Me in a lecture. Yesterday.

Click to enlarge.

Nothing but big things.

I knew, KNEW, when I wrote I'd have my timetable up yesterday I'd end up having it up by today. My reasons for it ar.. actually I do not care to explain myself. I shall just post what I've timetabled, comment on it and none shall be the wiser.

The Client Project has to be in on week 17 giving me 5 weeks (including this week.) Here's what I have planned:

Week 13
Decide on plot & action - I had early ideas for what I'm doing though recent revelations have lead me back to the drawing board. I shall put the results on here.
Character design - Having to produce something involving insects, I seem to find it hard *not* to draw something that looks like my Mothy design seen in an earlier animation. Insects are more than just moth-like so Iwant to see if I can create something more fantastical. You could say, it's really beginning to bug me. Guffaw!
...sorry.

Week 14
Rough sketched storyboard - It'll give me a very clear picture of what the final design will be.
Make 3D backgrounds - A difficult one. I'm planning to do 3D backgrounds with 2D characters, so I need to start making the backgrounds by this time. I'm planning to have little change in the background so one landscape should be enough. Still, I need to get fresh with 3Ds Max again.

Week 15
Continue 3D backgrounds - I'm guessing I won't have finished working on these so here's extra time for it.
Draw characters for Photoshop - This will be the final drafts of the characters before colouring. I'm hoping these are going to turn out real professional since it's probably my most experienced part in the project.

Week 16
Turn into animatic - Okay, I'm just going to throw this out here. I'm planning to turn it into an animatic if I've time. Basically it'll be a video of the slides including the sfx and voice overs, it gives a better idea to how the animation will work. I figure if I follow my timetable closely, by this time I will have a good chance of doing this. However, it isn't a definite as I don't want to rush anything.

Week 17
Hand in - By now it should be entirely finished and wrapped up like a mummy. I hope I don't come across printing or codec problems as I usually do. If done correctly, I'll have time to make sure I don't at least.

-----

My Research Project has 6 weeks. The hand in is on week 18 (most of the following don't have comments because it just means that's part of the report I'm writing, such as chapters and the like):

Week 13
Essay structure completed
Reading list made

Week 14
Chapter 2 Research Method
Chapter 3 Survey of Literature & Works,
Chapter 4 Discussion - This is a big one

Week 15
Chapter 3 Survey of Literature & Works
Chapter 4 Discussion

Week 16
Chapter 4 Discussion
Chapter 5 Conclusion
Chapter 1 Introduction
Context

Week 17
Evaluate piece - This isn't a chapter or anything, it is me proof reading what I've done. Of course, proof reading is a constant work ethic but this is where I'll double check.
Title page
Acknowledgments
Abstract
Contents
List of Illustrations
References
Bibliography
Appendices
Print - Again, I'm begging for no problems.

Week 18
Hand in

-----


Wow. And that's that. Of course, it'll all depend on circumstance but I'm hoping to stick to this plan as close as possible. It also makes me realise how much work I've got on. Busy busy!

Also, I must make a mental note to myself that playing Peggle doesn't feature on that list.

Back, back, forth 'n forth.

Okay, I found out what Successful Practices is about. Yes, it's a personal development of sorts. It works to prepare portfolios and ourselves for the outside world. Heavy.

Having had my first lecture in this subject yesterday, I've been encouraged to make a timetable of my upcoming project developments. It's a good suggestion as my time management has always sucked. I think it'll be the difference between a grade if I pull my metaphorical socks up. So much so, I'm going to make up my timetable today and post it on here as proof, today! That's the way I roll.

I was reading some of my earlier blog posts (particularly Stink on Poop) and I thought I'd revisit a little self commentary. I thought it might relate well to my animation projects. We shall see.

Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye.

Okay, I think there is one more piece of work I haven't mentioned. I'm fairly confused by the whole setup now, but 'what doesn't kill you' and all that I guess. It seems I've overlooked the Successful Practice module. From reading this, it appears I need write an essay on my pathway into whatever industry I'm heading towards. Since this course doesn't offer gunslinging lessons I'm plumping for animation. So, the piece I produce will look at the kinds of jobs open to me and how I think I'll get there. Off the top of my head, there are animation jobs in TV, film, videogames and advertisement to name a few. I'll have to look them then. However, I might consider going on to further education after this year so I might mention that too.

