where i was going wrong....

if youve watched my production animation - you may have realised the flaw in that the square based pyramid DOES look like it rotating but seems to get thinner and wider on every 45 turn (one face). i was going over this and realised it looks like this because it was "mapped" out on an isometric square (isometric has no perspective as it is used mainly for design/instructional images). Last night i was working on sorting this out and cracked it! i wand a 5:5:5 cm pyramid and all i needed to do was work out the distance away it would look for 5 cm... geddit?
look at the posted images and you should understand...

The image above is the final base that i'd need to work on to get a regular pyramid and therefor correctly fluid animation.

i was amazed at the processes gone into these simple motions - it made me realize how tricky it must be for real animators.. they probably have formulae to work with regarding these things - the perspective thing about the marked CM points getting closer was just something my mum taught me but it seems pretty mathematical really.

mood board vids

My views on Moviestorm...........

we went to coleridge the other day and checked out their awe inspiring media suit - they had great editing software like Avid and all that but we had to use moviestorm.
its a program that allows it's users to make really basic 3d animation/animatic styled films called machinima. this was all really tedious as simple things like coordinating keyframes and stuff to do with camera angles took ages - i think they shoulve thought more about the responiveness and shortcuts of the program instead of having most of the features seemingly point 'n' click.
the animation was pretty tedious too. it would be nice if the program had a more versatile interface like Poser 6, and maybe each different limb/area could have its own animation timeline which you could alter individually - possibly blending it in with other motion and maybe even physic (like bi-ped animation or the euphoria engine of GTA). the graphics stalled loads too, flickering and not rendering - i'd put this down to bugs rather than rendering issues as the computers we were using were ultra-powerful hi-end macs.

it's final. i am going for pitch 1.

synopsis:
A cowboy, banished from his town is sent into the desert. his horse collapses but he carries on roaming through.. on his last legs he finds a mystical oasis with a strange emerald/ruby monolith. he touches the monolith and is teleported into a shamanic afterlife where he is told by an amazonian god of an upcoming apocalyptic reincarnation of a red indian god into the entire population of the USA - therefor turning the island into a hive-mind that shall take over the world. he is given powers (partial invisibility, shaman kung fu and a pistol with unlimited ammunition made of solid diamonds). he is then sent back to the real world were he goes out of his way to stop the uprising, battling through hoardes of spirit possessed bandits.

tagline:
"as if Clint Eastwood was raised by Bruce Lee on an island ruled by Jimi Hendrix"

working title:
-The Voo Doo Cowboy
-Pistol of Mayans
-The Emerald Kid

opening essentials

-build up/mystique - audience wants to know
-intro character/theme or story/mood (or all of these)
-eye catching + intriguing imagery > can show off production values and build up hype
-institutional detail (distributor/production company/named jobs...)
-good soundtrack relating well to movie - can be ambient or music depending on mood
-dont inroduce too many features (story, characters)
-actual title can be minimalist or logo-like

shine studios

shine studios generally specializes in tv/film titles/marketing and adverts. it has also done music videos and branding (like the marvel flicking comic book logo and one for Technicolor).

i like the way they utilize color schemes and various 3d/2d transitions into their work - they create nice essences of fluidity.

genre openings (protagonist)

Gattaca (creative direction by: www.shinestudio.com, produced by www.imageryforces.com  :

-G T C A all highlighted within credits (to do with DNA - main theme)

-the imagery is intelligent using fake/real macro shots

-i think the fingernails are real but the hair HAS to be larger than life for the detail captured

-it is all given a very blue/cold W.B./tint indicating a sterile and "correct" environment, suggesting a theme like this throughout the film.

-it is kept vague with quotes at the beginning only adding to the tension the audience would have from the very loose story-line the audience would've gotten from the films trailer.

-a lot of negative space

-columbia pictures present, a jersey films production, a film by andrew niccol, actors, title

20 shots 3mins 30 secs

Juicehttp://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-8905707466802613960&hl=en&autoplay=1

creative direction by: Greenberg/Schluter

-Records spinning + Music graphics reminiscent of movie's theme

-more bustling imagery, less negative space

-decent soundtrack, interesting thought provoking through judgemental/stereotypical thoughts e.g. hip hop culture = graffiti/the city

-warmer more vibrant colors like lights and neon + overlaid graphics. more enchanting and energetic

-Paramount pictures presents, in association with island world, a moritz/heyman production, an ernest dickinson film, actors, original screenplay by...... - as if Paramount establishes films significance over actors although Tupac does star, title

34 shots 2mins 35secs

repost of TYPED breifs

1. cowboy/bandit wonders through american desert and discovers ancient ruby and diamond monolith. he touches it and is teleported to a shaman afterlife where he is told about an upcoming cataclysmic event where a red indian spirit shall be reincarnated into every inhabitant of the US making a hive mind being. the shamans give him powers and send him back to earth to slay the spirits. he has become the VOODOO COWBOY

2. 1700's. wealthy woman leaves her lifestyle for bohemian clique/group and is terrorized by ghost who lets her now through environmental clues that it is a religeous cult with plans to overthrow the royal family.



