Vita's Back!

Hard at work, there is a mere week left in the production of our film Vita Magus. This means the film is nearing completion and we have moved into the final rendering/post production phase. Below are some screen captures of the film 80% composited with the hard work of the entire team.

MacDonald Props Update

Working through our prop list for the final phase of visual development. I've finished some electronics for the background characters, umbrellas, and the cars, buses, and trains in our environments.

MacDonald Interior Prop Exploration Collage

MacDonald Effects Beginnings

Ok I haven't gotten too far but I wanted to post what I have before class to dicsuss.

My concept is to have the effects live in two separate spaces. Those within the "real world" and those that are created as a result of magic. Below is my styleboard and you all may notice a shift towards stylized effects with sharp/angular design. I wanted them to reflect the angular world of our film (i.e. OBEN), but the magic effects would be more like a firework bursting with colors and complexity (ie Kung Fu Panda). Potentially some poofs with soft rounded edges while dirt clouds or car exhaust has squared shapes without blur. This will evolve as we develop the style of our film but it's a start.

*Update*
Just found this and it has not only awesome effects animation, but some great little star bursts that are very simple and almost like a flare with liitle water droplets shooting outewards. I will explore this for sure.

Davonne: Exterior and Interior Environments idea 1

The top drawing is the idea I had for maybe what one of the narrow passage ways to her home might look like. The bottom drawing is a concept for the interior of her home. We were thinking of using Pascal Campion's style of shading and texture.All suggestions are welcome!!

MacDonald First Round Props

Above is an idea for a table used during her performance. I thought it could be fun if it  "magically" collapses when she's packing up at the end of the day. Think Mary Poppinsish.

This is the concept for her packed up performance gear. I wanted her equipment to look well used and timeless. Also thought her briefcase could have a pop up poster inside she uses to grab attention.

A simple bird cage. This is something that could be off to the side of her performance. Maybe full of a few birds in one scene then empty the next as if she did a trick and made them disappear.

Her lounge chair back home. I was going for the Victorian look with carved wood covered in lush fabric with a floral print.

Lastly the magic wand. One thing I wanted to do was break away from the typical wand a magician uses. This is something tied into the street performer character trait. I noticed most performers customize things as part of their gimmick. But then I thought "what if her wand was the key to her house?" and instead of inserting a key, she presses the wand into the empty slot on the door and voila! Just something to think about. I also added a small ribbon to grab more attention to the wand and add an opportunity for some fun overlap animation.

MacDonald Prop Inspiration Boards

Finished up the boards I will use while designing props. Feel free to let them inspire you all as needed. Cheers!

Background Rough Moodboards

These are some moodboards Jenna and I are working on in terms of how different parts of the environment can be open spaces or narrow spaces. The bottom board in particular was looking at different colors and textures we could use. For the narrow passage ways, we liked the idea of going under arches or just lots of items that hang from one building to the next (see top moodboard, bottom left image).

Dupart- Environment Concept and Reference

One thing that I latched on to with this concept of the magician is that it could be a metaphor for art. Sharing art with the world. I felt that Italy would be an appropriate place because many of the towns seem to be a combination of modern world technology and traditional architecture and art that are remnants of its history. I imagine this magician performing in plaza, with many restaurants, venders and activities going on around. This magician is able to draw a crowd while performing but quickly loses their attention. On her journey back home, I imagine her walking under eroding arches and winding narrow streets. I'm attaching reference photos of italian streets and plaza that give the feeling that I imagine. I also made a mood board for the artistic style I think the film could look and finally my own sketch of how I think one of the environments can look.

Nassri_RoughStoryboardThumbnails

This is a very rough storyboard thumbnails. It needs a little bit of explaining but basically incorporates the idea of having fast repetition to show that he what he does on a daily basis with the last one being from his eyes and showing how wonderful the world is to him.

MacDonald Environment Concepts

2:35 Theater Widescreen

 2:35 Theater Widescreen

Above are speed paintings to capture an idea I had of restricting our magician character using light. So while people coming through the square are in the light, our magician character will be separated standing in shadow to screen left. I see it as a subtle conflict adding one more metaphor for this character's detachment from the perceived world. I have also tinted the grey slightly cool so it reads unwelcoming as opposed to say sepia tone.

2:35 Theater Widescreen

This second concept I have moved down south! I was thinking the city could be a New Orleans/Savannah/Charleston inspired. First and foremost these cities have amazing architecture to design from, but secondly they also have a strong presence of life long street performers. I played around again with light. This time showing contrast between the neighbors while the magician heads towards an empty house.

MacDonald Character Concepts

The above character is a woman in her 60's that has been performing as a magician for over 40 years. I wanted an older woman that wasn't what you normally see in animated films; hunched, wrinkled, and eccentric. She should have a sophistication and refinement about her gained through performing her act for decades. A past that was filled with stardom and beauty in which she continues to confidently project.

My key influence was the beautiful 63 year old Jessica Lange. Another is a Canadian street performer by the name of Billy Kidd who along with Janelle Monae inspired the androgynous outfit. This adds an interesting character trait to her unseen history of struggling with not only trying to introduce magic to the world but also to stand out and become accepted. Billy Kidd stated in an interview "It's a boys' club,"... "I have to work harder and do different things." which is one reason for Kidd's androgynous persona.

Lastly the color pallet chosen is an example of how the world could look towards the final few scenes of the film. Bright colors that play with a high contrast complimentary pallet. This method is more about experimenting with hue contrast than value contrast.

After finishing the last environment frame I decided to do a quick concept of the little girl in the street to refine that sloppy painting. This idea of having a child being able to also see the magic everyone else overlooks was brought up in class and I though it was interesting and worth exploring. I wanted her forms to reflect the magician she is impersonating so I tapered her arms and legs to mimic the magician silhouette.