NOT EVERY DAY

You know, it's not everyday that software comes around that revolutionizes the way things are done. I guess I should say software or hardware. When I got Mirage and a Wacom tablet combined the methods by which I created my anime changed completely, and I was able to do a manga that I might not have considered before. Now with modo, I am starting to feel the same about 3D again!

With Mirage, certain things which I felt were difficult to do in 3D were done entirely in 2D because it was easier and faster. You will note that I use these terms a lot. The use of modo has changed this, almost turned it around. Now certain things become easier and faster, not to mention higher quality, to do them in 3D again, because modo allows me to do in 3D and with models something I like to able to do with any aspect of production. That is remove steps. That ability alone adds great speed without a sacrifice, if not a complete gain, in productivity. I don't spend time on paper designing and redesigning anymore. I experiment directly in modo. It's that good. As I continue in the Daniel project, expect to hear much more about modo.

With all the visuals for the Daniel promotional scene done, the next step is sound and music. That's not what I am doing today, however. Today I a doing little things. For example, I added a little get Quicktime button to the Daniel trailer page.

I also taking care of other odds and ends that often have little to do with production, but need to get done. Even so, after I finish this promotional video and am able to get down to full production, I want to get deeper into it and spend much more time on it.

Also, some have asked me about Occult Salvation and the status of that project. It is by no means off the books. This is my flagship series. I will do with it what should have been done with Shadowskin. I hope to see the first episode of Occult Salvation out early next year. Hitting the east is still one of my major goals. Events are taking place, in the Chinese market especially, which show that now is the time and this is the hour! Look for more upcoming news on that in the near future.

DOOM

Well, the "scene of doom" is done. After taking so long it becomes clear very quickly why you never see huge epic battle sequences in most anime. I think it's time for a lesson in the basics of the medium. You see, if I was a director working on one of the popular TV shows like Naruto or One Piece, I'd be fired about now!

Anyway, live and learn, right? With the above scene also done, I am now finished with all the visuals for my promotional video sequence. I will move on to music and sound this week. I will reevaluate my plans for the other scenes in the show before continuing. :)

In other news: Someone sent me a link to this article. I am not sure why, but the thing I must take note of from this is that these guys got their project done in spite of the system, and what better way to do it? Shot on a Canon XL-1 for $7000, and apparently boasting some decent special effects, who can complain? I can only hope more people get their projects done in like fashion, not caring what the major studios or anyone else has to say about it.

The biggest thing I had to note here is something I try to convince people of all the time. If your dream script is meant to be a big production and there's no way you could do it yourself. Save it for project number two or three! More importantly, write and create something that you can do yourself with what you have now. This means a one-artist anime or getting a good DV camera and some friends together and guerilla shooting your first film. If you truly desire to make something, do that!

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I now well know why you don't see these huge Gladiator style battles in anime. :(

AND IN THE OTHER CORNER

During the time of the Assyrian wars, Cyaxares took the shattered remnant of his Medes, who joined with the people of Persia for the purpose of conquest, and in a distant region drilled them in regular military maneuvers, until instead of a confused horde they had become a disciplined army. They were successful against the weakened king of Babylon, but generations later, they would stir up the king of Grecia. Now these soldiers would have to face a foe unlike any they had ever encountered.

Now I get to do some choreography. It's been a while, meaning only a few days, since I put actual shots together, but any leave from the work can have its detriment. This promotional scene is almost done though. Next week I see music being the focus, and then the final touches will go on this video.

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I promised a big battle didn't I?

AND IN THIS CORNER!

We have a very dangerous soldier of the Grecian empire under Alexander The great. Trained by one of the greatest military generals ever to walk this earth, this man is fearless and a master of many means of martial combat. Soldiers such as this mastered the spear for both close combat and throwing as a javelin. They also mastered the sword and a number of hand to hand techniques. Combined in large battalions, they followed the strategy of their great leader to win victories even when outnumbered 10 to 1!

More to follow later. After all, there's no battle without an opponent right? Unfortunately, I am currently modo-less as I model these things. Still, it's not like the tools I have used in the past haven't served me well. Check back soon as this continues...

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Healthy Living Anyone?

Who is seeking after health? You know what they say: A sound body leads to a sound mind and that can only lead to better animation, right? Don't be surprised if you start seeing ArtFX Health Food and Indie Animation Centers opening up in your area!

I'm becoming a regular chef over here!
I realize I should have taken the picture before I started eating...

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Superman Is No More

According to Animation Magazine:

Actor Christopher Reeve, best known for playing the Man of Steel in the Superman movies, died of heart failure Sunday at the age of 52. Reeve became a symbol of hope and perseverance for many when a 1995 horse riding accident left him a quadriplegic.

There will never be another like him. Sure they can make a new movie with fancy CGI flying effects and huge super battles, and they can even find another actor who might be good, but like the new Star Wars movies and how the characters and all CGI jedi stunts just don't seem quite right, so it will be with any other Superman.

The FX people on the original Superman said that what they did with wires was only a percentage of the puzzle. They said that Christopher Reeve simply knew how to do the flying. I feel that just like seeing CGI jedi jumping around couldn't compare to real guys flipping off trampolines and spring boards, all CGI capes and motions will never quite make us believe a man can fly.

