Preview of MEMOHRI the Monster. Spaceage-fishy-zilla:)

Improved Animatic 'Loser saves the day'

Ok, after the very productive meeting with Jelle and Simon on 22 May where we went through the previous animatic and improved lots of scenes here is the new animatic. I think it has become tighter qua timing and fun factor...

In terms of the storyline Jelle suggested to make the monster bored after destroying yet another alien metropolis and is excited to hear the music coming from the disco, a kind of curiosity kills the cat/monster so to speak....and we added a swinging intro animation of the cocktail being prepared with the ice cubes forming the title. This is all in a sketch form as you can see but the animatic gives a good feeling of the flow and scene set up.

To do:
-Simon is going to work on the Space Monster ch design and the disco people
-Cesare is working on the loser ch design and animation
-Jelle is working on the bgs and disco interior (maybe Menno can come in as production gets on the way?)

I think is probably handy if I make a digital storyboard from the animatic so that we can plan and divide the rest of the work. Will post it asap. Please let me all know what you think as comments are always welcome....

character layouts

Here are some ideas for characters. Maybe one of you has a favorite, so i can work out more poses..or try to animate a walk-cycle?

Flash Backgrounds

Very instructive and super designs flickr site by Bradley Gake, all lovingly 'cleaned up' for Flash use, enjoy! (courtesy of Fons)

Framing

framefilter blog
picturas blog
filmbytes blog

nice blog, they have some animation stills to study.

Mr Jung Stuffed

More inspirational work. Simplistic but nice.

Hello Fons

Here below is a conversation I had via Skype yesterday with Fons Schiedon, hope you all will find it as insightful as I did. If this is not a wake-up call to push us to be serious about working together I don't know then what will....

Hello Fons, how are you? Many compliments for your beautiful music video, really fantastic work! :)

Fons Schiedon says: hey cesare. thanks ver much :)

cesare davolio says: thank you for the inspiration

FS: glad if it did.

You working on something nice?

CD: well, i got together with Simon, Jelle, Menno and Niels to talk about pulling together our resources towards making an amination portfolio, so i am working with Jelle some ideas...and trying to improve my animation skills...

FS: cool. whats the plan?

CD: we've set up a blog, and are posting things that maybe interesting to develop,

CD: that's how i saw your recent masterpiece... :)

FS: the blog is a very nice idea

although I would make it a policy to do all posts in english, because that way if it develops, it becomes accessible to international enthusiasts.

if you can get some animation people to comment on it, I believe that could really be stimulating and pushing the development of your project :)

because - and just shut me up if this bothers you - you are all very nice guys...but if you want to make this good and interesting, you have to stop being nice ;)

CD: how do you mean?

FS: well, and I mean this in general - I don’t know how this is with you guys. BUt, there's a risk in collaborations, especially with people who are more or less working in the same business (illustration), that there's too much consensus...or willingness to be positive and generate mostly happy feedback. But this is bad for animation. haha :)

CD: i was thinking to meet with the ka-ching cartoons guys, know them? i'd like to hear thier experience in animation...

FS: Ive met the ka-ching guys..They're very nice, go meet them

CD: ok! maybe they can share some tips...

FS: very young, but with a strong focus on creating quality material…and much experience already

CD: yes, i followed their work with skunk-fu, liked the animation a lot...

FS: they're good, definitely.

CD: about 'nice', is true, we have to watch out for wrong turns and being honest in our opinions, but at the moment is still about finding out if we can work as a team...for me this initiative has already proved fruitful because i like to have a structure and an 'audience', keeps me focused, so is a good start, i think me and Jelle are going to be the motor, and so far he's coming up strong...

FS: you know what the thing is about being nice? It's about being positive, even when you don't like what's going on.

If an animatic - for instance - is not as good as it could be, you have to go back and change it until it works. Same for backgrounds, characters. I love the animators I work with, but if they deliver a scene that doesnt work, they'll redo it. And if yhey get an animatic from me that they think doesnt work, they'll tell me and I'll go and change it.

The best way to find out if you work as a team is to focus on the work and be honest if you dig it or not, otherwise you're wasting your time

CD: yes, is a good point you make...also about being positive, is to see criticism as a way to become better at what you do...

FS: yes, I believe so.

you are all very talented, so that's great. But it's not like it adds up by default, you know what I mean? To unleash that potential, you have to challenge what you're doing.

And…I believe there's a role for you, being most experienced and - I mean this in the best way possible - "the man in the other room". :D

CD: that's a great line, 'the man in the other room'....for sure none of the guys lack talent, so for that we're covered, and i feel i have a lot to learn if i want to grow professionally but i believe i have the human experience to be the 'glue' for the projects, and to keep continuity in what we should do and keep the communication flowing...

FS: absolutely, that's it

CD: i have to head out to pick up Eliot from school, this has been a great little conversation, do you mind if i post it on the blog?

FS: thought so too.

yeah, no problem, just beep out any swear words ;)

CD: Ciao!

FS: see ya later

CD: what can i say? you're one of a kind, thanks also for the tip about the robot anima walk cycle!