Some Drawings.... Because I was BOOOORED

Was just having a quick mess around, using a picture from a Gambit Comic and having a go at that. Messed around with it a bit.

Andy Wyatt. I Love you!

But no.... Seriously.

So I'm feeling great today, everyone in Animation did a great pitch. Even If I believe a few of us were pitching to the wrong people for our ideas. I believe my group came of strong and knowledgeable about our subject. Well done chaps! Although I have seen areas I would like to further and hopefully get myself sorted for next year. But the two who we pitched to seemed like nice people and obviously had their own areas of expertise.

It's made me feel so very good about starting my own company after/during my last year of University and basing it down here, but that's a different story.

I also today received the offer of an interview to work as a researcher over the summer full time for 12 weeks. With french VFX researchers, working for South West Screen. The post looks awesome and hopefully with the right intent I can go for it and begin my rein over the world. Nah I joke. But this is something If I get it I can pull my weight and have some amazing contacts and a way out into the world after University. I am Very Very excited, this is all thanks to both my ambassador jobs and to Andy for passing my details to Pippa who is running the show. I am Stoked.

Pitch Project Work - A Slice from Everyone Involved

Release the Beast, our game concept for the pitch project and maybe to be carried through into the third year is now being complimented on a daily basis, it's really nice to have an idea that everyone believes can work. And I'm really proud so far of the team I've put together. The above drawings were done by Simon Acty, who I'm particularly proud of, he put a lot of time into getting these down and making them as amusing as the bullet points I had provided for the characters. I think they work fantastically and he's currently cleaning them up for the pitch. Myself and Matt Luxton did the composition above in Photoshop using Simon's art. It's been really nice being a kind of idea's generator, an organiser, quality control, and mediator between all parties involved. And I really feel like these guys are treating me as a team leader. And we're all working together fantastically. We've even had a request that if we take this into the third year. Roy Nottage would like to work on Animating the characters. So we're attracting a bit of attention with the idea.


This small piece of Artwork is a roughed up concept for a world called "Bananaland" as coined by Matt Butler, (All the names are subject to change) The piece above is by Emma Taylor, and the Map below is for the world in question done by Matt B. Matt B. has proven to be very enthusiastic throughout this project, throwing ideas in and around as he can and working hard to create environments based on his knowledge of video games and shoot'em ups. Emma has also taken the time to do some Character descriptions and naming which again will undergo some looking over and changes, but are again fantastic. Emma is a brilliant fantasy writer and her character descriptions represent that, We just tweak the comedy slightly.



This is a Mock up of the HUD (Heads up Display) Designed by myself and Simon, The Gun Model was done as a test by Matt just so we'd have something to throw down for the pitch. We're working quickly and efficiently and this is showing through the quality of the work we have, I feel myself getting better and better as a leader and know how I would want this to run were it used next year as a third year project. I'm at a half way point on belief in this project now, what with the compliments we've had. From my initial change of plan, to what me and my group have come up with. I'm really beginning to be quiet proud of what we have even to this point.

These are a few Gun Designs done by Matt L. as concepts. I believe they still require a bit of work, but they are absolutely fantastic. Matt is a wicked guy to work with, he puts so much time and effort into what he does and always comes back with things of fantastic quality.

All in all we're working away at making this the best fun we can make it, and it may be an option to make maybe a working level, or a concept trailer for the game next year for our FMP.

Tx

Big Update

Ok so recently. I got my self into gear. I should have some stuff to upload later.

BUT

seeing as I'm working on my Script at the moment, I can't really upload the full thing can I? Or Can I? If anyone is interested in reading through the first draft of my Script for "Bandits" then please give me a shout @ Tom.Dowler@gmail.com

So things are going well with the script. I've done a few bits and bobs drawing wise also. And found a few more things just recently I wanted to further, remembering I had a stash of stories that I'd never saved or used. Which I plan to further and develop maybe to pitch as work for next year. Maybe just to do as a Web Comic, or maybe just to keep my hand in the creative side of production.

Boom! ok!

Pitch project! Going ok! We had a massive turn around of idea, which now everyone seems pretty stoked to be a part of! We're going to be making a Team Fortress-esque/Street Fighter-ish, game (well not making it, but pitching it). We plan for it to be a bit of an adult aimed game maybe for plus 15's but with 5 people working on the project I have found myself taking the lead role again, which is good, because now I feel I don't have to back down no matter what these people say,. These guys have chosen to work with me, and they're all awesome in their own specific way. And to see that they acknowledge my skill aswell makes me feel so much better about myself. So I'm just gonna do my best to get them through and to have them do the best they can. I'm really happy with this, and am holding weekly meets as well as personal meets with each of my work mates. It's a really nice and personal way to make sure stuff is going ok. Now I want to make sure everyone knows what's going on in their own department and have something to talk about.

