Melanie's Blogg :-)

2012-01-16T05:01:00.000-08:00

This is just a model iv been working on, I'm trying to come up with an idea of what i want to go into my portfolio...

2012-01-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

Client project main character mouth testing rig.

2012-01-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

Here's an animation ive created using the max rig from the 11second club, my aim for this piece was to concentrate on the body movements, this is something i am looking into as part of my research project about body language... well enjoy,

2012-01-02T04:13:00.000-08:00

second character model....

2011-12-21T02:42:00.001-08:00

2011-11-18T04:52:00.000-08:00

My Inspirtational help for the client project...

2011-11-17T02:17:00.000-08:00

so today iv been testing the street lights i will need for my client project, working on the intensity of the brightness and glow. so heres what its looking like....

2011-11-15T01:57:00.000-08:00

So for My client project i've decided im going to make an animation.
the animation will tell a short story, the story i have chosen is...
The little match girl...
By Hans Christian Andersen
......tbc

2011-11-15T01:09:00.000-08:00

2011-11-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

2011-10-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

http://youtu.be/lZmUzRoPXjo

Evaluating my simulated client project.
This animation was created for the Nottingham Trent Alumni Association, the piece was created to be a thank you message sent to members when they donate. Because of the time restrictions my idea did change in many parts along the process, the main difference was the way I had originally intended for each scene to be change to the next my first idea was to create the scenes in a anti clockwise size effect, meaning each time a new scene began the stage would rotate except for the character staying in place.
Eventually I decided to go with a type of animation in which the character falls into a new scene as it constructs itself, this was not my first choice of idea but once the piece began to come together I was able to see a positive direction that my piece began to travel in.
There are many things I would change have been given the extra time but I have had to time manage to the best of my abilities to complete the project by the dead line for example in the outdoor scene I created the piece so that the water would allow the character to free flow down the river whilst holding a paddle, I would have preferred for the character to be rowing herself using the paddle,
the standard of animation could have been a lot more fluent in the way one action develops into another, this is just another example of what more time can achieve.
Where can the project go from here?
This animation is adaptable to many scenes meaning if the client requires more from this style of project, I would develop complementary animations such as advertising for the alumni, messages encouraging people to donate, pieces for the website and a while other range of other products the client may need.
Overall I am pleased with my Product for the time scale given, my main challenge for this project was time management but I feel I have achieved what I set out to.
I would have preferred the image renders to be in 1080p high definition as this would of given a better picture quality meaning the animation can be shown in full screen,
Although there are many things that i would change about the piece i am still please with how it went considering the time given.

2011-10-14T00:01:00.001-07:00

so heres a quick preview of how my projects going iv so far modeled the head and starting en corperating movement into the next, my next plan is to model the body then begin rigging.

My script idea's....

2011-10-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

Context 3

My chosen company will be made up of a talented team of Teachers, Animators and Web designers come together to improve the standards of reading and writing across the country. The Company produces online based learning games incorporating fun animations making English more enjoy able and fixating creating a more effective learning method. The world has moved on, there is a new age of technology in which is changing the way we learn. The Game will be produced in a range of computer based formats such as Pc’s, IPod’s, Tablet’s and other game hardware.
Starting with a selection of individual characters for the user to have as a personal avatar though out the game, the animated character follows them with the questions commenting on good progress and helping out when questions get more difficult in the game for example when the child takes longer then a set time such as 2minutes the character offers advice and words of encouragement boosting the child’s confidence levels. When questions are answered correctly coins are given as rewards which can be used in a virtual shop to purchase perks for the animated character.
The game consists of multiple choice questions taken from the key stage standard learning guides allowing the individual to memorise the necessary words and in a sentence situation.
The game allows the teachers and parents to track the child progress making it more difficult for children to slip though the net or go on to secondary school with such poor levels of English.

