New Steve Vai VFX Heavy Music Video Completed Entirely with DaVinci Resolve 15 and URSA Mini Pro
23/01/2019
Blackmagic Design announced today that guitarist Steve Vai's new music video for his latest single, Dark Matter, was completed utilizing a full Blackmagic Design pipeline, including editorial, visual effects and finishing in DaVinci Resolve 15. The video was also shot using Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro.
Long known as one of the top guitarists in rock and roll, Vai has won three Grammy Awards and worked with artists such as Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne and a myriad of others. In producing his newest music video, Vai wanted to do something special. I wanted to create something that not only looked other worldly, but was also shot uniquely as well.
Vai teamed with Moai Films to produce the video. Director Lukas Colombo decided the video would be shot entirely on green screen, something to which he was not accustomed. My natural tendency is to capture all the actions and visuals in camera as much as possible, said Colombo. But because of time constraints with Steve, and also the diverse alien landscape concepts for the video, it made more sense to shoot this way.
Moai Films brought in two URSA Mini Pro digital film cameras, along with building a video village with SmartView 4K monitors and several Video Assist 4Ks. We chose the URSA Mini Pro as our acquisition tool of choice, and one of them lived primarily on a 20 foot jib, said Colombo. Our B camera was moving around on sticks.
Vai wanted to capture each band member in their own unique way. The idea that I came up with was to shoot the base player, Phillip Bynoe, playing to the track, but twice as fast. So when you bring that speed down to normal, and you watch it, he's playing in sync with the track, but his motions are slow motion, so to speak, said Vai. For the drummer we did the opposite. The idea was to shoot him very slow, because drummers are very dynamic, especially Jeremy Colson. When you bring that up to speed it looks like he's in sync with the track but the actions just look like there's something interesting and bizarre about them, that just doesn't look normal.
For Vai, he chose the most complex solution; he decided he should play his track backwards. I had to actually learn the song backwards on the guitar, said Vai. This is a daunting task because it's never the way you think it is. You have to completely mirror your perspective because everything is backwards. So when you strum, the tendency is to strum down but that comes out looking like an up strum. There are all these little complexities, which is a fun challenge, but it's almost like wearing a straight jacket and trying to run a forward marathon with eyes only in the back of your head.
The production unit used the URSA Mini Pros to shoot at several different frame rates to achieve the unnatural and unearthly movements of the band members. Vai focused on not only reversing his own guitar playing, but also applying the same thinking to his hand and body motions. Vai and Colombo watched frequent takes back on set to make sure they were getting what they needed, but in the end, they were both pleased. You know when you say, I wonder if that's going to work. It SHOULD work , said Vai, you start picturing it, you sculpt the picture in your head and then it comes out better than you expected, and it's like yeah, baby!
In post production, Moai Films brought in VFX Supervisors Bruce Jurgens and Nick Torres to help guide the design. The concept of the video was to place the band members in a variety of alien worlds using a combination of multi planar matte painting and effects within the Fusion page of Resolve. Torres appreciated the node based layout of Fusion. The node workflow gave us the maximum flexibility to manipulate footage. Unlike a more layer based approach, nodes are non destructive and allow for many more possibilities, and a much more efficient workflow.
Jurgens, a veteran Supervisor from Legion Entertainment, was responsible for the extensive matte painting work, as well as the execution of the Ice World in the video. Together with matte painter Juliana Arrietty, they were able to plug the work directly into Fusion composites. Maintaining a consistent look was key, said Jurgens. Resolve 15 came through with flying colors, if you'll pardon the pun. The team was able to preview color grades directly through Resolve before the composite, helping maintain an integrated look.
The VFX team combined 2D and 3D elements to create the unique environments. We wanted to have a completely alien environment, said Torres, with tall spires as mountains and a glassy still ocean with a fast rolling fog on top. Arrietty's 2D elements were brought into Fusion for manipulation utilizing the 3D compositing tools in Resolve. From there it was easy to see shots within the edit, due to Resolve's all in one design. The workflow makes my job easier, said Colombo. I don't have to manage files across so many applications and worry about transcoding or consolidation. It just works the way you would expect. It takes the dynamic linking feature from other applications to a whole new level!
Torres particularly enjoyed the keying and matte tools in Resolve. There was extensive cleanup that was required. Essentially we created mattes with multiple UltraKeys masked together and each adjusted for their respective problematic areas. Hair, for example, for both Steve and bassist Philip Bynoe, had to have their own instances of fine tuning to keep all the detail. A lot of roto was needed for Jeremy Colson's drums, cleaning up all the chrome on the drum kit. There were quite a few shots with a lot of motion blur from the band. Luckily with the nodes in Fusion, we could simply copy polygon masks and effects from one shot to another.
Vai also sees the value of su
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with URSA Broadcast G2
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
24/04/2024
UKTV's pay TV channel Alibi joins forces with S4C and All3Media International for new legal crime drama series Mudtown
Cast set to star include Erin Richards and Tom Cullen Wednesday 24 April 2024 ...
