Cloud Tank Effects: Step-by-Step Setup Techniques

[@ShanksFX1]

What makes some of these shots believable is that you can create a horizon line and your footage will have more depth that creates more of a landscape look & feel. Different amounts of salt in your water will cause the your paints and dyes to react differently so its just a matter of trial and error.

[@ShanksFX1]

Yeah, sometimes using smaller tanks makes it easy to reset them, however large tanks last longer. Thought about drilling a drain hole at the bottom, but not confident drilling thru glass will maintain a secure structure for water to be contained it.

[@ShanksFX1]

Really cool, I love that I'm seeing filmmakers actually incorporating these techniques into their films!! That's what its all about!!!

[@ShanksFX1]

Working on it, will try to have something available for this Friday's new episode.

[@nikkolakis]

These are not FX man! This is art! Pure art. Loved it!

[@yugioht42]

this is your basic cloud tank revved to it's maximum and the video is just incredible. awesome job

[@RedCircuitPictures]

4:58 looks amazing! Like meteorites falling towards earth!

[@ShanksFX1]

Much love to the ALLtime10s channel for featuring us!!!

[@marfology]

this is insane, looking forward to episodes every friday

[@ThomasLuca]

Great job. Imagination Workshop Studio is working on a cloud tank soon. It's nice to see this being used still today in a dominant computer graphics era.

[@ShanksFX1]

Love that FLASH GORDAN, just for the CLOUD TANKS alone!!!

[@greysonsawyer]

I love your channel! You're showing people that they don't have to rely on post production to make cool effects:)

[@ShanksFX1]

We will be offering downloadable clips in the near future. Hopefully by our next episode!!!

[@ShanksFX1]

It really is just creating two different atmospheres with each layer of water. The same science that goes into how clouds are formed on Earth when you break it down.

[@liquid79]

Thank you for another inspiring video. They always seem to surprise me and shows how beautiful it is to be behind a lens. Keep up the good work! And can't wait to see what's next.

[@ShanksFX1]

I'd run a spatula across the glass to get tiny bubbles out. Does the trick!!

[@ShanksFX1]

Thanks Liquid79, glad ur getting something out of these videos. Keep watching and embed, embed, embed!!!

[@csselement]

Your vids are inspiring. I love the creative work you're doing!

[@valentinfarkasch]

Helped me a lot in the making of this - Mystics - 180° Virvar (official video) - thanks a lot

[@gabrielle_salonga]

These videos are fantastic - I hope you go far dude, I'm so glad I subscribed to you! Thank you so much for doing this.

[@ShanksFX1]

Nice of you to say Nikolas, it is a lot of fun to do!!!!

[@electronicchick1]

I got into a film acadamy and this will be perfect for a project! THANKS SOOOO MUCH!!!!

[@AndSoWeLaughed]

1st: So the fresh water is a separate layer onto the salt on. I think: 2nd: So it creates a cloudy atmosphere, 3rd: You see the mixture sits on top like floating islands, so when you take the picture (probably with a macro lens) it looks surreal. I think you NEED to use condense milk for it's properties: white for colours, thickness. Hopes this is correct and helps.

[@InCameraFX]

I've found a much easier way of creating the seperated layers. Cut a sheet of insulation foam slightly smaller than the tank, and allow it to float on top of the salt layer. Then, just let the freshwater drip fill the rest of the tank. When the foam reaches the top, just stop the drip and slowly slide it off. MUCH easier and less messy than the garbage bag method.

[@bashkillszombies]

Yeah, anyone who's mixed cocktails knows you can just pour the lighter liquid into the bowl of a spoon gently and it'll float off. The way he does it is counter-intuitive as fuck. Although in general his 'cosmos' images look nothing like ANYTHING to do with space, they are purely fictional so I wouldn't recommend using this method if that's the shot you're after in general.

[@TomSwiftProductions]

Great stuff here. Thanks for sharing your gifts and talents

[@arendr]

Any advice on resetting the tank? After a while, it would seem like the water would get too fogged, and you would have to repeat the entire saltwater process.

[@ShanksFX1]

Nice, getting inspired from these videos is what its all about!!!

[@EonPeon]

Yes please! Stock footage!

