FANTASTIC VOYAGE: 'RESISTANCE' FINAL ANIMATION

   

FANTASTIC VOYAGE: THE ART OF 'RESISTANCE'

CG ARTIST TOOLKIT: ANIMATION AND CHARACTER SHOWREEL SUBMISSION 02/05/2016

   

Elderly Square Character Design

CG ARTIST TOOLKIT: LIFE DRAWING SUBMISSION 02/05/2016

CG ARTIST TOOLKIT: AUTODESK MAYA TUTORIALS SUBMISSION 02/05/2016

Intro To Maya 2016
1. Modelling
2. Block Modelling
3. Texturing - Common Shaders
4. UV Layout
5. One, Two and Three Point Lighting
6. Batch Rendering
7. Animation in 3D Software
8. Animation

Modelling 1: Digital Sets
1. Part 1: Modelling
2. Part 2: UV Layout
3. Part 3/4: Lighting, Diffuse
4: Part 5: Final Composite

Lighting & Rendering 1
1. Exterior Lighting
2. Interior Lighting

Texturing & Shading
1. Texturing Part 1,2 & 3
2. Texturing Part 4 & Tileable and Layered Textures Part 1 & 2
3. Intro To Substance Materials

Animation 1
1. Animation Part 1-5
2. Anticipation & Follow-Through, Felix Jnr Rig & Walk Mechanics

Pre-Visualisation
1. Creating a Camera Rig
2. Pre- Vis: Part 2-10

Modelling 2 HS & Organic
1. Hard Surface Modelling: Part 1,2 & 3
2. Organic Modelling: Part 1
3. Organic Modelling: Part 2
3. Organic Modelling: Part 3 & 4
4. Organic Modelling: Part 5

Rigging and Skinning
1. Biped Rigging: Legs, Spine, Neck and Head
2.Arms and Part 4
3.Skinning Method 1
4. Skinning Method 2

MAYA TUTORIAL: SKINNING METHOD 2

MAYA TUTORIAL: Skinning Method 1

        

MAYA TUTORIALS: Biped Rigging - Arms and Part 4

MAYA TUTORIAL: Organic Modelling - Part 5

MAYA TUTORIAL: Organic Modelling - Part 3 & 4

MAYA TUTORIAL: Intro To Substance Materials

LIFE DRAWING

iPad Painting

iPad Painting

Maya Tutorial: Organic Modelling - Part 2

Maya Tutorial: Organic Modelling - Part 1

Maya Tutorial: Creating a Camera Rig

Cutting Edges 12: 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999)

Fig.1. 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999) Poster

 

'The Blair Witch Project' (1999) is a film driven by tension. Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez we are treated to a spooky story of 3 friends on the hunt for the Blair Witch.

 

Fig.2. Film Still

 

Unlike typical horror films, 'The Blair Witch Project' plays with the audience from start to finish. There are time when you feel yourself on the edge of your seat hoping that at some point something will jump out and put your mind at ease for five minutes, but that is NOT the case. The two directors have the audience in the palm of their hands, they hold the viewer in a tense, horror-filled state of limbo. The film doesn't rely on jump scares to release the tension that has been built up, it is constantly being worked upon, it multiplies until it has your eyes fixated upon the screen wanting to look away...but you can't. 'It would be unfair to give away too much, but the movie gets its chills without resorting to special effects (which it couldn't have afforded anyway) or anything in the way of an explanation) (Thomas, 2000) The lack of special effects is something that adds to the films realism, your imagination runs wild when you even think of what the witch could be, what does this being look like? That is a question that is left un-answered by the directors, again leaving the audience stuck to think for themselves and dwell on the possibilities.

 

The nausea inducing, found footage style of the film adds to the horror. At times you feel as if you're watching a friends home video of their day out to the woods. It's immersive in a sense that the camera acts as your eye into this world and you are now a part of the events that unfold. Watching the film feels like watching the news, everything seems real, just like the performances by our three characters. Heather, Mike and Josh. Each one of them play their roles perfectly, their performances feel so real which makes it hard for you to disconnect from the bad things that happen to them, you really connect with them as they journey on through the woods. 'Once they get into the woods, the situation gradually turns ominous. They walk in circles. Something happens to their map. Nature itself begins to seem oppressive and dead. They find ominous signs. Bundles of twigs. Unsettling stick figures. (Ebert, 1999) There are times where you feel a high amount of frustration for the three amateur documentary makers. The woods seem endless, they go south, they go east, every way possible and there doesn't seem to be a way out, it could be said that this frustration comes from the audiences connection with the three and how our fear of being lost is being directly projected upon the screen.

Fig.3. Film Still

 

Unlike the glamorized portrayals of witchcraft presented in much of popular media (think of shows such as Charmed), This film convinces viewers that witches are scary, evil and undesirable. (Isaac,S.D) Yes, they are scary and undesirable and the directors make you believe that they are real, everything feels so real which is why this film is shrouded by such terror.

