city scene pre people

well I haven't posted for while, so thought it was about time am currently working on the city scene so this is the try out before I put people in and audio, I had previously storyboarded her working at a desk but was inspired by a box set of Russian animation which made me realise I did not have to be so literal.

Need to do as many backgrounds as is possible this week.


Might need to put a bit of guassian blur on the addresses but my intention is that the viewer realises that the city is full of people that are numbers.
Think it's worked out well but would appreciate some feedback.
Feeling excited about xmas holidays just to have a few weeks of uninterupted animation time, even though the deadline looms closer.

Progress report

Not one to take to the k.i.s.s. method naturally am trying to incorporate a more textural quality in my work, for textural quality is where my subtlety needs to develop. Am still using a mix of rotoscoping and freehand, at the moment the figure is quiet simple although will be incorporating wood cut effect for lighting source.
On the work front although the compositing work has come to an end for the moment have now been employed to teach animation for one day a week as well as my other job.
Niyaz will tell you this is when i work best busy, busy, busy!

Final Fillm - Cut

well as you know by reading this my interests lie in film noir, black and white films and german expressionism the pre-american scene. Have been doing quite a lot of research in this area. I am working on the first element of the film which is showing that my main character is stuck in a rut so repetition will be used.

well i'm back

Well it's been along time since I updated this but am finally on board again,last couple of weeks have been doing both jobs and notetaking is eating in to my own time. After numerous weeks of reworking storyline and how it can be improved think I am happy with it, numerous ponderings on the train whilst travelling to/ from Cardiff after last meeting with Caroline at the end of last semester the train again seems to be playing apart in this animation.
Have been experimenting with newspaper people as need to convey someone in a rut, why else would a woman cut her hair?
Been recording sounds for my benefit, but have also thanks to Calon work got a contact that will hopefully do audio for me.
Am also on tenterhooks as waiting to hear if going to be granny any time now!feel that im on board running!!!!!

Summer holiday update

Well busy, busy, busy, holidays - have received a contract from Calon so will be working there till October(confirmed anyway).
Have done compositing on Hana's Helpline, Bytis and Tatties.
The days are long leave at 7 get home at 8.30 but I can't tell you how good it feels to be part of the productive team.
Love it!!!! As I say in the editing room 'Feed Me' !!!!
Strange influences over the last couple of months have included a lot of stop-motion Calon being one of them and this has led me to look into using some form of stop motion for reflection sequences of animation.
Am looking forward to this as have been dying to use sculpture/model making skills.


On a good note with all this travelling plenty of time for reading books. as I took the books out for the holidays at least I can have proper read now.

Summer Holidays

Well major project taking a slight backseat at the moment as have now got the go ahead for a few weeks of paid work from Calon as a compositor, the world is wonderful!!!! working on Hana's Helpline, Channel 5.

London Summer Exhibitions

Ok after a stunning couple of weeks of visits and shows this week has continued in the same vein. I popped to London for a visit on Wednesday to see friends, after an offer of a VIP ticket to the Royal College of Art(Fine Art Party)we had been trying to arrange an earlier visit but that co-encided with Annecy but I think this arrangement worked better anyway, not least because I could go to the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy(The largest open exhibition in the UK I think I read somewhere that they had 30,000 entrants and these get whittled dowen to 1,300). This exhibtion I strongly advise to anybody going to London at this time, not least to work out why some images work and others don't, the prices are also something to educate yourself on........

Anyway got in for nothing as my friend is a friend of the RA, afterwards had a mooch round Picadilly Circus, taking photos and then down to Chinatown for a bit of dins. Bit of rain with no coat and then to the Royal College.
What on earth is that building all about in the park I like the outside and I can see the merits of using marine ply on the outside, but whooooa the inside no no no. you do not give a display building for art pieces wobbly floors, your walking along and all the pieces of ceramics and glass are rolling about looking very precarious.
This may be just my feelings but it's as if a permanent exhibition space which is well lit and spacious gives you room to form your own views about a piece, It looked more like a badly staffed Ikea sale, too much in there too many distractions, although I thought the jewelry, footwear and Bag design were very exciting all merging sculpture and experimentation with the traditional, on the other hand the actual Royal College building was much more condusive to art purusal.
Had a look at the animation, print making and painting. I was very impressed by a Czech print maker Tereza Buskova who made several prints and a film for her major show the images still haunting me, multi textural with visual referencing to folklore and history, I could see nuances with Svankmeyer's work.

Had a chat with Glyn Williams and watched, learnt and took part in the art of networking. The day after had a guided tour of the sculpture studios wonderful. Fantastic couple of days.
Got back to good old rainy Wales hit my mouth on the kichen worktop whilst trying to force too much in the kitchen bin and voila gave myself a lip piercing to be proud of.
The very same day as I get back all the terrorism stuff kicks off in London again, so think I came back at the right time!!!!