[@ShanksFX1]

Camera is right up against the glass a lot of the times. Especially if I'm using my 16mm Tokina wide angle. With my Macro lens I kind of just feel it out.

[@heymynameiscleeff]

cant wait till next episode

[@ShanksFX1]

Just watched you're video, really good use of the effect!!! And a cool video too!!!

[@louiecreates]

This is beautiful and surreal. I would love to give it a try. Thank you for making this! :)

[@koreboredom4302]

4 years and I come back now only to notice a typo at 1:13. It's "visual".

[@Risque1989]

Subbed. Learning a lot and enjoying these videos

[@Tenacious54X]

how did U manage to do 5:00 it looks astonishing

[@ibecamexperiment]

I used your technique in a 48 hour film fest! it turned out great i think :D

[@brettish0redden]

love these videos, they are mad marvelous!

[@ShanksFX1]

Creates a layer for the fresh water to sit atop of.

[@TheMaximumoverload]

Learn something new every day very nice video!

[@jaec45]

Nicely done.

[@platovsky]

Master's shanks thanks a lot for your wisdom 🙏

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Try glycerine. That has interesting visual properties too. You can take an inner chamber, and an outer chamber, a very very thin gap between. Add glycerine to the very thin gap. The inner chamber add a crank, so you can rotate the chamber (creates a drag n the glycerine). Once it's all set up, add a drop of ink. Rotate the crank, the drop will spread out as expected. Rotate it back the other way, and the drop will reform. There might be more details to the setup of this that I can't remember, but that's the basic idea.

[@forcedadventure]

AWESOME STUFF - ALL THE BEST !!!

[@alhelm]

I don't know if you're still answering questions all these years later, but here's one: does the salt water have to be made with rock salt? Can you use "instant ocean" instead? It's what my local pet store had for use in marine aquariums. Or is it not the same thing?

[@ShanksFX1]

I haven’t replied to anything in years, but i’m very intrigued if “Instant Ocean” works. Please try it out and let us know if it does. would make the process a lot easier!!!

[@alhelm]

@@ShanksFX1 Okay so I did my first test in a small fish tank. The instant ocean was very easy to mix in, and stuff (ink and glitter so far) definitely floats on it. However, I think I screwed up add my fresh water layer, because I didn't see any layer separation, and everything floated on the very top of the tank. P.S. You don't live in Los Angeles do you? Maybe I should just hire you for this shoot...

[@TheRaccoonable]

This looks awesome. But may I ask you why the two layers of water are necessary? Wouldn't it look the same if I squirted the colored liquid into a tank of fresh water?

[@ShanksFX1]

Yes

[@ShanksFX1]

I think this is episode 2, episode 3 is with the "Dry Ice"

[@dancecrew1996]

All time 10!!

[@EonPeon]

I get that the salt water is denser then the fresh, but what's the significance here? Are you focusing your camera on the border between the two types of water? Does the dye hit the salt water and stop? What effect are you getting out of the two water types that you couldn't get with one? Thanks in advance!

[@dornravlin]

can the effets only be done with a D.S.L.R and a fish tank . or can you use a clear box and Vixia with is what im probly going to have to work with . good video

[@lucada32]

simply beautiful

[@Lyrak]

I think maybe the salt water provides a "floor" that slows down the clouding, so that you don't have to risk getting the stuff around the bottom of the tank in the shot? I am kind of curious for a more in-depth explanation though.

[@valentinfarkasch]

did bubbles ever form on the inside? if so how did you get rid of them?

[@TaffyRaphie]

Sorry I meant the lens mm, not the literal closeness. You use a 16mm for some of these?! that's crazy!

[@idontknowneitherme3188]

Nice efforts!! You seems to be an expert!! What is this song being played at 4:31 time on your video? Let me know please.

[@AndSoWeLaughed]

Around 5:04 you can see them slowly dripping and extending. Then it's like they just spread and hold their own once they hit salt water.

[@TaffyRaphie]

How close is the lens that you're using? I'm trying with a 150 (but not on a full frame camera), which is about a 225mm on a full framer.

[@ChrisIssac]

Wow, amazing!