4.animated epic based on white fang - features amazing animation techniques and audio. art directed by studio ghibli and soundtrack by don davis - more of a spectacle than a story kinda film.

breif 1 (voo doo cowboy) concept art

feedback

Breif 1:
-great/interesting idea would be really good to watch
-crazy, hard to make with resources but good idea. higher budget might work
-great imagination and good concept. surreal but still works
-great, very creative, great for younger audience, nice concept art

breif 2:
-sounds like a good movie, maybe ghost topic bit overused maybe reconsider? religeous/cult idea is good, good for females
-quite original. really interesting, a bit dramatic but expected for genre
-good potential, nice well thought out idea. potential problems though
-really interesting - works for target audience. would it be too hard to shoot?

breif 3:
-really good idea, simple to film, would be interesting to film and would be great film
-good idea. could easily get a lot of product placement + sponsonship for budget
-simple storyline thats effective with a great storyline, again original
-good plot we can relate to. easy to film with college equiptment. slick, stylish and good

breif 4:
-i myself wasnt too fond of the idea but if pulled of could work very well, need more depth.
-nice idea, good opportunity to use sound to increase emphasis on everything could be really fun to make.
-good idea, may be too hard to shoot but if you can do it would be great
-based on a younger audience, needs a stronger storyline/plot. good information to back up plot.

film pitches (handwritten before realizing typing needed)

my opinion on hurtwoods film - entropy

This film was composed very nicely with good lighting, contrast and color balances. it had an overall feel of maturity and proffessionalism that is hard to find among amateur films. i especially like the way they froze significant frames and turned them into artwork although i feel maybe adding more frames to the freezes could give it an even nicer "strobed" style of animation.
i feel more cuts and use of sound could have been put to good use but overall i'd say this piece stands out nicely from the others.
i especially enjoyed the visual use og negative space - it really creates a center of attention, unachievable from focus pulls.

other opening sequences - my marks..

http://61thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/
i personally believe this opening was poorly executed with more improvisational setting up of shots rather than PROPERLY planned and proofed ones. at some points, phone screens and computer screens were used for supposed titles - this is quite a cinematic idea which could allow credit to be given to the thought gone into it but visually, the probable desired look definitely wasn't achieved.
i'd say for planning and research it'd be 14/30
for construction id say 15/60

http://50thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/
Again this film didnt seem to have the strong foundations given by planning and proper thought. the shots seemed pretty poorly composed with unaesthetic framing. the editing was executed pretty poorly too as some shots/scenes hang for just that little bit too long.
planning/research - 15/30
construction - 20/60

http://49thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/
i found the post-production elements like editing and sound in this movie were impressive, reminiscent of Seven/CSI/Fight Club due to it's flickery, stuttering video effect - using nice effects like inverted colours, altered constrasts and frame-skips.
it lacks in an opening like structure though, and has been created in a way more like a trailer/teaser
planning/research 15/30
construction 45/60

http://61thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/
i personally believe this opening was poorly executed with more improvisational setting up of shots rather than PROPERLY planned and proofed ones. at some points, phone screens and computer screens were used for supposed titles - this is quite a cinematic idea which could allow credit to be given to the thought gone into it but visually, the probable desired look definitely wasn't achieved.
i'd say for planning and research it'd be 14/30
for construction id say 15/60

http://50thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/
Again this film didnt seem to have the strong foundations given by planning and proper thought. the shots seemed pretty poorly composed with unaesthetic framing. the editing was executed pretty poorly too as some shots/scenes hang for just that little bit too long.
planning/research - 15/30
construction - 20/60

http://49thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/
i found the post-production elements like editing and sound in this movie were impressive, reminiscent of Seven/CSI/Fight Club due to it's flickery, stuttering video effect - using nice effects like inverted colours, altered constrasts and frame-skips.
it lacks in an opening like structure though, and has been created in a way more like a trailer/teaser
planning/research 15/30
construction 45/60

http://55thrillerproject08.blogspot.com/
the visual style in this movie was great although a little unoriginal and stereotypical with the scissor shots and newspaper montage. it reminded me of aphex twin music videos with it's contrast changes (i have also tried these effects in my own films - will be posted). this one seems more like an opening sequence than a trailer compared to above but still lacks that proper explanatory strucrture that a proper opening sequence has.
planing/ rfesearch 17/30
construction 45/60

opening companies

non were credited in this opening but here are graphics/details that are releted to details i found on IMDB.

