Wednesday 28th Class is Postponed

I'm suffering from a nasty sinus infection, obviuosly powering through the cold I get a few weeks back was not the best thing.

I will be in touch with more information, including a time for the make-up class.

Stay well,

Shaun

Guidance 3/14

Anyway, Here's the list of the deliverables needed for next week: I will be checking on this in the one-on-ones and assisting where I can.

Let me start by saying that you have ALL made improvements on last week's work. It is vital to remember that this week featured much more dynamic shots, transitions and on-model skills. However, we still have a long way to go before the project is in great shape. On the whole, everyone needs to take a step back and re-examine the storyline and desired look of the short before going any further.

1. Full Shot Breakdown and New Thumbnails:
Take the story breakdown that has been AGREED on my the group and the STORY LEAD. Go through it line by line and break it up according to shots. Make a few copies of it, strategically go through the list and detail according to the camera language and vocab. Tell us what is an Establishing Shot, Continuing Shot? What is the camera doing? Is this a CU or MS?

2. Remember the Shot Count:
You have keep the entire short below 100 shots, preferably below 80. Ration out the appropriate number of shots for the major parts of the action. Remember what I said about reserving the majority share of the shots for the action, leaving you a limited number of shots for the lazier parts of the action, dialogue, exposition, etc.

3. Delegating the Scenes and Sequences:
Please note, this is only done with the go-ahead of your STORY LEAD. If they are unaware of your casting - who is doing what, then you are all failing in your professionalism. I also expect you to work out very quick thumbnails to join one artists work to another as a group. The artist following on from your sequence needs to have an in-depth understanding of exactly how you are leading on from own work.

4. Round the Bases needs to be SET!
It's the most important part of the entire piece. It's what the client demands. Don't ignore them, work your story around these. But COVER THESE BASES and AGREE on how to integrate them as a group.

5. EXAMINE SHORT FORM ANIMATION!!!
I'm aghast at how few of you are watching animation or live action as a regular source of inspiration. And I'm not talking Disney Animation here people. You'll learn little of how to get good pacing for short form animation from that. I'm talking animated series, animated shorts and even commercials!

Over the next few weeks I am giving up more of my time to get your to improve all of this. I can only assist you, the change needs to come from you all~!

I still believe that you can all improve, I saw it today! But we have a way to go...

Shaun

                                     

Hey guys, here are my rough thumbs for the story that we finally got aprroved! Sorry that I couldn't be there in class today. Hopefully these work, and I'll be in contact with all of you. 

Australopithecus: Cave design

Hey guys! Here's my cave design to add to hopefully everyone else's. I'll refine it more for next week (for vis dev guys to see). Sorry I can't be there this week! Good luck with the pitch! Let me know how it went and feel free to post your thumbs up so I can see what you've been working on :)

Team Awesome Explosion!

Here are character design of construction team!

And some of my thumbnails!

Some additional sketches of Summer, hopfuly to help my group stay consistent with her design and have something of an "on model" base.

Area 52 Beats, version 3

Hey guys, Area 52 and I met up on Friday and hashed out a new version of our beats. If anyone had feedback or comments it would be appreciated! Thanks.

The New Kid Beats v3

* Open with an establishing shot of the field

• Cut to Louisa running toward to dugout, her hand extended behind her, and we see she's holding someones hand. (That person is not yet revealed)
• Luisa is obviously excited

