How Backrooms Videos Are Made

Backrooms - Mall Run & Outpost: • Backrooms
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0:00 - Breakdown
1:28 - Spoiler Warning/Software
1:43 - Mall Run Start
3:54 - Backrooms
7:36 - Outpost
13:00 - Render
14:10 - VHS Filter
Music List:
Meydan - Away:
• Meydän - 01 - Away (Am...
Lemmino - Aloft: 2:05
• LEMMiNO - Aloft (BGM)
Lemmino - Cypher: 3:54
• LEMMiNO - Cipher (BGM)
Lemmino - Nocturnal: 9:10
• LEMMiNO - Nocturnal (BGM)
Lemmino - Siberian: 12:15
• LEMMiNO - Siberian (BGM)
Qumu - Super Mario 3D World - World Bowser [Remix]: 14:10
• Super Mario 3D World -...
These tracks are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org)
Backrooms Blender Tutorial: • I made BACKROOMS Found...
Camera Shakify: github.com/EatTheFuture/camer...
Email me if you have any 3D work! It's in my channel's about page.

[@BrandonRogers]

Genius

[@chip-plugged]

I heard there is a series you are making based out of this, cant wait to watch it!

[@Charlie-yx2ov]

@@chip-plugged really? Where would I be able to find it?

[@thescratchguy428]

Wtf is genius

[@luanemen]

OH MY GOD ITS YOU

[@VinOnline]

Hi Brandon!

[@redneck472]

I find it so cool that you actually use VHS cameras to make the filter. Very nice attention to detail.

[@Kurazaybo]

It definitely gives a very good touch. I have a question. I do not understand how the video is in 1080 on youtube when 8mm tape and cameras have lower resolution.

[@andyranimations]

@@Kurazaybo The bitrate KZbin assigns to 1080p videos is way better than 720p videos, you just have to export it in 1080 in Resolve

[@Kurazaybo]

@@satanicsmoresmusic just said what I was thinking. It is ok, the magician does not reveal all his secrets. But it is something I've wondered for a while. I remember Kane Pixels said he used real VCRs to give the old analog look, but those also are lower res (I am aware there was actually digital VHS which was 1080). I guess in the end it maybe does not matter much.

[@LgdFanta]

​@@andyranimations 720p is really good too bro

[@zackcool333_5]

@@LgdFanta no its not

[@DJSayori]

Dude, you are not getting enough praise for deleting default cube and just adding a new one in. Really shows you are a pro Blender user.

[@JathinNag]

haha

[@tonoornottono]

@@JathinNag is your name actually nathin jag or am i insane

[@sp-youngfly]

so backroooms are not real

[@DJSayori]

@@sp-youngfly Huh?

[@Forever-ec8tm]

@@sp-youngfly bro are YOU real?

[@effervescentrelief]

The VHS hack was genius. No wonder it looked so genuine. It's not a false filter, it's the real deal.

[@zwenkwiel816]

kind of weird how something like VHS artifacts, which are very much not real can make the video look more realistic....

[@99xara99]

@@zwenkwiel816 It actually makes a lot of sense weirdly. Making it look like a real recording is actually much more attainable than what modern games are trying to do, to look like "real life" (as in through someones eyes). This seems virtually impossible - already because our view isn't square (so maybe possible in VR at some point). But imitating an old video, very convincing. Actually genius.

[@-SUM1-]

​@@zwenkwiel816It's cause it covers up inconsistencies and details in the CGI/lighting that would otherwise be easy to see.

[@Reddline198X]

I was fully expecting a detailed breakdown of the nodes you used in Resolve to get the VHS look but just pointing an actual VHS at the screen is such a gigabrain hack, I love it

[@Foodistohio]

He faked it

[@insyde_h20]

@@Foodistohio how did you know

[@Shadow.CS8]

he actually went to the backrooms

[@WackoMcGoose]

Nothing better to make something look recorded on a potato, than to ACTUALLY record it on a potato.

