Project Music Video

Ladies and Gentlemen, as promised, here is my latest animated project for Birmingham duo 55 BPM and their track When the Transient Happens. Pablo was the puppet I constructed and animated with the use of a green screen. This technique allows me to composite the live action footage and the stop motion sequences together. Anyway, I shan't waffle on. Enjoy!

Episode III

I have recently realised the workout our fingers must get from typing on a keyboard, or perhaps I am simply too overcome with exhaustion from my first ten mile jog. That's right folks, the Electric Elkboy can run like an ambient missile, his luxuriant beard clinging on for dear life. I have assembled a 'cycling playlist' for my charity bike ride next weekend, so I think listening to the likes of Shaggy, Rick Astley and the Power Rangers theme tune have been truly inspirational throughout my training. Not actually trained on a bike yet though...


There is under a week to go before we put pedal to the metal so if you fancy sponsoring myself (tactically in the middle) and Sam (with the air horn on his handlebars) then click right HERE . It's for a hovercraft charity called HoverAid, reaching the unreachable, where super hovercrafts fly to Madagascar and save people. That is exactly what they do.

I've had another busy month or so, hence the lack of blogging, however it has all been productive. I have finally finished the music video for 55 BPM (the local Birmingham duo) and we are currently sorting out the online distribution. I think they would like to release the video from their YouTube account (being their track) so I shall let you know when it's up and running. I will most likely post a link on Facebook, but might include it as part of this blog. This is because my blog is, in a sense, a bizarre diary for me, so I like to include whatever project or shenanigans I am currently involved in.

It was rather sad to see Pablo leave. Charlotte Rose, member of 55 BPM, has got some ace travelling plans and the idea is to continue Pablo's journey as he joins Charlotte on many wayward adventures. So keep an eye out for photographs and blog updates as my little buddy tans his scrawny body and finally gets rid of his ridiculous woolly hat. 

The Yamination Studio has been buzzing as usual. Sky Arts came in a week ago to film the progress of the At-Issue project. There has been some mind blowing animation from Andy Biddle, Tim Allen and Drew Roper, where our hero Bartholomew Yogart has been brought to life to follow his dream. At the moment we are taking down one set and beginning work on another; so prop making is all Thunderbirds are go in the workshop. I have been amazed at the amount of detail the team has put into each prop, to the point where it's almost functional. We use anything from the bits-and-bobs stash, so obviously there is a limit to what materials can work for certain models, but I think we have done a sterling job. Just can't show you anything! 

The animation workshop I ran for the Heritage Motor Centre was a huge success. I had great feedback from the museum and the general public who participated. It was a manic day though, and I was worried that some of the children might not get a chance to animate. But with the chaos that ensued throughout the session  it was rather difficult to have a set time with each child because each had their own interpretation of how the stop motion technique worked. Some visualised a seamless performance by moving the vehicle with their hand (without letting go, of course) and those who did understand the concept of 'moving it a little bit, then take a photograph' were not shy about the distance between each shot (average estimations of up to 50cm). But altogether I had a fantastic time and there were definitely a handful of budding young film-makers ready to get behind the camera and film their own story. I think many of the families actually had animation apps on their Ipads, so I encouraged them to have a go at home with the models they had made. The video below is what I put together for the website. Obviously I take full credit for animating the Dalek at the beginning.

Speaking of videos, I was tweeted something rather out of the blue the other day. I had forgotten that whilst visiting the Encounters Festival 2012 in Bristol, I was asked to be interviewed by the Show me the Animation team who were filming the event. So here it is, my 'new face in animation' interview! Enjoy. 

So there we go, under 5 minutes of fame. Damn I need a hair cut.

I have been short-listed for an IdeasTap brief that, if won, could find me rolling in £9000. Which is nice. However, this wouldn't be to spend willy nilly, oh no, it has a much more responsible purpose. The prize money goes towards paying off your student loan, of which mine is significant, and so it goes straight to the government. I would be over the moon to win! The list was a top 50 contenders, although one chap has entered twenty five times (complete over-exaggeration) so all my hopes now lie with a few little paragraphs, somewhere in the wilderness. These contain my idea and how it would benefit the IdeasTap team. I am unsure what I am allowed to tell you, concerning my idea, so I will take an extreme tangent and change the subject rather abruptly...

