Thought I would throw this in before I post the first final animation…
As I write, it turned out it was more a baboon type character than a lion, makes a lot of sense in many ways… 
It is made of a lot of splines that are separated in strips, these splines are animated independently to make it swirl…
And another one of those planned bonus characters that I finally got around to.
It’s animation rig is very simple. A joint in the middle followed very closely by a joint on each side that each go out to the tip of the wings.
I have controls to animate these two near_center_joints rotation at the same time, and that’s basically it 
The modelling is mostly done with splines again, also to get easy UV maps that makes sense for the way I’m shading it…
Software: Digital Fusion,Maya,Photoshop,ZBrush
With the original deadline in place, I would have tweaked this a bit more and then rushed to make a sound track. Now, instead, i will sleep and post it like this…
I did add the two extra characters that were planned for the clip, the baboon shown here, formerly known as the rainbow lion (it’s just a name, and it’s no lion, never really was when I think about it… ).
And the butterfly in the intro.
With the extra two weeks I will probably tweak the timing of the animation in key places, everyting is so rushy because it had to be done and rendered quick!
Especially in the scene shown here in the picture. I want it to be more clear that the android disappears. Also want it to be easier noticeable that he is an android, meaning it would be nice if you saw the back of his head and the neck a bit more, before he lights up and disappears.
Also, the scene in the very beginning with the butterfly that comes into focus, I would like for it to be a bit more slowmotion like, slightly longer… and then when you zoom in on his face, hold the camera there for a second and let you see him looking after the butterfly with the reflection in his eyes, before he looks down…
Various other things, but working like this is not good for my health if you know what I mean…
So I plan on not going as crazy as I’ve done the last two.
And off course, actually make a sound track!
So what’s going on here?
Well, the android is hiding out in this apocalyptic world, on edge…
The TV cat shows up and is quite confused and feeling a bit weird. He can feel the vibrations or magnetic fields of the baboon entering from another dimension, his antennas start spinning and he almost falls…
When the baboon does show up it knocks the cat unconscious which results in his TV showing a static screen. The baboon is after the android but doesn’t kill him. He teleports him out of there to another realm, one that is not in this clip…
That is as of yet an untold story…
For now, both of them leave that world again leaving the cat behind who soon wakes up and then the channel changes to the title screen.
At first I wanted the TV to change to a channel showing the butterfly landing nearby and transforming to what I’ve been calling the polarization man. That’s basically who that character is, he is seen on my very first sketch together with the baboon, who even then looks like a baboon of sorts…
After that I would like to change to a couple of other worlds before ending the clip, but it’s not really realistic doing what I have in mind with those two weeks, so just adding that one with the butterfly would tie the begining and end together as well as being nice and more clearly show that you change channel…
When I wake up in 24 hours I will post a couple of compositing breakdowns.
I’ve learned so insanely much by doing this challenge and a lot of it has to do with compositing which is completely new to me.
So, all comments will be greatly greatly appreciated!!
I already posted a more detailed description of my TV Cat Rig quite some time ago.
Since then though I learned how to make a dummy object and use that to control the rotation of the feet as well as the location of the ankle in a much simpler way.
That combined also with knowledge about creating those pole vector constraints.
Haha, simple things that I had completely missed before starting the project, and damn, did they help!
The rest is like it was on the former picture, except I added another SDK control at the root of the tail to have two points to animate that from.
Still taking a break here before diving back in and finishing the piece of…
Here is the same scene from my last animation update, except I removed the Rainbow Creature.
I’m not happy about that character, it needs to be more ethereal and I haven’t really figured out how yet…
Several other things might change in that clip and all around, but I thought it was a good time to post 2 examples of how the animation is composited together. Not showing the layers themselves, but their effect.
Some more subtle than others…
And a second one.
This one displaying the cat as well, that was fallen out of the other picture…
Few other differences, mostly just that the other one had many post effect layers that are not used here.
Software: Digital Fusion,Maya,Photoshop,ZBrush
I’ve extended two parts of the intro. More slowmo butterfly, plus the android is staring for a while after the butterfly with reflection in his eyes. A repitition of events, mighty strange…
Some things I would like to add and tweak, but I have a few other scenes that needs urgent work (and a soundtrack!), and not too much spare time these days sadly…
Any comments this time around…?
Any at all…
Best of luck to everybody!
i like your modifcations to the new intro. that butterfly looks really cool. the close up of the cyborg is nice, too…gives us a chance to see all that detail in your character. good work!
Software: Digital Fusion,Maya,Photoshop,ZBrush
Time’s up!
Thanks fruela! That was a close call.
I’m relatively satisfied, lots that could be improved though but I came full circle with my story, which is good. Added what I said I would in the last final render post and started making a soundtrack 4 hours ago!
It doesn’t make it less strange…
Didn’t have much time to create a good Final Render picture, hope this will do and that you will still watch the animation
Also don’t have time to write much here, so check the previous post.
In short, this short animation is about strange relations betweeen creatures and characters across dimension and time and space and what have you…
Some might even be the same.
It is sort of dreamlike and detached, between realities and dreams. With the sounds I tried to go with that isolated feeling also, making the cat sound a bit like a whale. Also the sound when the light creature brakes into that reality plane and transports the android away is inspired by the sounds I experience when getting close to a lucid dreamning (astral projection) type state. Not quite, could use some more time there also…
Biggest thing I would like to have improved remains that the clip should have been a lot longer, basically meaning completely different without the huge stress factor it has right now.
One final scene I would like to have added is another channel shift on the TV to see where the light creature brings the android. It is a wonderfully colorfull place!
Best of luck to all and thanks for the comments I got! I shall press upload…
Quicktime LINK - higher quality
[Play Video >>](http://features.cgsociety.org/challenge/strange_behavior/player.php?entry_id=85017)love that butterfly. the tv cat is pretty sweet, too…and of course your work on that cyborg face is great.
Thanks again Casey!
The butterfly ended up being one of my favorite parts too, also easier to handle than the other characters…
Hey Lasse, really love the atmosphere of your piece. Nice work on the slo motion too. Have you seen the trailers for Assasin’s Creed? Your work gives me the same feel. I think like me you have a great starting point for something bigger in the future. I think obviously the biggest challenge we all faced in this was actually finishing. Impressed, well done.
Thanks man. I haven’t seen the trailer no, only a few pictures, maybe I should
You are right, it’s been an amazing experience actually finishing this! Up to a good starting point and then it can be taken from there… feels great, a bit of relaxation is in order
I’ve learned so extremely much during this challenge that has been compressed into my memory ready for further use.
There’s always another step though it seems…
Check this out mate, might see some similarities in mood and style. Of course the era’s are slightly different Cheers
Haha yes, slightly different eras…
I see what you mean though, those moody scenes. Particulary when looking at my android with his hoodie, he could look like those fellas with their hoodies… quite a lot at times. It´s harder to find similarities with the other characters in my animation…
Thanks for the link mate! Enjoyable, not long ago I was living a couple of hundred meters away from those guys… now, there´s a pretty big ocean between us
My favorite entry without a doubt. Good solid work all around. Imaginative and original in every respect, refreshing! It is “hard to get”, and very enjoyable to watch and ponder. The cat and butterfly are especially rare and beatiful in this dystopic moonlit mood. All in all interesting, strange and unlike anything else, congratulations.
I hope the judges pay you the deserved respects, good luck!
good luck…