Ss2-CBSO Chaplin Classics - 'Street Act' Live

Filled out symphony hall

Last friday was an incredible night as Street Act was being accompanied by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra live to just over 2500 people in attendance, such a great opportunity with the whole thing being so surreal after working on 'Street Act' since Christmas which has just about gave me  sufficient time for research and planning which enabled me to win the competition.

'Street Act' Live below-

The true beauty of the screening was hearing the audiences reactions to what is going on in the animation as this was my target audience there was no better way of seeing/hearing if my brief was complete.

The programme really did the event justice and my 100 words which was asked of me was published on the back of the programme photo below-

taken from cbso's programme

Also in the interval i was able to visit the directors lounge where industry professionals and drinks were available to mingle with, got to see some faces which i haven't in a while speaking about previous advice given and i was able to say how i was able to take on board the advice to better my outcome.

Meeting the likes of Myles McLeod and hear his opinions of my animation discussing how my animation got a warm reception hearing a laugh and applaud as well at the end. Also spoke with Andy Guest with whom i shall be doing a internship with once my Uni course is over, for becoming the winner of the cbso silent movie animation challenge.

 After then seeing two Chaplin Classics (City Lights and One A.M)

After such a great finish to the night in seeing Charlie Chaplin acompanied by the great composer and conductor Carl Davis who enjoyed a well desirved applaude. Then at the end of the night enjoyed a good chat with Carl Davis while he was signing programmes and cds.

Such an honour to speak to Carl Davies and so happy to talk about his work.

Before Chaplin Classics Night i received much granted publicity from CBSO (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) here are some photos where i featured on BBC Midlands talking about my inspiration for 'Street Act' and having my work played with one of the worlds best Orchestra.

Sadly the news article are only for 24hours but above are some stills.

Here are some recent articles on 'Street Act' and myself commending on winning animation prize-

Facebook page-

facebook.com/pages/GHAnimation/334135546644252

Silent London-
silentlondon.co.uk/2012/04/07/silent-birmingham-street-act/

Birmingham City University-
bcu.ac.uk/biad/viscom/news/silent-movie-speaks-volumes-for-talented-animation-student

Birmingham City Council-
birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Library-of-Birmingham%2FPageLayout&cid=1223388052270&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper&rendermode=previewnoinsite

The Guardian,Creative boom-
creativeboom.co.uk/news/silent-movie-speaks-volumes-for-talented-animation-student/

Birmingham Alive-
birmingham-alive.com/cbso-animated-silent-movie-challenge/

Ss2 - Set modifications,playing with plastercine and newsletter feature!

Modifications made to the set

First this top image is of the set before if you look at the sides its at quiet the right angle to the back wall so i thought it best to see about opening out sides over easter.

This is the after we altered the angle by moving the wooden back holding the wall steady and then changing where its held down, the only tricky part was where the angle meets to make a sharp edge there wouldn't be much chance to change the angle later so went with making two grooves to rest the sides together.

Also when making the set it was going to be held together using biscuit pieces in slots at ninety degree angle but found that would be a bad idea especially when wanting to pull apart but left so holes in the floor so they needed some filler.

Then a touch of paint here and there and any scuff marks sorted out and maybe a little more mud on the floor where the camera didn't see before.

Heres something i made earlier 

Really like this photo

 This little character was a practice with getting a pose that emphasises the characters emotion without being animated.

Over the next few weeks i have many ideas i would like to try out, mainly being better at drawing a character off the top of my head and then being able to model it exact, then move on the taking other peoples styles and making it into a 3d model.

With the hands of the character i was going for more of a square style much like Carl Fredrickson from Disney Pixar's feature film Up, which beings a fragile look more with Carls character a square and stereo typical grumpy Grandad movement.

Might also create different emotions for the same character.

'Street Act' has only got me on the Birmingham City University Newsletter Checkout the feature below

all the hard work is paying off but still not stopping anytime soon!

Ss2- 'Street Act' Won the Cbso competition!!

Here is 'Street Act' my silent Animation Short film - 

Which shall be screened at Symphony Hall on 20 April, accompanied by a live orchestra
and watched by around 2500 people!

Here is the email i received confirming i won

Ss2- 'STREET ACT' final lighting and deadline met!

How the final picture looks- Title of Animation

Editing all finished thursday just gone,absolutely perfect timing with 2 o'clock today gave my copy of 'STREET ACT' to The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 3 days before the deadline which was met with no hiccups in terms of maybe missing the deadline.

3/4 through the animation this is a crop of a screen grab
 just to give example of the lighting

Editing was great in terms of learning final cut to a basic extent and After effects likewise and with that bringing the film to full HD and bringing the lighting of the film to another level bringing sepia and use the lighting on After Effects to my advantage bring to life a much more Golden Era looking film.

this shot was taken after lighting was done and cropping it to fit screen size.

Lighting and effects only complemented the picture quality of the animation
big props to Matt Cusworth for suggesting re-edit

so to start working on my next project in the coming weeks based around me learning to use talking to add comedy to sutler gestures from the characters performance,but until then i'll be going back to Wales for a few days to see family and friends for easter.


And not forgetting the credits...