I have been scouring the hard drive and my Facebook catalogue to find random videos and this one jumped out at me. So enjoy watching myself and my brother make a mockery of ourselves. All for comedy value of course, this isn't actually what we do on a day off.



I feel like I have left you folks hanging on many of my projects, but I promise I shall upload the music video as soon as possible. And I shall know soon about the IdeasTap competition. I might even continue with the idea for a mini comic book series... oh, err you didn't read that. But there is another piece of fantastic news I can leave you with and it involves The Money Tree animation once again! I received an email from Andrew Tarbet, director of the 8th Festival Internacional de Curtmetratges Mas Sorrer (which is a short film festival in Barcelona). He was perusing the Encounters website and stumbled across our animation and wants to  screen it at this festival. Well Andrew, where do we sign up?! Anyway... package sent.

Six films in six year is absolutely outrageous. This is the supposed plan for the upcoming flurry of Star Wars feature films. It was never too much of a problem (for me) with the 'new trilogy' films being released every two years but there is speculation around character spin off movies. Here are a few names that have been thrown into the mix; Boba Fett, Han Solo and Yoda. There is more than enough Star Wars franchise, why milk it with concentrated movie output?

Bah, these matters frustrate me and I am in constant worry of the Star Wars universe. I need to have a proper read through any related articles before I come to another sceptical conclusion.  At least one person has the cajones to speak up about the CGI orgy that was the prequels, no other than the good Skywalker (in the force as well as acting). Mark Hamill has high hopes of a balance between CGI and some old school SFX (click HERE for a fine read of that article). And I don't blame him! The stop motion animation work with the AT-AT Imperial Walkers and the tauntaun creatures (Empire Strikes Back) were literally out of this world. God bless Phil Tippett. 

May the fifth be with you? Hmm, should of posted this yesterday!

Episode II

                       

I reckon it's always healthy to start a post with some holiday snaps. Although, I'm not going away for a while so the next post could include photos of me having a right ol' time wearing a Hawaiian shirt and outrageous sunglasses... in Coventry. Anyway, me and Lucy went skiing in February and did a damn good job on the snowy slopes of the Black Forests in Germany. I even managed the steeper part of a blue slope and overtook a toddler. Now, you may think that's no big feat (just realised the little joke in there!) but these little buggers can ski/snowboard with no fear whatsoever. They even sing when they breeze past you, which just feels like a mocking and a half. I have to say, one of the highlights was the glorious weather we had on Valentines Day and the opportunity I had to climb into a wilderness hut with a stick (which was actually a double barrelled shotgun). I pretended to be Elmer Fudd. Well, who wouldn't? 

There is always a moment of sheer panic when the shops erupt with pink and fluffy merchandise advertising important days of the year. Mothers Day was the most recent and I hadn't considered this whatsoever. Luckily I have a get-out-of-jail-free card... I am an artist! Sometime I do feel that it's perhaps a cop-out but people do seem to enjoy the things I draw or make for them. So I sculpted Jemima Puddle-Duck (my mum is a big fan of Beatrix Potter) and it went down rather well. 

It's all about the sculpey.

Over the past month Yamination Studio has compiled a series of lists containing the mass of props needed for the film At-issue. With such a variety to be made, it's been interesting to see what materials can be used in all their inventive glory. For example, the four corners of a plastic fruit pot became the four corners of a traffic cone. Or the plastic lid to a 'fresh breath spray' (cut in half) became the covering to a lamp post light. Yeah... who'd've thought? 

 The grocery store was always going to be a fun section to work on, especially when you get to make miniature fruit and veg. Come on, look how cute it all looks! To give you an idea of scale, the pumpkin circumference is about the size of a fifty pence piece.

  The gutter grate (with a mysterious albino character grasping for love) was made from card, sprayed with a grey primer and dry brushed. Many of these props were pretty straight forward to make, it's just a matter of putting two and two together to make a phwoar. I don't like to call myself a perfectionist but I do like attention to detail, and if I can't get it right then I become a sulky bitch, hash-tag FACT.

In need of Optimus paint Priming
(not sure that pun works)

Sarah Crombie did a fine job sanding and painting
the posts I made. Then roped them together
with some mad skills.

