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Capstone 2011. Student: David Howland Instructor: Ward Makielski Semester: Fall 2011. The Seven Hour War Summarized.
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Capstone 2011 Student: David Howland Instructor: Ward Makielski Semester: Fall 2011
The Seven Hour WarSummarized • I have been working on a Sci-Fi short film with a working title of “Arrival.” The project has been ongoing since May of 2011, and will continue until the end of January, with some possible delays causing it to be pushed back into February. The short is a fan film based in the Half-Life universe. • There were a few snags during every step of the project, which I will get to shortly.
The Seven Hour WarPre-Production Summarized • What I did over the summer was organize the entire production of a short film based in the universe of the popular Half-Life game series. With the help of others, I got a script written, animatic filmed, concept art drawn, character models in progress, a cast and crew organized, Props prepared, and camera and lighting equipment rented. We filmed on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of September. Soon after, post-production followed.
The Seven Hour WarScript • The final script was a little over seventeen pages long and went through several revisions over the a two month period to ensure the crew’s ability to execute production within the allotted time, as well as my ability to accomplish what I need in post production. • I wrote the story the script was based on. Writer Nick Kusto cut certain unnecessary pieces out, and altered dialog slightly to cut minutes out of the script for production purposes. Changes were made with me as a consultant , and the end result was approved of by me.
The Seven Hour WarAnimatic • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbMuK2oi8R8 • This follows the motions of the main character [Edward] throughout the short. It excludes a few uneventful dialog scenes.
The Seven Hour WarProduction Summarized • Production spanned a period of three days, in which the entirety of the content within the seventeen and a half page script was shot with two shots omitted. At the end of production we needed to be on location downtown for a shot with guns. We had a time we were permitted to be there, and in order to make that window we needed to shoot some of the B-Roll later. • Kevin came back to my home for a 30 minute shoot where he, his friend Cody, and I shot the remaining B-Roll.
The Seven Hour WarPost-Production • Post-Production remains ongoing, but what I have had for you today has been a teaser, as well as part of the finished trailer. Post-production should be completed by the end of January, with a few technical issues permitted. • This teaser, of course, has been my fall back from the two minute trailer I had originally planned.
Capstone 2011Pre-Production Post Mortem Student: David Howland Instructor: Ward Makielski Semester: Fall 2011
The Seven Hour WarConcept Artist Consistency • I had two concept artists working for me. One would draw slightly toony, which would sometimes get in the way of proper modeling.
Capstone 2011Production Post Mortem Student: David Howland Instructor: Ward Makielski Semester: Fall 2011
The Seven Hour War60FPS Video • You can always slow the framerate of high FPS video, but you can’t add frames to a low FPS video. • I frequently encounter motion blur, which I need to create a second mask for, slowing the process in AE.
The Seven Hour WarMore Time • I never would have guessed it would take so long to shoot a sub-twenty page script. Had I known, I would have given production four days.
Capstone 2011Post-Production Post Mortem Student: David Howland Instructor: Ward Makielski Semester: Fall 2011
The Seven Hour WarObservation • Continuous progress checks are important. Once a week is not near enough. Next time I will be having whatever team I’m working with check in regularly. I was at the schools Mondays and Wednesdays all day for a while, but having optional check ins wasn’t enough. Nobody utilized them, and Wednesdays I eventually faded away since nobody would show up.
The Seven Hour WarTrust • I see now that I should really only trust those of whom I know well, or those I pay. I cannot trust those who are only effected by grades, or personal gains. • There were many people in the Junior Project course who would say things were getting done or were done when they were not. Many of the models required specular maps, normal maps, or were so high poly they were barely useful in animation.
Capstone 2011My Involvement Student: David Howland Instructor: Ward Makielski Semester: Fall 2011
The Seven Hour WarWriting • I wrote the story the script was based on. The eight paragraphed pages were written using Google Docs and the original can be found here: • https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l8lEtisI5jYrNLXSnNem1s3Oy3NZZHl--9MIYaCb3Ro/edit?authkey=CNOElaQJ&hl=en_US&pli=1 • The additions and alterations to the current script were made by Nick Kusto and Kevin Budzynski under my supervision and advisement.
The Seven Hour WarPre-Production • I helped plan the project from beginning to end. This included finding talent, finding concept artists, costumes, set pieces and props, the set, and locations. • Kevin Budzynski helped find a replacement last minute for the actress playing Justice, but I was otherwise responsible for the talent. He also acquired a flashlight and a sled for some stunt work. Otherwise I was in charge of Costumes • Kevin, from the very beginning also recommended a Camera Op and Director of Photography, Matthew Biggs. I took that under advisement, and hired him.
The Seven Hour WarProduction • I was there to provide assistance to the actors, and lighting and shot advice for the sake of the effects. • Matthew Biggs provided the camera and lighting. • Kevin Budzynski Directed. • Nick Kusto was the Audio Recording Technician and Boom Op. • Tara Pennington was the makeup artist.
The Seven Hour WarPost-Production • I have done all the Tracking, 3D Lighting and rendering, as well as generated many maps which were not present in the final deliverables from the Junior Project students, such as Spec maps, opacity maps, bump maps and normal maps. I have also tweaked some animation and texture files which were already present. • I have also been responsible for compositing in After Effects. • The Junior Project students, Heather Lund, Joe Berkey, and Kelly Walters provided models and some provided textures. • Heather Lund Rigged and Animated the models.
The Seven Hour WarThe Project Ongoing • Production scheduled to be finished by the end of January. • The hunter, bullsquid and dropship models need to be revisited. • Effects in other shots need to be added.