2011-10-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

Simulated client project.
For this project we were sat the task of creating a piece of multimedia in which the alumni association can use for marketing purposes.
For this project i have chosen to create a thank you message which will be emailed and display or the web page to encourage members to donate.
Here's what iv been working on so far...
This is my character in which will be demonstrating all the ways the alumni spend the donations for example the cancer research centre.

2011-05-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

So now it has come the end of design practices three...
Working to a script.
For my project I decided I was going to take an extract from the film script of Rambo First blood, I chose this scene in particular as it included speech as well as action in a very small time frame. My Animation had to be about three minutes long which meant I had a lot to fit into such a small time frame, I chose to use the sound from the film to help create a chaotic atmosphere but tried not to watch the film scene to often as I wanted to recreate the scene through my imagination from just reading the script. I want to completely relocate the scene in contrast to the films dark interrogation tents. Because the voices were speaking over a microphone this meant that there would be two settings needed. I chose the first setting for the green bad guys characters to be a smart modern style bar/club, I chose this theme as in a modern day most bad people are usually money giants and do not always spend time in caves unlike the stereo types of most films. This setting was my favourite out of the two although I did have to make changes that I didn’t want, to speed up render time so this is something I should work out in better detail before animating next time, Another option I would have properly chose if I was able to redo my project is to render the scene separately from the animation and then reconstruct them at the end in editing.
My second setting I chose to do in similar theme but this time of a restaurant/ club setting the lighting was set to be darker and more of a spotlight effect as this is the interrogation room where the main character is being held against his will. The most difficult part about making this animation aside from rigging the characters was making the timing of each movement just right which on many occasions it wasn’t until the renders were complete I would realise parts would look unrealistic on many occasions. I admit at times I underestimated how difficult many parts would be but I have also developed many new skills, techniques and lessons in which I will take on into my third year at university. Some parts of my work I don’t feel worked as well as I had of expected for example the lip synchronisation worked well on my main character but lacked slightly on the Murdock character in some parts. This Animation gave me the chance to incorporate news skill such as using skin, warping and particle effect tools in animation as before in previous projects this would have been more difficult.
Overall I am pleased with the work I have produced not just because of the three minute animation I created but because of the new skill I have developed along the way giving me the added sense of self achievement which has kept me glued to my computer screen!

2011-04-19T03:55:00.000-07:00

2011-04-16T03:55:00.000-07:00

street view

2011-04-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

Heres just a short animation iv just created, enjoy!

2011-04-08T04:36:00.000-07:00

2011-04-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

2011-04-01T05:45:00.000-07:00

2011-03-24T03:07:00.000-07:00

Here is my online portfolio.
So this is what iv been working on for the last few weeks along with my website. www.melanieanne.co.uk.
my website contains some of the work iv been doing including current project and previous work. I believe iv got my site to look the way i want it to other then the wix advertising but as I'm a student I cant afford a monthly bill the get rid of it :( That's something il think about when i begin working. :). as you can see iv learnt quite alot about animation and modelling in my time at university but i know i still have so much more to do, to get my work to the standard of what I want it to be like. I hope this will come with time and more experience.
So... yesterday was the deadline for context to so now I can fully concentrate on my script animation.

2011-02-21T06:03:00.000-08:00

2011-02-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

2011-02-10T04:17:00.000-08:00

this is another design iv done for my Rambo elephant character i decided to give him longer legs so that i can animate him easier as i want my character to be able to do a wide range of dance moves.

2011-02-10T00:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwlQ0qJxaGo

this is the link to the scene i will be recreating for my dp3 second project.
i will be doing this from the script.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - EXTREME CLOSEUP - NIGHT

Yushin lets Rambo's head loose. Beads of sweat drop from
Rambo's nose as his hands tighten around the rusted
microphone.

INT. HANGER - NIGHT

Trautman snatches the microphone away from the operator.

TRAUTMAN
John, this is Trautman -- where the
hell are you?

INT. INTERROGATION CELL - NIGHT

Rambo leans closer to the microphone, but still remains
silent.