I get such a satisfying feeling when I find some bric-a-brac malarkey that could be used for a hinge, handle, pipe or pot. I don't know whether that's slightly odd or just the way it is. Fuck it, that's the way it is huh. The prop above the 'banister and ropes' is a cable box. These baby's go unnoticed as they perch innocently outside buildings and on the roadside, victims to graffiti and posters advertising a dodgy rave. I made mine out of energy drink aluminium, card, 5mm wire (expertly cut) for hinges and two tacks for the handles. This made me happy.

  Another thing that makes me happy is posing like a buffoon for a photograph. However, the more eloquent term chosen for the Red Nose rabble (as seen below) was 'a bunch of dweebs'. I think we look pretty cool if you ask me. Unfortunately, you can't  see the full extent of Drew's hat, as it comes equipped with a mini propeller. Bartholomew Yogart brought his own red nose (courtesy of Michael Price) and managed to stand on some Yellow Pages for the photo. 

So life goes on at the Custard Factory. Chris Gough has graced us with his presence and has done some awesometacular work on the front of the cinema set, giving me some tip top pointers on set dressing. It's a great environment we work in and with the return of Crombie this week it's all Thunderbirds are go. 

I am slowly building up the retro years. Been looking for Crash Team Racing.

The atmosphere of the Custard Factory is tremendous. It's like walking into Rivendell where no evil can pass and everything is bright, peaceful and wholesome. Don't get me wrong, it is an incredibly hard working environment but this is rewarded with great people (who will doth their cap to you) and the shop known as Retro World. This is no mere shop but a gateway into the 80's and 90's, with shelves of vintage wonder and childhood relics; thus rekindling my PlayStation One fixation. It began with Worms Armageddon, undoubtedly my favourite, closely followed by Crash Bandicoot 2 and Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2. I am currently on the hunt for South Park Rally. 

I have been asked to run a series of children's animation workshops at the Heritage Motor Centre, which would fundamentally promote the museum, but also give me some fantastic experience. When I was first approached by the museum, I was slightly dubious because I sometimes find it hard to explain the stop motion method to adults, let alone children. But the more I planned, the more I realised why wouldn't they understand? As long as I don't waffle on, then surely I could teach these younglings in the ways of stop motion (would they understand something along the lines of 'it's like a 3D flip book'?). If they can learn a second language from the age of 3, then they could certainly understand phrases such as 'no, you'll only animate 2 seconds in a day' or 'you will never see the light of day again' or 'inter-ocular distance means nothing unless you have lots of money for a tracking system'. At the end of the day I just have to keep them happy with some plasticine and card board cut outs.

The Attic Studio (pros and cons of a home grown stop motion animator).

The progress of Pablo is steady but positive. I have managed to animate snippets of the puppet upon white foam board or green screen (both chroma key options through my software) which would then be composited onto live action footage from Moor Street Station. Unfortunately, orange was not a colour key on the video editing software I have, which would have been perfect as it compliments the blue fuzz of Pablo. Now, these minor inconveniences do add up and have began to effect the 'home studio' set up I have. I wouldn't normally digress into these troubles, but I do hope that there are other stop motion animators who can relate to the pros and cons of working with limited equipment. For starters I do not have efficient lighting. My bed side lamp emits a yellow glow, which doesn't help at all because I need natural light, especially for Pablo, as he spends most of his journey outside. 

I do, however, have PMA (positive mental attitude) and have managed to edit together a couple of sequences where Pablo has been placed on the live action video. With the animation being minimalist, it is simply a case of capturing the moment with perhaps one or two expressions from Pablo and framing that moment nicely with the surroundings. I have a train journey to film, so I shall take the little scamp with me and have him gazing out of the window. I have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to moving Pablo (and keeping him in the 'live action' setting) so hopefully they shall work. 

This is a new addition to the blog, where I shall dedicate anything from a sentence up to 77 paragraphs upon anything involving Episode VII. Each time I post an entry (usually monthly) I shall divulge into the good, the bad and the ugly updates during the countdown towards 'the most anticipated film in the Star Wars Universe' (where have we heard that before?). My tone? I will always project a sceptical opinion in these early stages for a number of reasons:

1. Whilst growing up, Star Wars and Disney played two completely separate roles in my life and I respected them both. I am still getting my head around the merging of the two.
2. In the past 10 years or more we have been subjected to some incredibly poor sequels that were made decades after the original film(s), usually with dilapidated versions of the once nimble character (sorry Indiana, John McClane, I am pointing fingers). And the recent news of Carrie Fisher being on board for Episode VII gives me a worrying thought. I don't want my glorious vision of Princess Leia being tarnished when she returns as a 56 year old politician. 
3. With episodes I, II and III being somewhat of a let down, it's hard to imagine that this 'reboot' will capture the original brilliance of the Star Wars Saga.
4. With ROTJ ending such an epic story I can imagine that many fans (including myself) have interpreted the ongoing journey of Luke Skywalker in their own fashion, over a course of 30 years. And if Episode VII brings back anything to do with Gungans, taxation of trade routes, the excessive use of blue screen or awkward conversations about politics and sand then it may corrupt this perfect Saga forever.

