Response to MP3

I think it's pretty extraordinary on how he was able to create sounds from simplistic items especially in iconic some of them are (ie. lightsaber). It's inspiring to hear that even with a low budget (except in terms of equipment) that good sound could be made. Also the idea of

Wall-E's voice and robot's in general having a sense of character is insightful.

What I wonder though is that despite asked the question if the digital age changed the game in terms of sound he didn't give a real straight answer, at least for me. He shows that simple solutions could be found but I wished to know if he carried on the same tradition as he had done in the past. Then again this is a small clip, limited in size, so I can't ask too much.

Research Topic: Don Hertzfeldt

I've been of a fan of offbeat and alternative animation/art for a while. Someone I would call a genius/savant in that field is Don Hertzfeldt. Almost a near hermit he spends years working on his animations with techniques rare even near extinction in today's world. To be able to still survive and even standout is phenomenal. I follow his work when I can and I extremely respect him and would like if I can do my topic on him.

Tuesday 28th February 2012 12:30-3:00

Today for class apart from the disappear and reappear exercise we worked on the word play project. Due to the unique way I want to make the letters I was shown to use the Metaball tool. I spent most of the day experimenting with the tool and made my letters. Also I made a small landscape to accommodate the letters for now. If I'll stick to it who knows.

I think I'm satisfied with the letters themselves but I have the added problem of animation. I'll have to rig something up to make it work as well as the other word. Hopefully I'll be able to make do in the end.

Tuesday 28th February 2012 12:30-1:20

Using the timeline window and directly/manually going through each frames we were able to make objects appear and disappear. Applying special attributes and experimenting with the tools we made multiple keyframes and turned on and off the settings. I went a bit further by adding one more object and making sure the other two wouldn't appear.

Tuesday 28th February 2012 9:00-11:30

Again rendering messed up somehow. Someone may have touched something so I'm setting it to render again. Also spent time messing around on the next scene. Finding some sounds for the fly through project as well as so the word play. Hope to have the render done by the start of class or at least into it.

Monday February 27th 3:30-5:30,7:00-7:40

Went to work again fixing kinks in the flythrough. Made the necessary adjustments to the lighting so it wouldn't be too bright. Had some problems again when I made it too dark but again adjustments. Also spent time fixing some models as well as make new ones. Now I feel satisfied with the world I created. Spent time rendering it as well add a new scene.

Thursday February 23rd 11:30-3:10

After a night of rendering I had the first half of what I wanted to do or so I thought. In reality I hadn't set the location of the file so i ended up doing so again through the whole class. In class we also practice various tools such as loft in getting ready for our next assignment of word play. I was busy tweaking the last project so I wasn't able to get really working on the word exercise so I may have to ask when in class.

Multiple object exercise

Exercise: Extrude, Lathe, Loft, Sweep

Extrude Nurb

Lathe Nurb

Loft Nurb

Sweep Nurb

Word Idea

Following what was said to me about the word idea in conjunction with my fly through to use simple ideas.

1. Using the word fat making it extremely broad and turning to the side is the word skinny sandwiched. (Idea Level: Easy)

2. Taking a far view of the word clean and then coming close up then realizing its dirty with the word dirty stained on. (Idea Level: Moderate)

3. On a stage there is a box with a curtain. In the box is the word here. The curtain closes and theres a poof sound. Curtain opens and the word isn't there. Turn away from the stage and in a theater box is the word there. (Idea Level: Hard)

Tuesday February 21, 2012 12:20-3:10

I realized today that my animation was going through major problems in terms of timing so I had to scrap what I had and do over from scratch. Also going through what I had I realized that I have gotten over my head in terms on setting and what I wanted to do. Trying to come in during the weekend and realizing school was closed on Monday the time I have working on this has cut down to 1/4 of what I had expected.

Hopefully I have the time tomorrow to do what I can with this and perhaps take it as far as possible. I'll start rendering before I leave and come in the morning after and see the progress. I don't want to be half assed in what I'm doing especially with the idea I had set forth.

Narrative Sequence

The basis of my scene will be a mouse in a toy workshop reminiscent of Gepetto's workshop.

1.The movie will start with the mouse coming out of its mousehole.

2Taking a look around it spies a piece of cheese on the workbench. (I'm not sure if I want the chess that it is fairly typical but I'll stick with it if need be.)

3.It begins to weave in between objects on the high shelf it resides on.

4.Getting towards the end it grabs the biplane.

5.Pulling it back and bit and looking towards the cheese it scurries the plane and itself off the ledge.

