Germ Warfare

Just in the nick of time!

Fantastic Voyage - Germ Warfare Pre-vis

Okay, so here's a playblasted Pre-vis for "Germ Warfare". I'm well on my way at this point I think. Today's goal is to paint the environments textures and to sort out the lighting. Then begins the rendering process. I'm also quite happy with the edit on this pre-vis, so I think I'll drop the final rendered images into a bin on premiere and swap them onto the timeline. (Then get to work on the soundscape proper)

I've got two computers on the go at the same time to improve my chances of getting everything rendered overnight. It'll be a tough couple of days, but I'm throwing myself at this. Let's get this done!

To battle then!

Fantastic Voyage - Bacteria skinning progress and walk cycle test

Here's an update on my bacteria model. It's skinned (much easier than my previous model thankfully) and I've made a simple walk cycle. I've made it slow, as these things will ultimately be shown rather big, compared to my soldier (there will be smaller versions that I'll "speed up").

I also tried to experiment on how the bacteria will be framed in shot, just to emphasise...size.




Next on my list is alternate heads for my soldier, animated textures for his face, sorting the "rivet" feature out so that I can pin his buttons to his jacket without them sliding off into oblivion. By the end of this weekend I'll have a CG previz complete, with additional shots. That's the plan anyway.

Ciao.

Fantastic Voyage - PVT. Collis finished textures and walk cycle test.

PVT. Pen is finished, more or less. (The less being his actual face!).

Here's a quick walk test just to see if any elements of my model were left behind during the skinning process. It seems as though I've been successful. Though I've had to disable the buttons for now, until I can work out how to make them stick to the mesh, rather than travel straight through it as soon as any element is moved.

Next I've got to set up the facial animation textures, and work out what expressions I will need. Luckily he doesn't speak, so all I will need is a collection of expressions that can be switched between at the right moments.



I'm skinning my monster today, which should be a considerably easier feat that this was as there is no face to worry about, and no buttons either. Phew.

Ciao.

Fantastic Voyage - PVT. Collis Maya progress

More progress has been made with PVT. Pen. Here's a few stills detailing his smoothing and UV. I've also included the texture painting, complete with UV outlines. Really happy with how this one went, I've managed to minimize visible seams, and even hide them in smart places. 

Next on my list is the rig, which I am making now.

Better get on with it :) 

Fantastic Voyage - PVT. Collis rough maya modelling

So Pen is pretty much there in terms of shape - down to the little fold in his coat, and his buttons.

I've made the head separate from the body so as to be able to swap them out when it comes to showing the other soldiers in the portmanteau sections of my animation.

More posts to come, just painting his textures up at the moment, and considering on whether to put Indiana Jones on in the background as I work.

Choices.

Fantastic Voyage - Bacteria texturing complete

So here's the finished texture for my bacteria. I've still things left to do in order to finish this (bump mapping to add depth to the 'rusted' areas of the texture. 

Otherwise I'm happy with this and will move on to the skinning process henceforth! 

Ta ta. 

Fantastic Voyage - Bacteria texturing progress

Here's today's progress with the model for the bacteria. Struggling to hide the seams created during the UVing process, but I'm getting there in terms of hiding them/properly painting the textures.

Fantastic Voyage - Creature UV update

Here's what I've been working on today. So all that's left to do with the creature is to paint its texture and finish skinning it to its rig and to run a few animation tests.

So far so good :)

Fantastic Voyage - Creature texture ideation.

With the model and rig complete - save for that O'so important skinning process, I've moved on to texturing and with that, generating options for this beasts skin. Obviously it's important that I keep the colours inkeeping with the desaturated look my environments and hero are abiding with.

I'm leaning towards option 6,7 and 8, purely because I think they'll pop (as much as something can whilst being desaturated) against the background.

I'll implement them soon and then get started on the skinning process.

Fantastic Voyage - Creature in maya.

I'm going for it now.

Quite settled on the design of the bacteria - I feel like some more colour experimentation is due of course - I've seen fit to jump into maya to plot the basic shapes out for the bacteria.

The conceit for the animation would be that these things range from small to large, with variations along the way (Keeping in mind the constraints of having to model these variations).

Fantastic Voyage - Creature designs

Here, I make steps to finalise my creature design, which I wasn't fully happy with running up to the pitch.

Further creature development

Getting closer.

Shape tests

Colour test

Taking on board Jordan's advice from a few weeks back, pertaining to where I could source inspiration for creatures that would fit with my environment aesthetic, and today's advice for laying out character sheets for design documents; I think I've honed the design and have achieved a less generic, and more fitting response because of it.

I'll continue playing about with colour designs, and also testers that bring my soldier, environment and creature together.

Cheers!

Crouch.

Germ Warfare script update.

On reflecting on the feedback from the pitch, I've tried to add a bit more science to this draft. The thing I'm currently struggling with is how far I step out of the metaphor, until I am being overtly obvious with the language that I'm using.

My question really, is, do I just break the metaphor to go out of my way and mention exactly what is happening in the body in scientific terms? Or do I continue the metaphor and find ways of conveying it without being explicit? I can only really think of conveying it with titles as the bacteria appear.

This is my attempt at making things a bit clearer. 

Flash Showreel