No Budget Films
FX Tests
Here you'll find videos that serve the purpose of testing out special effects, such as green screens, explosions, creatures, etc.
Mandy the Unicorn (Puppet/FX Test) (2016)
My first video to feature a homemade puppet, the papier mache monstrosity I call Mandy the Unicorn. This clip is very heavy in its use of green screen. Action Essentials 2 was employed for the flashy explosions and such, and believe it or not, Microsoft Paint was used to create the laser beam. I also experimented with keyframing to animate the missiles.
Today, the puppet no longer exists, as it has been thrown out. This footage is all that's left of it now.
Crocodile Test (2016)
I made this video shortly after I acquired the HearthSong crocodile puppet. I wanted to see how it would look on screen, so I filmed this short sequence in some dark atmosphere.
Laser Fight Test (2016)
In this rather unpopular video, I make no attempt to animate the Lego characters in stop motion as I often have in the past. This test's only purpose was to try out some of my custom laser effects, and all things considered I think they turned out alright.
T-Rex Smashes Through Building Test (2017)
A short special effects test that utilizes my newly acquired green screen suit, which proved itself useful in allowing the puppet to be held more towards the center of the screen. The main purpose of this test was to see how well I could have the dinosaur puppet shift between layers—starting out behind the house, then between the house and the fire, and then in front of the fire.
Kaiju Beam Sweep Test (2017)
This beam test was inspired by Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo, in which gigantic creatures show up and lay waste to Japan's capital with devastating laser beams... good stuff. As for this video, it was created using stock footage of my custom kaiju puppet, which I call Terragnus. It was through the use of my dad's drone that I was able to get the aerial shots.
FX Test: Allosaurus vs Lasers (2019)
A very quick showcase of some visual effects for Top Predators 2. The shot itself never made it into the film because I re-did it, having realized I broke the 180 degree rule.