Friday 28 October 2011

Narrative: Further Branding

Our studio agreed on a final logo for our latest project 'The Skeleton Key on Broadway'. This was a blend between number 2 and number 3 from the title concepts posted a few days ago.



Direct download links for the logo coming soon for ai and psd formats

This is the final logo we will be using on the rest of our marketing and promotional work in regards to the film.


In other news, I've experimented further into our studio's branding within the motion work.

A draft animation for our Studio's Title Intro:




The logo was created by exporting the paths of our logo from Photoshop and imported into Maya, converted into polygons and then extruded out. However, the logo represented within a 3d space I believe needs some more work.
Right now overall the title sequence is pushing towards a 'computer-interface' theme, obviously taking into influence from the ideas from 'Skeleton Key on Broadway' Project.

Few more variants of the title will maybe shown at a later date.

Sunday 23 October 2011

Character Design: Facial Studies and Villain Body Expression

A Start. I've been giving out a lot of negative energy fuelled by my failure to present something acceptable in regards to the design of my characters. I'd assume it's something I need to push through and generally get over. As well as need to drop the negative energy right away.



Facial Studies




Taking into account basic shape structures and their association.




Body Expressions for Villain Character.




Influence Map for Villain.


Narrative: Title, Technology and Fashion Concepts

More Marketing stuff:

WIP - Initial Moving Title Intro Concepts


Just starting it, looking very basic at the moment. But possibly the direction were going for? ideas? feedback?



Also, Variety on Still Title Graphics- For Marketing purposes (Promo Poster, Videos, etc)




Fleshing out our world:


Future Fashion Concepts

For a number of purposes.

Number 1 is the current Detective & Victim clothing. However I would like to throw some variety into the mix just in case. Furthermore, since we will be having civilians walking around the environment within our trailer. Some ideas on variety for their appearance.

Mouseover Images to see Highlights








Tech and Car Concepts

Initial Ideas/Sketches:








Further Vehicle Concepts

As we are to show cars flying around throughout the background of the trailer, the vehicles are not of major importance to dedicate a large amount of resources towards. From the initial sketches, I've cut the ideas down to 3-4 of the best and created silhouettes out of them. Number 1 was the most well received so I made some further progress with it.






Further Tech Concepts for General Public:








Further Tech Concepts for Victim:

The Victim uses a more evolved version of technology than the general public, more powerful, and hidden concealed within her eye. In order to create a distinction between with this and the public technology, basic shape structure of the interface has changed, the general public use a rectangular interface similar to today's computer screens. The victim uses an circular interface which displays real-time information on screen. Also, Instead of red eye vessels shown in the retinas, electronic circuits similar to a PCB Board are shown.


Optic Tech:

When performing code breaking or manipulation, the victim's optic tech works through sequencing: Sectors of information are unlocked one at a time. The victim's graphical user interface displays this through concentric circles, as the sectors are unlocked the assigned ring for that sector will stop at 90 degrees upward.

GUI




Eye Locked




Eye Unlocked

Saturday 15 October 2011

Narrative: WIP - Detective Character and Broadway Environment Concept Progress









Still a work in progress, building on top of Paul's Character Concepts and his Environment Concept Progress

Also taking into reference what Alan said in regards to unification of character and environment:

"Often a character who has grown up in an enviroment resembles that environment in some way (body structure). If this is New York then may be our detective is constructed of angular lines to mimic the architecture and harshness of living in the city. Try to bring the architecture and character closer together"

Friday 14 October 2011

Narrative: Concept Progress - Victim

Following Alex's post on the Art Direction for our project. We will push for the Characters' and Environments' concept style to contain a certain amount of definition whilst retaining a bold sleekness to it.

Victim's concept so far:

Thursday 13 October 2011

Narrative: Concept Art II / Branding II

Tonight, tomorrow and the weekend I'll be making further progress on Character and Environment Designs for Glass Key Studios' The Skeleton Key on Broadway as well as minor branding updates.

The environments we would currently like to show are:

-The Skyline view of New York.
-The Street view of New York.
-The Inside of Broadway Theatre.

Alex's Environment Influence Maps

My previous media depository of environment influences

Paul's Environment Concept Progress

Previous Skyline Concept Art

Character Biographies


I will also need to make minor changes to the blog design-
Adding in a sidebar for various widgets, including a blog archive, and categories to keep everything organised and presentable for the viewers.

@Phil:- Code for Hyperlinks in Comments :)

As requested:

Sunday 9 October 2011

Character Design: Show's Tone, Atmosphere and Target Audience

Following the Character Biographies and Shows Synopsis, I haven’t made the tone of the show too clear.

