Post 15 This Blog Isn't Working

So I was hoping this Blog would keep my mind focussed and in control of what I'm doing.
Turns out isn't the case.

When I have a dozen things on my mind I can't seem to find the drive to update a blog, I just don't factor it as a form of study. I can make notes on what I'm doing and do these things, that's fine, I can do that. This blog thing is just so self-glorifying and pointless.

Update on progress:

Waiting to hear back from Audio Students regarding Bones of Essimer, in the meantime I cut a soundtrack for the Armageddon Trailer that wasn't able to be used. Was still fun working on it mind you, though EQ'd drones in my ears for half a day made me feel slightly insane HAHAHA

Neon Rot is currently being edited, as well as the OST being compiled. It looks good.

I did lose sound files though. That's bad.

Maybe one day I'll be in the right state of mind for a blog, but it ain't now. Now is the time for work and food. And sleep. Work, food & sleep.

Post 14 AKA Flickering Glow of Existence

The Neon is starting to glow.
The Rot is starting to.... Rot.

Preprodcution, baby!

Currently I've been sketching thumbnails of storyboards, working on my directors statement and have begun my script breakdown. The wheels of progress are turning!

I thoroughly enjoy the storyboarding process, as it's one of those early opportunities to get the idea out of my head and onto paper. The only problem with this is that I am quite amateur when it comes to drawing...

Very quite amateur.

That said, the Director's statement and manifesto can help paint the picture of the world by providing reference for most everything. As I'm going mad with art design this is essential. The other years I've created film were quite tame, but this time I really wanna flex my stylistic and creative muscles. I will need to get a good team of like-minded people to pull this off, so here's hoping I can bring people into my world.

You're not allowed to see my words...yet.

Next time I'll hopefully have some better storyboards and interesting paperwork stuff to add.

Nothing says fun like a hazard form.

Post 13 AKA Rising Vigour of Fallen Trees

The script for my personal project has been handed in. Now the preproduction begins.

 

Hold onto your butts.

I'm keeping details about the story under wraps for the time being, as I'm a secret squirrel like that. However, I can divulge some information, such as the it's Sci-Fi setting and Samurai-Western genre.

I can also so that this is something that may not be easy to make and might not be everyones cup of tea, but gosh darn it it's something I wanted to make!

I have a dream

Currently I'm creating my Director's Manifesto, which is filled with the concepts of the world, characters and process. This is one of my favourite parts of filmmaking, as I am able to jam some sweet tunes, get a coffee and pump out my ideas to my hearts content. Bliss.

I'll make sure to update some manifesto stuff on my next post, but that's it for now.

Signing out.

Post 12 - AKA Is That the Time Already?

Hahaha oh boy haha.
I shouldn't laugh.

The ball has been dropped super hard.
I must apologise to my followers (and Tutor) for my slackness with this blog.

I know in my previous posts I was fairly indignant about the whole thing, but I still should have been posting. For this I apologise and am truly regretful. Marks are marks after all.

So in terms of the project: We are done filming, which means no more AD work. Yaaaay.
This meant I have been able to allocate my time for sound design and the such, which has been much more enjoyable for me. I definitely know what part of the process I prefer.

Just waiting for picture lock and then I should be golden to get cracking on this properly.

I will update again shortly, I feel I have a lot to make up for.
So watch this space.

Pictured: Me when I realised the ball was dropped

Post 11 AKA Resentful Reunion of Thought

Things are back on schedule.
I'm still bitter.

Not with people. With blog. Always with blog.
Gotta fill it in, but don't have enough to say to make it interesting.

Just working on other projects while things have slowed down, but nothing worth ranting about.



Wow. This is dull.
Look at the spacing though. Short sentences, baby.

Pow! Now I'm over here.

Watch out for this guy.

Also, my old stockpile of comics was recovered. Aesthetic refreshment and inspiration by the bucket-load, but none relevant enough for the project. If only, if only.

Post 10 AKA Decablog of Crushing Obscurity

So it's been 10 blogs.

Joy upon joy upon joy.

No time for celebration, things are being done.

Work things. Home things. Things that aren't really things but still need to be done.

I'd write all about the with the film's happenings but honestly I don't find this Blog is the right format.

I wouldn't go into detail about my personal film making process, updating pictures and discussing any troubles or issues. So why would I for a team project?

