Here at ActionVFX, we are committed to empowering today's visual effects community with best-in-class storytelling resources.

In the ActionVFX “Power” Blog Series, we will discuss several key elements that will not only challenge and equip you as a visual storyteller, but engage critical thinking to ensure your story is as powerful as possible.

Have you ever seen a movie that had a small budget, but managed to pull you into its story even more effectively than a summer blockbuster? It may have lacked a barrage of visual effects, but the ones it did have were solid, convincing, and served the purpose of propelling the plot forward.

At first, a low-budget, high-quality movie sounds like a paradox, but we can all agree a big budget doesn’t always equate to a quality movie. Historically, though, the stigma used to be the more visual effects your movie had, the higher its perceived value was. Now, all that has changed.

In today’s industry, we have access to so many tools previous generations of filmmakers would’ve never even dreamed of having. On top of that, the cost for equipment and software has been drastically reduced to accommodate even the most modest budgets.

Think of how much aerial videography would have cost in the days when your only option was to rent a plane or helicopter, hire a pilot, hire a crew, rent a special camera for the aerial work, etc. Today, we have thirteen-year-olds who can learn to pilot a DJI Mavic Pro on YouTube, then capture outstanding aerial videography in 4k.

This low training and low cost-to-entry shift has broken wide the floodgates of video production, offering even the most amateur filmmakers a chance to see their vision come to life on-screen. However, two challenges a lot of burgeoning filmmakers face in today’s accessible culture of video production are choosing the right visual effects, and knowing when to use them.

Even if a low-budget movie has a compelling story, the viewer’s enjoyment and immersion in that story can be shattered, simply because of poor visual effects, or an overuse of visual effects. It can be jarring - and none of us ever want our projects to have that negative effect on our audience.

While there are a limitless number of elements that lend to increasing the perceived production value of your project, we are going to focus on a few key questions to be mindful of when it comes to integrating visual effects into your film.

These questions may seem simple, but they need to be in the forefront of our minds at all times, as we strive to make the best film possible.

A). Are these visual effects composited in a believable way, that is cohesive with the rest of the scene?
Does the color grading and environment accurately reflect the presence of the composited effects? Do the talent and any practical effects appropriately respond to the composited visual effects? Do the sound effects match up to the action on-screen?

Cohesion is the goal with any effective compositing work, but bear that in mind as much as you can before post-production, so you can be adequately prepared before post rolls around.

Also, it’s critical that the visual effects your audience experiences are quality effects that don’t pull them out of the movie. In fact, the audience shouldn’t even notice the visual effects aren’t real. ActionVFX strives to provide best-in-class assets that fit within all budgets, and we even have free effects available here! Our mission is to provide you with quality effects, so the audience stays absorbed in your story.

B). Am I relying on visual effects to the point that it ​distracts ​from the intent of the scene?
Just like a band with too many instruments competing for the spotlight, is there so much action taking place in your scene that it’s difficult to tell what’s going on? Perhaps your shot even looks out of place from the rest of the scene.

Maybe you could simply tone down a few of the overpowering effects, and replace them with something more subtle to seamlessly blend them into the scene. Just because the shot looks cool doesn’t mean it belongs in your scene. Although, who doesn’t love a cool shot?

It can be tricky business trimming the excess out of your project, but at the end of the day, producing the best scene you can is worth the effort.

C). Do these visual effects propel the story forward in a meaningful way?
Do the fierce muzzle flashes and flying debris properly convey the intensity of the situation? Does the shocking explosion raise the stakes of the plot? White-knuckle moments of suspense are only made possible by the audience being invested in the action of the story that’s unfolding on-screen.

A climactic shoot-out or a single explosion can make a tremendous impact if the visual effects in your movie have been used sparingly up to that point. But if your movie has been nothing but explosions for thirty minutes straight, they can become white noise.

Twenty years ago, it would seem absurd to think low-budget filmmakers could even run into the problem of using too many explosions or flashy visual effects in their movie. However, it is an easy pitfall we can stumble into today.

One of the best tools you can utilize when striving for the highest production value possible is simply an unbiased audience. Bring in members of other departments, or even friends and family to review and critique your scenes.

We can sometimes become so lost in our work, that an objective opinion is exactly what our project needs to become the best it can be. Welcome constructive criticism, because you will be better off for it, and it will mold you into a better filmmaker.

Let’s talk some more about budgets. Although a tight budget is never an ideal situation for a budding filmmaker, it can work to your advantage, depending on how committed you are to your project seeing the light of day. Maybe you just found out the budget your short film was supposed to have now has to be cut in half due to unforeseen circumstances, and you’re really sweating bullets.

