STELLAR! UPDATED MUSIC + CREDITS + TEASER POSTERS + BTS

Teaser Posters

Some behind-the-scenes nonsense :)

STELLAR! – NEW DESIGNERS UPLOAD

Ironically this film has arrived Marilyn Monroe style... fashionably late.
Singer // Georgia Bushell
Composer // Jeffrey Wang

UPDATE #2

UPDATES #1

A few updates all around. Below is the new look of the very first shot as well as its progress in terms of animation.

Final lighting set-up for the scenes from Act 1 (some shadows are not always flattering but it works overall). Still debating whether to leave the renders in a more natural state or going for a general colour grading.  

Another example of difference in colour grading but this time in an animated scene.

Norma sings(!)

One of the simpler shots that will be used during the bridge in place of the 'planets' scene.

SCENE 1 + 2 COMPOSITING TESTS

Another test done earlier this week for the very first scene, from which I take on two things to tweak:
1) Make the small planets disappear less obviously
2) Adjust and tone down the lighting in accordance to the shots that follow



Colour grading breakdown for Scene 2 Shot 1 (overall lighting has to be improved)

Scene 2 Shot 2 (lighting has to be improved)

Scene 2 Shot 3 Lighting tests

Trying to get a balance between shadows and light to convey the loneliness theme of the first act

Matte Painting

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5

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7

BEGINNING PLAYBLASTS

There are corrections to make already, but those are animated shots that make up the beginning of the film.

We've also been testing different versions of Scene 2 Shot 7 (which has an extended, moving matte painting), experimenting with different start time, speed and number of spin. The tests were carried out with with a keyed out playblast.

MAJOR PROJECT FINAL SUBMISSION

ANIMATIC RE-FITTED

'MAKING OF' DOCUMENT

POSTER AND 'ART OF' COVER

NORMA 1 BREATHING TEST

It's quite exaggerated but this is just to demonstrate the breathing ability on the rig.

             

RENDERS + MATTE TESTS

More background integration tests

SCENE 10 SHOT #1 TEST

Posed model + reference (arms to tweak further)

nCloth Test

Matte Test

TSYGAN STUDIO INTRO

This is a short credits clip that might come before our film. It is likely we'll go back to it and remove the shaking later on, as well as re-tweak the colours.

SCENE 7 #9 + SCENE 1 #2 COMPOSITING TEST

Another AE experiment, this time for Norma's victory moment, when she stands up on the moon prop before jumping off. My goal was to get a sort of neon light / firework effect (though the result's giving me a very slight 2001: Space Odyssey vibe). The timing will have to be adjusted with the animation itself I reckon.

 

Matte elements finalised for the first shot 

 

SCENE 5 LIGHTING + COMPOSITING TEST

Recently I have tried to light the arena/stage set more properly (though I'm still getting grainy shadows) and set up cameras. Most of the assets are simply textured with a grey lambert as I was planning to rely a lot on AE to bring out over-exposed tints inspired by videos of shows/gigs filmed on phone cameras. I've also composited together some 'home-made' camera flash effects to expand the crowd, so here are a few before-and-after shots with them included.

NORMA 1 RIG DEMO

A video demo of the complete rig for Norma 1, now ready for animation.

SCENE 10 SHOT #1 MATTE PAINTING

I decided to tackle this matte painting in particular because it seemed like one of the most complex out of the lot. The idea was to go for a clean but airbrushed style which will hopefully make the CG not look too out of place, as Ro-Man (from Robot Monster) is now ready to welcome a rendered Norma in its arms.



The fire was animated in Flash. Not spectacular but it does the trick for the time it is needed.

NORMA 1 LIP SYNC TEST #02

Another test to demonstrate the face rig on Norma 1.

NORMA 1 LIP SYNC TEST #01 + SCENE #01 BLOCKING

A test of Norma1's face rig with a lip syncing exercise. Also Julien has experimented with the composition of the opening shot for the animation.

SKILLSET PRESENTATION

MATTE PAINTING TEST

A little clip combining background integration with some animation test of robots-as-particles done with Alan's help. The difference between the matte painting and the CG elements is rather evident at the moment but hopefully can be improved on. (If not, we'll have to say it's an intentional homage to low budget sci-fi films...)

Lately I've also tried my hand at colour scripting but I find it difficult to stay coherent or pick 'neutral' tones that work in general. That being said, going over the beginning of the storyboard again in that way has helped me figure out what shots or movement could actually be dropped to move the story more effectively (hence the third row being a revision of the second) and has in turns given me additional ideas for further revisions.

PROPS & SETS MODELLING

Working on dummy and maybe definitive assets to be used during the short. Below are mock-ups of what certain scenes could look like with them shaded and composited together:

For the laboratory I experimented a few things (coloured AO, black and white AO, switching shaders around etc.), the aim being to get closer to this look: 

A series of quick renders of other bits and pieces in the work