For the record, I do realise that there have been thousands of Expanded Universe 'spin off' stories and published/graphic novels that follow Luke, Leia and Han (and a host of new characters) throughout many adventures (which include, in brief, alien invasions, Palpatine clones, Luke in love, Han and Leia's children and something rather tragic happening to one of the chief characters). But this is all relative. One can choose to follow these unofficial story arcs or not, but when a film is released as one of the actual Episodes then things get a little more serious. 

I promise I will not use this section purely to rant and moan. I do have some positive remarks; at least Lucas isn't directing. 

Episode I

So the new year brings a new show reel, finally. I hadn't edited my old one (or indeed add anything new) for nigh on three years ago, creating a minor existential funk that needed to be amended. I have slotted in more animation from projects I have been involved with and also with snippets of my own work (including new creations George the Knight and Alan the Stegosaurus). I think it's generally healthy to remake the show reel every twelve months perhaps, depending on if there is actually things to add of course. Mainly because it's good practice; editing at least. 

When I get the chance, I continue to work on the Mortal Kombat animation alongside co creator Steven Cummings and brother Harold, who has been working on the authentic techno music. This has been an incredibly lengthy process, but each stage presents us with an optimistic sample of what will finally be assembled in the near future.

The video above is only a simple test animation using the frames I have cut and edited, a background 'level' I have created on Photoshop and a track written by my brother. If you can picture the second fighter, sound effects, health bars, a timer (not to mention the special moves and bloodied bodies) then you can only imagine how much more needs to be done. 

I have begun construction on the character for 55BPM's music video when the transient happens. This character has now adopted the (supposedly) temporary nickname of Pablo. Now, upon working with a character through the development stages, the designs and a story, an animator can grow rather fond of his creation and thus the name of Pablo has stuck.

Some key shots I would like to include in the music video.

Final shot from the station (the beautiful destination)
where Pablo alights from the train.

At the moment the armature is a very basic wire structure, because at the end of the day this version of Pablo is more of an aesthetic puppet and not designed to be animated fully. The puppet is still poseable and could be used for simple gestures such as lifting the train ticket to look at it. Basically I had planned on making two versions from the start; one to take on location (i.e. on board the train) and one to animate with in front of the green screen. The puppet on location will be used for 'static Pablo', where the impact is from the mise-en-scène of the shot and not necessarily from the movement of a character. 

I have decided not to reveal too much, as Charlotte will be adding some production photographs to her Facebook page showing the progress of this music video. We have managed to gain permission from Chiltern Railways allowing us to film at Moor Street Station, which gives a nice setting for Pablo to begin his adventure.

Our contact from Chiltern Railways also mentioned a press release that she could organise for this production. But in the meantime I need to get filming. So this weekend if you see a lone Grainger at Moor Street Station with a tripod and bobble hat, then this is the beginning of When the Transient Happens' music video. I have spoken to Jordan Wood, who created this wonderful piece Geoff Goes To Hospital which is a similar style to what I'm hoping to achieve. So hopefully I shall get some great advice.

Never let any Super Sculpey go to waste... 

Since working at Yamination Studios and helping with the beautifully quirky world Drew has created, I have thought that set construction and prop making is something I would really want to specialise in. Now, this will never shelve the other skills that I have learned throughout my University years, but perhaps allow me to concentrate more on one area of this diverse industry. But the real reason is that I like to feel like a giant when I make a table the size of a box of chocolates, that's no lie. 

I was even lucky enough to 'hand-act' for the Sky Arts channel during a prop making moment. A film crew had come in that day to interview Drew, Chris Gough and Tim Allen (what a trio hey?) and also wanted to capture the essence of the stop motion studio. Sarah Crombie, Michael Price, Laura Morgan and myself managed to get a bit of face time: which obviously makes us stars now. 