 'The Blair Witch Project' is a relentless film that will put you in a trance with it's honest and real performances, in a way it reflects the kind of performances that we see in M. Night Shyamalan's 1999 Movie 'The Sixth Sense' only the budget isn't as grand. The immersive camera work is something that works perfectly, unlike many films that have tried and failed it feels that 'The Blair Witch Project'  is a pioneer of the found footage film. A legend within the horror genre...or is it a myth??

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

Ebert, R (1999) 'The Blair Witch Project' At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-blair-witch-project-1999 Accessed on: 19/04/2016

 

Isaac, S (S.D) 'The Blair Witch Project' At: http://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/blairwitchproject/ Accessed on: 19/04/2016

 

Thomas, W (2000) 'The Blair Witch Project Review' At: http://www.empireonline.com/movies/blair-witch-project/review/

 

 Illustrations:

 

Figure 1. 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999) [Poster] At:http://cdn.traileraddict.com/content/lionsgate/blairwitch.jpg Accessed on: 19/04/2016

 

Figure 2. [Film Still] At: http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/blair_large.jpg Accessed on: 19/04/2016

 

Figure 3. [Film Still] At:http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--OiS7vx3i--/bihxt8v2k1ucctupoins.jpg Accessed on: 19/04/2016

  

 



Maya Tutorial: Hard Surface Modelling - Part 1,2 and 3

LIFE DRAWING

@Jordan FANTASTIC VOYAGE: Art of 'RESISTANCE' Pages

I do have about 30 more pages as I have been working on it for a little while now, but these pages kind of represent the stuff that is in it.

Cutting Edges 11: 'The Sixth Sense' (1999)

Fig.1 'The Sixth Sense' (1999) Poster

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, 'The Sixth Sense' (1999) is a movie that has played a part in influencing directors to think outside the box with their storylines. A story driven by tension and outstanding performances from Bruce Willis and the Young Hayley Joel Osment. 'The Sixth Sense' is a beautifully paced, dramatic, romance-horror.

Fig.2 Film Still

SPOILER ALERT! The third act of this film has captivated audiences and stunned them due to it's big reveal. Even after watching it for a second time it still shocks a viewer and more often than not it will bring a tear to the eye. Bruce Willis's character is dead. Killed by one of his ex-patients at the beginning of the film we are led to believe that he has survived his injuries and is living a somewhat normal life. We go on a journey with him as we see that he is haunted by his past, but in actual fact it is he who is doing the haunting, he watches over his widowed wife unaware that he is no longer alive.  'Willis plays Crowe in a soft-spoken mode. No smirking. His acting is subdued, heartfelt and full of loneliness' (LaSalle, 1999) it's the performance that Bruce Willis gives that brings you into this world, he doesn't over act in a way that pushes you away, you connect with him because he feels real, he acts like someone you would walk by in the street not knowing the struggles they are facing.

Throughout the entirety of the film the director has created a realistic world flooded with unusual happenings that lure the viewer in to the lives of Malcolm and Cole, played by Bruce Willis (Malcolm) and Hayley Joel Osment (Cole). In a review by Roger Ebert he said, 'I have to admit I was blind-sided by the ending. The solution to many of the film's puzzlements is right there in lain view, and the movie hasn't cheated, but the very boldness of the storytelling carried me right past the crucial hints and right through to the end of the film, where everything takes on an intriguing new dimension.' (Ebert, 1999) During the film, the director seems to give some direct yet subtle hints that the film comes with such jaw-dropping twist. In a conversation with Malcolm, Cole tells him that stories should have a twist, a little foreshadowing nod to what is to come.

The film's score subliminally stands out, the horrendously low tones that escalate into high pitched ones create a bold sense of threat that puts you in a cinematic trance, you want to look away but you can't, in the beginning you wonder, what is it that the young boy is staring at with such intent.

Fig.3 Film Still

The Colour palette of the film is typically mundane, there isn't anything that seems out of the ordinary, apart from the colour red. 

The colour red can be seen during times of horror or discomfort for the boy, like the arrival of a ghost. It is seen as a dangerous colour that serves it's purpose as a warning to the viewer that a dark and hopelessly misunderstood being is near. In times like these the suspenseful soundtrack can be heard. The set design within the film, is that of pure genius, there isn't anything about it that screams horror or that something scary lives within. 'The Sixth Sense, which is about X-Files-ishly "believable" fears and coincidences, enjoys setting up X-Files-ish moments of pleasurable anxiety. The that end, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (Wide Awake), working with cinematographer Tak Fujimoto (The Silence of the Lambs", creates a coolly askew visual style, investing everyday sights - doorknobs, staircases - with unexplained menace' (EW, 2002)

As a viewer 'The Sixth Sense' is still a refreshing and thoughtful film, it's plot is meaningful and the performances within it are honest. You feel emotionally invested with the characters and wish them only the best. It is a well balanced film that has inspired many TV shows and movies to spoof it's famous quote, "I see dead people". It can be said that M. Night Shyamalan created a masterpiece in filmmaking. 

