Animation Reference - Smallville - super speed in slow motion

He's how the super speed is done for smallville




They use motion blur on Clark. I also like the sound effects. The way the leaves are moving while Clark is running is great for my light bulb cracking in slow motion. The leaves barely move until after Clark passes and causes the gust of wind that blows the leaves.
How to do super speed
Steps:
1- Actor runs in direction
2- Leaf blower - Speed
3_Composite

Smallville Series - 16, October, 2001 - ?
Smallville. CW Television Network, Los Angeles, California. 2001- ?


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

Clark again is show in super speed, than the world slows down around him. The rain drops falling show how fast he really moves. This is the kind of effect I want when Flash in show in slow motion.

Accelerate. Smallville. The WB Television Network, Los Angeles, California. 6 May 2003

Starting Thesis - Animation Reference - Dastardly & Muttley

I still so wiped out from last semester and am now sick, but I know I need to start my Thesis. I so figured I start out easy and gather reference for my animation. Here’s one I found for the high speed run.


Animation Reference:
Dastardly & Muttley In Their Flying Machines – opening:
Reference for a high speed run with anticipation. Also Muttley has a good snicker.
opening

Dastardly & Muttley In Their Flying Machines
Opening. Dastardly & Muttley In Their Flying Machines. Hanna-Barbera Productions, Los Angeles, California. 16 Sept. 1969

Pre-Thesis Book

Well I handed in my Pre-Thesis Book and DVD today. I struggled with the Proof of Concept (Rigging), but I finally got it to work. I'm so wiped out that I won't be touching any thesis work until after Christmas.

Final Deliverables

Well, it's coming to the end of the semester. Boy that went fast. All my Pre- Thesis material is due next week. As I get it done I'll add it to this posting. I want to make sure I have everything they asked for.

1. Thesis Treatment
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Thesis statement
1.3 Synopsis
1:3B Treatment
1.4 Script
1.5 Storyboard
1.6 Production design
1.7 Shot List
Shot Sheets
1.8 Production schedule
1.9 Verbal execution plan

2. Research Paper
2.1 Introduction to the subject, overview about the areas of research
2.2 Cultural, historical, scientific and social aspects
2.3 Artistic aspects – in depth analysis of sources relevant to your project, comparison of approaches and results, techniques & styles
2.4 Technical aspects
2.5 Final conclusions and relevance to the project –
2.6 Bibliography & appendices

3. Proof of Concept (on CD/DVD)
3.1 Animatic 13MB
3.2 Rig
3.3 Full Color PDF of completed Pre-Production book with Blog entries

Animation Mentor

Well I got my email from Animation Mentor’s orientation today. I was so excited; I can’t wait to start classes on Jan. 7th.

Thesis Production Schedule

Well, I knew I wouldn’t stick to the one I made earlier. With my story changing so much, I got set back.
Here's my Production Schedule

Met with Misha

Well I met with Misha yesterday and he had some great suggestions for my story. First he wants me to have them watching TV showing their olden days on it, with the cheesy batman and robin style. I was thinking I could do the TV in a 2-D style. Then he wants me to have them shut it off and begin to play checkers. I was thinking about this and I could have him stretch to turn off the TV, Flexman doesn’t need a remote. He also had the suggestion to make Flexmans movements very jerky. He suggest I give a twist to what I see, we all see our self in them. He suggests that I really push the super powers. For the elocution, he suggests afterwards that I make it their time to shine again at the end for one of the two. He gave me the example that the electrocution gives Flexman he’s energy again and they jump out the window to save the day once again. He felt it would give the story a message like no matter what age you are don’t give up your hopes/dreams.

2-D Animatic - Version 3

2-D Animatic -
2D Animatic Link

Story Synopsis- Do Superheroes Retire? - Version 8

Story Synopsis 8

Thesis Statement - Version 5

Well After my Industry review I decided to rework my story. I meet with my advisor; Mike last Wednesday and he suggested that I don’t change it because it’s too late in the game. If I wanted I could fix it. I actually meet with two fellow animation students, John and Tom later that same day. They were very helpful and went over my animatic frame by frame with me. I realized that I need to change my layout and actually make the superheroes work together since it would read much better.

