Show Me How to Rise Up High

Just another short little thing about how this video is progressing through the various festivals I’ve sent it too.

Last time it had only gotten into 3 different shows…..but at this point it is in SEVEN!

After lest time it was in Barcelona Planet Film Festival (Sep 2016) in, yup, Barcelona Spain. (Of course I forgot to tell my friend who lives there about it until it was too late…)

Then it was in IndieWise FREE Virtual Festival (Sep 2016) which was….online? Not really sure how it worked out, but hey, it was another show.

Next was London Golden Scout (Autumn 2016) in London, UK - which, seriously, this video keeps getting into festivals in the UK.

Lastly, it got into Hollywood Screenings Film Festival which is actually not screening until March. But not only did it get in, it’s a SEMI-FINALIST! Sure, I don’t have too high a hope for it, but I’m still happy for it.

(No - you can’t see it yet. In May at some point I’ll unlock the video since it will have been a year, but no sooner.)

So here is the latest version of the poster because of all the laurels.

PS. Show Me How to Rise Up High - from “Rise Up” by J2 featuring Tori Letzler

This is the Morning Report

Don’t get to excited people - this is just an update.

So over the summer “Puzzle Piece” was accepted to THREE different festivals! 

First up: International Monthly Film Festival - Copenhagen, Denmark

The festival has already happened with my video in it but you can still check out their site.

http://monthlyfilmfestival.com/official-selection-july-2016/ 

Second: Starburst International Film Festival - Manchester, UK

This one is happening THIS WEEKEND (Aug 26-28, 2016). If your in the area you should defiantly check it out.

http://www.starburstfilmfest.co.uk/festival-screenings

Finally: The Monthly Film Festival - Glasgow, UK

Event date is AUG 31 (2016). For this one you can actually check out most of the videos (yes you can watch mine too) on their site and give them a start rating- which you should totally do. (Added bonus—my fall thesis video from Ringling also got in so you can check that out too)

http://tmff.net

I also created a poster for “Puzzle Piece.” Reason - FilmFreeway (the site I’ve been applying through) has a area where you upload a poster and most festivals take it and put it on their website. At first I had nothing, so they put up their festival logo. Then I put up just the screen shot of the title, but it was either cut off on the sides or stretched.

So, yeah, I made a poster….and if you’re looking at this Claudia it should be a new submission requirement.

PS - This is the Morning Report - “The Morning Report” from Lion King (DVD version)

——I’m actually not a fan of this song but it was appropriate I thought ——

It's Been Fun But Now I've Got to Go

To those of you that have made it to this point with me: Congratulations.

Finally -FINALLY- this animation is done. It’s pretty darn close to what I had first imagined so I’m happy with that. 

<Shout out to my friend Victoria who rendered the Cinema 4D files for me when there was nowhere on campus to do it myself>

https://vimeo.com/165118319

Unfortunately those of you not in my class won't be able to see the final thing for a while. Eventually though the video will be made public. Till then you’ll have to amuse yourselves with some stills.

(At some point I would also like to make a “Making Of” video…..but not at this moment)

Now…did you get some of the lyrics this time?

Have You Forgotten What You Have and What is Yours?

-“King” by Lauren Aquilina

Circus of Your Mind

-“Circus of Your Mind” the musical Finding Neverland

I Make it Look Easy But Honey Believe Me It’s Hard

-“Hard to Be the Bard” the musical Something Rotten

We Had Some Guts and Some Luck

-“Movies Where Movies” the musical Mac and Mabel

There is Trouble With the Trees

-“The Trees” by Rush

No Time to Stay, Hello, Goodbye

-“I’m Late” in Alice in Wonderland

So Over Due I Owe Then

-“Skyfall” by Adele

7 am the Usual Morning Line Up

-“When Will My Life Begin” in Tangled

For if the Dark Returns

-“I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran in The Hobbit (pt2)

Under the Sea

-“Under the Sea” in The Little Mermaid

Miracle of Miracles

-“Wonder of Wonders” in Fiddler on the Roof

Let’s Get Down to Business

-“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” in Mulan

Till I Reach the End

-“Try Everything” by Shakira in Zootopia

It’s Been Fun But Now I’ve Got to Go

-“When Can I See You Again?” by Owl City in Wreck it Ralph

With that: Good Bye All

Till I Reach the End

Just one more week. One more week and I can move on with my life.

