Cell Research (Cancer Cells v Normal Cells)

Normal Cells:

* Reproduce themselves exactly.
* Stop Reproducing at the right time.
* Stick together in the correct place.
* Self destruct if they become damaged
* Become specialised.






Cancer Cells


* Dont stop reproducing.
* Dont obey orders from other cells.
* Cancer cells don't stick together.
* Dont become specialised (stay immature).

Further Inspiration

After talking with Phil he also sent me the link to this video. We talked about how to convey information on cell division, I was not overly keen on having spoken narrative and instead wanted text. As the background will be dark/black, Phil suggested that the words could become visible when the cell travels past it because of the glowing lights it will emanate. This video will influence colour and the movement of cells.

Inspiration (Abyss Creatures)

After experimenting on Maya and also talking to Phil I had the idea of looking at deep sea creatures. Often brightly coloured to attract prey, I was fascinated by the contrast with the dark background. I like the idea of having a dark background as is mysterious but also ambivalent because it feels as though there could be endless space but claustrophobic at the same time.

Maya Experiment

After looking at lava lamps I wanted to experiment with using a luminescent glow on the cells nucleus and dropping the transparency of the cell. As much as I like the outcome I am unsure if it'll be too much and difficult to make out in an animation.

Lava Lamp Inspiration

After watching Fantastic Voyage I had the idea of looking at lava lamps. These are a several references that I felt could influence my work.

Commission

The theme of the commission presented to us was human cell division. This could be an interesting unit once I'm fully decided on my target audience. After watching the film 'Fantastic Voyage' I am inspired by the colour schemes, shapes and movement of the cells and tissue, hopefully I will be able to use this to look further into colour and movement.

Time Machine Symposium

Time Machine

Melancholy Walk Cycle

Walk Cycle 1

Maya Texturing 2



Unit 5 OGR part 1

unit 5 ogr

Maya Rigging (Spine)

Meg Chair Stand

Meg's Workshop

@ Alan Unit 3 Maya Texturing

The Subway

An old college animation

Character Design

Out of my three story ideas for my hand drawn animation I got the most positive feedback from stories 1 and 2. As they both are centred around the relationship between a stepladder and its owner I drew up a quick character design of what the owner could potentially look like.

Life Drawing

For this weeks life drawing we was given the task of drawing the subject in a variety of poses which aimed to encapsulate her emotions. 

 Depressed

Rage

Frightened

Maya Rigging

Week One (Leg Rigging)

Leg rigging complete. I will upload a walk/moving cycle soon

Maya Pre Viz

Initial Loglines

1.

*An old, over used step ladder covered in splats of paint is being stood on by a decorator,
* Varnish drops from the decorator's brush onto the step ladder, covering the already filthy surface,
* The painter walks out the room,
* The step ladder slumps and lets out a sigh,
* Begins to reminisce about its life and being a brand new step ladder,
* Cuts back to the decorator entering with cleaning products and turps to restore the ladder back to its original self.


2.

*In a hardware store new, macho looking metal ladders are stood proudly in the window all being sold to manual labourers,
* An old, miserable grandad step ladder made of tatty wood is looking on through the stockroom door and is depressed at seeing all these new ladders being sold to good homes,
* The big, burly metal ladders mock the old ladder,
* An old man enters the store looking for a step ladder, all the metal ladders line up in unison and stick their chests out like proud soldiers.
* The old man doesnt like the look of them but sees the old ladder through a partially opened door of the darkened stock room.
*His eyes light up and he purchases the old ladder.


3.

* An unused ladder seeks attention from an overweight owner who is too lazy to do chores around the house.
* The ladder tries to set up events which will make the owner use it e.g throwing the remote control for the tv up on a high shelf.
* Due to his laziness the owner constantly finds ways around these problems.
* The ladder just about gives up trying and sits depressed in the closet when something unexpected happens and the lazy owner rushes to use him.

Using Basic Shapes

When constructing a character they should be drawn using basic shapes. This is one of the fundemental elements of character design. Depending on what type of character you wish to draw certain shapes should be used.