[@usedtobejecjec]

As an editor and a 3D modeller, i might do the filter when i start animating lol

[@itslegendhimself]

4:03 classic blender workflow, delete the cube to add a cube. Great video, lots of tools in this one

[@yna50bc]

why though

[@hiccupwarrior89]

@@yna50bc because the default cube doesn't look as good as the new one

[@404-AnimationYT]

@@yna50bcthe default cube if not deleted will find your family and hold them for ransom

[@bobojenkins5805]

@@404-AnimationYT Sorry honey but you know our policy, we dont negotiate with kidnappers

[@HA3APKO]

People sometimes really don’t appreciate how difficult it is to make something on this level of realism and interest…

[@Gandhi_Physique]

Yeah, probably because they don't know how much effort it takes

[@benwinter2420]

Yeah , it's a trip . . dipped toe in water with Adobe creative suite in a TAFE course Oz , but you need decent teachers not wankers

[@HA3APKO]

@@benwinter2420 yeah ig I was self taught but I taught myself pretty well because my stuff is pretty realistic imo!

[@romanbundy921]

​@@benwinter2420yep

[@clonefighter1996]

[deletes the default cube] [adds a new cube instead] We all hate the default cube around here, don't we?..

[@PsychorGames]

One simple and cool thing you can do to improve realism is to just increase the dirt and scratches on all surfaces and objects. When they produced Star Wars, they realized that you can make miniatures look waaay more realistic if you add a layer of filth on the object. The same basic principle is true for most video projects. You can do this pretty easily by just pasting dirt PNGs everywhere, or using a Blender plugin to do that for you. Heck, I made some filth images with alpha channels for my own project. You're free to use them.

[@SirusStarTV]

So that's why when objects in real life are too clean they look like CGI

[@GiJoe94]

I was thinking that, to make something realistic it should be filthy, low resolution and the dynamic range should be lower

[@morplagro1545]

Where could I find your collection? I have been adding to my collection of dirt and grunge and I'd gladly take you up on that offer.

[@GiJoe94]

@@morplagro1545 the easiest ways to get textures is to search for 3d textures they are always high resolution 4-8k.. they are essentially the same I have thousands of scratches, dust, smudge and grunge textures from 3d texture packs

[@zwenkwiel816]

I dno, I think the clean look kind of adds to it. I mean it's supposed to look kind of realistic without actually being a real place. think this uncanny valley look is what really sells the effect, like my brain isn't quite sure if it's a videogame, real life or something in between....

[@CarsonW518]

Holy heck, this is just insane. I would never have imagined the process to make a backrooms video to be so complicated. Kudos to you man. Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see future episodes.

[@Foxy-Proxy]

It is kinda hard

[@enlargedquack]

And funny enough, making backrooms footage like this is EASY compared to other kinds of projects. It really is just a long and hard process to use 3d software.

[@Foxy-Proxy]

@@enlargedquack yeah cuz I'm pretty sure you just need camera shake, filter, map, lighting, and animation experience, and some creativity.

[@eszett8214]

i have no idea how millions of people haven’t seen these yet. the dedication and attention to detail is just unmatched. easily one of the best backrooms creators on here.

[@sizzlet01]

Love how you delete the default cube only to add a cube in.

[@Ender436]

As every true blenderer does

[@mexycat.]

i do same :)

[@samuelwilliams4690]

As a guy who's in the 3D industry myself, I have full respect for this and everything you've done to make it happen.

[@justink5545]

i love how you dont fall into making these backrooms videos a jumpscare fest, its just the atmosphere and exploration. keep up the great work!

[@zshall48]

As someone who likes making 3D renders and using VHS tapes to digitally age them, it's really cool to see how other artists do it! Very neat look into your process and the results are stunning!

[@ThisIsDownstate]

im doing this too. i wondered, do you rescan your screen with the handycam or do u use a hdmi to composite convertor to record your animation to a VCR from the computer ? I have got a Sony handycam (hi8) and a VCR and i get better results recording to the VCR, but the computer resolution going through the VCR is hard to get right......still its fun to play around with. great work !

[@zshall48]

@@ThisIsDownstateI’ve done both. My current setup uses a DVD/VCR combo unit with an HDMI output and a Game Capture HD to get the output + a “Mini” branded HDMI to RCA converter for the input to the VCR, and an HDMI splitter to get the output to save properly. I plug them into a USB-C dock and that way I’ve got one cable going to the entire setup from my laptop. The VCR records the output of essentially an external monitor and the Game Capture HD records the input from playing the tape back. When I used a camera I had a CRT TV to capture from and a macro lens on the camera so I could focus on the shadow mask. Harder to sync up the refresh rates so you don’t get a strobing effect but it made for an interesting “filter” either way!