First, don’t panic. Remember the technical limitations of yesteryear, compared to where we are today. Although, you may need to narrow the cast or crew, cut a few scenes, delay a release date, or roll up your sleeves and put on a few hats you’ve never even worn before. You can still make a great short film with the vast resources available in today’s film industry.

Don’t view financial setbacks as detrimental. Instead, see this as an opportunity; a challenge for innovation. You may have to think and work a lot more than you initially intended, but strive for a positive attitude throughout this process, and don’t get bogged down by the circumstances.

Look for alternatives to produce your film in the most efficient way possible, preferably without losing any team members. Maybe this means changing locations, or finding another interesting way to shoot a scene. Are there any in-camera effects you could do that would save some money, yet maintain the integrity of the scene?

One of the most famous in-camera effects first appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movie “Vertigo,” in 1958. Most people know this effect as a “dolly zoom.” It’s a simple camera technique that can almost induce a physiological reaction in the viewer during a tense scene.



 

It was also used very effectively in Jaws.

Also, you can utilize clever post-production tips to digitally achieve the same look (provided you still used a slider, and shot at a high resolution) - check out this awesome tutorial on how to do that below.

There are plenty of other cinematography tricks out there that are essentially free, so do some research and think outside the paradigm of what you previously envisioned to save some dough, and maybe make an even  better movie while you’re at it!

You may even have to step outside the realm of practical effects you were originally planning on using, and utilize more digital visual effects. Digital set extensions can go a long way in terms of added production value, and atmospheric effects, such as our Atmospheric Smoke and Fog Vol. 3 Collection, can lend a subtle, yet captivating vibe to any scene.

Director Gareth Edwards broke all preconceived notions of what was possible on a low budget when he released his directorial feature debut, “Monsters.” In addition to writing and directing, Edwards also served as the  cinematographer, production designer, and visual effects artist on the film.

Using around $15,000 of equipment, he produced a movie that grossed $4.2 million after premiering at South by Southwest in 2010.  It should be noted the total budget of the movie was close to $500,000, but that included all cast and crew salaries, airfare, hotels, distribution, marketing, and more.

Keep in mind the equipment budget was merely $15,000.

Check out the trailer for “Monsters” below.

Edwards used the Adobe Production Suite, ZBrush, and 3ds Max to create the 250 visual effects shots in the film, all from the confines of his bedroom. During the course of filming, he and his very small crew shot over 100 hours of footage, which they edited down into a four-hour movie, then spent eight months editing, until they reached the final cut at ninety-four minutes. You can read more for yourself here.

Is it possible that on a small budget, with a lot of hard work, ingenuity, and finesse, your movie could actually look like a Hollywood blockbuster? If we’re being realistic...probably not. However, it can look like it cost ten times its budget, but be ready to put in the effort, just like Gareth Edwards, to get there.

What’s so incredible about “Monsters” is where it took Edwards’ career. The success and impressive production value of the film landed him his next gig: Directing 2014’s “Godzilla,” followed by “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

Let that sink in for a minute! Edwards went from editing visual effects in his bedroom with a $15,000 equipment budget, to directing two movies from some of the most recognizable franchises in Hollywood history. His hit “Monsters” received a sequel, and the franchise is now being envisioned as a TV series. At age 42, his amazing career is just beginning.

Adobe produced a fantastic behind-the-scenes documentary on Edwards’ use of their CS 5.5 software in creating “Monsters,” and it’s staggering to see how much more powerful Adobe software has become since then. Check out the short documentary below, and let it inspire you to push the scope of your project’s production value even further, with a little innovation, a lot of hard work, and a big imagination.

And if your project is on a tight budget, and you’re looking for ways to elevate the realism of your projects with VFX, look no further! Whether you need atmospheric elements like smoke and fog, or the action-packed elements like fire, explosions, and more, you’re in the right place.

As an AVFX+ subscriber, you will get instant access to tens of thousands of dollars worth of professional-grade VFX assets, and discounts of up to 40% on our entire library. Subscribe to AVFX+ and start creating today!

We also have great free VFX elements, as well! It’s the perfect way to give us a try.

Stay informed about our release schedule to see all the latest VFX elements coming soon, and sign up for our email newsletter to get a reminder when we release them!

Remember to connect with us on our social networks to stay updated on our latest news, giveaways, announcements, and more!

Forum - YouTube - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - TikTok - Linkedin