Picture lock is comin.

That's right. It's going to be picture lock in a MATTER OF DAYS.

Time to do more character animation.

The ghosts (excluding the dragon beast) are being counted as fx animation and therefore will not show up in the picture lock "uncolored" cut, except in select shots.

That's all until after picture lock. Now back to the "drawing board".

A Lil' Dental Music...

"A little dental music,
strings a strumming,
flutes a trilling.

Numbing minds and calming nerves,
while steps away, the beast is drilling.
Muzak in the lobby,
helps the patients to ignore.

The fact that writhing agony,
waits right behind the door."

- Howard Ashman (1982)

Here are more score samples by the awesome Daniel Rothblum. There is no picture because I don't want to post too much of my film to compromise it for festival eligibility.  It is not finalized, but I'm loving it so far.

Easiest: Sitting down to animate.

Hardest: Making sure I finish by picture lock.

Score Samples

Hey hey,

Not much to say this week but, I'm working on my new 2nd half of my film, which can be seen in storyboard format by CLICKING HERE.

I've been a little sick, which just makes me tired which is no fun, so I'm trying to deal with that while I animate and draw backgrounds all bloody day every single day. I've already cut some scenes of my new ending, but I'm TRYING SO DAMN HARD TO FINISH IT LIKE IT IS THERE.

I've realized that my panther has become the fun character to animate, and the tiger is SO borrrrrrring, that I will certainly be toning his animation down, making it more limited, thus saving myself time.

Not much else to say besides I'm working hard hard hard.

Oh. Here's a score sample. I'm meeting with my composer tomorrow to go over more specifics!

:D

Ensemble Fights.

This is a week of a lot of posts, but maybe that's just because I'm trying to make the best film possible and have to tell y'all about it!

Looking at my boards, Sean Manning gave me a good idea that is also foreshadowing that I will work in, especially since I need to re-stage the one shot that he commented on, because its awful. So good thing that that is about to be sorted.

So Malcolm and Julius rescue the father and barrel out of that cave lickety split. Then they are surrounded by ghosts and that is when the fight breaks out.

So since there are three of them, and too many ghosts to keep track of, naturally, I will have to get myself some experience with ensemble fights and other shots of things I want to happen and how they should come about in a well directed way.







I'm bustin full of ideas. Here it comes.

Exploring, Depth, and all that Jazz....

The other night myself and the ever talented Sean Manning hung out and spent the evening watching Prince of Egypt. Now, when I say 'watched Prince of Egypt', I'm kind of lying, because all we really did was gawk at every scene and imagine how amazing it would be if any given sequence in the film could be one of our thesis'.

As you know from the previously written poem, as I've been working lately, I have been nixing boring scenes and quickly re-making them as better, more character driven, and easier to watch (at least I think so). And of of the sequences that has frankly been bugging me (sans the lab, which is now 'fixed') was the sequence once they enter the portal world.

Frankly it was dry and un-interesting because everything just happened without any major actions from the characters driving the plot. The movie was essentially a film where things happen to characters, not a movie where characters make things happen - and simply put: that is a problem.

I believe in telling stories that are character driven, and as I look over the 'Portal World', I keep finding more and more problems. 1) It's too damn long. 2) The father should be more nervous/ afraid for his son having come to rescue him instead of just saying "Oh good, you came I knew you would..." as if he has just been Diva-ing out 'Damsel in Distress" style waiting to be saved. 3) The ghosts just come over the hill, which frankly, isn't very scary, and is pretty much just random. 4) They run and run and run and run and run and run and run and escape. Where is the excitement in watching OR animating that? 5) The Panther pretty much stops running and gives up on life for no reason, and sacrifices himself in a way that doesn't even help out anyone else since there is no delay caused at all. And, I look back on my animatic and say "What the hell, Ezra. Are you kidding? You want to direct features, and you can't even handle a 5 min film at a capable level?"

And I can't have that.

So I took the day off working yesterday to separate myself from my film for a little while and then I spent today crafting a remedy to my many problems.

First I went on Youtube (the best visual reference library in the world) and looked up all of my favorite scenes (action and climatic-type) and watched them to see what the pro's do that made me love their scenes so much. If you have time I recommend you watching all these clips too, as they are all great.





















After watching these clips and a few more many times, I realized a few things. At this point in a story, a Hero doesn't run from their problems. The face them the best that they can to protect their goal. Wide shots are often used to diminish the size of the hero to his threat and make him seem meek. Lighting becomes very important, as does the environment. Creative camera angles are used, not just closeup, midshot, straight, and over-the-shoulder. There is false hope at a point, and the hero usually seems to distract or trick the villain to win, as opposed to using brute force. Demonstrating brain power over physical.

But the most important part is that the hero doesn't run. He stays to fight to protect the goal. He stays to fight to ensure that the villain/threat can never harm or threaten him or the things he loves again. He risks it all to prove and protect what he believes in.

And Malcolm and Julius need to do this too. This is why they exist. This is why they went on the journey. This is what they signed up for.

Now I've never been a terribly 'compositionally visual' person, and I mean that in the sense of that I don't see things in terms of camera angles and shots and what not. I can think of action and excitement like nobodies business, but when it comes to picking pans, or sweeps, or all those other camera moves, I have trouble. But I'm working right now, using lots of reference, and I'm going to do the best I can, which is really the most anyone can ever say. I really am learning more every day. I've never *really* made a 2D short before, I've never colored my animation and done backgrounds and all that stuff, but I am learning how to do it, and I don't think this is bad for a first attempt.

So here goes. I'll tell you something though. It's going to be better than it is now.

Get ready, cause here it comes.

A gravely serious message of vast importance.

This week I thought it would be fine,
To write my blog post in a rhyme.
So now proceed to be filled in
on thesis Tiger production.

[rhyme scheme changes here]

I've become quite the workaholic
working mornings into night.
Ne'er is there time for hobbies,
laundry, eating, fun at night...

For committed I've become
to working in my cubicle.
In dirty clothes, I sit and hum
while drawing my worn pencil.

By now I know that I've amassed
'bout 2 minutes of my final renders.
Except one scene needs one more pass
to put reflections in a cars mirrors.

For difficulties I shall note
the scene where a car drives ahead
It was difficult to composi(o)te
into the scene, live action foot'ge.

Because the car drives very still
and footage shot was rather shakey
I might reshoot, but what a pill,
In truth, I'm feeling slightly lazy.

Alas! Some good news I can share
I woke up the other morning
And thought "this lab scene's much to bare,
and frankly, rather boring."

So out I took my pad and pen
and dreamed of a new sequence
I storyborded it; and then -
I went to work with frequence.

And happily I can announce
after nights of different sleep
my sleep schedule is back intact
and the sequence near complete!

There's just about 6 shots left now,
They're passing rather quickly.
And I'll be done with .5 of my film
and keep chuggin' on redic'sly.

So, now I guess this poem is done,
for things are quite on track,
I will post changes in full detail soon
Along with pics and facts!


Fin

A Little Night Music