This week is pre-finals in more or less every class. That means this one too. For those few of you reading this blog that aren’t actually in my class that means that you get to see the almost done version. Unfortunately since some shows require the video not available online I will not be giving public access to the actual final.

Without further ado here is the pre-final video.

https://youtu.be/3qpjUGYeobU

Now several things still need to happen:

—Opening title next re-vamp

—Fix the transition from FW to EW

—Finish coloring Pepper (EW) <I have been working on this, just takes for ever>

—Re-export Evil without boarder (EW)

—Add texture to Evil (CW)

—Add Pepper’s face (CW)

—Add corruption (CW)

—Add particles (CW)

—Add particles (MW2)

—Ending credits need re-vamp

There are probably a bunch of other little things that I just can’t think of at the moment too.

On another note I found a cool app this week that lets me turn my iPad Pro into a little mini cintiqu (aka a tablet that shows what is happening on the screen). Its an app called “Astropad” and it’s a bit pricy for an app ($25) but still way cheeper than a tablet. I was able to get all of Evil in MW2 drawn this way since the other computers where full.

Very much worth it.

(*I’m not advertising this thing, I just think its really cool*)

Since next week is the final week which also means that I will be adding onto the post the list of where the blog titles came from this semester. If you're thinking about it each week, the ‘game’ is coming to a close real soon.

Now I just have to survive until then……

Miracle of Miracles

This week really is a miracle I feel simply by the amount of work I was actually able to do.

Not only did I get WW done I also got Evil drawn for it. I had planned to get the models done for CW and I did that, pulse got them all with basic texture and the cameras in with blocked animation.

That is a lot of stuff.

So here is the video of what I have so far-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8F4dTLTiHQ

There is a lot that still needs to happen:

Opening
--needs to be re-done
Main World
--background needs to be re-considered
Fantasy World
--opening wide shot camera needs something
Charcoal World
--Pepper needs to be colored
--leaf needs to be colored
--more anticipation with Evil's main entrance
Water World
--I want to add bubbles to her motions
--Evil needs his partial dust
Cliff World

--rigg Pepper

--animation needs to get done
--Evil needs to be added
--Evil needs his partials
--backgrounds need to be added
--shots need to be composited
Main World 2
--Pepper on the floor needs more shadow
--Evil needs to be added
--Evil needs his partials
Credits
--need to be re-done
General
--audio needs to be more smoothly transitioned between 2+3
--flashes need to be re-done

Total there are 3 weeks left with is one week left before pre-final. The list is long, but its do-able. Here's to hopefully surviving till then.

Under the Sea

This week has been the beginnings of Water World….and I’m wondering if it’s possible for a world that I made up to hate me.

The idea was that WW would be stop motion animation - but that isn’t going to happen exactly like I planned.

I had brought everything with me to the labs: the paper model of Pepper that took over a day to create, the tissue paper and paint for the background, tin foil and tape to make it so there was no way of the paint leaking onto the stop motion table. I got to the labs, set things up so I would do the background first and started to film the ‘water’ moving.

I was in a groove when the camera went out on me. It started flashing me several weird errors at once. I couldn’t even read what they where saying.

I tried turning off the camera and turning it back on. 

Zip.

I tried un-plugging the camera from the computer and plugging it back in.

Nada.

I tried shutting down the computer and re-starting it.

Nothing.

…

I was not impressed.

It was late at night. I didn’t have time to wait for someone and go a different day. So I went to plan B.

Basically plan B is where I take a stop motioned background and put a “stop motion” Pepper over top. In actuality Pepper is scanned paper masked into the different shapes then animated to look more hand made. The process is a bit annoying, but I was able to get something done after the - what turned out to be - 2 day set back.

For now I have 2 clips to show you.

First up the the water background. I looped the frames I was able to save and make something decent. I might re-shoot it later on it I have time.

Second we have a bit of Paper Pepper. This is NOT done. There is a lot left to do with her basic motion to make it look jittery. I also need to animate everything else that is, at the moment, not yet moving.

The plan form here is this: there are 3 weeks until the pre-final. By Saturday Paper Pepper has to be done and Water Evil put in. By next class (-1) the models of Cliff World need to be done and ready.

By -2 Cliff World needs to be fully animated and rendered.

