We’ve been running an experiment at VFX Apprentice focused on teaching timing more effectively, not only to new students, but also to seasoned VFX artists. I think we discovered something useful that I thought worth sharing. Years ago, I had this idea that we could create effects with limitations:
- simple textures
- simple shaders
- simple meshes
- simple greyscale
The rationale was that by simplifying a particle system, the artist is able to adjust various components more quickly, both in the first draft, and after every round of feedback. Additionally, we strip down the visual, eliminating distractions such as theme, color, and fancy shaders that often hide poor timing in their midst. It’s a matter of just seeing the pure composition, absent of style or polish.
That was the original thesis, and since then, many people have adopted this practice, seeing consistently beneficial results, both in their academic learning, and in real production scenarios where nailing strong timing is critical.
I’ll offer a few block-in case studies here to illustrate.
To explore this concept and test its bounds, @DianaSimonyan retroactively converted a finished effect from @SrRubfish which had strong punchy timing. Here’s the original effect from Ruben:
And here’s the block-in version from Diana:
The final effect from Diana, simplified as it is, retains the same punch as the original, without the use of flipbooks, color, dissolve maps, and so on. From the artists that have used this technique over the years, I’ve seen a variety of complexity. Some use just a couple of emitters, and some go all in like Diana’s example here.
With the ease of iteration, Diana also found it rather simple to swap an effect from being a slow-moving friendly spell like this…
…and turn it into a fast-moving damaging spell like this:
Notice also how the damaging effect has higher contrast, with darker darks pressing up next to the whites. Adjusting and balancing values so quickly is another added benefit of the block-in technique.
This idea of re-mapping timing to create a whole new spell applies for all kinds of block-in effects. Here’s a slow-moving projectile spell:
And a fast-moving version:
I’ve heard from many people that solving timing and composition through a block-in during pre-production results in far faster and higher quality results for complex spell sequences.
I’ll be teaching a 4-week workshop centered on timing in November. It’s for intermediate-to-advanced VFX artists. The content created involves these examples from Diana as well as other supplemental lectures on timing analysis, key principles, and practical application in the wild. If you enroll, we will assume that you’re already skilled at creating VFX, but you need to refine your timing skills. The class is built for you if you want career growth & promotion at your current job, or to prepare for new career opportunities.
If you’re curious, here’s the link to check out the class. And of course, feel free to hit me up anytime if you have any questions!
Thanks for reading!