Welcome to VFX and Animation!
Things to watch & read
Introduction to VFX concepts
This article introduces some of the main concepts and terminology you'll encounter on the course, there's video too.
A critical view of VFX
Part of being good at what you do is seeing the bigger picture. We love VFX (and animation!) but it's good to remember its only one aspect of a movie - and filmmakers don't always get it right!
A filmmaker's point of view
Director David F Sandberg (Lights Out, Shazam) posts on social media as 'Ponysmasher' and shares lots of really clear tips and advice on filmmaking. The video below shows Sandberg working solving problems by creative thinking and basic kit - he works in the same way you will on the course!
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Things to do
Why not make a flick book?
It's fun, it's easy, and it teaches you some of the basic principles of animation...
Make an animation using Pivot
A fun and free animation programme. Click the image below to reach the site - there are "how to" videos on the site and lots more on YouTube - enjoy!
Explore image manipulation using Pixlr
PIXLR is a free online photo editing tool, you'll need a decent internet connection to use it. Find out more about some of the basic VFX principles of joining images together.
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The Pixlr website is here. Below is an intro "how to" video.
Feeling ambitious?
BLENDER is a 3D animation suite that integrates well with video editing and VFX programmes​. It's FREE but you'll need a powerful computer to run it effectively. There are a lot of tutorials online and you can have a lot of fun exploring this huge, complex and exciting creative space.
RESOLVE is a colour-grading tool that has recently expanded into a full video editing and post-production platform. There is a basic version that is FREE to download but, as with Blender, you will need a powerful computer to make it work effectively. Lots more info online, lots to discover and explore!
