Treefelling in After Effects

Here is a video tutorial from Very Good Studios for users of Adobe Affect Effects, detailing a procedure for integrating an animatable tree into pre-existing footage with Video Copilot Element3D and Trapcode Particular. Topics covered include creating shadow-catching planes and bounce planes, dynamic deformations, and step-by-step foreground extraction. I play the host.

Daily Battles at TAAFI

If you're at the Toronto Animated Arts Festival International today don't miss our film 'Daily Battles' showing at noon at the TIFF Bell Lightbox theatre. The short is a stereoscopic 3-D exploration of a complex papercut artwork by Béatrice Coron. Directed by James Stewart, edited by Kennedy Zielke, with colour/lighting/animation/stereoscopy by Matthew Hemming.

Here are a few still frames from the film:

Public Notice: A Mural Looms

In anticipation of Phase 2 of the Gilford Old Schoolhouse Mural Project we have posted a public notice in the General Store (thanks, Helen!) inviting comment from villagers after a local handyman was dispatched to tell us there were worries about mural content. Left to unfettered imagining, apparently, some had visions of a collaborative graffiti wall. Here is the notice:

The plan for the mural isn't nearly as urban as the worst worries may suggest. All along I've been thinking I'd paint some sort of pleasant rural scene. Here is a quick study:

Finally, here are three cans of paint generously supplied by American supporter Jon Herrin:

Now we await only the next break in my work schedule to begin building up the actual imagery. I'm excited!

Very Good National Magazine Awards

My creative video production concern Very Good Studios has the good fortune to partner with Relay to produce and execute the 36th Annual National Magazine Awards at the Carlu in Toronto. Embedded below is the opening module in which I animated text, photography and illustration assets from every nominee in every category. Enjoy!



[Credits: Creative Direction - Xavier Massé; Animation - Matthew Hemming; Artwork Preparation - Joana Ferret; Music - Bustafunk; Remix & Foley - Joshua Hemming]