SO...Y'WANNA MAKE A MOVIE?

[Kelley]

As the Pleistocene was ending, and just before the Apple II hit the market, [c.1970] I had moved to San Francisco. Being a graphic designer with fair-to-middlin’ design skills, but little drawing ability, I became enthralled by the idiosyncratic styles of the underground comic artists. Somewhere inside me, a voice said ‘you can do this’. It took a while, but I eventually put out two issues of “Four-Fisted Tales”. [just as the underground days were ending] After Issue#1, I posted notices at local comics stores looking for artists to back me on Issue#2. Thus I met Norm Silveira.

 

As we rubbed along building Issue#2, it became clear that we each focused on different aspects of the job: my energy was highest while generating sketches, writing tales, composing pages and making sure all the text fit. After that came the final inking. It was tedious beyond belief. But Norm was the other side of the coin. He drew well, but it was slow going for him, and he was not interested in the writing. But…he loved to ink. He had even sent for Marvels packet of [Xeroxed] pencil pages for Inking Wannabees. He referred to inking as “the ice-cream of comics”. We began to see that we were a perfectly matched team. Then a drunk driver got him.

 

I tell that story to demonstrate my bias toward 3D. When I got computer literate [1994] I discovered Strata Pro 3D, and I was off and running again. However, my real enthusiasm remains on the front end of the project. I love to design, write and model. Animating is interesting, but tedious. I suspect that I don’t have it in me to be an animator. Soooo…we come to the crux:

 

I should very much like to partner-up with somebody out there who would like to take my models of The Sentinel, and Beast, rig them and make them go. It will call for a few more models on my part [like some landscape bits] but the movie is essentially very simple. It requires only the man and rider to walk across the surface of this spitball-sized ‘almost-a-planet’ while he broods on his isolation. He gets supplies, but no communication. He wonders if he’s been forgotten. Could the war be over? How would he know? Is his life being thrown away on a useless task?

 

He always screws up his courage, and renews his belief, that not only is he doing an important thing, but it will be he who first sights the enemy. He will sound the alarm that will save humanity. He will be a revered hero. But after that, the air always goes out of the balloon, because, “Why? Why don’t I ever get any mail?”

 

And that’s it. I’ll do the extra models, supply storyboards [all input welcome] and basically be a director if somebody [or more than one ] will rig and animate. I’ll stitch the clips together in Premier Pro. I’m thinking of a six minute short. The Sentinel only needs to be boned from the waist up since he never dismounts. Certainly he has to talk, but there can be longish shots with voice over.

 

AND HERE’S ANOTHER THING…

 

I have a store of A:M models sitting around doing nothing. I would be happy to make these available to the Hash community. If you get a project done using one, or more than one, give me a credit and a copy. If you make a million dollars, keep me in mind when you get a big-budget project dropped on you [because of all those righteous models!]. But basically, no restrictions. Commercial, non-commercial. All same same.

 

For those of you who have not renounced Satan and all his polygons, check my website.

[ www.robertgkelley.com ] There’s a host of polygon models there. Also sitting on my hard drive gathering dust.

[robcat2075]

I hope this housecleaning doesn't mean you're giving up on the stuff you've been working on recently here. The glimpses we've gotten look fabulous.

[martin]

Robert, you need to get involved in TWO!

 

You could learn to animate, starting small; work with a bunch of other beginning animators; see how difficult (or easy) the process is; then move onto your own project using both the animation and management skills you've learned.

 

Heck, if you have your piece all ready to go, you could even get the TWO team to animate some of it between TWO and TWO II (or whatever is next).

[Dhar]

This is so unfair I would love to work on your project, but why now? Why when I'm so involved in TWO?

 

Evil, I tell you. Pure evil.

[Kelley]

Robert, you need to get involved in TWO!

 

Sweet Jaysis! The Grand Poobah himself! And straight from the halls of Oz. If I could blush over the internet, I would be doing so now.

 

As to your suggestion: OK. Yes, I'd like to take a shot at something small. [no walkin' and talkin'] I have mulled over touching base on TWO, but the project appears to be beyond the design, modeling and texturing stages. My concern has been that the skills needed at this point are a bit beyond me.

 

With that said, pick something out for me, and I'll happily give it a shot. Among the 'nuts and bolts' things I do enjoy is lighting.

 

Robcat: it's not properly a 'housecleaning'. I'm not tossing the models out, I'm just opening the vault doors for anyone who would like to use them. As I will continue to use them. At the moment though, I've got too many possible projects to do justice to any. Plus, as far as getting a project to completion. I have always been most productive when I've teamed up with someone else. Alone, well...I have the East Coast franchise on using time unwisely.

 

Dhar: check the zip file. Putz about with it at your liesure. There's no rush out here in Westport. There's also a second .zip file with textures, but it's taking forever to upload. Probably too much unused stuff in it. I'll pare it down and post it later if anyone needs it

THE_MAN_AND_HIS_BEAST.zip

[Rodney]

Robert,

Great news to hear you'll be working on TWO.

You are sure to find some collaborators for your future projects while working on it.

 

I know there are several scenes coming up that Martin hasn't yet assigned requiring layout.

I've seen your work so I know you'd be up to that.

 

As far as lighting goes I think the majority of TWO still needs to be lit.

 

Thanks also for the generosity.

Your models... wow! I'm impressed. Speechless is more like it.

Thanks so much for sharing them with us.

 

Rodney

[Kelley]

Great news to hear you'll be working on TWO.

 

Thanks Rodney. Your gracious response means a lot.

 

Now...who do I report to for my first assignment?

 

As to models: I have been promising myself for some time now to overhaul my website. Now I guess it's time to knuckle down and do it since none of my A:M stuff is up there. I'll break the 3D section into [1] A:M, and [2] All others...and post the models and textures there. It's been so long that I'll have to re-learn GoLive again, but hey..! [...and FTP stands for what?]

 

In the meantime, anyone can contact me through the Forums and I'll send .zip files.

 

ps: I guess I would be well advised to upgrade [from v.11] now?

[martin]

Now...who do I report to for my first assignment?

I'm your Project Manager. Send me an email so I have your address, and I'll return the "TWO Recruit" email to get you started.

 

In the meantime, anyone can contact me through the Forums and I'll send .zip files.

We would love to include your models on the "Extras" DVD. Please send them to steve@hash.com.

 

ps: I guess I would be well advised to upgrade [from v.11] now?

I'll pretend I didn't read that... (My stomach is growling from lack of food.) We are currently using V14 on TWO.