Ideas for the Next Community Project

[mtpeak2]

Slowly adding the props in.

[largento]

That's pretty spectacular, Mark!

[Shelton]

That really looks great!

 

Steve

[mtpeak2]

Thanks guys!

 

Working on window treatments. Trying to figure out the best way to rig them.

[mtpeak2]

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[Dagooos]

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Just read through this whole post. The set has come a long ways, looks great!

[Shelton]

Mark

 

I love that shot from under the steps

 

Steve

[johnl3d]

Nice set

[Vertexspline]

Its just spectacular looking!! Mark..... this shot from the fire escape angle is very real looking indeed. Kudos. Are there any vacancies to rent?

[mtpeak2]

Thanks!

[robcat2075]

I like that vantage point!

[mtpeak2]

I do too, but unfortunately it doesn't give you the full scope of the set.

[fae_alba]

I do too, but unfortunately it doesn't give you the full scope of the set.

 

It would if our main character (the one doing the observing) is hanging out on the fire escape,leaning against the railing at the corner.

[mtpeak2]

For me, the appeal of this vantage point is seeing the fire escape.

[mtpeak2]

Well, I added interior lights. I'm not sure how well this is going to be for all of you. The lights are setup in a separate model with poses to turn them On/Off, not a problem. The render time with the lights jump to just under 3 mins a frame, compared to 48 secs without the lights (inactive). In day scenes the light model can be set to inactive to reduce the render times.

 

So, do I leave the light model in, or let the animator add their own lights?

[Vertexspline]

Looks great Mark.....well If you have everyone use the same lights there would be a certain consistency in the look of all the animations but if you allow everyone to drop their own in --it will raise the creativity factor. I would vote for each person making their own.

[Fuchur]

Looks great Mark.....well If you have everyone use the same lights there would be a certain consistency in the look of all the animations but if you allow everyone to drop their own in --it will raise the creativity factor. I would vote for each person making their own.

 

What about using the predefined night and day-lightening and if you want to introduce more lights, you have to bring them into and out of the scene in some way, so that the beginning and the end are always default.

Could for example be done if the character carries a flash light with him/her, etc.

 

See you

*Fuchur*

 

PS: Just to mention it: Very cool looking set!

[itsjustme]

Incredible job, Mark! Very inspiring work.

[Shelton]

Mark

 

I really like the look that you have created. The lights are great.

 

 

Steve

[fae_alba]

How are we doing here? Is the set ready for release so contributors can start working on their piece?

[robcat2075]

Paul, before you release it to the masses, you might try a test with three people. Give them the "rules", have them each do a one or two second bit, and see if what you get back can be properly linked together.

[mtpeak2]

It's been done. No one answered my question on who to send it to.

[fae_alba]

It's been done. No one answered my question on who to send it to.

 

 

well then, pop that bad boy off to me, if you would. pharris430 at nycap rr com.

 

I'll put together the "rules". I need three guinea pigs, um volunteers, to do a dry run

[mtpeak2]

I sent you a dropbox link, the file is to large to e-mail.

[thejobe]

i cant wait to try this one out. so whats the premise of this one?

if you want to email it to me my email box can handle large files up to 20MBs

thejobe (at) optonline (dot) net

[TheSpleen]

Spectacular

[robcat2075]

I'm not trying to rush this before it's ready, just wondering what the state of the state is or if I've missed anything.

[fae_alba]

I'm not trying to rush this before it's ready, just wondering what the state of the state is or if I've missed anything.

 

 

I'm on it! I've got the project in my hot little hands. What I was intending on doing was creating a still to show the pov of the camera, so that contributors can pick windows. Then as suggested 2 or three initial contributors to work up at least an animatic so transitions can be planned before I get inundated with a nutload of shorts to put together. So tonight, I'll have the still, then we can take it from there.

[mtpeak2]

Wow, your just getting to this now. I thought we were waiting on the 2 or 3 people's test run.

[fae_alba]

so here's a start. Pick a window, any window. What I think will work best is for those who want to contribute to call dibs on a window by reserving a number. First come first serve. If you think you can crank out a concept quick enough let me know and I'll get you the project. This a way I can work out transitions, etc ahead of time then we'll open it up to the world to have at it. So look over the scene, pick a number, then respond here. The first 3 to volunteer for a quickie raise your hand.

 

 

[mtpeak2]

Hmm, that's the camera angle you want to use? You totally eleminate the building on the left and the alley way.

[fae_alba]

OK, so objections noted. I'm saying that these are the only options, but rather the pov of the camera. Shots can be all over the courtyard. Interesting side note, I was out looking for clips of Hitchcock's mover Rear Window, I came across this site. Good read on the movie as well as movie making. Essentially scenes can be anywhere, as long as there is some continuity to it, which is the point of the practice round.

 

Rear Window Continuity

[robcat2075]

Hey mark, what would you pick as the ideal camera viewpoint?

[mtpeak2]

I don't know about an ideal camera viewpoint, but I'd certainly not pick that one. The right side of the set, in the image, has no detail, it was meant to be out of view.

 

But if that view works for you, then so be it.

