2D1 Storyboard, Klein (Flash Character), Bust (Maya)

So to start off with, we met with the client(s) last week and it seems like everyone likes the idea, just ironing out the kinks with the story. Underneath is a storyboard for the project (going from top left, down)

Description of the story: It starts off with myself in the university's animation room; I'm animating my character, Johnny the Ferret. The ferret comes to life and decides to be mischievous, he grabs the pencil as it starts to pull out. Johnny sticks his head out of the desk with a "How do you do." He jumps out and runs over the animation tables with myself chasing him. Everyone takes this as a normal thing and and doesn't seem bothered by this event taking place; the instructor just shakes his head, like 'here we go again.'
Johnny runs by two students talking, right outside the room. I run out and the one points in the direction Johnny went and the other says "Hello." I run by with a hey and a thanks. Johnny runs up to a set of double doors and an instructor opens up the door, but quickly gets out of the way as Johnny zips by. I run by and continue chasing him down the hall. The instructor informs me that he likes the run cycle (reference to animation.)
I run past a window and in the reflection is Johnny. I stop and act like "huh..." I play with my reflection for a bit (A person behind the window working on a paper looks up for a second and continues working.). I pull him out of the glass and tucks him under my arm and carry him back to the class room, with his little feet shaking to get free.


Lately, I've been learning Flash and designed this character to be used in a short story.

I had a really hard time designing this character. From an early age I learned how to draw Donald Duck and everytime I tried to this duck, it kept looking like Donald. I think I got far enough away from that character. Originally I was planning on doing an elaborate short lasting a couple minuets, but then I heard that we were only going to have a couple more weeks left to work on it. So I abandoned that idea was working on a different story, but decided to hold off on that idea for the time being. I just took this character and simplified the story. This character took about six hours to make.


The other thing I've been working on is modeling a character in maya.

The character is a bust that I'm planning on using for a personal short film that I have been working from time to time. The problem I have with this character is face topology. Because of the gigantic mouth,  the topology is a becoming a huge challenge. This is the topology I have at the moment (bottom), but I know I'm going to have to edit this mode, but I first need to figure out how the typology needs to be arranged.

2D 1 Entry 2

So, here's another thought, expanding on entry 1. We just heard from our client on what he wants us to emphasize in our animation clips: an in-depth learning, an individual attention, and a like-minded community. I went into one of my "creativity-trance" type modes and came up with the following.

What if... I (character) is animating in the animation room in the school. Johnny (ferret character) comes to life in the real world. I chase him out of the room, while my class mates don't take much notice and the professor is shaking his head as if saying, 'here they go again.' I chase him down the hall, passing by some animation classmates, don't take much notice, except for saying hello. One of professors holds the door open as we continue outside, and shouts out some tips on how to handle a run away character. I continue chasing him, until I run into a mirror, I look around for him, but don't see him. I look in the mirror and see my reflection as Johnny.

I feel this now ties in an individual attention and a like-minded community that the client is after.

2D 1 Entry01

Talking about my 2D 1 class, we're assigned to make a short animated clip about our experiences as an animator at my university.

My thoughts are that I would like to incorporate my ferret character and a character of myself in the clip. I (in the story), would be animating Johnny (my ferret character) late at night. The lights would go out and and come back on, only Johnny wouldn't be on the paper, but in the real world as a living creature. I would chase him around (content of chase is undetermined) and fall off a cliff. As everything seems hopeless for me, Johnny would reach out and grab my hand, pulling me back up (Transition). I would wake up at my animating table, and Johnny is back to animated charcter on the paper sleeping. As the sun starts coming up, Johnny wakes up and waves at me. End of story.

An alternative thought - ...instead of the lights going out and Johnny appearing in my world, Johnny comes to life on the paper and reaches out and grabs me and pulls me into his world....

New Semester

So, a lot of things have been happening lately. I just got back from California, I ran the 2012 Disneyland Half Marathon. The race started in 5:45 am on Sunday. made a new PR, 2:03; would have got under two hours if it wasn't for the bracelet (Disney gave me to signal my elegibility for another medal on top of the one that they already hand out) didn't get caught on my bib at 4.5 and couldn't get it unattached. Probably spent 5 minutes walking trying to unhook them, but it never happened, so I had to run for 8.6 miles, with my arm locked in to my bib. Other than that, it was very fun, as always.

Getting back to animation, this has been my first week back to school. I'm taking a class that requires to produce a short animation clip about my life at my university. So, expect to be seeing regular updates on the project, currently in pre-production.