The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures
The award-winning VES Handbook of Visual Effects remains the most comprehensive guide to visual effects techniques and best practices available. This edition has been updated to the latest industry techniques, technologies, and workflows. The Visual Effects Society’s (VES) original authors have updated their areas of expertise, including AR/VR, AI, Color Management, Cameras, VFX Editorial, Digital Intermediate processes, interactive games, and full animation. These 95 experts share their best methods, tips, tricks, and shortcuts developed through decades of trial-and-error and real-world, hands-on experience.

This Fourth Edition is updated to include and reflect the evolving and expanded techniques, and adds new sections including evolving technologies such as AI and virtual production.

A must-have for anyone working in or aspiring to work in visual effects, The VES Handbook of Visual Effects, Fourth Edition, covers essential techniques and solutions for all VFX artists, producers, and supervisors. With subjects and techniques clearly and definitively presented in beautiful four-color, this handbook is a vital resource for any serious visual effects artist.

1137207365
The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures
The award-winning VES Handbook of Visual Effects remains the most comprehensive guide to visual effects techniques and best practices available. This edition has been updated to the latest industry techniques, technologies, and workflows. The Visual Effects Society’s (VES) original authors have updated their areas of expertise, including AR/VR, AI, Color Management, Cameras, VFX Editorial, Digital Intermediate processes, interactive games, and full animation. These 95 experts share their best methods, tips, tricks, and shortcuts developed through decades of trial-and-error and real-world, hands-on experience.

This Fourth Edition is updated to include and reflect the evolving and expanded techniques, and adds new sections including evolving technologies such as AI and virtual production.

A must-have for anyone working in or aspiring to work in visual effects, The VES Handbook of Visual Effects, Fourth Edition, covers essential techniques and solutions for all VFX artists, producers, and supervisors. With subjects and techniques clearly and definitively presented in beautiful four-color, this handbook is a vital resource for any serious visual effects artist.

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The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures

The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures

The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures

The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures

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Overview

The award-winning VES Handbook of Visual Effects remains the most comprehensive guide to visual effects techniques and best practices available. This edition has been updated to the latest industry techniques, technologies, and workflows. The Visual Effects Society’s (VES) original authors have updated their areas of expertise, including AR/VR, AI, Color Management, Cameras, VFX Editorial, Digital Intermediate processes, interactive games, and full animation. These 95 experts share their best methods, tips, tricks, and shortcuts developed through decades of trial-and-error and real-world, hands-on experience.

This Fourth Edition is updated to include and reflect the evolving and expanded techniques, and adds new sections including evolving technologies such as AI and virtual production.

A must-have for anyone working in or aspiring to work in visual effects, The VES Handbook of Visual Effects, Fourth Edition, covers essential techniques and solutions for all VFX artists, producers, and supervisors. With subjects and techniques clearly and definitively presented in beautiful four-color, this handbook is a vital resource for any serious visual effects artist.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781040448113
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Publication date: 12/30/2025
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 916

About the Author

Jeffrey A. Okun, VES, is an award-winning Visual Effects Supervisor, who is a Fellow of the VES and the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences as well as the American Society of Cinematographers, and the Television Academy. He has served as the chair and first vice chair of the VES, and the chair of the LA Section. Jeff created the VES awards program and show along with Tim McGovern, VES and Kim Lavery, VES.

Okun created visual effects tracking and bidding software in 1992 that is still in wide use within the industry today, as well as the visual effects techniques dubbed the “PeriWinkle Effect” and the “Pencil Effect”.

Susan Zwerman, VES, has been a member of the VES since 1998. She is a highly respected Visual Effects Producer who has been producing visual effects for more than 25 years. Zwerman is also a well-known seminar leader and author. As chair of the DGA’s UPM/AD VFX Digital Technology Committee, Susan emphasizes the importance of the visual effects teams to DGA members at visual effects seminars organized under her guidance.

In 2013, Susan received the Frank Capra Achievement Award in recognition of career achievement and service to the industry and the Directors Guild of America. She is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, and a member and Fellow of the VES.