[@L1min4l]

dude can we just take a second also to appreciate the intro screen? the way you made the words out of actual backrooms models was really creative and seamless. great job lol

[@mynameismichael123]

"We can start with a cube" says he, as he deletes and creates an identical copy. Truly a Blender Pro.

[@ImVengance_]

I tried making one and it was fun, trough this experience i got to know how much time it takes to make a minute long backrooms vid, i cant imagine how exhausting it must be to make a 30 minutes one 💀💀💀

[@CUBETechie]

Lost in the hyperverse made an 1h 5min

[@Andrecio64]

a model, a texture, and a TON of effects, lighting and post processing.

[@catmastertrash2447]

Mall Run & Outpost were my newest favorites in the genre. It was nice to see more sites of interest, and the "wall sample" videos were done really well.

[@DragonFruitXVI]

Your backrooms videos are very therapeutic to me. Relaxing. I love them, and do not mind the long length dragged out time. Your original strange spaces are great. You have an eye for this stuff for sure.

[@RexRude99]

I did wonder about the VHS effect. It's nice to have confirmation that my guess was right.

[@NovianLeVanMusic]

Well done! You deserve a shit ton more views. I have a lot of respect for one-man teams and visual effects artists, 3D modelers, sound designers, etc. This brings back memories of the golden age of KZbin with FreddieW and Corridor Digital shorts where they'd go in and explain their VFX workflows.

[@ogregod3225]

11/10 for making THE MOST REALISTIC backrooms footage I've seen (I've seen quite a lot and played most of the games) and your own creative take on the complex or foundation type element + the fact you put lemmino's cicada 3301 remix in this video make it a 100/10 frfr

[@JusticeReigns]

Dude your videos are my favorite back-room videos. So fun to watch! They hit in a way that brings together everything I love, the mystery, the exploration, the still and calm atmosphere(most the time), the unknown, the timelessness, there is no cheap click-bait to them, just intrigue and a dreamlike quality that makes them classic. Props to you!

[@strawwagen]

The infinite mall is everything i ever wanted wanted from the liminal space concept, making the walls alive, just great stuff all around man. Can't wait to see what's next!

[@Shtinamin]

I’ve made a live action Backrooms video back in Oct 2022. So seeing this is very interesting how computer animated Backrooms are made. Thx!

[@MissChanandlerBong1]

I love the eerie vibe these liminal space environments evoke and they look pretty realistic. And the clever modifications you've made to give it that little extra realism goes a long way dude. Very cool. Backroom videos remind me of movies I like such as The Cube and The Langoliers.

[@Jg-wd9fw]

This is so cool! Mall Run is one of my top favorite Backrooms videos! It’s so cool to see a behind the scenes! Great job man!

[@ScottJackson117]

Out of all the Backrooms vids I've seen so far, yours holds as one the most entertaining. I really love the liminal designs of those open areas. Looking forward to more stuff from you!

[@Caleb-zj9xi]

This is inspirational for someone just getting into blender. I've been focusing so much on the modelling, but there is a lot of work to be done learning what is possible afterwards! These videos are so compelling while the shapes are very bare bones.

[@tora0neko]

I love the adherence to workflow and the meme by deleting the default cube even though you needed to use it at 4:03

[@PsychorGames]

I've been a big fan of yours for a good while. Why not save yourself the headache of rendering every frame in Blender and just put all your assets in a game engine instead? There are so many free game engines out there, and quite a few of them have phenomenal graphical capabilities. Sure, you may miss out on ultra-accurate lighting, but I think with some smartly-placed baked lighting and the right occlusion culling (for shadows and shaded areas), it can look just as real with only 1/10th of the effort. In any case, this was a phenomenal showcase and I definitely will be keeping an eye on you in the future.

[@andyranimations]

Unreal Engine 5 is extremely impressive and I've been looking at that, but there's just something about an entirely pathtraced image that makes my lizard brain go ooooo ahhhh

[@Spacexislife]

Finally! This is what I was waiting for, behind the movie magic. Absolutely mind-blowing job man! You are an effects master!!!

