Following up on past progress, I started modelling the cup that I would be using in my shots from the real-life version of it. Other than focusing on the actual FX simulations themselves, I really wanted to push myself further in understanding how to integrate the 3D cup and simulations with the original lighting, surroundings and environment. With that in mind, I started researching and reviewing the previous lectures we had, in order to figure out what would be the correct way to shoot the footage, and how to obtain the lighting information, as that is the key for most accurate physical integration. After all, it’s typically the lighting that gives away CGI to the audience, without them even knowing what is looking so different and unusual.
Although the plan to start liquid simulations was for later, I nonetheless decided to give it a try and attempted following one of the tutorials that I found on the Gnomon website (Introduction to FLIP fluids in Houdini). It was a good decision as I learned that it was impossible for me to use the liquid idea, as the technical aspects of my computer weren’t good enough to be able to process it. Coming across this newly-founded problem, it was critical that I would re-assess my idea and come up with something different whilst I had the time, which would suit my computer processing abilities.