All the people mention in the credits for the jobs entitled
but also for always being willing to give opinions and time so kindly

Ss2-working on 'STREET ACT' Introduction

Final 'Street Act' Introduction

2 part introduction

Firstly i've put the final introduction above to talk about and then below are my before designs and why i have chosen to change the introduction into two separate shots. The short story is i thought the title as a whole was too busy and crammed into one shot,keeping who presents the animation at the top and the production below the title as the layout.

What this layout also gives the audience is the ability to see the title a lot more clearer and not feel rushed to read within the time allotted for each slide.

Introduction Development

With the writing below being fitting but without the font being able to be filled in i thought it best to find a new font more suited to the time period and look a simpler to read especially if the audience is only going to read the title.

With all the changes in place the introduction looked a lot better but seemed too cluttered and so divided the introduction into two separate slides one who presents the animation and the other being the title and the production.

 

The above title was cleaner with the logo taken out and the hats moved around its looking better but the hat on the S doesn't look that professional because the S isn't showing all that well. Also my name at the bottom is a little too small.

This was a favourite of mine because of the GHAnimation logo that was placed at the bottom looking official but with the large amount of font change throughout doesn't come across legible and hasn't really got much of a fun look to it especially without the hats being placed in a well thought out way.

Ss2- Film Introduction,title cards and end credits research for Street Act

Introduction

Thinking about an important layout for the introduction was important as its the first thing the audience sees, making sure the star of the show and the title is the focus and at the centre.Also having a boarder wasn't a necessity but brings everything together nicely.

Hal Roach worked with Laurel and Hardy

Title had to have a little something different to draw you in to be the first thing you see so working with several fonts was important, there wouldn't be a huge change to the style of the overall look but just to stand out like the titles below.

Intros that give you a taste of the film just from the text.

Both these collages have titles that are easily recognisable and have been promoted well, but what stand out is that each one not only has the title but gives a taste of the film that you about to be watching.

The title above i used a lot when planning out the layout for my introduction for Street Act having everything in three chunks.

same applies for this into 

Another great introduction still with a feel of the film bringing out the cold and icicle writing, this was another that the layout worked and i thought about using.

What makes great title cards?

• Instantly readable and don't become a chore by having to many to explain the story.
• What is written is straight to the point.
• you know who is saying what 
• the vocabulary isn't to strong as the audience is a mixture of old and young.
• the font is always the same and size.
• Enough time is given for the audience to read them

sounds could be made legible 

what is read is needed and doesn't leave the audience guessing.

making sure the boarder doen't get int the way

simple boarders are easier or no boarder

The End/Credits

Not much to the end really but having it come it smooth looks nice, but depending on the story of course, like the images above the end could come into focus with what happens at the end of the film.

Credits can be totally different for era,genre and style, but for Street Act im going to stick with keeping it with the simple slide style in keeping with the time like the above image which has job one side name the other and logos below.

Ss2- London's Sculpture,Culture and Film Memorabilia

photo take in between shots on Street Act

 Some photos from the V&A in London last weekend, these are sculptures which i found all interested me from a Animation perspective as well as the obvious great detail that each one has, while animating i noticed a great deal of importance in keeping a pose a exaggerating everything to give a natural sense that makes what you're looking at realistic.
The photo at the top is of one of my characters in the middle of a scene reaching into his hat, the other point in looking at these sculptures was because of the sense of while looking at them you don't feel like they're posing but in the middle of something like the one below for example there is a great line of action which conveys movement a lot better which is what has influenced me to create longer lasting poses and get that line of action every time.

V and A

the line from hands right to the knee's

same sculpt from a different angle

Shadow silhouette

 Another thing that came across when animating after being to London was if my puppet was a silhouette would i know exactly what it was doing straight away,using each limb to bring across what a character is doing, look at the shadow of the sculpt above to see a great example.

Show power and authority with just one pose

Never boxing a character in, show exactly where everything would be in comparison before starting like  with a pose how a character would get there when animating.

Also something which i don't take into enough consideration is lighting

subtle movements always count to give something more life

Getting the the best angle while animating can make a total difference like these two images

 Great lighting and shape on this sculpt

bringing across the mood instantly

agression and chaos

These are great pieces which i remembered from a previous visit, especially the middle one the great detail to all the muscles and limbs and the effect light has brings texture and three dimensional quality.

London Film Museum

BIG BEN

Then hopped on the tube to the London Film Museum which was where the photo was taken from, once we got past all the crowds of tourists on the bridge and next to the eye we finally got into the museum.

Totally geeking out at all the things at the museum including a charlie chaplin section which i didnt know about until we got there,Ray Harryhausen gallery,Harry Potter section and a most amusing horror section with zombie heads.

chilling by a bizarre chaplin poster

recording device

Wind machine

Costume worn by Peter Sellers for Dr Strange Love

old school filming equipment 

Superman Costume from the latest version

And of course the batman costume!

Model of how the bear would look for Golden Compass

Harry Potter

Brumes and books from their classes used on the films

Last costumes of the three main 

Frame from Roger Rabbit

After a great day of seeing a lot of Sculpture, culture and film memorabilia it was time to get back to Euston station and get back to Birmingham in time to fix puppets ready for the next week of Animating on Street Act.