David Young Animation - HND Computer Arts - YR 1- Dundee College: Project 1

Project 666 - The Brief

For the first 3d animation project that I've been assigned to complete this semester, I was given the brief that states what needs to be done to pass the unit.
Here is the document I was given -:

HND Yr1 Computer Arts & Design: Animation Brief

Project Start Date: Sept. 10

Project Submission Date: November 23rd 10 weeks (Amended to 30th November)

There is a new free-view channel being launched called 666. This channel will be devoted to horror
films, thrillers, and dark animated shorts as well as documentaries and chat shows about ghosts
and paranormal activity. The broadcasting company responsible for this new platform wish to
commission you to make a 3D computer animated Ident with which to promote and identify their
channel.

The broadcasting company’s committee has drawn up a series of guidelines to illustrate what they

have in mind:
1.

Our programme schedule will mainly consist of high value horror and, or, thriller films most

ofwhich have a refined, and sometimes highly stylistic aesthetic which we are keen to see reflected in the visual quality of the animation.

Although our channel will only air after the 9pm watershed, we aim to use the Idents as a

promotional tool on a variety of other channels during prime viewing time: the content of the

Ident should be designed appropriately.

We are very keen that you include environments and audio that appear to be heavy in

atmosphere and tension; however, we do also want the animation to be character based so

that the viewers develop a relationship with the Idents.

To reflect the range of content on this platform we would be especially interested to see 3D

animations that integrate live-action footage in some way.

The animations must be 30 seconds long (+/- 10%), not including credits, and be submitted

as follows:

•

Codec: H.264/ 16 Little Indian

•

Resolution: 72 dpi

•

Frame Size: 1024x576px (Square pixels [1.0])

•

Frames Rate: 25 fps

•

Deinterlace: (Lower Field Dominance)

•

Audio: 320 kbps / 44.100 kHz

•

File Format: MP4

Heightened expectancy, moodiness, anxiety, cliffhangers, and terror, are devices heavily

used in the kind of material we are concerned with. This, we hope should provide you with

an inspiring starting point.

Project Approach:

During this project you will be provided with a series of practical workshops and lectures to

demonstrate the processes, tools, and techniques required to complete this project. You will then

have access to college equipment to practice while you produce this work.

Project 666 Mind map

The Mood Boards

I created these Mood boards by gather images from the internet. This helped me to shape my ideas as they progressed at this stage.

Corn Field Mood Board References

crop circle - looks like biohazard sign

http://www.share-international.org/magazine/old_issues/2010/images/201003_crop_circle2.jpg

Close up mel gibson

http://cf2.imgobject.com/t/p/original/ksyOtfDvn3eZZIfEcoRy87YUiwL.jpg - In corn field

In corn field trail

http://savalfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/cornfield.jpg

Corn field at dawn

http://www.zastavki.com/pictures/1024x768/2010/Nature_Fields_Cornfield_at_dawn_026182_.jpg

Corn field dark ufo

http://www.alienresearchcorp.com/ufos/sightings/0911/cornfield-ufo/corn-field-ufo.JPG

Old Corn Field

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=corn+field+night&hl=en&safe=active&tbs=isz:l&tbm=isch&tbnid=7sUeHXowQ2nIgM:&imgrefurl=http://balazsroby.deviantart.com/art/Night-in-the-corn-field-23910791&docid=DItrvDPD9Y6geM&imgurl=http://th00.deviantart.net/fs8/PRE/i/2005/284/8/c/Night_in_the_corn_field_by_balazsroby.jpg&w=1032&h=774&ei=O-VWUJbQN-XF0QWW6ICQDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=359&vpy=221&dur=64&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=128&ty=76&sig=106483622530963868890&page=1&tbnh=127&tbnw=177&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:82&biw=1440&bih=805

Corn field with sun in background

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=corn+field+night&hl=en&safe=active&tbs=isz:l&tbm=isch&tbnid=McJsp3e2WDpz6M:&imgrefurl=http://www.etsy.com/listing/93032041/harvest-moon-8-x-10-fine-art-photography&docid=WJRplauHfDTnsM&imgurl=http://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6641724/il_fullxfull.317720068.jpg&w=1500&h=1200&ei=O-VWUJbQN-XF0QWW6ICQDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1146&vpy=234&dur=3855&hovh=201&hovw=251&tx=170&ty=110&sig=106483622530963868890&page=1&tbnh=125&tbnw=164&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:0,i:119&biw=1440&bih=805

Cornfield birds at dawn

http://static.stories.mountainworkshops.org/images/1268/0797clifton035s.JPG

Moonlight Cornfield

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/055/1/3/Corn_Field_Under_Moon_by_djeagle.jpg

