The Revenge of Red Riding Hood

[satyajit2000]

 

My next independent animation film

 

THE REVENGE OF RED RIDING HOOD

 

based on a lost story of Brother Grimms has been Greenlit!!

 

This is going to be a 30 mins Film for Direct to DVD. This will be distributed worldwide by Animvision Inc.

 

Credits List : Still going on

Artist and Art director : Nephtali Leal

Voice Artist : Nipobithi Ghosh, Barun Chanda, Rita Roy, Dhruv Mukherjee

 

This thread will periodically post highlights of the production blog of this project.

THE R3H PLOG

 

This blog is going to be an extensive and exclusive ‘Production Blog‘. Describing in details the entire process of making this film. From production design to final cut.

 

So, be with us in this journey. Pre-production will start from 1st September 2007.

 

Satyajit

[itsjustme]

Congratulations, Satyajit! It's good to see your hard work being rewarded.

[T-Dogg]

Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!

[KenH]

Whoohoo.....another fairy tale gets told properly!

 

Is Animvision your company? They seem full square behind your projects!

 

http://www.animvision.com/

[Dhar]

Awesome! Another winner from Satyajit

[satyajit2000]

Whoohoo.....another fairy tale gets told properly!

 

Is Animvision your company? They seem full square behind your projects!

 

http://www.animvision.com/

 

 

Thanks you all.

 

No, Ken, Animvision is not my company. It's a child of a MNC having their offices in East Coast, Ukraine and India. With a strong marketing and distribution team.

 

Yes, they are supporting me to a great length. Although still a minuscule, but I certainly got a little more scope as far as budget is concerned. This venture was initiated by my first unreleased film 'Sil & Rub' and it was strengthened by 'Hansel & Gretel. They plan to release 'Red Riding Hood' and 'Hansel & Gretel' together in a 1 hr DVD in US.

 

In the near future Animvision plans to become more involved in supporting independent animation filmmakers. Specially hashers. Also, I think they are going to support the TWO project and Hash Inc. May be another good news for Martin and the TWO team.

 

Thank you all for supporting me through Hansel & Gretel. I plan to make Red Riding Hood much better than that. For that I'll be needing your support again.

 

Right now, at this moment, I found the team that I developed is broken. One of the artist (Main BG artist) joined another studio. And another (Trainee Modeler and character designer) just called me an hour back to tell me he's going to Bangalore (an Indian City) to join a big institution as an art teacher. Not a good news for me.

 

But if you are with me, I'll sail through this.

 

Satyajit

[ruscular]

This is awesome and historical as well. Telling a story, and old story that was lost, and forgotten.

 

Not only is this just another animation, but resurrecting lost work that has a part in history.

[KenH]

Right now, at this moment, I found the team that I developed is broken. One of the artist (Main BG artist) joined another studio. And another (Trainee Modeler and character designer) just called me an hour back to tell me he's going to Bangalore (an Indian City) to join a big institution as an art teacher. Not a good news for me.

 

That's a real shame. The backgrounds were particularly beautiful. I hope you get someone as good.

[satyajit2000]

Right now, at this moment, I found the team that I developed is broken. One of the artist (Main BG artist) joined another studio. And another (Trainee Modeler and character designer) just called me an hour back to tell me he's going to Bangalore (an Indian City) to join a big institution as an art teacher. Not a good news for me.

 

That's a real shame. The backgrounds were particularly beautiful. I hope you get someone as good.

 

Yes, it's my immediate problem. I'm working on it Ken.

 

Meanwhile check my latest post

 

Into the tunnel - before the Green Light (Part 1)

 

Satyajit

[Rodney]

I was wondering what you had been up to lately Satyajit.

Glad to see you've been actively developing new properties and finding distribution too!

 

Best of everything to you and your team in this new adventure.

 

Added: Your blog has already enlightened me concerning aspects of the Red Riding Hood legend I didnt know about. It'll be great to see 'the rest of the story'.

[satyajit2000]

I was wondering what you had been up to lately Satyajit.

Glad to see you've been actively developing new properties and finding distribution too!

 

Best of everything to you and your team in this new adventure.

 

Added: Your blog has already enlightened me concerning aspects of the Red Riding Hood legend I didnt know about. It'll be great to see 'the rest of the story'.

 

Thank you Rodney, you're one of my inspirations to do my animations. I'm on my journey to breaking the myth that feature quality animation films can't be done by individuals or garageband like small teams. I WILL BREAK the door that keeps indie animation filmmakers away from their audience.

 

And if I break it I'll show everyone exactly how I did it. So, keep watching the PLOG.

 

About the story : Yes, this story is going to be interesting. This story has never been told. It's surprising, isn't it? For a story this old.

 

Check out my latest post

 

Script development - Before the Green Light (Part 2)

 

Satyajit

[Rodney]

Satyajit,

Your enthusiasm alone is inspirational enough.

That you back that with your talent and networking skill makes your effort appear as if you are refining gold. It may take time but thats to be expected.

 

For those interested in the process and production of short film Satyajit has been providing some great insight into the process.

