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CgTalk Daily Sketch 485(PRODUCTION DESIGN) “Dracula’s Castle”
CgTalk:FXWars! Dracula’s Castle
ENVIRONMENT WAR
BY Roberto Ortiz
The Castle
Dracula surely needs little introduction, being the most famous tale of vampirism and the one to which all since it was published in 1897 have aspired to. However, with the numerous adaptations and cinematic rejuvenations and rejiggings of the legend (from Nosferatu to Blackula) have come many bastardisations of the original tale and character. The novel is told via the diary entries of the young solicitor Jonathan Harker, his fiancée Mina, Lucy Westenra and Dr John Seward (who is in charge of a lunatic asylum in Essex). We travel to the Transylvanian abode of Count Dracula, a strange and disturbing castle. His purpose is to settle a land deal for Seward but he is drawn into bizarre and horrifying experiences within the castle walls.
THE CHALLENGE:
Simulate a series of establishing (either exterior or interior shots). Imagine you have been tasked to do a series of establishing shots for a remake of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This means that how the environment looks and feels like is key.
We have limited the scope to two mayor categories:
[ul]
[li]Exterior Shot (Imagine a dark and stormy night as the camera comes up from the cliff walls up to the castle tower )[/li][li]Castle Interior / Environment (Imagine the main chamber of the castle where the count is waiting)[/li][/ul]Since this is a environment war you NEED to add at least one environment effect to the sequence. On the exterior shots we could see, moving tress, clouds, lighting, mist, fog. And on the interior shots , we could see fire, fog, or some cool lighting effects. You don’t need to do all of the effects, just one or two. Also you might do fully digital shots or if you wish you can do a composite shot/matte painting or a filmed sequence. But because of the tight dateline it is STRONGLY encouraged that this challenge be done in teams.
One of the key of the challenge, for all entry types, is to do believable movie style shots of the castle. Multiple techniques should be used to produce the shots (3D models, matte painting, live action, photographs etc) so good integration of the elements is key. Like the last challenge this is an excellent opportunity for compositors to try their skills. (But a a composite is not a requirement)
At the end pf the challenge a finished entry that looks EXACTLY like the kinds of scene we could see in a live action Dracula movie so keep in mind that the keys are realism and feeling You will have 3 weeks to do the challenge.
Exterior (Difficulty Level MED)
Imagine you are driving on a dark and stormy night and you see on the horizon a creepy castle
[ul]
[li]More emphasis on shot creation and realistic environment VFX interaction[/li][li]More emphasis on editing, lighting and cinematography.[/li][li]The scenes in the entry require good flow and good camera work[/li]
In cg It is very easy to do flying ships, but it is VERY HARD to do the whole thing getting the scene to look right.
[/ul]Interior ( Difficulty Level MED)
Imagine you are in main chamber of the castle waiting for the master to come over.
[ul]
[li]More emphasis on shot creation and realistic lighting VFX interaction[/li][li]More emphasis on editing, lighting and cinematography.[/li][li]The scenes in the entry require good flow and good camera work[/li][/ul]HYBRID ENTRY: (Difficulty Level VERY HIGH)
[ul]
[li]It combines the required of both the Exterior and the Interior shot[/li][/ul]The best animation/short will be selected by an open vote
for these categories:
[ul]
[li]Best Composite Work[/li][li]Best Animation[/li][li]Best Editing[/li][li]Best Visual Effects)[/li][li]Best Overall Entry[/li][/ul]The winner will get bragging rights and a small banner
designed by me.
DATELINE: Monday October 31st 12:00 PM
You have 3 weeks(!) to do the challenge.
CHALLENGE SPECIFIC RULES:
[ul]
[li]No work taken DIRECTLY from an existing tutorial. You may use an existing tutorial only for reference.[/li][li]You may use a pre exiting models and filmed footage, as long as you have the rights to use them.[/li][li]You may provide a heavily edited animation with all the trimmings, as long a you provide a written shot sequence OR a storyboard of your work.[/li][li]Remember the key of the challenge if for you guys to brush up on your composite skills.[/li][/ul]GENERAL RULES:
[ul]
[li]The animation and simulations (if any) must have been done AFTER the topic has been[/li]announced.
[li]WIP are encouraged if they are posted in ANOTHER[/li]thread. Please provide a link to them on this thread.
[li]WIP thread should be posted on the FXWARS Forum forum and should follow[/li]the following naming convention: FXWars! “Dracula’s Castle”!: MY NAME, TYPE OF ENTRY (Note: Group entries are allowed)
[li]It is Recommended that Final movies should be rendered at 320 x 240 or 640 x 480 in QuickTime* format (Sorenson Compression), but other resolutions and formats are allowed. * The animation format is open for discussion.[/li][li]The animation should follow the following naming convention:[/li]MYNAME_FXWARS(RESOLUTION).mov. And please add your name at the beginning and end of the animation, and if you can, also add a small non disruptive watermark during the animation.
[li]If for some reason, you can’t host movies, sequential images (Thumbnails size 160 x 120 ) are accepted.[/li][li]Please add a brief text description about your piece.[/li]The artist also has to post total length of time it took and program used.
[li]Collaborative pieces are accepted and encouraged, but Teams entries must have a identifying banner and a name. Shot lists should be included with the entry.[/li][li]Individuals participating in a team CAN have their own individual entries.[/li]The topics will be picked at random from the list on
this >>thread << (The author will be given credit). So
guys keep them coming.
[li]Post on this thread your link to your WIP thread and your FINAL piece.[/li][li]You can add multiple entries, as long as they have different WIP threads.[/li][li]Only participants who follow the rules and submit a final entry will be elegible for the voting process.[/li][li]Any piece caught breaking the rules will be taken[/li]off the thread.
[/ul]
Reference:
http://www.draculascastle.com/
http://www.brasovtravelguide.ro/bv-en/surroundings/dracula-castle.php
http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/Floor/7569/13.html 1992 movie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103874/
1931 movie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021814/
The Novel:
http://www.literature.org/authors/stoker-bram/dracula/
I also recomend to check the moody work by
Mike Mignola…
Good Luck
I’ll try and participate in the challenge aswell!