• She catches up with the already assembled team (possibly all gathered around the pitching mound) and introduces Summer to the team, and happens to be carrying a duffle bag.
• "She's supposed to be one of the best players in the county!", saysLuisa.
• Pan over to Summer who is comically juggling baseballs “supposed to be? I AM the best”
• Luisa calls practice “If you're going to show off, do it at bat!, everyone take your positions”
• “Hang on a second guys” Summer rolls up her pant leg revealing the prosthetic, which she exchanges for her flexfoot
• Reaction shot of surprised Brad and Vince
• Summer pulls out an energy drink from her duffel bag and downs it
• Mikey offers her healthy snacks as an alternative, saying energy drinks will just make her crash, she turns it down as she runs to bat “nah, I'm good!”
• Summer goes up to bat, Brad asks out of both conern and admiration “wait you're ok to play with that?”
• Summer cockily responds “watch and learn” she hits a ball out of the park
• Summer laughs and does victory dance, “See? I bet I could win this whole thing by myself”
• Brad points out that no Jr Giant could win by themselves “Calm down Summer, no Junior Giant could win by themselves, it takes teamwork.”
• Luisa calls Summer to take an outfield position to see how she does on defense, Summer eagerly does so
• Vince is up to bat “Let's see how you do superstar!” Vince hits a fly ball which Summer runs after and pulls off some cartoony shenanigans to catch it (ladder, glove on remote plane, using player as stepping stone, knocking out coach as she runs up him, only for him to wake at the end, est)
• Vince approaches her “hey you can't do that”
• Summer goes “what? It doesn't say I can't in the rule book”
• Vince “it's about integrity”
• Mikey is up to bat next, and misses the first two losing confidence
• Summer isn't helpful “Oh come on! My grandma swings better than you!”
• Luisa calls Summer “Hey that's not how we do things, we need to be confident in him, so he can be confident in himself” yells to Mikey “Come on Mikey, I've seen you hit dozens of balls out of the park, show that pitching machine who's boss!”
• Mikey on his third swing hits it well
• Brad who is in the outfield runs for it, as does Summer, they run in to eachother and both fall back, the ball then falls on the ground between them
• They both lean up, Summer goes “what the heck?! I had that!”
• Brad shoots back “I was just trying to cover you!”
• Summer goes “I don't need you to cover me!”
• The group starts assembling around them to see if they're ok and because they see potential conflict
• Vince and Luisa help them up while kind of keeping them a little distance
• Luisa asks “Brad you ran in to Summer's zone, you need her to let her take care of her own area”
• Brad looks down, then back up at Summer “I'm sorry, you're right I should have trusted you”
• Summer looks like she's going to react poorly, but then regains her composure (compelled by what she's learned!) and smiles “Hey, it's ok” and extends her hand which Brad smiles and shakes
• Summer then stumbles and looks like she's about to crash from light headedness
• “Whoa, are you ok?”-Brad
• Mikey then walks up holding healthy snacks “See it's that energy drink garbage, you're crashing!”
• Summer pifts and grabs one “Hush and give me one of those”
• At this point the coach walks over “Hey guys sorry I'm late” (or wakes up if he was knocked out from the Integrity bit) “Hey guys...” he notices they're all kind of huddled “Is everything ok?”
• “Everything's great coach!” -Luisa
• “...so why is nobody practicing?”-Coach
• The team all give eachother dumbfounded looks, laughter, fade to black

Monster Turn around

Hey Australopithecus,

Here's the turn around of our monster done by our lovely visual development artist, Mina, last class :) No reason not to be on model with the monster now :) When we get to rough boarding that is!

Xandra Zapanta - Monster Thumbs

My group asked that I post the thumbnails, so here they are!

Junior Giants 2013: Construction Workers Script

Here is a more detailed outline of our new script. While not everything is finalized it will give a more clear idea of how our story will play out.

It begins with the Junior Giants having baseball practice just like any other day. As they play, construction workers start running around the field and taking measurements. The Junior Giants try to play around them but the construction workers start moving the pitching machine, the bases and then fencing off the field. The Junior Giants then start asking the construction workers what is going on but they don't acknowledge them. Suddenly, a limo pulls onto the field and Lorry runs around to open the door. The Landowner steps out and inadvertently answers the Junior Giants question as he talks to Lorry about how this is the perfect place to put his new business. He then notices the kids on the field and asks why in the world there are kids here. When the Junior Giants tell him that this is their field and that they can't build there he goes on to say that he is an adult and doesn't have to listen to the kids and asks the construction workers to remove the kids. The kids are being pushed off the field when they shout stop and everyone turns around to look at them. They go and tell the landowner that they are already set up and ready so why not play the kids for the field. A large grin crosses the Landowner's face as he asks what the stakes are. The kids say that if they win then the field is theirs but if they lose then they will have to leave and find somewhere else to play. The Landowner cackles and agrees, saying that he might as well humor them with one last game. As the kids go to their dugout and begin to get ready for the game, the Landowner calls over the construction crew and tells them that he will pay them extra to beat the kids in a game of baseball, which absolutely delights the construction crew except for Victor. Lorry then begins to shout out orders as Victor pulls out his phone and starts texting. Mitch pulls out a bag of chips and starts munching them down as Buck then begins to start arguing with Lorry.

As the game begins, the Junior Giants are up to bat. Louisa hits a fly ball that passes over Lorry and goes into the outfield towards Victor. She yells at Victor through her megaphone to catch it but Victor is too preoccupied with his phone and doesn't even attempt to catch it. As Lorry starts yelling even louder and telling him to throw it back into the infield, he simply stares at the ball and nudges it with him foot and goes back to texting. Buck sees Lorry coming and reaches into his pocket to pull out a new baseball and tries to tag Louisa out. However, the umpire* catches him cheating and the construction crew has a penalty against him. As Lorry starts yelling at Buck and the two start arguing, Mitch tries to stop them from arguing but the two start arguing even louder. This causes Mitch to get nervous and start eating junk food. Victor doesn't even bat an eye and keeps texting on his phone. As the construction workers team starts to really start arguing on the field the coach and the Junior Giants decide that they should do something and say that they should help the construction team out. The Landowner then yells at the team saying he is not paying them to stand around and the construction team goes back to their places.

