Free Course - CG Cinematography 101
The course is also great for artists who would want to transition to a CG layout role or would like to better present their 3D work and sharpen their camera skills.
Who would this course suit?
This course is perfect for anyone interested in CG camera cinematography and for artists who would like to deepen their understanding of camera emotions and how to move the audience.
The course is also great for artists who would want to transition to a CG layout role or would like to better present their 3D work and sharpen their camera skills.
All of the principles in the course apply to 3D and live-action camera work. So if your career is in cinematic storytelling, the course is for you.
Do you need any experience at all to do this course?
No, you don't need any experience to enjoy this course. We go through some theory and analyze cameras across different examples of media from movies to games.
I also practically demonstrate how to use cameras in Houdini, which is my 3D package of choice. However, all of the principles in the course can be applied to other 3D packages.
What sort of hardware would you need for this course?
The course doesn't require any specific hardware requirements. As this is a breakdown course, students are free to simply follow along by watching the content. If you have a computer that runs Houdini, great. If not, that's ok too.
What is the biggest mistake that new VFX artists make with cameras?
I often see many VFX artists add too much camera shake. I can still fall into this bad habit!
In CG we have total freedom to do whatever we want with cameras. That can be a blessing and a curse. Make sure your cameras feel grounded and try to avoid any moves that would be impossible with the live-action gear. You can break this rule, be please have a very good reason for doing so. Otherwise, the camera police will get you!
What are your favorite resources for analyzing camera work?
Anime. I think they are years ahead in cinematography and storytelling. You can see how anime is beginning to influence other media more and more. I give examples of this in the CG Cinematography course.
I also really love game cinematics. These are showcased a bit in the workshop as well.
Movies are quite an obvious place for camera inspiration as well. Anything from Roger Deakins, Janusz Kamiński, Robert Richardson, Emmanuel Lubezki, Bradford Young, and so on. I deconstruct a few of these cinematographers in the course as well.
Meet your Instructor
Urban Bradesko started his journey with Live action Cinematography in a studio he co-founded. After many years of looking through the lens, he discovered CG and FX. As an FX and Lead layout artist, he worked on games and cinematics for titles such as Gears of War 5, Destiny 2, Heroes of the Storm, Deathloop, Magic The Gathering, Love Dead + Robots, and many more. The path of knowledge brought him to teaching others and sharing the knowledge he acquired on his adventures.