Rodney

The frame I've attached here seems to be the place where I note another issue. The grey elf, who should be the third character from the right as here (other than the character in the flame) has disappeared right before this frame. As this seems to happen exactly as the sword has finished transforming into the boy perhaps this is suppose to happen?

Very nice! This scene plays very well. Those characters are fascinating to look at. There are two minor things I'd note for enhancement. 1. The characters hair seems to jump in place. 2. As the sword transforms in the fire a blending of the images together would sell the transformation. This is a tough one to describe so if I get some time tonight I'll try to demonstrate what I mean. Alternately, moving the shots where the camera pans across the characters in front of the shot where the boy in the flames is revealed might flow better and address the static transformation shot I mention above. I assume the next shot may have the boy step out of the flames?

The closest to this I've seen are the two jelly fish stooges 'Ernie and Bernie' from 'Shark Tales'. They stole the scene in every scene they were in.

I didn't take it that way. I've known some pretty seriously talented janitors! (a few janitors even worked their way up the ranks at Disney to become high falutin' animators!) I have to say, the work I am most proud of is demonstrated in what others produce. I've been fortunate to see some rise from not knowing how to save a file to... being high falutin' animators! Hopefully they are highly skilled at saving files too! Make no mistake though. Mine is a very small contribution if we keep everything in perspective . Considering what Martin Hash and those he has inspired have done for artists and animators throughout the world my piddly ways don't even begin to compare. I do consider it an honor to be associated with such remarkably talented people. Thats an honor I can contently go to my grave with. This then would be my challenge to you. Always remember where you came from. If you have to choose between being an animator and being a janitor... be both.

Ben, As far as I know Exercise 11.5 is still right there between Exercise 11 and 12 in the manual. It's quite useful for those who want to learn how to model realistic humans. For various reasons the exercise was never quite incorporated into the TaoA:M cannon. But it is there in the manual. Here is the search results for Exercise 11.5 found here in the forum. You are sure to find some interesting information. Everyone tends to start their own topic when they try to tackle Exercise 11.5. Its probably to post Ex 11.5 that way as you'll get more specific feedback. If you have the Extra DVD you have this exercise extended beyond just the face. Well worth looking into. As much as its important to be able to model a face I'd suggest modeling some simpler things first.

I'm a wannabe cartoonist from my days of youth that took a fateful turn toward animation. I'm not an animator as much as a student of animation. Here in the forum I get to learn new things every day. The whole idea of animation, the process, the production, the history and the people facinates me. Helping others reach their goals here in the A:M forum is of particular interest to me. ...and from time to time I sweep the floors and clean the toilets as a forum janitor. I'm glad you've launched into the tutorials as you have. You'll be animating with the best of them in no time.

Its a little like an online magazine subscription but not entirely. Its exactly the same program you paid for... perhaps more current... for $79. Many who use Animation:Master subscribe every year. The websubcription supports Hash Inc in their development efforts and helps keep A:M available at a reasonable price for everyone. Before we had to purchase the $299 CD first... then upgrade. Now everyone can get A:M for $79. The websubscription cuts these unscrupulous middlemen and those that take advantage of new users out of the equation entirely. I've noted more than a few companies are moving to this subscription model. For instance, after a beta cycle, the just released Celtx Studios v2, online project management suite, expects to go to a $50 per year subscription. I expect other companies will follow suit as this business model represents a considerable savings in development, distribution and support to the company as well as the customer. Note: I'm not trying to sell you Celtx here. Note: It is very much free. The part that is following the subscription model is for Celtx Studio for content management and online storage. If you are looking for scriptwriting and storytelling program though... check out Celtx.

Very cute! You are off to a good start already.

Others are free to disagree and prefer a more realistic style but I'll keep calling them as I see them. Now you've got me in the mood to see a good puppet show. I haven't seen one since I was... ahem... considerably younger. There were two puppet shows that really impressed me; Aladdin and Pinnochio. (unrelated to Disney) I was young enough that the details of the two blend together a bit. I do distinctly remember the cave scene from Aladdin. Impressive set with glittering diamonds everywhere. After experiencing those wonderful stories brought to animated life with only wood, cloth and string who wouldn't want to be a puppeteer!

I'd say this guy railroaded you and the makers of A:M but... what else is there to say. If he was going to pass it on he should have passed it on for free. Budget for a websubscription ($79) at the earliest chance you get. That'll keep you in good stead with the makers of A:M. They appreciate our support. I'm excited for you. Welcome to the A:M Forum! P.S. I know what you mean about perfect character voices. I knew a girl a few years ago with one of the most perfect cartoon voices for a cute character I'd ever heard. I never could get her to take me serious when I'd suggest she should look into voice acting though. Most people just made fun of her high voice.

Really? I must say, I think you might have accidently stumbled upons something really unique there. At first I thought your plan was to use these dolls as puppets where the performers were behind a screem using their real hands as the characters hands. I thought... pretty cool way to get the puppets to hold things! At any rate I think the large hands make the dolls considerably unique. I'd think their fans would too. Claim it as your special style or someone like me will steal the idea. I love mistakes. Especially when help us create such wonderful things.

Wow. Those dolls are very cool. They were obviously created with great care and attention to detail. I really like the difference in scale you've arrived at with the hands. (Seeing them in the dolls I almost prefer them over the scale of the CG hands) Keep those in a safe place. They'll be valuable collectors items some day! Edit: Now you've got me wanting to see the JWS puppet show!