So yes, props! Here is a collection (some with no 'home' just yet) for your perusal. 

With the release of ParaNorman on Bluray and DVD, there must be a fine collection of behind the scenes footage from this marvellous production. Unfortunately, not on the standard DVD purchase (much to my disappointment). I did, however, manage to find a few behind the scenes clips from Laika. The one above I particularly enjoyed because it sums up all stop motion animators/artists as misfits who see the world in a different way, and enrich the lives of those around them because of it. Which I think is just beautiful (excuse me, *cough* just having a sentimental moment).

Another video I have literally just seen was an Academy Award nominated Animated Short Film (phew, we'll get there) called Head over Heels directed by Timothy Reckart. I shan't waffle on. So just watch it. 

Episode X-mas

Unlike me to go a month without posting an update; perhaps I'm losing my touch OR I have been so productive that I couldn't possibly make time! That's right folks it is the latter and it's all been positive news since FLIP Festival (which was a great opportunity for networking). I have been approached with various project proposals to either work with a team or undertake as a freelance animator (again it is the latter that I am most excited about). But before I divulge into these projects I can finally, and triumphantly, show you the animation I helped with after spending a week in Canterbury with the Animate and Create team. It was for the Shepherd Neame Brewery (Bishops Finger anyone?) as part of their 'Merry Christmas' advertising campaign. I helped cut out the characters and back them with the book text design, although I did design and make the backdrop of trees in the opening sequence (05:00) and the candles/food on the table for the grand feast. I created a mouse run-cycle, which I had only recently noticed was used eighteen seconds into the animation (bottom left by the chaps feet); that really made me smile because I'd forgotten how tiny it was to cut out, thus went unnoticed for the first few viewings.

A slightly more natural source for a 'light box'.

It was great to see the production as a finished piece, especially as there was a tight schedule and masses of scrap paper. But getting involved with Dan Richards and the team was a truly fantastic experience and I am very grateful that they contacted me about the work experience. Becoming involved with productions like this has really given me a positive mental attitude (pma!) for 2013. If I could take on a few more projects for myself and become established as a freelancing animator then I am hoping that the only way is up.
      I have already been asked to help in another Sky Arts funded animation in the New Year, depending on the outcome of the application, which would be great because it would be a fairly local production at the Lighthouse in Wolverhampton. Victoria Fellows is an experienced director, animator and writer of whom I had the pleasure of acquainting at the FLIP Festival back in November. I have kept in contact and luckily (as with many opportunities in this industry) she remembered me, my bobble hat and my animated urge to find a bloody job. I cannot reveal the nature of the project, due to confidentiality and also because of its early development, but I can say that it's a topic I have never been involved in before, in any creative fashion. I am very excited to get stuck in. I wish Vicky all the best for this application, fingers crossed that they recognise a damn good project. 

Myself, Jonathan Wallace, Drew Roper, Laura Morgan and Michael Price with scarves on.

Speaking of damn good projects and the Sky Arts channel, I am delighted to present scarf entrepreneur (and award winning animator/director) Drew Roper. I have mentioned this chap throughout my recent posts but I have decided to dedicate a little more than a few words to such a top bloke. When I first visited Yamination Studios I was, of course, slightly daunted. I had left the University 'bubble' and was now stepping up to the next level of pursuing my animation career. But there was nothing daunting about it. Drew is a very charming, chatty, down to earth guy and made me (and all of the work experience folk I can imagine) feel right at home. My studio is your studio he told us on several occasions, and before long I had already made an organised mess (classic trait of the stop motion animator) and brought in my own supply of Poundland's finest chicken noodle soup.
      Drew's project is something I have admired from the start. Not only for the brilliant and well thought out plot, but also for his vision and the great lengths he goes to achieve this. I have not known anybody to work as hard as Drew Roper does. He travels far and wide, sleeps very little, works extraordinarily long hours in the studio at the Custard Factory and still manages to maintain a strong (social and business) connection with his clients, producer, fellow animators across the globe, work experience minions and his lovely girlfriend Amy. He even has time to make a ParaNorman outfit and take us out for a drink on a Friday evening. This guy!

