Tuesday 16 May 2017

Maya Tutorials | Year 1 Submission

Intro to Autodesk Maya:
1) Modelling (NURBS and Polygon)
2) Block Modelling
3) Texturing Part 1 - Common Shaders
4) UV Layout
5) One, Two, & Three Point Lighting
6) Batch Rendering
7) Animating in 3D Software
8) Animation Part 1 - Using Rigs
9) Animation Part 2 - Using Motion Paths
10) Animation Part 3 - Using MEL
11) Animation Part 4 - Dynamics

Modelling: HS & Organic:
12) Hard Surface Modelling
13) Organic Modelling

Modelling: Digital Sets:
14) Modelling (Part1)
15)  UV Layout & Texturing Preparation
16) Lighting
17) Texturing (Diffuse Maps)
18) Bump, Specular Maps, & Final Composite

Lighting & Rendering:
19) Exterior Lighting (Mid Day)
20) Exterior Lighting (Sunset)
21) Exterior Lighting (Romantic) 
22) Exterior Lighting (Night)
23) Interior Lighting (Sunset)

Pre-Visualisation:
24) Camera Control (Pan Shot)
25)  Camera Control (Roll Shot)
26) Camera Control (Pitch Shot)
27) Camera Control (Dolly Shot)
28) Camera Control (Crane Shot)
29) Camera Control (Distance Shots)
30) Camera Control (Camera Shake)
31) Camera Control (Contra-Zoom)
32)  Camera Control (Coverage)

Texturing:
33) Shading Networks (Double Sided Shader)
34) Shading Networks (X-Ray Shader)
35) Shading Networks (Reflectivity)
36) Shading Networks (Rim Light Shader)
37)  Shading Networks (Tileable & Layered Textures) (Part 1 & Part 2)
38)  Shading Networks (Substance Materials)

Visual Effects: Deformers:
39) Non-Linear Deformers
40) Blend Shapes with Inbetweens 

3D Animation:
41) Bouncing a Ball On the Spot
42) Bouncing a Ball with Travel & Rotation
43)  Creating Settle & Rest
44)  Creating Secondary Action
45)  Creating Squash & Stretch
46)  Creating Anticipation & Follow-through
47)  Creating a Mechanical Walk Cycle

Rigging & Skinning:
48) Biped Rigging
49)  Interactive Weighting, Component Editor, & Paint Weights
50)  Post Weights & Interactive Bind

Saturday 13 May 2017

Fantastic Voyage | Reflective Statement

All in all, I felt that this project went pretty well. There were some steps at the beginning that were kinda tricky. Such as developing the idea for the audience to understand. However, later in the project my lack of skills made some problems with Maya. As some of the parts of my animation didn't come out as I wished for. Nevertheless, I learned many useful things such as rigging characters and animating each part of them. Even though this project was one of a kind, I enjoyed each part of it. Sadly, some of the criteria I didn't fulfil as I was skipping some part such as: film reviews. Only to win more time for my final animation. Which wasn't the best thing to do. Yet, I'am happy with my animation and how it turned out in total, I could have never expected myself to make such animation.
In conclusion, talking about this whole study year. I learned many things, as I came to this course not knowing how any of these programs work. Not only I developed skills in these programs, but overall also I have broadened their horizons/interests.

Art Of | Fantastic Voyage

Tuesday 2 May 2017

Fantastic Voyage | Voice over (Unedited)


Fantastic Voyage | Fonts & Influence Map

"Jaws" (1975)

Fig.1 "Jaws" Poster
“Jaws” is an American horror/thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975. This film was one of successful blockbusters. “Jaws” tells a story about Amity Island being terrorized by a giant Great White shark. And how Martin Brody, the town police officer goes on a hunt to stop this great shark from killing people.
The director himself, wanted to show the horror of losing human power, the limbs. As the human becomes powerless without limbs and can’t get out of the water. The ocean itself is terrifying as it isolates human’s feet from speed and makes him slower. Making human more vulnerable from the human waste, as anything can come from the depths of the ocean.
Fig. 2 Underwater (Shark) Camera Angle
The film has simple, easy to read the plot. Everything seems happy and joyful in the island until the great white shark invades it and devastates human life’s. “Jaws” film has other hidden meanings in it. For example: the water is known as the life source for humans and this predator shark takes that away by killing people and taking over the waters around the island. As "There are no doubt supposed to be all sorts of levels of meanings... but Spielberg wisely decides not to underline any of them."(Ebert, 1975).
Fig. 3 The Shark
Moreover, this film has great camera shows when the audience is put to perspective of a shark coming from below.As Nesbit explains: ''(…) we see the legs of Chrissie slowly treading water from below. We know the danger, but she doesn't, and she is violently devoured" (Nesbit, n/a).(Fig.2) The sense of knowing what can happen to the person in the film shocks audience as they have fewer second to look away before that happens. As Almar Haflidason states in his review:What is perhaps the most surprising about “Jaws” is the lack of screen time given to the ferocious shark. Rather than fill the modestly budgeted film with gratuitous effects, Spielberg relies on other tools to build tension and atmosphere. This includes a fearless use of long shots (not popular in Hollywood) which helps convey both isolation for the victims and endows the shark with seemingly god-like hunting powers.” (Haflidason, 2001). The capability to communicate to the audience, though the camera shots are astonishing direct and stable. Also, more than that, the music score slowly becoming louder as the camera is moving closer to the Chrissie, gives goose bumps to the viewer. The music becomes cutting and glitch alike when Chrissie is attacked by the great shark, without any use of  terrifying gore, she is pulled around like a toy. The shorts between her getting pulled and the music score makes horrifying sense of fear.
In conclusion, “Jaws” film is widely known by everyone and considered as one of the greatest blockbusters made in Hollywood. Even up to this day people get scared by the mechanically made shark, which lurks in the depths of the ocean.
Bibliography:
Ebert, R. (1975) Jaws At: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jaws-1975 (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Haflidason, A. (2001) BBC Films  http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/07/14/jaws_review.shtml
(Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Nesbit. (n/a) Jaws Film Review https://movieweb.com/movie/jaws/reviews/stars4/?page=3 (Accessed on 01/05/2017)

