Short neo noir film, I need some help! :)

#1

Note to mods: I would put this in the collaborative works forum but a lot of the people here might miss it, so I hope this is OK. 

Hi there.
 
 First of all, let me say I just spend a good portion of the day going through all the portfolios here in the matte forum and I am really impressed at the quality of work. The attention to detail, the designs, the visuals are all excellent and my hat goes of to you all - it's really really hard work!
 
 I am in the research, early pre production phase of a Neo Noir short film. In the style of Blade runner, Sin city, and of course all the classic noir films of the 50's, 60's, etc. I have not started writing a script yet. As this is my first film that will require any real effects I have been doing months of research to understand all the processes to make sure I can pull it off first. I will be writing the script over the next month, storyboarding etc. Visually I love the look of Blade runner, the feel of the video game Final Fantasy VII - that kind of really run down futeristic city feel. Neon lights, Fog, Broken down cities....a real atmosphere.
 
 Anyway, I am looking for some matte painters. Let me get one thing out of the way, and that is I can't really pay you. I know, I know - this is not exactly a walk in the park. I understand how difficult and time consuming matte painting is, and as a composer as well, I can understand what it is like working on projects for free. However I do believe this will be a challenge, something for the reels, something for the online portfolios. Any work you do, you can keep onto, I'm not trying to run a business here - I am a passionate young filmmaker, and my goal is to create something really cool. It will be for film festivals, online, etc.
 
 The reason I post this so early, is because I believe in the collaborative process - and digital art is more than just filling a frame - it sets a mood, a tone, and basically, it will make my student film look like a million bucks. You are a great bunch of artists and I would love to work with as many of you as I can. I would like to get some pre viz matte work done early, before the film is shot (just rough versions/drafts), tests etc. and am completely open to creative input from anyone involved. This is why it will be good for your portfolios. I have an idea in mind but I am completely open to collaboration - that's why I'm coming here.
 
 The film will only be 10 minutes and realistically there will only be a few shots which will require matte work - but those few shots will be so important to the film in setting a mood, an atmosphere. The work itself will be, 2-3 months away but I would like to start previz stuff as soon as possible. Rough drafts of matte paintings perhaps, sketches if possible, basically I just want to get to know the artists a bit before we start and have some direction.
 
 Anyway, sorry about the length of the post but I really am hoping to get a few bites, again I wish I could pay you - but I am a student and my very limited budget (basically lose change) has to go towards lights and on set practicals, props, etc. 
 
 So I am hoping there are some keen people here who will be willing to jump on board with me on this project! 
 
 I look forward to hearing from you. Let's work together on this and make something really wicked!
 
 Contact me in this thread, or you can email me: chrishurn [at] gmail .com

EDIT: Forgot to mention - if you’re reading this and you’re not a matte painter, but can do something else, jump in too - I’d love to hear from you.

 Thanks. :)
 Chris
#2

Nice to see you here Chris,

I can vouch for Chris here that he is not after freebie work, I checked up his references and found him to be quite prominent in NZ, you all know I am a stand up guy and I will back Chris preproduction as much as I can. I would like to see some of you guys jumping on board. Hey you have been looking for a challenge this is it.

You have my vote

Rich

#3

Hi Chris

I’d like to help with this, if you want… :slight_smile:

#4

Rich, thank you. I appreciate that!:beer:

Yona-S, thank you as well! That would be great. Let’s see how many interested folks there are, then we can start talking about things, share visual ideas we like, etc. I thought about making a little invisionboard for it, but maybe it makes sense to keep it here at CGTalk so anyone interested throughout the process can jump in and contribute.

#5

Hi again,

I don’t want to start another topic for this since this one is so recent, however I have another project for anyone interested which will be sooner than this one, and a lot less work. DVXuser.com is hosting another short film competition/festival, the theme being “Quest fest” this time. The films have to be under six minutes in length.

I am currently talking to a writer about ideas – and I thought there might be someone (or a few people) interested in doing some matte painting to enhance the New Zealand landscape!

If anyone was looking for practice on LOTR, Indiana Jones type background stuff - this is your chance! Realistically we’re probably looking at a few paintings max - set extention type stuff. Your work will be seen by a fair amount of people so this could be good exposure for future jobs, etc.

While I would mainly be looking for someone who can do this for credit/experience/ and exposure, others are still encouraged to send rates etc. Good matte painting will really enhance the film and take it to a new level.

If anyone is interested, let me know here, or email me - chrishurn [at] gmail [.com]

Yona/Rich, would you be interested in this as well?

Cheers,
Chris

#6

Hi again :slight_smile:

Your other project seems interesting as well, Id be happy to jump in if you need any help…

Yona

#7

I love neo noir films - especially the style and feel of them - such as Blade Runner, Dark City, Sin City etc.