It sounds to me like it is going to be a boring, formal piece so I'm wondering if I can jazz it up a bit with more subjective discussions and emotive language? I'd much prefer to write in the style I use on here than "this study is looking at career opportunities for myself as potential animator and my ability to type like a robot." Or something. I shall have to find out anyway.

While I'm chatting about style, I've a good idea for what I'm doing for my 2nd(?) term client project (recap: I have to produce 6 artifacts based in the subject I'm working on and that are relevant to my previous research project, yeah.) I've already announced in one proposal that I'm going to produce one scene and reproduce it in different animation styles. Big undertaking I know but I'm prepping a 3D animation, stop-motion, hand-drawn, Terry Gillian-style cut-and-paste stop motion, limited animation, with one more style to consider. Could be puppetry maybe? Anyway, I'm getting a little ahead of myself because I really should be practicing these ...practices. I haven't done stop-motion for about four years? Damn. I'll update my movements on here as always.

That's it for this post. Reading back I think I've only written it for myself. Not that it's a problem, it is my blog yeah? Okay, I'll leave with a story for those who have actually managed to read this far. Recently, I went with a friend to see a Beatles tribute act. For the venue it was in, it wasn't a cheap ticket but hey, I like The Beatles and the original band don't seem to tour much these days. Anyway, the gig kicked off and they all looked the part. Well, Paul looked like Micky Dolenz from The Monkees but no one complained. So the band went through the most popular tracks in a chronological order of sorts and when it got to the period when John played the keyboard mostly there was a shocking development.

During one song, John played the keyboard skillfully, so skillfully that he was chatting to some ladies at the same time. Fair enough I guessed, he is John Lennon. Just as I was thinking 'that's a damn fine skill to play piano as well as he's doing and mac on ladies' he gestured a shrug of his shoulders and then, THEN, he brushed his hands all over the keys while laughing and shaking his head, mouthing 'I don't know what's going on.'

My face was like the guy on the right:


^ Michael Ironside probably plays John Lennon in this story. I might as well have been watching Milli Vanilli.

Out.

Wrapped like a mummy.

I'm due to hand a proposal in on the 22/10 which sets out what my work is going to be in my first client project. It is a storyboard for a animation short. As I've said in a previous post , the brief comes from a competition for Bristol U and Aardman found here. Check it out for further information. Of course, it's more important to be a piece of uni work than a competition but it's an added bonus.

The concept for the storyboard is an advertisement for an insect repellant. This I only found out today; up until now I've been planning a insect spray of sorts. Thinking about it, insect repellant could be anything so I might go back to the drawing board and change my idea. However, my current idea for the project is of a battlefield scene on a cake. Actually, I'll go into that more later when I get a few scans online of an early storyboard I roughed out. It'll make more sense that way.

I've also just handed in another proposal for my research project. The piece is called Concepts of Modern Animation Aesthetics. I'll also talk about more in another post, just thought I'd give a heads up.

Introducing: Me, Mothy & The Bear

Now this I *am* happy with. A first on Bloggimus Time? Me? Happy with some work!? Well, almost.

Me, Mothy & The Bear was a story I wrote aaages ago for a blog on MySpace. I put it on here but I screwed up the html so it is missing parts. For the complete version go to my MySpace blog page.

Like I've said on numerous occasions here and elsewhere, this is something I've always wanted to do. I love narrative and I like to explore ways that it can be shown to an audience. As such, I've a soft spot for rostrum camera work and children's picture book stories like that seen in Jackanory. So this was my take on the style.

When I wrote the story of Me, Mothy & The Bear, I envisioned it in still frames. Wanting to make some sort of video of it, I guess there was only one way it would turn out. And I'm pleased with the results.

Well, not totally. There could have been a better effort made to make the sound levels better. There are a few times when my voice gets drowned out by the background music. Also, maybe I could have considered a better voice actor? My Potteries tone probably do the animation a disservice. Finally, being inspired by Jackanory, maybe I could have a cut away shots of the real me, reading a book? Time put paid to that anyway.

My favourite parts of the final product? I really like the drawn style I made, it is very honest to my work. I impressed myself with the shadows and lighting I created. The process was easy enough; after scanning in the hand-drawn images and colouring them in Photoshop, I used the pen tool to make black, angular shapes which I altered the opacity of.