Illustration List: 
Fig. 1 "Jaws" Poseter At:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0b/a3/a1/0ba3a1339636f306fcb47e9d4ff7c891.jpg (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Fig. 2 Underwater (Shark) Camera Angle [Film still] At: http://i0.wp.com/www.horrorhomeroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Jaws-4.jpg (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Fig. 3 The Shark  At: http://screenprism.com/assets/img/article/Jaws_Bruce.jpg (Accessed on 01/05/2017)

Monday 1 May 2017

"Duel" (1971)

Fig. 1 "Duel" Poster


The "Duel" is a thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg in 1971. This film is about David Mann, a man who went on a car trip. However, this peaceful trip ends up being mixed up with fear. As an unseen driver in a mysterious tanker truck starts to chase him with intends to kill him. As Milne states: "There are no explanations and no motivations, except perhaps for a hint of allegory in the script (the motorist's name is Mann) and an intriguing visual suggestion that this is the old, old battle between the shining, prancing, vulnerable knight and the impervious, lumbering dragon." (Milne, 2006)


The film itself is made to be watched for men, as is represents man’s dignity. “Duel” leaves a lot of unanswered questions, like: “why is the truck driver tries to kill him”, however the film itself has very simplistic plot. Which doesn’t confuse the viewer.
Fig. 2 The Truck



The main character David, seems like a simple businessman. Dressed up with clean formal clothes. It displays that the main character would do no harm to anybody. However, in this film, there is an antagonist with his truck. Yet the viewer never sees his face and is left wondering how come we don’t see the antagonist face. "...the truck driver in Duel remains inscrutable, his face always obscured — the most Mann ever sees of the driver is his boot and his forearm. This sudden violence makes no sense, it's a nightmare of helplessness, as inexplicable as it is terrifying." (Only The Cinema, 2011) It’s because the main characters are cars and how they look like. As Janet Maslin explains:"the vehicles are the real stars of 'Duel', and whenever the chase is interrupted by the relatively primitive people on hand...the film loses its momentum and becomes somewhat clumsy," (Maslin, 1983). The Dennis red 70s car, is the simple car for business or trip travelling. On the other hand, the antagonist has a truck, which is covered all in dirt, also releasing a lot of toxic car smoke. (Fig 2) In other words, cars represent the male ego/dignity.



Moreover, the director puts both characters on the road, also in some wasteland, where you can't find any people or get any help. Even though the area is huge, the main character is isolated to be on the road. “Duel” comes to a chasing thriller series. The audience only gets to rest for a while, then David is a gas station or when the truck mysteriously disappears for a while.



Nevertheless, what makes this movie great is the camera movements. The camera itself is locked in the car and rapidly changes passing around the car. (Fig. 3)Sometimes the camera is inside the car showing the car mirror that shows Davids reflection in it.(Fig. 4 ) Displaying how nervous and stressed-out he is while trying to escape from the truck. As someone explained: "...Spielberg's low angles and uncomfortable closeups of the truck's rusty grille and thick, rotted fenders already suggest something sinister." (Only The Cinema, 2011)



 All in all, "Duel" is an exciting thriller film which brings new meaning to the road race. The film really takes audiences to an extreme road trip from the very start of it till the end.


Bibliography:
Maslin, J. (1983) Duel (1971) At: http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9804EFD81138F936A25757C0A965948260  (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Milne, T. (2006). timeout.com. http://www.timeout.com/london/film/duel  (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Only The Cinema (2011) Duel. At: http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/duel.html  (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Illustration List:
Fig. 1 "Duel" Poster At: https://20ui41tp7v127j03rcnp97oh-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/duel_bg1.jpg (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Fig. 2 The Truck [film still] At: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseMmlwESsdjH4y4DMKIpDr10cNY2F5tywieI3lG6oCVb5X-CsfSQiqxfhzIa_vQHbXIi5xzxMOSyLnYa_GODxgvnKzA31lvNA37Wiwkb-wnqO-ccJ5AGFrmU90OSARAn-2kSiAd-4FUfX/s1600/duel-cinenoxoi1.jpg
Fig. 3 [film still] At:  https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/66/68/15/6668157184dd0f989aecc1ab864e1c7b.jpg (Accessed on 01/05/2017)
Fig. 4 Davids Reflection At:http://hazlitt.net/sites/default/files/styles/article-header-image/public/field/image/duel.jpg?itok=hAdgMRVl (Accessed on 01/05/2017)