 

Follow the link above to his second blog for instance to see how the open source program Celtx is incorporated into the workflow in Red Riding Hood preproduction.

 

Great stuff Satyajit.

Keep it up.

[satyajit2000]

Thanks Rodney for your continuous support,

 

Check out my latest post about how I consulted major script writers to get my script a industrial standard polishing.

 

Script Consultancy - Before the Green Light (Part-3)

 

Satyajit

[satyajit2000]

Hi,

 

Check out my latest post about researching the artworks that have been done already,

 

Inspirations

 

Satyajit

[satyajit2000]

Hi,

 

Check out my latest post about fishing out voice actors from my city and preparation for the recording session.

 

Voice Recording (Part 1) - Finding the Artists

 

Satyajit

[Rodney]

You really left us in suspense on that last one Satyajit.

I hope the final auditions turn out great for you.

 

Its interesting that you just posted your update.

I had just plugged Celtx in the Off Topic forum.

I hope to check it out again as I find time.

 

Thanks for keeping us up to date on your project.

Do you have preliminary sketches/concept sketches yet?

[largento]

Hi, Satyajit!

 

You're blog is fascinating and especially interesting to folks who are wanting to do their own films. I wanted to ask you a little bit about your process with using painted backgrounds. I'm wanting to do that with my project and I have a basic idea of how to make it work, but I wonder if you could talk a little about what the challenges are and offer some tips. I watched Hansel & Gretal and the backgrounds were not only beautiful, but the integration with the 3D elements was really good, as well.

 

Mark

[satyajit2000]

Rodney,

 

The concept arts are being developed. I'll post them soon. I have the recording tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm also planning to videograph the recording sessions and made them available to you.

 

Largento,

 

I've used painted backgrounds in a large way. I've done so because I had my reasons. 1) It's hard to find a 3D artist who'll match the 2D arts over there. 2) Audience really cares for a good visual and I hate the game like feeling of most of the 3D animations. 3) The rendering process is much quicker if you use a 2D background than a 3D set. 4) I don't want to push A:M to it's extreme regarding set designs because I don't have the resources to get thru technical loopholes. 5) And the last, I love paintings, the medium is much more mature than CG.

 

But as you said there are challenges 1) A 2D set means very limited camera movement. Limited camera movements makes the film look slow. 2) There's a difference in the look and feel of background art and foreground characters. You have to texture your character in that fashion. 3) When there's an interaction with the background, a challenge develops. I sometimes use shadow only models in the background that'll conform the shadows to the 2D paintings to give illusion of 3D. In other times I use front projection. Sometimes I had to color the elements as blue/green keyable so that they can be helpful during compositing. 4) There's another challenge regarding particles. They always creates problems in rendering as alpha. I used 2D particles. Combustion2, Digital fusion has very interesting particle system. I use them in those particle scenes. And for the other scenes AE is perfect. It blends so well with photoshop, that I can actually precomposite the shots in photoshop and AE takes them in as a breeze.

 

In this procedure you have to storyboard a shot, paint the bg, take it into A:M and put the characters, manage the foreground/interaction/light and shadow matchings and render out the scene as alpha. Then take a frame of the foreground 3D with alpha, the bg painting and other elements and precomposite them in photoshop. If you want to correct some tones do them using adjustment layers. Take this layered .psd into AE and replace the foreground3D with the A:M rendered sequence. And voila. You'll get your final render.

 

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any more question if you want to.

 

Satyajit

[largento]

Thanks for the reply and the excellent info!

[satyajit2000]

Hi,

 

Check out my latest post about how I found 'MY ARTIST' for the film.

 

Concept Art (Part 1) - Finding "The Artist"

 

Satyajit

[Rodney]

Please send my congratulations to Nephtali ‘Nep’ Leal for assuming the role of Artist and Art Director for 'The Revenge of Red Riding Hood'.

 

It looks like you've made a great choice.

...and I look forward to seeing more of his work!

[KenH]

That's a winner.

[case]

This looks like one great project.

 

Keep us posted!

[satyajit2000]

Please send my congratulations to Nephtali ‘Nep’ Leal for assuming the role of Artist and Art Director for 'The Revenge of Red Riding Hood'.

 

It looks like you've made a great choice.

...and I look forward to seeing more of his work!

 

Yes, I've conveyed your greetings to him Rodney. My voice recordings are done. I've arranged a video shoot of the actors in session too. I'll post them soon.

 

Satyajit

[satyajit2000]

Hi,

 

Check out my latest post about the voice recording session. There's also a video clip of the voice actors in action.

 

Voice Recording (Part 2) - The Recording Session

 

Satyajit

[Rodney]

Now that was fun!

It looked like everyone was having a great time.

Some nice character for your characters are in those voices too.

 

When I closed my eyes and imagined the voices coming from onscreen characters... a chill ran up my spine. (Thats a very good thing I think)

 

A very nice sampler.

Keep it up!

