Category: Group Project

Project Work – CAT RIG

Recently I have been working more on the group project that we were set at the start of the year. whilst the other members of the group have been working on the edit of the video such as adding the effects and compositing the video, I provided the rough cut edit and made the cat rig for the creature that we will be using

 

Below is the print screen from the 3DS Max program which I used to make a skeleton for our creature. I have added all the natural bones that the skeleton would need, however I have added some extra bines onto the rig such as an upper and lower jaw bone, bones for the nails on the hands and feet, bones for the ears  and spine bones for the spikes on its back. This means that the cat rig has full control over every part of the sculpt and should be easier to animate.print screen CAT RIG

Group Project

For our project the things we will be using will be compositing, Matte painting, Green screening and advanced texture creation. Compositing will be used to help add the 3D creature into the filmed scenes then we will use the NukeX program to edit it and make it all look as if the creature belongs in that space. Matte painting will be used for this project during the end scene in order to paste the James Graham building into the background. Matte painting allows the editor to leave black holes in the painting for live action sequences to be pasted in.

Green screening will be used during this project in order to add things to the scene that need to be added. some scenes of the creature may have to be edited in with a green screen and then edited further in NukeX. Advanced texture creation will be used when skinning the creature to make it look realistic. By using NukeX to add it to the scene we can use lighting and shadows to make the creature look like it belongs even more.

 

Group Project Plan

This is the progression plan that the group has come up with. as of now we are working on the CGI and visual effects work. This also included editing the footage that we have gathered and merging the two together to create the final product. Next week, according to the plan we will be looking at sound and how we can implement it into the project to get the best results out of it. I believe that by using over exaggerated sound such as heavy breathing and loud footsteps it will create ambiance and stress for the audience watching. Also by adding a low volume and low tone sound it will create a certain atmosphere that will make the audience uneasy and jumpy, so when the creature is seen it will have the right effect on the people who are watching.

 

progression plan

Project Creature

 

Our creature was created by another group member who put time into making the concept art. As you can see ion the third picture there is some of the artwork below the 3D sculpt. the reference used for this mainly centred around the dragon from How to Train your Dragon, other reference material were things like alligators, kangaroos and komodo dragons. These were researched for their unique body structure and strange appendages, which was the type of image we were aiming for. I believe we wanted the creature to look different and unique but still wanted it to have something about it that would make people scared of it.

Project Script

INT. CORRIDOR – NIGHT

ESTABLISHING SHOT – DOLLY ZOOM

Empty corridor in James Graham building. Completely silent. Lights flickering. Dark and creepy atmosphere.

CUT TO:

2.

TILTED FULL SHOT – UP SHOT ON JANE DOE

Jane Doe runs through corridor. Breathing heavily in distressed state.

CUT TO:

3.

CLOSE UP ON JANE DOE – STRAIGHT ON SHOT

Jane Doe continues running. Looks over shoulder in panic.

TRUCK OUT TO:

4.

PAN WITH ACTION – FULL STRAIGHT SHOT ON JANE DOE

Jane Doe reaches end of corridor and steps behind wall. Takes deep breaths.

TRUCK IN TO:

5.

OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT:

Jane Doe peaks behind wall looking back at corridor and sees shadows getting closer but no creature in sight. Jane Doe looks panicked and swiftly continues running.

CUT TO:

6.

INT. STAIRCASE – NIGHT

PAN WITH ACTION – STRAIGHT ON LONG SHOT

Jane Doe swiftly runs down stairs as lights flicker off.

TRUCK IN TO:

7.

EXTREME CLOSE UP ON JANE DOE

Jane doe looks up frightened as a creature can be heard bellowing a monstrous roar. Continues to run downstairs.

Cut to:

8.

HORIZONTAL PAN WITH ACTION – UP SHOT ON JANE DOE

Jane Doe runs past turn in corridor having nearly reached the building’s exit.

CUT TO:

9.

INT. MAIN ENTRANCE – NIGHT

WIDESHOT – STRAIGHT ON

Jane Doe runs into entrance. Momentarily pauses for breath then runs to exit.

DRIFT IN TO:

10.

UPSHOT OF STAIRS

Limb of creature appears from shadow and begins descent downstairs, chasing Jane Doe.

SMASH CUT TO:

11.

EXT. ACRE – NIGHT

PAN WITH ACTION – STRAIGHT MEDIUM SHOT ON JANE DOE

Dark misty setting. Campus completely empty. Jane Doe is helplessly running onto the grass blindly trying to escape.

TRUCK OUT TO:

12.

EXTREME WIDE SHOT

Jane Doe continues running. Pitifully powerless and out of options to escape the creature.

CUT TO:

13.

UP FULL SHOT ON JANE DOE

Jane Doe crawls to a stop, panting heavily and too exhausted to continue. Dead silence.

DRIFT TO:

14.

FULL SHOT ON CREATURE – STRAIGHT ON SHOT

Creature is gaining on Jane Doe. Face and most of body revealed. Creature stops as though assessing prey. Then runs towards the camera and victim, pouncing towards the screen as film cuts off.

Project Work

For the group project we have been filming for the past week and putting together ideas that would best benefit the group. These ideas sometimes strayed from the original storyboard which was fine as long as we were still able to reference the work.

The main idea that we have is that the character is being chased throughout the university by a creature that has been designed by one of the group members. rough cuts have been filmed which are later to be edited to add the creature and the effects needed.

Due to the fact that the groups were switched around I initially didn’t have a role in this project, however since I have joined them my role has been doing the camera work and editing, on top of making a CAT Rig for the creature which can later be skinned and attached to the 3D sculpture.