[robcat2075]

I don't know about an ideal camera viewpoint, but I'd certainly not pick that one.

 

Just give us your non-binding opinion of what you regard as the most felicitous view.

[mtpeak2]

Well, what was wrong with the original camera view that most of my renders were from?

[Paul Forwood]

I agree with Mark. This set was built to match Hitchcock's set and has much the same limitations and possibilities. The camera's point of view is not fixed horizontally and should allow the left side of the set to be explored. There should be another still to offer a selection of window numbers from the left side of the set. The single angle that you present is too extreme and exposes the right edge of the set, which is not meant to be seen.

 

To be honest, it has been so long since the set was finished, I thought that this project would never happen. I'm hoping for some sign that the director actually knows where we are going and can pitch the story to the creative team. Not sure I'm in yet. I need some convincing.

[fae_alba]

The issue with the original camera positions is that it is floating in space. If the foucs of this project is to as closely match Hitchcock's movie, then the POV needs to be anchored to a room, or in this case the fire escape. Yes, from that vantage, it limits the scene somewhat, but we are not locked into that position for the entireity of the work. Master shots, as well as shorter pieces involving the alley, and courtyard are all possible, as long as there is something, sounds whatever, that provides a method to tie it all together from one shot to another. I don't want this to be nothing more than a bunch of shorts strung together, that won't work for me. There are two threads going on in the forum of folks wanting to be involved in a project that they can point to and say, I'm proud to have been a part of that project; and also to say that project was done in A:M. My goal is to do that with this community project. For that reason, I want employ as many best practices as possible. The most important, for me at least, is continuity.

[robcat2075]

Here's my view on this...

 

We do need to find a chosen place for the camera..

 

There are two kind of shots n Rear Window:

-the things we see thru the eyes of Jimmy Stewart. These are all from the same point of view on the set (or cheated to fool us into thinking they are) because... this conforms to the premise that we are seeing with the same limitations that Jimmy Stewart has: He's stuck in that one room.

 

-everything else. The camera is not looking thru the eyes of Jimmy Stewart. It's showing him in his apartment and what goes on there. The camera is placed wherever it needs to be to show a detail

 

 

Our short is made up almost entirely of the first kind. The camera can restrict its view one window or use a wide angle to show more of the set but it doesn't move to a different vantage point. The camera can pan around the set but it doesn't move on a dolly to see from a new location.

 

We need the second kind of shot hardly at all. Perhaps one at the start to establish the premise of a charter looking out a window. Possibly other cutaways like it might be needed if two segments come back that absolutely can not be transitioned between with a piece of camera view, but hopefully a camera transition can always be engineered.

 

We won't have a developing plot like Hitchcock's "Rear Window" does. We are borrowing the technical concept of unifying random events by making them all be seen by one observer.

 

Since we are doing a short and not a feature we can strive to make it appear to be literally one continuous shot and not have to cheat it with with cutaways like Hitchcock has to.

 

We need a camera location that is more like the one in the film, centrally located and few stories high so that the whole set can be explored from that one vantage point.

 

It does not need to be in some window that exists in the set. If you want, I can do the first establishing sequence that sets up the premise and makes it look like we're in a building across from the set and we wont' need to build a whole new building on the set just for that purpose.

[fae_alba]

exactly my point Robert.. This is largely what the link I provided yesterday describes. A master shot to give the viewer such things as time of day, location etc. If a scene changes from night to day, another master shot is inserted to give that transition...But we need the opening master shot to start it off, then fit the other shots in as we get them, using whatever transition device we need to make it work.

[ernesttx]

How about reaction shots from Thom based on what he just witnessed/saw. Oh, and I'm in on this one. Set looks great mtpeak

[robcat2075]

Here's the actual view point from the film. This appears slightly lower than the third story of the building on the other side.

 

 

 

 

Here's a previous view from Mark. This is slightly more to the left of center and a bit higher. I think I prefer this not-exactly-centered viewpoint over the one in the film which looks rather flat. Right of center might be an option to try too.

 

 

 

It's not necessary to perch the camera on an actual part of the set, we can hang it from an appropriate point in space.

[ernesttx]

Just chiming in on this. My thoughts (and only my thoughts)...but would the camera view be set too far back to really "see" what might be going on in the apartments from some of the window areas? Unless it was render 1080p and seen on a 50" screen, it might leave too narrow a space to create action in the window spaces. I presume that a bit of zoom can be implemented to accomodate a "closer" view. And again, just my thoughts.

[robcat2075]

I presume that a bit of zoom can be implemented to accomodate a "closer" view.

 

Yes, the camera can zoom in or out to whatever is needed. The camera view is a view through binoculars.

[mtpeak2]

I was thinking more like this (which should already be set in the project), which is a bit lower than the shot Robert posted (which is also fine).

[Paul Forwood]

Looks good to me.

[fae_alba]

So with a window to anchor the view, this looks ok...

 

[robcat2075]

The window won't be necessary for any one doing their shot. Only in the opening sequence will such a thing be needed.

[fae_alba]

agreed

[mouseman]

I like the latest vantage point. One observation ... it looks a bit far away. Can maybe the focal length be increased by 5% or so?