Katsuhiro Otomo himself.

Toei Animation - a major influence on him

Shoji Yamashiro - the director of the soundtrack

Takeshi Seyama - the editor of the film

Toshiharu Mizutani - ART DIRECTOR

continuity task

my opening

akira intro

the opening i'm gonna use is the one from Akira - a classic animation masterpeice by Katsuhiro Otomo.

i couldnt get a link but here is why i like it:
-amazing attention to detail (considering it was animated by hand) e.g. physics, reflections, fire/water..
-brilliant music. very japanese > it completely goes with the tribal biker gang aspect of the movie as well as it's dystopic take on life in the future.
-it reminds me slightly of mad max but also blade runner in the fact that it is shown at the beggining that it is post-apocalyptic (common for manga films > often set in neo-tokyo)
-great editing and special effects really make visualization of speed far more entertaining and action packed.

my opening

in my video i used few advanced techniques.
-i identified the beat/tempo of the music by showing its waveform and cut in a pattern to it.
at first the scene would be high contrast ramping down to normal contrast, as well as it being high speed and ALSO lowering back down.
-i then applied credits in a white font that came in just as (due to the high contrast of opening shots) the screen was totally white > this made them look like they'd faded in from the whiteness and resulted in a cool, stylized effect. this was actually accidental as white was the default font colour.
-i then exported the movie to quicktime and reimported it as a whole so i could add more effects ontop of it without rendering issues occuring.
-i applied subtl rotations and zooms that add depth and intrugue into the footage, making it seem quirky/offbeat like tthe upside down shots used in Apocalypse Now.

shot by shot analysis of Thunderbirds intro

the first shot opens with thunderbird 5's number panel, it holds for about a second and crash zooms out with a kind of curve creating a real sense of momentum. when the zoom stops the whole thunderbird is visible as well as the backdrop. in this case as 5 is a space-station the backdrop is stars. as this happens a non-diagetic voice (narration) is overlaid pronouncing the number. after it has held for a further second after zooming out it cuts.

the next shots in this pattern lead down to 2. when it reaches 1, the beginning is the same - crash zoom out of number and full view of craft, although this time it has a longer pause after the number is announced by the voice. after the pause 1 begins to take of from it's launch platform until it is fully out the shot. this shot has a color burn styled transition to black at the end.

A cloud background appearsthen with a lightning flash a THUNDERBIRDS title zooms in changing from red to green. it then cuts.

a montage forms of various different action sequences from many episodes - all the clips are cut well with the beat and speed of the theme tune making it very punchy:
(all clips roughly 1/3 seconds long and from side angles)
-a long shot of penelopes car taking a jump and crashing down
-a long shot of a crocodile being blown up outside a mansion
-slow zoom mid close up of bad guy with glowing eyes in front of green/red gradient background
-mid long shot of thunderbird 3's engines lifting off from launch pad
-possible thunderbird doing repair with welder. filmed with tight framing of piping and other objects. mid long shot
-2 landing in a desert-like environment. slowly rotates head on towards camera. long shot
-Large aircraft making what seems like an emergency landing on runway with smaller vehicles beneath wings.
-cockpit setting with thunderbird at controls. mid shot
-large aircraft skillfully placing wings on support vehicles. close up on tips of wings making contact.
-4 approaching obstacle underwater surrounded by debris
-cockpit setting with different thunderbird at controls. mid close up. 4 crashes and sends shake through cockpit, pilot shakes forward
-4 hitting obstacle and seemingly exploding
-2 pursuing jet/bomb like object - seems like it's trying to knock it off course with it's wings. long shot with a speeding sky background
-1 landing in similar desert location to 2's earlier, this time dotted with pylons. steam and dust blasted out from beneath. long shot
-penelopes butler hanging on for dear life on top of ski lift trying to grasp winch/hook, travelling hi speed downwards with mountains speeding past in background. mid long shot
-craft hitting bridge (possibly the one 2 was attempting to knock off guard). huge explosion. extreme long shot - cuts to different angle of explosion. mid long shot, low angle

MONTAGE ENDS. this montage was incredibly fast, completely ignoring all rules of continuity to allow for maximum gung-ho action - it worked very effectively, sucking me in through it's intelligent sort of time lapse editing and fluid cuts in time with the music. interestingly along with the music they've edited the explosion sfx in too really adding emphasis to the rhythm - it's very enjoyable and i could clearly see how this could appeal to many audience ages/targets.