  I'm in the process of creating my demo reel, and I need a city scene in it. Maybe I could create a city matte that would also be suited for your needs. And if you decide not to use it, hey, no harm, no foul.
  
  It'd be great to have some details on your project, though. Are you going for a futuristic noir (e.g. Blade Runner) look, old art deco, over-the-top gothic, or possibly something else? I assume it'd be a sci-fi cityscape from your opening post, but I'm asking just to be sure. Is it going to be a day or night shot (or dawn or dusk or whatever)? Are there going to be FX & compositing work like rain, snow, smoke, or live-action plates provided or needed? Is the shot to be static or moving?
  
  Also, what are the technical specs of your project? Are doing this on DV, HD, or film? What is your frame rate and aspect ratio?. It'd be good to know well in advance to figure out the painting resolution, for possible camera mapping details and so on.
#8

Wizdoc,

Thanks for coming in. It will be DV, Widescreen PAL. (Shot using the DVX100 in case anyone is interested) - 25fps.

At the moment I have been toying with ideas and more on the technical side of things. Before I put together a script my goal is to really find out as much as I can about all the post production things - even if I won’t be doing them myself. I have been spending a few months in After Effects, tried out 3ds max, etc. just to get an understanding on the process. I still have a way to go.

Things like snow or rain etc. I had planned on getting stock footage shot over a black background and composting it in, using a mixture of that and something like Particular to create a stylized feel - not necessarily going for realism. But not cartoony, either. I love snow and rain, fog, anything that creates an experience and mood.

This is a project that I want to spend a lot of time in pre production with, months and months. Even though it’s a 10 minute film I want it to look a million bucks and I don’t think independant filmmakers spend anywhere near as much time in pre production as they can – not only that but I don’t want to just hand something to an artist and say “Do this” - I want to be able to understand exactly what they will be doing, in what program and how they do it, so I can accomodate their needs as well as mine.

So I can’t be too specific with you at this point as I am still researching.

However what I can tell you is I am going to definitely aim for a Blade runner sort of feel - with an even more run down city - destoryed old art deco buildings mixed with sky skrapers that look like they may have been modern once, but the rubble has made them look so ancient, bits missing, real end of the world kind of thing. Like Morder from LOTR in a city. That dark kind of feel.

However, I love dusk, sunsets, I want to mix that run down feel with beautiful city skies with amazing clouds and breathtaking scenery. Even though the city is a deadzone, the skies are amazing - the red sun kind of covers it’s rays over the whole city to give it a warm feel.

So it’s in a dark, future. That’s the kind of cyber punk vibe I like - deep future but it’s destroyed, people have moved on to other planets, cities, etc.

One thing I always loved was the setting in Final Fantasy VII. The fact that the place is split up into all these different sectors and slums, and there’s this big plate covering all of them with reactors etc.

So on this, more of a Blade Runner feel visually.

I would absolutely love to have you put something together. Mould it to your needs - at this point I am very flexible as I have yet to write a script. I will probably be getting to a script early next month, and will spend a few weeks refining it, storyboarding, then shot planning, etc.

I am very grateful for any help I can get, and I have already been getting emails from people interested - so this is fantastic, thank you!

As for the exact shot -

I am not big big fan of green screen work. I like matte stuff that extends out the original shot, as apose to completely creating a work from scratch and then green screening actors, etc.

However - I understand you want to get your portfolio and you don’t want to be waiting around for months for me to get my act together to send you a shot. If you create a matte from scratch, there are a lot of things I could use it for - of course to establish the world, I can shoot my scenes indoors with windows as green screens and have it be a part of that, I could do a lot with it.

The original plan was to shoot this film as much live action as possible and use matte work to enhance it but I will definitely have use for matte plates that I can composite other stuff info, etc.

Sorry about the long post - I am very grateful of your offer and would love to work with you on this. Again I am very flexible - mould it to your liking - show off your best skills, and I’ll definitely find a use for it.

We can talk more via email (Chrishurn @ gmail.com) or, I can check this thread for anything.

Thanks again!

And thanks to everyone who has sent me emails for either of my projects, it is great being able to collaborate with people like this.

Chris

#9

Emh… May be i can be helpful in here. 0_o

#10

Dimms,

Wow, your work is quite something. :slight_smile: You would be interested in participating?

Just so everyone knows, the “Quest” film will be shot in May - so I will be actually able to show you some footage then. At the moment we are doing tests. :slight_smile: The Noir film will come shortly after this one, as we will have a much better understanding of the process.

If you are interested please let me know! It’d be great to have you.