At the moment.

Character Designs - Simon Acty & Myself
Character Stories - Emma Taylor & Myself
Environments - Matt Butler
Weaponry - Matt Luxton
Interface and Playability - Me and the Teams input

I think this will work well. I just need to get everyone together to sort the pitch into something nice and flowy! And I have an awesome idea for a gimmick that'll make it rememberable. Keep your minds open! haha.

It's been far too long.

Well Woke up this morning and remembered this.

I feel really bad at the moment. I've been so busy with other bits and pieces, I've not put any time into my uni work, although the thoughts have been there. Like with Cherie's work. I feel so bad, I've literally not stopped doing Campus Tours, Ambassador and Mentor work for the University. And now I have my Job at WHSmiths, I just find myself having a hard enough time just trying to make enough money to stay alive as I do trying to get all the work done I have to do.

So I'll give it a shot to fill you in about over the holidays and what I'm up to now.

3rd Year Work

The third year work started out really well for me. I'd done all the modelling I was asked to do, and stayed over easter especially to do the work. I did the majority of things, asked too and a lot of it was new learning for me, and working in Cherie's environment was hard as referencing and files were quiet hard to get to even open with the correct things within them.

I feel kind of bad just because I haven't managed to get done all the things I said I would, in that case I'm a failure. And I feel terrible for not having it all done, but my skills. even when breaking what Cherie had done, or using the gravity and shatter effects in Maya,... It was all a mystery to me, I learnt so much about soft rigid bodies and active bodies and all sorts like this, in that sense it's really been a steep one for me.

I think the problems were that the group had no production meetings. Nor was everyone here all the time intended. Leadership and pushing of the group was somewhat lacking and I feel that had we all sat down together at points, the problems I'd had could have been solved between us. I feel if I'd have EVEN had a job animating on this project I could have done all that was asked of me, instead. I had a job that challenged me to a point of total disinterest and a lack of ability to save it with the time I had. Again I'm ever so sorry to Cherie for all of this. I missed the one production meeting when we got back due to having campus tours and mentor interviews.

Negotiated Breif

for the negotiated brief I plan to write a script for my final year project. This is also going to be used for my pitch project.

My script is going to be based on some music and some videos I found on Racoons. I've seriously had ideas rattling around my head for a couple of months now and this will be really nice to get done, and quiet the contrast to what a lot of people are planning on doing for their final year project. I know for a fact that I can do as good a job as anyone else in creating something for the final year, but I think I'm the only person willing to go ahead and ask for help. A lot of people say they either don't want to work in groups, or flat out would HATE someone working on their final year project. To me, this somewhat kills the idea of what Animation is. I don't mind if no-one joins on my idea for my animation. Even if I think it's good doesn't mean everyone else has to think it is... I have a modeller lined up already for the characters and for environments and character turn arounds I have two 2D artists. So far my crew list for THIS YEAR goes like this. (Of course I will stay on within the crew for the full development and hopefully so will Matt.)

Tom Dowler - Producer/Director/Sound/Writer/Post-Production/Animation.
Matt Luxton - Character/Prop Modeling
Emma Taylor (Prov) - Environment Design
Gareth Sharples - Character Design and Turnarounds

I'd like to get as many people involved as I can. So If anyone likes my idea at pitch or at any stage and has read this, please get in touch. I'd really appreciate more animators and creatives to just give this a boost and help me in the final year.

So more than anything, My pitch project is to enable me to recruit more members of animation who would maybe like to work as a team.

Tx

Back on Track

After a chat with Derrick and a good long think, I'm back on track, I've e-mailed and spoken to all the teams I was producing and gotten back on with them all, this monday I've arranged production meetings and to see what they're all doing, and will join in and help them all out with whatever they need, I already have helped with the Tracking on Simon and Matt's peice.

I think my lack of confidence in myself as a producer due to one or two elements was a bit stupid now. I really want to do this, so why should I let anyone destroy my chances. I am going to get these projects finished, I'm determined, EVEN If I end up with 3 lots of work to help my groups accomplish what they want.

Roll on Monday. Tomorrow I'll find out where everyones at and set realistic deadlines around what we have to do!

Tx

Here are some quickies I've rendered up today, the final Pen with the Skull replacement, And I've done a few frames, some with Nails bent etc. There are a few more around.