LIGHT YEARS AWAY
VFX SHOT LIST AND NOTES

Last Updated: 4/14/05
LYA Website
Online Storyboards

Robert Chapin - VFX Supervisor
(310) 821-1496
(310) 497-1807 (cell)

Cuong Huynh - Storyboards
858-663-1489

General Location VFX Shoot Notes

 

SCENE
DESCRIPTION
Notes
1
Meteor through space
CGI
2
Meteor through space --titles
CGI
4
Dream -- black hole

CGI & green scrn
Use bluescreen if FG subject in front of effect, otherwise, the effect can be above foreground subject.
10
Ext. Observator day and night

CGI
Use CG reference balls. Watch out for anyone crossing in front of background cg - they will need to be on bluescreen.
11
Satellite Presentation
Green screen
Add tracking markers if shot is handheld.
12
Dream sequence.  Misty's car
CGI & green scrn
Take reference still shots of car and 360 degree view of location
21
Numerical equations on computer
Computer
Try to get this practical
28
David dreams. Misty and Hallway
CGI & green scrn
30
Scope glows

CGI
Bluescreen with clean background
31
David's Toy telescope glows
CGI
Bluescreen with clean background
33
Misty walks on water
Green screen studio with dock (or green platform)
Another (easier) possibility is to set up a platform (floating dock?) for her to walk on the water, shoot a clean plate and we remove the dock. We can also add water if you can find a dock that is on land.
36
Computer monitor inversion
Computer
Can be done in editing if shot is full screen.
39
radio signal lines on computer monitor
Computer
43
David in forest

CGI
Shoot Misty on bluescreen in studio with overhead light. Have light on set where she would be (for interactive light). Shoot any foreground objects on bluescreen.
45
Misty's hand transparent
Green screen
Lockoff - shoot each hand individually and bg plate
53
Stool slides behind Rex
practical
54
Truck upside down
CGI
shoot reference still of truck if possible along with reference balls.
55
Car through Misty
Green screen
Misty on green screen in location if possible.
56
Misty on alien bed
CGI & green scrn
58
Kitchen things flying around
Green screen
shoot reference balls and avoid moving shots.
59
floating breakfast tray
Green screen with clean bg plate
61
Bumble-bee
stock footage?
63
Waving Tie
practical?
Shoot together without bluescreen and clean plate as long as they don't cross and shot isn't moving
63
Misty Fades
Green screen
64
Computer stuff
Computer
67
Misty appears
Green screen - per storyboard, needed for him only. shoot her with clean plate.
68
Misty transparent (candlelight dinner)
Green screen - not necessary of they don't cross. Shoot together along with clean plate
69
Misty transparent (feeding swans)
Green screen
70
Misty transparent (outside shops)
Green screen
71
Misty transparent (looking at moon)
Green screen - not necessary of they don't cross. Shoot together along with clean plate
72
Computer screen
computer
73
Misty Transparent (playing chess)
Per storyboard, she doesn't need to be bluescreen if he doesn't cross in front. Shoot both together and clean plate.
82
Misty transparent (appears outside)
Green screen for him in fg. If background trees aren't moving, she is shot without green and shoot clean plate.
84
Bumblebee through kitchen window
stock footage?
90
Computer stuff
Computer
107
Earth Globe spins and glows
practical & CGI
109
Misty transparent
Green screen
110
Shattered dream
CGI & green scrn
113
CGI Jukebox?
CGI?
Anything FG of CG needs to be on bluescreen.
116
Misty as Mannequin blinks
CGI & green scrn
No greenscreen needed - just a still will do. If this is Misty, have reference of her with eye closed.
122
Satellite dishes
CGI & green scrn
Two options:
A) use photo as a background plate and greenscreen foreground or try to blend foreground and background with a simple roto.
B) Shoot this as a wide shot and add satellite dishes (more difficult)
124
Spacemen to launch site
CGI & green scrn
124b
Angle on launch pad
CGI & green scrn
125
launch pad/elevator/satellite panel
CGI & green scrn
For elevator, just shoot actors in front of bluescreen, will add FG doors.
126
B&W camera watching astronauts
CGI & green scrn
127
Satellite computer panel
CGI & green scrn
127b
Melvin & Bodyguard in launch pad area
CGI & green scrn
134
Lunar rover crashes out and zooms off
CGI & green scrn
135
Jet rockets on Rover
CGI
137
Rover shoots past car
CGI & green scrn
138
Rover breaking speed limit
CGI & green scrn
140
Rover rocket slows down
CGI
141
Robotic hand smashes limo car window

CGI & green scrn
May be able to add cg broken glass and robot hand if necessary. Greenscreen outside window.
145
Rocket shooting into the sky
CGI
154
Satellite in road
CGI
Lockoff if possible. Anything in front of rocket will have to be on bluescreen. Match lighting if shot in studio. Need reference balls.
154
Joey kicks door of satellite open from inside
CGI & green scrn
155
Melvin on monitor
CGI & green scrn
159
David's mind enters space
CGI
Take a hi-res photo of David's face
160
Misty's realm
CGI & green scrn
160
Misty becomes real
CGI & green scrn
They both will need to be on bluescreen separately if they crossover each other and there is moving environment behind them.

 

 

General Location VFX Shoot Notes

These notes are intended as a general rule of thumb for location shooting of VFX elements:

1) Take notes on camera lenses and distances from camera - especially if there are any 3D elements to be added in the shot.

2) If there are any shots involving 3D elements (such as buildings, rockets, plants), shoot a quick shot (same as the clean plate) of gray and/or reflective reference ball.

3) Always shoot a clean plate - watch for moving objects in bg.

4) Blue / Green Screen
To be used anytime a moving person or object is in front of another person,CG effect or composite background.
Bluescreen is preferable, but greenscreen will work just as well.
Color should be decided based on FG color (no greenscreen with cammo fatigues in foreground)
Screen should be lit as solid as possible while keeping green bounce or reflections on foreground objects to a minimum.
If possible, place the greenscreen behind the foreground subject in the same location (for lighting).
Match lighting of foreground with background as best as possible.
Avoid foreground shadows if possible.
Watch for shadows going off bluescreen.
Avoid foreground smoke, fog, blowing leaves, blowing hair.
If plate is moving, apply several visible tracking markers (typically a white "x") to greenscreen.

5) Try to lock off the shot whenever possible.

6) Transparent subject
If background is static (no moving trees), shoot both actors in scene, making sure they don't overlap. If they do overlap, the person in FG needs to be shot separately on bluescreen. If there is any movement in bg, all subjects must be shot in front of bluescreen separately.
Lockoff shot and shoot a clean plate.

7) Glowing
Anything that is glowing or supposed to give off light should have a practical light in the scene.
There are a few ways I can glow an object in the scene:
A) Greenscreen - shoot objects against green and remember to shoot a clean plate.
B) Difference matte / Lumakey - this can be done if the object is a distinctly different color or brightness from the background and/or surrounding objects.
C) Roto - most time consuming. This is if the object has a simple shape and is not-moving.

8) If objects are going to be composited in the distance, shoot full frame with a long lens.

All of these guidelines aside, note that anything is indeed possible given the time and money, however, this just makes things easier for everyone in the long run.