Even Mickey Mouse, perhaps one of the most recognised cartoons is constructed out of simple circles and cylinders. For my step ladder I will be using squares and perhaps cylinders for the legs.

Inanimate Objects Research

One of the most recognised and successful inanimate object animations is Pixar's lamp and jr lamp. John Lasseter in an interview for BBC documentary 'From Pencils to Pixels' stated  "It is important to identify its face and head." In the obvious case of the lamps it is the lamp shade which is the head and the bulb representing the face.



Paul Lavey's 'The Lascivious Broom' however focuses on using the broom head to move like human legs giving the broom its character which is also successful.



After looking at these two animations it is clear to see that areas of the object that could relate to the human anatomy is what gives the object its structure and can establish how the character might look or move.

Character Research: Animated Melancholy Characters

When looking into animated characters with a melancholy personality the first character that came to mind was Eeyore, the gloomy, depressed stuffed donkey from Winnie-the-Poo. This character could influence my melancholy step ladder by his posture and manner in which he moves. Eeyore is presented as being depressed by his slouched posture and his limbs, ears and even eyes being droopy.

Tex Avery's 'Droopy' is another character which shows the traits associated with a melancholy personality. Droopy's name comes from the obvious droopy face associated with a basset hound dog which express sadness.

Unit 5: Animation

The Melancholy Step Ladder

Melancholy:

1. a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression.

                        2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness

The inanimate object I drew from the group was a step ladder with a melancholy personality

UNIT 4 Presentation

Ollie Presentation

Spaceman Concept

Final Maya Pre-Viz

Maya Pre-Viz Sequence 1 (no sound)

Final Storyboard Animatic

Final Storyboard

Revert to Original Storyline

When I tried to wrinkle out all the creases in my original storyline I ended up making it over complex and confusing. I have decided on sticking with my original idea but making little tweaks to areas which didnt flow as a story

Character Turn Around (Security Guard)

Character Turn Around (Wealthy Museum Owner)

@ Phil Logline Resolved

Logline

The main characters in the story are the lonely astronaut, two menacing security guards on night watch and wealthy museum owner/collector. Secondary characters are two alien children playing in a space park along with an alien couple sharing a picnic.

The astronaut lives in one of the many space Cities that float out of orbit. Through one of the many space parks in the City of Seattlelight, the astronaut walks alone. He see's small alien children playing and alien couples enjoying each others company, something which he longs for.

Walking with his head bowed in a state of loneliness, it eventually becomes night in Seattlelight. The astronaut eventually comes across a space museum. Intrigued he looks inside and see's a female astronaut encased in a glass cabinet. He becomes infatuated by her and will go to any lengths to reach her. The female however is in fact a guard of the museum in disguise, used to lure the astronaut in like a honey trap. The museum owner is in fact a collector whom collects humans which he encases and puts on display

The astronaut notices a window ajar on the second floor of the museum. He salvages items from a trash skip and creates a tower which he attempts to climb to get inside. After several attempts he comes crashing down along with the items. While on the floor with the items scattered around him, he has an idea and creates a makeshift pogo stick using the pieces of several items of trash. He manages to bounce high enough to reach the window but comes crashing through, landing on a glass cabinet of priceless artefacts from Earth ( irrelevant and mundane stuff on Earth which is priceless in Space e.g comic books, toaster) destroying them. 

Picking himself up, he sees the supposed female astronaut behind glass in a darkly light room. As he gets closer he sees a vast amount of glass displays all with humans inside (70's hippy, Batman, Charlie Chaplain). Before he has a chance to panic, the astronaut is tackled to the ground.

He awakens some time later encased in the museum owners vast display. After realising the situation he is in he slumps into the corner and bows his head. 

The Museum Owners Collection

Seattlelight

Pogo Stick Idea

I am still not set on one specific idea of how to end the story. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Maya Paperclip

The second joint I noticed moves a little out of time towards the end. I think I may have not altered the movement in the graph editor to be in sync with the others. Again, hopefully its another learning process.

Felix Jr: Rig Installation

Environment Design

 Museum Interior 1

 Security Guard Surveillance Room

Wealthy Museum Owner/ Collector's Office

More will be uploaded shortly