@Alan - Adaptation B // El Mutante Model Mesh Refinement

Adaptation B // Truck Driver Development

Adaptation B // Truck driver Development

@ALAN Adaptation B // Model Mesh

I feel like there is some tidying up to do with this model, I am also unsure how to go about modelling the poncho/serape that is meant to drape over the shoulders of the character so any dynamic way that could be done any feedback would be appreciated.

Maya Tutorial // Mental Ray Part 8: Displacement Maps

Maya Tutorial // Mental Ray Part 11: Mental Ray Proxies

Maya Tutorial // Mental Ray Part 10: Motion Blur

Maya Tutorial // Mental Ray Part 9: Ambient Occlusion

Maya Tutorial // Mental Ray Part 7: High Dynamic Range (HDR) Lighting

Adaptation B // El Mutante Modelling Progress

Maya Tutorial // Mental Ray Part 6: MIA Material X Shader

Adaptation B // El Mutante Ortho

Adaptation B // Truck Driver Development

Adaptation B // Pitch Presentation

Adaptation B - Ring Leader Sketches

As spoken about in a previous post the idea of a ring leader being the narrator of each episode is something I have gone forward with. I have come up with the idea of a long distance, redneck, truck driver being the 'ring leader'. Not a typical ring leader of a circus, more so the idea of a travelling circus, the driver and his truck. The characters that are in each episode would be make-shift puppets that he creates from stories he has heard on is travels, which he then performs at truck stops. 

Maya Tutorial - Mental Ray Part 5: Portal Lights

Maya Tutorial - Mental Ray Part 4: Physical Sun and Sky

Maya Tutorial - Mental Ray Part 2: Final gather

World Animation - 'Ethel and Ernest' (2016)

Fig.1 'Ethel and Ernest' Poster

Based upon the graphic novel by Raymond Briggs, 'Ethel & Ernest' (2016) Dir. Roger Mainwood, follows the life and times of Briggs's Mother and Father, Ethel & Ernest, from their early beginnings during the 20's all the way up to their deaths in the 70's. The animation was aired on the BBC during the Christmas period.

Fig. 2 Film Still

The film opens in a mundane looking home, an elderly man making himself a hot drink, he sits at his drawing board and we soon realise that this is Raymond Briggs, the son of Ethel and Ernest.

Seeing Briggs and the beginning of the film really gives you a sense of reality outside of the animation, the reality being that the animation we are seeing is true.

From the very beginning of the animation you are pulled in to a hand-drawn world, every part of the animation has been lovingly crafted by it's animators. The film's aesthetic is taken from it's graphic novel counterpart, it feels as if a children's book has come to life. This use of a 'cute' looking animation, in the opinion of this review, helps the viewer to deal with the sometimes intimate and harrowing scenes upon the screen.

Something that stands out are the scenes during World War II. In a way the early scenes depicting the start of the war, the build up are quite ominous. As they listen to news on the radio of goings on between people of political power you can't help but feel anxious as coming from a generation we know what is to come but we must sit and watch as these everyday families are none-the-wiser.

Fig. 3 Film Still

Overall the animation is fun and a great adaptation of a well loved novel. The emotion in the film is quite powerful as as vieverws we are seeing what life was like during pivotal moments of the 20th Century and the way in which they affect working-class family life. 

Although the film ends on quite a sad note (the passing of both Ethel and Ernest) you can't help but feel happy to have seen their life and followed them through decades of decisions and yes it may be an animation but it's an animation about real life and real people which makes it's something that generation after generation will be able to watch and enjoy.

Illustrations

Figure 1. 'Ethel & Ernest' [Poster] At:http://film-reviews-and-news.com/sites/default/files/field/image/ethel-and-ernest-.jpg Accessed on: 19/03/2017

Figure 2. [Film Still] At:http://film-reviews-and-news.com/sites/default/files/ethel-and-ernest-2-.jpg Accessed on: 19/03/2017

Figure 3. [Film Still[ At: https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/12306763-low_res-ethel-and-ernest.jpg?w=620&h=348&crop=1 Accessed on: 19/03/2017

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte Ortho

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte Character Development

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte Character development

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte Framework

After a chat with Alan we both feel that the framework surrounding the character should be built up. The character came from the 'daily character challenge' that I set myself a couple of weeks ago and this is will be incorporated within the project.
Taking from our chat with Alan I have decided to have the character be part of a circus, a freak show if you will. The animation would be weekly episodes in which a new character is chosen every week. This week happening to be 'El Mutante De La Muerte'. 
I plan on designing a ring leader of the show who would introduce it every week and will spin a wheel of fortune that chooses who the character of the episode will be.
In my mind I believe that this kind of show would be quite gritty and rude so it would be aimed at adults. the humour I feel would be similar to something like Robot Chicken.
I want to keep the style of the animation as close as I can to the design work, it will look 2.5D.