Crop Circle Mood Board References

Key Crop Circle
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2765/4181024701_79abd73418_o.jpg
Centre Circle
http://www.hedgedruid.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Roundway-Hill-crop-circle-July-2010.jpg
Downward facing crops
http://www.hedgedruid.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Windmill-Hill-Avebury-crop-circle-July-2010-18.jpg
Top right Complex crop circle
http://slices-of-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/96_silburyhill2005.jpg
Crop Circle Collage
http://api.ning.com/files/8C9JB4PT5-QD2T2KLcavJM4GM3PqNlaJXOzYI5EZ-C1g4vwM72mgnLxuzF0SfX3PabONgMc42h*2k2UpXXbJ2OzXioxWcZRr/cropcircles.jpg
Star Crop circle
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/4181031797_a05956f970_o.jpg
Spiral Crop Circle
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOz7SsiflJkVI5Ix8wOnPRivB7EvrdYIv18PqWdQ4PsUx-PiOPW7uDo8HibRUUwRefNRprUWd9NNy_PjRMMeTCIO20vGvidBuKdXqfDguJmkngTM6CYmbe61YWaCujAUiFEoo85rTznXOK/s1600/Switzerland+Crop+Circle+2010.png

Maze Mood Board References
Black and white maze background
http://msquire.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/j0433130.jpg
Wooden maze
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YcfJ_KH0Ouo/TsBqmHzyY3I/AAAAAAAABjs/dCDpeiVQ2cc/2011-11-13_19-25-20_928.jpg
Stone Maze
http://www.blirk.net/wallpapers/1400x1050/labyrinth-wallpaper-1.jpg
Rat in maze
http://truthalliance.net/Portals/0/Archive/images/news/2012/05/rat-maze-cheese.jpg
Rat in box maze
http://www.ratspacnw.org/images/ratapalooza03/maze.jpg
Maze from hilltop
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101209090335/merlin1/images/1/18/Labyrinth_of_Gedref.jpg

Sky and Moon References
Moon in dark sky - top right
http://cdn2.irishviews.com/irishviews-cdn/lucis-arts-look/moonlight10.jpg
Moonlight ridge
http://www.wallsave.com/wallpapers/1280x1024/moonlight/60768/moonlight-60768.jpg
Large moon - bottom left
http://img.themebin.com/My_desktop___Moonlight_by_Azinokin.jpg
Lake Moonlight
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCK1LoZ31xvqr-he0EsHSGBLgY3S5IVmEHgtWkhU17VzdqDJRgtnFydUTpEhm_zpZwE5YwWkBlbT-Aj_Bb9S2Vyx9qPg-uLb9c6vN5e-pvskulYO-qK9gOYMdhlCpe9FDTr7wnLX93-uY/s1600/large_moonlight.jpg
Field Moonlight
http://www.sciencephoto.com/image/133193/530wm/C0070175-Moonlit_corn_field-SPL.jpg

Lighting Mood Board References

Background Flashlight

http://applefashion.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/flashlight.jpg

Red lit corridor

http://project-rod.de/homepage/tutorials/tutorial4/3.jpg

Black and white cornfield

http://raven-photography.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MG_67191.jpg

Moonlight sky

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGw3ckt2Mg-cjKix0oGNrAyfE9aonO-GOZbGjMo3Fzf5pyWZsZb_8KJcx2iykEZX0Op-vn3HOPXFAYOgPDR-EM7EW-kBtbArEk3dNGX8Cg-QMTGsCgqP4pfrmsCwh9XB18dXUriiPHm90h/s1600/IMG_5557.JPG

Man with flashlight

http://www.cthulhulives.org/whisperer/images/Wil_Flashlight-lg.jpg

Farmer Mood Board References

Pitch Fork Farmer

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/auremar/auremar1110/auremar111000503/10854227-corn-farmer.jpg

Farmer with pipe

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/digitalreflections/digitalreflections1106/digitalreflections110600018/9771303-farmer-standing-in-his-field-smoking-a-corn-cob-pipe.jpg

Black and white cartoon farmer

http://openclipart.org/people/j4p4n/americanfarmer.svg

Harmonica man

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPn2-VNqqlBokiN3iT0x-8pJPWMP0aSqTNwY1MjXqRBUKk8R5HajK7iTnqzZ2T-G-FcjKkG7M-JVZJUqYLfK2JIxYRIopwgeBmWDBHpOJP86srx8cagvQvX6ixaNiZFSIZGi7e08rxsFf/s1600/dad.jpg

Old farmer by the red truck

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7119/1015/1600/DSC00098.0.jpg

Old farmer with corn on his back

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=old+farmer&hl=en&safe=active&tbs=isz:l&tbm=isch&tbnid=8MwKLinEFVjHfM:&imgrefurl=http://www.photoburst.net/travel-photography/2012/08/dashbolaq-iran-old-farmer-canon-eos-500d-ef-50mm-hadi-asgari/&docid=38xb8s1SME14IM&imgurl=http://www.photoburst.net/travel-photography/2012/08/dashbolaq-iran-old-farmer-canon-eos-500d-ef-50mm-hadi-asgari/dashbolaq-iran-old-farmer-canon-eos-500d-ef-50mm-hadi-asgari.jpg&w=1200&h=800&ei=fe1WULvFM6Or0AX-z4DwDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1122&vpy=331&dur=33&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=163&ty=109&sig=106483622530963868890&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=179&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:120&biw=1440&bih=805

