Wednesday 29 March 2017

Fantastic Voyage: Pitch - Reflective Statement

The feedback that I received from this pitch has been extremely helpful. To a certain degree I knew what was lacking in my animatic before I posted it, I knew that the sound that I used did not fit whatsoever and I knew that I didn’t have any adrenaline fuelled scenes in the animatic which it desperately needed, it feels as though I know exactly how I want the final film to look in my imagination but Im struggling to get that down visually or in this case with the animatic. I do feel like I stifled myself because I felt like I wasn’t able to draw the action scenes that I wanted in the animatic and I didn’t know how I would animate it in premiere. Instead of pondering over how I’m going to draw something and doubting my abilities in the process I’m going to just have to try and focus more and stop doubting myself before I start because I’m fighting a losing battle if I continue to do this.

I need to just get the references that I need from games and trailers and such and mark down the recurring elements and scenes and mimic them to fit my story and the cell cycle and just make a start!, even if sketches turn out shit I have to learn how to handle the pressure and realise why. To be completely honest my animatic was rushed and was done last minute and I know that If I wasn’t so stressed over it all It could have looked a hell of a lot better along with the design for the pitch. I know what song I want to use in the final film and I’ve a much better understanding of what the commentator will be saying,The world is becoming very clear and vivid in my head thanks to all the feedback from my lecturers and Dr Klappa, I just need to be able to nail it down visually.

I’m confident that I will get there in the end and if I feel like I’m struggling I will be asking for help much more often because the perspective that all my lecturers have is second to none as they can offer insight and knowledge whereas sometimes the stress gets in the way of me seeing things clearly and problem solving efficiently. I will be coming to all the lecturers a lot more often with pages of questions that I need answers too. I’m excited to really dig deep into this project and see the final film as something I can be proud of to end my First year.

Notes From Lecturers and Dr. Klappa during Feedback

Dr Klappa nice concept, looks nice and pleasing, watch Grammar!Totally gets it

To Look into

Movies: Rush, Dual more cartoony movies such as wreck it ralph

Audio: Mario Kart, audio loops third lap tempo picks up at the end,slow mo’s

Racing games: blur, need for speed, ridge racer

Phil Music doesn’t fit, world of cars are good and loony,music is too moody narrative of cell cycle needs to be added to narrative of race, making a raucous cartoon need to figure out how to shoot race,cars on track establishing shot needs intercuts - pedal of car - wheels - looking through windscreen such as commentator for race needs to be describing what is happening in the cell cycle, Performance in eye shape cells can show their emotion through their eyes and eyebrows wreck it ralph, loony action scenes and drama, claw comes down camera under claw In future If previz works better use that, feel how cells feel in that moment.

Nat Figure out characters

Simon Old footage of daredevil racers, soot on face around eyes from googles, cells with crash helmets, Hot wheels track metaphor camera follows around loops, reverse engineer car films and scenes Dual movie - cuts between different parts of car adding speed, fun chaos

Multi camera shot tutorial camera on car camera on driver, render out both cameras for multiple shots and cut together need to rematch camera tutorials!

Following the Advice I have been looking into the following videos for inspiration

Tuesday 14 March 2017

Soundscape Project: Reflective Statement

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this project. It was thrilling to bring the dictaphone with you everywhere you go and try and find interesting sounds to record and then alter these sounds and manifest them into something truly unique to match your own interpretation of the images was electrifying. This project really sparked my imagination and I have learned a lot through observation and mainly trial and error,

I have learned even more so that the best way to learn anything is to make mistakes, but understand where you went wrong and try and work around it, if the sound wasn't working it just meant that I needed to spend more time playing around with audition to problem solve the reason why, I loved editing the static images in After Effects and trying to make them pulsate and contort to match the sound was exhilarating, I have a newfound love for audition and after effects because of this project,

It was inspiring to do my sound Designer profile on Christopher Boyes as he has always had a passion for sound design and I have learned that sound is extremely important in captivating attention, "In a perfect world you'd be able to close your eyes and be able to follow the story completely just by listening to the film" Boyes

Its a pity that I missed so many of Kat's audition classes because I feel like I would have been able to grasp audition quicker and learned more tricks from Kat, albeit I do feel a lot more confident with audition than I did before this project along with After Effects,

I cant wait to use Audition and After Effects more often with the coming projects and to really let my imagination run wild.

Soundscape Project: completed sounds, original and post produced sound FX

Soundscape Image 1 from Graeme Daly on Vimeo.

Soundscape Image 2 from Graeme Daly on Vimeo.

Soundscape Image 3 from Graeme Daly on Vimeo.

Image 1 origial and post produced fx from Graeme Daly on Vimeo.

Image 2 original and post produced fx from Graeme Daly on Vimeo.

Image 3 original and post produced fx from Graeme Daly on Vimeo.

Sunday 5 March 2017

From Script to Screen - Reflective Statement

This project was probably the most tough to date but also the most rewarding. It was invigorating to pick 3 random words from a box and have those 3 words flourish into a story that I felt a connection too. I found myself constantly ruminating over ideas that could fit with the story and it really showed me that storytelling is where my heart is, I loved researching and finding information that could fit with the story and combining all this inspiration into one solid nugget while trying to make this world read well with the audience was extremely exciting.

There are some things that I need to work on. I haven't a lot of experience in creating characters and It took me a long time to get my characters to look middling, at one stage I was becoming agitated with myself because I knew my designs weren't working but I couldn't figure out why, with more experience and practice in character design and life drawing I'm going to try and nip this in the bud as even in my finished character designs I still wasn't content with them, I understand now that with the son it was because he looked like his arms and back were detached from his head, it became obvious when it was pointed out to me but I didn't see it at the time and now it is all I see!

My time management still needs improvement, I have definitely improved from the former projects (who knew that keeping a to do list set in priority and sticking by it could be extremely satisfying by scratching out something once completed!) but I really wanted to have a polished professional looking Art of for this project and it is disappointing because I knew exactly how I wanted it to look thanks to the advice from Jordan but I left it too late and wasn't able to make it look how I wanted. For the next project as soon as I have a solid theme for that project and know where I am going with its style I am going to start the Art of ASAP.

It was a lot of fun to try a different style which was the UPA style that I incorporated as it felt more loose and free and I feel excited to realise that not everything needs to be perfect and look real and that animation comes in many vast forms and all I want is to absorb as much information about all the different types of animation that I can and the styles whether it be anything from stylised concept art or character design that occupy them. I do wish though that I dialed up the UPA style a tad.

I much preferred doing the crit in the lecture theatre rather than the bass room and I feel I'm starting to get over my fear of public speaking slowly but surely, I'm starting to realise that nobody gives a toss about how I'm coming across and what they're really interested in is my work, I need to keep this in mind for future crits and stop worrying how I am coming across, I also want to try and use the stage more next time.

I've learned a lot about myself from this project mainly that I love storytelling and that getting a reaction from my classmates from something that you create is truly exhilarating. I'm determined to learn all the programs that we work with whether it be Maya, after effects or audition inside and out so that I can make the Melancholy Man a reality. I cant get the story out of my head and I know that the only way to do that is to tell it and tell it well. I'm excited for the future for when I have the skills to make these stories an actuality.

Steven Spielberg - Jaws - Film Review

Steven Spielberg Jaws - Film Review by Graeme on Scribd