Strange Behavior (Short Film) Entry: Henrik Vasquez

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Project Calendar:


http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6181/targetdatespp2.jpg

[mim-Armand]

Hey nice idea about workflow chart here, Henrik, :thumbsup:
I would uploas mine here (on my thread!) too, it would help a lot while you have work on other project's also in same time! :D
Btw Goodluck buddy, I'm glad to see you'r planed to use CG only too! just like me sofar!


Keep workin on, mim, :)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Good luck to you too mim-Armand. I'll keep an eye on your thread.



-----------------

Did these speed paintings to warm up to the story in the script. Started thinking about shot compositions, staging, set and character designs.


http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1182910367_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1182910367_large.jpg)

[AtomAndBrad]

I really like the look of the paintings. Do you think thats the kind of color palette you're going to be working with for the final project? If so, I am looking forward to it :) Are you going to try and do this solo, or do you have a team put together?

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Hey, AtomAndBrad. Thanks for stopping by. These are just warmup sketches. I haven't decided on palette or lighting scheme at this time.

Except for the voice acting and soundtrack assist, I'm doing the rest.

Not sure if you're in, but if you are....good luck!

[bstout]

awesome design.
may the farce be with you.

[AtomAndBrad]

Heh no I'm not in. Just a lurker :P Getting myself motivated to get skilled enough to try my hand at a challenge this time next year :) So in the meantime I will be keeping track of several people's progress and making any kind of critiques I might be able to lend. So yeah, good luck ^_^

[Henrik-Vasquez]

bstout: thanks. Live long and prosper! :)

AtomandBrad: Thanks again.


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I have a first draft for my own take on the script. And I want an opening shot of a gallery's front. The gallery I'm thinking of is more of the huge institutional kind rather than the smaller fine art gallery where the art's for sale.

I did these studies to familiarize myself with architectural details and to find out which details I want to incorporate in my own design (steps? trees?). This is a way too, to find out how much I should model.


http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/457/htvfacadestudiesbd1.jpg

[Henrik-Vasquez]

After gathering refs like I did for the first set of studies, I did these to analyze and acquaint myself with gallery interiors. I've been to art galleries before but I didn't pay attention to their exhibition layout or construction details (like, how their lights are setup from the ceiling or how glossy they make their floors - which would be a consideration for me, because I don't want to spend time or need to get that vrayed look to a scenery). Some interiors have a simple open space and others, especially in bigger buildings, have a little bit more complexity in how sections are divided and how many permanent elements occupy a floor (fountain, pillars, display cases, etc.).


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1182996810_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1182996810_large.jpg)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thumbnail sketches where I'm thinking about patron-exhibition space relationships. I'm not hiring live actors so I have to think about scale factors, how high should make the artworks hanged to coincide with my digital characters' sight lines (how big should I make the artworks on display?) or how much of the ceiling would I need to show if I do medium or full-shots, or looking up. Started to think about backgrounds too.


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183037997_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183037997_large.jpg)

[Chiko]

Very nice concepts! I love the thumbnail sketches. You also have your stuff very well organized! What a great idea , I just might steal the calendar to keep myself on track haha.

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thank you Chiko. No need to steal :) Feel free to use the calendar and edit it as necessary. Having a schedule helps you gain efficiency in your projects. I recommend it.


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These figure thumbnails serve as a way to recall poses or gestures by people during my art gallery visits: They're usually on their feet, pausing long enough to soak in a painting before walking towards the next artwork on display. This is obvious of course, but consider the different ways they pause, look, or walk and how they relate space-wise to each other and the exhibition pieces. Some cock their heads to one side, some stretch to look above a crowd, some approach the tiny tags to read the info better, some bring along a multi-lingual audio device, sketchbook, etc.

I'll use this sheet to determine my key poses because I'm not using mocap or stock animations. This will also help me design the characters I'll need. Like, how many body types do I need to include, for example, and what would they wear to show variety in silhouettes.

Isolation is indicated in the script but I want an area where I can show overlapping figure motions to contrast with the near empty space where the lead characters are situated.



http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183096526_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183096526_large.jpg)

[Steampunk]

hi, you have comprehensive plan ! nice work ! good luck mates !