Thesis Statement -
A Character Animated Short that shows the boredom between a retired superhero and his sidekick dog with an emphasis on comic timing and exaggerated poses done in a cartoon style.

Reference Citations - Like shots in my piece

Tom and Jerry


Sample of Motion Blur and Light Blubs Breaking
Yankee Doodle Mouse
Yankee Doodle Mouse. Tom and Jerry. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Los Angeles, California. 26 June 1943


Sample of Great Poses, Similar ending/ Setting
The Little Orphan
The Little Orphan. Tom and Jerry. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Los Angeles, California. 30 April 1949

Red's Dream

Red's Dream
Sample of rain and mood
Rain (no Sound)
Mood (no Sound)
Red's Dream. Dir. John Lasseter. Pixar Animation Studios, 1987
To see more about this short visit this Link: http://www.pixar.com/shorts/gg/index.html

Ratatouille







Ratatouille
Sample of getting electrocuted in a 3D animation -
Shot (no Sound)
Ratatouille. Dir. Brad Bird. Walt Disney Pictures, 2007
Link:http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/ratatouille/

Meeting with Patricia

I meet with Patricia this past Tuesday to discuss how my review went. She suggested I storyboard some Looney Toons or Tom and Jerry shorts in order to see how the formula works. Develop who the characters are, what are their traits. She also said to spell out the thesis statement. Show the superheroes board and setup the problem about to happen. It all should be seen in the establishing frame (Rain, Stretchy, Motion Blur, Boredom, Power and Phone). Having it raining outside will help set up the boredom. Being board can be shown with the eyes rolling, tapping fingers, etc. Show flexman more relaxed and away from the table, in order to really show his superpower. Show motion blur and maybe skid marks with the dog. Show them excited when the lights go off. Maybe once the lights go out, the moonlight lights the room. Also to have the lights flicker. If you want them to compete set up the competition, ex. Key cut in half, pictures on the wall of the superheroes fighting over saving the girl. She also suggested I add more cobwebs and a logo on the phone.

Shot List

This is the first version of my shot list

Shot List
Shot List

How my Pre-Thesis Industry Review went

Well, my industry review didn’t go to well either. I got conflicting reviews, and suggestions that are basically pulling away from my original idea. Some told me that the timing was on. Then when another disagreed saying the timing was off, the first individual took their statement back. I was told that the timing to the dog was off, that I didn’t show his speed. I was told that the story was not entertaining and that playing checkers does not show that they are bored. That I need a better scenario, like playing fetch to showcase their abilities. Another told me that they liked the interaction of the checker’s competition, but to have them do something else besides playing checkers, something else where they can compete. Then one said they liked the absurdity of them playing checkers. I was also told that the premise was not set up by one, than another told me that they did see the premise setup in the pan of the room, just to make it slower in order for the audience to see it. Then I was told by another, that the incredibles did that pan and not to take ideas from other movies. I was also told by some that they thought fighting over changing a light bulb doesn’t work, but then another told me that it does being that they are fighting over something so mundane that it could be funny. By another I was told to have just the whites of the eyes show, when the lights go out and play with sound effects. Which could be good, for a few seconds, but as I have my piece now, the lights are out for about 30 seconds, so to me that really doesn’t work. No one seemed to understand why the characters began to fight. Stuff similar to this is done in Tom and Jerry and Looney Toons Shorts. One told me that I have two protagonists, I said yes that correct. She then said well they have to want the same thing. I thought they both wanted to change light bulb to do something was that. I was also told by the guy to reduce what I have and choose key moments, in a different approach. I was actually told by one to scratch the superhero idea, it’s been done well already, to start over from scratch, I feel this might not work now, being I only have a month left in the semester. I was told by another to do less, and more of what you have. They all agreed they like the two character design. It actually ending with a student suggesting, I showing it raining outside the window they are sitting in front of to show why their bored, Which the panel liked. Afterwards students that knew my story thought it would work, that all that I had in mind maybe didn’t come though in my animatic.

