I'll also answer any questions. If anyone has any.

Friday 11 AM (ET)  2024-02-07 22:41:03 +0000 UTC View Post

"CD / Shutter Speed" Early Access

Hello!

"CD /" videos were supposed to be the shortest, easiest type of video. But noooo, I had to make it complicated. I'm not sure even *I* understand most of what I explained.

Please enjoy!

Year-end Video-update

Hi everyone!

I've been working on the VFX of the next video (which will be a CD/ episode) throughout December. As the graphic above illustrates, I'm on shot 68 out of 86! I hoped to get it out before the 1st, but I'm just not fast enough.

Don't know about you, but '23 has strangely been a year of exhaustion for me. Like one of those dreams where you can't run fast. No matter how short/simple I tried to make my video projects, each one unf...

Early Access: "Surviving Feedback" (Bcon23 mini-talk)

Hello!

I've just returned from the Blender Conference in Amsterdam, where I got really creatively inspired watching interesting presentations by artists & developers from around the world.

(You can watch recordings of all the talks on the Blender YT channel!)

To counter-balance all that talent & skill, I decided to do an awkward, rambling mini-presentation of my own. It's only abou...

"AlBot" Short - Early Access

Hi!

Here's a silly sketch, the production process of which I've been documenting in my other Patreon tiers. The goal was to try something cinematic but specifically designed for a vertical video feed, as well as to test some virtual production techniques I hope to use in future "proper" episodes.

Apologies in advance if you don't like vertical vids. Or short-form content. Or comedy. Or fun of any kind 😋

Making "AlBot" Pt. 7 - Final Product

Since the livestream, I've been building the rest of the CG assets, laying out shots, animating, [miGRAtiNg tO a nEw coMpuTEr], rendering, compositing and mixing sound. And here's the finished video!

Presenting it above in square format, but will post the vertical version shortly at the "early access" tier.

Some final production details:

I textured the robot in Substance Painter. I think the clash of super basic shapes and realistic textures weirdly works.

2023-09-29 22:29:41 +0000 UTC View Post

Making "AlBot" Pt. 6 - Livestream STARTS in 30 mins!

UPDATE 2! The rescheduled stream is on in half an hour. Hope to see you there!

----

UPDATE! My poor 10-year-old computer has picked this moment to peace-out, so unfortunately I have to postpone the stream. For now I'm pushing it 1 day, to hopefully figure out a temporary streaming/work setup, until my new system comes.

Sorry for the change of plans!

----

Let's continue the work on the short in realtime! Tomorrow ...

Making "AlBot" Pt. 5 - VFX Setup

Every shot of the video is a visual effect so it makes sense to set up the project in a way that'll make the creative process easier.

I exported the edit as an AAF file which can be imported in other software. This lets me jump into Resolve to color-grade the original camera takes used in the final video.

Then it's off to After Effects where I turn the edit into one big composition.

Making "AlBot" Pt. 4 - Shoot (and Rough Cut)

Everything went according to plan.

At the last moment I decided to frame for a square format with safety for vertical, so it can work for both - similar to how TV shows in the mid '00s used to frame 16:9 safe for a 4:3 crop on older TVs. Just a little insurance policy!

It might sounds overkill, but for the moving shots I opted to use a crane. Ultimately it's more efficient than setting up...

Making "AlBot" Pt. 3 - Preproduction

If there's one thing I learned over the years of filming stuff, it's that you can't trust your brain to remember anything on the shoot day. You're going to miss things. Worse, you're going to think of things you need on the spot and regret not getting them in advance.

Even for a tiny scene like this, there are a bunch of elements to consider. For example, it starts with CD hammering. I have a hammer. But really whaling on something right by the lens while trying to deliver lines is impr...

Making "AlBot" Pt. 2 - Animatic

Because I don't have a sci-fi space lab or giant robot at my disposal, there'll be a lot of greenscreen in this production. To help plan out the shots I decided to preview the entire sketch as a rough hand-drawn animatic.

First I recorded the lines in Pro Tools and edited everything to exactly 1 minute. I was recovering from an illness so my voice sounds rough and snotty (sorry!) but it gets the point across. I also threw in some sound fx & music to help create a vibe and guide the ...

Making "AlBot" Pt. 1 - Script

We all know short-form videos (TikTok, Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts) tend to encourage "low-effort" impromptu content. The vertical frame and severe duration limit make it almost impossible to create elaborate, nice-looking stuff. I mean, you'd have to be CRAZY to spend time working on a cinematic narrative sketch, custom-made for the shorts feed, where most people will just scroll by it...

Eh, let's try anyway!

I think it's a good testing ground for some virtual production t...

Production Art: Decades

For a shot in the latest video I needed to visualize the idea of fun things from decades past, that the world is currently nostalgic for. It was going to be a collage of images, but I quickly realized that anything I choose would be purely subjective. So instead I opted for labels of decades themselves, stylized in the design language of their time. To have flexibility I made them in 3D. Here's a video of each one up-close.

It's interesting how what we think of as emblematic design of a...

EARLY ACCESS: Empty World | Quick D

Hi!

Here's a brand new video, freshly baked in the edit oven, chilled in the sound design fridge and piped with delicious VFX creme. I hope you like it.

As outlined in a previous post, I sort of had to switch gears and make a completely different video from one I began working on. I tried to keep the new one short, but of course got carried away with details and flourishes, so it also ended up taking an extra while.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!