I decided to give "sanctuary" a try and the actor who plays Todd in SGA is in it playing two separate characters and he uses his Todd voice for both, one with his real face....its odd.
Basically the program is based around a facility run by Amanda Tappings character called the sanctuary were she house creature needing shelter, helps the one who have problems and imprisons the dangerous ones. She recruits a doctor of forensics and phycology for he impressive observational skills and he unrealized ties to the creatures she protects. along with Tappings daughter, a techy caretaker and a big foot butler they go out into the world investigating, trapping and containing monsters.
So much CG, not really for the creatures but almost every bit of the set and allot of the environment. Most of it is benign background CG and can go unnoticed but some elements are on the screen far too long for you to not realize it and allot of the "Hero assets" could do with a bit more work though they could argue that it is ment to seem magically unnatural.
Additions:
I keep seeing plot points and even a whole episode stolen from stargate
(SPOILERS)(SPOILERS)(SPOILERS)(SPOILERS)
Quick summary of my thoughts so far to be updated when i watch new episode or if I remember something worth noting.
Episode 1-2
It was a fair introduction, while still leaving questions unanswered to keep you wanting to know. It was a bit predictable with some of the story elements but i was entertained anyway.
Episode 3
A bit vanilla but introduces some shadow villains.
Episode 5
When you think about how much this episode would cost they did amazing entertainment to cost.
I Liked the "who dun it" approach but it seemed to end abruptly compared to the buildup.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Icarus base
For anyone who dosnt know icarus base if t facility that is destroyed in the first episode of Stargate Universe, I had a unexpected day off ad that to the fact steve mentioned maya and me a liam were talking about SGU last night I decided it was a good opportunity for a bit of practice.
Icarus base is only show briefly and in small parts so i have enough imagery to figure out what everything is suppose to look like but have plenty of artistic license.
Obviously i didn't get the whole thing done in a day though, this is were im at:
Icarus base is only show briefly and in small parts so i have enough imagery to figure out what everything is suppose to look like but have plenty of artistic license.
Obviously i didn't get the whole thing done in a day though, this is were im at:
Monday, October 12, 2009
Why did she have to call him Bruno?
This is Bruno aged 3 months,now aged 5 months hes fully house trained but still a little bugger.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
My new camera
New camera it dose video and pictures, 4gb memory, smaller then a pack of gum straight from the factory in Hong Kong. Now i dont have to cary a normal sized camera with me everywhere especially when im out on a night, it fits it that little jean pocket :)
heres a pic of my sis off it
heres a pic of my sis off it
Friday, June 5, 2009
Time managment
I used multiple programs and a paper chart on my wall but with the amount of changed i made they all endeup diffrent but dispite this my paper version was constly updatde and kept me on track, carring it with me realy helped.
BSG Paper
I am still in the middle of reading (getting my head round) this paper
Subversive Subjectivity in Battlestar Galactica
Jason W. Ellis
HERE: http://www.litsciarts.org/slsa07/slsa07-193.pdf
Subversive Subjectivity in Battlestar Galactica
Jason W. Ellis
HERE: http://www.litsciarts.org/slsa07/slsa07-193.pdf
Why those props
There is a reason i made those specific props as-well as the fact that out of the list these were on the side of the easiest to make in the materials i have available.
ROCKET LAUNCHER - Large and easy recognizable also a good prop to be carried around.
GRENADE LAUNCHER - Easy to make but complicated looking.
IRONMAN MASK - easy to recognizes, movie related and something from a film i like.
HALO SPIKER - Something from a game not a film.
HALO MASK - Something from a game not a film and the iconic prop of the game.
REPLICATOR BLOCKS - From a TV seres and simple to practice my molding skills.
TELEPORTER - this never god built but it was the closest thing to set design i wanted to do
COMPUTERS - I made these but decided to use 3D models instead.
ROCKET LAUNCHER - Large and easy recognizable also a good prop to be carried around.
GRENADE LAUNCHER - Easy to make but complicated looking.