Hopefully, after all that butt kissing, I will finally be allowed a glass of water ;-) 

I shall hope to return to the Custard Factory very soon to continue work on the sets and props, which are really taking shape with the help of Laura (who has made some damn fine café chairs). But for the present I have undertaken a new animation project. Drew was very kind to give my details to photographer and soundscapist Charlotte Rose, who wanted an animated music video for her new project '55 BPM' and the track when the transient happens. It is incredibly ambient with soft trumpets and beautiful vocals to create quite a powerful and melodic track. So the video must mirror this emotion, with a character we can empathise with and a story/journey that captures Charlotte's music. I have followed an idea that Charlotte had concerning the story, tweaked it slightly, then continued to storyboard for the past week.

These are a few ideas, yet nothing here is a final design. I like to keep sketching out characters until there is a wide range to choose from. It could even be a combination of two or three characters.
      The image on the left shows the general size of the character (as he gazes out of a window) whilst the image on the right captures the simplicity, although with too much of a human element to him.

I want to keep the focus on the eyes, as they will play a big role in the characters development and communication with the audience. Although this is a music video and there is no dialogue, the eyes can still connect and reveal much of the characters emotion whether he/she can talk or not. This little fellow on the left is aspiring towards the final design, yet I think much more work needs to be done. 

      So I won't give too much away but as you can see 2013 is already looking very busy. I have been asked to run an animation workshop for the Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon during the May bank holiday (and throughout the summer holidays as part of a drop-in sessions workshop). This is a great opportunity to familiarise the public with the stop motion technique and get them involved in various activities. 

      The workshop would be aimed at a younger generation and would, of course, have to tie in with the motor centre. I have some car related exercises already in motion, just need a little more planning (Jim Parkyn has given me a little advice!).

I was worried, for a time, that becoming tied up with all this work experience and dashing up and down the country would effect my practical skills as a model maker. I have only made the odd sculpt since graduation, so modelling my Aunty's pet dog from a photograph would truly put my skills to the test. It was for my Uncle as a present (sculpted on commission) and only managed to receive the photographs twelve days before Christmas day. Forget the partridge and the rest of those damn birds, I needed a Jack Russell!

So this is Tilly the dog.

This photograph showed a good angle of the animal, so I used this as the basis of the sculpt. I started with the standard wire skeleton base (being a neck, spine and four legs) glues together with the  trusted, albeit smelly, adhesive known as 2-part Epoxy resin. It is incredibly strong when constructing a model using materials such as steel wire, foam resin or light wood; ideal for a 6" tall plasticine model.

And this is also Tilly the dog.

      After sculpting the shape of the dog (as seen in the image below) I had the ridiculous notion to give it hair. Now, with a sculpt like this you can go two ways; a smooth model with little detail, concentrating on the posture of the subject, or the full hog with every bloody hair and freckle. I went full hog and never looked back.

      I think it will look better with the added detail. I just never like to over embellish these models. I did originally plan to use super sculpey, bake it, paint it and it's all hunky-dory but with the copious amount of so called white Newplast (it's grey, it's fucking grey) I decided to crack on with a good bit of plasticine. Jobs a good 'un. 

For those who missed my Alan the Stegosaurus animation, well, here it is.

2013 will be the true beginnings of my freelancing career. There are many more projects on the horizon but with all the Christmas jazz everything seems to go on standstill. But for me, it's been bloody marvellous. I have been in Manchester for the week working on storyboards and doodling (basically I have gatecrashed my girlfriend's flat with boxes of art supplies and sketchbooks). Lucy introduced me to It's a Wonderful Life and I loved it. I constantly feel much guilt at all the great films I should have seen and this was no exception, but now I can tick it off the long list. This link will take you to the full colour version on Youtube but if you are not a Scrooge (unlike me) then I urge you to invest in the DVD. 

      Another great film I have recently seen, and did so as soon as physically possible, was the first of The Hobbit trilogy, An Unexpected Journey. I watched the 24 fps version and got completely lost in the wonders that Middle-earth will always give you. Yes, it was a long film, but who cares? It needed the build up and added scenes to emphasize the enormity of the quest. It was not unlike The Fellowship of the Ring where the quest really begins after the council of Elrond, but I do not like to compare these films to Peter Jacksons first Middle-earth trilogy. I have read many reviews concerning the slow start, the scenes that were clearly extended to pad out the trilogy, the lack of character development and also the bizarre experience of the 48 fps BUT HEAR THIS critical minion... it's not over until the fat Hobbit sings. Unlike The Lord of the Rings (being 6 books), The Hobbit is one book, therefore the act of creating a trilogy of films is to include all of the story elements from one but across three parts. Character development surely begins after you find out more about that person, which might not be until you are half way through the book. So the build up from the first film was necessary as it maintains a good ratio of story structure. I think the second film will focus more on the Dwarves, after Gandalf leaves them to trudge through the dangers of Mirkwood, which could possibly be the character development 'part'. 

