Final Clip

I always seem to post multiple versions of my final videos for 101...

This first version is the one with the actual soundtrack that I wanted, unfortunately I'm still waiting for a reply as to whether or not I can use it :S

And this next one is my backup with a different soundtrack. Markers are to mark me on this one unless I get a reply sometime soon in which case I will delete this version and this comment :S non copyrighted soundtrack (random piano piece recorded by a friend (I swear I couldn't find anything with the right feeling!))

Cough cough, first one, cough cough.

Storyboards

Here are some photos of the butter paper frame drawings which I handed in for my storyboards. Take note of how thick that pile is people! TAKE NOTE!

Note: I have no idea why the hell the third image here is out of place by juuuuust a tad... It refuses to line up!

Design Standpoint

The appeal of media design and animation to me has always been the ability to manipulate reality. To change your world, play up certain aspects of it or just create a whole new one entirely, all from your imagination. In media design, you are only limited by your mind. Physics, biology, chemistry... Their rules mean nothing to you. Under these circumstances you can let your imagination run wild, which is exactly what I want to show for my clip.

Walt Disney once said that “Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive.” This shall be the main theme for my stop-motion where I will show, through animation, the inner workings of the mind of someone who, whilst in the middle of a creative process, projects their ideas onto the real world around them.

I want to show that, through media design, we project our ideas onto the world around us. Of course, every imagination is different. So I decided to have a shot of the character actually drawing creatures into a sketch-book so as to establish that this method of black outline, white block colour drawing is her style of design, thus emphasizing the idea that she is altering the world through her own personal imagination. We can assume that, had the main character actually been someone like Picasso, he would have projected his ideas of the world in a style of cubism with abstract shapes.

An idea of how Picasso may have projected his ideas onto the real world...

Just Disney. (2002). Walt Disney Quotes Continued, On Animation. Retrieved from

http://www.justdisney.com/walt_disney/quotes/quotes02.html

User:"Keb of the Independants". (2011). Picasso. Retrieved June 15 2012 from: http://www.freakingnews.com/Picasso-Pictures---1187.asp

SOUNDTRACK!

Woke up this morning (smiled with the rising sun) to find an email from Karyn in London saying

"Connor, I haven't forgotten about you. Leave with me..."

There ARE gods!!!!

(Should I be worried about the fact that she wants me to leave with her? Where would we go?)

Only took me FOREVER!

Voila tout of mes drawings... When the final clip is posted you will notice that a few haven't been included (such as the ribbon-tailed-moustache-bird, if only it was easier to create...)

Failure...

It feels even worse at midnight when you're already struggling with the fact that you have no coffee... That's the last time that I try to cut corners...

Progress

Done most of the drawing, now I'm just putting them onto the frames...
I used these dragons from my previous practise :P Waste not want not

Difficulties...

Because I'm stupid and decided to go through with the whole "drawing things semi-realistically" idea, I've discovered how hard it is to make the motions look proper and fluid when they are eventually played together...
One of the most difficult parts has been the legs of creatures (watch the long-necekd-plant-eating-herbivore when I post the final video (If I still include the stupid thing!)) You have to keep the body moving at a steady pace and keep some legs at the same point on the ground whilst others stretch to the next step...

And On That Day, No Fun Was Had

Just a little snippet of what I have been doing so far today... Converting my cut video to seperate frames so that it is actually a stop-motion. Can't wait to have to actually draw EVERY FRAME! :/

Only about 600 frames to do... THUG LIFE!!!

Stop Motion Inspiration

Just thought that I should probably share this as it was one of my main sources of inspiration for the drawings interacting with real world idea.

Now what you'll notice with these videos is that they are the complete opposite to my idea... Instead of the imagination coming into her world, it's more like she is going into her imagination world. Nevertheless this mixture of reality and imagination was very inspiring towards my idea.
PS. This is one of my favourite artists!!!

Stupidly Perfect Soundtrack

So since the last update on this I have sent an email back to the advertising agency again (good old Héloïse Hooton) asking if maybe she could give me an email address to follow up on. She gave me the email of someone in the London version of their company (because apparantly their branch haven't worked with Honda for 3 years..) So I emailed this woman Karyn and immediately got an automatic email saying that she was on holiday and giving an alternate email for emergencies. So of course I contacted this next email because THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! I also sent an email to the New Zealand sector (sector?) of Honda cause I figured they would be happy to help someone from their own home...

It's been almost a week... Nothing... FML...

Final Hand-in for "The Joint" Project

I have no idea why I'm typing all of this out... It's not required at all :P But here is what I handed in at the end...

