Providing we stick with the skydiver idea, lets see some concept sketches.
We need concepts of the following:
Main character
Supporting characters: bird, other diver, etc.
Plane character dives
Other props: hot air balloon, other planes, helicopter, etc.
I recommend: http://www.artrage.com for a free computerized sketch program.
Feel free to post ideas of things the diver can come across along with sketches. Perhaps a floating cow?
Lets see some concept sketches. I say we stick with the skydiver concept. Have an idea of the main character? Other characters/props the diver runs into? (Birds, another diver, plane, hot air balloon…etc)
I’ve started a concept sketch thread and will start other threads related to the project, I say we keep this ‘in family’ and on cgtalk. Perhaps the website can be for hosting the film and final project information. Lets not talk to the point of no progress.
Concept thread: http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?p=3691094#post3691094
OK, if you consider it useless to try to stop a mistake from being made… useless to suggest doing something with universal appeal rather than something that merely lets us giggle amongst ourselves.
There’s a lot that can be done with the sky diver idea-- little gag sequences building to some kind of funny surprise, twist, or over-the-top climax. Look at how clever the people at Blue Sky were with the similar Scrat sequences in the Ice Age movies. Likewise, there are several Looney Tunes that use this idea.
Here’s an idea: Moments after the guy jumps from the plane, the engine sputters and stalls. The guy looks up to see the plane nose-diving toward him. He panics and tries desperately to get away.
Alternate idea: The guy is standing at the doorway to the plane in flight (I’m picturing a DC3). The door is open and he’s arguing with the dive instructor. Apparently he’s scared and has changed his mind. As they argue, we hear the engine of the plane go silent (perhaps cut to the propellers stopping). Suddenly the door to the cockpit bursts open and the pilot runs out, pushes the two arguing guys aside, and dives out of the plane. The two guys stare out at his falling body, then turn to each other, numb. The instructor smiles, gives a little wave, and dives out. Our guy watches him disappear. He looks toward the front of the plane and sees the open cockpit with no one in it. He has an idea. He runs toward the front of the plane, but his weight, combined with the lack of engines, causes the plane to start to nosedive. He panics and turns around. He tries running toward the door (which is near the back), but the plane tilts more and more. He tries to jump for the door, but by now because of the speed of the plane it’s almost like he’s weightless-- he and the plane are freefalling. He manages to crawl toward the door, and there’s an umbrella that’s fallen and gotten hooked in the doorway. He uses the umbrella to pull himself up to the door. When he finally gets to the doorway, he swings himself into it so he’s now sitting in the doorway. He unhooks the umbrella, and with a smile, kisses it (like “thanks for saving me”) but as he goes to put it down, it catches the wind and opens up, pulling him out of the plane. He watches the plane fall away from him. Finally, he lets go of the umbrella and begins his freefall and other adventures.
(By the way, we wouldn’t necessarily need dialog for the guys arguing. They could be drowned out by the engines and wind. We’d just see that one guy keeps pointing out the door and the other guy shakes his head “no” and looks scared.)
EW
hey i agree with ewolf, as stated before, id rather aim at a wider audience then try to make some kind of dorquetastic parables. anyway enough talking, i think an interesting storyboard is an interesting storyboard regardless of the theme. im sure even the most mundane 3D concept can be made interesting with the right plot.
Good concept ewolf. I think Taron just thinks that things need to move forward not stay at a stand still.
This is an awesome thread. I’m another alienated Motionbuilder user, and if this probject is serious, I’d definately get Messiah to be involved.
I like the story of the plane falling, everyone bails, but the poor guy without a parachute – but that scenario feels like it’s been done quite a bit. I think Taron had a good suggestion about widening it up a little bit more to make it feel fresher.
Here’s my suggestion for a play on the motiff…
For a dare-devil vacation, aliens buy tickets to ride rocket-propelled astroids into stars – as if they’re some sort of space cowboys on raging bulls. As the astroid is about to crash into the star, everyone bails – except a poor guy with a ripped solar parachute. He panics. Tugs at the reins – barely missing the star. Then BOOM! he slams into an unlucky blue planet that happens to be behind the star. The star was our sun… and his astroid ends up exterminating the dinosaurs.