      Having said that, Tolkien only gave four or five of the Dwarves a more pivotal role in the book. But I shall not go into the details of the book as I would most certainly get carried away with descriptions of scenes and what didn't happen in the book etc. Ha! I'm doing it already. I need to watch it in 48 fps. I want to see what all the fuss is about. 

I shall take it down a notch and end this merry post now. Here is a painting of the Good King himself.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night. 

Episode XVII

I was lost beyond words in my previous post. My ability to think straight was barred by the iron fist of corporate Disney as they took over something that meant a great deal to me. I shouldn't sound too negative, however, because fans should praise the fact that Lucas will not write and direct another Star Wars film. But there is a lingering thought that troubles me; Disney's franchise over Star Wars (SW) could lead to SW Princesses or SW babies (cartoons and nappies), which will destroy this galaxy once and for all. I am still open minded about this fiasco and haven't quite had time to really ponder the outcome. All I know is that there is a great disturbance and I have three letters for you: WTF.

I had recently volunteered to help out with the FLIP Festival in Wolverhampton, which would also be my  first time visiting the festival. After receiving news that The Money Tree would screen here it felt like I needed to attend, regardless of the volunteer opportunity. It had been confirmed that I would work my assigned shifts over the weekend at FLIP (which would entail ticket collecting, direction pointing and advice giving). This was a great chance to mingle with other volunteers and watch the animation screenings at the Lighthouse venue, the home of FLIP animation festival. Unfortunately I was unable to view our animation on the Saturday evening, but I heard it had a warm reception from the crowd. I was particularly interested in meeting up with Jim Parkyn, lead model maker from Aardman, for a chat after his seminar that afternoon. Luckily I found my opportune moment and conversed merrily (as you would do with Jim as he's a very jolly guy. In fact, I would not hesitate to cast him as Tom Bombadil in any upcoming Tolkien adaptation). He reassured me that I am doing the right thing when looking for a studio job, as the key word (echoed from his talk from earlier) is patience. I quote the Guinness slogan good things come to those who wait. And there have been some very good developments in these recent times concerning 'good things'.

Jim signing my Flip programme (FUCK YEAH).

The bee was FLIP's chosen logo for the 2012 festival

The volunteering itself was a fantastic experience. Just the sheer involvement alone was enough to confirm my ever wandering thoughts that this is where I want to be. Animation is my calling. The more people I meet and talk to, concerning this art genre, the more enthralled I become and wonder why I hadn't pursued it earlier. I met up with Gareth Hirst once again (after our encounter in Bristol) and carried out our volunteer duties as promoters of the FLIP campaign. This entailed the two of us to stand outside in the freezing cold holding up shoddy cardboard signs and directing the occasional festival goer towards their venue. One of these venues was an interesting little cubbyhole down a mysterious alleyway and behind a vast padlocked gate; this was the shop around the corner. After successfully aiding a few groups to their destinations, Gareth and myself decided to call it a day and investigate the mysterious alleyway and what role it had at FLIP. We met Sam Groves inside (events programmer for FLIP and Flatpack festival) who was screening a collection of animations. This was the Metamorphosis screening and included a much anticipated (and my favourite out of all that were screened)  short film called The Making of Long Bird. 

Nothing is revealed from within room 214 mwuhaha!

After a productive few weeks, revolving around experiencing the studio environment and extreme networking, I feel that I am very close to forging a completely new CV and self promotion. Especially with references from Drew Roper, Flip festival and the team at Animate and Create. October and November have indeed been the most jam packed months I've had for a while. I feel like I am on countless mini-pilgrimages that take me all over the country. But this is exactly what I want to do, unless I do manage to settle down with a career at a studio. And with my ever growing experience at hand I don't see why (in the not so distant future) this cannot happen for me. I think I need to finish a couple of animations at home and add them to my show reel and then I shall be ready to apply for jobs again. I have got three short animations that could be done (if I animate relentlessly) in the next few months; Barney gets a virus (animatic on previous blog entry), Steve and Alan (the awkwardly placed dinosaurs) and Zabrina the Zebra. Although the problem with one of these animations is with the aesthetical appearance of a certain Serengeti mammal. After listening to Jim Parkyn talk at FLIP festival I took away a vital piece of information that highlighted 'what not to animate' (in Aardman's eyes). These were fire, water and zebras. I was actually flabbergasted upon hearing this. I thought it was a general rule to avoid animating water or fire with the stop motion technique, but the zebra preference did baffle me. It has something to do with the appearance it has on camera, where the black and white stripes seem to prevent a good clean image for the character.