Pitchfork

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoH2EhKrEAAnjdpkiSQoP9lxHboR2M1EyZDiSjxSlUjnGLymh1sT-gfXtPShXHU1icOsSAxPQW1x68QhOpOR4LUBeaWq0riQVwEs0IKzwwN08fphaBME-DNP_yitPZYzig1NqedG5fBY/s1600/pitchfork.jpg

Cigarettes

http://euobserver.com/media/src/54ed0e5830ca07dda2870aa1ed8dd888.jpg

The Farmer Moodboard Part 2

Water Colour line drawing Farmer

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&safe=active&sa=X&biw=1440&bih=805&tbs=isz:l&tbm=isch&tbnid=JXrCoVkhLy6Q1M:&imgrefurl=http://www.fineartwork.us/Drawings.html&docid=xpLcUQDsRjldFM&imgurl=http://www.fineartwork.us/images/drawing_3.jpg&w=2550&h=3300&ei=921gUO-oCqKU0QWdroHYBg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=167&sig=106483622530963868890&page=1&tbnh=127&tbnw=98&start=0&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:72&tx=44&ty=71

Old Farmer Pencil

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium/the-old-farmer-joyce-geleynse.jpg

Old Farmer Face Close up Pencil

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&safe=active&sa=X&biw=1440&bih=805&tbs=isz:m&tbm=isch&tbnid=akeMR5Zy2v2rjM:&imgrefurl=http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-farmer-trudi-smith.html&docid=m7gZw54VRSZYSM&itg=1&imgurl=http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium/1-farmer-trudi-smith.jpg&w=560&h=700&ei=FG9gUIm7IJTB0gX-kYDABQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=381&vpy=76&dur=3337&hovh=251&hovw=201&tx=110&ty=145&sig=106483622530963868890&page=2&tbnh=147&tbnw=114&start=34&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:34,i:207

blue farmer cartoon sketch

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbVPZOIcg4gAelc2dBuruzHRRlcxkQXvxT0MvOJQJ9ooOMwHCLWVgXVK51uRbZH-7MawN9Ux0S7-fUDK2HYy7R0bneokMo7WajTE_-v1oeY7rlr6Eof3cPvcjHvZsrX43IBKtjheamyU/s1600/janice_farmer.jpg

Farmer Working sketch

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/the-farmer-horacio-prada.jpg

Yellow Pitchfork

http://curezone.com/upload/Art/pitchfork.jpg

Blue Pitchfork

http://www.handyguyspodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Pitchfork.jpg

Devil Fork

http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/18493.jpg

Concept Art

Crop Field - Setting and Lighting

Character Sheet - The Farmer

The Farmer - Front

The Farmer - Side

Crop Field - Setting with Character

Colour Testing

Horror Channel 666 - Logo

Thumbnails

Final Character Design

Character Pose Sheet

Storyboards

The Animatic

Character Modelling

I then moved from pre-production into the production stage and started modelling my Farmer character.

I first imported my character sheet images into Autodesk 3DStudio Max 2012 and began sculpting the model.

Character Sheet Imported into 3DSMax

The modelling process begins

Modelling the character using the character sheet as a guide

Almost finished model with props. The model had too many polygons though.

Completed character model. 50 polygons exactly

I begin to UVW un-wrap the texture onto the model. This involves lining up all of the checkers so that the texture I later apply is not stretched out of shape.

Almost completed the UVW Un-wrap

The UVW Un-Wrap Screen

I exported the Un-wrap map out of 3DSMax.

I then brought it into Adobe Photoshop and filled in my textures.

Fully Textured Character.

I then added bones into the model and created a basic rig using IK handles.

I began to weight map the model after applying a skin modifier.

I weight map each envelope of the model's structure.

This has to be done to ensure the model deforms and bends correctly at the right locations on the body.

I added handles and linked them to the model to make it easier to animate and created a simple walk cycle animation to test that the model deforms correctly.

2D Flash Face

At this point I wanted to bring my character to life some more, because as it stands, he was really just a box man with a face textured on. I created a short 2d animation in Adobe Flash and exported it as a video file. I then added this video file onto my 3d character as a moving texture.

Here is a still image of my characters face animation.

The Environment

I then proceeded to map out my crop field design in 3dstudio max

This giant 6 will become one of the focus' of the animation at the end

The first version of the basic crop field shape

The full environment model.

I added stones and leaves to make the field more life like.

I then added in the textures I'd created for the field from photoshop.

Next I added a displacement modifier to the ground and the top of the field to make it more bumpy. I also added in the entire lighting scheme here including three point lighting for the character and his torch with an added fog effect.

Three point lighing consistas of three lights: A Key Light, Fill Light and a Back Light which when used together help a character or object to stand out from the background as the light that hits it is more three dimentional.

Here is another view of the displace effects and lighting. At this stage I animated my character in accordance with my storyboard and animatic using the same animation techniques I used when I tested my character's walk cycle.