CaptainDisillusion

Video Update

Surprise!

Production Update

Testing some new, pro makeup to replace the low-tech, cream-based approach I've been taking all these years. Also, going to film the next video tomorrow before fireworks start. More details to follow!

TUTORIAL: Screencap Treatments

My first tutorial is finally here! Thank you for your patience.

This one is more of a cautious experiment to gauge where we all are, as far as skills and interests. Please feel free to give feedback: would you like me to be detailed and practical like this, or would it be more interesting if I just gave guided tours of the more complex visual effects I've done in specific episodes without going into minute step-by-step instructions?

I want to give you your money's worth! :)

-Alan 2015-07-02 02:59:19 +0000 UTC View Post

June 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

New Episode Early Access Pass

So I ended up get all artsy with this one. It's an exposé of last month's Charlie Charlie Challenge craze in the form of... a nursery rhyme. Hope you enjoy!

(And if anyone can come up with a cooler, funnier and more enticing video title, I'm open to suggestions.)

POST COMPLETED

I have risen from the ashes and somehow completed this monstrous episode, finally. With only one day in the month to spare! For all you "secret updates" followers, here's a little collage of the most complex work from this episode. In terms of visuals, I had to roto and composite 2 complex shots where I share the screen with Charlie Chaplin. And on the audio side, I had to compose, arrange and digitally produce a classic orchestral score that spans the entire video. And when I say I "had to", I ...

Editing

Currently cutting together the episode. Not worrying about VFX or sound yet, just the pacing. Since it's all based on the reading of a poem, I'm splicing together the best takes of my performance, stanza by stanza, into a continuous monologue, deciding what parts will likely cut away to explanatory visuals. For now I'm leaving blank spaces there with audio only, which can be edited even more intricately - word by word, if needed. All to create the illusion that I speak English.

Crew Shenanigans

Lauren and Emily take a moment to test out the new teleprompter. Giggling ensues.

The Gloves Come Off

Preparing for a take about half way through the shoot. Not too amused because we had to re-shoot a couple of things after realizing the mic receiver stopped working. But we got it done!

Rotoscoping

Scientists should study the psychological effects of rotoscoping. It's the closest thing there is to actual time travel. I barely sat down to work on this shot, which will figure into the ending of the next video, and INSTANTLY half an hour zipped by. Also, using this as a clue, guess what the subject of the next video is :P

Shoot Day

Filming the new episode today! It involves the usual red corner talking stuff as well as 2 quick shots in other locations. Also, trying out a teleprompter for the first time. Why? Because the entire episode will be in the form of a poem. And I'm not about to actually learn all those ridiculous rhymes I made up :) Will post pics.

May 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

A Skeptic's Skeptic

Someone on Google+ shared an opinion that my latest video is actually itself a hoax to troll my audience. Their theory is: bothered by the comments affecting whatever female friend/family member was *actually* in the costume, I concocted this fake explanation to defend the lady's dignity and get back at the commenters :) Their evidence is a list of bodily observations that make it clear the person in the costume is ~30lbs lighter than I could possibly be. (THANKS.) It's interesting how easy it ...

New Episode Early Access Pass

All your responses to my last post were very kind. But now I must warn you: what you are about to see, you won't be able to unsee.

Breaking the Fourth Wall...

I set out to make what I thought would be a cute little tongue-in-cheek bonus video before the next episode, possibly just for Patrons, but the more I worked on it, the more I realized that I would like to post this as a regular episode on the channel. It's unusual is because it's not a typical in-character debunking. Instead it's a meta reference to our previous episode. It does *kind of* debunk something. It's also part clarification, part comedy segment, part social commentary, part... me be...

Music Track - "Mouse Men"

For those who inquired: the melancholy music at the end of the Disneyland Ghost episode is an original track with which I tried to imitate the score of 'Mad Men'. Please enjoy and thank you for your continued support!

Behind the Scenes!

Here's some "exciting" on-set footage from last month's video shoot. Please enjoy!

April 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

M&E Track for Disneyland Ghost DEBUNK

Are you interested in the art of sound design and mixing? Of course not. But regardless, here's a little technical treat for all patrons - a version of the new episode with the dialogue and voiceover removed. Might be an interesting way to study the way sound effects and music are incorporated in my style of editing. If you have any questions, let me know! Just don't share the link... or use it to make any 'bad lip reading' parody videos.

New Episode Early Access Pass

This has been one of the most difficult videos to complete! It's slightly longer and more elaborate than usual, even though I set out to make something simple. That seems to be a pattern... Let me know what you think!

Eeesh! Bringing it just under the wire this month! Our countdown is quickly approaching next Wednesday and I'm currently working on the "breakdown" animations, the actual explanatory graphics at the heart of a debunk. Typically they're the first thing I do on an episode, but the filming and editing of the hosting portions of this video ended up being more challenging than expected, so I had to give them priority. On the plus side, they look great and I think I may have invented a completely new ...

Yeah, yeah...

I see some of you surreptitiously editing your pledge amount down :) and I understand. A couple of the rewards (such as tutorials) have yet to appear. But worry not. They are coming! This month is proving to be particularly tricky as my day job (editing a kids' web series), several freelance projects (music video and live concert) and the next Captain D episode all collide into a perfect storm of cold-sweat inducing deadlines. But having work is a good thing. And having a growing list of dedicat...

March 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

Production Artwork - P-Frame

This guy came out better than the I-Frame. I didn't even sketch it, just used the I-Frame character as a reference. Something about drawing antagonists is just more fun. These characters were animated with some replacement poses in conjunction with the puppet tool in After Effects. (click link to download the full-res file)

Production Artwork - I-Frame

From Reptilian Bieber-mosh. I wanted to create random blob characters to represent the frame types. But it kinda looks like a frog, doesn't it? Everything looks like something! (click link to download the full-res file)

Production Artwork - Beautiful Stranger

The other side of the animated scene from Russian Ghost Car Debunk. The pole that covered her face in the video wasn't a drawing, just a wood texture wrapped into a 3D cylinder in After Effects. (click link to download the full-res file)

Production Artwork - CD Freaked Out

From Russian Ghost Car Debunk. Not sure what I was trying to channel, but I had a very clear idea of what expression I wanted to have on my face. (click link to download the full-res file)

New Episode Early Access Pass

Hello! It's been a long weekend of sitting at a computer. But I really wanted to get the video to you guys earlier than just one day ahead of publish date. So here it is! Next Wednesday's episode. Enjoy and tell me what you think. This is also the first video this year for which we filmed some proper behind-the-scenes footage. So look out for that soon!

March So Far

What's up, everybody! The next episode is "in the can" (filmed), voiceover is recorded and editing is in progress. I'm gearing up to making the first tutorial for those of you signed up for that. Should be fun! Also... I will be a GUEST ROGUE on the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast this Saturday! Eat Fresh, -CD

February 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!