Title Shot, Before and After

This is the original title shot.  I was so pleased with myself when I'd finished this.

Then Jack helped me realize it could be better.  Now when I look at the original one, I want to spit up, like a small child, because it's awful, and flat, and blegh!

I still need to shade it, and put in "MOON CHEESE" etc but its basically done.

500(ish) Words On The Class:

WHAT PROBLEMS I’M HAVING:

At the moment, I’m having trouble getting the animation timing correct.  I’m worried its either going to look too fast or too slow.  I have to remember to sort it out before I actually start trying some animation.  I’m also having problems making the animation look smooth.  I’ve tried the head expansion twice and both times I’m not happy with how it looks.  Darren’s agreed to help me with it next week, so hopefully my confidence in that area will improve!  It’s not so much a problem, but I have to find some type of decent music to use at the end of the animation now that my request to use “Fly Me to the Moon” has been denied.  I’ll try to get that done in the next couple of weeks.


BACKING UP, BACKING UP, BACKING UP, BACKING UP, COZ' MY DADDY TAUGHT ME GOOD:
It's not uncommon for students to lose their work from their hard drives, so to combat this, I have 5 different places with saved versions of my animation work.  I have 2 external hard drives (Slagathor and Tom Sellek), saved on 2 home computers, and then, just in case, saved on a friends computer.

WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO BE:

I’d like to have done my backgrounds by now, but I’m yet to complete them.  They’re 80% done, and they’re all looking good, it’s just the moon ones that I need to finish up.  They’re all laid out, so it shouldn’t take me too long to have them all ready to go.  I’d also have liked to do more animation tests and actual animation completed, but I haven’t, due to timing issues etc.  I’ll get talking to Jack and Darren about them ASAP, and hopefully have them well on their way within the week.

WHAT’S SLOWING ME DOWN:

Animation is way harder than I was expecting!  I guess I wasn’t expecting the daunting task of getting all this done in such a short time!  There’s a lot to do, and it’s just a case of organizing it and getting it done.  Plus, my niece really cute and she wants cuddles, so I have to make time for her!

WHAT I’M UP TO NOW:

Basically I’m going to get my backgrounds finished ASAP, because then I can fully concentrate on getting the actual animation over with.  I’m also on the lookout for different music and sound effects.  Over the next few weeks I’ll get onto sound effect sites and see what I can drum up.  I need some type of ambient music to play over the actual animation.  I’m going to record the starting dialogue and other launch pad noises, e.g. “Houston”, countdown etc.  I’ll do that next term when we get back, in the lovely recording booth, I’ll act like a real voice actor.

PROBLEMS WITH CLASSMATES:

I don’t have many.  Any I do have will not be broadcast on here, and can be discussed in private.  For the most part though, I get along very well with them all, I’m keen on their opinions and ideas, and I appreciate the fact that everyone’s so willing to help each other!

Update - 23rd August

Hello.  Hows things?  You're looking well.  That's a lovely sweater.  Where did you buy it?  Oh, I sure hope they have some in my size!

In my last update I said I was doing backgrounds.  I've sinced finished the newspaper.  It looks pretty good, and if you freeze frame it theres a couple of little jokes and references throughout the articles.
I'm still re-doing the title shot, but thats pretty much well on its way.  I'm not tooooo fussed on getting them all finished asap, but I want them done fairly quickly.

I'm currently working on animation tests.  I'm a little worried the animation won't look smooth.  But Daz-Dawg is helping me out with that!  He's a nice lad.  Sagittarius, I think.

I got an e-mail back regarding using "Fly Me To The Moon" over my credits.  It was denied.  They've yet to tell me why, but I'll ask again if I havn't heard back in a few days.  I may use it anyway for educational purposes (thank you loop holes) and if I submit it, say in Jack's festival next year, I'll find some different stuff.

I'll get some concept art and such up here soon.

Have a wonderful day!

Question for Jack:  Wanna play 'Personal Space Invaders'?

Update!

Hello! How are you?? Anyway, I've got a fair amount of my backgrounds mapped out, and a few finished! I'm currently working on the newspaper, then I'm going to redo the title shot.

Attempting to get the rights to use "Fly Me To The Moon" to play over my credits. The company have responded, and asked a few questions about the film. We'll see what happens!

I'll post some pictures soon!

Question for Jack: If I was to jump off a cliff, would you jump too?