Susan Thurmond O’Neal joined the VES in 1997 and has been deeply involved ever since. She has served on the global Executive Committee in multiple roles, including Treasurer in 2016, second Vice Chair in 2022 and 2023, and first Vice Chair in 2024 and 2025. Over the years, she has chaired the legacy global Education Committee, currently leads the Membership Committee, and in 2019, was honored with the VES Founders Award for meritorious service to the Society.

By day, O’Neal is a recruiter for BLT Recruiting, Inc., where she connects top-tier talent with the right opportunities. Her career has spanned roles as Operations Manager at The Mill, Operations Director at Escape Studios LA, and Account Manager at SideFX Software. She got her start in visual effects at Digital Domain in 1993, working in finance and operations before transitioning into production.

Table of Contents

COMING SOON - John Knoll

 

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION - Michael Fink, VES

What is a Visual Effect?

What is a Special Effect?

Art and Technology

 

CHAPTER 2: PRE-PRODUCTION/PREPARATION

Overview - Scott Squires, VES

Breaking Down a Script - Budgeting - Scott Squires, VES

Ballpark Budget

More Detailed Budgets

Bidding

Plate Photography

Temp Screenings

Reviewing Bids

Contracts

Rebidding during Shooting

Rebidding in Post

Monitoring the Budget and Schedule

Keeping the Budget Down

Examples of Script and Shot Breakdowns - Susan Zwerman, VES,  Jeffrey A. Okun, VES

Breakdowns

Production Breakdowns

Generating a VFX Breakdown: The First Pass

Working with the Director and Producer - Scott Squires, VES

Demo Reel

The Meeting

Moving Forward

Production Departments - Scott Squires, VES

Production Design

Camera

Working with the Cinematographer - Bill Taylor, ASC, VES

Special Effects - Scott Squires, VES

Stunts

Wardrobe

Makeup

Production

Visual Effects

Editorial

Locations

Production Meeting

Designing Visual Effects Shots - Scott Squires, VES

Guidelines for Directors

Storyboards

Previs

Objective of the Shot

Concept Art

Continuity

Photorealism

Original Concepts

Budget

Reality and Magic

Camera Angles

Framing

Scale

Detail

Speed

Scaled Images

Depth of Field

Sequence of Shots

Camera Motion

Less is More

Action Pacing

CG Characters

Creatures and Character Design

Powers of 10 Shots

Visual Effects Techniques - Scott Squires, VES

Technical Considerations

Additional Suggestions for Determining Techniques

Development of Previs Techniques - Mat Beck, Stephanie Argy

History and Background

New Potent Techniques

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

What is Previs and Other Forms of Visualization? - Hamilton Lewis

What is Previs?

Different Types of Visualization and When to Use Them

Visualization: The New Essential

The Application of Previs: Who Benefits and How? - J. Todd Constantine

The Benefits of Previs

Project Types

Post Visualization - Scott Hankel

What is Post-Visualization?

Why Use Postvis?

Who Does Postvis?

Cautions and Suggestions for Good Practice - Mat Beck

The Perils of Previs!

Passing the Work On

The Role of the VFX Supervisor in Previs

Previsualization: Advanced Techniques - Christopher Ferriter

Introduction

Benefits of Visualization

Advanced Techniques

Camera Angle Projection - Steven D. Katz

Introduction by Bill Taylor, ASC, VES

Drawing What the Lens Sees

Techvis - Christopher Ferriter

What is Techvis?

How is Techvis used?

Advancements in Techvis

Emerging Techniques and Trends

Essential Data Captured in Techvis

Real Time Engines and Their Previs Applications in VFX - Ryan McCoy

                Introduction

                Pre-Production Applications

                Production Applications

                Pipeline Advantages          

Real Time Engines and Their Application in Animation - Ryan McCoy

                Traditional 3D Pipeline

                Real-Time Pipeline            

 

CHAPTER 3: ACQUISITION / SHOOTING

Working on Set - Scott Squires, VES

Common Types of Special Effects - Gene Rizzardi

What are Special Effects?