Annecy 2007

Well after 8 days in Annecy I am back!
I have overdosed on du film d'animacion.
Films that will go down in my Annecy memories are many but include Peter and the Wolf for cheering and the fact that I gasped out loud and covered my eyes when the wolf ate the goose (memories of the old smallholding including Jimmy duck, that we hatched out under a chicken and the rest of the menagerie)Madame Tutli Putli (how did they do that- real eyes- ooops I gave it away!)and telling the director Chris Lavis I had a poster.
Pingpongs for the shear oddity of the characters involved.
The Girl that Swallowed Bees for live action and compositing, The Tale of How (mega compositing),Rosco the Tim Burton of compositing.Stunning.....
Meme les Pigeons vont au Paradis for pure blissful stop motion as was Premier Voyage a complete delight.The Wraith of Cobble Hill was a strong dark film noir interpretation.
Handrawn wonders include t.o.m. ( of course )congrats Tom and Dan, Devochka Dura first film by Zoyja Kireeva, brilliant! The simplistic style and premise of Lavatory - Love story. Charlie and Lola " I will be very careful" and the fluffy white coat!
Suprisingly I was rather partial to several CGI animations which has got to be first for me....'A Gentlemans' Duel' should have a mention as should 'Dji vou veu volti' and Tong great characterisation and were all wonderfully crafted.
As for my first expedition to Annecy and camping
Three things to remember for next time !. Take an adaptor and wear trainers,and if you have trouble sleeping through noise this campsite is crowded (We were sharing tent pegs) I had annecy foot which consisted of 4 blisters on one foot.
I used up two days food money on buying a pair of shoes hoping to rectify the problem which in fact just made it worse. so at the end of the week I had a semi sort of detox as I had been living off ham and cheese rolls and semelles( apple pastries)
We got in to the VIP party and met some interesting people and did a bit of networking, business cards were at the ready... I got very emotional about being there..... So a big thankyou to Leigh and Kes.
I finally met Joanna Quinn after numerous chats on Skwigs yeh!!!
The last night I had the best steak I have ever tasted.....I'd been to Captain Pub and had shots and drunk a selection of world beer with some of the most lovely people. Cheers Romy, Matt, Tom and Dan!
The trip has also taught me the goal is achievable and that Im stronger than I thought and that I can strike up a conversation with anybody... hello to Bournemouth and hello to belgium guys.
Not bad going for a week's trip.

Annecy 2007

My Showreel

Finally at last my showreel!



Hope you enjoy!


What a week trying so hard to be organised for Annecy but a week is just not long enough.
showreel online yes
Tent check
rucksack check
shorts check
money check
receipts for everything check
add a skillset visit to newport
a virus infected laptop
staff training
add a website in a week and thats just about sums up what ive been doing.

Major project, research ,essay and rythym

Well now the presentations are out of the way, can have sleep as a treat! Need to crack on with the last essay am determined to do some really thorough research.

Woodcut, ok am thinking of calling the animation 'Cut' short and simple and i think the look will work well with the subject matter will keep you posted as to tests. Have had a think about how im going to produce it and at the moment am thinking of using the vector paint option in after effects used on top of cutouts, think that would work if i use cutouts the areas round the joints would not be smooth so this seems to be the best solution.




On another note I have just found the Zen tv dvd in the library - love it - I can feel the next piece coming on visuals and rythym Fishinger would be proud, im a horder of old and interesting things so a very old typwriter may be coming in to play!

research

Thought this was good, influential!



and another classic

Train of Thought

Well this has been a long battle with nuances of head turns, different perspectives and small movements, my main problem being keeping the characters the same when moving, the contrast in styles looks good and instead of trying to fit in with Niyaz's which I floundered with, I think this now works to our advantage, I tried initially to do things in aftereffects but these tests were not as good as hand drawn, which I have stuck to.
Niyaz's work is beautiful and im trying very hard to give her something that is of the same standard. This has been an interesting and thought provoking lesson in drawing as there are many things I hadnt thought of that have come into play, as the time draws nearer to handing it in working on a scene that incorporates rotoscoping and handdrawn currently on layer 50 of 90.
I will say that the distance between us has been a bit of a bind, but thank heavens for .zip, .rar files and gmail.

Train of thought- ongoing

Have been working on 2d experiments with line colour and style, plenty of drawing on the train as usual. After looking at the the juxtaposition of both out styles think my style needs serious boldness or it just gets lost. I didn't realise that these considerations would come into play when we set out on this adventure, but it has made me experiment more with line and tone and brushes in photoshop which is a good thing!

second part of lifedrawing

Thought this should go up made from second part fo lifedrawing using Monkeyjam, Photoshop and AfterEffects nothing to technical but a very interesting exercise, more please. Think we should do this every week with different positions, its a modern day Muybridge!

lifedrawing

Mmmm what a good day yesterday a fully hands on day this is the result of drawing stripes, sucessful i think. Also drew 4 people on the train coming home and thanked them for their patience when I got off, which has in turn led me down the path of Matthew exercise in timing, one man was getting very agitated lots of changes of position so have decided to do Matthew's exercise to denote someone getting annoyed with someone drawing them(changes in emotion), in the end he has enough and ends the drawing session abruptly. After seeing what we could achieve with animating a person walking round a chair which was the second part of lifedrawing think this is achievable by next Monday, so will give myself a couple of days with this and spend the rest of the time on group project.