By -3 major animation issues from the past needs to be fixed.

Then there is one more week for final final edits. Last composite stuff will be added for this week.

Any planned changes due to time? Clif World might change styles - but only if I am backed into a corner and I’m not there yet. If by Sunday I am corner - then on Sunday I’ll change the style.

For if the Dark Returns

This has been an incredibly long week. Projects to get back into, new projects to start…then getting sick and a holiday weekend……very long week.

So, what happened?

We didn’t have a full class critique last week and instead meet individually. As you saw from the previous post, I had basically all the line work done as well as the texture for Evil.

After the meeting it was determined that first thing that had to happen was the trees and their texture as this might influence a change in Evil’s texture. 

So that’s what I did. I finished the trees and tried to figure out if Evil was okay or not.

with line

without line

I took a poll around the labs and I’m going WITH the outline.

This past week I also worked on creating more fear it Evil using particles. As you can kind of see in the above images they looked kind of out of place. I worked with them a bit more, played with some textures, then got to a place I quite happy with.

And at that, here is what I have for this week:

Yeah, Pepper still needs color - but I’m going to be working on that in the background now and jump into Water World (WW). this world needs to happen, and needs to happen fast.

Side note:

Somehow, I sub-consciously based Evil’s silhouette off of Aku from Samurai Jack - a series I never watched as a kid but saw snippets of as I flipped through channels. This was totally by accident. What was on purpose was Evil’s eyes and how they look like Beast from Over the Garden Wall. When I watched it last year I though he was so creepy being most of the time just eyes - so I took it.

Seriously, if you haven't seen this show, you should watch it.

This just goes to show what can influence your own work. Normally I collect reference art before doing any type of concept drawing, but with all the different styles I was going for only a few pictures where collected and nothing was shown to you.

7 am the Usual Morning Line-Up

Like I said, last week was Spring Break, so there was no post. Now I’m back from break (so wish it was longer) and it's back to the draft board. Surprisingly I got quite a bit done for someone who actually went away.

Now, it might not look like it, but it really is a lot. All the line animation is finished, the base white layer is is for every one of Pepper, Evil is fully textured, and the trees is for the most part where they belong.

What is there still left to do?

Pepper needs her color, shadows need to be placed, the trees in S1 need to be fixed, the puzzle piece and transition to the next world need to go in, fog and dark particles are also something I want to add in - though that is more for post I think.

So here is the video of EW - and the boards still for WW since the music flows right into it. (annoyingly is was too big to just put on Blogger)

Looking ahead the first point to get done is Pepper’s color. After that I’ll feel secure enough to jump into WW and get the background done first. Shouldn’t take too long to do that since I can repeat most of the frames, but I do need a refresher course on the stop motion equipment.

Sorry to those of you that actually read these, as lately they are a bit short. But right now I just want to sleep. I'll face the fire in the morning.

So Over Due I Owe Them

Yet another post going up later than I wanted….and trust me I’m not happy about it.

Simply put, I’m a bit behind where I wanted to be this week. 

Originally Pepper was going to get done, and maybe even rough out Evil.

Yeah……no.

Instead I got her walk cycle cleaned up, a run cycle created and cleaned, and the opening shot cleaned and colored. I was also able to get this shot mostly right look-wise but I keep second guessing myself with the texture and lighting for the trees. Pepper also still needs a perspective run cycle and reach bit. You can see the 'whole' world underneath.

So why the off-put? 

Two reasons.

One: Pepper.

Coloring her in took WWAAAAAAAAAAYYY longer than I anticipated even if it was the easiest conceived pipe.

Two: Seminar.

As much as classes like to believe they are the only thing in your life I am also taking 5 other classes. Seminar has us doing big critiques this week so I’ve been a bit distracted…..not that Pepper was easy mind you. Coloring her in non-stop took about 5 hours!

Anyway, if you want more information on what Seminar/Thesis is like you can go here: http://kid-a-thesis.blogspot.com (Though it wasn’t updated last week) Vaguely interested in everything else? This one: http://andyouthoughtitwouldbeeasy.blogspot.com

Looking ahead….

Next week is Spring Break so I’m taking a few days off to de-stress and relax at home. After that though it is back to work…a lot of work.

The theory is that EW and Water World (WW) will both be finished over break….meaning that the Break will be very short indeed.

