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wedancedto9ether

Hi, I'm a student in the UK and recently re-discovered this forum.

I've been working on a visual style, that uses almost entirely cardboard props. Inspired heavily by Rob Schrab.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-hE2NAItpw


This video is a test of that style, and by posting here I'm hoping to get some feedback on it. This isn't about the narrative of the short, which I made up on the spot, or quality of my voice acting skills, so please don't tell me they're rubbish because I know, haha.

Anyway, hopefully that embed code works, if not I'll just post a link.

Thanks.
 
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First, welcome!

In regards to your clip, this is not really animation, ie: the action is not motivated frame by frame. It's *live* footage with stick propelled cut-out puppets. Visually, I liked the two thug puppets best, but was surprised to read, on your youtube page, that they were from templates available on the net. The old lady puppets were effective, stylistically, in a primitive way. Seems like you may have run out of creative steam by the time you constructed the backgrounds, IMHO, of course.

Are your plans to actually animate this project frame by frame and/or are you lip syncing any dialogue?
 
Thank you for the welcome.

The templates from the web were just the shape. Sort of like a paper net that told me where to fold the paper. I made these first just to use as an example. For an actual project I would design them from scratch myself as I did with the old ladies (my personal favourite part).

The backgrounds are intended to look like cardboard but I think I should push their design further. I don't want to over design them, but at the same time don't want them too primitive (which I feel they are). I wonder if you have any advice on how I can improve the set? I feel it needs more detail, such as window sills, door frames that are built up with card rather than drawn on?

I am working on a way to lip sync, either with a jaw mechanism, or through frame by frame animation in post.
 
wedancedto9ether said:
The backgrounds are intended to look like cardboard but I think I should push their design further. I don't want to over design them, but at the same time don't want them too primitive (which I feel they are). I wonder if you have any advice on how I can improve the set? I feel it needs more detail, such as window sills, door frames that are built up with card rather than drawn on?
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I definitely think adding some 3-d elements to the background would enhance the feel, tenfold. At the very least, with this added depth, you can experiment more with light and shadow. Another option you may want to try, if you'd rather stick to drawn on elements, is a graphic technique used in a German Expressionist film called, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Designer Hermann Warm and painters, Walter Riemann and Walter Rohrig not only painted on narrative elements to sets, walls, and floors, but also (very) stylistic lights and shadows.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cabinet_of_Dr._Caligari

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (German: Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari) is a 1920 silent film directed by Robert Wiene from a screenplay by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. It is one of the most influential of German Expressionist films and is often considered one of the greatest horror movies of all time. This movie is cited as having introduced the twist ending in cinema.
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I like it so far. It has a unique watchable look.

I agree on some background, I think it would look cool fabricated as well post effects created, like some dark surrounding apartment buildings, then further back some more less define buildings, then out further in the background the city skyline silhouette look. Maybe some lights in it too.

It’s great that you can just basically fashion whole sets for pocket change or less.
I’d like to see how things progress with it.

-Thanks-
 
Thanks for your enthusiasm Buddy. I'm going to try and design a more detailed set tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

I agree, I made this with just stuff found in my house which is great. However I think because it was all free and just a test I was thinking too small.
 
It really was watchable and funny. I usually can't take puppets seriously but I feel that if you put some cars or something on the street, made it a little more 3D then it would be superb. Also maybe create a real story? I think a real story would make this epic.

Just my $.02, but I did indeed enjoy it.

P.S. Welcome!
 
LIFE, Thank you so much for the positive feedback. Your idea of cars on the street would make the world more believable and immersive. I think I felt that as the set is in the background, detail doesn't matter so much as people will be focused of the characters, but this is not the case. With everything made out of card it will take a lot of detail to immerse an audience in the world.

And as I said, the narrative, or lack thereof, was just made up super quickly, the first things that came into my head was zombies jumping out at old ladies. As this is just a test of the visual style I just did that.

Thanks
 
at 58 seconds I can see the pole you're holding the grandmas up with!!!

:)

I liked it. Cool experiment. Now make a story out of it like LIFE said.
 
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