A Brief History of Special Effects

The Special Effects Supervisor

Working with the Visual Effects

Visual Effects in Service to SFX

Special Effects Design and Planning

Storyboards and Previs

The Elements: Rain, Wind, and Snow and Ice

Smoke, Fire, and Pyrotechnics

Mechanical Effects

Flying Wire Rigs and Stunts

Safety

Greenscreen and Bluescreen Photography - Bill Taylor, ASC, VES

Best Practices and Otherwise

Overview

Function of the Backing

Negative Scanning and Digital Conversion

Backing Uniformity and Screen Correction

The Alpha Channel

The Processed Foreground

The Composite

Recommended Specifications and Practices

How to Expose a Greenscreen Shot, and Why

Setting Screen Brightness

Choosing the Backing Color

Floor Shots, Virtual Sets

Foreground Lighting

Controlling Spill Light

Lighting Virtual Sets

Tracking Markers

On-Set Preview

Cameras for Bluescreen or Greenscreen Photography

Underwater Photography

On-Set Data Acquisition - Karen Goulekas

Camera Report

Tracking Markers

Props for the Actors

Cyberscanning

Digital Photos

LiDAR/Laser Scanning

Lens Distortion Charts

HDRI and Chrome Balls

LiDAR Scanning and Acquisition - Alan Lasky

On-Set 3D Scanning Systems - Joshua DeHerrera

                Types of Technology

                LiDAR

                Photogrammetry

                Prop Scanners

Lighting Data - Charles Clavadetscher, Jeffrey A. Okun, VES

                Gathering Lighting Data

Using Conventional Still Cameras

                Reference Shooting Considerations

Beware of False Savings!

Clean Plates - Scott Squires, VES

                Shooting the Clean Plate

                Locked-Off Camera

                Moving Camera

                Other Issues

                Post-Process

                Alternates without Clean Plates

                Other Uses for Clean Plates

Monster Sticks - Scott Squires, VES

On-Set Animation Capture: Witness Cam (IBMC) - Joel Hynek

                Wireless Non-Video Motion Capture

                Factors Affecting Witness Cameras

                Dealing with the Data in Post-Production

Camera Tracking for Real-Time Visualization - Joe Lewis

                Introduction

Camera Department:  Pre-Production and Cooperation

Camera Tracking Strategies in an LED Volume

Emerging, Innovation and Mature Technology

Triangulation As a Method of Recording Camera Data -  Stuart Robertson

                Camera/Subject Positional Information

                Basics: The Toolkit

                Basics: Nodal Point

Photographic Reference  - Charles Clavadetscher

                How to Proceed

                Shooting Video as a Reference

Rules, Setup, and Testing - Charles Clavadetscher

                Do a Complete Test Shot!

                Why Run Through Example or Test Shots?

Digital Cinematography - David Stump, ASC, Marty Ollstein, David Reisner, W. Thomas Wolf

                Digital Definitions

                High Dynamic Range (HDR)

                Camera / Lens Metadata

                Camera Tracking

                Look Management

                The Recording System

VFX Photography - Eric Swenson

                The Camera Array

Designing an Array Shot

Technicians

Shoot Day

Special Techniques

Post

The Future

Filming Live-Action Plates to be Used in VFX - Bill Taylor, ASC, VES

                Camera Position (Station Point)

                Angle of View

                Lighting Considerations

                Camera Tilt

                Background Quality

                Moving Plates

                Scouting the Camera Positions

                A Case Study

                Camera Cars

                Camera Car Safety Issues

                Purpose-Built Crane Cars

                Vibration and Camera Stabilization

                Road Speed

                Precautions

                Panoramic Rigs

                On the Water

                Air to Air

                Cable Systems

Shooting Elements for Compositing - Mark H. Weingartner

                What Is an Element?

                Stock Footage

                Types of Elements

                Generic versus Shot-Specific Elements

                Determining Element Needs

                Cheating

                Backgrounds

                Black Backgrounds

                Line-Up

                Camera Format Considerations

                Assorted Methods for Shooting Elements

High-Speed Cinematography and Filming Elements - Jim Matlosz

                Cameras

                Technicians

                Director of Photography

                Lighting

Moving the Camera

                Video Assist

                Post

Supervising Motion Control - Mark Weingartner

                What is Motion Control?