IRONMAN MASK - easy to recognizes, movie related and something from a film i like.
HALO SPIKER - Something from a game not a film.
HALO MASK - Something from a game not a film and the iconic prop of the game.
REPLICATOR BLOCKS - From a TV seres and simple to practice my molding skills.
TELEPORTER - this never god built but it was the closest thing to set design i wanted to do
COMPUTERS - I made these but decided to use 3D models instead.
SL
In the end my SL build was really good for the theory side of my work but didn't help at-all with my actual final work.
Miniatures
For my last project i had a go with miniature sets, this time i made miniatures of some of my props not that they were sutabl for the final work.
Colorista
On CGsociety i was suggested "Colorista" as a good colour treatment add-on for After Effects though even the most current version couldn't handle adjustments on complex layers and coursed my AE to crash often.
Bond films
Because i was basing the project on a bond scene i decided i should put some better research into the films as i had only seen 3 or 4. i got all the films and watched every one then every behind the scenes i could find including the special features for "quantum of solace" which i haven't seen yet.
I also watched a film called "get smart" witch is a comerdy based on the 1965 tvs seres with the same name.
Summary
I downloaded at watched the old series and loved the old style spy props that failed so brilliantly.
I also watched a film called "get smart" witch is a comerdy based on the 1965 tvs seres with the same name.
Summary
Maxwell Smart is a bumbling secret agent, assigned by his "Chief" to foil KAOS' latest plans for taking over the world. Invariably, Smart's bumbling detective style lands him in hot water. Lucky for him, his faithful assistant "99" is there to bail him out.
I downloaded at watched the old series and loved the old style spy props that failed so brilliantly.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Painting props
The props themself have tagut me everything i wanted to learn from the basic construction to wirien, final touches and apinting. i have not finshed off the prop because i didnt want to rush them so the would be presentable for the end of year show.
All my props were built on a total budget of 10 pound (for paint and solvents) with 100% recycled materials
If i had had the money everything would have been made from smooth cast liquid plastic (30 pound a packeage would have needed aprox 13 packets) with wood frames and i would have liked to buy and solder all my own electronics rather the scavenge them from old toys.
All my props were built on a total budget of 10 pound (for paint and solvents) with 100% recycled materials
If i had had the money everything would have been made from smooth cast liquid plastic (30 pound a packeage would have needed aprox 13 packets) with wood frames and i would have liked to buy and solder all my own electronics rather the scavenge them from old toys.
Halo Helmet
Jenny sculpted this helmet from drawing in clay (doing a dam good job at it too) after it was finished we made a mold of it in a silicon rubber called "brush-on 50" that has a high shore strength. This kind of mold also needs a "mother mold" as a frame to hold the shape when casting made in three parts. after this was all set we removed the clay part from the mold, then jenny hollow cast (roto casting) the helmet in a fast setting plastic, 5 hours later and the helmet was a paint job away from being complete.
Stills
The first two still need some final touches but the rest are finished. Bare in mind all these images are at higher then video res. The first photos i took were aligned right and nicely framed but this made them too easy to edit so i didn't try to frame and align the shots right for these so they were just off slightly enough to force me to fined different was to work with them.
I extended the wall to cover a door way, this i did with a blended 3D wall pice instead of just editing it out so that if it was a show with a changing angle the 3D could move with it. I added posters and light adjusted the scene to make the glow on the per-specs seem more real then it really is.
I image tinted the windows and adjusted the light and reflections accordingly. I tinted the computer setup and added a "non-standard space time". I extended the desk to give more work space.
This scene has a set extension, moving the pipes and windows to make more wall space. There are also 3D mdoels of the computer display and plug sockets.
This scene has a set extension out of the window. As well as the posters the is a 3d engine with shadows that actually reflects the room.
As well as changing the colours of the door i have also removed the windows and have the new front on a movable layer in AE so that it would still work if it was a moving image. Poster on both both walls were added and the shadows on the left were matched from the wall. There was a poster hanging in the background which i replaced with my business card.
