The northern lights

Has anyone ever aniamted CGI northern lights? I have project I'm shooting in late summer/early fall (non-starwars) that will require them. Wasn't sure if there was a way to wip them up easily in aftereffects or if its a more indepth thing to create. If it is I'll be looking here for anyone interested in contributing. Most likely be some pay in it for the person who does

 

Hmm, some particles with neat blur/glow settings might work...perhaps a few emitters would do the trick...I may take a stab at this sometime...

 

I would recommend that you use combustion 3 or Aftereffects and use the plugin shine by trapcode. That is of course, assuming you have you either one of these programs.

 

Was planning to use AE with the rays filter from trapcode lol. (At least for a good start.) Could use combustion at school as well, but Particle Illusion works well in a pinch. Same basic effects - cheaper software.

 

Its based on a real life expirence I had. I was walking home from my crappy job at 3am, pissed off that I got stuck there an hour later then usual, and reflecting on how my life had fallen into utter ruin (divorce, poverty, etc etc) when all of a sudden the clouds part and the heavens were dancing with a mystical light.

I stood and stared for an hour, the whole city was asleep and if I hadn't of gotten stuck at work late I never would of been in the right place at the right time to see them.

Changed my whole perspective on life. It was phenomenal.


So I incorporated that moment as the climax of the feature I'm creating. the whole movie is in black and white except for the northerlights. so it really stands out.

Can't say exactly what the payout will be for the work but it will be as much as I can muster.

 

That's an awesome story RS. I love how sometimes when everything seems to be screwed up you get put at the right place at just the right time.

I'll put an F/X test together as soon as I can. Don't worry about payment right now - I'd be happy if I can create something that you could use that represents the Northern Lights as you remember them. I'll try to have a test up by the end of the week.

Just a note, but what's your timeframe for project completion look like?


Later.

 

finishing the script up right now.

My production partner is directing a film in late july which I am producing and will be heavily involved in. As soon as that wraps photography (probably august 9th) I will go full tilt into my film. I hope to be shooting by the second week of September but a full schedule is not laid down yet so October 1st might be more likely. 2, maybe 3 weeks of of photography.

Then I edit away. the picture edit will probably take 2 to 4 weeks. I would require the FX work somewhere in there. So its a ways off. and I will have a script for you before you offically sign on so you can make sure its something you want to be associated with.

Either way there is time to work on it, its not needed in the next month or anything. I wish it was, I'd love to get rolling on it sooner but such is life, you can't expect to jump from hell to heaven in a single bound.

As per the the films premise its 6 short stories which intertwine. Its kind of Sin City meets the coen brothers. but is not a rip off of either as I've been developing this story since highschool.

The exact quantity of shots that will be needed with the fx is still up in the air at the moment. It could be as little as 3 and as much as 20. But it is all that one effect so once you nail it its just a matter of comping it into the existing shots. I would lean towards it being 7 or 8 shots but would be hesitant to commit 100% as this section of the script is the one most in flux. Regardless they will be needed because not having them in the end of the film would be like not having Anakin at the end of ROTJ.

 

Excellent. I'll start toying with the effect and see what I can come up with. Keep me up to date - it sounds like a neat project and I'd love to be involved!

 

will do

 

Just a *BUMP* to let you know I'm still thinking about this and to make it easy to keep track of. I'll be in touch.

 

Cool