How can we jump start this forum?


#55

Cool! :thumbsup:

no wonder you needed time :d this is a sci-fi monowheel right… I don’t think the real thing actually has that hinging middle part… no criticism or anything just asking. Anyway this is cooler!
I guess that with the planning you have we can expect to start writing this weekend. Nice!

Once again thank you for the effort Roberto. Looking forward to see what the DSF does with it.

I hope everyone is happy with this update? Greetings!


#56

Here is what I need from you guys.
you have seen the vehicles,
Tommorow you will start the stadiums…

You have seen the cars.

What wee need are backgrounds.
Backgrounds for teams,
Backgounds for Racers.

Not only that we need some drama.
When we take this to the FX people I want to be able to submit to them
some short scripts (one page at most) of some short FX sequences based
on the backgounds you guys come up with.
I would strongly recommend for you guys to check out our FX galleries for past work.

Keep in mind, the people doing these challenges are short on resources.
(ie Filmed elements)
have fun.

-R


#57

There are 3 scenes I am looking for in the challenge, that you guys might want to try:

THE INTRODUCTION
THE CRASH
THE BIG FINISH

BTW This challenge will go live in about 3 weeks.


#58

Okay… so lets break it down to some challenge spec’s than as soon as the stadium sketches are here we’ll go on with the show.

One page is definitely to short for some of us… so I say lets do 3 pages…

Create a team or lone racer and write a

1 page introduction,
1 page race/crash, spectacular
1 page finish

So that is 3 pages either American letter or European a4 style.
Type is 10 point Courier.

Deadline 1 week (two weekends) seems fair. (which would be sunday 28, 23:59 in your own timezone)

Judging criteria, based on what is asked from us:

Using as few characters/cars/environments as possible
Originality/coolness
Flow of action
How exciting can you make this?

That means we can start judging Monday 29, giving every entry a number from 1 to 4 on every criteria (1=bad - 4=exceptional) plus any comments you want to give.

Did I forgot anything? or can we go ahead and create a challenge thread on Friday with this assignment?


#59

Hey Guys

I am a huge admirer of the work being done in the CG world today and believe it is one of the most taken for granted roles that should be given more credit than it is. You are truly the Renaissance Artists of our modern age.

As such, I have a proposition. I am in production on an environmental short film, The Velvet Abstract, wwww.thevelvetabstract.comwhich still requires some Artists, and I am also looking for an Artist for a one minute short film. So if you wanted to help out on either project, in return you would have my services as a produced Writers Guild Screenwriter to write your short film project for free. This includes rewrites until your short animation/CG film is ready for release.

Basically you help me with my mine, I help you with yours.

Contact me if you interested with links to your work and any experience, and also what project you yourself are looking for my help with.

Regards
James Hughes
enquiries@james-hughes.com
www.james-hughes.com


#60

Hey guys

This whole thing sounds cool but I think it kinda strayed from our initial idea which was to write a short story based on what we interpreted from a picture or portrait. If we are all told to write about a specific event (like a crash or a race game) then I’m sure that narrows down our imaginative options.

Also I thought we were doing a short story not a script. I don’t know what everyone else feels about this. Haven’t heard anything from anyone else. But if you guys are okay with this then I’m sure we can go ahead. Let’s hear from the participants.


#61

Well i was up for the picture idea although I didnt have an idea for the Souk one. I voted in the poll that I might participate but wasnt sure.

When I heard Roberto’s monowheel idea I was thinking: yeah! A desolate future world where citizens of a forgotten biodome must race across barren deserts and avoid the clutches of radioactive mutants to reach…
that’s all i had.
But a racing arena isnt working for me unless the loser has to be thrown out into the desert where they must race across barren deserts and avoid the clutches of radioative mutants to reach…

I write a fair bit on my own although not really for any cg projects so its a matter of something coming along that really inspires me.

My own view is that the format should be a little flexible–like if someone wants to do a short story or a script its up to them…but then they would probably need to be judged a different way.
And since its also a storyboarding forum, I think if people wanted to do something entirely in pictures that should be ok too.

I think its good to link up with challenges in other forums though.
Even the Secret Agent challenge might be good inspiration for stories.

Anyway that’s my thoughts on it.


#62

Well hi… sorry that there are some doubts… let me counter them a bit :slight_smile:

First of all we still work from what we interpret from a picture (unfortunately there are no pictures as of yet (just looked in on the daily sketch forum)
And from what I saw there it looks the topic has a little more freedom than what has been said here.