[Dhar]

Thank you for the behind-the-scene peek. To me, that is the most critical part of the aimation. If the recording isn't good, it will be noticed in the end product. Those voices sound great, especialy Mr. Ralph (Wolf), he has a great voice.

[satyajit2000]

Those voices sound great, especialy Mr. Ralph (Wolf), he has a great voice.

 

Thank you Dhar,

 

I've been playing with the voices in Adobe Audition. I'll post an update on that soon.

 

Meanwhile my artist 'Nep' is churning out great pieces of concept art. Check it out

 

 

Character Design 1 - Red Riding Hood

 

Satyajit

[thekamps]

This just keeps getting better and better! I love all the details we get to see.

Thanks!

 

It is always good to throw a little twist into everything but I wanted to make sure it wasn't a translational thing.

"Brother Grimms" or as traditionally written "Brothers Grimm" - They are two brothers. The first stands out as odd/twisted though

[satyajit2000]

This just keeps getting better and better! I love all the details we get to see.

Thanks!

 

It is always good to throw a little twist into everything but I wanted to make sure it wasn't a translational thing.

"Brother Grimms" or as traditionally written "Brothers Grimm" - They are two brothers. The first stands out as odd/twisted though

 

Yep, That's a mistake by me. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll correct that mistake.

 

Satyajit

[satyajit2000]

Hi,

 

 

Check out the Next character. His name is Ralph, and he thinks he's an extraordinary chef!

 

Character Design 2 - Ralph

 

Satyajit

[KenH]

That's looking great! This is going to be your best one yet. I can't wait to see these guys in 3D!

 

Just another Nitpick on the slogan....I think there's a "the" missing (and maybe an apostrophe?):

 

The lost tale of The Brothers' Grimm

[animas3D]

This is great stuff. Best of luck, and keep posting.

 

Joe

[satyajit2000]

That's looking great! This is going to be your best one yet. I can't wait to see these guys in 3D!

 

Just another Nitpick on the slogan....I think there's a "the" missing (and maybe an apostrophe?):

 

The lost tale of The Brothers' Grimm

 

uffff... feel like blowing my heads off

 

Thank you Ken.

 

Satyajit

[satyajit2000]

Hi,

 

Here's the next character 'Granny'.

 

 

Character Design 3 - Granny

 

Satyajit

[NancyGormezano]

Wonderful looking characters, great style

[satyajit2000]

Wonderful looking characters, great style

 

Thanks Nancy, working with Nep is fun. He's so full of creative energy. Check out his next work. Modelling is underway. Will post soon. I'm trying to Post the models through WebHA:MR. It'll be fun if I manage to do that. But, it seems difficult to post java in php coded sites like mine. Does anyone have any experience over this?

 

Check out the next character, Charles the hunter. He's very interesting to model.

 

 

Character Design 4 - Charles the hunter

 

Satyajit

[KenH]

I'm trying to Post the models through WebHA:MR

 

That would be so sweet. Maybe Jon (guy with the babe in his sig) has done it or if not, maybe ask Ken of Hash directly.

[satyajit2000]

Couldn't figure out a way to post WebHA:MR in a blog. Too complex and I don't have to research into that right now. May be I'll post a html.

 

Meanwhile check my next character Randolf. He's going to get severely beaten up.

 

 

Character Design 5 - Randolf

 

Satyajit

[steve392]

Another nicely modeld and interesting charector.Your site is graet to visit and the storys you tell well made ,graet stuff well done to you

[satyajit2000]

Thank you Steve,

 

Check out my last main character, the mother of Red Riding Hood

 

 

Character Design 6 - Mother

 

Satyajit

[KenH]

I really hope this style can be achieved in the modeling and especially the textures. Is Nep doing them? This short is going to rock if you can.

[satyajit2000]

Ken,

 

Yes, no one but Nep is doing the textures. I'm doing the models and Nep is constantly reviewing them. The modelling by far is proving to be challenging and exciting. It's a pleasure shaping out a fresh style in 3D.

 

Satyajit

[case]

AMAZING

1.ideas

2.models

3.Work flow

 

KEEP IT UP

Ca$e

[nimblepix]

Wow! These characters are beautiful!

Thanks a lot for letting us watch this movie progress through the different stages.

[satyajit2000]

Thank you all for watching the Production process,

 

Here's the first 3D model for your viewing and comments

 

 

3D Model 1 - Red Riding Hood

[KenH]

You just keep getting better and better. That's a great lead character. Cool expressions too. One small observation would be that if you're going with a bow at the belt on the front, to maybe also put in a couple of unlooped ends too (like a shoe lace)......if it is actually a bow of course.

 

Is she all your own work?

 

Can't wait for the next ones.

[3DArtZ]

Looks great!!!!

 

Mike Fitz

www.3dartz.com

[largento]

She looks fantastic! Great work!

 

I was going to say that the fasteners on the shoes were on the wrong sides, but I see that the third figure has them correct, so I guess they've been fixed.

 

Can't wait to see the others!

[Rodney]

Wow! Very nice translation from 2D drawings to 3D model.

You've captured a lot of personality in her.

 

She looks wonderful Satyajit!