TRAUTMAN (V.O.)
Johnny, come in!

Rambo shifts his gaze to Podovsk, then his eyes harden
into orbs of defiant granite.

RAMBO
... Murdock.

TRAUTMAN (V.O.)
He's here!

INT. HANGER - NIGHT

Murdock moves forward, his body stiff with apprehension --
Trautman hands him the microphone. Murdock looks around
as all eyes are riveted on him.

MURDOCK
Rambo -- This is Murdock -- we're
glad you're alive... where are you?
Give us your position and we'll come
and get you, over.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

Rambo leans forward until his lips nearly touch the
microphone. (Lightning and THUNDER effect.)

RAMBO
(chilling)
... Murdock, I'm coming to get you.

Rambo strikes Yushin across the face with the
microphone... Podovsk goes for his weapon.

Yushin rises and goes for Rambo.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

The floor EXPLODES and we see Co under the floor boards
with gun in hand. She kills the NVA soldier whose rifle
is aimed at Rambo.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

Rambo slams the pistol into Yushin's temple and elbows
Podovsk in the jaw. He flings Yushin against the electric
bedframe, which jolts the huge Russian. Rambo grabs his
knife and is about to run Podovsk through when the door
slams open.

Sgt. Tay and three soldiers enter, his expression agape.

Rambo bolts to the window.

EXT. P.O.W. CAMP NEAR INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

Rambo jumps through the window -- Co joins him and they
run through the darkness as the camp comes alive.

2011-02-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

2011-02-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

so this is what iv done today it started off as just a door arch an well it grew from there....

2011-02-08T02:37:00.000-08:00

2011-01-30T13:34:00.001-08:00

2011-01-30T13:23:00.000-08:00

Ok a quick post before a fly off to Berlin in the morning, these are a few models iv been working on, one just a old fashion living room this was really just to practice my modeling and the other is an elf character iv just starting working on for an animation I have in mind. I havnt yet decided on all the other feature of the character but i know i would like his eyes to be a mystery and hidden away behind his hair. im havnt decided wether my elf will be tall or small and stumpy but i am going to try out all shapes and sizes first then see what i and people think TBC...

2011-01-26T06:23:00.001-08:00

2011-01-26T06:10:00.000-08:00

2011-01-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

This is just something i was playing around with but quite liked it as it reminded me of sweets yum yum.

2011-01-26T05:27:00.000-08:00

So here is just some more modeling i have been doing for my 3min animation which is to be presented in a few weeks. i did my presentation on monday which seem to have gone ok but im still thinking about change my idea slightly.....hmmm as to what i have my characters act out...

2011-01-26T05:19:00.000-08:00

So this is a luxury massage table made by a close family friend's company. iv had ago at modeling it myself and hadn't realised how difficult it would be dew to the unusual shape, until i start but oh well here's what iv done so far took me a few hours but its starting to look good. :)

2011-01-23T07:29:00.001-08:00

2011-01-21T02:24:00.000-08:00

2011-01-21T02:15:00.001-08:00

Here is another character im working on for my animation not quite sure its ready yet tho so im going to keep these designs on going.....

2011-01-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

2011-01-20T05:27:00.001-08:00

2011-01-20T05:10:00.001-08:00

So here whats iv been doing this week, since being back at university after christmas i have started working on my next project which is a 5min animation, so far i have started by thinking about the style i would like my work to be in, I was exploring the idea of art nouveau for the surrounding...

so heres some of what iv done so far..........................

2011-01-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Dp4 stair case

2011-01-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

So this is my progress so far in my environment for my animation.
still got a lot to do but its going well so fair just undecided on colour themes at the moment, but it'l get there soon :)

2011-01-18T09:28:00.000-08:00

2011-01-18T02:32:00.000-08:00

2011-01-17T05:18:00.000-08:00

2011-01-17T05:16:00.000-08:00

2011-01-13T09:25:00.000-08:00

2011-01-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

2011-01-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

Well i quess christmas is officially over, Happy new year fellow bloggers!
My christmas break iv been spending working in a fish footspa :) which is something id never done before...:S iv had fun doing it tho.
The Spa is called Tootsies in mansfield and in my spare time i decided to model it so well heres what iv been doing................................