I understand the whole keeping track of progress for the grading, but I'd rather not share it with the world.

Not that it's too much of an issue with my outstanding page view count, some days I might even be lucky to get as many viewings as 1!

So I will update my blog, sound in the knowledge it is a lost cause.

But I will nurture it on like a sick horse until it finishes it's race.

But I still might will get bitter about it like this.

P.S

I suppose I can briefly skim over some events though...

I'm contacting someone regarding sound and am scheduling.

Post 9 AKA Butterfly Full of Stomachs

Ya know this project I'm writing about?
Yeah, the one called 'Bones of Essimer'?
We've started filming it.
Kill me now.

As an Assistant Director I've been managing crew on set, sorting some of the scheduling and paperwork to keep the wheels turning. I'm fairly new at this position, as I'm usually Soundie, and it's a weird shift in work: from the quiet standby of a soundie, to the constant loudness of an AD.
I suppose yelling at people to work faster isn't that bad a job, but you still feel like a bit of a bad guy. So I suppose it's good I have the job I have a bit of experience in being hated. Thanks High School.

We've dodged some bullets in regards to location and weather and honestly I'm absolutely chuffed to be where we are right, all things considered. We could be waaaay behind. Instead we're just slightly behind.
It's now my goal to get on track, if not ahead, with our work. A goal that I may be destined to fail. But meh, I always liked the idea of going down in a blaze of glory, so I might as well try to make this film submit to my will.

But it is now lunch time.
I feel the need for a quiet pint.
So toodle-pip and cheers!

Post 8 AKA Quiet Return of the Withered Blossom

Oh boy, is that the day?

Oh.
Oh my it's been longer than I thought.

I've had things I've been meaning to say, points and events that would make a nice blog piece, but ya know what? No dice. Too scatterbrained.

We've achieved a lot as of late. Got the script finally sorted, things being made and people being busy. There's definitely been a lot going on and a lot being ticked off the list, so I'll keep it to stuff I'm more involved in. This ain't no 3rd person blog bs.

Sound is going great, I've discovered so many awesome references and inspirations. To get a concept going I might have a song playing then try an audio mix with internet tabs playing separate audio, it's amazing it actually works most of the time.
Will have the full animatic soon, so will be able to do a sound mix for that. I am excite for this. Much excite.

Scheduling has been coming together. Thank the cosmos for www.scenechronize.com.
It's really amazing thinking back through the process so far, all the hurdles and original ideas. Things have changed, grown and have now becoming real. This is the part of film I love, where the collaboration of minds bring an idea into form through their working together. I don'w know if everyone realises the gravity of what they're doing , but I've been thinking about it lately: We are incredibly lucky to be doing what we're doing. Compared to where I was before I was studying, I have to say these experiences the are ones I'll remember and smile.

Look at me opening up online. Cute.
Go back to tumblr.

But thanks to anyone reading this. I suppose it's okay letting some people hear my thoughts I usually don't share, so thanks for listening.

Post 7 AKA Rebirth of the Horned Monarch

I've been doing stuff.
Sound stuff.

This makes me happy.


We recently shot something for our Pledgme video (which I will provide details for soonish), where I had to stand there like a fool. I offered to swing the boom pole, as I noticed the camera-op was also soundie, but without headphones. I was displeased.
Then, for more footage, they finally got me back into sound. Then the channel inputs on the camera were iffy and I had to point the mic via a camera mount rather than an actual boom pole. So the actual production sound was super lame.

But afterwards I was thrown into the post-sound. With choppy voices and massive changes in room tone I soon found I was in too deep.
Now here's a fun fact about me. I love being in too deep.
It really pushed me to provide great results with poor base material and I think I produced something worthwhile. But the proof will be in the pudding I suppose.

Oh yeah and we had Rialto 48 Hour Film Making Competition the weekend just been. Long hours of sweaty men, fake narcotics and time travel made a very messy minded Me.
It provided a great chance to get back into the hectic swing of things. Experience as an AD was good, as I forgot most of the calls the first few takes, once more proving I need to keep doing things to remember them.
Ah well, I'll be more structured for the actual cinematic shoot, and I'll carry a big stick just in case.

Also a note to my future self: Never dismiss Funk for background music.

