Transcription begins and I know now that I definitely want to transcribe a piece of music. However I have decided that I don't want to do a marathon lip sync, as I'd much rather create a character, where I can just use expressions to convey emotion and tell a story. So the solution is to find some music that has a lot of varying moods or stages, transitions etc. I would like to design one, possibly two animal characters and focus on them and the animation. For environments, I've already thought about how to achieve them simply, by using key props that represent an environment. Eg a kerb with a lamp post would represent a street, a park bench would represent a park. It would either be in a white or black environment... although in saying that, depending on the music, the colour of the background could alternate on the mood.
So I have quite a few ideas, but no music to transcribe into a story.
For someone who doesn't read novels or listen to music, it is kind of difficult to know where to start, so I am totally relying on what people suggest. I've listened to some of my dads CDs, and had a few suggestions elsewhere. I'll report when I decide on something... According to my timetable, I'm supposed to have a finished storyboard by the end of the week! I'll be lucky!
Monday, 31 January 2011
Monday, 24 January 2011
Narrative - Behind the scenes playblasts
OK. I just thought I would add on the end a select few play blasts of when I was animating for the project. Apolgies for the glichyness of some of them. Blame Maya 2011 and its array of bugs!
Also ignore any sound as the play blasts seem to be stuck at 24 frames per second and it goes out of sync.
So there you go. There were a million of other play blasts, but it would be impossible to show all of them, even if I wanted to. So now all that is left is the finishing of the 'complete' trailer.
A Flock of Pixels
Also ignore any sound as the play blasts seem to be stuck at 24 frames per second and it goes out of sync.
So there you go. There were a million of other play blasts, but it would be impossible to show all of them, even if I wanted to. So now all that is left is the finishing of the 'complete' trailer.
A Flock of Pixels
Narrative - Tying all the Loose Ends
As the Narrative project draws to a close, there are just a few more things left to blog about.
Starting with the Maya tasks, I have finished modelling the car. In the last few days I've had to catch up from week eight on the car video tutorials, although thankfully they didn't take so long to do compared to the first few, which were all about blocking the overall shape. The details weren't so difficult to finish off. I'm glad its done now, as modelling cars isn't really one of my interests in 3D, nevertheless, it has taught me many new modelling techniques as has the character modelling tutorials.
Now the last time I blogged about the character tutorials was when I was at the modelling stage. Well, he is now fulling rigged and skinned, and is just waiting to be animated. Rigging, I still found rather confusing, although much less than the first time, last year. I think it was the spine rig which not only seemed random, in its rigging process, but also weird to animate with. It was then that I decided that the characters for our group project would be better off with a simple FK rig. After all, I was the one that had to animate for that project.
Skinning on the other hand, I have sussed completely. If it wasn't for the slightly unintuitive interface in Maya 2010, it would almost have been enjoyable. Except the hands, as they take so long to do. (I say specifically 2010 or below, as you have to click the hold weight for each individual joint, instead of shift selecting them all.)
Anyway, I've posted a video demonstration of the character rig. Both demonstrating the individual controls, and showing how the skinning looks. It's about 2 and a half min's. I double sped it so that it wouldn't take so long to play.
Here is the turnaround for the character. I used the same setup that I used for the characters in the group project. This was my own setup, based on the tutorials, but with a few of my own personal touches.
Lastly there is the lip syncing tutorials. I had actually almost finished it to my surprise, so there wasn't much left to do, although I am just presenting it as the lip sync only, I have started to take it further, but animating its body, and my scientist character is playing the part of the other voice too, but it is regrettably not yet finished. I would much rather spend some time on it and get it right, than rush to see what can be done in a day, but like I said, he is lip synced, and here is exactly that.
Although I have posted two more film reviews, I have missed Arachnophobia. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the original viewing due to the snow, and have not been able to get a copy to watch since. As I'm sure you are aware, It's also been rather hectic with finishing the trailer.
I hope I haven't missed any others, but they should all be listed in the film reviews section.
And to end I will show the trailer that was submitted, (admittedly late) at the crit. It isn't the final article though, so this is why B3D Studios will continue to finish it how we intended it to be.
Starting with the Maya tasks, I have finished modelling the car. In the last few days I've had to catch up from week eight on the car video tutorials, although thankfully they didn't take so long to do compared to the first few, which were all about blocking the overall shape. The details weren't so difficult to finish off. I'm glad its done now, as modelling cars isn't really one of my interests in 3D, nevertheless, it has taught me many new modelling techniques as has the character modelling tutorials.
Now the last time I blogged about the character tutorials was when I was at the modelling stage. Well, he is now fulling rigged and skinned, and is just waiting to be animated. Rigging, I still found rather confusing, although much less than the first time, last year. I think it was the spine rig which not only seemed random, in its rigging process, but also weird to animate with. It was then that I decided that the characters for our group project would be better off with a simple FK rig. After all, I was the one that had to animate for that project.
Skinning on the other hand, I have sussed completely. If it wasn't for the slightly unintuitive interface in Maya 2010, it would almost have been enjoyable. Except the hands, as they take so long to do. (I say specifically 2010 or below, as you have to click the hold weight for each individual joint, instead of shift selecting them all.)
Anyway, I've posted a video demonstration of the character rig. Both demonstrating the individual controls, and showing how the skinning looks. It's about 2 and a half min's. I double sped it so that it wouldn't take so long to play.
