Creating this look at DVinfo.net

Alan James · March 27th, 2007, 08:36 PM

So guys this is a pretty simple one, I just can't nail it perfectly. How do I get this http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...elberg/MP2.jpg look.

Obviously they shot the picture on a blue/green screen and added the actors in. Then applied certain filters. I understand that a lot of it has to do with lighting, but I got that covered. I'm just wondering what filters you guys would apply. Of course the amount to which I apply them will change shot to shot but I wanna just get your opinions. I have been working on it for a few days now but can't get it perfect. I won't tell you what I'm doing cause if you have another idea I don't want my (not perfect) technique messing you up and leading you astray from a better way.

Thanx in advance guys.

Alan James · March 28th, 2007, 08:35 PM

It seems like I always ask the questions either no one wants to answer or no one knows how to. Any suggestions would be good.

Reese Leysen · March 29th, 2007, 01:27 AM

Hey man, I'm still pretty new here too and this forum can be very slow in some departments sometimes so just have patience :) .

About that effect: the trick there is not just filters, it's also a specific dirty texture that is superimposed on the image. You would have to use such a texture, or set of textures and then layer them on top of the image.

You could also use an extra layer to adjust lighting, something on which you painted white areas that require light and left dark what can fall into darkness for a more dramatic effect.

If you really want I can see if I can do a quick example of it for you.

Peter Jefferson · March 29th, 2007, 03:33 AM

Starting from bottom going up

Crayon Layer (medium) (for base colour)
Pencil sketched @ medium (approx 40-50% opacity) (Mid details) Maybe add bump map lighting off the side to emphasis shadows <ie depth>
Original in grayscale with edge sharpness cranked (25 to 40% opacity) (facial details and edge differentials)

Noise filters.. maybe film grain, or maybe a PNG transparent if u want static noise as an overly

Graham Bernard · March 29th, 2007, 06:43 AM

Peter, that's a really neat analysis. I suppose one would need to see the thing in motion to get an even better "feel"?

Alan James · March 29th, 2007, 08:08 AM

Cool. Thanx guys. I'm at work now so I will have to try this when I get home.

I am assuming that I should export all my footage to an image sequence then run them through photoshop using an automated custom action. Is that the correct process you have in mind?

Reese I totally agree about the dirty texture overlay, but I don't know how to make an animated texture. I obviously don't want to draw it in frame by frame so if I can make a looping layer in After Effects then just export it and reuse it whenever I need it that would be the way to do, I just don't have any ideas about how to make it.

The one movie I will reference about this look is Grindhouse (Planet Terror). I love the dirty look they created there.

Thanx guy for replying. It seems I'm always asking these questions that either people don't know the answer to or its very artistic and subjective (and thus has no one answer).

Peter Jefferson · March 29th, 2007, 06:25 PM

"I am assuming that I should export all my footage to an image sequence then run them through photoshop using an automated custom action. Is that the correct process you have in mind?"

No actually u can do this in vegas quite easily in about 5 minutes...

Reese I totally agree about the dirty texture overlay, but I don't know how to make an animated texture.
((Use a film effects filter, get rid of everythign but the grain))

I obviously don't want to draw it in frame by frame so if I can make a looping layer in After Effects then just export it and reuse it whenever I need it that would be the way to do, I just don't have any ideas about how to make it.

((try film effects.. u might not even need to "make it" ))

The one movie I will reference about this look is Grindhouse (Planet Terror). I love the dirty look they created there.
((never seen it so I cant comment))

Thanx guy for replying. It seems I'm always asking these questions that either people don't know the answer to or its very artistic and subjective (and thus has no one answer).

((True, it wont have one answer.. but im jsut thinking in the simplest terms and the fastest way to achieve it))

Graham Bernard · March 30th, 2007, 12:29 AM

Yes, film effects can be played around with. However, you may also want to explore Generated Media and animate that.. Place it on the top most track and apply a chroma key to remove background colour.

There is much, MUCH to do here. And yes: " It seems . . . asking these questions that either people don't know the answer to or its very artistic and subjective - (and thus has no one answer). " I couldn't agree more! Except for the fact that there are MANY ways of getting to that creative solution and NOT only/just that it is artistic subjectivity.

Designers, artisans, artists - video and audio - spend lifetimes in experimenting and delving and exploring their particular field/medium. What you are presently focused upon aint any different! My problem was that I could think of a zillion things to do. Well maybe NOT a zillion - but pretty close, and I thought, " . ugh .. where do I start?"

In any event, this IS a very important and interesting thread you kicked off, 'cos, IMO, this truly gets to the real core of experimenting - of pulling and pushing video to get the "look" you want.