This is the Stargate model mapped in with the shadow adjusted for the light in the room. A mix of poster were added to the wall most of them are photoshopped fakes from the web but the bottom one is a test of mine were aliens attack Leeds university.
In this scene the cup, files, pens, ruler and rubber are 3D. I extended the scene elements by adding another table and extending the carpet matching the texture. I added a poster the added text to the papers in the scene.
The plugs, wire covers and set outside the window are all 3D. I added the poster and warning sign the adjusted the artificial light for the still.
There is no 3D in this shot just posters, window tints and subtle changes like the removal of the desk join and the paper wrk being changed. Most of the work in this scene is in the light changes and the subtle reflections like the one on the upright wakom, all are matched to the new windows.
The posters on the wall corrected for the light then the edge shadows and i added 2 3D handles and inserted 2 pipes.
I extended the wall to cover a door way, this i did with a blended 3D wall pice instead of just editing it out so that if it was a show with a changing angle the 3D could move with it. I added posters and light adjusted the scene to make the glow on the per-specs seem more real then it really is.
I image tinted the windows and adjusted the light and reflections accordingly. I tinted the computer setup and added a "non-standard space time". I extended the desk to give more work space.
This scene has a set extension, moving the pipes and windows to make more wall space. There are also 3D mdoels of the computer display and plug sockets.
This scene has a set extension out of the window. As well as the posters the is a 3d engine with shadows that actually reflects the room.
As well as changing the colours of the door i have also removed the windows and have the new front on a movable layer in AE so that it would still work if it was a moving image. Poster on both both walls were added and the shadows on the left were matched from the wall. There was a poster hanging in the background which i replaced with my business card.
This is the Stargate model mapped in with the shadow adjusted for the light in the room. A mix of poster were added to the wall most of them are photoshopped fakes from the web but the bottom one is a test of mine were aliens attack Leeds university.
In this scene the cup, files, pens, ruler and rubber are 3D. I extended the scene elements by adding another table and extending the carpet matching the texture. I added a poster the added text to the papers in the scene.
The plugs, wire covers and set outside the window are all 3D. I added the poster and warning sign the adjusted the artificial light for the still.
There is no 3D in this shot just posters, window tints and subtle changes like the removal of the desk join and the paper wrk being changed. Most of the work in this scene is in the light changes and the subtle reflections like the one on the upright wakom, all are matched to the new windows.
The posters on the wall corrected for the light then the edge shadows and i added 2 3D handles and inserted 2 pipes.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Evaluation
Proposal
Final major project title: “pay attention 007”
My area of interest is CG effect for TV and film. I would like to work on the team that takes all the footage and along with the script makes and composites in all the special effects. Shot like a scene from a film it will be a “James bond” “Qs laboratory” kind of shot with gadgets and weapon testing. This will be realized in a playable HD video scene. I want to do it in this format to let me have a full scenes worth of work and with the exception of some prop making I will not have to do a lot of work out side of my area of interest meaning less time filming, directing, acting ect. This project will let me have a environment were because there in the same environment throughout I can use many effects and still be able to give them the attention they need. I plan to film this in one of the workshops in college meaning that I will have a set and that I will be able to use the best cameras available and shoot the best quality I can. As well as the technical side of trying these new skills out and making them blend together the is the opportunity to deconstruct film effects and breakdown the way the professionally done. Along with the final video there will be some kind of physical prop or props (most probably the ones used for the effects) that will be displayed with the video in the exhibition as if it was a real films preview.
Final Major Project Evaluation
From this Project I was hoping to get a wider SFX/VFX knowledge, building my own props gave me an understanding of, how much all the materials, adhesives and chemicals for models and final pieces cost. I also learned how to use a nice range of materials including specifically the ones used in industry as well as the amount of time it takes to make props from the sculpting stage right up to final painting including all the setting times.
I also wanted to get a more professional insight into the health and safety of SFX and filming, a couple risk assessments for filming and after several cuts, a couple adhesive accidents and eye full of plastic shavings I think I understand some of the unexpected risks as well as the obvious ones.
