Semester 2

The semester has really just been used to concentrate on the actual production of the film, with most of the pre-production accomplished in first semester. One of the earliest changes was from the film being about a fish that accidentally blows up his only means of food just to try and make a fire, to being about a fish's desire for a hot meal and the fire in which to cook it.

The film is still set in a desert because it still centres around a hungry fish, and I like the idea of a barren landscape to emphasise this. I've also had a number of comments on how the landscape is almost like a stage for the fish, which I had intended from an economical view, i.e. less backgrounds to draw up.

Apart from a few changes made to the landscape and story, the title has also been changed from "yliaD deeF" to "Open Fire". Although I was attached to the old title I can see why a change was a good idea. After meeting with Andi, Hania, James as well as a number of others, a more catchy name that could actually be easily pronounced and remembered after leaving the theatre was enough to convince me.

The soundtrack has changed over six times during the semester to come out with what you hear now. With many changes made to timing of the animatic, shots being cut and others being added the music was also edited to suit the pace of the film. The score has also become a much faster pace which I belive complements and carries the film very well, I don't believe anyone will get bored watching the film with the way everything has been condensed, going from a five minute film to just over two and a half.

I have had a fair amount of input over the semester also, which is a shame because much of the information is very useful and I only wish I got it in first semester so I act on it. I've met with Nina Paley who won Annecy, who gave me some good advice as far as empathysing with the fish. I also met with Bob Blasdall who has helped me with my editing, Peter Moyes who has given a lot of helpful advice as far as narrative, however much of what he has told me I was unable to go ahead with considering the time I had left. I've also worked very closely with James and Hania Lee as far as framing shots, timing and editing.

Sound design was tough, even though I only needed two sound effects, the explosion at the end, and the sound of thunder in the sky. I booked myself into the sound recording room, however I had people comming in and disturbing me with confusion over what day and room they had booked. After exporting the sound and bringing it into "Premier" I found the sound to be almost silent when the music was played over it, which was strange as I had been editing the sounds over the music in the sound room earlier and it was fine. I had to re-export my soundeffects with the music and then bring that into "Premier" once more, however this time it didn't sync up. This was very frustrating but easily resolved.

In the end there were many things that I would have liked to have gone back and improved, also I have learnt so much over the year just doing this project that if I could go back and do it again I would not have used so many types of software, I would have consulted with more people during the scripting stage also. However, this being my first film, and that I managed to pull it off by myself, with the help of my lecturers and friends of course, but I am proud of the final product, and special thanks must go out to all those who have encouraged me over the year. You know who you are.

Week14

Just been trying to get all my other subjects out of the way, however Hania was able to come up with this first experiment at a soundtrack, I really like the theme that carries throughout it. It's not timed to the animatic obviously, but it's good to get the visuals at the same time as the music none the less.

Week 13

We had our end of semester presentations this week where we had to show everything we had done up to this point. The assessors were Andi and the Head of the new Games Department. We were asked to have a number of items for this presentation: an animatic, production schedule and budget, scratch sound etc. I had most of this prepared the week before and had been using the last couple of weeks to get some test animation done.

I think the class did well; the films seem to be of a very high quality and all very different. It was good to see how everyone was progressing and it was all the more encouraging to have my presentation as prepared as possible.
I believe I did well over the semester; I’ve been able to keep to my schedule without letting my other subjects suffer. So presenting to the class was fairly easy, with plenty to show. I’m under the assumption that I did well as the only criticism I received were with the background style (which I’m happy to play around with) and the more difficult piece of advice to take, which was to think of changing the title from “yliad deef” to something else. So far this is the only person who hasn’t liked the title, so I’m still considering changing it or not, I’ll wait till I get more feedback from family, friends and peers before I start thinking of a new title.

Week 12

This week was pretty hectic getting other assignments in, but I still managed to complete a rough explosion test and a rough run cycle for my fish which proved much more difficult than I thought.

Week 11

I met with Hania, my composer for coffee and to discuss the soundtrack for my film. I showed her my test animations, layouts and latest animatic and asked for her opinion. She told me that she is excited to be working on the project with me, and because I realise she is very talented I want to give her the opportunity to come up with the score with very little influence from me. I know very little about music so I would only get in the way. I want the score to be original, so I didn’t want to put a soundtrack on my animatic and ask her to come up with a similar sound. Also because I am working solo, I’ve taken a few of her ideas on as far as timing. The only thing I asked was that there be a theme to the music that comes in significantly during the title and credits, and that she realises where the music needs to build up. Everything else I’ve left up to her, and I can’t wait to hear it. I gave her a 30 second piece of the animatic to come up with some experiments. I also worked on getting my background layout painted. Because there is only one setting and essentially only one background, I want it to look as impressive as possible.