Here is the turnaround for the character. I used the same setup that I used for the characters in the group project. This was my own setup, based on the tutorials, but with a few of my own personal touches.
Lastly there is the lip syncing tutorials. I had actually almost finished it to my surprise, so there wasn't much left to do, although I am just presenting it as the lip sync only, I have started to take it further, but animating its body, and my scientist character is playing the part of the other voice too, but it is regrettably not yet finished. I would much rather spend some time on it and get it right, than rush to see what can be done in a day, but like I said, he is lip synced, and here is exactly that.
Although I have posted two more film reviews, I have missed Arachnophobia. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the original viewing due to the snow, and have not been able to get a copy to watch since. As I'm sure you are aware, It's also been rather hectic with finishing the trailer.
I hope I haven't missed any others, but they should all be listed in the film reviews section.
And to end I will show the trailer that was submitted, (admittedly late) at the crit. It isn't the final article though, so this is why B3D Studios will continue to finish it how we intended it to be.
Film Reviews - Mars Attacks (1996)
Mars Attacks (1996) was directed by Tim Burton. It is an action, comedy fantasy 50s B movie style film. Despite some of the biggest names in Hollywood, like Jack Nicholson, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger and Glenn Close, it fails to make any lasting impression, being rarely funny and irritatingly repetitive in the way the Martians repeatedly held out the hand of friendship and then just shot everybody. This joke wore thin after the first time.
Its difficult to outline the story as the plot was a simple alien invasion, with a string of gags with very little storyline, and felt disconnected from the characters by not caring if they last till the end of the movie.
Its difficult to outline the story as the plot was a simple alien invasion, with a string of gags with very little storyline, and felt disconnected from the characters by not caring if they last till the end of the movie.
Film Reviews - Tremors
Tremors (1990) was directed by Ron Underwood. It is a comedy, horror film. The film is set in a small desert town and begins with these mysterious tremors deep underground. The cause is thought to be due to seismic activity, but later is revealed to be caused by giant creatures that feast on any living thing. Besides the giant slug like creatures, the stars of the film are Kevin Bacon, and Fred Ward, who played Val and Earl, a couple of local handymen, who get caught up in a life or death situation.
It has the look and feel of a 50s B movie with a modern edge and a bit of humour. The film was made on a low budget, so they made sure the viewer never really sees much of the creatures by having them move underground, and only pop up to attack, so this adds to the suspense when the creatures are waiting underground. The lack of CG adds to the appeal, even more so, because it is like a 50s B movie. However the humour is not because of its 50s style, but is because it is a comedy as much it is a horror.
It has the look and feel of a 50s B movie with a modern edge and a bit of humour. The film was made on a low budget, so they made sure the viewer never really sees much of the creatures by having them move underground, and only pop up to attack, so this adds to the suspense when the creatures are waiting underground. The lack of CG adds to the appeal, even more so, because it is like a 50s B movie. However the humour is not because of its 50s style, but is because it is a comedy as much it is a horror.
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Narrative - The Last Four Turnarounds - All In Full Colour
Here are the last four turnarounds, completing the set of seven characters, and all viewable for the first time, in colour!
The Generic male and General were modelled by Shahbir, and the other two by Ruben. They were all textured by Ruben and all lit and rendered by me, Ethan, i.e. A Flock of Pixels.
Now all that is left for B3D Studios to do is actually complete the trailer as it should be. That's it for now.
A Flock of Pixels.
The Generic male and General were modelled by Shahbir, and the other two by Ruben. They were all textured by Ruben and all lit and rendered by me, Ethan, i.e. A Flock of Pixels.
Now all that is left for B3D Studios to do is actually complete the trailer as it should be. That's it for now.
A Flock of Pixels.
Friday, 21 January 2011
Narrative - Three of the seven Character Turnarounds - B3D Studio
The narrative project has ended, and I now have some time to upload some of the character turnarounds.
All three of these characters were modelled by me and textured by Ruben.
The other four will be uploaded tomorrow.
A Flock of Pixels
All three of these characters were modelled by me and textured by Ruben.
The other four will be uploaded tomorrow.
A Flock of Pixels
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Narrative - The Rest of the Character Pose Sneak Previews
Here are the rest of our characters in a test pose. Doing a test pose like this has proved useful as I've found some of the less noticeable glitches in the rig, that couldn't necessarily be found from only testing it's basic functions with only the skeleton to look at. In some cases I have also noticed a few more little problems with the skinning, but I think they will have to remain there as time is running out.
The Scientist - looking very creepy!
The Generic Female - screaming as per usual
The Soldier - he almost looks ready for battle, except he has no weapons.
The assistant - So shocked at the sight of nothing (in the space suit)
The general - fallen asleep on set
Anyway, these are our team of actors who are going to make 'The Day of the Invisible Cannibals from Beyond the Stars' a masterpiece... or a B movie disaster.
The Scientist - looking very creepy!
The Generic Female - screaming as per usual
The Soldier - he almost looks ready for battle, except he has no weapons.
The assistant - So shocked at the sight of nothing (in the space suit)
The general - fallen asleep on set
Anyway, these are our team of actors who are going to make 'The Day of the Invisible Cannibals from Beyond the Stars' a masterpiece... or a B movie disaster.
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