THUNDERBIRDS title comes back inwards from outside the screen back in red with a different theme tune as if the bit before was just a taster - it works well by keeping the audience hyped up and highly anticipant. the title keeps moving in until fills screen evenly and is legible. it holds for a few seconds and then it's copyright information fades in beneath it. this time the lightning removes the text instead of placing it there and it cuts.

individual characters appear. these shots are arranged like a still collage: they have an initial setting/location background, an image of their craft then a brightly colored matte of the person which is then swapped for the actual picture. this technique reminded me of gangster films by guy richie as he often introduces characters like this.
(each collage is roughly 4 seconds)
-first 1 and scott tracey appear in front of a control centre
-5 and john tracey appear in front of a space vista
-2 and virgil tracey appear in front of the beach landing strip on thunderbird island
-4 and gordon tracey appear in front of a coral reef
-3 and alan tracey in front of sky vista
-brains in front of lab
-lady penelope in front of mansion

COLLAGE ENDS. i found this collage very stylized and cool, adding a lot of sophistication to the mindless explosion at the beginning, it also allows the audience to quickly understand the characters via stereotypes before watching.

the final shot is of a factory in a desert landscape exploding all over with flashes between cuts to keep all of the actually separate explosions seemingly in one long shot. as "videcolor" fades in i cant help but think that the explosions are kind of tied into it's imagery as if to say an oxymoron like "devastatingly beautiful color".

Successful Lego Animations

here's a list:

Rammstein - Feuer Frei > http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qxUZUnRwH7s
tags:
rammstein feuer frei lego animation stop motion stop-motion metal nr studios music video

Lego Star Wars (CGI though) > http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=O61Do03ZCjw
tags:
Star Wars Lego Animation Darth Vader

Circle Circle Dot Dot - Jamie Kennedy and Stu Stone > http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=O-tkqpHnxTI
tags:
CircleCircle DotDot circle dot Jamie Kennedy Stu Stone Blowin Up

The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XRDi67G0Siw
tags:
White Stripes

Strangely, the tags are not exactly what you'd expect for youtubes most popular lego vids - i was expecting far more tags but instead the users have just used keywords that would relate to other big things e.g. WHITE STRIPES.

Possible tags:
lego, model, stop, frame, animation, 3d, 2d, camera, recorder, mac, camcorder, thunder, birds, techni, colour, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, are, go... (i've made more possible tags by separating words from certain phrases like "stop-frame" and "thunderbirds" therefor giving them a vaster area to cover over youtube.

omar from the wire clip

omar is very keen on his job, he has a big ego and hates criminals (especially drug dealers) his ego makes him entertaining but his determination keeps him a serious character.

onger - west ruslip

the grove family was a drama shown on the bbc in the 1950's
onger is inactive and isnt shown any more on madern maps. nothing would be at onger if The Grove Family is on Ruslip.
on old maps with onger on them a different drama would be on it ike eastenders (preferably a bbc one(?)

- Blind Boys of Alabama - theme tune to the wire season 1

- tom waits - theme tune to the wire season 2

- The Neville Brothers - theme tune to the wire season 3

- DoMaJe - theme tune to the wire season 4

- steve earle - theme tune to the wire season 5

link to tube maps

http://mapmaking.wikidot.com/the-great-bear

1. What's the website where you can find the creative tube maps? (link to it on your blog)

2. How do you get from Blind Boys of Alabama to Steve Earle in five steps? (put the linking factor up so we can hear it)

3. If 'The Grove Family' were to be at Ongar, what would you expect to find at West Ruislip?

4. Why do you think Omar is our favourite character from 'The Wire'? Paste one of the videos from Youtube featuring him onto your blog and write a short paragraph about what you can tell about the character from it

5. Ash showed us a machinima video of 'House'. Find a lego one based on another TV drama and paste onto your blog, ready to talk about it.

A Complete List of British Soap Operas (sourced from wikipedia)

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_soap_operas#uk#

The term soap opera has at times been generally applied to any romantic serial, but is also used to describe the more naturalistic, unglamorous evening, prime-time drama serials of the UK such as Coronation Street. What differentiates a soap from other television drama programs is the open-ended nature of the narrative, with stories spanning several episodes. The defining feature that makes a program a soap opera is that it, according to Albert Moran, is "that form of television that works with a continuous open narrative. Each episode ends with a promise that the storyline is to be continued in another episode". Soap opera stories run concurrently, intersect, and lead into further developments. An individual episode of a soap opera will generally switch between several different concurrent story threads that may at times interconnect and affect one another, or may run entirely independent of each other. Each episode may feature some of the show's current storylines but not always all of them. There is some rotation of both storylines and actors so any given storyline or actor will appear in some but usually not all of a week's worth of episodes. Soap operas rarely "wrap things up" storywise, and generally avoid bringing all the current storylines to a conclusion at the same time. When one storyline ends there are always several other story threads at differing stages of development. Soap opera episodes typically end on some sort of cliffhanger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIqenoDFQeg

hello Hayden