Week 10

This week I experimented with some special effects in Adobe After Effects CS3. I managed to get a fairly good test of a fire with smoke, a lightning test and an effect that looks like light through the water’s surface. I still need to play around some more as it looks a little too realistic at the moment, but it’s a good start.

Week9

I got my mark back for last week’s presentation and I am very pleased with the distinction. The only criticism was in the lack of background layouts. It was very useful to learn where I should be concentrating however, and although I’ve been on track as far as animation and my storyboarding, my layouts have been neglected.
I spent this week completing a rough test animation for my fish throwing a hot ember.

Week 8

We had our second presentation this week, by which time se were required to have a finalised script, a rough schedule and budget and a well-established set of pre production designs. I have completed my second animatic so I’m pretty well underway. The groups still seem to be finding themselves and so not much was really presented this week, but it was still good to see where everyone was. It’s always a good way to encourage me to keep working on my own stuff.
I believe I did well in the presentation; my animatic receiving a round of applause was very encouraging.

Week 7

The script has been finalised after many a meeting with Andi and Mark. I’m very happy with the story as it stands. Andi’s advice to give the fish a motivation was very helpful. The story’s being about a fish’s desire for a hot meal is a much more solid situation.
I have also met with Mark to discuss my latest animatic. His advice was very helpful and we managed to bring the film from approximately 5 minutes long, to just over 2 minutes. I have now started my second animatic, which I hope to have completed by the presentations next week.

Pics from Week 5 & 6

Week 5 & 6

Andi was away for week 5 so I met up with Mark to discuss my script and storyboards. After talking with him for about an hour we managed to cut a huge amount from the script, and he also helped me clear up some of the storyboards. I have removed the feeding character, as it seemed unnessasary to put a second character in the film who acted more as a prop than a character anyway. We replaced the robot with a mechanical arm that feeds the fish.

Mark and I also discussed a budget for my film, he told me that I would be looking at about $800-$1000 for someone to compose a sountrack for me. This would cover two tracks as well as distribution. I came up with my model sheets for the fish as well as my next draft of the script, with all the significant changes made. I brought this to show Andi and she loved it.

After getting the ok from Andi, and with a better idea of the kind of budget I will need for my soundtrack, I called up my composer, Hania Zdunkiewicz, to discuss what was going on. I told her that I am still in early Pre-Production and so didn't want to send her an animatic to time the soundtrack to yet, as it will probably change. She gave me the terms as far as licencing the tracks and so now its all down to getting this animatic cleared up.

Week 4

It is now the end of week 4, I have had a meeting with Andi to discuss my project I was asked to have completed my first draft of storyboards and have come up with a rough production schedule by this week. We had a meeting to discuss where I was at, and how we could cut some unessential elements from the story and how I could either remove the feeder from the story as a character or give him a bigger role therefore working better with creating a relationship.

We came up with some changes, particularly with the fish's motive. So that the fish now acts the way it does out of hunger.

Week 3

Week 3

So... week 3 is nearly over and what can I say about it.

I've been working on getting storyboards done this week, as well as a few experiments with the overall feel of the landscape so I can prove that I can do this. Andi asked that I have my storyboards, script and production skedule prepared for the week after the holidays. It's alot of work but I really want to get this done by myself. I have spoken to Hania Zdunkiewicz who is a composer, and has agreed to create a score for my film. Seeing as how there is no dialogue my money will go mostly into creating this score.

Week 2

Week 2

I'm already stressing over what will be a bigger year than first suspected. We've had to pitch our short film ideas to the class, and now time will tell if I get picked to complete it. I've come up with some character designs that have been built on over the holiday. The pitching was rough though, the people who started got pretty much as much time as they pleased to pitch their idea/ ideas, and then I was told to make it quick. So I because I wasn't able to pitch what I had essentially prepared my pitch wasn't too strong. I still want to work on this alone however.

Week 1

So... Today was my first day of my final year at the Queensland College of Arts. Still can’t believe it. I will always keep with me the wise words of last year’s graduates... Quit your job! Quit your hobbies! And learn to live off dehydrated foods. You won't have time this year :s I couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.

We had orientation and life drawing today. For some reason the first years were let in on their OP alone, rather than on the portfolio application that has seen many of our most talent students through. It’s an outrage! They come across as a bunch of nerds... the bad kind :P Will be interesting how many last.

I thought that after so much wasted holiday my drawing skill may have somewhat disintegrated... but no, quite the contrary, my lecturer thought I had improved *shrugs*. It was good being back at the university; I miss the clumsiness of student life, the nerdy conversations, the constant procrastinating, the ukulele jam sessions, ahhh! :P

Anyway, it’s not all obscure musical instruments and software talk... We have to have our pitch in by Thursday and I hope I do get picked as one of the films that do get made. I have decided to go with the script that was so well recieved last year in Scriptwriting 2. Oh well... should probably get off this thing and back to it.