Email correspondence

From Liam:

I don't know if you got my message but the 'new' underlying plot for the animation is that 'chip' is on the run from the Nexus. He has returned to the neighbourhood of his youth and is trying to get to this one person who always beleived there was more to him than just a no-good crook.

He sees murders as the lowest form of people and thats exactly how he sees Nexus, he kicks butt, guided by the enigmatic Mr Meaner who helps him get to the person he is after. However 'someone' read as Mr Meaner secretly alerts Nexus of his destination and he is tracked there and interupted during his reunion. During the skirmish in the room Mr Meaner convinces Chip that the only way he can protect the important person is if he crosses the one line he has put upon himself--which he does--Chip kills. And just like Mr Meaner says he saves the day. Except the important person has seen CChip kill and can never see him in the same light. She has lost what little faith she had in him. He tries to explain but its all excuses shes heard before--she runs away from him--leaving Chip alone in the room with Mr Meaner.

Mr Meaner explains to the weeping Chip, that he is a weapon, and that he was foolish for thinking he could be anything else. THE END

Tell me what you think.

My reply:

Dude that sounds awesome, it really does. But its waaaay more than 30 shots (altho if i have time id like to draw some of it as a comic). Problem is the animation is taking way longer than i had hoped meaning that i'm just starting the origin sequence. Even the the end that i had envisioned may have been to ambitious and i may have to have chip fall from the sky after the orgin flashback, put up a short fight and get shot with a trank, then cutting to a shot of the general saying bring him in. if i do that then id insert the general (unrevealed until the last shot) throughout the film giving orders. Not sure yet, I'm weaiting til I'm near the end of the flashback sequence to decide based on time I have left.

Leo Tsang

Head on over to this awesome blog to see how it's really done!

http://ljht-fmp.blogspot.com/

1st script installment

I have had a working script but after several conversations with a writer friend of mine (Liam Gray) gave me this draft of the 1st few shots assuring me that there would be more to come every day. I think this makes it glaringly clear why he is the writer in our partnership if you look at the comic I produced on my own. I am a little nervous about having a mild swear word in there so this may be edited a little later but I am so pleased with this.

FIRST SCENE
(Chip is running dramatically down a street)
CAP: Sometimes I wonder if it was all worth it. I can't tell you how many nights I spent huddled up in that cold dark cell dreaming of today--but thats all it was wasnt it--a dream.
CAP 2: A childish naive dream for another hopeless fool in way over his head...

SECOND SCENE
(Reveal that he's being chased)
CAP: What is freedom anyway... just another illusion... another lie... thats all my life seems to be these last few weeks--one huge stinking lie after another.
SOLDIER1: "Target in sight vector niner-niner, requesting immediate backup."
SOLDIER2: "We're reading an etheric pulse he's about to--"

SCENE 3
(Chip turns a corner, pauses, then shoots straight upwards)
CAP: Souless bastards... everywhee I turn there they are... they're murders thats what they are!--Murders!

SCENE 4
(The 2 army soldiers arrive in the alley, annoyed at losing Chip)
SOLDIER1: [distressed/underbreath] "It was never supposed to be used this way..."
SOLDIER2: "ATTENTION--Attention Black Feather Squad be on the ready--the Freelancer has entered your airspace."

SCENE 5
(We see his point of view high above the city)
CAP: I can hear them all, like tiny echoing voices in the back of my mind--talking all at once but with nothing to say...
CAP2: Can't anyone else see how pointless it all is! I just--I just need a minute to drown it all out--to drown out the voices--
MILITARY RADIO TRANSM: Black Feather to Talon 12: We're in possition and activating the neuro-scambler-. Hope this chump likes baby food heh.
CHIP: "No--No--I won't let you take that too!--I wont!!"

SCENE 6
(Chip clutches at his head as he is mentally assulted by an electromagnetic pulse that causes both his internal and external divices to go haywire)
CHIP: I WONT!--I--AAAAARRRGHHH!!!

(Side note; I love that Liam used a neuro-scrambler as both the reason he launches into his origin flashback and is hit by a missile. Really brilliantly connects the dots and makes the sequence make sence.)

Art Of The World Of Warcaft

H.L Davis, BRADY GAMES; 1 edition (December 21, 2005)
It's not often that a videogame merits it's own art of book, and this isn't even a game that I've really played. It was recommended to me by a friend who lent me his copy (at a hefty 210 pages I wsn't going to buy it on a whim) but I was glad that I did. The amount of ideas packed into the book is nothing short of stunning, and whilst various art styles were showcased effectivly it was only the final design that were represented. I would have liked more in development work and noted to accompany them. Whilst many of the images were brilliant the lack of text made me flick through the book and spend less time on the work than I would of had they been anotated in some way. However the insight of how to present character designs and particularly 'set' designs are very useful reference to my project and definately give me ideas on how best to show my own work.

New Frontier

Whilst I will give Darwyn Cooke his own research post (him being my current favourite artist) I wanted to highligt this page as it's one of my absolute favourites. His economy of line and the life he can bring from it never fails to stun me. He has the absolute package for me: storytelling, style, compostion, character development- add to that the fact that he often writes, pencils and inks his own work!!! He is one of the greatest advocates of the the 3 pannel format, something I totally agree with because to me the trdaitional 6 pannel page can often look cluttered. I also thik it takes more skill to tell the same story in 3 pannels because the compostion has to be that mch stronger.

Alias 23

This is the cover to Alias #23 (minus the logos) with the pannels in the background by Mark Bagley and the foreground portrait by Davis Mack, written by Brian Michael Bendis. The issue itself deals with the 'secret origin' of the lead character- Jessica Jones, a retired superhero. Bagley himself draw several issues in the series (although not this one) but as far as I can find the art in this cover is original and not re-used from an earlier page. The issue deals with the reality of a girl getting to grips with her own powers- giving a realistic reaction in a fantasy setting. This is typified wonderfully by the contrast in styles shown by the clasically heroic comic book expression against the gritty realism of the painting. Thats about as technical as an analysis of mine can get- what I really love about the image is David Mack's paintwork, the tones and lighting are perfect but he has the confidence to keep the strokes loose which is I think what gives it it's life- and where Alex Ross' art begins to feel stiff.

I'm not entirely sure this will work as it's a gif animation but what you should see is a run cyle of Bolt. Bolt is the new Disney/Pixar film about a dog whos part of a tv show and doesn't realise it, I can't recomend it highly enough. Walking out of cinema the 1st time I saw it was when the fixation on making an animated movie for this project hit- I literally didn't sleep the next night until 5.30am because my brain was to excited- thinking about the possibilities. I've also posted some of the drawings- I'd be interested to know how easily you spot them in actual animation.