Saturday 17 July 2010

Minor Project Proposal (Phil/Alan)

It’s been a few days since my departure from squint and now it’s about time I’ve uploaded the proposal for my minor project, being intrigued by the whole match moving live action mixed with cg area this is the kind of ball park I’d like to continue and express in the next project.


I’d like to take a modern day scenario and add cg to it. This is the basic idea I’m looking at, thinking about the world and the way it is progressing I believe that, we as human are not the only living things in the universe, where is the world going? Thinking beyond our kind what else is out there? Things change can change quite dramatically in life so therefore using this thought as my basis, I’ve worked out a scenario I can work around. Creating extra terrestrial creatures to add to the whole drama of my animation.
The idea come around watching some students match moving work on the Mac computer at uni, during that week the film cloverfield was being broadcasted on TV which I watched, prior to this matchmoving tasks where being worked on during the last assignment, so a lot of events just lead up to my decision. Also having worked with AfterEffects this would be ideal for use in this project.

Here’s a quick script of the scenario:
mobile phone in dirt

phone beings to flicker
recording rewinds
then plays
enters phone screen
Intro
friends playing in park (gordon promenade)
things become disoriented
friends run from scene..
creature appears from Thames.

friends continue running..

gordon promenade pavilion is noticed as friends hide
friends are astonished and amazed also fearful at the same time
gordon promenade pavilion is seen transforming into space craft as alien species enter

high tension
action/dramatic

As noted in my script and the location in which my animation will take place I found that I have everything I need in my home town of Gravesend, the Gordon promenade has been a great tourist location over the years and obtains some nice historic facts about it. Many people visit the park for that reason it makes a nice area to film. These are some snap I took with my mobile and other images sourced from Google.

Gordon promenade pavilion












Gordon promenade (Thames)



Accompanying art work sketches and concepts.


No real depth or conviction has gone into the art work at this stage these are just some pieces playing in my thought I needed to get down.
I’ve been thinking closely about some of the challenges that will or may cause the biggest problem and delay in my project. I need to understand these obviously earlier than others some of the challenges I may face are new, distinguishing these specifics out for instance a key scenes for instances an opening scene when the creature emerges from the water (particle?) how will I portray water the best with programme that are able. Visual effects wise in end scene with space craft, recording the footage, this is an area already discussed with some friends from back at school who have knowledge within live action so this would be a great benefactor. Loads to consider, but now the real question is if this is achievable with the time have? What are your thoughts can this idea work?Would this work?
Phil and Alan if you get the chance to read this please comment your thoughts.

5 comments:

tutorphil said...

Hey Raj,

Though I can't speak for Alan, I think it's a potentially very exciting idea - live-action combined with cg. That said, I think simply generating a 'money shot' monster moment isn't a strong enough hook for a minor project; what we need is something with more design potential for you - more meat, if you like. Matthew Fletcher did a live-action/cg project for his Transcription, wherein he took Lewis Carroll's famous 'Jabberwocky' poem and designed and created all the creatures and flora, and then put them into woodland footage he'd shot. Some of the cg sequences were very convincing indeed! I think you need to think of this in terms of a Transcription project - because that introduces a proper design/interpretation/pipeline criteria - with a tracked/cg outcome... your thoughts?

Rdhillon said...

Hello Phil,

Forgot to mention in this post that I’m looking at an animation between 3-4 minutes long. Yeah I definitely agree that stronger criteria is needed for this as you say the potential for a defined pipeline would make the idea more clear and defined. I was hoping you suggested Matthew Fletcher… does he have a blog? I’d like to see what went into his Transcription of the Jabberwocky poem.

Thanks
Raj

tutorphil said...

Hey Raj,

I'll follow up with Matt's email later - so perhaps you could contact him to discuss his project; that said, I think you need to find a transcription candidate, where incredible things happen in normal places - which would absolutely justify the reason for tracked cg shots; indeed, thinking of Lewis Carroll, I'm instantly reminded of the scene in the Alice sequel - Alice Through the Looking Glass - when she encounters various forms of insects and fantasy plants; for instance, see:

'The Garden of Live Flowers'

http://www.ebbemunk.dk/alice/alice6.html#2

'The Looking-Glass Insects'

http://www.ebbemunk.dk/alice/alice7.html

Obviously, Alice is haunted by those original, very famous illustrations by Tenniel, but a design re-boot would make for a mouth-watering project, no? It's this kind of relationship between a very clear and specific context, but which provides enough room for you to 're-boot' - that is absolutely key in ensuring you build a solid project proposal with bags of potential for rich and satisfying pre-production, but also gives you the platform to display a very specific technical skill base; Alice is just one example, but I think audiences respond strongly to these classic texts; I'd suggest you begin with the classics too and work your way out; so, you're looking for the moments in literature when something amazing happens within the world we know...

I have me thinking cap on - I suggest you do the same; let's make it our clear intention, that, by the time term starts again, you have everything in place to make a start.

tutorphil said...

For another potential source, track down a copy of Monster Poems by John Foster...

Rdhillon said...

Thanks a lot Phil
This is just what I needed, I’ll look into these examples and see what else I can find guess its time to get researching. I’ve also taken note of the John Fosters Monster Poems and ordered the book :)