Louisa heads over to Lorry as she is barking orders to the others and asks her why she is treating her team the way she is. Lorry responds that the team won't listen to her otherwise. Louisa tells her that a good leader shouldn't have to yell at her team and force her to do anything and that she should encourage her team. As Louisa heads back, Lorry doesn't pay her any mind but sees as Louisa stops Mikey on the way to the batter's box. Louisa tells him that she knows that he is a great hitter and that he will knock this one out. Mikey hits a pop fly past 3rd base and Lorry acts like she is going to start yelling at Mitch but stops, and then asks Mitch to get the ball and throw it to 2nd base. Mitch does and Mikey is called out. As Mikey heads back to the dugout Louisa says that Mikey did a great job and worked hard. Louisa then looks at Lorry and gives her a thumbs up and Lorry smiles.

As Vince goes up to bat he hits a line drive past second base that completely passes Buck up. As Vince runs past the bases Buck tries to block him running past the bases but gets another penalty against their team. As Vince stands on third base, Brad goes up to Buck and asks him why he keeps cheating. Buck says that he wants to win. Brad says that its not about winning or losing, but about having a good game and having fun. As Brad goes back to get ready to hit, Buck thinks about what he just said. Brad ends up getting 3 balls and 2 strikes against him, and misses his last swing but it looks like the ball might have hit the bat. Brad admits that he struck out and goes back to the dugout. Mikey goes up to bat and once again a line drive is hit past second base past Buck, but this time he just lets Mikey run the bases. Brad smiles as he sees Mikey run past.

Louisa goes up to bat and hits a ball into the outfield towards Victor, who again does nothing to try and get the ball. As Mitch runs over to grab the ball and throw it towards the infield he glares at Victor. Victor just shrugs and then continues texting. Vince sees the sight and runs out to talk to Victor. He walks over and asks why Victor didn't help his team out and Victor replies that the team is doing fine without him. Vince tells him that a team needs to work together to do its best and that his team is counting on him to succeed. As Brad goes up to hit, Victor puts away his phone. The ball is hit and comes flying towards Victor who grabs it and tosses it in a fantastic play that gets Brad out. As the Junior Giants go to the outfield and the construction crew head into the outfield Vince tells Victor that that was a fantastic play. Victor says thank you and that he wouldn't have tried it without Vince's motivation. Vince tells him that helping the other team is a part of teamwork as well and the two shake hands.

As Mitch goes up to bat, he is obviously nervous. He opens a new bag of chips as he goes to bat and starts munching them as he gets ready. As the ball is fired from the pitching machine, Mitch dives out of the way of the ball and cowers on the ground. Mikey sees this from 3rd base and goes over to help Mitch. He asks Mitch why he is so afraid and Mitch says that he is nervous about playing Baseball since he has never done it before. Mikey says that as long as he is confident he will do great. As Mitch gets up he looks for his chips and notices Mikey handing him a carrot. Mikey says that eating healthy can really help him be the best he can be. Mitch stares at the carrot a second before munching on it and going back to base. As the pitching machine fires again Mitch looks ready. He swings and gets a home run. Everyone on the field cheers as Mitch runs the bases. Mikey waves to Mitch as he runs the bases and Mitch smiles and waves back.

As the game continues the construction team is having much more fun with the game. They are all laughing and smiling as they play and they are working as a team. Everyone is enjoying the game and all of the pressure from before is gone. The landowner is less than thrilled however, and begins yelling at the team saying that they stink and should have whipped the kids by now. As he continues to berate the his team, the Junior Giants coach steps up and tells him not to bully his team. The landowner ignores him, so the coach goes over to the construction workers and tells them not to listen to his bullying . He says that they are all better than to get angry or respond to something like that. The construction team thanks coach and they go back to their game.

The landowner then throws a fit and tells the construction team that they have to go and demolish this field now. The construction team look at each other and then to the kids and realize that they don't want to destroy the field anymore. Mitch goes and tells the landowner that they decided that they won't demolish the field anymore. The landowner throws an even bigger fit and starts ranting and raving about how this field is way more trouble than it is worth. As he is shouting and screaming he stops, noticing a new field across the street. In the field there are a bunch of kids playing soccer. The landowner then shouts that's it, I will just go bulldoze that soccer field over there instead. The two teams watch as he runs off and then go on to continue their game as the short ends.