So Far, So Good!

Well, I'm pleased to say I passed both modules. It was said on my feedback sheet that I didn't stray from my comfort zone, which I can't really deny. Yes, my strengths are in traditional/character design/2D/concept art, that whole general chestnut but I should have really taken the opportunity to try and expand my skills in other fields. I'd be lying if I said I didn't try to however, I kept trying to use Cinema 4D  for Erik and I did get to use a few sequences, even if they couldn't be used in the end due to... I'm sorry, I know a bad workman blames his tools but Cinema 4D is self aware and doesn't want to work if it takes a dislike to you. But damnit, I tried.

But I suppose they mean I didn't use the editing programs as that aspect was covered by other people in the group. So taking that on board and now that I am back to my own original project, I'm now going to have to gain better skills in using such programs. Up until recently, I had been using Jasc Animation Shop 3 to tie the frames together and converting them in various files to put them in Windows Movie Maker (I was young and naive!), add sound and then convert a ridiculous other number of times before I finally got a mov. file. You don't need to tell me that all that was needless and pointless; I just seemed to enjoy doing things the hard way back then. I've since grown sense and started to animate frames in Photoshop, which is tons easier and as I've acquired a lot of adobe programs, I've started to use After Effects to add sound effects and clips together. I was a little apprehensive about using it at first but I was surprised at how quickly it came to me. It was basically a case of importing the mov. clips or sound clips and placing them in order on the timeline. I did find it a bit confusing to convert the file back into a mov. at first but I got there eventually. Now that I can confidently use an editing program that's on my own laptop, I feel it opens a lot of options up and I'll certainly be using it a lot from now on.

Anyway, I'm nearly done with the treatment and I'll get to work on the proposal and the presentation later today. I'm feeling pretty good in terms of getting work done as the presentations won't actually happen until NEXT Friday as Dave won't be in at the end of this week to see them. Sometimes it's good when life turns out your way. I should definitely have the animatic done by then to present to everyone, voices and all. I plan to have all the animatic animated by Wednesday of next week at the latest, giving me Thursday to do the voices. As of this week though, the presentation and proposal are the main priority.

Now, I'm a bit stuck on something at the moment. As you recall, I've coloured the backgrounds in my animatic, being the odd person that I am. I do like how they look now but as I'm doing the pigeons in a lind of papery cut out look, I'm considering doing the backgrounds in a similar way as well. As of now it's just an idea, I might feel different about it later. I'll put the two versions of the same background up together for reference.

Both of them have their pros and cons... the main one with the cut out version being I'm worried it's too distracting and will divert attention from the characters. I think once I've featured some of the characters in both versions, my decision will be easier to make.

And here are some more pictures of the animatic. Just a bit of padding cos I don't have much else to say.