Sneak peak at Alien Hunter test footage

Post by **benheck** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:51 pm

We've been doing tests for Alien Hunter this week and I'd like to share the demo reel with you all.

The plan is to film people in alien costumes against bluescreen and then "Hobbit" them into the shots as 4 foot tall aliens. So, just pretend the short people in this video are aliens and you'll get the idea of what we're going for.

Jones obviously needs a costume, but the hat I'm liking...

www.benheck.com/Downloads/Alien_Hunter_Test_Footage.mp4

Post by **bicostp** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:32 pm

It was good for a 'rough draft' (so to speak), but I'm disappointed by the lack of llamas and placentas.

The hat is nice... it's "Crocodile Dundee" meets "Indiana Jones".

Also, my main PC couldn't play that back at more than 2 FPS. The HTPC would run for a little bit then start skipping (needs a better CPU). So here's a 512x288 XviD copy. It's still pretty clear, but nowhere near as big and shouldn't be so processor-intensive.

http://bicostp.googlepages.com/Alien_Hu ... ootage.avi

(Ben: If you don't want this up, just tell me so and I'll take it down.

)

minkster · Post by **minkster** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:49 pm

Wow, I watched the high def version you posted and I have to say that was pretty intense!

What kind of camera do you use? The video was so sharp!

Great job! Especially enjoyed the green-screening and special effects.

warmachine · Post by **warmachine** » Thu May 22, 2008 8:41 pm

Holy Damn, was that HD footage? My Mac just about had a stroke. Also, I seem to recall seeing a photo somewhere of you filming with two cams simultaneously; do I sense a 3D motion picture...?

Kudos on the footage; though it may be years away *cough*portwashington*cough*, I eagerly await the outcome.

jones · Post by **jones** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:44 pm

It was shot with this camera and it is indeed in HD (no 3D for this BenHeck Joint).

nightwheel · Post by **nightwheel** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:49 am

I'm liking what I see so far. Can't wait to see the full movie!

Post by **Black Six** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:24 am

Looks great, I can't wait to see it with actual aliens!

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:42 am

Awesome. Just, Awesome.

You could use your current footage and just change the name to Midget Hunting.

Post by **benheck** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:13 am

Yes originally we were going to do it "Waking Life" style, to make the compositing/effects easier, but after doing these bluescreen tests I don't think we need to "hide" as much.

It's also good to not cartoon it as this movie will likely be R-rated.

Also with bluescreening we can do things we normally couldn't in low budget, like "build" a talk show scene with a crowd, the freeway Trans-Am / UFO chase, and of course the shootout in the hospital at the end. Also a good bit of it takes place on the dark side of the moon alien Luna base, so yeah.

IF anyone has a "style/look" suggestion, that helps hide the rough edges yet maintains a photo realistic look, let me know. Sky Captain had a cool look, though the movie sucked balls.

-Ben

project_failure · Post by **project_failure** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:35 pm

"yeah they gave us a couple of pyramids, yeah who really cares."

Is the name Jack Kirby a reference to the comic book master.

lifeisbetterwithketchup · Post by **lifeisbetterwithketchup** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:55 pm

I'm liking it a lot so far, Ben. This movie will kick major ass!

Negative_Creep · Post by **Negative_Creep** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:56 pm

A new Ben film

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:40 pm

Cell-shade it all. That would be pretty cool.

Of course, I'm sure that's not an option.

warmachine · Post by **warmachine** » Fri May 23, 2008 11:53 pm

Kurt_ wrote:Cell-shade it all. That would be pretty cool.

Of course, I'm sure that's not an option.

You mean like "A Scanner Darkly?" Aside from being the most underrated movie of 2006, the rotoscopy involved was staggeringly complex. They literally went frame-by-frame for every frame (30 per second for 1:40 hours, that comes out to 180,000 frames for the whole film, give or take a couple thousand) and drew over everything in the frame. Though awesomely bad-ass and completely worth it, here it would be wholly impossible.

I say you do it, Ben.

...Actually, with deft Photoshop skills, you could probably cook up a filter and lighting process that emulates the rotoscopy used in cell-shading and turn it into a batch process. Jack that into a distributed computing setup and let it run a couple of weeks; costly, but if it's an option if you have a crapload of cash to toss around.

Also, props on the Wilhelm scream and (I assume) Army of Darkness mini-Ash laugh at the end. I really do look forward to where this goes.

Qzxetrq · Post by **Qzxetrq** » Sat May 24, 2008 12:09 am

Yeah this movie is great except for one thing: I keep getting my ass kicked by Jones. Shouldn't the aliens win at least once? WHERE'S MY PEWPEW LASER GUN BEN!