[mim-Armand]

Nice works Henrik, I'll coming here Frequently to see your progress buddy, really awesome so far, ;)



Goodluck, mim,:thumbsup:

[Henrik-Vasquez]

First round of character designs.

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183240969_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183240969_large.jpg)

[bstout]

love the way the couple on the middle of the bottom row are standing.
The way their hips bow towards each other makes it seem like they are more interested in each other than the art they are looking at, but maybe it's still a first date.

[AtomAndBrad]

Continuing to watch your progress :) I really love how much care you're taking in the pre-viz stage. The poses all look very natural. Definitely reminds me of the way people do stand in art galleries. Were you thinking of putting in a museum-art-gallery type setting, or more of a specific artist's exhibition gallery setting? If it's more of a museum setting, one suggestion I'd make is maybe having at least one bored child character holding his mother's hand. You'd just kind of see him as your'e making your establishing shots of the gallery, but then later on while the main action is happening (with the creatures coming out of the painting), he could be the "sole spectator" (the only person in the room that notices what's actually going on, since obviously he has no interest in staring at the paintings, he's just gonna look around at other stuff). Just an idea ^_^

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thanks for the latest feedbacks bstout and AtomAndBrad.

Were you thinking of putting in a museum-art-gallery type setting, or more of a specific artist's exhibition gallery setting?

A bit of both. I'm basing the environment on something like the huge Smithsonian National Art Gallery. I've actually thought of including kids but my time-of-day is at night and so I'm just narrowing it down to grownups. Your suggestion A&B is good though. Still early to lock anything down so who knows, maybe I'll need to add hyper kids for the final.

he could be the "sole spectator"

Nice detail suggestion, kinda Spielbergian. I plan to post my storyboad this coming week and I'm interested to know what your opinions are on that.


I really love how much care you're taking in the pre-viz stage.

Thanks. It's more for efficiency's sake. For the challenge schedule there's a lot of time and there's not a lot of time, if you know what I mean. And I don't like to go into "crunch mode", so the more room to breathe before the due date the better.

[fido972]

The good beginning, very nice searches. I'm waiting for the suit. :thumbsup:

[MarkSnoswell]

Very good start. Just my personal opinion -- dont feel the need to add additional character extras. With the right pacing and shot setup no one will question the absence of other gallery patrons. Keeping it tight and personal could help build the tension and keep the complexity of the film manageable.


Looks like you are planning to do it all in 3D? ... or are you considering live actors?

[SONIC-X]

This is inspirational stuff dude.

You have planned well and I can see your going to pull this off pretty well.

Good luck and see ya later.

[M477]

So far so good, you are being very thorough and your sketch work is lively

Good luck, I'll come by again soon to check out your progress and see how you are coping with all the tests that this project will undoubtably throw up :)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thank you fido972. Good luck in your team.


Thanks Mark. I'll definitely keep your advise in mind. In fact, I'll start working on the principal characters before the extras. Currently, the look I'm shooting for is 2D + 3D. Handrawn/handpainted over 3D. More Iron Giant style than toon shaded.


Thanks SONIC-X.


Thanks M477. Good luck in your film too. I'll stop by to check it out.


------------

Here's the rough storyboard. I'm still figuring out my ending so that is not included here. I'm also still designing John and Amy, which is why they look different from panel to panel. Red diagram is camera direction, white arrows for character direction.

Week 2, I'm still on schedule but I'm doing boards and the animatic sooner than planned.


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418021_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418021_large.jpg)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418070_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418070_large.jpg)

Shots 13-24

[Henrik-Vasquez]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418275_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418275_large.jpg)

Shots 25-34c

[Henrik-Vasquez]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418328_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418328_large.jpg)

Shots 35-46

[Henrik-Vasquez]

http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418373_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1183418373_large.jpg)

Shots 47-54

[AtomAndBrad]

Wow man :o It really feels like it's taking shape! The storyboards look great. I really like the establishing shots of the museum/gallery before you get to the characters themselves.

One thing I might suggest is on the very last shot, instead of having the guy look annoyed/angry, give him a funny kind of "what the hell just happened?" perplexed kind of look. I think it'd add to the overall humor. With the look being more annoyed as it is, it feels like it's supposed to go on a bit further. At least that's what I expect.

[coolkonrad]

This challenge is hard, trust me I know :-)
But the best of luck to you!