2010-12-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

2010-12-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

These are my screen shots of my finished one Minuit animation, now all is left to do is finish the sounds and it will be posted on here shortly.

2010-11-30T09:47:00.001-08:00

2010-11-26T06:51:00.000-08:00

Heres another test for my animation, this time running............

2010-11-24T06:06:00.001-08:00

This week i have carried on animating my robots and this is a test sample iv created of my robot now he is rigged up.

2010-11-22T07:12:00.000-08:00

So here i am testing my models for my animation.

2010-11-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

2010-11-04T07:46:00.001-07:00

2010-11-01T04:08:00.000-07:00

2010-11-01T03:35:00.000-07:00

Heres my characters side by side so i can show you a size comparison.
The girl is much larger then the boy, which makes him feel uneasy and hasn't quite realised how much the girl really likes him :D

2010-11-01T02:07:00.000-07:00

2010-11-01T02:06:00.000-07:00

meet Robo Girl!
Shes my lady character for my animation! :D

2010-10-30T04:34:00.001-07:00

2010-10-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

So here's my maze so far which will be used as a base for my 1min animation. I'm currently working on making it more realistic, first I thought about leaves on the floor and decided I would try some diff rent ways of creating this the first thing I did was create tiny 3d leaves in 3Ds Max and cloned them several times but once I had done it I found the program got slower due to the poly count going up enormously. this wasn't going to work.
Then as I was walking back to my car today I noticed the ground was a similar pattern to the texture I used in my model, and as its Autumn the ground was covered in leaves.
I then used this image as my texture. Next my plan is to develop the maze trees and give them a more realistic look...

toy train animation

2010-10-28T04:53:00.000-07:00

Heres just a short animation of a toy train iv made.
Enjoy
Melanie
xxx

2010-10-21T11:13:00.001-07:00

2010-10-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

2010-10-21T09:00:00.001-07:00

2010-10-21T02:23:00.000-07:00

For my Bolts and Banana's project I have decided to base my animation in a maze.
Starting which two characters the girl first being large and robotic and the boy small and more frail robotic characteristics.
This will result in a frantic race around the maze with the boy running and leaping over fences while the girl can barge her way straight though each wall effortlessly.
When starting my project I began by looking into slapstick comedy such as the Charlie Chaplin films and Mr Bean sketches.
I instend to expand on these idea's as the process goes on.

2010-10-21T02:09:00.000-07:00

Rhett & Link.

Stop motion video.

2010-10-14T06:03:00.000-07:00

2010-10-14T05:47:00.000-07:00

I just found this on youtube n wow some of these look incredible realistic.
I believe they were created by a man called Jamie Walton, i cant find much other information about him other than hes a talented 3d artist.
Enjoy!

2010-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

2010-10-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

Iv just found this video on youtube and wanted just to add a quick note on here as im interested in the style of this video. i will use the links of realistic and surreal for inspiration when planning my 3d project.

2010-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Im currently working though my 3dsmax Foundation book n so far have made this today still got a bit more to go but its getting there :D

My Secret Lair

2010-05-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

When receiving the brief the first thing that went through my mind was who would my super hero be?
But then i thought to myself this could be about anyone so i thought to myself and later on decided to incorporate the styles of Kim possible Disney's teen super hero. For my other influences i looked toward thunder birds, Lady Penelope's home which gave me the idea of creating a futuristic lair, having decided the type of lair i was going to create i wanted it to be floating Rather then a fixed restricted or underground destination, I began to think about lady Penelope's car and came up with the idea of using a teleportation system Rather then a car which would be traffic bound and have necessary journeys in futuristic time.