Having said that, I did the same in Clown but better since it was animated. Yet I didn't mention it last post. That probably says more about my feelings of each piece in some way.

Introducing: Clown

Here's Clown. This was the last project of the direction module I took in the second year. The project involved creating a video piece from a third party script, in this instance done by the lecturer Jools Ayodeji. The students interpretation of the script was the most important thing so how it was brief was approached was entirely down to them. For me, animation was my first interest and as soon as I read the script I immediately felt an animation would be best suited. My reasons for this were that the characters, the Clown and the Compere, came across as cartoon-like in their dialog anyway. There was a subtle sub-realism about their demeanor. At least, that is the way I interpreted it anyway.

Still, I have problems with this animation. This is the reason I'm giving Clown another look on here. I felt I missed a massive opportunity to explore some elaborate scenery and characters. I chose to animate it because I was aware that gathering a large audience in a theatre with two characters was going to be a big undertaking. So being able to draw an audience, theatre etc I got around real world logistics. However, why didn't I actually take it further and add some fantasy to the piece?

There was one example in my early pre-production where I drew a stage that was like a thin cliff edge that went into the audience and the curtains were a skin-like leather. The whole scene was very dark and depressing. Looking back, I'm not entirely sure why I didn't run with it.

The closest reason I can think was that I was very literal to the script. There was no experiment on my part. It was by-the-books. It did the job. But it didn't show off what I can truly do.

So, this evaluation is here to remind me in future projects to have fun with whatever I'm doing. To make sure I don't feel like I'm just fulfilling what I think needs to be done.

Nothin' but net.

Woah! Two posts in two days!? It must be PARTY TIME! Well, sort of. I've just posted the two animations that I did towards the end of my second year on YouTube. Where are they? Well, I'm going to give them another once over in evaluation terms. I feel I have more to say. Especially with hindsight.

I forgot to mention in the last post that I have an extra client project on. This is developing a storyboard for an advert of an insect spray. The brief comes from a competition for Aardman Animations. I'll go deeper into this when I've worked on it more anyway so peepers peeled.

I'll have two videos up tomorrow then. Bloggimus Time is getting HOT. I told you there'd be bees.

Oh, I've just realised; two or 2? writing numbers in letters feels a bit more professional though its hard to break a habit. Clearly, this is just another issue to worry about when I try to sleep. Man, it's like that time I wanted honey sandwiches and I had to chose between clear or set honey. One has more use but the other is a great spread. Dammit, I hope I made the right choice; the clear honey hasn't wronged me yet.

But there is still time...

The End Begins. Again!

I feel sorry for poor old Bloggimus Time, not updated for 2 months, neglected like a rabid dog covered in bee stings...etc etc. Okay, I didn't manage much updating for this blog over the summer as promised. It was down to various reasons; I certainly wasn't being lazy. Seriously. Anyway, as I've now started my 3rd and final year you can expect a hive of rabid bee-like activity on here. I can't say whats due for definite 'cus I don't actually know for sure. It's early days so give me a break eh?

Okay, as I understand it, we've got two main pieces of work due this year. Firstly, there is the research project where we the students research an aspect of our chosen subject, mine is animation. This research idea has to be cleared with the lecturer before we can go any further. And that's where I am right now. I've ideas for a few research topics, I'll detail each on here in the near future.

The other main piece of work is the client project. This entails working on a given brief for a client who could be real or simulated. I'm awhile off figuring this out just yet but I'm already thinking charities might be a good place to offer doing work for? Or a competition? Regardless, I'm likely to produce an animation for this.

What kind of animation? I hear you not asking. Well, nothing as yet is certain - it will be down entirely to how I interpret the client's brief. But whatever research project I do should be related so that'll give an idea. This stuff is all deadlined so, again, expect stuff fill up on here like an underwater sink with a leaky tap.

I should mention I've still got at least 2 animations that need to go on here. So as soon as I've compressed those suckers they be up here.

Before I go, I've had a lot of appreciation for the animated band Gorillaz recently. I want to write up a little bit about them when I get the chance. They might be an early indication of themes my research project might dance upon like a drunk who knows no bounds. Or something.

Out.