                Performance Choreography

                Multiple-Pass Photography

                Scaling

                Import and Export of Camera Move Data

                The Data

                Types of Motion Control Systems

                Motion Control Software

                Camera Types

                Sync and Phase

                Dealing with Production

Acquisition of Motion / Still Photographic Textures for Mapping onto CG - Mark Weingartner

                Panoramic Backgrounds

                Tiled Stills

                Motion Tiling and Synchronous Plates

                Practical Considerations

                Stills for Textures and Lighting

Stop-Motion - Pete Kozachik, ASC

                Evolution of Stop-Motion Photography

                The Time Required to Shoot in Stop-Motion

                Preparation before Shooting

                Setting up a Shooting Space for Stop-Motion

                Use of Motion Control in Stop-Motion

                Useful Caveats

                Evolution of a Shot

                Use of Stop-Motion in Visual Effects

 

CHAPTER 4: PERFORMANCE AND MOTION CAPTURE

Defining Motion Capture / Performance Capture  - Demian Gordon, Nathan Camp, John Root

How Motion Capture is Used Across the Industry - Demian Gordon, Nathan Camp, John Root

Is Motion Capture Right for a Project? – Demian Gordon, Nathan Camp, John Root, Tracy McSherry

                The Mocap Look

Visual Storytelling and Aesthetic

                Production Planning

                Performance

                Technology and Approach

                Aligning Needs vs. Wants

                Optical Motion Capture

                Motion Capture for Virtual Production

                Motion Capture for Animation

Production Planning Scenarios for Motion Capture – Demian Gordon, Nathan Camp, Rhea Aylin Fischer,

and John Root

                Subject Matter of the Shoot

                Performance and Actor Considerations

                Real-Time Presentation

Subjects Being Captured

                Volume Size and Build

                Syncing Hardware and Software

Rigging and Retargeting for Motion Capture

Shot List

Client or Vendor Delivery

Optical Motion Capture – Nathan Camp, Demian Gordon , John Root

Technical and Approach

Entry Point

Budget

Hardware

Software

Inertial Motion Capture - Rhea Aylin Fischer, Ted O’Brien ,John Root, and Demian Gordon

Use Cases

Technology and Approach

Entry Point

Budget

Hardware

Software

Motion Capture for Virtual Production - Nathan Camp, Ted O'Brien

Use Cases

Technology and Approach

Entry Point

Budget

Hardware

Software

Hand Capture Demian Gordon , Rhea Aylin Fischer, Tracy McSherry. John Root,

                Use Cases

                Advantages and Disadvantages

                Technology and Approach

                Budget

Facial Motion Capture – John Root, Demian Gordon, Gareth Edwards, and Oleg Alexander

                Use Cases

                Markerset

Lighting

Facial Hair

Advantages and Disadvantages

Entry Point

Budget

Facial Actor Survey

                Actor Survey - Hardware

Applying AI

Volumetric Capture / Considerations for Production - Wardrobe, Hair, Makeup, and Blocking - Christina Heller, Skylar Sweetman, Mari Young

 

CHAPTER 5: VIRTUAL PRODUCTION AND AI TOOLS IN VISUAL EFFECTS

Virtual Production - Addison Bath

What is Virtual Production

How is Virtual Production Used?

Note from the Editors:  – Jeffrey A. Okun, VES,  Susan Zwerman, VES, Susan Thurmond O’Neal

Capturing Surfaces with Photogrammetry to Create Assets - Luis Cataldi

                Introduction

                Core Principles of Photogrammetry

                Applied Principles of Image Capture for Photogrammetry

                Capture Methods and Workflows

                Final Thoughts

Photogrammetry and LiDAR Sets for Virtual Production - Tripp Topping

                Optimization

The Use of AI in Visual Effects - Lucien Harriot

Introduction

Overview of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

Applications of GenAI in Visual Effects

Impact on Visual Effects Processes

Limitations, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations

Future Developments in GenAI

Embracing GenAI as a Tool for Innovation

Summary of Techniques for NeRFs and 3D Gaussian Splatting - Mike Seymour

                Introduction

Overview of NeRFs and Gaussian Splatting

                Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF)

                3D Gaussian Splatting

                NeRFs and 3DGS in Combination with Other AI

                Limitations, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations

Summary of AI Techniques Used in Visual Effects - Steve Wright

A Brief History

AI for Compositing

Image Enhancement

Visual Effects

Other Features

Adapting to a World with AI

 

CHAPTER 6: POST-PRODUCTION / IMAGE MANIPULATION

Resolution and Image Format Considerations - Scott Squires

                Formats

                Transport

                Resolution

Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) - Bill Baggelaar, Annie Chang, Steve Tobenkin