In other news: Another legacy comes to an end. My favorite hat, so long known as my identifying mark, now dingy, worn and beyond restoration had to be committed to the trash yesterday and shall see service no more. This was part of a much larger movement though, and more will be posted on that in the coming days.

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REDUX

The build up of reusable assets is essential to this work. Thanks to J4A, I had some assets which allowed me to make short work of one of the scenes I needed to get done today. This is why I am able to sit here posting before I get ready to run off to class.

Just imagine, it goes far beyond models of books, pens and desks. Imagine when you have a library of different soldiers and on top of that, the motions for battle sequences. How much more fun and how quickly will you be able to put together future battle sequences? How free will you be to experiment?

I'm putting together a big battle next. Done right, the beginnings of a library that will raise the bar of future works will be set.

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On It Goes

Work continues but it seems to be somewhat sluggish. I realize I only stated working at noon today, but with only two cuts down and still plodding through the third it seems like something from the "old days" is missing. This is not entirely negative though. Many of the elements created for the scenes done today will be used many times over so the payoff will be down the road. Still planning is essential.

When you look at traditional anime, it begins to become clear why certain directors have "the gift" and why some don't. It becomes obvious why there are those who can get in there and create a great TV series, knowing that they have incredibly tight budgets and schedules, and they know how to design scenes and sequences to accommodate every aspect of the limitations. On top of that they still make it look great! Modern TV anime has grown incredibly in the last few years. I am sure digital has helped immensely.

It's necessary to be aware, even at the planning and storyboard phase, of just what is involved in a single scene and what the time commitment may be.

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Back At It!

I may not have posted it, but I finished the storyboards for the Daniel: Visions and Dreams promotional sequence which I am trying to get out this month. I think it was Monday. I printed them out on my sleek new laser printer and wasted no time getting right into it. It feels like the days of Chaos again!

I got two scenes done today. I hope to pick up the pace shortly but right now I am getting back into the swing of things. I haven't done much Lightwavin' in a while. I suspect I will be able to get at least another scene in each day if I plan well. It would be grand if I could get the first episode done this year, but a few things will have to happen for that to become a reality. More on that later...

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New Additions

There's a new addition to my basic setup. Then, I guess it's not an addition as much as a replacement. I had a printer before, just a cheap inkjet. It served its purpose well, but around the day of the World of Hartz manga project, I started to see a great need for a better quality black and white printer. That's why I got this.

Now you may say that this is far from a top of the line printer, and it would be true, (though all printers are incredibly cheap these days) but try to imagine, the last time I really looked into laser printers, they were half the resolution of this one and cost five times a much! I printed a test of my storyboard page and now I see things which I did not see on that old inkjet. I think I need to double the res of my storyboard pages now! That's a good thing actually. :)

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The Process

In the days before memory... Ok, maybe no that long ago, but in the days before I had a Wacom tablet I used to do my storyboards on paper. I created a template in Aura, now known as Mirage, in which to draw. I based it on the storyboards that I had seen in the region 2 Jin-Roh box set that I received Christmas Eve 1999. It had all the panels and spaces necessary like the image below.

In those days I drew with a pencil. It's this long yellow thing... Well anyway, I had an HP multi-function printer which had scanner and copier ability. After printed a storyboard sheet, I made many copies to draw on. After I penciled a board, I would then copy it again, darkening it to appear as a final inked board. I added this step because when I finished the boards for Understanding Chaos, Q came over and pretended to destroy them.

Well I have since gotten with the times. Rather than use those archaic turn of the century methods of doing storyboards, I decided to get a Wacom tablet. I sold that multi-function thing and entered the world of paperless storyboarding. I still use the same templates. The only difference now is that I simply create another layer in Mirage and draw directly into the computer.

The thing I recently discovered, though, is that I really like to have those boards in front of me like in the days of Chaos. So I need to be able to print them. Well my old Epson printer just isn't good enough for serious black and white work and I need high volume now. Remember what I posted about getting a laser printer?

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Well, I'm finally back to it. I did some actual storyboarding of the Daniel promotional scene today. Almost got two full pages done. May not seem like much, but it's a star, and I have all day tomorrow to devote to it. Well, almost all day.

Since I do my storyboards totally paperless these days, but still desire to have them in front of me when I work, I have to print them out. My old Epson just ran out of ink yet again. I'm getting tired of changing it out. It was certainly a hassle during my manga days, and on top of that, I just don't need color printing ability that much. I may, rather than buy more ink for this thing, just get a laser printer!

Ordeal End

Well, it now does appear that the not so wonderful days are over, but not without some frustration. I went to get tail lights today with plan to get an entire tail light assembly. That's what I did when I replaced my headlights. You see, the headlight assembly pops out with two screws and just plugs in with what looks a lot like a wall plug. The tail light assembly was only two screws, so it would be even easier, except they didn't have them.

I got bulbs. Now at the time I had no idea what would be involved in getting the assembly open in order to mess with bulbs so I wasn't to happy. Not on that, when I did pop it off, There were three bulb slots! Now one was the reverse light. That was obvious. Still there were two in the red and I had bulbs that supposedly had both the brake and tail lights on a single bulb.

Fortunately, when I removed one of the bulbs it was crispy and black so I knew which one was bad. Now everything is back in working order. Maybe I can get back to doing that anime thing I used to do long ago. :)

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