So basically I completely and utterly confused that this point. I took the advice of the first panel and reworked it only to have the second panel not like it. I find the reviews at this stage more destructive than helpful. Especially when I’ve spent a 3/4 of a semesters researching and now to restart from scratch while still having work to do and now to redo all my past work. I felt I didn’t get to many suggestions on how to make my story work, but more of changing it. I’m going to try and speak with Patricia, who was running the review, and she was also heard it for the first time, seeing if she has any suggestions. I’ll also go back to my advisor Mike to see what he thinks. I want my project to work, but I also want it to be about something I want to do.

Reference Citations - Superhero Speed Ability

Tortilla Flaps

Tortilla Flaps. Looney Tunes. Warner Bros. Pictures, Burbank, California. 18 Jan. 1958



Flash
Bates, Cary. (w), Milgrom, Al and Giordano, Dick (a) Flash #286 (Dec 1978) DC Comics.



Superman
Ray, Fred. (a) Superman #14 (Feb. 1942) Action Comics [DC Comics].

Reference Citations - The Tick

Reference for the superhero Character design for Flexman

The Tick vs The Idea Man

The Tick vs The Idea Man. The Tick. FOX, Los Angeles, California. 10 Sept. 1994

Getting Ready for the Pre-Thesis Industry Review

Well, I've revised my story since the last review, while taking the advice of the faculty panel. I think that I'm getting somewhere with the story and is happy with the direction it is going. I’ve stuck to my original concept of Retired Superheroes. Only now the premise of the narrative is that they are retired and they don’t have much to do therefore the two characters (Flexman and Flash) fight over doing the simplest things in the house. Making every little task a heroic adventure.

We have our Industry Pre-Thesis review this Thursday. I’m putting all my updated info in one posting.

Introduction:
My main goal in my thesis is to get a solid animation while refining my skills. Many areas of animation inspired me, however there were a few works of art in particular that really motivated me. They were Chuck Jones’s Animation, The Incredibles, Wallace and Gromit as well as the sculpture exhibit L'Hospice. Through these references I’ve come up with my narrative about a retired superhero and his sidekick that are now bored in their retirement and treat an everyday task like a superhero adventure.

Thesis Statement -
A Character Animated Short with an emphasis on comic timing and exaggerated poses that showcases the humorous relationship between a retired superhero and his sidekick dog in a cartoon style.

Story Synopsis
Synopsis

Thesis Treatment
Treatment

Flexman Script
Script

Flexman Storyboard
Storyboard

Thesis Outline
Outline

Research Paper
Paper

Style Frames


2-D Animatic -
2D Animatic Link

Script - Version 5

I revise my script by narrowing down my content to keep the story simple that the audience can follow. It now revolves around an everyday incident that gets out of hand.
Story Scripts Version 5

Back to Brainstorming Story Ideas

How Many Superheroes Does It Take to Screw in a Light Bulb?
Goofy superhero cartoon
Superhero Video


Tom and Jerry
Lightblub Gag
Quiet Please!
Quiet Please! Tom and Jerry. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Los Angeles, California. 22 Dec. 1945


Ladder Mishap

Man falls of his Ladder

Climbing Ladder

Reference Citations - The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas

I had like the original “ The ChubbChubbs!” when it was released back in 2002. It had a great concept about these furry chicks like animals (ChubbChubbs) that are vicious and everyone is afraid of. I saw the short for it’s following up “The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas” on the “Surf Up” DVD. I really liked the exaggeration is some of the poses. The main character, Meeper is also kind of oblivious to what goes on around him while always seeing things on the bright side.

The original

The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas
Clips - especially the second
Save Xmas

The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas. Dir. Cody Cameron. Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI), 2007