I feel I finally perfected my workflow, file organization and backing up as well as maximizing my productivity will behind the scene renders and render layers.
As with every project I do I try to learn new skills in After Effects like Motion tracking, colour correction, set matt etc. I also tried a couple add-ons for After Effects that were supposed to help with the corrections and blending like colorista, though I found it easier and got better results from using a combination of adjustment layers with multiple effects working in tangent.
As always try to improve me existing skills one of the ways I did this was not to take “perfect” shots, I didn’t make my alignments in the original images perfectly parallel because of this it meant I could just used square and line selection and it gave interesting pixel burs I hat ton match just like in moving image.
Originally I was going to film the set in one continuous pass and have my actors working away in 3 separate levels different distances from the camera and green screen pout the window for a virtual set extension were I could have another actor weapon testing.
I decided I wanted a specific room because it contained all the elements I needed for my shot, booking this room was hard to do as the room was two conjoining room and I needed both to give me filming space.
I also had a lot of problems with finding actors starting with simply not knowing were to get people to work for free and not knowing when I would be able to get the room. After I found some places I could not find anyone who fit the part.
Another problem with my project is motion tracking, pushing the dolly on the track manually cant give the shot a steady moving pace to map in Maya, there is a certain amount that you can manually motion track in After Effects but I didn’t want to risk this. I decided to use a motor to keep a steady pace, I decided to make my own motion control but while I was building it someone suggested using the lego unfortunately it was not available the day I wanted to film.
My final piece if formatted like a show reel, showing before and after still shots and video turntable of my 3d models fading from wireframe/ clay render to the textured model. The video shows all the VFX elements that would have been in the one shot I had planned to make.
I have decided to put more time props to make them presentable for the show because there is quite a difference between what looks good on screen in passing and what looks good in person.
I have made stills that can be printed and displayed for the end of year show, I will also make more after I hand this in so that there is a grater selection of which to display.As my work is, it could go on the show reel but I hope to get more work done and do a recut to put in the show reel with some more of my work to be in the show.
From this project I got a better understanding of SFX/VFX and an insight into the workings of how every part of the film process is done, I feel I have learned all the partial knowledge I can from this project and any thing else would have to come from “real” world experience. Though this projects research I also got a better understanding of my place.
I would with the skills I have now used any room in the college as I could now make any of them work as I am no longer restricted buy the “actually” environment. As well as getting actual actors so that I could have made an actual scene even though in industry I will be realizing the final piece not making it from the ground up. I would have liked to build my own motion controller or at least tried out how versatile the lego is in that job. It also would have been nice to see my sound design work fully realized even if I was aiming for a subtle overlookable style.
Over all I am happy with the work I have done and the level of skills I have at the end. Mostly form the research I have done I am now more confident in leaving education and entering the industry. Like every project there are a hundred extra thing is would like to have done but I will now do those in my own time and add to my portfolio. From this project I have the final set of skills I need for my area of work and I know not only know that there is never an end to learning but im happy with were I am on the scale.
Final major project title: “pay attention 007”
My area of interest is CG effect for TV and film. I would like to work on the team that takes all the footage and along with the script makes and composites in all the special effects. Shot like a scene from a film it will be a “James bond” “Qs laboratory” kind of shot with gadgets and weapon testing. This will be realized in a playable HD video scene. I want to do it in this format to let me have a full scenes worth of work and with the exception of some prop making I will not have to do a lot of work out side of my area of interest meaning less time filming, directing, acting ect. This project will let me have a environment were because there in the same environment throughout I can use many effects and still be able to give them the attention they need. I plan to film this in one of the workshops in college meaning that I will have a set and that I will be able to use the best cameras available and shoot the best quality I can. As well as the technical side of trying these new skills out and making them blend together the is the opportunity to deconstruct film effects and breakdown the way the professionally done. Along with the final video there will be some kind of physical prop or props (most probably the ones used for the effects) that will be displayed with the video in the exhibition as if it was a real films preview.