It seems fun to z-brush and animate aliens and dinsaurs.
Well, I think the number one thing is really to start up with something “simple” to get the show on the road. I love the concept of using an easy framework for a “test run” so to say. Nothing preventing us from getting into more and more elaborate pieces.
That’s why I believe that we should really use a very simplistic outline at first with not too many too tricky start-up elements. If we go crazy right from the get-go, we might get stuck in round 1.
There are a lot of things we have to learn in terms of collaboration, organization and what ever else makes such an open project tick. :wip:
As I said many posts ago now I agree with ewolf…I mean:the audience is the audience and the users are the users…we have to keep them separated or the short would be only an explicit advisement of the software…it means that the short would be referred only to two kind of audience:
A)that who already have their own software
B)that who mind about which software is better
In this way (that of the jumping guy) we lose the most important “slice” of people:C)that who don’t know anything about 3d stuff and who want only to be enterteined…ENTERTAINMENT is the key-word…
It’s the most important audience because It’s wider and as a success in C would increase the probabilities that messiah could appeal to A and B…
I think that another story (not self-referred),would bring more benefits in terms of visibility of the software (and of the users as well) and would open the doors of awards and contests…that’s the way to follow if we want to demonstrate what messiah can do and to improve ourselves…
I think that we have to say also “what not to do” if we disagree with “what to do”,Taron,or if a Moderator is nedeed only because of a disappointment on a different point of view this would not be a Forum…
Anyway I think that the last word about the story question is due to lanosrep who has concived the project…
best regards
That topic is finished, could we please move on! Yes, I’m all proud of you, that you have discovered that, too! But in case anybody else feels the urge to share is revelation about how a story should appeal to the masses, so that we can expose your glory with greater chance of recognition by the academy, please, just hold it in, because we know and we value the beauty of so many of your thoughts, but currently we prefer to anticipate your agreement with our story to be independent of software nonsense as focus. I may add that on the skydiver story it is still up to the artist/s what ever is done in his/their segment…of course there will have to be some potential editing and material can not become too dangerous for the general audience, of course. Whereby I do encourage any political statements, ehehhe…we should celebrate our “rights” there and just imagine how funny it would be, if opposing thoughts would come back to back, hehe…aeh…anyway, that’s not what it’s about either.
FREEDOM!
And chill about that other crap, PLEASE.
Peace!
Dear Bostaff, in case there’s anyone else, who has difficulties understanding the origin of my desire to stop this discussion: IT IS NOT ABOUT OPINIONS! It’s about boys getting carried away by the one great moment that gave them an actual opinion against something and then going on and on and on about it, while it has already been accepted and people are ready to move on to more practical exchanges! The LAST thing I’d ever do is to even imply that we restrict people from expressing themselves or even better contribute to a common project!
So while you were so damn wrong first, you said something damn right to finish it off:
The loose framework of the first story has been decided upon. We will be doing the “Sky Diver” idea first. There will be more… based upon input and dedication to it.
Please understand the possibilities here… Artists will have the opportunity to entertain their own ideas…for the shots within the story, that they work on… I hope that is clear…So, during the “fall” lots of things can “fly” by… which can include a software box or anything they deem appropriate for their comedic or dramatic expression. (Obviously, keeping it clean, etc)
I see the story ideas emerging through the process… I am not saying discussions about story ideas should not persist…on the contrary. I also believe story is king… but I think that ideas will flow from our attempt to do this work together… funny stuff will come out and someone will decide to throw the ideas in!.. It already has… that is the beauty of the forum.
The goal of this journey, is to learn, and share…Collaborate…as such, the audience is pretty much us at this point (plus CGtalk users and others actively interested)…Let’s call this Stage 1. This first attempt is an opportunity to learn how to work out the details of how to work together…logistics…online etc. We can dream bigger when this one is in the can! We will still be doing the making of for instructional purposes, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on the volunteers at this point.
Believe me, I have lofty goals for this concept… but need to focus on the mechanics of doing it before we make an epic together that appeals to a wide audience… Hollywood has been trying to do that for years, with varying degrees of success (lol).
Many artists interested in this idea are fairly new to the software and or 3D in general and may become overwhelmed by accepting a task and having difficulty tackling it. We need to be wary of “biting off more than we can chew” for now.