Target Audience:
Targeted towards a child-male audience. The type that usually watches the show and buys all the toys and action figures related to the show. :D



Tone:
The inspirations for tone of the show are primarily the cartoons G.I. Joe (1987), and M.A.S.K (1985).
The tone of the show will be played towards overblown plans by the villain, and half-thought out actions by the villain’s goons that are usually defeated by the Hero and Sidekick.
Of course, like every great 80’s Film/Cartoon. One of the main elements of the show would be the writers always genius cheesy one-liners.
"I'd like to uninvincible you, snake breath"
"Now for the Final Stroke!"


Atmosphere:
I’d like to push on towards 80's (Give or Take) rock culture, in particular:
Def Leppard (1977)
Bon Jovi
Guns N' Roses
However, I would not like to restrict myself to it- as it is a reboot of an 80's show. I would also like to bring in tone from Oasis, or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club:


Essentially I want to give the impression that the hero and villain are badasses. Whilst everyone else (sidekick as well as villain’s supporting cast are generally goofs/comedic reliefs)
The Villain organisation's tone is drawn from inspiration to Bebop and Rocksteady from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles


Pwing! Pwing!

Saturday 8 October 2011

@Justin- Character Design: Biographies

Hero: Victor “Ironfist” Stormrage
Allegiance: Ironfist
Personality: Alpha Male, Tough Guy, Dedicated


Influence Map:






Backstory:
Victor “Ironfist” Stormrage is a 32 Year-old, White, 6”4, Muscular-built male with a very high stamina rate and Street-Smart intelligence, Previously a member of the United States 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) and Sergeant in the Los Angeles Police Department. He has experience in Close-Quarters Combat, Marksmanship and Demolitions. He earned the nickname ‘Ironfist’ after during an operation his right arm was severed, causing military doctors to replace his arm for an augmented metal replacement.
He was Dishonourably-discharged from the Army in 2175 for disobeying orders from an officer to rescue his team from Terrorists inside a Nuclear Plant, causing the deaths of 1 of his teammates and 12 hostages as well his right arm. He was also fired for misconduct from Los Angeles Police Department in 2178 for harassing his superiors for letting go a convicted mob boss who was suspected of causing the deaths of his closest friend.
Despite his not-so-lucky past, he is very dependable person, known for giving results and never losing attention on what he sets his mind to. He proudly lives up to his word and never hesitates to do what he believes is right for everyone.
After a brilliant physicist named Dr. Nigel Black is taken hostage, The LAPD is forced to commission Ironfist to the rescue operation in order to save Dr. Black.
Ironfist manages to save Dr. Black. However the captor uses the prototype device, causing him to go through time. After being explained that this top secret prototype device able to provide the user the ability to travel through time. Ironfist, along with Dr Black, follows the villain through an updated device of their own; in order to find and capture the villain as well as stop the impending chaos he will inevitably create with the world’s history.




Sidekick: Dr. Nigel Black.
Allegiance: Ironfist
Personality: Beta Male, Comic Relief, Genius,


Influence Map:






Backstory:
Dr. Nigel Black is a 45 Year-old, 5”4, White, Chubby-Built male with genius-intellect. He specialises in theoretical physics. Graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2160, He was employed at DARPA in 2165, and has been working on the theory of time-travel for 15 years.
In 2180, after creating a prototype device able to teleport a person within a time period, He was taken hostage by a gang named the Sons of Loki, leaded by a power-crazy man named Larry “Looney Larry” Napier and his device was stolen. Despite Ironfist’s reluctance to take Dr. Black with him (He’ll either get in the way or get him killed like his teammates), he acts as Ironfist’s sidekick to stop Looney Larry, as well as the destruction he creates through time. He is able to provide Ironfist with intelligence as well as world history during their adventures.




Villain: Larry “Looney Larry” Napier
Allegiance: Sons of Loki Motorcycle Club
Personality: Alpha Male, Psychotic, Megalomaniac,

Influence Map:




Backstory:
Larry “Looney Larry” Napier is a 29 Year-Old, White, 6”9 Slim-build male, with a politician-smart intellect, power-crazy personality and a passion for violence, chaos and destruction. He enjoys nothing better than provoking anarchy on a grand scale. Born from a family of world leaders, he was bored of the perfect utopian world they carefully created through the years.
Raised within a posh culture and having allowed no friends, he was fascinated with the idea of anarchy and sin. He was especially interested in biker culture for their ideals of freedom, non-conformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to only themselves.
After secretly poisoning his entire family, he inherited control of the world and dropped it into a corrupt dystopia overnight. Using his gigantic inheritance, he formed a gang named the Sons of Loki MC, an international crime syndicate and biker gang, based upon his favourite mythological god Loki, the Norse Trickster God.
However, he bores quickly of the new world he created. Looney Larry hears of the invention of time travel created by Dr. Nigel Black. Believing it would be more interesting to “play-about” with World history, like wiping out the entire Roman Empire with machine-gun or dropping atomic bombs on Nazi Germany during the middle of World War II. He steals the prototype time-travel device and activates it. Not knowing that the device is a prototype, he and his goons are sent through time with no way to reactivate it, over time he learns the device reactivates itself on a timer of 24 hours, allowing Looney Larry to cause as much destruction as he can before the device is activated again.

@Justin- Character Design: Synopsis

Plot Keywords: Tough Guy | Dystopia | Law Enforcement | Time-Travel | Motorcycle Gang | Good Versus Evil | Terrorism | Alternate History

The year is 2180. The place is Los Angeles. The situation: Larry “Looney Larry” Napier (along with his gang of criminals named the Sons of Loki Motorcycle Club) is an evil crime syndicate holding the City within the palm of his hand. With the severely crippled Los Angeles Police Department not able to do anything to stop him, at a last resort, the Police send in a previously-fired but hard-nails Cop Victor “Ironfist” Stormrage to take him down.

Bored with the already chaotic world, Looney Larry steals a prototype time travel device from a scientist named Dr. Nigel Black. Looney Larry travels through time with his goons to cause destruction and rip the world apart. With the help of Dr. Black, Ironfist is sent through time, attempting to correct the course of history and stop Looney Larry once and for all.



Story Timeline: Varies from episode to episode.
Backstory timeline: 2180's Los Angeles, California.

Plot Genre: Animation, Action
Plot Device: Time-travel

Hero: Ironfist
Sidekick: Dr. Nigel Black
Villain: Looney Larry
Villain Organisation: Sons of Loki MC



Despite it being a reboot of an 80's show, the show still draws Inspiration from Various 80's (Give or Take) Culture, in particular:
Miami Vice - General Story Inspiration. Hugely influential in the 80's
Def Leppard (1977) - General Atmosphere Inspiration
Bon Jovi - General Atmosphere Inspiration
Guns N' Roses - General Atmosphere Inspiration
Quantum Leap (1989) - Time Travel plot device inspiration
C.O.P.S. (1988) - Law and Order Theme Inspiration
Mad Max (1979) - Max Rockatansky is Hero's Inspiration
Demolition Man (1993) - John Spartan is Hero's Inspiration
Batman (1989) - Joker (Jack Napier) is Villain's Inspiration.
Back to The Future (1985) - Dr. Emmett Brown is Sidekick's Inspiration
Real Life Gang Outlaws Motorcycle Club (Villain's organized crime syndicate)

Maya: Automotive Modelling Part 1 & Part 2


Car Modelling Part 1: Blocking


Car Modelling Part 2: Car Front

Thursday 6 October 2011

Maya: Lip-Sync Tongue and Eyebrow

Saturday 1 October 2011

Character Design: Structure / Ideas / Concepts

Time-Travelling Biker is an unusual mash up of concepts but I like where I may potentially travel with it. The hardest part of this unit may be the story encompassing the character.

Initial influence maps are the following.




Biker and Time Travel are self-explanatory. However regarding the 80's Cartoon influence map, as this is a reboot, I am to produce a Character Design & Animation Bible which draws influence from 1980's cartoons whilst still adhering to modern day influence.

Brainstorm


Individual Stereotypes of a Biker that come to me are:
California, Harley Davidson Motorbikes, Badass, Beards, Booze, Tattoos, Bandanas, Jet Black Hair, Black leather clothing, Clothing patches, Cigars, Sunglasses, Street-Wise, Smug attitude to life, Maybe even a little bit cocky, Smells like vomit, Budweiser and gasoline.

Individual Stereotypes of a Time Traveller that come to me are:
Science! Clocks! Professors, Scientists, Physicists, White lab coats, smoking pipes, patterned swede waistcoats, Beige slacks, polished shoes, thick glasses, white hair, super-geniuses, complicated machines, the past, the present, the future, the unknown, mechanics, gears churning, time ticking, warping, smells like smoke, cheap aftershave.

The two seem somewhat opposite in retrospect.


Extra:
Real Life Influences: Hells Angels MC and The Outlaws MC
Fictional Influences: Black Rebel MC
Music: For the Cartoons' atmospheric purposes. I want to give the impression that these these characters are badasses.


Maya: Lipsync - Phonemes