#11

Oki:)
Stick my e-mail address somewhere around of your screen then, and let me know as soon as you will get something to work with.
dimms1@gmail.com

#12

Thank you very much. I will stick it on my computer screen to remind myself to get to work! :slight_smile:

Chris

#13

Here’s a quick concept I did:

 [img]http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/8706/neonoircityscapeconcept.jpg[/img]

I'm not sure if you're looking for a run-down, desolate post-apocalyptic sort of mood, or an overpopulated buzzing-with-people and overload of neon and billboards Blade Runner type city scene.

Also, you mentioned that this is going to be a futuristic noir short film. I have hard time reconciling the idea of a rain-soaked, dark and oppressive noir city and the atmosphere pretty clouds and golden sunsets create. I know Blade Runner had a few shots lit like the concept above, but they were a minority. Could you be a bit more specific on what kind of mood you’re aiming for?

And about the architecture - right now the city is pretty flat with bigger buildings protruding here and there. Is that what you are after, or maybe a more busier, Coruscant-type of crowds of tall skyscrapers?

#14

Hi Chris, :slight_smile:

I’m interested in your short film too! :buttrock:

#15

Wizdoc,

I can’t tell you how grateful I am for you doing this. That concept looks beautiful.

I’m not sure if you’re looking for a run-down, desolate post-apocalyptic sort of mood, or an overpopulated buzzing-with-people and overload of neon and billboards Blade Runner type city scene.

Also, you mentioned that this is going to be a futuristic noir short film. I have hard time reconciling the idea of a rain-soaked, dark and oppressive noir city and the atmosphere pretty clouds and golden sunsets create. I know Blade Runner had a few shots lit like the concept above, but they were a minority. Could you be a bit more specific on what kind of mood you’re aiming for?

Mood wise the above is very close to what I had in mind. Think run-down, desolate post-apocalyptic, but with more high buildings - they can still be really damaged – bits hanging out, wires, that sort of thing.

So kind of like some of those Blade runner shots of the city that you mentioned, but more destroyed – more post-apocalyptic. The direction you are going in is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind, just more high rises, maybe some neon signs – you can be a little more “techy” with it.

So let’s say something a little bit more busy, more tall skyskrapers. But everything still quite damaged. Perhaps even half of some sort of high rise bridge going right over the city thats been completely destroyed with wires and lose bits and pieces hanging out.

Hope that clears a few things up, feel free to ask anything else, I’ll keep my eye on the thread. Thanks for doing this, looks great so far.

@everyone else - Thanks for your continued emails, we now have a small team of people who have offered their support for both the Quest project and the Neo Noir project. The script for the “quest” film is being written right now, the idea we are going with is the story of a cultral anthrapologist who travels into an “otherworld” – so there will be lots of fun to be had with working on that. Anyone else who wants to contribute send me an email or post here, anyone is welcome.

Talk soon,
Chris

#16

Here’s what I have so far:

 There's still plenty of stuff to do, of course.
 
 I still need to add a building(s) to the center background, add the huge bridge you mentioned, destroy/modify more of those buildings and add more lights, logos & billboards.
 
 Of course, I'd love to hear comments.
#17

Alright!

I love the direction you’re going in. This looks wonderful, and with the addition of the things you have mentioned in your post it will be perfect. I love the terrain in the distance, I love the little island at the back right, the city looks great - the sky is great, I like the colours. Great combination of red sky and clouds, creates a nice mood. Lights on the buildings are really nice, the buildings have a nice look about them.

I think the neon lights are really going to add a huge element (the one in here so far looks really cool), so look forward to seeing that and what you come up with the bridge, too.

But yeah, this is exactly what I had in mind - you have really done a great piece of work and I look forward to seeing your next installment.

Chris

#18

as far as you credit me by putting up my name money will not be an issue…lol
i will love to help who is passionate about work.here is the link to my matte painting “the haunted”. see if i can be of any help(i love doing photography too)

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=196&t=755998

volumelight@gmail.com

#19

I am free at this moment, so if u find this interesting, i’ll be glad to help.

M

#20

MatejaPetkovic - that’s fantastic. I’d love to talk about that shot, and thanks for your offer to help. I’ll send you an email through your profile, cheers.

You too volumelight! Cheers.

For anyone interested, the “Quest” film has a script, we are now in the final draft. It is called “otherworld”. We have secured one of the locations from Lord of the Rings (the sequence from the Army of the dead!) and this will be a really fun project for anyone wanting to join. You will have 3-4 weeks to do the paintings, at this stage I already have had quite a few people put their names forward of course…the more people the better so we can split up the workload! We shoot in one months time. After that we have a month of post production. So for the people interested, I will send you the shots and we’ll talk about them on the day of the shoot so work can be started.

After this project comes the Neo Noir one, which will take much more pre production work but will be equally exciting. The finished products will look sweet and I think this will produce some great stuff to show off in your reels. Of course we will be submitting the films to festivals internationally, taking them very seriously so the people who worked on them have the right amount of exosure!

Chris