The next few effects shots started as an impulse to model a Supermarine Spitfire. Once I had the model, I figured I might as well texture it, and once it was textured, I figured I might as well do a few shots. In this first one, I created the background landscape using a free landscape generator called terragen and animated a slow sideways movement at a high altitude. I tried to make an illusion of the spitfire flying with the camera by animating a few subtle up and down, side to side movements. It's a little jerky, but I think it gets the job done. The lens flare and color correction I added in After Effects helped to unify the two plates and cover up the strange matte painting I put into the horizon.
Spitfire Flying High from Alexander Cooney on Vimeo.
And I had to have it strafe something, because... it's a spitfire. So this next shot I had it attack a guy on the Carleton Campus. This was probably the most complicated shot I've ever done, with a total of 31 2D layers and 10 3D layers. The reason for so many layers was that I wanted to put in the stock footage explosions in between each pair of 3D particle explosions that were meant to look like kicked up earth.
Spitfire Strafe from Alexander Cooney on Vimeo.
Sorry for all of the technical jargon and effects tests lately. After the next batch that's coming up, I promise I'll go make a short for you.
nice. now let's see our spaceship looking this nice, please? (not really necessary)
Side note: examine the strafing run closely. in the bank, the plane slides too much to the side. I'd suggest looking for stock footage of fighter planes, so that you can get a better idea of how they behave. You need to account for air resistance - to move in the xy in the fashion you have, the plane needs to move down (z), losing altitude as an expense for less wing area to give lift.
Looks great!
Posted by: Robert | July 08, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Wow, I am actually running for cover from that second clip! I can't wait to see more.
Posted by: Henry | July 09, 2008 at 12:10 AM