Major Project- So Research begins

Having pretty much the main idea decided I began to research many aspects of the animation, just so the world I am creating becomes believable as well as understanding what gags can be applied to the world of the animation.
Firstly I decided to sketch up a quick diagram containing a lot of the research I have been looking into, this will allow me to quickly look at my body of research for further reference. This is a organised way of displaying the influences for my animation.

Being a diagram it will allow me also to add any more titles in each respective aspect. From this onward, research i-depth can be done and the creation of influence maps to visualise these works is imperative.

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Major Project: Tutorial #1 w/ Phil- Deciding on the Final Idea

This week was the first individual tutorial for the major project, Individual tutorials are great, to receive feedback and talk about our project with someone who is looking at it in an objective manner.

Thus, this first week I took with me the initial ideas for the transcription of the audio just so me and Phil could discuss these ideas. Phil's first comment was regarding the need of having 2 or 3 characters, after some discussion ideas began to float in the room and by the end of the session I was very happy with how the story was beginning to form. By using the idea with the French patissier, me and Phil began to narrow the story down.

The outcome of the meeting was something like as follows:

Final Idea: Adaptation of Paul Mottram- Capriccio 5 Animation


                                             Paul Mottram- Capriccio5

Main Characters:

A French Patissier

Location:

Patisserie Shop in the Heart of Paris, The Cake World.

Period:

1900s

Length of the Animation

1 min to 1.10min.

Actions on the music:

The Pastry Chef decorates the wedding cake, adds the cream, chocolate, cherries, wedding toppers, etc.... (specific ideas to have).

A Patisserie Shop in the heart of Paris is home of one of the most talented patissiers in whole France. The Patissier is recognized by his exceptional sets of skills in making and decorating wedding cakes. Having a new cake on order, this animation will follow the patisserie decorating one of the most beautiful wedding cakes he ever created. The patissier is so concentrated and joyful making the cake that his real world merges with the “cake” world, as he decorates layer by layer the wedding cake. From adding the cream to placing the ribbons, the incredibly happy patissier interacts with his “cake” world in which the actions of the real world will be transported to the fictional delicious world according to the music. At the end, when the patisserie arrives to the top of the cake he vows to the wedding toppers in a sign of consideration, icing sugar is then splashed onto the scene and we return to the real world, where the Patissier is posing next to this most stunning cake.

As you may see the main difference from the previous ideas, is that the story was narrowed to have one character only. It is also changed in the animation formula. In this final idea, we follow the journey of this magnificent pastry chef as he creates the most beautiful cake. To have a less linear story and create dynamism, the audience will be transported between 2 world, the real world and the "cake" world ( the patissier imagination), this will allow me to play with transitions and have fun animate the character and his environments. Finally, unlike the other animation where it was competition which would end in a gag, this version of the idea is mainly a feel good animation, in which the character is entertaining the audience from the beginning until the end .

Surely, This it the initial version of the final idea, therefore more development will be done in the following week, however for now I can begin the research and the designing stages.

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@Phil. Major Project: Proposal

Although I have written something similar to a proposal on the previous posts, here is an official document, in which you can perceive what I want to achieve and learn with this last project.

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Major Project- Initial Adaptation

Earlier this week, I have posted a few audio samples that I could use to do an adaptation. So I have listen to them carefully and decided to focus on one in particular.

                                 Paul Mottram- Capriccio5

With the choice done, I began to gather a few ideas giving my own interpretation of the sound. The audio sample to me evokes a lot of actions, but also a sense of competition between 2 characters. which ends in a tragically funny way. One of the animations who comes to my mind is the One Man Band - produced by Pixar.

This song is licensed by audionetwork however, by paying a minimal sum of money, I am able to get a license to use in educational purposes and festivals.

I was able to gather 2 ideas that give my initial interpretation of the music sample.

Based on the:

Paul Mottram- Capriccio 5

1^st idea

Main Characters:

2 Patisseries ( 1 French and 1 Italian).

Secondary Character:

The Shortest Prince

Location: 

The Royal Kitchen- French Royalty

Period: 

1800s to 1850s (Monarchy)

Length of the Animation

 1 min to 1.10min.

Actions on the riffs: 

making the batter, cooking the cake, decorating the cake, etc.... (specific ideas to have).

It is a royal moment, it is a royal wedding!! the prince is getting married and he is deciding on his wedding cake, therefore he decides to hire two patisseries to make the tallest wedding cake. The two patisseries, 1 French and 1 Italian, are well known for their set of skills and their quality of work. However they also know each other and have been in many rivalries in the past to gain recognition.

