Short Titan sequence

[Glob Studios]

This is a fairly simple sequence approaching Titan (moon of Saturn). I'm trying to put together some video to go with songs on the prog rock band Gekko Projekt's upcoming CD. Many of the songs involve a science fiction story about being marooned on Titan. Any comments are welcome and appreciated!

 

Titan Test #1

 

-Vance

[robcat2075]

I think the composition would look more interesting if Saturn weren't so horizontal and if both bodies weren't front lit. If they were more side lit or rear lit they would make interesting shapes.

[Glob Studios]

I think the composition would look more interesting if Saturn weren't so horizontal and if both bodies weren't front lit. If they were more side lit or rear lit they would make interesting shapes.

Thanks, Rob; those are good suggestions!

 

-Vance

[Simon Edmondson]

This is a fairly simple sequence approaching Titan (moon of Saturn). I'm trying to put together some video to go with songs on the prog rock band Gekko Projekt's upcoming CD. Many of the songs involve a science fiction story about being marooned on Titan. Any comments are welcome and appreciated!

 

Titan Test #1

 

-Vance

 

 

Vance

 

my suggestions would be to try to animate the surface textures and maps to introduce more variety within the objects and rings. Any Nasa sequences of Saturn that I've seen (effectively stop frame sequences ) highlight the stormy nature of the planets atmosphere. In particular the red spot that is a giant storm that seems to drive the motion of the gases circulating around the core.. It would not only add variety to the sequence but act as a contrast to the more stable surface of Titan which, I seem to remember, is thought to be a frozen surface ?

regards

simon

[Rodney]

I was going to suggest tilting the camera but see that Robert has already got that suggestion into the mix.

 

General aside: If it's an option and you are going for a more stylized look (in animation/movement) you might consider adding the spaceship itself directly in front and constrained to the camera ala the view of a first person shooter. This thought occurred to me when I started to contemplate how to suggest scale during the approach to Jupiter's moon. If the spaceship stays the same size as the camera moves forward that would supply that sense of scale... suggesting these objects are huge.

I suspect you are going for a view outside the spaceship window so... no spaceship needed... thus my thoughts for aside #2:

 

Aside #2: You could also throw in some space dust/distortion by placing a moving image that is almost entirely transparent just in front of the camera.

My initial thought here would be to create a cube and fill it with a noisy material that is entirely grayscale. The black would suggest space particles the viewer is traveling through.

If opting for adding the spaceship the spaceship could actually proceed through this layer (perhaps animate the materials so they accelerate toward the camera).

This to suggest the considerable depth of space traveled between Titan and the viewer.

 

This last one is mostly post work so don't let it distract you.

 

Looking good!

[Glob Studios]

Vance

 

my suggestions would be to try to animate the surface textures and maps to introduce more variety within the objects and rings. Any Nasa sequences of Saturn that I've seen (effectively stop frame sequences ) highlight the stormy nature of the planets atmosphere. In particular the red spot that is a giant storm that seems to drive the motion of the gases circulating around the core.. It would not only add variety to the sequence but act as a contrast to the more stable surface of Titan which, I seem to remember, is thought to be a frozen surface ?

regards

simon

 

Thanks, Simon! Having Saturn turn is a good idea, though the NASA videos are long time lapse sequences that exaggerate the motion. But having the clouds move on Saturn, like they would on Earth seems like a good idea.

 

Titan has an orange haze atmosphere lower down, which effectively masks surface features.

 

-Vance

[Glob Studios]

I was going to suggest tilting the camera but see that Robert has already got that suggestion into the mix.

 

General aside: If it's an option and you are going for a more stylized look (in animation/movement) you might consider adding the spaceship itself directly in front and constrained to the camera ala the view of a first person shooter. This thought occurred to me when I started to contemplate how to suggest scale during the approach to Jupiter's moon. If the spaceship stays the same size as the camera moves forward that would supply that sense of scale... suggesting these objects are huge.

I suspect you are going for a view outside the spaceship window so... no spaceship needed... thus my thoughts for aside #2:

 

Aside #2: You could also throw in some space dust/distortion by placing a moving image that is almost entirely transparent just in front of the camera.

My initial thought here would be to create a cube and fill it with a noisy material that is entirely grayscale. The black would suggest space particles the viewer is traveling through.

If opting for adding the spaceship the spaceship could actually proceed through this layer (perhaps animate the materials so they accelerate toward the camera).

This to suggest the considerable depth of space traveled between Titan and the viewer.

 

This last one is mostly post work so don't let it distract you.

 

Looking good!

 

 

On #1, it was already my plan to add the spaceship. The camera path is intended to show the spaceship alternately from the right and the left side of the ship. I just wanted to get the environment nailed down first. #2, I would never have thought of, but it's a great idea! Thanks!

 

BTW, I found it very useful to do some adjustment outside of A:M. I added a filter to increase saturation and another to anti-alias the frames. The latter gave it the smooth look.

[MMZ_TimeLord]

FYI, I had an accurate orbit model with all the known bodies in the solar system, I think it went to the extras DVD at one point. Not sure.

 

All the planets, even Pluto when it had just been demoted, their moons and lots of fairly high resolution textures. I also modeled their orbits and rigged the whole solar system. If you need it let me know, I'll find a way to put it up on the net.

 

Cheers!

 

EDIT: Found my old post with my whole solar system project uploaded HERE on the forum!