Firstly I had to reconfigure pixel dimensions for each file to make them smaller again. Because I had to do this before it wasn’t a problem. Although it seemed other complications arose also.
Some scenes needed certain imagery to be above/below other imagery so that when animating the object would seem as though it passes underneath some parts. For example, in the scene with the leaves hanging over the background, which you shall see in a minute, I had to find a way to remove the leaves from the image so that when replaced a character can be animated underneath.

Again, the idea was to keep it on one layer so that I could easily remove it and save as a separate file to go over the background. Unfortunately, like the rest of the images, the file had dozens of unnamed layers.

This didn’t seem too bad at first, as it only meant going through each one until the right layer with the image I was looking for was on it. Unfortunately, it turned out that the other layers were affecting the look of the layer I needed to export. This would mean exporting the layer on its own would make the exported image look different than the final image design. This of course meant I had to locate the extra layers needed and modify them so could export the part as needed.

Again it wasn’t hard to do; it all just took up a lot of time which I could have been spent on animating.

In the end I couldn’t finish all the scenes I was given as time was running out and I needed to think about other projects so the remainder of scenes that I couldn’t finish were sent back to Anja to finish. (only one or two scenes. These scenes were only short though and hopefully would have been quicker to animate for Anja as she most likely understood her layer sequencing of her images better I did.

Here are the finished animations, they are all in one compilation. This is so that it was easier to upload to blogger.

Oh, and these are the actual videos I sent to Anja, so if you are wondering why there are so many periods where it stays still, well it is so the files can be put into animatic straight away. the timing gaps are fo voice overs, or where something else will be happening with the video.

We go the sounds back from the soun designer and they are hilarious!

I also animated the blockout for Daryl’s film. Me and Elisha cut out some key poses of characters to be proper utilized in the blockout. I then animated most of the characters and cameras and rendered the scenes out, Elisha then did a few shots also. I then took teh shots and put them over the animatic for timing. As you will see in the video it is not a full 3d blockout and includes some 2D animatic in also.

Here is the finished Animatic:

And here is the blockout:

For Anja’s film this week I was asked to animate propellers spinning round on a background for the bomb scene where the screen pans upwards.

I ended up spending a lot of time on this because of unforeseen complications. The file I was given was in separate layers. The idea behind this was so that the propeller layer could be easily exported as a separate image – good for animating. The background would then be exported as a separate image for the background on the scene. The propeller needed adjusting though, for example smoothing edges and changing transparency which went OK. The problem I had was when trying to render the final scene out after animating. I realised I hadn’t checked the pixel dimensions of the file, which turned out to be around 4000 x 2000 pixels!!!

Of course because the pixel dimensions were so great it meant rendering would be impossible. This meant I had to lower the pixel dimensions manually and re animate everything.

Eventually, after all this I finally got it rendered, here it is:

This week we (Daryl’s group) met up with a sound designer to look at our animatic. We showed him scenes and have given him some god ideas for sound FX. All we do now is sit back and wait for the sounds.

I’ve also tweaked up the animatic to Daryl's new storyboard:

This week I have worked on Anja’s animatic and Daryl’s Animatic.

Anja had already started on the animatic for her film already and I worked alongside her to make sure the rest that I did was in time as to how she would want it.

Here is the animatic:

For Daryl’s animatic I helped the other members create a rough audio script for use with the animatic. This not only helps me with timings for the shots but also helps us when we look back at the animatic so see what does/doesn’t make sense. Etc etc.

With this I then edited up the first animatic.

Here is this animatic:

This week I experimented a little with creating a nuclear explosion from within Maya. It wasn’t very hard to do as there is a preset within Maya, but still could be useful later on.

(show maya test)

I have also tweaked up my bomb background as requested by Anja. She said she wanted it wider to compensate with widescreen televisions. She also wanted me to add a bit underneath the bomber texture with a texture showing the girls mind.

For this, I decided to use imagery of the inside of human eyes and other random imagery of human body (that would go well) such as several pictures of veins and cloudy imagery over it to help portray it is her mind... like seeing light through closed eyelids.

None of these images were finalised, only experimented with for design purposes.



Anja also wanted me to add in famous imagery of building/signs from Hiroshima so I added a couple within the city.

This week I helped Daryl out with his script for the film a bit. I felt some bits needed some reworking to get them to make sense. For example, parts where scenes literally just start with no explanation. Going back to one of my previous blog posts, I realised introducing what is happening is very important to keep the audience understanding what is going on in the story. So some changes, for example, would include things like an ACTUAL introduction, with a title, the Professor literally explaining what the show is, and what they will be going on in ‘today’s episode’.

