Comps, Characters & Sound Effects

Well, here we are again; another week, another blog. This week has been a little bit of everything as far as movie “phases.” With the primary CC (color correction) done, I have been simultaneously working on the sound design and making refining tweaks to the edit. Everything from frying pans to the Pit itself must be simulated, recorded, and integrated into the scene. Sometimes a recording is too good, too clear, and you must make it grungier, with more noise or echo, so that it fits the environment. On a related note, we are on the hunt for some good ominous voice actors to play the non-actor characters, (specifically a narrator and two CGI characters,) as well as a voice for the lead Bein Sidh, Hunter.

 In the visuals department we have completed the shot where a Bein Sidh phases through a car, and comped Hunter into another shot. We also got to experiment with interactive lighting related to one of our green screen shots from a few weeks back, (I’ll leave you to guess which one.) A wild experiment with black fire also generated a very intriguing effect that may see more use in the near future. Unfortunately we do not have any screen captures from the work this week, but maybe our web lady will post some more BTS shots this week. Who knows :)

The Plane, The Mesh and The Vertice

Hey, 3D animation department here.

            In order to give the director and web person a break, I volunteered to do today's post. (Must have been one of my crazy moments.) So, I'm taking this chance to ramble on about planes and vertices and explain to you something of what I do.

            3D animation, the art of making what isn't there there. It can be frustrating as well as fun and exciting. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to strangle the computer I was working on. The only problem being it was a laptop and had no neck. 

            One of the simpler projects I am working on is a metallic, three dimensional version of the Othersight symbol (image 1). After several failed attempts at replicating it in different ways. I discovered how to place the image we used for our shirts in the background of my animation software's interface (image 4). Ah, the wonders of YouTube. (Note to all would be animators: YouTube and other places are overflowing with people who have gone before us and recorded it for our benefit. Make use of these sources if possible. They make our work infinitely easier.)

            After getting the image in place it was a simple matter of trimming and shaping a flat plane's mesh to fit the image. (Mesh is what everything in the 3D animation world is made of.) (image 3) Then extruding it upwards into a 3D image (kind of like those dough machines some of us had as kids,) and beveling the edges. (image 2) 

            Next stop, lighting and reflection....

Seeing Green

Well, this week has been productive. In between the color correction passes we have finished the floating rocks effect and shot some green screen footage with one of our actors.  The last of our ADR (Additional Dialog Recording) was also completed on Monday. This is the week that made me miss being behind the camera, shooting the project with these amazing people. But, like any good filmmaker, I am already planning for the next project. I know, I know, we haven’t even finished this one, but that’s the way we are. Always with a vision, always with another story. The curse of enjoying what you do. :)

 

Slow n' Steady

 Okay, officially, this week has been so crazy that there isn't much to report. However, we are still making good, steady progress forward. Color correction is still being done to the the film. Special effects are also in the works. At present, we are trying to make floating rocks look realistic :). And, we have some ADR (additional dialogue recording) scheduled for today. 

Have a happy New Year!