Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

1.0 Introduction: Visual Effects Thesis

What exactly did I do for my thesis project in school? I often wonder about that myself! I had a difficult time trying to figure out what I exactly wanted to do, because I wanted to do a lot of things, and I wanted to explore and test a lot of visual effects processes...

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

2.0 What is a Chrome Ball?

A chrome ball, or mirrored ball, is a sphere that is perfectly round and reflective of all the surrounding light. It is used for visual effects to capture lighting information from set. Objects have different attributes that absorb, reflect, or diffuse light. Chrome balls work by reflecting 100% of the light from every direction, allowing a fairly accurate representation of how light would interact with a 3D model at that particular spot. Radiance helps eliminate distance as a factor in light measurement, allowing the camera to capture exact values onto the mirror ball.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

2.1 How to shoot a Chrome Ball

This guide is created based off my experience with shooting a chrome ball and my research which I will provide links at the bottom. The ball will only captures about 270 degrees of the scene. Distance is no longer a factor in the measurement of light. There are many different ways to go about the next process; this is the generic pipeline for what to do with your photos now that you have them.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

3.0 What is a Panosphere

My entire thesis was predicated on this idea of a panosphere, a term coined by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and wanting to duplicate what was done in the first Avengers movie in 2012. It’s hard to believe that movie came out the summer before my freshman year of college! I was fascinated to learn that the entire city was recreated digitally. They sent a small crew to photograph entire portions of the city using a technique to capture large panoramic photos that form a sphere, otherwise known as a panosphere.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

3.1 How to Shoot a Panosphere

Shooting a panosphere can seem intimidating, but with the right setup and process, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps of shooting a panosphere, including setting up your camera, taking photos, and stitching them together in post-production using Photoshop and PTGui.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

4.0 Chrome Ball vs Panospheres

There are many benefits and disadvantages to each system; just like any engineering problem, the challenge is figuring out which system will work best for your specific needs. This post will compare each of these methods to show which is ultimately the best; in addition to a list of which system to use in certain scenarios.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

5.0 High Dynamic Range Imaging

High dynamic range photography is used for the mirror ball in order to capture the radiance or light information from the scene. Light from the scene will fall onto the sphere and be reflected back. Photos were taken of the mirror ball at normal exposure, several stops above, and several stops below to capture the highlight and shadow detail that is normally clipped in non HDR images.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

5.1 How to shoot HDRI

High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) is a technique that allows you to capture a wide range of light and color in your photos, resulting in stunning and vibrant visuals. With a few simple steps, you can learn how to shoot HDRI photos and create breathtaking images. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of shooting HDRI photos and show you how to use Photoshop to create stunning high dynamic range images.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

6.0 Photogrammetry as an alternative to Modeling

Photogrammetry is a process of converting photos into 3D models. This technique involves taking many photos of an object from different angles, which are then processed by an algorithm to create a 3D recreation of the object. Photogrammetry is an alternative to traditional 3D modeling and can be useful when organic modeling skills are limited. However, the process of photogrammetry can be time-consuming and requires specific lighting conditions, a lot of diffuse light, and a high f-stop. In this article, we will take a closer look at photogrammetry and provide useful tips to get started.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

6.1 Best Conditions To Shoot For Photogrammetry

Photogrammetry is a process of converting photos into 3D models. This technique involves taking many photos of an object from different angles, which are then processed by an algorithm to create a 3D recreation of the object. Photogrammetry is an alternative to traditional 3D modeling and can be useful when organic modeling skills are limited. However, the process of photogrammetry can be time-consuming and requires specific lighting conditions, a lot of diffuse light, and a high f-stop. In this article, we will take a closer look at photogrammetry and provide useful tips to get started.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

6.2 Recreating Indoor Sets with Photogrammetry: The Skybridge

Photogrammetry is a process of converting photos into 3D models. This technique involves taking many photos of an object from different angles, which are then processed by an algorithm to create a 3D recreation of the object. Photogrammetry is an alternative to traditional 3D modeling and can be useful when organic modeling skills are limited. However, the process of photogrammetry can be time-consuming and requires specific lighting conditions, a lot of diffuse light, and a high f-stop. In this article, we will take a closer look at photogrammetry and provide useful tips to get started.

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Drew Gillie Drew Gillie

6.3 Photogrammetry in Post Production: An In-depth Analysis of Techniques and Applications

Photogrammetry is a process of converting photos into 3D models. This technique involves taking many photos of an object from different angles, which are then processed by an algorithm to create a 3D recreation of the object. Photogrammetry is an alternative to traditional 3D modeling and can be useful when organic modeling skills are limited. However, the process of photogrammetry can be time-consuming and requires specific lighting conditions, a lot of diffuse light, and a high f-stop. In this article, we will take a closer look at photogrammetry and provide useful tips to get started.

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Color Management, Visual Effects Drew Gillie Color Management, Visual Effects Drew Gillie

7.0 What is ACES and why did I use it

ACES is a tool that can be used to help cover the subtleties within a shot. Working in a space that allows for the use of every visible color makes it easier to match the visual effects work with the live action plates shot on any camera. ACES will also ensure that the best color reproduction and color management is used for this project. Any compression of any sort will ruin the shot.

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