24/04/2024
K-Hip-Hop's Biggest Names Take Center Stage on KrOWN X HAN 2024'
This month marked the return of Spotify's HAN, our collaborative program that brings the unique sounds and culture of Korean hip-hop to the world through ex...
24/04/2024
RADAR Italy Returns With 6 Artists Transforming the Country's Music Landscape
As Spotify's program to spotlight rising talent from around the world, RADAR...
24/04/2024
Spotify Partners With Les Flammes Music Awards To Celebrate French Rap
Spotify is once again teaming up with Les Flammes, the only music awards dedicated to rap, R&B, Afrobeats, and popular culture in France. Spotify helped create...
24/04/2024
Taylor Swift's THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT' Becomes Spotify's Most-Streamed Album in One Week
Records smashed. History made. It's been just five days since Taylor Swift u...
24/04/2024
SBS marks Earth Day as The Cook Up with Adam Liaw becomes first Australian show to have its carbon footprint validated through SSA
SBS marks Earth Day as The Cook Up with Adam Liaw becomes first Australian show ...
24/04/2024
Save money every day with SBS's Ricardo Gonalves and Peggy Giakoumelos on new Cost of Living Secrets podcast
Save money every day with SBS's Ricardo Gon alves and Peggy Giakoumelos on n...
24/04/2024
Authentic Perspectives
The first feature film from writer-director Shaun Seneviratne, Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in 4 Parts depicts the struggle between love and duty as Ben (Sathya S...
24/04/2024
Melanie Georgieva Joins Panalux as Long Form Sales Director
LONDON, England (24 April 2024) Panalux, a leading rental provider of lighting and power solutions for the motion-picture industry and part of Panavision'...
24/04/2024
Deutsche Telekom Powers New MagentaTV Service With Broadpeak's Cloud DVR Solution
April 24, 2024 -- Deutsche Telekom Powers New MagentaTV Service With Broadpea...
24/04/2024
Mundo Hispano Digital Launches MundoNow Connect
ATLANTA Mundo Hispano Digital has launched a new advertising product, MundoNow Connect, that is designed to help advertisers reach Hispanic audiences on connect...
24/04/2024
Epic Games Releases Unreal Engine 5.4
Epic Games has released a major new version of Unreal Engine, which has become a mainstay in virtual production, that includes new features and improvements to ...
24/04/2024
NAB Show Welcomes Creators to Las Vegas
The National Association of Broadcasters welcomed the industry to its annual extravaganza last month in Las Vegas. The sights and sounds were similar to previou...
24/04/2024
Chptr, Gray Television Launch on Video Obituary Platform
NEW YORK Chptr and Gray Television have announced that they are introducing a new video solution for funeral homes and communities that will allow funeral direc...
24/04/2024
Adobe Charts the Future of Creativity and AI at MAX London
Adobe Charts the Future of Creativity and AI at MAX London Brie Clayton April 24, 2024 0 Comments Adobe is taking MAX, the world's largest creativ...
24/04/2024
Curtis LeGeyt, NAB President and CEO, Extends Contract
National Association of Broadcasters president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt has agreed to a contract extension that keeps him at the trade association's helm throu...
24/04/2024
Jo Ann Ross Steps Down as Ad Sales Chairman at Paramount
Jo Ann Ross, the long-running queen of television advertising sales, is stepping down from her role as chairman of Paramount Advertising at the end of the month...
24/04/2024
Scripps Names James Galindo as Station Manager in Bakersfield
E.W. Scripps said it named James Galindo as station manager for KERO, the ABC affiliate in Bakersfield, California....
24/04/2024
Amazon Prime Video's Fallout' Tops TVision Power Score Rankings
Amazon Prime Video's Fallout topped TVision's Power Score rankings of shows on connected TV for the week of April 15....
24/04/2024
DoubleVerify Gets MRC Stamp for CTV Viewability Metrics
DoubleVerify said that it received accreditation from the Media Rating Council for its measurement of video viewable impressions and related metrics for connect...
24/04/2024
PlayBox Neo Highlights Latest Advances in Smart Media Pla...
PlayBox Neo reports a successful and well attended 2024 NAB Show, held in mid April at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Now in its 101st year, the event attract...
24/04/2024
MPEG-5 LCEVC Showcase at NAB 2024 demonstrates ecosystem...
MPEG-5 LCEVC ecosystem support continues to grow and includes TVs and set-top boxes, gearing up for the deployment of TV3.0 in Brazil New, never-before-seen ...
24/04/2024
Black Box and NOVO at Integrate Middle East 2024 Featurin...
At Integrate Middle East 2024 in Booth AR-F45, where the company is exhibiting along with its partner NOVO, Black Box will feature IP-based KVM and AV solution...
24/04/2024
NEP Belgium Taps manifold CLOUD in Virtual OB Setup for Live Sports
FRANKFURT, Germany Software solutions provider manifold technologies has announced that its manifold CLOUD was selected by NEP Belgium to provide a signal proce...
