Planning new Nuke DVD(s)

throb · 09:23 AM

Hey all,
I am planning my next DVD for Nuke.

Instead of doing a boring "this is where the buttons are" I am planning to deal more with things that you'll really experience in the real world.

Such as :
- compositing full cgi scenes. trying to make things as real as possible.
- compositing live action elements (smoke, etc) into cgi for additional realism
- cgi vehicle work in nuke

I will do some work on what the nodes are but I feel that people are not as interested in that these days. I can structure the dvd to have instruction as I go if you guys think that's a good idea.

Additionally, would people be interested in a full dvd or just several videos showing a specific technique?

rob

tommy138 · November 21st, 2009, 09:15 AM

Would definitely be into the things you just mentioned.
Just showing things that you would come across a real production.
Now I know it would be boring to show how one would tackle a difficult key, as it would take a long time to show.
But some useful tips and tricks to get you in the right direction would be cool though.

Aruna · November 21st, 2009, 11:05 AM

Rob... If you need someone to do some keying tutorials, and you've got existing plates, PM me. I've found that the quality of keying has diminished. Maybe we can work out something.

sepu · November 21st, 2009, 11:08 AM

maybe some camera projections techniques as well, everything you said sounds pretty good to me.

throb · November 21st, 2009, 11:32 AM

@Aruna : thanks for the offer. if i find something that can use your skills, i will definitely get back to you.
@sepu : good idea. should do a matte painting projection one and maybe something on clean plate making.

joshfilms · November 22nd, 2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by throb

@sepu : good idea. should do a matte painting projection one and maybe something on clean plate making.

That would be awesome! Count me in

-Josh

angel8505 · November 22nd, 2009, 10:55 PM

Well, I find this thread very interesting, you see... I'm a senior student from AI miu... unfortunately we dont get to learn nuke. We do have one class for Eyeon Fusion but it only covered the basics. I've been trying to move to nuke (since I've heard its becoming the industry standard, and my goal is to become a movie compositor) but its been quite difficult since the names of the nodes change ,the IBK, etc... plus we don't get taught about work pipelines/work flow... so I guess it could be a good idea to kind of develop a mini project within the tutoring/training so people can have an overall understanding of what nuke is used for and all that is capable of...

throb · November 21st, 2009, 11:34 AM

I'm going to throw some 3D in there and deal with Linear Workflow again. Hopefully this will help 3d artists get images to compositing that are more accurate, more easily.

jasonhuang1115 · November 21st, 2009, 03:14 PM

Great to hear that you are planning for next Nuke DVD.I am a fan of the first DVDs (watching the x35 and jungle integration over and over again...)

All ideas you and Aruna have mentioned sound awesome. I would add my 2 cents from more of a lighter's angle:

- camera projection with spherical HDRI onto reconstructed geometries to build a physically-plausible environment for lighting.
- more involved with nuke's 3D system.
- 2.5D relighting
- if you end up doing 2 DVDs as last time, instead of button function explanation, I would love to see the first DVD as a theory one. There are many trainings using Shake for explaining compositing. It will be great to see one with Nuke.

- Jason

throb · November 21st, 2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonhuang1115

- camera projection with spherical HDRI onto reconstructed geometries to build a physically-plausible environment for lighting.

I am not sure what you mean. Do you want to then take the enviro out of nuke and back into a 3d app?

Quote:

- if you end up doing 2 DVDs as last time, instead of button function explanation, I would love to see the first DVD as a theory one. There are many trainings using Shake for explaining compositing. It will be great to see one with Nuke.

- Jason

Thanks for the kudos and I would like to have more of a theory one as well. I mean, I want that but I want to have it where you do comps and real work as you learn the nerd bullshit

I feel that will be more effective. What do you think?

rob

jasonhuang1115 · 09:46 PM

You actually got exactly what I mean.

Plus, I haven't seen this type of camera projection workflow being covered anywhere else, so I thought it will be great to see this technique unveiled. I guess this type of task may not be one of the everyday jobs for a compositor. However, I feel the potential of nuke being utilized in pre-viz or even step in ahead of lighters in the pipeline to set up the lighting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by throb

I am not sure what you mean. Do you want to
then take the enviro out of nuke and back into a 3d app?

That's even better. It is great to at the same time hear your insight of deciding a quality key pulled, matched black in each channel, and etc. while working on a production shot as example. BTW, the ideas brought up in this thread by you and others are really really great ideas.....any approx. date of release?

Quote:

Originally Posted by throb

Thanks for the kudos and I would like to have more of a theory one as well. I mean, I want that but I want to have it where you do comps and real work as you learn the nerd bullshit

I feel that will be more effective. What do you think?

rob

throb · November 22nd, 2009, 07:24 AM

[QUOTE=jasonhuang1115;110823]You actually got exactly what I mean.

Plus, I haven't seen this type of camera projection workflow being covered anywhere else, so I thought it will be great to see this technique unveiled. I guess this type of task may not be one of the everyday jobs for a compositor. However, I feel the potential of nuke being utilized in pre-viz or even step in ahead of lighters in the pipeline to set up the lighting.
[QUOTE]
Unfortunately there is no great way to take the data back out. FBX is so terrible I hesitate to bet the farm on it. This of course means there needs to be a solution so if i can figure out a way to do it then I will do that. An interesting challenge. I will cover HDRI creation but it will involve another app for the HDRI making. I use the right app for the job and sometimes nuke is not it

release dates...
well, funnily enough the hardest part is getting the material that I need to use on the DVD. I either need to generate it myself or need to get it from another source and have usage rights for it.

taking previously done work is tricky because of the usage rights issue. of course the next thing I will be asking for is material. I am going to try to shoot it myself if I can however. This way I know all the details. I dont want minidv, etc

rob

joshem · 04:29 PM

I am fan too.. of your DVDs Rob..

I would love to see in the new DVDs.

>More CG integration , specially knowing the power of 3d on Nuke now, with 3d projections, 3d integrations)

> Exactly It will be really cool to see Smoke, Fire , Dust , Water integration ( when you need 3d element and when you can "cheat it")

>Special topics about lighting a scene , if you like to teach theory and practice.The topic that i want to learn the most is.... lighting .(specially things that you need to know if you are building a scene by yourself ( if you are the lighter in 3d and do composting as well )

>Matching 3d render with live action Plates.(bytheway your reel looks really good , specially matching CG with live action).

mhafeez_13666 · November 22nd, 2009, 12:04 AM

Hi Rob, will UV mapping etc be part of the DVD? I am learning Nuke so I may not know the exact technical term but if you see the making of "Is this love" in the foundry website they show some UV/Camera projection etc for the accident scene which I have no clue of

. When they show the 3d view of Nuke the geometry etc looks so messed up but in scanline render it looks right. Sorry, I have no idea as to what it is. Maybe your DVD will help

sv0 · November 22nd, 2009, 02:44 AM

This is great news rob; I'm a huge fan of your previous two DVD's and have watched them over and over again...

Just my 2 cents would be to include using imported 3d geometry and doing projections onto it or manipulating UV's or something, and why you would do this.

However I also really liked in your previous DVD's when you are building up full production shots and you show lots of clever tips and tricks and short cuts and hotkey's etc - all this info really helps for people to learn how to do things faster, quicker and more efficiently, and it's not really the kind of thing you can learn from a manual.

More of a crit of the DVD structure/Director clips on the previous disks, but could you add a pause button and a slider? Sometimes you just want to re-watch something you've missed or perhaps misunderstood, and you don't want to have to reload the chapter and sit through 10minutes of video just to skip back a bit. Although I appreciate this might be out of your hands!

Look forward to it!