So see you all in 2 weeks people!

We Had Some Guts and Some Luck

A lot has happened this past week, and most of what had to get done did - somehow.

Now 2 weeks ago when we as a class looked at everyone’s blog I told my teacher that the plan was to have 90% of the animation done for MW2 done by today - that main part not to be animated would the the entrance of Evil since I’ll add him when I add him everywhere else.

Last week, if you bothered to look, I posted a test video of a fan - such a shot was needed for the beginning of MW2. If you haven’t looked at it you should, it was kind of cool.

So everything else had to be done today. I took out a shot of Pepper’s disgruntled face looking down on the piece mainly because I didn’t feel like creating it….though I also realized that it just wasn’t 100% necessary which was a bonus.

Without further ado, MW2...........pass 1.

There are a few things that need to be fixed: the shot looking down it too high on the screen at first, the animation can be smoothed a bit more, the audio - particularly the ‘grunt’ - needs to be flushed out…..and of course Evil needs to be added.

I’ll tell you though, that head turn……2 frames and the rest is luck.

Have You Forgotten What You Have and What is Yours?

Hello again everyone!

So it has been a month since school paused for Christmas - and it was glorious! 4 weeks of no animating, no painting dozens of squirrels, no touching a computer at all!

But, alas, it had to end….and so we are here together once more.

You’ll notice that this is being posted on Monday night and not Wednesday. The class period is now on Tuesday mornings now so in keeping with the tradition of posting the night before….here.

First a recap. 

This was/is the plan for all 3 vignettes:

This is what was created last semester…..part 1. Unfortunately you are only able to look at it if you have the password since I might want to submit it places later:

https://vimeo.com/148499352

Now some new stuff:

Notes from last term……

• title should look more handmade
• back wall in Main World is odd (pictures are cut off)
• touching the piece should me more magical
• flash needs work
• need more time in setting up of Fantasy World
• They all love the shadows!

So what has been happening in the past week, because really this is the second class now.

Well a lot of what needs to happen first is getting more detailed designs of the locations for each scene and angles of Pepper. Therefore all you can see today is a few sketches of what Pepper’s face and body will be like during the final World (back to Main) since the sketches next have to be created in Illustrator before being re-attached in After Effects and finally colored and animated. Thankfully that scene isn’t starting from scratch since several of the assets created for Main World pt1 can be re-utilized here.

Laying on the floor looking over....not 100% on which angle

For when she is looking down on the piece

And that is where we’re at people. Just a reminder: all of the titles for the posts are either song titles or parts of lyrics. Try and name them all this time. I won’t remind you again until the end.

Till next week!

And Soon You'll be Walking Out the Door

Finally Done!!

...with the first part at least.

It took forever to render the camera moves with the trees. And when you are waiting for the render on a crunch for time it seems even longer.

Anyway here is the move. It's on vimeo now, so you have to follow the link....

https://vimeo.com/148499352

Now I get a few weeks to not work....or at lest not stress over work.

And now a test. 

Did you notice the blog post titles? Each one was a line, or title, of a song. Did you get them all? If not, here they are again.

And That's What It's All About

-'Hokey Pokey' by Brooks & Dunn

What's the Story Morning Glory?

-from the movie "Bye Bye Birdie"

And Soon You'll be Walking Cross the Floor

-from the movie "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" (1970)

World of Pure Imagination

-from the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"

76 Trombones

-from the movie "Music Man"

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

-from "Mary Poppins"

10% Luck, 20% Skill

-from the song 'Remember the Name' by Fort Minor

It's Been One Week Since You Looked at Me

-from the song 'One Week' by Bare Naked Ladies

If Your Happy and You Know It

-'If Your Happy and You Know it'

Just a Matter of Time Before We Learn How to Fly

-from the song 'When Can I See You Again?' by Owl City (in Wreck-it-Ralph)

Everything is Satisfactual

-from the song 'Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah'

Tops are Made Out of Rubber, Bottoms are Made Out of Springs

-Tigger's song from "Winnie the Pooh"

Drip, Drip, Drop

-'April Shower' in the movie "Bambi"

It's the Final Countdown

-'The Final Countdown' by Europe

And Soon You'll be Walking Out the Door

-again from the movie "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" (1970)

Make sure to pay attention next semester!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!