Some scenes just cut to other parts also with no explanation. This can sometimes work well to show an amateur style of show, but we don’t want this coming across as amateur style storytelling on our parts, so it was important to make sure the show represented that these things are done on purpose.

I thought this video from Aardman helped with introducing the programme. It’s not really anything like Daryl’s film, but it helped to understand how a television programme needs a proper introduction... and needs to fully explain what is going on straight away, otherwise the audience isn’t going to have a clue.

Also this week I have done a background design for a scene in Anja’s film where the screen pans up a city. Anja wanted the bottom to be made of almost invisible parts of a nuclear bomber – in other words a texture made up from parts of a bomber but almost undistinguishable.

She also said she wanted it as dark as possible being almost black.

This was my result - click for full size. Look closely for the bomber detail inside the darkness.



The sky was created by dried mould on paper and coloured slightly. I liked to use textures such as mould to represent death and decay for this scene, especially as that is exactly what is to happen.

Here are some mood boards I created for texture ideas also;

The first is a mood baord organic and biological textures with a black and white version for easier viewing of just the textures.


Next is a mood board of bombers, particularly the b-29 bomber. Again there is one in colour and one in black and white.


And finally the last mood board is completely miscellenious showing all the images I have left over from my research.

OK so I’ve had no updates for a while because I’ve been off work for a week due to fever. Not good.

But now I’m back and have joined with both Anja’s group and Daryl’s.

Anja’s film is based off of a true story of a girl who tries to create 1000 paper cranes so she can be granted a wish. She is terminally ill and the film follows how the girl used to enjoy running when she was healthy and her trying to create these cranes in hospital whilst dying.

Daryl’s film is some little comic relief in comparison.

Daryl’s film is about a wacky Professor who, every show, presents his scientific knowledge within a particular area. In this film he is sharing his knowledge of Dentistry. Throughout the film he explains this knowledge and tries to demonstrate it on his friend Bort. Although, the Professor clearly shows he isn’t very good with the practical side of science and makes quite a few comical errors.

Also I have started a little research into these.



Although this short film is meant to be set at an older period of time compared to Daryl’s film I think it still can give a few good ideas on how to the show could be shown. I think this (fake) programme introduces what it is about well and the acting is quite nice to look into. This type of acting could be quite useful to look at, especially for example bits such as him putting his coat on at the same time as introducing the advertisement.



This, again, shows a nice use of acting that helps it show how amateur it is, and unpractised. Using this type or acting for Daryl’s show could be nice to show its ‘live’ style; showing mistakes and bloopers, but continuing on anyway. I like the way the actor does this a bit in this video where it seems like it’s ended but there is still some running time before the show starts, so he’s silent until he realises, then repeats himself again then introduces the show.

For first week of term I had to pitch an idea for a short film. I’m not so good with drawing so didn’t show many pictures, about 2 in fact, but did do (a crude) storyboard that showed also.

Here is my premise,

An overweight middle aged man decides to change his lifestyle for the better, hoping to find his true love, without even leaving his home. Pushing old food and clutter aside the man decides that having a combination of a fake and real body tan is just what he needs. Although the end result is far different than what he expected.

And here is the script,

The scene starts off in the middle aged man’s shack in his kitchen. He is knocking things around on his kitchen table, pushing things over and out the way, looking for something. Whilst hitting some food over some beetles emerge from it. He hastily knocks the food onto the floor and notices a television remote in its place.

He takes the remote and walks over to his chair and falls down into it. He pushes on the remote and the TV is on. On the screen is a romantic love scene of a film. The man looks irritated and changes the channel. Again, is another scene of people about to kiss. He frantically turns the channel over again and again seeing nothing but romance after romance until he stops on one channel.

An advertisement for men’s tanning spray lotion is on showing a tanned muscular man with a woman on each arm. The main character’s eyes open wide and he leaps out of his seat rips his shirt off and grabs the nearest spray can to him and sprays it all over his body. He then rushes outside and jumps on a deck chair, waiting in anticipation.

He falls asleep and dreams of his new look and how every woman passing by can’t help to look at him, making him proud. He wakes up shortly after and looks down with a big grin on his face. He then leaps out of his deckchair startled to find his whole body is red and burnt and starting to glisten. He rushes inside and grabs the can he used earlier and gives it a close look.

The label reads “Bug Death Spray: Do not get in contact with skin”. He looks down again with a worried look on his face and now finds his entire chest is covered in large drooping fat purple blisters. Before properly reacting his door knocks. He answers it slowly revealing a woman with a package looking just like those from the advertisement. He throws open the door in surprise, with arms wide out and the woman looks straight down at his blistering chest. His face quickly reacts and the woman grabs the door and slams in shut. With the Man replying with a disappointed: “Oh”.

I got a few pictures off of the internet that i hope shows what type of environment i see the film based in...