First the abstracted technical drawing showing to movement of the neck. I wanted to portray the idea that the neck isn't only one joint, but multiple joints which all move in their own small part to build into a larger overall range of motion. Technically, there are 7 joints in the cervical section of the vertebrae which make up the neck (labeled C1 to C7), thus the use of seven main steps in the different parts of the drawing.

Pencil does not scan in very well, heaps of construction can't really be seen :'(

This is the final model that  I handed in (just a photo taken from my phone). Once again the labeling of C1 to C7 to tie together the model and drawing.

And these are the two proper final photographs that I handed in. Can't say that I'm happy with them... Still being up at 5AM the morning before hand-in meant that my judgement may not have quite been working as well as usual :P

String Layer Model Developments

First one here where I experimented with balsa wood. Useful for piercing with a needle, too thick and breakable though.

One where I experimented with different string lengths for alternating layers. This caused it to lose it bending aesthetic, which was key in giving an impression of the neck.

Development with a pull out spring mechanism on the inside. Thought it would create tension between the layers similar to the cartilidge and restricted to movement so that it would be too all over the show. Was discouraged to follow this path (keep it simple) 

The Joint Model Concepts

I have been given the neck for my joint to explore. I swear it was the hardest!!! Why couldn't I have had the wrist or the elbow!?!? Glad I don't have the hip though...

Here are my concept models.

And awks for the different shaped one...

Really just concepts, I know they're pretty hideous, DON'T JUDGE ME!!!

Stop Motion Plan

Today has been an amazingly sucesful day. Went out and finally did the filming for my animation with help from my amazing friend Anna. Here is the cut video footage plan which I've quickly put together so I know exactly what I'm doing.

Right at the start went distorted when I exported it and the song went bizzare, but I'm posting it anyway cause this is just a plan and YOLO!

This all still hinges on me getting rights to the song... I think I'll cry if I can't use it...

Also note that I'm probably going to replace the section panning up the tree because of the weird light adjustment...

Soundtrack Again

Gwen Thomas replied and has told me that she doesn't have the rights either... I need to contact Honda. She doesn't seem hopeful for my chances with such a big corporation but hey.... No harm in trying.

Third time's the charm

Soundtrack Update

So I emailed the advertising company which created the Honda ad and have been told that I need to contact the musicians directly as they own the copyright. Just sent an email to Gwen Thomas now, second time's the charm! :P

Locovisual

The Albemarle was built in 1906 and designed by the architect James Bennie. It is an example of Baroque revival built with masonry. The building was originally a hotel, but has been repurposed many times over its history to a brothel, boarding house, sauna and gentlemen’s club.

The overall look of the Albemarle is that of a Baroque design. This can be seen in the alteration of Classical forms such as columns and brackets in a stylistic and superfluous fashion and also in the protruding, octagonal tower/dome which was very popular for Baroque architects. It is often noted though that this building has many other different styles incorporated in to it as well. Examples of this include Doric style on the first floor, Edwardian grouping of ornamentation and Corinthian capitals underneath the crown of the building. This mixture was noted by Charles Fearnley, one of the founders of “Arch Centre”, when he says in his book “Vintage Wellington” (1970) that “the exuberance of decoration more than makes up for any lack of formality."

After its notorious usage as a gentlemen’s club, the building was abandoned. It was bought in 1994 by the Heritage Property Group who stripped the interior and restored the dome, but abandoned the project in 2010 as they could not find a joint venture partner. From then to now it has become covered in graffiti, bird droppings and posters. It was recently sold (over a week ago) to developer Ian Cassels for $82,000, a far cry from the rating value of $1.45 million and a demonstration of the drop in interest for unreinforced, masonry buildings after the recent Canterbury earthquakes.

After buying the property, Cassels said in an interview to the Dominion post that he could remember the Albemarle from the 60’s when it was a brothel. "Back then it was referred to as Heaven, Hell and Petticoat Junction I used to ask my father about it and never got a straight answer, but there were always girls hanging around it in the early hours of Saturday morning."

1906

Now

Fearnley, C. (1970). Vintage Wellington. Wellington: John McIndoe Limited.

Heritage Buildings Search: Albemarle Hotel. (2012). Retrieved May 28, 2012, from Wellington City Council: http://wellington.govt.nz/services/heritage/details.php?id=264&m=search&street=ghuznee

Cassels, I. (2012, May 23). Developer pays $820,000 for quake-prone brothel . (H. SCHOUTEN, Interviewer)

(Built 1906). The Albemarle Hotel. Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved May 29 2012 from: http://wellington.govt.nz/services/heritage/enlarge_image.php?id=264&i=1