Hey Gazz! Great to see you.

Everyone interested in filmmaking best be clicking on that link. That was really wonderful introduction Dusan. I'm speachless. Did the festival showings include a narrative or film the lead in by Iztok Mlakar or is that somehow incorporated into the film? The lead in alone is priceless. One can hardly wait to see the film. If you keep giving us little doses of 'Chicory and Coffee' like this you'll have us hooked for years.

Mark, You are a natural at this. I want to focus my remarks here on your first christmas card. I figure we'll have lots of time to discuss the last years. Your take on 'Its a Marshmellow World' is inspired. That you pulled that together so quickly impresses me. That you delivered it with such personality and entertainment... wow! This is an important piece of history. I'm so glad you included it here. I could go on and on about how you used simple animation to effect great storytelling. Perhaps another time? Ah... so guilt and technology helped produce such works of art? Everyone add those to your next Christmas list and we can all prepare to be inspired! I love the simplicity of your storyboards. Your use of cinematic anticipation (getting the audience to expect one direction then going the other way) is especially insightful and appreciated.

I want to talk about one of aspect of serialization that we want to watch closely. I'd call it 'Bob Denver versus Gilligan' if I ever researched enough info to make a go at it. Although serialization is everywhere around us it is still very much underappreciated even in this day and age. Back in the early days of television however they were still trying to figure out what worked or didn't work. Gilligan's island was one of everyone's favorite serial shows long before TVs had remotes. It was quite literally the 'Lost' of the first TV generation. What Bob Denver and crew had no way of knowing was just how popular the show would become. Looking back on the episodes today can be pretty painful at times but when we were living it... we were hooked. We were hooked by many things. But mostly by our own imaginations. Who could have known how valuable those serial shows were going to be in syndicated reruns or once collected on video and DVD. Who knew that the internet was arriving soon? Bob certainly didn't know.

One interesting digression/extension from the cliffhanger can be seen in the area of previews. I need to research this area to escavate more history. Shows like Barnaby Jones and Kojak and a whole host of other detectives series used the cliffhanger to good effect. The mystery was solved at the end of every show. Ah... the feeling of satisfaction you got with every resolution. After the resolution of that days mystery/cliffhanger the audience was then treated to a hint at the cliffhanger for the next show. Who couldn't begin to guess at how the mystery would unfold? In this day and age, showing previews with scenes carefully calculated to draw the audience back has become the norm.

Exactly. Shows on television perhaps more than other media are structured with just enough change to keep the audience interested from show to show. Of course its been stanard fare for as long as TV has been around to set up the ultimate cliffhanger to make sure the audience comes back from season to season. (For those who experienced it live... think Dallas's 'Who killed JR' season ending episode here) There is also the realities of production that factor into it. Set locations. Casting. Character development. The use of serialization in today's media has grown considerably sophisticated.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries serialization of storytelling easily found inroads into the new realms of radio and pulp magazines. The visual icononography of serialized comic strips captivated readers in ways that defied imagination. Readers could travel with their heroes into the worlds of fantasy and adventure and it was as real as what they could see with their own eyes on paper. The improvements in color and resolution in print and maturing of photography helped convince them. Publishers and artists discovered readers were more than willing to fill the gaps with their vivid imaginations. Eventually economic concerns would push many pulp and newspaper's comic strips into collections known as comic books. The popular heroes based on myth and legend were easily transitioned into the facinating new visual realms of cinema and television. Audiences traveled to strange and exciting places in the company of familiar characters. Characters who audiences most identified with made their way into the hearts and minds of wide eyed audiences and were recieved enthusiastically. Even before sound found its way to film, it was the serial stories that most held our attention. Serial Films Serial films were specifically designed to capture and keep the viewing audiences' attention. For instance, one of the hallmarks of a serial film used to keep audiences returning week after week; the cliffhanger. Who could resist returning to see if the hero could escape and live to fight another day. Of note in this paticular article is the line the author draws between serial films, series and sequels.

Who is the 3D computer animation equivalent Dickens, Edgar Rice Burroughs, or Steven King of our age? It seems those with serial staying power may be able to win that title for a day. Serialization has been a particularly capapable benefactor to creators of literature, film, comics, cartoons, and animation and other media over the past two centuries. No time to be idle: the serial novel and popular imagination, by Shawn Crawford (1998), is an article I propose may give a little insight into how modern day storytellers can control the passage of time and distribute animation through the internet to reach their intended audience. Its a historical look back to a future that is unfolding in this day and age. This article matter of factly states of pre-industrial age authors, "Everyone published serially', even those that hated it. As a storyteller serialization may be the most effective way for you to convey what you want to say. If you've got something to say in 3D animation serialization provides an effective means to say it. For additional thoughts on literary serialization see the wikipedia write up on serialized literature. The historical example used is 'One Thousand and One Nights' (Arabian Nights) where the heroine Sheherizade tells a new tale to the King every night in order to keep from being executed the next day. Is this not unlike the deadlines of our day?

That your film captures the language and times of these people of Slovenia as powerfully as it does alone would make it great. This would be just as true if 'Chicory and Coffee' never left the borders of Slovenia. But having escaped from that small region we all can share in part what it means to be Solvenian. Isn't it wonderful how language, sound and imagery can all come together to capture such things.

Hang in there David. Just drop us a note when you can. If you don't have a lot of time maybe you can just post a random pic of Bertram. We have yet to see him from every angle.