CaptainDisillusion posts
Weather Ahead
Hi friends,Content update: I've been working on a script for what I think will be a pretty cool video. It keeps teetering between a concise, tightly-packed Quick D or a satisfying, slow-burn traditional debunk. Either way, it should be a fun watch.But as I work on this, I've also hit one of ...
'CD/Blur' Behind-the-Scenes STREAM
REMINDER: the stream starts in 30 minutes!----The Blur video has reached 1M views! So as per tradition, let's do a behind-the-scenes "director's commentary" livestream.This Tuesday, June 10th, 5PM ETI've gathered over 50 pieces of media about the effects, graphics, and the filmin...
Cosmos Sketch - IMAX OPEN MATTE WIDESCREEN VERSION
In the final video, the Cosmos bit was matted into a 4:3 aspect ratio to stay authentic to the original show, but we shot and did all the VFX in normal 16:9.So here, for the first time in history, I present you with this exclusive look at the newly digitally restored original aspect ratio of the pie...
Early Access: "CD / Blur"
Hello friends!I bring you... a new video!Don't remember the last time I worked on something where I felt so uncertain every step of the way about whether I'm explaining things correctly. And where I've had to make so many revision and tweaks to the concept, to the visuals, and even to th...
COMMENTARY LIVESTREAM - 'SNL VFX Mystery'
REMINDER: Stream starting now!As the latest video approaches 1M views, let us humble ourselves by taking a critical look at its concept & execution. I'll share some fun behind-the-scenes material and try to figure out what, if anything, I learned this time.Join me LIVE on Wednesday, Jan 15th, 2:...
'SNL VFX Mystery' - Music & Sound FX ONLY
I haven't done this in a while. Here's a version of the latest video without the dialogue tracks, to better hear the delicious details of the sound design. For registered audiophiles.
Early Access: "SNL VFX Mystery | Quick D"
Hello!Here it is, the latest video! I can't help feeling like it holds a new record for amount of time spent creating vs. amount of content, but... I did work very hard on it the entire time and... I hope it briefly brightens your day!
Sound Design STREAM
I'm spending tomorrow working on sound FX of the upcoming video. If you don't mind crazy noises and want to hang out/work along with me, join the livestream! (starting at 2:30PM ET)
FinalComp STREAM: 3D...Studio?
Greetings, patient friends!It's that time again. After chiseling, sanding and polishing over 100 shots of the upcoming video to shiny perfection, I've arrived at the last one. And I'd like to livestream the process of working on it!The VFX on it areso elaborate, I'll need some help. ...
COMMENTARY STREAM: Beckham Beach Kicks Debunk
UPDATE:As those who joined live know, the broadcast was sabotaged by a disgruntled projectionist, Eduardo. But we were able to band together, defeat him, restore the feed, and continue with the commentary!To make the replay slightly less annoying to watch, I have edited out a boring chunk, mostly co...
Intern Football Face Smash Outtakes
Here are some delightfully painful slow-mo bloopers of Alan getting hit in the face by a non-American football ball for ya!
Beckham Debunk AGAIN BUT BETTER
Thanks to the helpful suggestions from some of you, I had a chance to fix some minor and major technical issues and reupload!Several VFX shots improvementsReplaced the Canon 5D/7D cameras shown with generations that existed at the time THE WHOLE VIDEO WAS ACCIDENTALLY IN MONO 😱Color encoding need...
NEW VIDEO: Beckham Beach Kicks DEBUNK
Hello!So here it is. Another effortful video about something silly. I hope you like it.This is early access, so lemme know what you think!(FYI: proper subtitles are not ready yet, but they'll be there by the time of public release. Sorry for any inconvenience.)
Sound Design Work Stream
UPDATELooks like I had accidentally scheduled the stream for 1 PM, but it is in fact 2, i.e. any moment now. Sorry for any confusion!------Hi!As planned, tomorrow at 2PM ET, I'll stream working on sound effects spotting (finding and placing them) for the upcoming video. There's just the last...
FinalComp STREAM: "Fast Forward to Today"
UPDATE:Folks, I'm pushing the stream by a day, to Jul 10th. Just need a li'l more time to set up some new graphics & remember how to operate it all. And my brain needs just a tiny break from computers! ---------I'm on the last VFX shot! And it only makes sense to prolong the process by s...