I use Vegas, and this great platform allows for much experimentation AND from the ground up too. It is an immense NLE and is a prime candidate with which to do much.

Give yourself time and space to experiment, and your work will only benefit.

Peter Jefferson · March 30th, 2007, 07:20 AM

drop me an email and ill send you something i did with vegas, using the same technique mentioned above

also you dont need to add the noise, as the ouit of focus elemets are creating their own noise from the crayon/paint filter

also retaining detail works a treat :0

quite impressed with myself i have to admit.. lol
ok shut up pete

Cole McDonald · March 30th, 2007, 01:23 PM

I see a posterize, a Mosaic and a Gaussian Noise along with some color correction to get the darks crushed down a bit and the highlights and mids closer together.

These should all be able to be done in your Editor without having to hit photoshop with an image sequence.

Alan James · March 30th, 2007, 06:54 PM

Well I am using Premiere Pro 2.0 and that is very limited on effects. Actually my footage is going to be shot on blue screen and so I will have to import it into After Effects anyways and add backgrounds. Exporting an image sequence is pretty easy and I have the space for it. I dont have Vegas so I wont be able to use any of the effects in that (obviously).

This is one frame I ran through Photoshop and I don't think its perfect yet. I want to add the "dirty" look and all I have is Photoshop and After Effects. Other then that what do you guys think?

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ity1effect.jpg

Grindhouse has yet to come out. Google the trailer and check it out, its neat.

Thanx guys

Ben Winter · March 31st, 2007, 08:37 PM

Haha! Max Payne. Makin' a blow-em-up with guns of a videogame, are we?

You can find tutorials on how to make pictures with the Max Payne look if you search on google. The first response was right; you must overlay a texture on top of the image to get that exact look. In the tutorial I found it was a microscope slide of microbes.

Although I couldn't find that one, here's another one that cropped up. Have a look!
http://www.digg.com/design/Max_Payne...Tutorial_Video

Alan James · March 31st, 2007, 09:17 PM

Nope not making a blow-em up with guns movie, I just really love the look on the pictures they made for the game and thought it would look awsome as a video. I dont know yet what I'm gunna use it for but I have a few ideas. Thanx for the tutorial.

Peter Jefferson · April 4th, 2007, 08:49 AM

who was it that emailed me for a pic of this effect?
did it work? what did u think?

March 27th, 2007, 08:36 PM	#1
Alan James Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 261	Creating this look So guys this is a pretty simple one, I just can't nail it perfectly. How do I get this http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...elberg/MP2.jpg look. Obviously they shot the picture on a blue/green screen and added the actors in. Then applied certain filters. I understand that a lot of it has to do with lighting, but I got that covered. I'm just wondering what filters you guys would apply. Of course the amount to which I apply them will change shot to shot but I wanna just get your opinions. I have been working on it for a few days now but can't get it perfect. I won't tell you what I'm doing cause if you have another idea I don't want my (not perfect) technique messing you up and leading you astray from a better way. Thanx in advance guys.

March 29th, 2007, 03:33 AM	#4
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Starting from bottom going up Crayon Layer (medium) (for base colour) Pencil sketched @ medium (approx 40-50% opacity) (Mid details) Maybe add bump map lighting off the side to emphasis shadows <ie depth> Original in grayscale with edge sharpness cranked (25 to 40% opacity) (facial details and edge differentials) Noise filters.. maybe film grain, or maybe a PNG transparent if u want static noise as an overly Last edited by Peter Jefferson; March 29th, 2007 at 06:21 PM.

March 30th, 2007, 01:23 PM	#10
Cole McDonald Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sauk Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 1,675	I see a posterize, a Mosaic and a Gaussian Noise along with some color correction to get the darks crushed down a bit and the highlights and mids closer together. These should all be able to be done in your Editor without having to hit photoshop with an image sequence. __________________ Web Youtube Facebook

March 31st, 2007, 08:37 PM	#12
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	Haha! Max Payne. Makin' a blow-em-up with guns of a videogame, are we? You can find tutorials on how to make pictures with the Max Payne look if you search on google. The first response was right; you must overlay a texture on top of the image to get that exact look. In the tutorial I found it was a microscope slide of microbes. Although I couldn't find that one, here's another one that cropped up. Have a look! http://www.digg.com/design/Max_Payne...Tutorial_Video __________________ BenWinter.com

March 28th, 2007, 08:35 PM	#2
Alan James Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 261	It seems like I always ask the questions either no one wants to answer or no one knows how to. Any suggestions would be good.