Train of Thought

Been doing tests as to how the train interior may look for this animation. I would like to mix rotoscoping with small animated fragments but keeping it quite simple this would be in direct contrast to the freedom evoked within the daydreaming sequences, have booked out the sound equipment for Friday so will be recording the ambient sounds on Friday have also got to start working on the layout and feel of the main project. I keep coming back to the 'KISS' rule which in the end will have a major baring on the choice I make of the two that I have been working on.

2D Animation

Have decided to spend the next 5 weeks or so doing traditional hand drawn animation in my free time. Now that I have a light box made by my partner's fair hands, no excuse and I can't wait to get going.
After looking at my showreel there seemed to be a distinct lack of it so this needs to be corrected. The beauty of a showreel is that the clips can be small so i'l make the most of it and put soome quite abstract things in there but tying them together in the animation.
This is to be done whilst also working on group project,"Light Space and Time"Niyaz and myself need to work on the story for this. Sorting out work placements which I can't do till the Summer, due to work commitments. Although the work load was extremely stressful over Christmas it has made me more determined that this career path is the right one for me.
All I can say is "Bring it On!"

Animatics and Bibles

Animatics and Bibles spent an age scanning 6x4 cards that I use, so what have i learnt from this ,well I would say that if more than one bible is required at a time don't use this method other people I have spoken to just drew them out in a sketch book, no messing about with scanning and resizing unfortunately I dont work that way so the price had to paid.
Have found quite a nifty program on the Internet called Monkeyjam if anyone is interested in doing line testing or animatics, very good program.
I'll post a short clip up of animatic that I did. What have I learnt from this, well ideally I would have an overhead camera but used a web cam still not happy with the results so next time will attach it to an old over head project which should work will post the results to compare.

Experimental animation.

Well after several interludes with cut out style animation using AferEffects am now looking into the work of Robert Breer there is definately a yearning inside to do something more experimental and thought provoking, his work has several things in common with my leanings, use of Dada inspiration and modernism, infact the whole historical perspective interests me greatly.
Have been reading about the Bauhaus movement for squares and circles animation.


Will keep you posted. As it is, thought I would post up this quicktime by Charles Bandla.


http://www.bauhaussoftware.com/community_userstories_charles_bandla.php

Drip Splat Boing

January madness

Well what an intense couple of weeks am really now understanding time management, and how thw working of handing in late submissions work! Am going to try and post the little Ethel and Ernie animation I did up so look for it in the side menu, remember the lady in the bath!

Manic January

Yep they certainly know how to pile on the workload I hope we can all learn from this and not get in this state in May which looks equally stressful.
I've had major problems with recording audio and after numerous chats with people in the know am going to try and get some recorded audio off my minidisk on the computer the last month has been a steep learning curve with software, compatibility issues and general do's and dont's. Have felt almost that these issues were taking presidence over the animating and that indeed is a sorry state to be in.
Had spent some time writing poetry for my piece only to find I coulnt get it in to the computer, which is a shame as I really wanted to experiment with sound effects over Xmas. As usual being so far away from Newport, if i've got any problems tend to use Forums and books as I havent got Stan the man to help me out.
Handdrawn animating, finding it hard to do character animation and sticking to the character they almost seem to morph with out me thinking, into another identity. In fact the one I worked on over Xmas morphed 3 times, i enjoy drawing and want to practice this side more, have in the past relied on computer helping me out but in the long run it can hinder you as much as help.
I need sleep!!!!

Christmas update

Well it wasn't quite what I expected, pre-Christmas started using Toonboom for 'drip splat boing' which to all intents and purposes I was hoping to take into Aftereffects.Receeding walk cycles causing me a bit of difficulty - but will get there.
Went to Cambridge to see my sister for 4 days leaving my partner here to dog sit! Bit weird and didnt like it. Christmas eve -toothache. Dropped a card round to my newphew who normallly resides in Belgium saw my other nephew that I haven't seen for 18 years(family fall out, which i hope is on the mend)phenominal tooth-ache! 2 packets of pain killers later and an x-ray(emergency dentist) and not much eating or drinking later and yes- no drinking for the New Year either due to 2 lots of antibiotics and a swollen jaw. Dentist tomorrow to arrange extraction/s.
Back to the animation.
I have to say that my biggest fear is making work that I am not proud of, which leads me to cogitate instead of trying things and experimenting, I also worry that the work I hand in will be sub-standard to the rest of the group's as I know there are some very talented people in it.
My feelings on this is the work is more important than the mark!
I have no idea wether I will get them finished in time.

Handdrawn for dripsplatboing part1, toonboom and after effects for part2.
Taxonomies mixed media film and animation. Also feel alot of pressure with audio, writing poetry aswell.
Also keep thinking what was said in the masterclass about showreels and showing animation of the type that you want to get a job in- this has made me decide on using Aftereffects but has made my job longer.
Can see the big picture that these animations hopefully will go on our showreels so the pressure is twofold. Want to make them varied and push myself but have no idea how long it will take me.

Apart from that I hope you all had a good one!!!!!