24/04/2024
Integral Ad Science Achieves MRC Accreditation
NEW YORK Integral Ad Science has announced that it has earned Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for its sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) filtration f...
24/04/2024
Plex Launches NFL Channel
LOS GATOS, Calif. Streaming media company Plex has announced a partnership with the National Football League that will add the NFL Channel, the NFLs 24/7 free l...
24/04/2024
NAB Extends Contract for President & CEO Curtis LeGeyt
WASHINGTON, D.C. NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him at the helm of NAB through 2029, according to NAB Joi...
24/04/2024
GlobalM, scoopa Form Strategic Partnership To Enable Speedy Content Distribution
GENEVA, Switzerland Software-defined video network (SDVN) platform specialist GlobalM and broadcast-quality content distribution expert scoopa have formed a str...
24/04/2024
Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound for Cannes Film Festival 2024
24 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound...
24/04/2024
Berklee Online to Hold 2024 Berklee Onsite Music Conference May 31-June 1
Berklee Online to Hold 2024 Berklee Onsite Music Conference May 31-June 1 The in-person conference is open to Berklee Online students and the music community ...
24/04/2024
Kargo Gives Buyers More Detail on CTV Campaigns
Kargo said it has launched a new product that gives advertisers more details about the connected TV campaigns they are buying....
24/04/2024
MundoNow Connect Launches To Help Brands Target Hispanics on CTV
Mundo Hispano Digital said it has launched MundoNow Connect, which is designed to use first-party audience data to help advertisers reach Latino connected-TV vi...
24/04/2024
Brittney Griner Sits With Robin Roberts for 20/20' Special
Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who spent 10 months in a Russian prison, sits with Robin Roberts for a primetime special on ABC Wednesday, May 1. The 20/20 speci...
24/04/2024
DirecTV Adds Content From Cineverse, Scripps
To give its subscribers more content to pick from, DirecTV Stream is making deals to carry streaming channels from Cineverse and additional digital multicast ch...
24/04/2024
Jenny Padura Named Anchor at Univision's WLTV Miami
Jenny Padura has been promoted to co-anchor on the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts at WLTV Miami, known as Univision 23. She starts April 25 and will anchor with Ambros...
24/04/2024
Paris Schutz Joins WFLD Chicago as Political Reporter
Paris Schutz has joined WFLD Chicago, known as Fox 32, as a political reporter. He starts April 29 and will handle all political coverage for the station, repor...
24/04/2024
Plex Adds NFL Channel Ahead of Draft Coverage
Plex has made a deal with the National Football League that will let users watch the NFL Channel, the league's free ad-supported streaming television (FAST)...
24/04/2024
Schwarzenegger, Stallone Discuss Rivalry on TMZ Presents'
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone sit for a chat when TMZ Presents: Arnold & Sly: Rivals, Friends, Icons debuts on Fox Tuesday, April 23. The pair di...
24/04/2024
Lionsgate Signs Long-Term Deal With TV Production Head Gary Goodman
Lionsgate Television said it signed a new multiyear employment agreement with executive VP, worldwide production, Gary Goodman....
24/04/2024
Miguelangel Lopez Upped to Regional VP of News at Telemundo Florida Trio
Miguelangel Lopez, WTMO Orlando (Florida) VP of news, has been named regional VP of news and content for WTMO, WRMD Tampa and WWDT Fort Myers, effective immedia...
24/04/2024
VEON Announces 2024 AGM and Board Nominees
24 Apr 2024 VEON Announces 2024 AGM and Board Nominees Amsterdam, 24 April 2024 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator...
24/04/2024
Howie Schwab - Beloved ESPN Researcher, Producer, and Trivia Star - Dies at 63
Howie Schwab - Beloved ESPN Researcher, Producer, and Trivia Star - Dies at 63 By SVG Staff Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - 6:46 am Print This Story | Subscri...
24/04/2024
Miss the SVG Venue Summit at Allegiant Stadium? All Panel Recordings Now Available on SVG PLAY
Miss the SVG Venue Summit at Allegiant Stadium? All Panel Recordings Now Availab...
24/04/2024
Rohde & Schwarz and IPG Automotive unveil a complete Hardware-in-the-Loop automotive radar test solution
Rohde & Schwarz and IPG Automotive unveil a complete Hardware-in-the-Loop automo...
24/04/2024
My Oni Girl' Trailer Unveils a World Where Suppressed Emotions Can Transform You
Back to All News My Oni Girl' Trailer Unveils a World Where Suppressed Emo...
24/04/2024
Nurturing a new look for Huntapac
Posted on 24 Apr 2024 Creating a contemporary brand update that reflects a company's strong heritage can often pose a challenge, yet its a task ICG embrace...
24/04/2024
2024-04-24
Beginning in May, a special Today at Apple series titled Made for Business will offer small business owners and entrepreneurs free opportunities to learn how ...