Still Active

[Ilidrake]

I'm still plugging away at this! Been doing models and working on refining my animating skills. I am also still rewriting the script.

 

Speaking of which!!! Hey Rodney, how's about some feedback?

[robcat2075]

How's that broad jump doing?

[Rodney]

Speaking of which!!! Hey Rodney, how's about some feedback?

 

I'm always good for feedback.

What do you want feedback on? (Where did we leave off?)

[Ilidrake]

I believe you had downloaded the latest chapter and was working on marking it up. Let me know what you have. The broad jump is coming along slowly. I'm at work so i only have a couple hours a day to work on it. Should have something soon though.

[Ilidrake]

A little update for anyone who reads this.

 

Me and Rodney have turned this into a little group project I guess you could say. I've been finishing up the script rewrite and he's been proof reading it and giving me great insight and feedback. I'd have to say we make a good team.

 

Hopefully we will have it finished up soon and can start the animatic!!!

 

Stay tuned...

[Ilidrake]

Great news! We are finally to the point where we can begin the story boarding process. I'll be constructing a sound booth in my house to record audio! Things are getting crazy!

[Ilidrake]

Finally made it home! So I have 28 days free to work on this as much as I please. I'll be concentrating on the scratch track, animatic, and models. Wish me luck.

 

I sent you the files for Death via email Rodney.

[Rodney]

I sent you the files for Death via email Rodney.

 

Just saw the email.

It may be a few days before I get to dive into it but I will.

Thanks for sending it my way.

[Ilidrake]

Facial rigging I think is the most tedious aspects of doing a model. I just started on the Latimer model and so far I have smile and frown complete. I'm using the poser/cp method which works really well. I am also using Magpie Pro for the phenome breakdowns. It's nice. But I still have to go through and do each pose. And boy does it take a while shoving cps around.

[Ilidrake]

And so the gears keep moving. Rodney and I have successfully set an svn up and will be using it to keep files synced between us. I have also created a wiki so we can track the film's progress as we move along.

 

Yep...things are inching forward...

 

Of course with the wiki now up I have to determine if this is still a valid place to continue updating? I would like to hear everyone's thoughts on this before I decide one way or the other. It does take a bit of time to update the posts and what not. But it makes me a little bit happy to know that people are coming here and checking my work out.

[Fuchur]

And so the gears keep moving. Rodney and I have successfully set an svn up and will be using it to keep files synced between us. I have also created a wiki so we can track the film's progress as we move along.

 

Yep...things are inching forward...

 

Of course with the wiki now up I have to determine if this is still a valid place to continue updating? I would like to hear everyone's thoughts on this before I decide one way or the other. It does take a bit of time to update the posts and what not. But it makes me a little bit happy to know that people are coming here and checking my work out.

 

Did you use the internal A:M feature for the SVN? (better to say connect A:M directly) or did you do it externally?

I never really had a look at it, but I think it has a big potential.

 

If you can share some info about that, it would be highly appreciated .

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Rodney]

Did you use the internal A:M feature for the SVN? (better to say connect A:M directly) or did you do it externally?

 

Connection to SVN internally in A:M is a bit limited.

As such, most opt to use SVN externally.

 

The only way I can see A:M and SVN being effectively useful together at this point would be through a Library file maintained within the repository.

(However, that Library file would have to be maintained manually unless someone wrote a utility to automate it... that'd be hot!)

There was some functionality in an earlier version of A:M that attempted to allow Right Clicks to commit files to the repository from the main windows/PWS in A:M,but from what I can tell that functionality had issues and was removed long ago. About the only internal aspect of SVN still in A:M that may be useful then appears to be in the Community window (TWO Movie tab) where we can Commit and Update files to the repository (my recent test didn't work because no files had recently changed in the repository... so I'll test again later to be sure it is still working).

 

For most people it'll be easier to Right Click on the file or folder in the operating system and Commit/Check Out via Tortoise SVN or other similar program.

 

Having said all of this, when collaborating with others online, use of SVN (or similar versioning program) is highly recommended.

It's a long way from perfectly optimized for filmaking (such as with programs like Shotgun) but it works.

 

Added:

Average time to access Update/Commit in A:M: 5 minutes (if it works... still haven't confirmed yet)

Average time to execute Update/Commit in operating system: Less than 1 minute (a few seconds if you know exactly where the folder/file are)

 

Perhaps the primary user interface hindrance in using SVN within A:M is that access to internal commits/updates via SVN is from the Community window which requires it's own separate login. The multiple logins can considerably slow down the process whereas one click commits not tied to the Community window would be optimal. This might be otherwise if there was increased functionality or views of SVN data (or some other compelling reason to login to the Community window but outside of perhaps community chat there currently isn't.