March 29th, 2007, 01:27 AM	#3
Reese Leysen Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 114	Hey man, I'm still pretty new here too and this forum can be very slow in some departments sometimes so just have patience :) . About that effect: the trick there is not just filters, it's also a specific dirty texture that is superimposed on the image. You would have to use such a texture, or set of textures and then layer them on top of the image. You could also use an extra layer to adjust lighting, something on which you painted white areas that require light and left dark what can fall into darkness for a more dramatic effect. If you really want I can see if I can do a quick example of it for you.

March 29th, 2007, 06:43 AM	#5
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Peter, that's a really neat analysis. I suppose one would need to see the thing in motion to get an even better "feel"?

March 29th, 2007, 08:08 AM	#6
Alan James Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 261	Cool. Thanx guys. I'm at work now so I will have to try this when I get home. I am assuming that I should export all my footage to an image sequence then run them through photoshop using an automated custom action. Is that the correct process you have in mind? Reese I totally agree about the dirty texture overlay, but I don't know how to make an animated texture. I obviously don't want to draw it in frame by frame so if I can make a looping layer in After Effects then just export it and reuse it whenever I need it that would be the way to do, I just don't have any ideas about how to make it. The one movie I will reference about this look is Grindhouse (Planet Terror). I love the dirty look they created there. Thanx guy for replying. It seems I'm always asking these questions that either people don't know the answer to or its very artistic and subjective (and thus has no one answer).

March 29th, 2007, 06:25 PM	#7
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	"I am assuming that I should export all my footage to an image sequence then run them through photoshop using an automated custom action. Is that the correct process you have in mind?" No actually u can do this in vegas quite easily in about 5 minutes... Reese I totally agree about the dirty texture overlay, but I don't know how to make an animated texture. ((Use a film effects filter, get rid of everythign but the grain)) I obviously don't want to draw it in frame by frame so if I can make a looping layer in After Effects then just export it and reuse it whenever I need it that would be the way to do, I just don't have any ideas about how to make it. ((try film effects.. u might not even need to "make it" )) The one movie I will reference about this look is Grindhouse (Planet Terror). I love the dirty look they created there. ((never seen it so I cant comment)) Thanx guy for replying. It seems I'm always asking these questions that either people don't know the answer to or its very artistic and subjective (and thus has no one answer). ((True, it wont have one answer.. but im jsut thinking in the simplest terms and the fastest way to achieve it))

March 30th, 2007, 12:29 AM	#8
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Yes, film effects can be played around with. However, you may also want to explore Generated Media and animate that.. Place it on the top most track and apply a chroma key to remove background colour. There is much, *MUCH* to do here. And yes: " It seems . . . asking these questions that either people don't know the answer to or its very artistic and subjective* - (and thus has no one answer).* " I couldn't agree more! Except for the fact that there are MANY ways of getting to that creative solution and NOT only/just that it is artistic subjectivity. Designers, artisans, artists - video and audio - spend lifetimes in experimenting and delving and exploring their particular field/medium. What you are presently focused upon aint any different! My problem was that I could think of a zillion things to do. Well maybe NOT a zillion - but pretty close, and I thought, " . ugh .. where do I start?" In any event, this IS a very important and interesting thread you kicked off, 'cos, IMO, this truly gets to the real core of experimenting - of pulling and pushing video to get the "look" you want. I use Vegas, and this great platform allows for much experimentation AND from the ground up too. It is an immense NLE and is a prime candidate with which to do much. Give yourself time and space to experiment, and your work will only benefit.

March 30th, 2007, 07:20 AM	#9
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	drop me an email and ill send you something i did with vegas, using the same technique mentioned above also you dont need to add the noise, as the ouit of focus elemets are creating their own noise from the crayon/paint filter also retaining detail works a treat :0 quite impressed with myself i have to admit.. lol ok shut up pete

March 30th, 2007, 06:54 PM	#11
Alan James Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 261	Well I am using Premiere Pro 2.0 and that is very limited on effects. Actually my footage is going to be shot on blue screen and so I will have to import it into After Effects anyways and add backgrounds. Exporting an image sequence is pretty easy and I have the space for it. I dont have Vegas so I wont be able to use any of the effects in that (obviously). This is one frame I ran through Photoshop and I don't think its perfect yet. I want to add the "dirty" look and all I have is Photoshop and After Effects. Other then that what do you guys think? http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ity1effect.jpg Grindhouse has yet to come out. Google the trailer and check it out, its neat. Thanx guys

March 31st, 2007, 09:17 PM	#13
Alan James Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 261	Nope not making a blow-em up with guns movie, I just really love the look on the pictures they made for the game and thought it would look awsome as a video. I dont know yet what I'm gunna use it for but I have a few ideas. Thanx for the tutorial.

April 4th, 2007, 08:49 AM	#14
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	who was it that emailed me for a pic of this effect? did it work? what did u think?