Post 6 AKA A Swift Strike to the Hornets' ambitions

Another morning on the blog and once more I'm wiped out.
Feels like the start of a cold so I want to shake that as quickly as I can, so many of lemons and fluid for me. Maybe even some lemon fluid... That sounds promising.
It's also my two year anniversary with my girlfriend today but that's neither here nor there.

It has been a long week. I've had plenty of schoolwork to be handling alongside the project and it's starting to show that we all need to be chipping in equally, doing the hard yards when we need to. If only we all did.
I've been working on sound design concepts and throwing together reference/theme sheets, as well as giving my weekend to the round of auditions we put on, which was not particularly difficult, just looooong. But blisters on your feet just show that you've been walking I suppose, so I'm not worried about any fatigue or what have you.

I do need a coffee though. Maybe even 6.

As usual I don't know what to say in this thing, so it just sounds like I'm rambling on and on, not really going anywhere, but getting tired as I do. C'est la vie.

Coffee is in hand now. Happiness is rising. I'd be tempted to sit and watch the morning sky... if it wasn't so godawful. It's a good thing I like the colour grey.

Oh and I'll use this as a not to my future self in regards to sound: Don't try and shoehorn any kind of usic into the film just because you like it at the time, I have done well to resist the Velvet Underground influence so far so let's keep it that way...
...but If the shoe fits...

Post 5 AKA The Rolling Golem and the Gathered Care.

It's been busyyyyyy.

From last time I've updated we've basically established our core concept and first draft of the final script! Within the writing meetings we all bounced ideas off one another until we came out with something we found interesting as a cinematic and a game.
This is why it's handy to have so many gamers' involved, we've had experience watching game trailers as well as actually laying a game so that enables us to be more critical about the games representation. Speaking of games, all this talk about them gives me the urge to sit down with a shiny new RPG and waste my life, which happens to be one of my favourite things.

Playing games should provide the audience (if that's the right term) with a new experience, while still maintaining classical features and mechanics from past games. By this I mean having a brand new world & character, fighting with crazy new weapons, even having a critically important conversation with your buddy; these can be exciting and new, even if the formula has been done again and again.

In a sense it's just a new style of narrative, with more of an audience participation. In this regard it's a very unique experience as it allows the player to act as they wish, it's unlikely the action will play it in a strictly scripted nature. Though I do love the thought of a gritty war movie being interrupted by having the protagonist pop a squat on a vanquished enemy and begin tea-bagging, whilst shouting "Noob".
Saving Private Ryan would have been a much different film, but it also may have made it much, much better.

"Omg, you f***ing campers"

Now I don't want to say too much about the actual script or story at this stage, as I don't know what's apt to change in the coming pre-production phase, but what I do know is there is a particular feature that gets me excited: the Bone Cult.

My body is ready.

Post 4 AKA The Moth's Flight through the Storm

Morning and salutations and whatnot.

I have been occupied!
The work load is becoming heavier with all the work from other classes and so I must admit, I did briefly forget about my blog. It's still here though, not on fire or anything.

I currently write as I drink my morning coffee and gloss over notes before class, serving this as a more self-reflective time. The act of doing something with your morning cup of coffee adds a certain deliberation, "This is my coffee and this is my work; fear me!"

To that end coffee is proving to be useful, as usual. With long, often loud, meetings it helps to get caffeinated during, otherwise I may end up biting off a head. God help whoever opposes the AD.

The writing team, which  I am on, has begun the main story outlining for our project. By going for a mash-up of the two stories has provided a unique style and structure to the world, combining the post-apocalyptic with the old gods. The deep one be praised!

All hail the party god.

While it's still bare bones at the current time I have a strong feeling that by working on the themes and characters a bit more things will fall into place, just waiting for that key brainwave that makes everything 'click'.

In the mean time, I scribble down thoughts and try to feed my creativity. Not as much drawing for me, as there's not much need for my input in that field, but I do miss it. Maybe I could sketch out a Lovecraft-ian Children's Book based in our world... I'd read that. That'd be my ringtone.

Right, signing off now.

Toodles.

-Seth

P.S. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

Post 3 AKA The Storm of Turgid Minds.

Tuning in again.

We've had a bit more of a productive week I feel. Plenty of  brainstorming and general juggling of ideas has gotten a good bulk of the crew getting hyped up for the project. By working together in these sessions it's provided an opportunity for more people to get excited about an idea rather than just one person.