[Rodney]

The good news is that Update/Commit via the Community window still works.

A:M is a little stubborn in keeping the path to the local commit folder in place. It took a few times opening and closing A:M to get it to stay.

 

At any rate. It works.

[Rodney]

Update: SVN in A:M is working a whole lot better than I anticipated. In fact... this is great stuff.

That's what I get for doubting the power of A:M.

 

The trick seems to be to get the local commit location to remain persistent.

Without that persistence, A:M can't tell what has changed locally in order to be committed.

 

Regarding the login... once logged into SVN and the community window the time to execute a commit/update is pared down to seconds.

 

There are aspects of using SVN with A:M that still appear to require use of the operating system and that is when individually moving/changing files outside of A:M.

It'll be interesting to test a better workflow that is wholy owned and operated from inside A:M.

Stay tuned...

[Ilidrake]

Staying tuned...but working on a model while I do so...

[Rodney]

The verdict at this stage is that A:M and SVN is a great way to go.

 

There are several 'tricks' to making everything work optimally.

One is that the files need to be saved at least once in order for SVN and A:M to carry out the workflow properly.

Saving directly to the commit folder from A:M accomplishes this and TortoiseSVN recognizes the file for subsequent commit/upload.

 

I ran a few tests linking in files and such and am really pleased with the workflow.

Looking very good from this angle.

[Ilidrake]

Sounds solid then? If only I could have gotten you access to my local server. I still haven't given up on that and will be working to make it happen. Until then we'll use Assemblia. I think my ISP will provide be a DNS server for like 6 bucks a month so we'll see. I know you would have access to that

[Ilidrake]

I started this project on Jan 22,2012. So it's been over a year. And my has this project changed. Not the direction so much as the entire vision. It's still the film I envisioned when I started writing the script.

 

What has changed mainly has been the characters.

Not the look of the characters mind you. No, not at all. What has changed is who they are. Each of them has their own thoughts, opinions, dreams. And as good as I thought I knew them, I did not. Not completely. They still keep secrets, and the more I explore the world they dwell in the more suprised I am at what I discover about them.

 

I can only strive to see this project complete so you can meet these people too.

[Ilidrake]

Me and Rodney had our first Skype conference last night and I think it was very productive. Not too mention almost 5 hours long. We covered a lot of ground, from software usuage, character and story arcs, to modeling and outside influence. But through it all we managed to stay on track and we had a lot of good info going back and forth. And it really helped me recharge my batteries and refocus my direction.

 

Good stuff...

[robcat2075]

Keep on chargin' !

[Ilidrake]

Finding a good balance between real life and your hobby is quite difficult. I'm currently at my "real job" and it's really getting in the way of me doing what I love. But not to worry. I will have some updates within the next few weeks.

[Ilidrake]

This project has grown. I mean beyond what I thought it would be. It was originally a poem. Then a 3 minute short. Now an hour and 15 minute feature. It seems daunting. But anything worth doing usually is. And after a year I still have the drive to complete it. More so now than ever because as I create models and sets I get to really "see" the people I have written about. I can almost identify with each one at this point. And in reality there is a little of me in each one. To some degree or another.

 

One thing slowing me down is direction. Thus I have stopped modeling and drawing and have been focusing on creating a production form where I can track every aspect of the film. One reason beyond the obvious for this was I noticed I was modeling things that aren't needed until further down the road. So now with my new spreadsheet ready I can break the script apart and create only the things needed for a current scene or act.

 

And believe me, it's nice having a road map.

 

But fear not, me and Rodney have not quit, I'm at work and I haven't even slowed down. I'm just getting some structure and foundation under my feet so that later, when Woke up Dead is finished and another project pops up, I will have the ground work layed and things will proceed smoother...

 

...and there will be other projects...I already have another script cooking in the brain. Lucky for me I can write the synopsis down for later.

 

Cheers.

[Ilidrake]

So I am still here plugging away. A minimum of work done since my real job this month has been a real killer.

 

On another note I actually came up with another story. So the question is do I continue trudging along or do I halt the project to tackle something a bit more doable. The new story I came up with is simply a 3 minute short, if that.

 

Can I simply halt what I have so far and start something new? This has come up many times in the past, and not just to me but countless others. And this has been the death of what I believe to be many great ideas. So do I continue or stop to work on something that can be completed within 6 months? Do I come back later? I am eager to hear your opinions.

[Rodney]

Nothing says you can't work on more than one story at the same time.