2010-05-07T04:05:00.002-07:00

Watch more cool animation and creative cartoons at Aniboom

2010-05-07T04:05:00.001-07:00

Watch more cool animation and creative cartoons at Aniboom

My Secret Lair

2010-05-03T12:29:00.001-07:00

My Secret Lair.
Okay so here it is finished finery...lol
this project hasn't been the easiest thing to do but iv really enjoyed creating it and feel i would love to keep expanding my knowledge of virtual environments and animation :)when creating my project i kept in mind a modern style which i feel i was able to maintain though out. when constructing the animation i realised that because i had set out several island settings i would of find it easier to use a free standing camera Rather than a camera on a frame, to do this i had to poision my camera for every shot which also meant that i got the best angles of exactly what I wanted to show. This project would have to be the most time consuming but it would also of been made favorite as I enjoy virtually constructing objects and scenes. Over all i am very happy with the work i have produced as this is the first time iv ever used 3D Studio Max.

2010-04-27T03:19:00.000-07:00

2010-04-21T05:13:00.000-07:00

Pixars 10 film UP, and no surprise that it set the bar to a world class standard again, Pixar currently by my opion and many others create the best 3d films of all! right down to the tiny details.

2010-04-19T13:23:00.001-07:00

2010-04-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

so iv just seen the film Up by Pixar and have to say i loved it! :) the level that 3d has been used is incredible right down to the detail of the Cotton stitched on badges on the boys Sacha.

Gini & Pixar!

2010-04-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

2010-04-02T01:08:00.001-07:00

2010-03-24T03:14:00.000-07:00

2010-03-22T03:20:00.000-07:00

2010-03-12T02:15:00.000-08:00

2010-03-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

Gadgets and Gizmos...

2010-03-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

Here's just one of the things i have been working on after researching super hero, i realise i need to figure out what exactly will my lair environment contain to make it intriguing.

Be Inspired...

2010-03-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

Kim Possible

2010-03-03T01:59:00.000-08:00

so heres where iv got to with my layer whilst using 3d max iv also been using google sketch up as this is a faster technique which alows me to get a good idea of what i want my secret lair to look like. im now looking into things to inspire me and give my lair its own unique sence of identity

2010-03-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

Lady Penelope

2010-03-02T05:54:00.001-08:00

2010-03-01T07:50:00.001-08:00

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/060/1/9/melanie_by_melanieanne90.swf

2010-02-25T03:13:00.001-08:00

Okay so here's our film so far it still doesn't have sound yet but its getting there for our film we wanted to set the scenes at different time scales in which tell a story of how the married couple would of been happy but somethings gone wrong along the way. the couple no longer talk to each other using suttle coughs to let the other one know what their thinking. we've chosen to have our flash backs flash in and out at Precise times in which create a contrasting effect which is more noticeable when displayed in black and white gave the feel of a past lost time.
what we found was that the sounds we recorded did not come out in our final film so we have rerecorded them and are currently putting it all together.
unfortunately our place of filming was at the students halls of residents which meant that the out side window view was of a car park we would of liked to of had a slightly more country feel to the morning scene but unfortunately were in a city which cant be helped, and with filming in the winter the film is very dark outside as it wasnt such a beautiful day. but overall besides a few hitches were happy with what we got and are just looking forward to finerly putting the whole thing together :D

2010-02-19T03:31:00.000-08:00

this is just a short animation i found which is... well it is what it is...
this guy is rubbish at making marsh mellows! lol

2010-02-19T03:19:00.000-08:00

Heres just one of the films we took our inspiration from we all liked to way the film was shot and i have used this to improve our film.
okay i know youve already seen this on my blog a few months back but iv brought it forward as i feel its a good example of the types of shots we want to take inspiration from its has a similar food related topic to our film in which is very usefull for inspiration on the completion and editing of our film.

2010-02-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

hey this is me on the day of recording reading up script notes.