/peter

[Henrik-Vasquez]

One thing I might suggest is on the very last shot, instead of having the guy look annoyed/angry, give him a funny kind of "what the hell just happened?" perplexed kind of look.

Gotcha A&B. Thanks.

Thanks too coolkonrad. Definitely challenging and fun.


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Update: currently working on the animatic.

[SteveTsang]

Hey Henrik, looks like you're making good progress, have enjoyed looking at your storyboard, looking forward to seeing more :)

[mim-Armand]

Hey nice works Henrik, I like how you develop your idea during storyboarding;
Cant wait to see whats End! ;)

GL, mim, :)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

First attempt w/ the animatic.


Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=78773)


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1184208154_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1184208154_large.jpg)

[AtomAndBrad]

Wow :o I continue to be impressed by your quick rate of progress. I can tell that you're really disciplining yourself here.

As far as the animatic goes, it's looking good :) I would keep in mind the target length though. It is supposed to be a minimum of 2 minutes. Now, from what your storyboards reflected, your animatic encompasses everything you've planned out. Now I don't really know if you intended to go further than what you have, or if this is your final representation of what you plan to create. If so, then it simply needs to be longer based on the rules. One thing I'd definitely recommend doing (regardless of if you plan to add more to the end or not) is to lengthen some of the scenes in the establishing portion. It feels a bit rushed with several quick cuts. So I would certainly extend some of those scenes and maybe add some more slight camera movement. I'm picturing some longer tracking shots, showing the museum patrons standing and walking slowly in either direction. More camera movement in general would benefit here, but making sure to keep it smooth and not too quick, considering this is a museum setting.

Heh, I'm probably bringing up points that you're either already aware of or have already considered, but either way, just trying to give whatever advice I can ^_^ I will continue to follow your progress.

[mim-Armand]

Great advance on ur project guys, I like the animatic really,:applause:

Btw I’ll suggest for more traditional jump cuts, I mean it would be better if you do not jump from a Long Shot to a close-up for example, or from a POV to a Long or vice versa;

All the ways it’s just my opinion and it looks fairly cool yet just in this level so keep good works friends,



Goodluck, mim :thumbsup:

[M477]

Nice progress, it's definately a good idea to get the whole thing down in 3d, it's much easier to follow than storyboards alone. I would suggest thinking of some more dramatic angles and surroundings. For example, you could make the paintings much much bigger so they completely overshadow John and Amy and make them less significant as characters. This will focus the viewers attention on the subjects of the paintings and add to the overall feel of the unnatural and how John stands no chance against the evil inside them.

[froggy42]

I like the way the butterfly comes out of the painting, and that the characters do not notice , it gives a clue/hint that they are not ordinary paintings and of whats to come.

[Henrik-Vasquez]

AtomAndBrad: Thanks for sharing your observations and advice. It's much appreciated. Yeah, feel free to comment on whatever you deem worth pointing out. I'll be reviewing previous feedback posts as I move along. Re: timing and rushed shots, a lot of my initial shot choices will be re-considered or replaced. I'll definitely add more camera movements in future video updates.


mim: Good point. I'll probably need to watch a couple of films for inspiration and ideas regarding editing and camera direction. You're progressing pretty good too in your own thread.

M477. Thank you for the suggestion. You guys are gonna rock with the talent that's in your team.

how John stands no chance against the evil inside them

muhahaha! :twisted:

froggy42: Thank you for stopping by. Fingers crossed I can pull the butterfly shot(s) as I've envisioned it. Good luck in your film too.


-----------
Week three, still on track but I'm deviating from my original schedule (again) by spending the next week or two on style and look tests. This would envolve modelling and compositing tests and figuring out how best to use my tools to achieve the experimental art direction that I'm going for right now.

Til the next update, stay cool (or stay warm - depending on which hemisphere you're in).

Cheers!

[m0bus]

It seems your well ahead of schedule, keep it up.
The animatic looks great.

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thanks m0bus. Good luck to you too.


---------------


First prototype of the elephant creature. Definitely for the blooper reel!

Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79146)


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1184653719_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1184653719_large.jpg)

[bstout]

great trunk dynamics.
i like that you are playing with the smaller one being more free and teh larger one more solid.

