How to make a sci-fi film, the easy way

In this instructable i will show you how to use google sketchup 3d modelling software and wax 2.0 video editing software to add spacecraft and explosions into videos and also how to use wax 2.0 for greenscreen effects. for a glimpse of the effects that can be achieved see the image.

download wax at http://www.debugmode.com/wax/

Step 1: Models

I will start with this first although it does not need to be done in this order, you can construct models in goolge sketchup or other software, these can be moved around in your scene in wax but their parts cannot move. If i had a model of a fighter landing and the landing gear extending i would have to make one model for the fighter and one for each element of the landing gear, although in sketchup this can be one model with a few groups or components to use it in wax the gear and fighter must be separate models otherwise they will be unable to move relative to each other. sketchup models can be found at the google 3d warehouse http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=7e7ef910316459a3b281964dca26f211&prevstart=0 this is a good scifi collection.
or across the internet searching for what you want followed by the word "mesh"  example: starship mesh  , space fighter mesh  .these meshes will be of a variety of formats but wax 2.0 can only take those in "3DS, Quake MD2 & MilkShape MS3d" . so when you have a model you like you must convert it.
IMPORTANT: when making a film/animation one of the first things people will see is your models, a bad or boring mesh/model will ruin a video.

Now we must convert the models to .3ds  .

Comments

[flyingpuppy]

I just watched your video on YT. You have some serious time on your hands! How long did it take to make those models in sketchup?

[resistanceisfutileiflessthan1ohm]

thought i ought to mention that the video on youtube was actually done with blender(much harder to use and despite having downloaded it in august i am still an absolute beginner). it took me a fair while to make some of those sketchup models and some are available on the 3d warehouse. sorry about not doing a video tutorial but sometimes it is easier to use a text and pictures tutorial as you can go through it at your own pace, also my internet connection is cr*p so sometimes i am unable to watch video online. if you want more advice i can probably help. note: i do not know(yet) how to do greenscreen with blender.

[flyingpuppy]

Hey, Resistance, how about using screen capture software to show us on-screen what you're doing? You've got a LOT of info here, and it would be nice to have a better visual. Thanks for the tutorial!

[amandaghassaei]

this sounds really interesting, can you post a video of the final animation?

[resistanceisfutileiflessthan1ohm]

i could try uploading one of my videos produced with this method to youtube but as the file is raw .avi it is huge ( over 50 mb for 10 sec) although my longest individual wax clip is about a minute. i used movie maker to string these clips together. i might not upload any of my wax clips for a while BUT in the meantime you can see some similar stuff i did with blender at this address http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wztlgUyrwK8