Final Major Project Evaluation
From this Project I was hoping to get a wider SFX/VFX knowledge, building my own props gave me an understanding of, how much all the materials, adhesives and chemicals for models and final pieces cost. I also learned how to use a nice range of materials including specifically the ones used in industry as well as the amount of time it takes to make props from the sculpting stage right up to final painting including all the setting times.
I also wanted to get a more professional insight into the health and safety of SFX and filming, a couple risk assessments for filming and after several cuts, a couple adhesive accidents and eye full of plastic shavings I think I understand some of the unexpected risks as well as the obvious ones.
I feel I finally perfected my workflow, file organization and backing up as well as maximizing my productivity will behind the scene renders and render layers.
As with every project I do I try to learn new skills in After Effects like Motion tracking, colour correction, set matt etc. I also tried a couple add-ons for After Effects that were supposed to help with the corrections and blending like colorista, though I found it easier and got better results from using a combination of adjustment layers with multiple effects working in tangent.
As always try to improve me existing skills one of the ways I did this was not to take “perfect” shots, I didn’t make my alignments in the original images perfectly parallel because of this it meant I could just used square and line selection and it gave interesting pixel burs I hat ton match just like in moving image.
Originally I was going to film the set in one continuous pass and have my actors working away in 3 separate levels different distances from the camera and green screen pout the window for a virtual set extension were I could have another actor weapon testing.
I decided I wanted a specific room because it contained all the elements I needed for my shot, booking this room was hard to do as the room was two conjoining room and I needed both to give me filming space.
I also had a lot of problems with finding actors starting with simply not knowing were to get people to work for free and not knowing when I would be able to get the room. After I found some places I could not find anyone who fit the part.
Another problem with my project is motion tracking, pushing the dolly on the track manually cant give the shot a steady moving pace to map in Maya, there is a certain amount that you can manually motion track in After Effects but I didn’t want to risk this. I decided to use a motor to keep a steady pace, I decided to make my own motion control but while I was building it someone suggested using the lego unfortunately it was not available the day I wanted to film.
My final piece if formatted like a show reel, showing before and after still shots and video turntable of my 3d models fading from wireframe/ clay render to the textured model. The video shows all the VFX elements that would have been in the one shot I had planned to make.
I have decided to put more time props to make them presentable for the show because there is quite a difference between what looks good on screen in passing and what looks good in person.
I have made stills that can be printed and displayed for the end of year show, I will also make more after I hand this in so that there is a grater selection of which to display.As my work is, it could go on the show reel but I hope to get more work done and do a recut to put in the show reel with some more of my work to be in the show.
From this project I got a better understanding of SFX/VFX and an insight into the workings of how every part of the film process is done, I feel I have learned all the partial knowledge I can from this project and any thing else would have to come from “real” world experience. Though this projects research I also got a better understanding of my place.
I would with the skills I have now used any room in the college as I could now make any of them work as I am no longer restricted buy the “actually” environment. As well as getting actual actors so that I could have made an actual scene even though in industry I will be realizing the final piece not making it from the ground up. I would have liked to build my own motion controller or at least tried out how versatile the lego is in that job. It also would have been nice to see my sound design work fully realized even if I was aiming for a subtle overlookable style.
Over all I am happy with the work I have done and the level of skills I have at the end. Mostly form the research I have done I am now more confident in leaving education and entering the industry. Like every project there are a hundred extra thing is would like to have done but I will now do those in my own time and add to my portfolio. From this project I have the final set of skills I need for my area of work and I know not only know that there is never an end to learning but im happy with were I am on the scale.
Time management and multitasking
With time sheets and scheduling as well as running MAYA, MAYA Render, AE and photoshop i created an apically fast workflow and i produced work at a faster then usual rate, on the downside my i had an epic Heating issue. i hat to use smc fan control and an external fan to keep my comp bellow 50 degrees.
Health and safety
Film and Television Guidelines
My work was filmed inside college distantly limiting the number of potential hazards, i looked into the health and safety guidelines for film, most of the were concerned with thing far out of my league like helicopter safety and fair treatment of stunt animals.