[kiankash]

Great work on the storyboarding; I especially like the way you have visualized the man in the painting with the extended neck; my hats off to you sir ;)

Kian

I.C.

[mim-Armand]

Yeah nice dynamic trunk!
Can't wait to see your elephant animated, keep it up man! :thumbsup:

mim, :)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Bill, yeah I like the contrast too. I'm actually considering redesigning my idea for the elephant man to just having one trunk - so leaving the strangeness to what he's doing in the painting that he's in than trying to get attention to his extra set of trunks.

kiankash, thank you. I'll do my best to make my short film entertaining.

Thanks mim. The final look will likely not be as flexible in motion particularly when the elephant character "throws" something towards John. Debating right now if I should have more than one trunk or not.

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Initial rig test for the flying head.

Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79252)


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1184805759_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1184805759_large.jpg)

[SteveTsang]

Hey Henrik, you're making good progress :) glad to see that you're keeping to the schedule :thumbsup:

[bstout]

cool head tests.
humorous and scary at the same time.

[wartoon]

hehe good to see things animated good luck

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thanks for stopping by for this update Steve and wartoon.

Bill, you got me thinking.:) Looking back at my boards and this test made me agree with your comment that a flying head with extending neck is indeed scary. I want to treat the audience first with comedy and just concentrate the scary aspects of the script in the swap sequence. So, I'm going to scrap the overreaching head and think of something else that's more comedic in its place.

[bstout]

an extended head doesn;thave to be scary.
maybe if it moves like its on spring.
springs are silly. like a jack in the box, it springs out and startles you. then its just bouncing away on a spring, so its funny.

anyway, keep testing, it'll rock.

and thanks for the comments on my script. its funny i do have alot more theater experience than film and television. my first short a couple of years ago looked 1940s because i underused the camera so much. i had to reshoot the entire first day and a half. its also why my boards are so weird. i draw where the characters are in space, then draw the rectangles for the camera around them to plan the edits.

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Testing biped rig.

Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79490)


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1185169376_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1185169376_large.jpg)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Process test.

Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79546)


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1185255313_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79546)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Quick and dirty cycle done as a test.

Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79590)


http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/8344/walkvidpe7.gif (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79590)


(http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/eon/player.php?entry_id=79590)

[ju3d]

Man this walk isnt good!
U must to move the root joint to up and down a little and rotate this too... the shoulder must rotate on arms direction. Need to simulate more gravity.
Ok? Good work.

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thank you julianobezerra. I'll do my best to fix this walk.:thumbsup:

[kiankash]

deinterlace hommie, deinterlace...like the vector version, reminds me of this french CG movie I watched about a year ago, it was vectorized and in BW, very cool effect.


cheers,

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Modelling progress so far for John.

Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/strange_behavior/player.php?entry_id=79974)


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186021830_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/strange_behavior/player.php?entry_id=79974)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Progress of Amy model. A tad well-endowed than originally planned - will have to do some re-scaling next. :D And legs too!


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186090812_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186090812_large.jpg)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Going for just a single trunked pachyderm.

Play Video >> (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/strange_behavior/player.php?entry_id=80101)


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186257500_medium.jpg (http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/strange_behavior/player.php?entry_id=80101)

[Henrik-Vasquez]

I'm replacing the head portrait element with a painting that has a monkey in it. I actually based this model off a lemur but I'll try and animate it monkeylike.


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186336751_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186336751_large.jpg)

[Paul4wood]

I'm really enjoying watching your progress, Henrik. You certainly seem comfortable with the whole process of bringing your dream alive in the given time. Very well organised and documented.

I will continue to enjoy following your progress.

Best of luck to you. :thumbsup:

[Henrik-Vasquez]

Thank you Paul. I'm just doing the "baby-steps" routine since I'm learning methods and tools as I go along. I'll do my best to maintain momentum. :thumbsup:

Thanks too to kian in the previous page for the deinterlacing tip.

[Henrik-Vasquez]

I'm not too happy and confident how that first model of John turned out, so I re-designed him to exude more attitude.

Here, I made him wear a wife-beater and baggy gym pants. I thought of giving him chains and big rings but that might be too hard to animate in 2D so I gave him a toothpick as an accessorie instead.


http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186434381_medium.jpg (http://assets.cgsociety.org/challenge/entries/17/12749/12749_1186434381_large.jpg)

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