I thought the test animation I animated a couple of months ago (here) wasn't too bad and managed to capture the zebra fairly efficiently. I think the main focus would be to alter the lighting; this animation has an incredibly yellow tint to it - perhaps I hadn't changed to camera settings to natural light capture.

So I shall move swiftly on to the job at hand. I have spent the week helping out at the Animate and Create studios with their paper cut out animation project for an ale advert. I don't know much about the advertisement or what ale company, but I do know that this animation has been a lot of fun to assemble. The sets have been coming together really nicely this week (although they have been since before my arrival on Monday) and with all the paper people and tiny props being created, it has been a wonderful environment to work in, albeit a little tedious at times. With each individual person needing a book page stuck to one side and labelled, it has been a lengthy process. The picture below gives a better idea of the 'book page' design, rather than my attempts to explain.

A selection of the cut out props I have designed or attached wire stands to. 

I am writing this from the self acclaimed comfort of a dimly lit room in the Bat and Ball bed and breakfast in Canterbury. I really like the town (even if I have only ever seen it after sun down), but this room could do with a spruce of the 21st Century. I have one channel, which is either a darts championship or a dodgy Channel 5 film, curtains from the 60's and no kettle (just a large supply of pot noodles and cuppa soups). But it is cosy and cheap; besides, I am in the studio for nine hours of the day. I have really enjoyed my time here and would kindly thank Dan Richards, Liu Batchelor and Stuart Clark for getting me involved and being very hospitable. The project looks amazing and I wish them the best of luck when they begin to animate next week.

Since working at the FLIP festival and these studios, being a little older than most students or volunteers, I have been asked to give advice or help with various animation tasks. This is something I cannot get my head around; not because I can't give said advice, but simply because I don't deem myself worthy to teach (well, not just yet anyway). I have considered becoming a teacher and have even spoken to the burser of the college I work at; he wants to see my CV before emitting me to the art department. I'm just scared of showing him my shoddy excuse for a 'professional' resume, especially after he declared his tendency to rip even the most qualified applicants apart.

This new found sense of responsibility led me to look through my old animation folders and see what gold I could dig up that would help not only the younger animated generations, but also me! When I left University and began to animate at home, I felt like I had to begin again. Re-learn the basics and principles that we took for granted (unlearn what you have learned - Yoda, Episode V). Whilst perusing these folders I stumbled across one of my favourite walk cycles I drew from my first year at Staffordshire University, and will remain the most accurate (apart from image 2; the chap shouldn't be leaning that far back).

It is basic principles like this that will retain any budding animators ability to succeed in this industry. I admit that I am out of practice with some of these exercises, walk cycles included, but luckily I was able to get some advice from Barry Purves after I showed him a clip of a recent walk cycle I animated with Barney. I also have Drew Roper to seek advice from and also the other work experience guys, Laura and Michael. Blimey, there are endless names I could list off. But I would get carried away and too excited. I think it's time for a lie down.

And then it's time to clean my teeth.

And then eat some cheese, ignoring the fact that I have just brushed my teeth, so as to have another whacky and unpredictable dream.

I shall keep you posted.

Episode VII?

One image sprung to mind when reading the news of Disney's takeover. So I used a bit of Photoshop...

I cannot deliver my usual ramblings today. I was planning on writing a prologue to the FLIP animation festival I am involved in tomorrow and Saturday. But my mind is elsewhere. There has been a disturbance in the force of which I need to meditate upon, as I haven't weighed up the pros and cons yet. I speak of the audacious manoeuvre where the Lucasfilm franchise and stocks has been bought by the ever growing Empire of Disney. I am well and truly lost for words. So whilst I sit here, not typing, below are a couple of videos that are currently aiding the conflict and debate going on in my Jedi orientated mind. May the Mouse, *splutters* erm I mean, the Force be with you.