Framing the next sequence

A couple days spent framing the next sequence of shots, adding and creating elements and actors I'm going to need, based on existing models where possible, to save time.

Command bunker exterior - destroyed

Today's effort: destroying this command bunker



Not bad for a few hours work modifying my existing, non destroyed, bunker and adding debris.

The fires are just for show, although they do animate so maybe I'll keep them in the final comp, but there will definitely be fire particle effects generated in particle illusion and added with after effects, in the final shot.

Here's what the place looks like before half of a fully loaded bomber wing crashes into it:

Waiting for after effects to render

Ah, rendering. my favourite time of the day.
Down below you'll see after effects churning away at today's shots
25 seconds of new shots, to fill in some gaps in my latest sequence.

After Effects is a lot slower when processing 16 bits per pixel vs 8 bits, but the payoff is worth it: no banding in areas with wide, smooth gradients, especially once you convert to divx.































Now, I don't get 25 seconds of shots done every day. I had to model all the interior and exterior of the command bunker for these shots, and that took a week, off and on, due to my laziness and also having to reinstall windows after my system drive crashed.

But these shots are done now and tomorrow it's more 3D modeling. Off to bed, and after effects can slave away all night

Blogger Blagger

In honour of my new account on Blogger, a video of the best commodore 64 game ever, Blagger

Storyboreds

I call them storyboreds, because I'm usually bored at work when I do these. Nothing too elaborate here, although the color is a nice touch to make elements stand out. You'd think I'd catch sh** for doing this at work, eh? One of the (few) benefits of working in a call center.

These are shots from an air battle sequence. Following the advice of mdotstrange I did these on a stack of recipe cards. Doing 3 frames on a card lets me convey a sequence easier than doing 1 large frame per card, and once I have enough cards done, it's mix and match time until I get a sequence that makes sense. Fill in the gaps here and there, and i can build a sequence up over time.

Ok, let's try embedding a youtube video

Hey, wow, they make it almost too easy

Archon Defender Sept 2007 trailer

Music by Pax Nipponica

woot! first post!

Ah, first post here. Not much to say at the moment but this is intended to be a progress log of my... progress... on my film.

So here we go:


My latest shot:
Zpl Com Signal Command Bunker

3D max shot mockup, I'll render in layers and add in effects such as moving displays on the big grid panels, and on the grey little monitor displays in the background, using After Effects. Pretty simple shot, although it took ridiculously long to set up for the amount of time it appears in the film (20 seconds max)

In the meantime, while I'm being lazy and getting more posts together here, check out some of my youtube videos on the sidebar.