[markw]

Well consider, most production houses would in fact have three if not more projects running; one in production, one in pre and one in post.

So yes why not start another smaller project as well. I would only add that even if nearly all your time is going into the new project keep the primary one going as well don't stop completely!

There are benefits;

1: When stuck on one, switching to the other project clears the "registry" as it were!

2: When you come back to the first you will have a fresh set of eyes on it!

3: Use the secondary project as a test bed for things that can be directly applied to the primary project.

4: Any experience gained on the secondary project can be folded back into the mix on the primary project thus making it better still.

[largento]

I've struggled with this many times, myself.

 

For years, I would hop from new shiny project to new shiny project, leaving behind a ton of unfinished projects. Yet, I also worked almost exclusively on The Wannabe Pirates for four years ...and burned out.

 

Having pondered all this, I realize that I need to have something to work on as a re-charger a diversion. The stages of a project are such that you start out very excited by an idea and then eventually move into a stage where it just becomes work and then usually there's a renewed energy as you near completion. When you are in that long work period, it's helpful to be able to steal some energy and excitement from beginning a new project.

 

The danger is spending too much time in that new project and ending up in the work stage on more than one project. Now, you've got nothing to draw energy from and you're in danger of abandoning both of these projects.

 

The other option is trying to capture some of that energy from the accomplishment stage. Break the project into a bunch of smaller projects, so that you are continually finishing parts of it. It's a weaker energy, though.

 

Having abandoned ship so many times before, I wasn't prepared for what happened after I finished Stalled Trek. The vacuum that was left sent me into an almost year-long depression.

 

To keep from having that happen again, I decided to go back and finish the unfinished Wannabe Pirates story. It's not something where I'm starting up a new project, but it is something that I can use as a buffer so that when The Wobbling Dead is finished, I've got this continuing on. I have another project that's germinating, too.

 

I remember this interview with comic book writer Cary Bates. He said that he'd spent some time watching soap operas and realized there was a structure to them. As one storyline was reaching it's peak, another storyline was just starting and a third storyline was "just getting to the good part." This meant that by the time that third storyline got to it's peak, the second storyline would be getting to the good part and so on and so on. It kept the viewer hooked.

 

I think this plan of mine is very similar. Just as The Wobbling Dead finishes, The Wannabe Pirates will be getting good and I'll start on that third project. If I keep adding to the pile, there's no reason I can't stay hooked on doing them for years to come.

[kwhitaker]

I SAY continue! I have always loved the name. "I woke up dead" ' I haven't the expertise that Mark has, but I've been plugging away for 10 years on Just A Wooden Sword almost 50 minutet. If I don't cut any more out.

I LIKE what Mark also said about Finnishing each segment, it's not quite so daunting. at the end you'll have a feeling of accomplishmentmt. Just my thoughts

[Ilidrake]

The project continues!!! I know I haven't been active on here but I assure you I am still hard at work on this. As always, thanks for the feedback and keep tuned for updates.

[Ilidrake]

Sorry Ive been so quite on here. Haven't quit working. Had to get a new PC. Anyhow, things still chugging along.

[Rodney]

Sorry Ive been so quite on here. Haven't quit working. Had to get a new PC. Anyhow, things still chugging along.

 

Glad to hear it Lloyd. (Not that you had to get a new PC... that things are still chugging along)

 

You've been missed!

[Ilidrake]

Well after a long thoughtful moment I think that this story would make an excellent point and click adventure. i'll post updates as i delve into this...

[robcat2075]

"point and click adventure"... what does that mean?

[Ilidrake]

Back in the 80's and mid 90' point and click adventure games were the craze. Google King's Quest for the best example. I've been toying around with unity again and i'm giving serious consideration to this...

 

And I've been practicing my animation and have found that I can animate for a game engine pretty good....

[Fuchur]

Back in the 80's and mid 90' point and click adventure games were the craze. Google King's Quest for the best example. I've been toying around with unity again and i'm giving serious consideration to this...

 

And I've been practicing my animation and have found that I can animate for a game engine pretty good....

 

point and click = point you mouse and click somewhere and the character interacts with it. many great games with that kind of control were created. you may know some of these: day of the tentacle, monkey island, sam and max, run away, full trottle, etc. not all of them are strictly point and click but they are close.

 

let us know about your progress please. i love those...

 

see you

*Fuchur*

[Ilidrake]

Point and Click games are some of the hardest to develop. And not because you need AAA content. The trick is in the puzzles. Even with Unity and great artwork if the puzzles fall into a click fest of just clicking wherever and hoping for the best, the game fails. But, with this and my attention focused on models for the movie progress sludges forward.