Work in Progress is Progressing

We’re hearing a new and improved score, I’ve tweaked the lighting and shading in the earlier scenes, and I’ve pushed forward to the 4:30 mark! 6 minutes left for me to animate.

So — this is a work in progress, what do you think? What do you love and hate?

Just keep in mind, things like the eyes being white — that is an actual choice I made, not something I forgot to do.  I originally drew this very nice Hanna-Barbera style face for Gustave…and it was completely wrong for this story.  I worked to make it a little more primitive and, to my mind, appropriate to this story.  The same with the buildings being flat and airplanes casting shadows on the sky.  You are witnessing a digital Punch and Judy show, except that it’s a semi-self-reflexive tale about a forgotten aviator.

Work In Progress

Nov 8, 2009

Work in progress. My thesis.  New music is being composed as we speak, and new pictures are being birthed!

At a minimum, I’m animating 30 seconds a night, but I’m reaching for 60 seconds.  For a roughly 10 – 11 minute show – I’ll be done before the end of the month.  I’ve heard this is ambitious.  Well…it is!  But deadlines loom large and creativity apparently can be rushed!

Remembering a Forgotten Flier

I’m so pleased with what I wrote on my “Current Work” page that I’ll quote it here:

I’m making an animated documentary about Gustave Whitehead.   He was a flier, and was largely forgotten.  The reason why this is interesting is because he made a controlled, powered flight in a heavier-than-air vehicle two years before the Wright Brother’s flew!  So, I’m making an animated documentary about him.  Perhaps this work will inspire other people to innovate and push the envelope of human discovery, knowing that even if they never achieve fame, even if they die penniless, it’s possible that someone might make an animated documentary about them.  Indeed, a chance at immortality.

Yep — I am indeed doing it!  I’ve made the bulk of the artwork, which is charcoal pencil on heavy watercolor paper, and I’ve got it into After Effects.  The voice track is done and I’m quite pleased with it!  An original score is also underway.  Exciting things!

Below are some low-res captures from my first renderings.  I’ll no doubt do some general color correction and maybe throw a vignette on it and whatever other finishing is needed.  Blah blah.  Here are some stills!

Since when do airplanes cast shadows on the sky? Since I adopted a puppet show aesthetic for my new documentary! That's when.

Gustave Whitehead exhorts his assistant to stoke the steam engine!