Acting Class - Week 1

Becky and Danielle in 'The Pasta Scene'

The first acting class was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. At first there was a lot of nervous faces and apprehension, but our acting tutor Dan made us feel very welcome and eased the anxiety that I assume most of us were feeling at the start of the day. 

There is no doubt that the exercises we did have helped give a better understanding to posing and characters. The walking exercise in which we walk with a part of our body leading the way was a simple way of showing how such a simple movement or change in the way we walk can create a different character. Definitely looking forward to next week!

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte Character and Object Sheet

With this I wanted to get a sense of the character, or in this case characters, personalities. I was simply thinking of the kind of object they would consider theirs or have in their home to try and get a better sense of them. One being passive the other aggressive, in this case I feel one would be really involved with the outlaw business whilst the other a more light hearted and kind individual.

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerto Dissection

With this I wanted to simply find the shapes of the character which would in turn help me with the design progress, I feel from this I can start to bring the character out from such a flat pose into different view points, side, back, etc. 

Adaptation B - Maya Model Paint Over Test

For this I was aiming for the model to have a mix between 2D/3D. I wanted to stay as true to the designs I have done so far to see how they would translate within a three-dimensional space. I quite like the look but I believe that modelling the heads with more volume as opposed to being as flat as they are would definitely enhance the look.

World Animation - 'Persepolis' (2007)

Fig.1 'Persepolis' (2007) Poster

Directed by Marjane Satrape and Vincent Paronnaud, 'Persepolis' is a film that follows the story of a Marjane (Director) and her memory of being a young girl living in Tehran. The film is now critically acclaimed and was once highlighted as Empire Magazines number 58 on 'The 100 Best Films of World Cinema' in 2010.

Fig.2 Film Still

As well has having a story that is both harrowing and at times full of energy the visual elements of the film are what really draw the viewer in. The beginning of the film starts with a world of muted colour (present day) which then transforms into very graphic and illustrative pieces of animation, in black and white (Past). Three styles can be seen throughout the film, as well as the colourful world and the illustrative, black and white scenes, there are historical elements of the film that are shown via what looks like a shadow puppet show. 

Fig.3 Film Still

Overall the narrative of the film is that it is a coming of age story, something that has been seen countless times in cinema but the way in which it is presented with stylised animation in 'Persepolis' is what gives the story even more reason to strike a chord with audiences. Writing for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw says 'When I tell people it's a lo-fi animation, largely in black-and-white, about Iran, they put their heads in their hands and make a low groaning sound. But I've seen those same people bounce happily out of the cinema after seeing it as if they had some sort of caffeine injection. (Bradshaw, 2008) This feeling of energy upon seeing the film is something that many mainstream cinema viewers would more than likely feel as 'Persepolis' is a story that brings a new lease of life to the typical coming of age tale, it is sad yet funny, and dark yet light hearted at the best of times. 

Bibliography

Bradshaw, P (2008) 'Persepolis' At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/apr/25/animation.drama Accessed on: 10/03/2017

Illustrations

Figure.1 'Persepolis' (2007) [Poster] At:http://d2vo5twcnd9mdi.cloudfront.net/uploads_b5f24681-afcc-4df7-a325-ea0b5f990b96-936full-persepolis-poster.jpg Accessed on: 10/03/2017

Figure.2 [Film Still] At:http://www.jsbc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/persepolis-8-1064x596.jpg Accessed on: 10/03/2017

Figure.3 [Film Still] At:http://lukecorbin.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/3.jpg Accessed on: 10/03/2017

Maya Tutorial - Dope Sheet Animation

Maya Tutorial - Mental Ray Part 1: Samples and Quality Control

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte Body Study

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte Head Study

Adaptation B - El Mutante De La Muerte

From the 'Daily Character Challenge'  that I set up for myself in previous weeks, I decided upon moving forward with 'Mutant' and 'El Muerto'. A comment left by Alan explaining that the characters heads should have their own personalities that contradict each other is something that caught my attention. I instantly thought of 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde'. Below is another sketch of the character which is now named 'El Mutante de la Muerte' (The Mutant of Death) which shows the idea of a character having two personalities at the same time which within an animation I feel would be interesting. El Muerto is a dark character and I want that to stay a part of the character and have a Universal Monster vibe throughout.