[@ziggy_sawdust1952]

i'm tryig to find ep 2 of your vids

[@NikLinenbergerMusic]

Awesome video! Quick question: Is the saltwater just so the light can be diffused? Is it necessary to use the salt water or will you achieve a similar effect without it?

[@kleptonautmusic842]

Joey, isn't the opening song for the opening title sequence "Escapism" by Big Fok?

[@dieMilliarden]

nice work, mate! :) whats the name of the opening song??

[@DiscoverMiley]

what is the salt water for?

[@sir_numbskull]

Does anyone know the name of the song that plays at the end as the credits roll? Kleptonaut has about a million songs; I'm having trouble finding it.

[@ARTofTY-TV]

Do you need to film this effect with a camera that has slow motion capability?

[@lucifelmartell]

WOW thasss some sick stuff... :)

[@OhsmBart]

Do you have any stock footage of this that we can use?

[@ilovetheusers]

That's awesome. I've seen gradients of saline/fresh water before, but not in a tank, very cool. I don't suppose you kept any of the footage you shot and put up a video of just the results?? :-) EDIT: NM, I found it. /watch?v=tKKAv5Yv0rY

[@abdou1995]

Brilliant

[@TheLapchannel]

Hey, I love your video's good work! I am working on a music video which is called on a level. I want to make this floading in air (or water) i want to use the 24 hrz water trick and I would love to know how you made the droplets going up at 0:54 and 4:49!!!??? Is it upide down? I would love to know if it is possible to have some acting behind it? I would also like to get glitters going up in a room any suggestions? Thanks!!

[@ReelFilmGeek]

how did you light the tank for this?

[@WilliamHart0]

what size gallon tank is that?

[@sir_numbskull]

Anyone know the name of the song at the very end?

[@LeonardGr]

amazing

[@ShanksFX1]

DSLR works great for this, but other cameras and containers will produce similar results.

[@NDK101]

Download the SHANKSFX soundtrack from Big Fok here: bigfok.bandcamp.com/album/creating-the-cosmos

[@garuten1]

It is very good. It becomes helpful.

[@flergum]

thanks . well done.

[@TaffyRaphie]

I wanna do this!

[@JFLPP]

Wow. This looks really awesome. I definatelly have to try that one out. Did you film at 24fps or 60?

[@ShanksFX1]

Some at 60fps but most at 24fps, it seems to move slow enough as it is JFLPP

[@surelyknottmedia]

awesome.

[@heymynameiscleeff]

love it

[@dornravlin]

Thank you sir .

[@JDKinsly]

My saltwater isn't turning clear :( I did use kitchen salt though and I just kind of winged the ratios

[@ShanksFX1]

Hmmm, sometime it takes a while for it to settle ***** , and also Distilled water works the best

[@thomasemmerich6717]

amazing!

[@kaedenscribner7762]

Where did you get the Rock Salt?

[@TheCsel]

+Kaeden Scribner i dont know where he got his, but you should be able to find it at home improvements and hardware stores, probably walmart or other large chain stores.

[@joeyshanks]

+TheCsel water softener salt and local hardware store

[@ShanksFX1]

To be honest it is a lot of trial and error. I have a lot of lights by my side and kind of go with the flow changing them out till I get something I like. Many times 1 or 2 lights is all you need. Spot lights with direct beam seem to produce good results.

[@ShanksFX1]

Canon 5d and 60d

[@XxNekoKilaxX]

beautiful *o*

[@Voikdude]

with mL you mean milli litre?

[@ShanksFX1]

Check out the next time you put some cream / milk in your coffee. You will get clouds. Can be done on a smaller scale.

[@sebul6786]

that was damn cool

[@ShadyRECS]

Here from alltiems10s :D and glad i foudn you lol

[@YvensReboucas]

give us some nice 1080p wallpapers of it

[@petrosIoannidis]

FLASH GORDAN!

[@Ne0LiT]

omg *.* amazing!

[@AndSoWeLaughed]

What do you mean don't try and recreate them?! I really want to try :(

[@hhrocha000]

1:15 "viusal"

[@MrLucasConroy]

i paused the vid but when i looked away it looked like it was moving

[@otto0667]

Holla, Nala.