[@WhiteCircle63]

This is really underrated video. This quality of video is really cool. That intro was speachless. Very good job.

[@TheDivineAtlas]

This is such a great video. I knew this took a lot of work, but it's really amazing everything that you did to put your videos together.

[@Tissou]

Gotta say, you're not only a genuis in 3d realistic render, but also a genuis of showcasing and mounting the video. I mean, everything is so smooth and the transistions between real and 3d is a masterpiece. Well job dude 👏

[@jomambo]

I came in here trying to see how i could copy the vhs filter to composit in real time for a game idea i had. The way you did it is the goofiest, most genius way i have seen. Took me back to 2014 where i would record minecraft gameplays from my ps3 directly to a camera. Good job, i never expected this.

[@starkiller7278]

Your VHS filter solution is an excellent choice, it gives a much needed authenticity to your videos. I was not expecting that glitch ending in the last few seconds, thought it was my phone speaker 😂. Definitely looking forward to more videos 💯.

[@thegoodygames]

I didn’t realise how much work goes into this. Thanks for the video and keep up the good work!

[@SourceAwareness]

Excellent Work, and thank you for sharing this with the community, my Friend.

[@dinosaursneverexisted8985]

The VHS/8mm effect is clutch.. initially watched this to see what kind of plug-in or filter you were using because it looked so good, but it looked so good because it's real. Nice

[@Milena-ix5mq]

I love the slow layering-down at the beginning of the video, I love it to see how the different parts of something work together, taking one by one apart. Very well-made! ❤

[@aaronhaworth]

Omg Andy your coolometer gauge has redlined with this one. You even gave us some dope (undiscovered for me so extra yay for that!!) music to get goosebumps with. You're already in a masterclass and you JUST started... You along with a good number of other creators make this a very exciting time, so thank you and cheers to a long career! 🍻😊

[@Foodistohio]

Andy is racist

[@heartchase6284]

So cool to see the behind the scenes on honestly the best backrooms videos I've seen out there.

[@YaboiFreshMemes]

absolutely incredible, watched your backrooms video last night i felt like i was in another world cant wait for outpost 2 and hopefully more work from you.

[@almicc]

i really liked that little joke in blender, deleting the default cube and then placing a new cube

[@anatolymeller6261]

Did you just delete the starting cube, then immediately add an identical cube? 😄

[@andyranimations]

I'm glad someone noticed that lol

[@shmian]

Was looking for this comment

[@MrMoviemashup]

Best overall basic concept on how all this is done. Great job showing us all your techniques. :)

[@CaptainMug]

Your vids are top notch and all the work shows off! Hope you're having as much fun making them as I had watching them.

[@vibrolax]

I always appreciate when someone goes full otaku on what's ultimately a product for a relatively small audience. Of course, what you're really doing is learning to finish projects that meet your own high standard for quality, which is one thing that distinguishes a creator from a hack. Well done.

[@DereC519]

Amazing how the modeling is rather simple, but it's the filters and effects we use to give it such a horror tone

[@swearstace]

Amazing job! Wish I could thumbs up the video twice. Glad I subscribed, can’t wait to see more.

[@Matthew-hf5wr]

You have my utmost respect in making projects like these. I hope you will get the recognition you deserve.

[@Ehko4]

Once I get a pc good enough, I'ma do this. I love watching a video with full intent of 'believing it' for the entertainment, but watching how it's done is a WHOLE other story of entertainment. Much love for the time you spent.

[@crispychubs]

Videos like this and creators like you make me wish I had 1000 more years to live on this planet so I really could dedicate time to trying and getting good at more of everything. I *want* to create something so amazing like this and become wonderful at blender and CGI. I've just already dedicated myself to other things I love that require just as much time to become a master of. Keep this up man. I subbed and I'm SO excited to keep seeing you create such fantastic things.