Secondly, I give you that the rules have been tightened a bit because other people need to work with our stuff. Personally I don’t mind because the trade-off you make between more restrictions is rewarded by actually making something that will be a basis for others to work from. If seeing back what you have written in film is not enough of a reward I don’t know what is.

Which brings me to screen writing versus story writing… which is kinda different in this case. The finished product is going to be used by a visual effect team. Which means people and feelings and such have to be limited since there is simply not enough time/ resources to fully make a short film. These people focus on the effects of which there should be plenty.
In turn that means that dialog will be minimized and the script is looking more and more like a short story already.

Finally about everybody writing the same thing. I really wanted to give you 3 pages for a story arc instead of one, since that is kinda minimal.
So that is why I bundled up Roberto’s suggestions for quick racing subjects into one. If you don’t mind the limited space as much you can just do one and choose from those 3 subjects instead of one.

Actually I think those subjects are pretty wide actually… but really anything goes as long as it is spectacular.

:frowning: I really hoped we could go along with the challenge today but without pictures it aint gonna happen… please wait while we adress this technical difficulty :stuck_out_tongue:
Sorry!


#63

For more input from the VFX team and the conceppt art teamsgo to these threads…

[ul]
[li]CgTalk Daily Sketch 1836 NTL “NEO-RACE” : The future of Racing [/li][li]The next challenge…(Lets Talk) [/li][/ul]


#64

Okay. I see this thread has come to an excruciating halt. The NEO-RACE challenge also seems to have come to a hitch. So matsman. Should we make do with the pics provided so far? It’s been well over a month since we were suppose to have attempted the challenge. Both threads have come to a halt and I personally think it is about time we attempt something. Maybe we should attempt a story based on these sketch challenges once the challenge has been completed.

I don’t know if everyone has been busy but everytime I come back here to check the thread no one has responded. So I thought we should do something now. What is your take on this?


#65

Well to be frank… I felt a little let down by the fact that there were only two people actually replying to the latest update on this race challenge… yeah, it took a while but the attempt was to start something that can be a returning thing, which always takes a little longer.
So that was my first feeling and made me stop and think for a while.
Last Thursday I came to the conclusion I liked writing this kinda stuff too much to let it bleed out and just go ahead and post an official challenge to end coming sunday (as of now) and then came your point.
It became busy, I lost track of a few things… socially things got a little more active than usual. (actually I wouldn’t have had time today weren’t it the case that my train was late)
So that is why I haven’t already.

My suggestion is to do the race… at least one page story with a topic as covered by Roberto… inspired by the images and art.

And then after that I’ll put up that image from the souk and we go ahead for a longer time and longer stories?

How does that sound?


#66

You can find it here: Unofficial Writing Challenge: NEO race

Happy writing!


#67

Sounds great. I suppose we can all get started then. :bounce:


#68

We go live ON FRIDAY…

-R


#69

Oh sheesh… I thought next week… because of the

The plug will go live IN ONE WEEK.
Anybody who delivers their entry on [color=darkorange]Monday June 15th will get a special
mention that they delivered their work on time, and…they will be able to tweak their entry until the new dateline on June 22th. [/color]

But thanks for the headsup Roberto!

I have the challenge deadline set on monday midday, so believe most will in on sunday.
I for one will try to have my texts ready on friday.
How about you Kadetkebab?

Be sure to link us in! :slight_smile:

Thanks!


#70

Ok here is a compromise…

The challenge will go live on Friday, but the PLUG will be posted ON MONDAY.

That way early adopters can get a well deserved leg up.

If you guys wish, we can post your scripts on Monday, and people will be able to cherry pick which ones they want to use.

-R


#71

Sounds good Roberto, sorry for the delay if we caused any.

I for one am for posting the link to the scripts on Friday as well… I have one up there in a few minutes. I will try to do another before the end of the week but that might end up being Saturday…
So with the promise that there are more coming you won’t link to an empty space.

Thanks!


#72

Okay people… now for number two. It’s official.

It’s sad to see only Kadetkebab and myself could find time and inspiration to enter the previous challenge but don’t feel down… and try again :slight_smile:

CgTalk:Unofficial Writing Challenge:2 -The Souk


#73

I will need all your help soon…
I will post more soon.
-R


#74

No, I won’t send you my banking information for a share in you Uncle’s money when you get it out of Nigeria.