After a very long wait we finally have some new stuff to talk about! Throughout December we managed to get most of the main set built and ready and also finish constructing and clothe the models. (pictures on the website)

 

Originally we had planned to start filming in the second week of January. As it turns out, this was perhaps a little ambitious. We did however manage to get the main set into the studio and our lighting set up arranged around this time. We've had a few issues with the camera that we have been using. Originally we began using the Nikon but for some reason it wasn't capturing all the frames properly which was then causing problems when we tried to convert the raw footage int a usable format. We're currently using the new Sony which officially belongs to the animation department. One of the major advantages to using this piece of equipment is that it can be connected straight to stopmotion pro, eliminating the need for two camera's which is the way we had to do it last time. Minor downside at the moment is that we have no remote so we're having to plan our shots accordingly. As long as the camera is attached to an incredibly sturdy tripod it seems to capture each frame without any camera shake. Hopefully the remote will arrive some time this week.

 

We officially began filming in the last week of January. Although it was a little behind schedule, we did manage to save a large amount of time doing the pixillation. Instead of the four days we had planned for, it was complete in just 13 hours!

 

So far we have the opening camera moves completed and all the pixillation where you see the hands of the doll maker. We enlisted the help of a friend when it came to the pixillation because we wanted big man hands as opposed to our small girly hands. Most of it went really well. There was one scene which was a bit of a pain but Dill (our man) was happy to work through it. A very long day but we had a lot to show for it at the end. Again, example movies on the website.

 

At this moment we are in the studio filming our first sequence of animation. We had a few issues with stop motion pro not working but that's all sorted now. It sems to be going reasonably well at the moment so fingers crossed! The doll's are complete bar a pair of hands and a costume change and the sets are also pretty much done. I think it's just the minature of the shop that needs finishing. 

 

Our sound is being worked on by our sound man Dave so thats one less thing we have to worry about. All in all, everything is under control :D

 

So things have been a little slow recently. the dissertation has taken priority over the last few weeks for us, but we've got studio time booked from the 5th-14th december for the feasability tests, so things should pick up then.

 

I've been thinking about the backstory for our characters. (new photos in the set design section and in the concept design section at; http://www.propmotion.com/finalfilm.html

 

Construction of the shop miniature has been put on hold until we decide if we're live action or minitureing it.

 

More updates coming soon...

 

Jo.

Well, the photos etc. are. This blog will still remain as an online diary.

 

THE NEW ADDRESS IS IN 'BLOGS'!!

 

As usual, comments to the blog!

 

Jo & Em.

We had a tutorial with James this afternoon. All feedback very positive, and lots of things to think about!

In particular, the origin etc of the doll like creatures will have to be thought about in more depth, also how they are transformed into 'frozen' dolls. Their transformation, both of their body, and their 'soul' is something we need to think about, hence the 'distillery' sketch posted in the sets photo album.

 

I thought a little more about their transformation, and as James suggested, it could be more about the extraction of their 'soul' than the pulling apart of limbs. The distillery idea then came about, using the notion of the gas chamber. As yet, we haven't had any ideas on what he does with their distilled souls after they are removed. I think we want to steer away from the most obvious cliches!! We're not going to see the process during the story, but a better understanding of what it is all about, will help us smooth out the storyboard and tie up any loose ends.

 

We animatic-ed our storyboard today, which went very well! To our complete shock, it worked out under 3 minutes, but we fully expect to use up all of the 'spare' time! Our 'music man' Dave has also been working on some new stuff for us, so hopefully we'll be able to combine the two and produce a soundtracked animatic in the next few days.

 

Our intention to use a live action actor for the hand animation might have gone now, we briefly floated the idea of latex gloves over an armature, which might help keep a more 'unreal' feel. As James pointed out, if we are intending to use live action, then the front of shop reveal would make more sense if it was a 'real' shop.

 

Lastly, we had a bit of a shop for jars this afternoon, and be-wise seems to be the place for all of our storage solutions! We've found the right sized jar for our armature, so a bulk buy will probably mark the start of our 'live action scale' set building/buying.

 

Thats about all for today. As usual more to follow...

 

Jo & Em.

The set is still coming along nicely, spent yesterday making a antique desk for the till to sit on (i'm thinking antique till too.) The old feel will, i hope, tie in nicely with the back of the shop, but the front of shop will be a lot brighter and cleaner. I'm thinking this doll shop stocks the fancy collectors dolls as well as kids dolls, hence the glass display cabinets. Any other set design related comments/ideas will be greatly appreciated!!

 

I also made a little shop bell today (the old kind that clangs against the door when it opens), this may help explain why the boy can get out of his jar and the girl can't. Maybe the shopkeeper/dollmaker gets distracted by the bell when he is going to put a lid on. This might give the ending away a little, as we don't see any evidence of a shop until the reveal shot at the end. Maybe the girl's jar is just too heay to tip over because of the weight of the other people trapped inside. Again, ideas would be appreciated!

 

Anyway, pretty productive few days, apart from a sudden bout of sickness possibly partly brought on by posh restaurant food and partly from inhaling the mdf/wood filler/ white spirit/ button polish; fumes/dust! Happy days!

The set/miniature for the shop scene is coming along nicely! I cut all of the wood and started to assemble the main structure today, all very promising. The set has fold down walls in the style of the 'girls world' set, so we can film it from any angle, and as we're filming it as a miniature, rather than animating in it, the rest of the structure should come together quickly.

 

With Em finishing the armature, and the main shell of the shop set done, we should have no trouble filming an animatic in the next few days. The live action size set shouldn't take too long, as it is made up of mainly found objects, so a simple table set up should be enough. All we need to worry about is finding lots of things to fill it with, so that we create the right sinister atmosphere.

 

Its going to be a busy few days!

More updates coming soon...

Yay!!!!! I finished the armature! I spent all of yesterday and this morning fiddling about with little rods and balls but finally everything fits together. I figured out that if you don't want to do something, find something else you need to do but want to do even less:D It wasn't too difficult to fit the armature together although it took a while. I think the biggest problem was the blunt hacksaw I was using. Things took a lot longer to cut than they probably should have! I managed it though and I'm pretty damn proud of myself! I'm going off to nurse my blisters now

:( Photos  of the armature in the photo's section!