                Overview

                Using ACES in Visual Effects Workflows

                ACES Color Space Encoding

                Compatibility

Image Compression/File Formats for Post-Production - Florian Kainz, Piotr Stanczyk

                Image Encoding

                Still Image Compression

                Other Lossless Compression Methods

                File Formats

Color Management - Joseph Goldstone

                The Three Guidelines

                Digital Color Image Encodings and Digital Cameras

                Color Management at the Desktop

                OpenColorIO

Digital Intermediate - Tashi Trieu

                Introduction to Digital Intermediates

                The Colorist

                Tools of the Trade

                Emerging Technologies

                Grading with Mattes

                Communicating Color Through the Visual Effects Pipeline

                Visual Effects Plate Grading

                The Evolution of Color Grading

Shot/Element Pulls and Delivery to VFX - David H. Tanaka

                Introduction

                The Lab

                “Production” Is to “Lab” as

                The Merge

                The Handoff

                VFX Editorial

                The Select

                The Pull

VFX Editorial – Greg Hyman, David H. Tanaka

                Editing within a Shot: The Art of Precompositing (Precomp)

                How It Came To Be

                Modern Day Tracking and Disseminating of Information

                As the Shot Changes

                Wrapping It Up

Editorial Workflow in Feature Animation - David H. Tanaka

                Introduction

                Editorial Crew Staffing and Structure

                Editorial Involvement with Feature Animation Production Stages

Communication With Artists - Eric Durst

                Starting

                Working with Teams

                Working Globally

                Reference and Perspective

                Shot Production

                Communicating with Artists in Other Departments

                Completion

Compositing of Live-Action Elements - Steve Wright

Overview

Green/Blue Screen Capture

Pre-Processing the Green Screen

Garbage Mattes

Keying Strategies

Motion Blur and Depth of Field

Spill Suppression

Grain Management

Rotoscoping

Post-Composite Processing

3D Compositing

Inspecting the Comp

Rotoscoping and Paint - Marshall Krasser, Sandy Houston

                Rotoscoping

                Digital Painting and Plate Reconstruction    

Deep Compositing - Steve Wright

What is a Deep Image?

Complex Depth Interactions

The Depth Compositing Edge Problem

The Re-rendering Problem

Deep Compositing and Live Action

Matte Painting/Creative Environments - Craig Barron, VES, Deak Ferrand, John Knoll, and Robert Stromberg

Matte Paintings: Art of the Digital Realm

What Is a Matte Painting?

                Matte Painting - Pioneers and History

Visualizing the Matte Painting Shot in Pre-Production

On-Set Supervision for Matte Painting Shots

Basic Skills and Tricks of the Trade

Miniatures and Computer-Generated Sets

Finding the Best Frame

Re-Projected Photo Survey

The Need for Creative Compositing

Digital Environments -  Robert Stromberg

Reimagining Artistic Roles in Film: The Rise of the “Environment and Creation Artists”

Virtual Production and Game Engine Technology

Future of the Environment Creation Artist and AI

The Power of Curiosity in Creativity and Innovation

 

CHAPTER 7 - DIGITAL ELEMENT CREATION

Digital Modeling -  Kevin Hudson

                Overview: The Importance of Modeling

                Types of Modeling

                Model Data Types

                Development of Models

                Modeling for a Production Pipeline

                Engineering Aspects for Polygons

                Engineering Aspects for NURBS

Rigging and Animation Rigging - Steve Preeg

                Rigging:  What is It?

                Animation Rigging

                Deformation Rigging

What Makes a Good Rig for Animation – Felix Balbas  

                Introduction

                User and Uses

                Technical Aspects

                Technology Restrictions

                New Technologies

Texturing and Surfacing - Ron Woodall

                The Importance of Texture Painting

                Hard Surface Models

                Creature Models

                Types of Geometry: Their Problems and Benefits

                Prepping the Model to Be Painted

                Texture Creation

                Various Other Map-Driven Effects

                Texture Painting in Production

                Model Editing

Digital Hair/Fur - Armin Bruderlin, Francois Chardavoine

                Hair Generation Process

                General Issues and Solutions

Digital Feathers - Armin Bruderlin, Francois Chardavoine

                Morphology of Real Feathers

                Modeling Digital Feathers

                Similarities between Hair and Feathers

                Differences between Hair and Feathers

General Geometry Instancing - Armin Bruderlin, Francois Chardavoine

                Asset Creation

                World Building

                Shot Considerations

Dynamics and Simulation - Craig Zerouni, Judith Crow

                How is a Simulation Created?

