CGI recommendations

[missa]

I figure this is the best forum for this kind of question as the artists here probably have the most experience in dealing with CGI type effects. I am looking for recommendations on either relatively cheap software or plug-ins for Adobe (in particular After Effects CC). The main thing I am interested in trying to accomplish is hair growth beyond the "hair" effect within AE. I would like to be able to model a transparent 3d surface which "grows hair" that then can be placed upon a 2d video image. Thoughts?

[Tancred]

You will needa 3D program to generate a hair pass on a 3D geometry. Iguest Blender could do it...

[GenYun]

Yeah, Blender or Zbrush. I'm not away of any After effects plugins though. My only experience is with Daz Studio, which does have that capability, unfortunately.

KrustyTheSailor might the the one to ask. Hairy werewolves are his forte.

[Jamball]

Using a sphere to grow hair and the motion match animation in 3ds max would work. Unfortunately, it's not very cheap. A lot of it depends on the type of shot you are hoping to get. Wide shot? Close up? I think anything close up would better be done using practical effects.

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Jamball

[Tancred]

Actually, I don't think Z-Brush could be a good solution : the renders are not really usable for compositing.

I would like to know a little bit more before suggesting a technic because it could change a lot depending if it is a full body or if it is just a close-up on the face.

[missa]

Thanks all, I am specifically looking for "a bridge" between bare skin (before) and the practical effect (after). For the most part, we are talking about 1-10 second shots of hair growth, mostly close up. If you are familiar with my TF work to date, those shots are the same types I would be starting with. I have used the "hair" effect on AE up until this point but it is lacking (or I am lacking understanding..) depth and natural movement. I am looking for something with more impact. I know AE allows importation of CINEMA 4D (and the demos looked promising) but I am assuming this is prohibitively expensive as a cursory search of their site provided no pricing.

[Rei-Lin]

I would suggest thinking of needing it to look similar to the extreme close up of the hair growth in American Werewolf In London or the hair growth of the bush from the recent Body Hair video that was posted here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_wea5P6EuY. I'd think either one of those types of effects would work (yeah I know American Werewolf was practical effects). At least, if we're talking in a realm of transformation type work (which I think Missa might be after).

[Tancred]

Ok!

The first thing I suggest you is tou use a progam named Blender. It is a FREE 3D program that gives professionnal results. In fact, some pro are using it and you can easily find tutorials for it.

Now, if you use digital FX, here are some things you need to know :

1) If you use a tripod and don't move your camera, you won't have to track your shot wich means it will be a lot easier to integrate the effect.

2) NO COMPRESSION. Alway use the best quality your camera can makes. If you don't your effect will look fake.

3) Add the grain. To make your effect more realistic, you must add your camera grain. You can try to match it with the tools of After Effect or simply film a gray pannel and past it on your effect (but not on your shot) with the overlay fusion mode.

Now, what I see two technics you could use to create the hairs.

1) The simpliest (but not as realistic as the second)
You'll need to learn how to use the hair tool of Blender. Basically, you create a 3D geometry that looks like the surface you what to make hairy.

Then, you create a very light coat of fur on it. For the render, you hide your geometry, but not your hair.

You can also can create a shaddow pass by making your geometry visible and hiding the primary ray of your hairs.

You redo this step many times and you'll get some different hair textures that you can reveal progressively one after the other and, by justabosition that will give the impression the coat of fur is getting more and more thick.


2) The hardest one.
This is probably the technic that have been used for the "Define Beauty" video.

For this, you'll have to learn how to use the particles of Blender.

You still have to have a geometry that looks like your model, but, this time, you'll just have your hair pass and your shaddow pass to make once.

The particles can take many forms. One of them is a strend wich are kind of lines. By emetting particles from your geometry with strends and a good render material, you'll be able to create hairs and you will be able to make them grow.

I'm not a Blender user, but those technics works in any 3D programs. I also would like to say that I am a professionnal FX artist. It is what I do to pay my bills and everything so I guest I know what I'm talking about! Lol! I would also like to suggest you to try Nuke instead of Aftereffect. It is a lot more powerfull. ;-)