[@ThatCubicBoy]

How dare you say that our footages aren't real! Ok jokes aside, this video was amazing and i enjoyed every minute of it. Plus with all the detailed explanations of every step of the video making process makes it even better. And the way you apply VHS filters was for me very unexpected, but i think is the funniest and most practical way of doing it. Top notch work that is very underrated, can't wait to see your future projects. PS : a tip I can give is to put a human body/rig behind the camera to have shadows and reflections on say TVs

[@shinmai]

A lot of great lessons here, IMO, but two especially good ones are "don't waste time on stuff nobody will notice" - mapping photos of the real VHS camera on a low-poly model is GENIUS, and "sound design is 90% of video production" - the scenes look good on their own, but the camera handling sounds and all the athmospheric sounds are what make these come to life to me. Great work and kudos!

[@Chabinho]

I am glad that this video was made. I'm sick of a lot of annoying kiddos thinking the whole Backrooms phenomenon is real...

[@l.banana1702]

you just give me a realy cool idea for a video for a noob like me ! very thanks ( your vidéos are so good ^^

[@seymoorepoone9512]

I’m a fan of Backrooms posting. My favorite style is the camera operator exploring a hyper massive labyrinth that is empty and silent, save for the sounds of lights, footsteps, and breathing. No monsters. No entities. Just a confused camera operator exploring. Yeah there’s gotta be some plot and conflict and you have shown that well with your videos. Can’t wait to see what happens next. Does our protagonist find the next outpost?

[@owenrichards1418]

I was floored that you used a period camera to get your "VHS" effect. I loved the idea of parenting stuff to a camera to get the hand shaking!

[@woodybob01]

The music at the start is fucking fabulous and fits PERFECTLY

[@slowbro1337]

I just want to talk about how your audio is supreamly superb in both mix, composition, sampling, and atmospheric dimensions as well.

[@bruno_madalozzo]

He watched The Art of Mixing on youtube, of couse

[@damienhodgdon1820]

Keep doing this. if you don't add any monsters to your own backrooms, and just keep doing the art of emptiness, you'll be the man.-

[@JackieJKENVtuber]

4:03 every blender user knows that if you're going to start with a cube, you MUST delete the default cube, otherwise your model will be cursed by unexplainable forces

[@Samimies]

The default cube is 2m in scale. If you use the default cube your model will be 2:1 in scale.

[@JackieJKENVtuber]

@@Samimies S + .5 + Ratio + Cursed by the default cube

[@timscoviac]

I think it would be neat for a door or hallway in the backrooms to seem like it’s a exit to outside with everything looking like it’s the outdoors, seeing roads, parked cars and the sky, or maybe just a wooded area and the sky, but as the person gets further he realizes it’s just an illusion and what appears to be the sky is actually just painted on the wall and ceiling or possibly a huge high definition led screen on the walls and ceiling

[@Awakenbeing]

Love your dedication and hardwork and time you put in creating such a CGI art along with a breakdown video too.

[@sespider]

He starts modeling with a cube but first deletes the default cube. 🤣🤣🤣

[@krjames203]

Thanks very much for this video -- it's always fun to see the curtain pulled back on these processes and procedures. But the video also reminds me that only a great sense of design, visual storytelling, and mood can make this technical know-how really pay off. And all your pieces, especially Outpost, have that in spades. (I absolutely love the Outpost "room." Great black vaulted space, weird glowing power lines, beautiful unearthly hum -- it's all straight out of a dream. Thanks so much for cooking it up and sharing it.)

[@daniel_wilkinson]

The techniques are really creative. I am constantly flabbergasted by what blender can do for free. What sets this apart as special is that you had an idea and created a story around it. There's mystery, suspense, and action.

[@SynxVII]

Love your videoes man looking forward to your future projects

[@BOBXFILES2374a]

My Dad directed and produced TV commercials back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Duplicating what you did here on your computer probably would have involved building sets, etc, - $200,000.00? I am just blown away by your "reveal" of how it could be done. I was just astonished by what Kane Pixels managed to do and had no idea how he did it. Thank you very much!

[@StyleshStorm]

Someone finally exposes it. 👁️

[@twasbrillig33]

love your icon, what's it from?

[@samocali]

This is incredible. I'd love to be able to get to a point like this, where I can perform every step of the process using various softwares/ skills and actually be able to articulate the emotions these animations make you feel accurately

[@SonOfFurzehatt]

I came here to find out how you did the realistic camera movements, and OF COURSE there's a plugin for that. The animation really is top-notch, so keep up the good work.