I am interested in working out the details (mechanics) of Collaboration at this point… with questions like: (VERY open to input here!!)
1. Do we need some kind of white board capability for interactive demonstration purposes…and what software to use?..(open source i hope). How would it work in an environment like this(scattered)?..Can it work within the website that will be created for the purpose of this effort?..
2. Should we have irc?. How to best implement?
3. What is the best Hosting company… I have looked at Lunarpages… Looks pretty good! Thanks Stooch!
4. Organizational structure… Should we create\use some kind of Database where we can check scenes in and out to prevent loss of work?.. How to implement?.
5. How do we protect the assets before the release to public?.
6. How are we going to coordinate with time zone considerations etc… Will need to find a common time to meet online if possible… that kind of thing
Please feel free to make suggestions on these topics… and other logistical issues if you think of them!.
Looking forward to start working with all those interested!
Will take it under advisement about Lunarpages… Anyone else have suggestions\comments?
If there is a free alternative to Project. (maybe something like this, http://www.baccoubonneville.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=55&lang=en)
You might want to use this or similar to create a preliminary work breakdown structure.
That way you can get your volunteers on “paper” and have your schedule and work/tasks mapped out. It really depends on how complicated the project is AND how many volunteers will be working on it. Alot of either one of these could benefit from some project mgt.
1. Do we need some kind of white board capability for interactive demonstration purposes…and what software to use?..(open source i hope). How would it work in an environment like this(scattered)?..Can it work within the website that will be created for the purpose of this effort?..
2. Should we have irc?. How to best implement?
3. What is the best Hosting company… I have looked at Lunarpages… Looks pretty good! Thanks Stooch!
4. Organizational structure… Should we create\use some kind of Database where we can check scenes in and out to prevent loss of work?.. How to implement?.
5. How do we protect the assets before the release to public?.
6. How are we going to coordinate with time zone considerations etc… Will need to find a common time to meet online if possible… that kind of thing
It would require an L & P with modernation and the ability to post images and other content.
Thanks for the link… I have heard of this product, but you jogged my memory… good call… will help to manage all the detals!
Any comments on the Whiteboard idea?.. Netmeeting is not the best imho… but thought something like this would help facilitate learning and collaboration across the miles!
openCanvas is a good whiteboard idea. We can have up to 8 or 4 artists at once interact together. (You can even save out the event file). There are flashscripts available that we can interactively draw and talk together etc. Tons of options out there.
hiya,
i am currently abroad and away of the studio right now
(actually in a hotel in northern spain)
the whole idea seems like fun
took the initative to make a first idea concept for the diver…and a drive for the Look og the thing…
it is a difficult design (lots of details)but it could seem fun to try and recreate it in Messiah and Zbrush…
it would be also tricky to rig it but lets show how good messiah can be…
here it goes! i hope u like it any comments or advices are welcome
http://img104.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=70118_conceptdiver1_343lo.jpg
I like Open Canvas, great app… looking for somethng that can handle desktop sharing, and audio… the idea is to be able to share a training session where the participants can watch what the trainer is trying to explain… and be able to record that session for others to see, after the production is complete. Your right… there are probably multiple apps that have this type of functionality… i am exploring the possibilites… looking for something freeware preferably… Anyone have ideas… bring them on…please!
Yes!.. This is what I am shooting for… the ability for the volunteers to log into a training session hosted by a subject matter expert, who would share his desktop for all to see… while speaking into a mic…realtime interaction is the hope here… searching
RE: Breeze…Took a quick look… interesting app… not too sure the video capabilities are what is needed… most of what i saw utilizes premade training… probably converted to a flash (compressed) file. Will look into it further… thanks for the heads up!
I saw an open source product tonight… Will keep looking…
UPDATE:
Have been searching the web tonight looking for the right product to facilitate the online collaboration\conferencing goals of this little adventure were about to start. While I was aware of a product called WebEX, I thought it would be out of range cost wise.
I just found this link, and am pleasantly surprised at the cost. While I am still hoping for something… well… free, I am encouraged that we could use this as a last resort (so to speak).
http://meetmenow.webex.com/buy-online-meetings.html
If anyone else has uncovered another possibility, please let me know!