6.It begins to glide a bit, doing a small flyby of the room but begins to promptly nosedive.

7.Before the plane hits the ground the mouse leaps off.

8. Tumbles a bit and slowly gets back up again.

9. Looks back at plane, now in pieces.

10. Scurries towards the bench leg and goes up.

11. takes a small scan and crawls over a puppet's legs.

12. Scurries over objects, tools.

13. Gets to the piece of cheese, cautiously.

14. Gives a small hesitation.

15. Leaps.

16. Fin

Interpolation

This is an example of interpolation and the options that can used for it.

Sunday 1230-440 Feb 12th and Monday 1130-1220 Feb 13th 2012

I knew i was lagging behind on modeling due to my mistakes while experimenting on rendering and camera control so I've done my best to come in where I can and catch up.

I finished putting up the walls of the scene as well as make an ajorning staircase and room to create space, I dunno how I'll solve that particular problem but I will eventually. Also I couldn't find appropriate models for a workbench or shelves so I created my own with the primitive shapes and cut out shapes with the boole tool.

I also put in a "Pinocchio" which I took the figure and replaced the head with a combination of a sphere and cylinder. Towards the end I started on the mouse hole which would be the beginning of the fly through. There will be an interior but I've yet to figure out how that'll work and also the direction of the story.

Hopefully I'll be able to come in one more time to figure at least those kinks out.

12:30 - 3:00 Thursday 9 2012

Today is the first day we start with the new fly through project. At the beginning of class we learned to take pictures and render videos for the blog as evidence by prior post and above. Again I took alot of stumbles cause of my lack of common sense but it worked out. Following with my Gepetto idea I took reference from the film and looked around for some pre-made models for the animation. I began constructing a room that the scene will take in with some major edits regarding size.

I hope to finish all the modeling before next class as there is going to be alot of self made models to fit my theme.

Progress Report Thursday 9 2012

From city movie there is the obvious problem of lighting. The city fly through I just played around with, seeing my options and marveling at the relative simplicity.To that effect I forgot that light does not render with the outline. I also need to practice pacing as it is a very quick.

Next with the Plato's cave there was a few bumps in starting to film but it was quickly resolved. This Time I did what I could to have varied pace so the piece could be appreciated more as well as do minimal shifts in camera angles. Again there was the lighting which all in all wasn't too bad except the fire itself which is pretty lackluster.

The New Flythrough Project

Thinking about this project I really wanted to do something simple enough but iconic in image. After going through things like churches and prisons I thought of something more on a smaller scale. Watching Pinocchio for no real reason I found myself really admiring Gepetto's workshop and thought maybe doing something like that would be fun of course on a less intricate level with some movement. The character I thought would be best would be a small creature like a mouse or even a cricket.

2/6/12 11-12:30

Going further on with the project I found myself doing minor fixes to the project such as creating a new fire as well as applying new texturing. I'm going to go in early to finish making the final touches as putting in the "puppets".

February 2, 2012 11:30-3:00

As usual I am sorry for my lack of updates. I am doing my best to not make this a repeated effort but still the same I am sorry.

In class today we pretty much worked on the project just as is with doling out everything and setting scene as well putting advanced touches and textures. I did my best to set the scene up with making the aesthetics of the cave seem natural enough as well making sure the lighting fit. I solved the idea of an entrance by using plateaus and combining them to create natural steps. Also I didn't want the actual opening to look like a mouse hole so using a cylinder and booeling (I know this spelling is not right) it I took it further but twisting the shape. The fire is primitive as most by using a pyramid shape and making ad-hertz logs. With the time left I applied he textures I had chosen to the objects which look alright but I may have to adjust lighting to make it fit.

By the time this is posted I have taken some time to address the problems above as well some of the missing pieces left which I will post after as I get the time to.

Tues.1/31/12 12:30-3;00

Any and all apologies to anyone reading this blog. As my life is things have occurred that have made this post late.

On Tuesday we continued with our projects. We were again given a refresher on textures and materials and further information on them. I had thought with a simpler idea on the project might work the best giving my inexperience and at least be able to show something with quality. I may have gotten caught up in it may have overthought some things including making curved walls. What I thought simple turned to be something much more indepth and with much tutoring was able to find an alternate solution.

Sadly yet again I find myself still a little overwhelmed as this tool also proves difficult for my small air headed brain. I still have to come in do the basic layout and come in with figures for my scene. Also I have to create a solution in which it won't be too dark but able to highlight the spotlight. If possible it would be cool to also make a flickering effect but that is more afterthought if anything. I will come in early if I can and work before class so I can at least catch up.