[@pavol0]

In which resolution did you render in? Amazing work!

[@andyranimations]

Rendered in 1080p, but the camcorder only records 720p

[@pavol0]

@@andyranimations is there any reason you render at 1080p? I would suggest to you render in 720x576 (that's the resolution vhs camcorders generaly record in). You will speed up your render times massively.

[@andyranimations]

@@pavol0 I render in 1080x1440, I like having the extra pixels because the pixels aren't going to line up perfectly and there is going to be some cut off from the sides from recording the TV. It also lets me use a lower sample rate by supersampling some pixels. The camcorder only records in 720p and I wanted to retain image sharpness as it goes through the TV, although I probably should try lowering the resolution because 39 days of rendering was a lot lol

[@pavol0]

@@andyranimations I just replied to your comment with some tips, but I don't see it. Maybe it got flagged by KZbin

[@andyranimations]

Weird, I don't see anything in the held for review comments

[@pbjandahighfive]

In order to speed up the production process maybe you could test rendering only half the frames (12fps instead of 24fps) and then try using depth-aware video frame interpolation to generate the missing frames. It would still take some time to finalize, but much less than it's currently taking you to render it all out.

[@MultiDudeman]

Wow! No wonder your videos look so great! And now understand a little better how much time goes into these. Excited to see more!

[@cr0uchingtiger]

Astounded by your level of effort. I've been using Blender professionally for years now and you've got me beat. And the VHS workflow. Crazy. I think I gasped out loud.

[@alexanderchernyavskiy5011]

Damn you are good. The VHS bit is unreal. That's how you capture the essence. Cudos. I hope you will never stop growing.

[@cucothekillerofgalaxy]

These kinds of videos inspire me to be able to make a giant (but GIANT) map and backrooms/liminal space in GMOD where you can access the best-known areas such as hotels, shopping centers , airports, etc. Great job

[@orcanimal]

Beautiful work, and the breakdown is greatly appreciated!

[@commodore7331]

massive respect for using actual vhs distortion instead of an effect, the weird discolorations and bleeding and screendoor effect nonsense make do so much work for authenticity

[@RonzHigh]

You are phenomenal. Best back room creator I've ever seen. Keep maken more! I love how you just base the horror off the rooms and not some monster pop ups. Thanks for the wicked entertainment!

[@davxd5757]

you can also run ur audio through a four-head VCR or the like in the mastering stage for another analog edge. very informative and cool stuff dawg

[@Myst0WL]

Absolutely unique and intelligent design, the combination of analog and digital is fantastic! Please keep up you amazing work it is very inspiring and skilled !

[@Transformers_nerd_stop_motions]

All of these look like authentic VHS footage! You are a genius! The part about the camera was very smart!

[@tostguy6855]

Real good video & result. Very nice job, dude!

[@garbageman543]

this is so cool, when i saw the part where you showed how you made the lights on the ceiling randomely selected i thought it would be really cool if you had a part in a different video where you have them constantly randomizing like the backrooms is glitching out, almost like tv static on the ceiling

[@_PRISM_]

This is an incredible behind the scenes, love the work!

[@robertocarlosvillanuevaver9689]

Thanks for this. Looking forward for the next episode.

[@RaidRendered]

Excellent work, dude! Thanks for sharing your tips/secrets :)

The VHS filter (so glad you're using an analog loop) helps a lot in hiding the cgness but also makes it hard to think what could add to realism without being covered up. More Imperfections of some kind would be my main suggestions, maybe some diffusers are yellowed, some lights are missing a tube, are flickering or have a different colour temp. Carpet stains? Slight Imperfections in the bump map on walls (maybe patched or chipped)

[@-fr0stbyte-]

The attention to detail here is amazing, very well made video!😀

[@itellyouforfree7238]

This is just amazing! Awesome job!

[@Rex-cm1wx]

This is super inspiring! Thanks for the breakdown.

[@TBooka]

Different level of dedication, subscribed. Incredible

[@x_0000]

your video is probably the most realistic and interesting backroom video, thanks for your good work!

[@-.-Angel777-.-]

Great look on how this is done, it feels a lot more simple this way