A Live Update From a Creator Who is Alive
Greetings friends!I rise out of the swamp that is the overly-complex VFX stage of another video to bring you a graphical update of its progress.As before, the pictureis a representation of the whole edit and the green parts are what's completely visually finished. It's 36 of 129 shots, but i...
Director's Commentary Stream - CD / Shutter Speed
REMINDER: The stream starts in 30 mins! Hope to see you there!---The challenges, the triumphs, the horrible mistakes...Let's take a fun, in-depth look behind the scenes of the latest video, with me, the maker of it. RAW AND UNSCRIPTED.I'll also answer any questions. If anyone has any.Friday ...
"CD / Shutter Speed" Early Access
Hello!"CD /" videos were supposed to be the shortest, easiest type of video. But noooo, I had to make it complicated. I'm not sure even *I* understand most of what I explained.Please enjoy!
Year-end Video-update
Hi everyone!I've been working on the VFX of the next video (which will be a CD/ episode) throughout December. As the graphic above illustrates, I'm on shot 68 out of 86! I hoped to get it out before the 1st, but I'm just not fast enough.Don't know about you, but '23 has strangely...
Early Access: "Surviving Feedback" (Bcon23 mini-talk)
Hello!I've just returned from the Blender Conference in Amsterdam, where I got really creatively inspired watching interesting presentations by artists & developers from around the world.(You can watch recordings of all the talks on the Blender YT channel!)To counter-balance all that talent & sk...
"AlBot" Short - Early Access
Hi!Here's a silly sketch, the production process of which I've been documenting in my other Patreon tiers. The goal was to try something cinematic but specifically designed for a vertical video feed, as well as to test some virtual production techniques I hope to use in future "proper...
Making "AlBot" Pt. 7 - Final Product
Since the livestream, I've been building the rest of the CG assets, laying out shots, animating, [miGRAtiNg tO a nEw coMpuTEr], rendering, compositing and mixing sound. And here's the finished video!Presenting it above in square format, but will post the vertical version shortly at the "...
Making "AlBot" Pt. 6 - Livestream STARTS in 30 mins!
UPDATE 2! The rescheduled stream is on in half an hour. Hope to see you there!----UPDATE! My poor 10-year-old computer has picked this moment to peace-out, so unfortunately I have to postpone the stream. For now I'm pushing it 1 day, to hopefully figure out a temporary streaming/work setup, unti...
Making "AlBot" Pt. 5 - VFX Setup
Every shot of the video is a visual effect so it makes sense to set up the project in a way that'll make the creative process easier.I exported the edit as an AAF file which can be imported in other software. This lets me jump into Resolve to color-grade the original camera takes used in the fin...
Making "AlBot" Pt. 4 - Shoot (and Rough Cut)
Everything went according to plan.At the last moment I decided to frame for a square format with safety for vertical, so it can work for both - similar to how TV shows in the mid '00s used to frame 16:9 safe for a 4:3 crop on older TVs. Just a little insurance policy!It might sounds overkill, bu...
Making "AlBot" Pt. 3 - Preproduction
If there's one thing I learned over the years of filming stuff, it's that you can't trust your brain to remember anything on the shoot day. You're going to miss things. Worse, you're going to think of things you need on the spot and regret not getting them in advance.Even for a t...
Making "AlBot" Pt. 2 - Animatic
Because I don't have a sci-fi space lab or giant robot at my disposal, there'll be a lot of greenscreen in this production. To help plan out the shots I decided to preview the entire sketch as a rough hand-drawn animatic.First I recorded the lines in Pro Tools and edited everything to exactl...
Making "AlBot" Pt. 1 - Script
We all know short-form videos (TikTok, Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts) tend to encourage "low-effort" impromptu content. The vertical frame and severe duration limit make it almost impossible to create elaborate, nice-looking stuff. I mean, you'd have to be CRAZY to spend time working...
Production Art: Decades
For a shot in the latest video I needed to visualize the idea of fun things from decades past, that the world is currently nostalgic for. It was going to be a collage of images, but I quickly realized that anything I choose would be purely subjective. So instead I opted for labels of decades themsel...
EARLY ACCESS: Empty World | Quick D
Hi!Here's a brand new video, freshly baked in the edit oven, chilled in the sound design fridge and piped with delicious VFX creme. I hope you like it.As outlined in a previous post, I sort of had to switch gears and make a completely different video from one I began working on. I tried to keep ...






