Good Health and safety recourses:
http://www.filmsafety.ca/guidelines.html
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg360.pdf
In passed projects i have had to cover most common Safety problems like cables, weighting equipment etc
Thankfully i didn't have to cover all these:
Guideline No. 1 Communication Regarding Hazardous Procedures
Guideline No. 2 Seat Belts and Harnesses for Vehicles and Roll Cages
Guideline No. 3 Gasoline-Operated Equipment
Guideline No. 4 Hazardous Materials (WHMIS)
Guideline No. 5 Underwater Stunts and Underwater Film Operations
Guideline No. 6 Skydiving
Guideline No. 7 "High Fall"
Guideline No. 8 Animal Handling
Guideline No. 9 Use of Exotic Venomous Reptiles
Guideline No. 10 Multiple Dressing Room Units
Guideline No. 11 Smoke Inhalation Guidelines
Guideline No. 12 Explosives and/or Pyrotechnics
Guideline No. 13 Electrical Safety
Guideline No. 14 Scaffolding and Mobile Elevating Equipment
Guideline No. 15 Helicopters
Guideline No. 16 Fixed-Wing Aircraft
Guideline No. 17 Insert Camera Cars
Guideline No. 18 Use of Firearms
Guideline No. 19 Camera Cranes
Guideline No. 20 Water Hazards
Guideline No. 21 Open Flames
Guideline No. 22 Child Performers' Code: Recorded Performances
Guideline No. 23 Motorcycles
Guideline No. 24 Hair and Make-up
Guideline No. 25 Locations and Temporary Location Facilities
Guideline No. 26 Water Locations, Small Craft/Vessel and at Dockside
Guideline No. 27 Use of Propane
My work was filmed inside college distantly limiting the number of potential hazards, i looked into the health and safety guidelines for film, most of the were concerned with thing far out of my league like helicopter safety and fair treatment of stunt animals.
Good Health and safety recourses:
http://www.filmsafety.ca/guidelines.html
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg360.pdf
In passed projects i have had to cover most common Safety problems like cables, weighting equipment etc
Thankfully i didn't have to cover all these:
Guideline No. 1 Communication Regarding Hazardous Procedures
Guideline No. 2 Seat Belts and Harnesses for Vehicles and Roll Cages
Guideline No. 3 Gasoline-Operated Equipment
Guideline No. 4 Hazardous Materials (WHMIS)
Guideline No. 5 Underwater Stunts and Underwater Film Operations
Guideline No. 6 Skydiving
Guideline No. 7 "High Fall"
Guideline No. 8 Animal Handling
Guideline No. 9 Use of Exotic Venomous Reptiles
Guideline No. 10 Multiple Dressing Room Units
Guideline No. 11 Smoke Inhalation Guidelines
Guideline No. 12 Explosives and/or Pyrotechnics
Guideline No. 13 Electrical Safety
Guideline No. 14 Scaffolding and Mobile Elevating Equipment
Guideline No. 15 Helicopters
Guideline No. 16 Fixed-Wing Aircraft
Guideline No. 17 Insert Camera Cars
Guideline No. 18 Use of Firearms
Guideline No. 19 Camera Cranes
Guideline No. 20 Water Hazards
Guideline No. 21 Open Flames
Guideline No. 22 Child Performers' Code: Recorded Performances
Guideline No. 23 Motorcycles
Guideline No. 24 Hair and Make-up
Guideline No. 25 Locations and Temporary Location Facilities
Guideline No. 26 Water Locations, Small Craft/Vessel and at Dockside
Guideline No. 27 Use of Propane
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Unreal
While working on this image, after editing in a couple broom a light switch, a sign and some posters i realized one of my 3d elements looked off so i stated adjusting it then i realized its actually in the image. I am talking about the mop handle at the bottom of the picture it looks 3d..or i might just have been looking at i to close for to long.
R & D
Just figured i would put the parts of my R&D that i haven't poster up here for marking. Any one who is not a tutor with the ability to fail me need not read lol.
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