                When is Simulation Appropriate?

                Tricks and Cheats

                Important Considerations

                Planning and Preparation

                Software Solutions: A Broad Overview of Current Options

Particles - Craig Zerouni

                What are Particle Systems?

                The Next Step

                The Birth of Particles

                Creating Effects

Rigid Body Dynamics - Craig Zerouni

                How Rigid-Body Dynamics are Created

                Potential Problems

                Other Issues

                Tricks for Getting It Done

Digital Lighting - Andrew Whitehurst

                Light in Reality and in Computer Graphics

                Case Study of Reality Compared with Simple CG Simulation

                Visual Sophistication through Texture Mapping

                Physically Derived Shading Models

                Beneath the Surface

                Goals of Lighting in Visual Effects

                Work Flow for Successful Creative Digital Lighting

                The Technologies of Lights in Computer Graphics

                Direct Lighting: Source to Surface to Camera

                Reflections

                Photographed Reflections

                Shadows

                Image-Based Lighting

                Rendering Occlusion

                Ambient Occlusion

                Reflection Occlusion

                Creating Light Sources from Environment Maps

                Physically Based Rendering

                Physically Plausible Rendering

                Volumetric Lighting Effects

Shader Basics - Derek Spears

                What are Shaders?

                Shading Models

                Bump and Displacement

                Map-Based Shaders

                Procedural Shaders

                Shader Design

                Anti-aliasing Considerations

2D Compositing - Matt Leonard

                2D File Formats

                Image Quality: Color Bit Depth and Concatenation

                Log vs. Linear

                Low Dynamic Range and High Dynamic Range Images

                Mattes and Pre-Multiplied Alpha

                Working with Rendered CG Elements

                Integration Techniques

2.5D Compositing - Matt Leonard

                Z-Depth Compositing

                Adding Depth of Field

                Adding Motion Blur

                Relighting

3D Compositing - Matt Leonard

                Working with 3D Data in a Compositor

                Pan and Tile

                Camera Projections

                Set Extensions

                Coverage Mapping

                Cubical Camera Setup

                3D Mattes

                3D Retouch and Cleanup

                Adjusting Camera Moves

                Particles

                Deep Compositing

Crowd Generation and Simulation Techniques - John Knoll

                Live-Action Replication

                Sprites

                Computer-Generated Crowds

                Modeling for Replication

                Variation

                Mesh Density

                Animation Cycles for Replication

                Motion Capture

                Keyframe Animation

                Dynamic Motion Synthesis

                Behaviors and Crowd Control

CG Prosthetic and Actor Enhancements - John Knoll

                On-Set Tracking and Capture Considerations

                Eye Enhancements

                3D Techniques

                2D Techniques

                2.5D Techniques

                Silhouette Changes

                Re-Projection

3D Products, Systems and Software - Richard Kidd

                Digital Element Creation Process

                3D Graphics Software

                3D Tracking

                Special Effects

                Rendering

                Texturing

 

CHAPTER 8 – INTERACTIVE GAMES

Overview – David Johnson, VES

How the Gaming Industry and Film/TV Industries are different - David Johnson, VES

Publishers and Developers v. Film/Television Studios and VFX Facilities – David Johnson, VES

Game and TV/Film Converging with Virtual Production and Cinematics -  David Johnson, VES