I think that will be an important process for when then project concept is chosen, as excitement for an idea will probably result in more dedicated input. It's never easy giving up on an idea you may have liked and work on someone else's, but it's for the good of the project so I will be happy to work with everyone to provide something of value.

This also saw me realise how versatile our ideas can be.While we split into groups and discussed a few story & concept ideas I noticed that many features from the other ideas could all be incorporated. I think if things like that happen it will be better for morale, as everyone can feel like they've contributed and hold their head high.

I always feel so self righteous writing a blog.
I get sick of my own voice after a few lines.
But a job's a job I suppose.
I'm sure this will serve as useful revision if not anything else. Observing my thoughts might also be intriguing. Maybe I should keep a journal for my thoughts anyway, just for day-to-day use, that way when I forget something I can at least check what I forgot.

Post #2 AKA The Honourable Selection of Many Thoughts.

The week has come to an end and with it comes the knowledge of the roles we are to take in the project.
I have been appointed as a Script Editor, Assistant Director and Post-Sound Supervisor. I have to say I'm pretty happy with these jobs, as it will provide a good work load without bogging me down too much.

While we all have our appointed roles the project is still very much in it's infancy. We don't even have a production company name, but I think that's the least of our worries.
Now that I say it, I think having a meetings about a details' like this will be very helpful in the long run, as it provides an opportunity for us all to communicate and find our places in the group. My place will be at the bottom of a coffee mug. I'll need all the energy I can muster, be it mine or provided by the sweet god Caffeine.

Still have plenty ideas swarming about, but the main one I have in mind is a RPG Fighter.
The aesthetic can be played with as I'm sure it could work as a fantasy, a sci-fi or even a super-stylized neo-punk. I don't even know if that's a genre but I'm sure it would work.
The elements I have an mind for the game include a rpg leveling system which incorporates a class tree/grid, seen in games such a sBorderlands or Final Fantasy.

Like this.

I've always loved the customization elements in these games, being able to more precisely hone the game to your play style. Sure you play a heavy, but do you want damage or health? Hell, do you want movement speed?! Go check your skill tree. These skill trees can provide a lot fun as well as driving the player to achieve a particular skill that will give them the advantage they want.

As it happens I've never seen this implemented in a fighter. I think with a slick art style and game mechanics there could be a very unique game idea in this.

Some game inspiration:

Weaponlord: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/weaponlord/weaponlord.htm


Frank Frazetta: http://frankfrazetta.net/



Alrighty that's about it from me for now.
Toodle-oo!

Post #1 AKA Bewildered Optimism

Video Games are great. Throughout my life I've always loved to sit down and play whatever console I have at the time, much to my parents dismay. I've been to countless worlds and met an endless number of characters, so to me it's easy to be caught in the magic.

The chance to belong to a fantastic world is too appealing to pass up, whether it be gunning down cyber-demons in a hellish arena-style shooter, to harvesting crops in an ambient management game. The idea of being completely immersed in the world, the sights and the sounds makes video games a form of art.

Now I have the ability to create one of these worlds with my classmates.
Ooooooh boy.

I think I started somewhere in the middle, allow me to introduce myself.
Seth "Mic" James. - Soundie and avid gamer.

I'm a lover of the arts, especially the culinary, and enjoy busying myself with writing, drawing, gaming and general b.s-ing. (As this blog will be examined by tutors I will relent from any curse words. So there goes half my vocabulary)

So in case you've missed the point of what this blog is for:

 Our Film & Animation class is designing a cinematic for a game that we create.

Get it? Got it? Good.

That opening about how much I love games is completely true, I love 'em, but that does not mean I am confident in my ability to make them myself. It's not that I lack faith in delivering something, it's more to do with the fact that I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I would love to create something that is creative, artistic, immersive and just good old fashioned fun to play, but at this stage I'm completely bewildered. I don't know how we're going to pull this off.

I am, however, confident that no matter what we make, we will make it to the best of our ability. Just because I may lack confidence or "planning" does not mean I won't give it my all. This is a great opportunity for the class to flex our creative muscles and produce something awesome, so approaching this project with a negative attitude will most likely result in negative results.
The power of positive thinking shall prevail!

This probably means I should stop being a cynic...

...for now.