In order to impress the prince the 2 patisseries commence to make the cakes to impress the prince, although their dispute begins amiable, as the song gets tenser their competition gets stronger.. As the cake gets taller their dispute gets very intense in the end as the song finishes the cake falls on the top of the prince.(off camera) After credits shot is the prince covered in cream and chocolate and on the side is a tall destroyed cake in the shape of his princess.

Animation Formula:

1. Present the Problem (Competition)
2. The dispute starts
3. Tension grows between the 2 characters as they attempt to get attention from the prince.
4. The tension of the competition is high.
5. Boiling Point
6. Funny Gag
7. End
8. After Credits Gag.

2^nd Idea

Main characters:

2 Mime Artists

Location: 

Street Theatre in France

Period: 

Beginning of the 20^th century

Length of the Animation

1 min to 1.10min.

Actions on the riffs:

 2 Characters begin to lose character they use instruments to attack each other.

A Street Theatre open in the heart of Paris, a new mime artist is the main attraction, however the other mime left out the spectacle attempts to regain is position by sabotaging the new mime's performance. The 2 mimes enter in a dispute to gain the attention of the crowd. They compete on stage via pantomime in their character. Music evokes dispute and tension builds, 2 mime artist begin to lose character and use instruments instead of pretending using them. With the boiling point approaching the 2 characters destroy the theatre set. In the end the curtain falls on them.

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Major Project: Organisation is the Key

Indeed, in order to succeed in this project i will have to plan the following 15 weeks very carefully, I will have to juggle the project with outside work, and any other projects/ commissions which may appear. therefore I have once again planned an initial timetable and a project list to guide me and help me eat the huge elephant slice by slice.

While the project list will help me identify the jobs that need doing, in each crucial stage of the pipeline, the timetable will allow me to realistically achieve each tasks in the time set.

 As a matter of fact, this initial timetable is a very optimistic one, but at least it will help me know what I want to achieve each week. 

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Major Project- Initial Audio Ideas I

In order to begin this project, some sort of research on the audio I want to use needs to be done. Having chosen to use an audio as the foundation of the animation and then build my character and acting from it, I decided to look at different types of audio, such as film scenes, speeches or audio samples.

So here is a list of the ones I found more appropriate to work with.

Speeches

Winston Churchill- Finest Hour

Via: Free Info Society

Hank Aaron- Address to Congress

Via: Free Info Society

Robert Frost- Fire and Ice

Via: Free Info Society

Movie Scenes

Frankenstein- It's Alive Scene.

On the Waterfront- Marlon Brando-  I Coulda Been a Contender Scene

Taken - Liam Nesson-  Phone Scene

Via: Youtube




Audio Samples

Robert Bruce-Fairys Jig

Paul Mottram- Capriccio5

Christopher Ashmore- Taking the Pizzicato

Via: Audio Network

Thus far, I have 9 choices to work from, therefore the next step is to narrow my choices and focus on getting an idea for at least three audio. This will allow me to focus and better choose something. 

At such early stage of the project, I will also look at other forms of outcome for this project. 

So keep tuned!! 

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Major Project: The Beginning of the End

Indeed, It is finally the final project of my education career. Looking back this 3 years went so fast that i still remember the first project when I hadnt have any experience in Maya software. I think the veterans of the 3rd year are getting old.
Thus, the last project begins. Since the middle of the 2nd year, I found what I want to do as my career, character designer and ultimately a character animator. Therefore this project will serve to improve these same skills.

Here is the initial proposal list for this project.
This proposal list explains the things I want to achieve and focus in this project and how I am attempting to do it.

What do I want to do ?

Character Design, Character Modelling, Character Sculpting, Character Animation.

What I do not want to do?

Detailed Storyboards, 3 Act Structure Narratives, Vast environments.

What is the focus ?

Character exploration, design, production and animation of maximum 2 characters. They will be modelled, rigged and animated according to a transcription of a speech, a monologue or music.

What will be the main learning skills?

Perfecting my character design skills , as well as modelling and texturing. Understand and learn fully the character production pipeline, emphasizing on character sculpting and animation. Time spent on the project will be concentrated on designing the character and having the character giving a performance.

What will be the outcome?

Ultimately, the main objective of this project will be, to have maximum 2 characters fully designed and transported into the world of 3D, who are able to give a funny performance and entertain the audience.

With this list presented, here is an example in order to visualise my idea.

The 11 Second Club Competition

Via: 11 Second Club, Youtube

Via: 11 Second Club, Youtube

Similarly the 11 Second Club, I am aiming to get a movie scene, speech, monologue or music, either audio or written, and interpret my own way. I want to focus on a 30 second fully animated performance giving by one or 2 characters. Unlikely this competition, my character will be fully designed and produced in 3D by me.

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