Game Engines and Real-Time Rendering - David Johnson, VES

                Runtime Component

Unreal vs. Unity

Disciplines and Job Titles - David Johnson, VES

                Game Design

                Engineering

                Production

                Test

                Art

                The Art Director

                Concept Art

                Environment Artists

                Texture Artist

                Characters

                Hard Modeling

                Props

                Lighting

                Baked vs. Dynamic Lighting vs. Raytracing

                Shadows

                Effects

                System Effects

                Environmental FX

                Breakables

                Destruction

                Tech Artist

                Animation

                UI

Real Time Shaders and Materials - David Johnson, VES

Optimization and Runtime Budgets - David Johnson, VES

Performance Analysis and Profiling - David Johnson, VES

                CPU vs. GPU bound

Technical Terminology - David Johnson, VES

                User Calibration

                Latency

                “Game Mode” on Televisions

                HDR10

                PBR – Physically Based Rendering

                FBX

                Mip Mapping

                Filtering

                Texel

                Screen Space Ambient Occlusion

                Level of Detail

                Vertex Shaders and Fragment Shaders

AR/VR - David Johnson, VES

Future of Gaming - David Johnson, VES

                On-Demand Rendering, Cloud Distribution and Ray Tracing

Fast Drives, Nanite and Lumen

Fluid Simulations

AI

 

CHAPTER 9 – COMPLETE ANIMATION

What Is An Animation Project?  - Stephan Vladimir Bugaj

                Full Animation vs Visual Effects

Difference Between Visual Effects and Animation - Rob Bredow

                Production Pipelines

                Production

Animation Techniques - Frank Gladstone

                Traditional Animation

                Stop-Motion

                Computer Graphic Technology

Considerations for a Full CG-Animated Feature Pipeline - Stephan Vladimir Bugaj

                CG Feature Animation Pipeline

Managing an Animated Film - Don Hahn

                Film Management and Personal Style

                Building Brain Trusts

                Building the Core Creative Team

                Writing and Visual Development

                Working with a Studio

                Facilities and Environment

                Managing the Event

The Production Process: An Animator’s Perspective - Lyndon Barrois

                Working on CG-Animated Content in Live-Action Features

                Planning the Process

                Production

                Character and Environment Interaction

 

CHAPTER 10 – VISUAL EFFECTS WORKFLOWS

Analysis of a Production Workflow - Stephan Vladimir Bugaj

                From Workflow to Pipeline

                Service Bureau versus In-House Requirements

Design of a Production Workflow – Dan Rosen

                From Analysis to Design

Deploying a Production Workflow - Stephan Vladimir Bugaj

                From Design to Implementation

Tracking Assets - Stephan Vladimir Bugaj

                What is Task and Asset Tracking?

                Commercial Task and Asset Tracking Systems

                Building Task Asset Tracking Systems

Scene Assembly - Stephan Vladimir Bugaj

                2D Scene Assembly

                3D Scene Assembly (Compositing)

Working Across Multiple Facilities – Scott Squires, VES

                Images

                Models

                Texturing

                Animation

                Compositing

                R&D

Version Control Software - Jase Lindgren, Katie Cole

                Introduction to Version Control

                Version Control Uses in Virtual Production

                Version Control Set-Up

 

CHAPTER 11 – VR / AR (VIRTUAL REALITY / AUGMENTED REALITY)

A Note from the Editor Prelude to Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality – Jeffrey A. Okun, VES

Pre-Production for VR/AR - Chris Edwards

Production for VR/AR - Grant Anderson

Post-Production for VR/AR - Dave Franks

Editorial Post-Production for VR/AR - John Grod

                How to Direct the Viewer?

                The Post-Process

                Nonlinear Editorial, Timelines and Edits

                World Lock and Forced Perspective

Types of Head-Mounted and Handheld Displays - Bernard Mendiburu

                Identifying the Computer-Mediated Realities

                State of the Art in VR Photonic Technologies

State of the Art in VR Hardware Technologies

State of the Art in VR Software Technologies

Using an HMD for Visual Effects Production

Choosing an HMD for Visual Effects Production

Hemispheres and Domes - John Grod

                Games Mechanics Are What it is All About

                Overcoming Doubt and Preconceived Notions

                Dome Projections

                The Future of Domes

The Evolution of Domes: The MSG Sphere - Phillip Galler

Uses of VR - John Grod

                Enterprise

                Narrative Storytelling

Future of VR and AR - Ben Grossmann 

                This is Just the Beginning

Immersive Experiences Make Use of Advanced Visual Effects Technology - Philip Galler

                What are Immersive Experiences?

                Visual Effects’ Impact on Immersive Experiences

                Content Creation for Immersive Experiences

                Challenges for Delivering Content for Immersive Experiences

                Wearables and the Future of Immersive Experiences

 

Acknowledgments

Appendix A: Charts and Formulas

Appendix B: Glossary

Index

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