Bibliography

Ebert, R. (1999) 'The Sixth Sense' At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-sixth-sense-1999 Accessed on: 12/04/2016

EW, (2002) 'The Sixth Sense' At: http://www.ew.com/article/2002/07/03/movie-review-sixth-sense Accessed on: 12/04/2016

LaSalle, M (1999) 'Boy Is Dead-On Amazing in Sixth Sense Thriller' At: http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Boy-Is-Dead-On-Amazing-In-Sixth-Sense-Thriller-2916445.php Accessed on: 12/04/2016

Illustrations

Figure 1. 'The Sixth Sense' (1999) [Poster] At: http://cdn.traileraddict.com/content/walt-disney-pictures/thesixthsense.jpg Accessed on: 12/04/2016

Figure 2. [Film Still] At: http://montages.no/files/2013/12/lamp-3-600x338.jpg Accessed on: 12/04/2016

Figure 3. [Film Still] At: https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/10/22/1413975869329/The-Sixth-Sense-012.jpg?w=620&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=8a7a1375e4211dbe97b37397ae36ee03 Accessed on: 12/04/2016

LIFE DRAWING

FANTASTIC VOYAGE: 'RESISTANCE' Antibiotic and Bacteria Rigging

Antibiotic Rig

Bacteria Rig

FANTASTIC VOYAGE: 'RESISTANCE' Pre-Vis

           

FANTASTIC VOYAGE: 'RESISTANCE' Adobe After Effects Particle Test

           

FANTASTIC VOYAGE: 'RESISTANCE' Render Passes

Un-Textured

Wireframe

UV Map

Surface Shader

Surface Shader (With Texture)

Full Render (With Digital VFX)

FANTASTIC VOYAGE: 'RESISTANCE' Sound Archive

           

CUTTING EDGES 10: The Wicker Man (1973)

Fig.1. 'The Wicker Man' (1973) Poster

'The Wicker Man' (1974) is a whirlwind of strange happenings. From odd religious rituals to phallic symbols forced upon the screen. Director Robin Hardy created a reclusive world that lures you in with it's weird social conventions and entices the viewer to be entertained by their joyous songs. A soft porn, horror, musical sing-a-long. Exciting.

Fig.2 Film Still

The world that Hardy has envisioned is that of one which is seemingly mundane and normal, that is until we are welcomes by it's inhabitants. 'From the moment Howie arrives on Summerisle, responding to an anonymous tip about a missing girl, it's clear that something is off kilter' ( SDG, s.d). Instantly these odd characters give off a strange vibe, they are unlike most folk, to them everything seems somewhat harmonious, as if everything is in order.

In a way this does turn out to be the case, their seductive actions lure the lonesome, virgin police officer Sergeant Howie, played by Edward Woodward into a world he is not accustom to. A religious (Christian) man himself, Sergeant Howie is the man on the case looking for a missing girl, here whereabouts are unknown but his suspicions lead him to believe that she is somewhere on the island.

There is a scene within the film that sees the Christian police officer seemingly act again his own will as he spasms across the room towards the white walls of his part-time residence, all because of strange going on in the room opposite. ''And Howie's faith comes under assault when Willow (Britt Ekland), The sensual daughter of the local innkeeper, offered herself to him' (Berardinelli, s.d)

Willow, played by Britt Ekland, seductively parades around her room banging on the walls, enticing Sergeant Howie to rise from his bed and act in response to an invitation as she calls it the morning after. This scene comes as a bit of a show in a way, it's there, it happens and we have to watch helplessly, slightly in awe of this mans sudden loss of self control. 

Fig.3 Film Still

The film's 87 minute run time goes rapidly, maybe it's because as a viewer you are hypnotised by the odd things that take place upon the screen, just like Sergeant Howie, you want to look away, but you can't. 'More importantly, the nightmarish sense of bewilderment as the film gradually reveals what has been lurking all along has not dulled with age at all' (Fear, 2013)

From his arrival on the island to his heated departure within the burning wicker man, it all goes so quickly you forget what you have seen has actually happened. 

Maybe it's something in the water??

Illustrations

Figure 1. 'The Wicker Man' (1973) [ Movie Poster] At:https://www.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/113/MPW-56820 Accessed on: 05-04-2016

Figure 2. [Film Still] At: http://www.popoptiq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Wicker-Man-1973-6-300x201.jpg Accessed on: 05-04-2016

Figure 3. [Film Still] At: http://basementrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/wicker-man-1973-ending-wicker-man-burning.jpg Accessed on: 05-04-2016

Bibliography

Berardinelli, J (s.d) The Wicker Man (United Kingdom, 1973) At: http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/wicker-man-the_818 Accessed on: 05-04-2016

Fear, D (2013) 'The Wicker Man' At: http://www.timeout.com/us/film/the-wicker-man-1973 Accessed on: 05-04-2016

SDG (s.d) 'The Wicker Man (1973)' At: http://www.decentfilms.com/reviews/wickerman1973 Accessed on: 05-04-2016