Star Wars Episode III [COMPLETED]

[ntbullock]

I've started preliminary work on my next project. At this point I'm not really saying exactly what it is because I want to get a few things off the ground first. This project would involve a lot of CG work and compositing. I've spent about a week doing research on greenscreens. I've order an 11'x12' screen and a stand. I'm looking into software for compositing, and I'm trying to corral a stable of capable 3D animators. I will say that it'd be an Imitation Milk Production. It's being written right now by myself and Eric Kohn who helped me pen "A Glitch in the Matrix". I've already cast it, and hopefully within the next week or so things will start coming together. Here goes...

[ntbullock]

Ths script is getting close to being "finished." I've started work on some of the costumes. I've also been doing some greenscreen tests with varying success. You can see some pics of the screen here:

http://forum.sequentialpictures.com/viewtopic.php?t=273

I'm still needing some capable animators at this point. The project will almost entirely be shot in front of a greenscreen, so I can always get animators at a later point in production. Maybe within the next week or so I'll be confident in announcing the project. Hopefully, this'll garner some interest with animators. Coming together...

[ntbullock]

Today I had a meeting with Eric where we came to a 90% complete script. It's enough to go ahead with for this type of project. I'm working with my mother to make some costumes. She's been great about it. I plan on doing some more greenscreen tests, so I'll know what I can get away with. Also, there are a few props to be made and those are being designed.

[ntbullock]

Everything is moving along. Hopefully, principle photography will begin within the next week or so. Work is still being done on costumes and props. More greenscreen tests have been done, as well.

[ntbullock]

A third round of greenscreen and bluescreen tests have to be done. Yoda is green, so I've had to get a blue background, too. I got in my TwistFlex from Amvona.com the other day. It's got blue on one side and green on the other. The Yoda mask came in today and I need to test it in front of the blue screen.

Tonight Eric and I worked on the Vader costume. A lot of time has been put into it. Again, props to mother. It's coming out very well. We are modifying the Jar Jar and Yoda masks so they look half way decent and can be articulated at the mouth. They're going to look a little silly inherently, but this is a parody. It's all good.

I announced the project yesterday on the site and I'm hoping to snag a few capable 3D artists. Usually, I don't really mention productions on the site until they're almost complete, but I felt it necessary for this project. Been a long day...

[ntbullock]

Today I worked more on the Vader costume and I'm looking into creating some simple 3D backgrounds myself. It'd be nice to create a few and be able to light a scene specifically for an already complete environment. I don't plan on getting too extensive with the 3D myself. I kind of got burned out on that doing the first Star Wars trailer.

[ntbullock]

I've downloaded about 20 usable environments from http://scifi3d.theforce.net. There're some great meshes there that are pretty much already lighted. I'm still looking for some animators, but I'm preparing for other avenues.

I believe today that we are finished with the Vader costume. I'll try and post a picture. The costume will work out great for a parody. We might start shooting sometime within the week. There's also been very minor modifications to the script.

[ntbullock]

Here are some pics of the 95% complete Vader costume. This was put together by Judy Bullock, Eric Kohn and I. It was fun putting together. It's absolutely ridiculous. It'll be funny... we think.

[ntbullock]

Well, tonight [actually yesterday now] Eric and I had a miserable time with the greenscreen doing some tests. Ug. It went very well the time before. A good night's sleep and another stab may be in order. Very tricky stuff. Must sleep now.

[ntbullock]

I don't think I've ever done so much research and extended my bank account so much as I have to make this possible. Tonight I played around with the footage we got last night with the greenscreen. After spending more time with it it wasn't as bad as I thought. Also, we did learn quite a few things. Also, tonight Eric and I shot a Yoda mask against a small blue screen. I think DVMatte Pro is better suited for greenscreen (as is DV in general for that matter). Regardless, though, we were able to get some decent results.

I don't expect perfection with all this. I want to learn about it and be able to say at the end of the project that I can pull it off. That's my goal. I think we've got one more night of tests before we start principle photography.

I've also got an animator to help out with a couple of shots. Nothing much, just a few shots. I may have to scale back. No problem, though. Like I said earlier, I'm preparing for not having ANY animators.

[ntbullock]

Today was a little less productive, but I'm still trying to gather all the little necessary pieces together. I went and got some more supplies, rendered out some new backgrounds, and worked on some props a little. Not much else.

[ntbullock]

Last night we had a meeting and we looked at numerous background images I rendered out of 3DS Max. We assigned the different environments to certain shots and figured out a couple more that we need to get. I'm going to start drawing a few simple storyboards this weekend. Maybe Monday or so Eric and I are going to do another round of greenscreen tests and maybe get a shot or two in the can. We'll also shoot all of Yoda's scenes before anyone else's because he is seperate against a bluescreen. Eric has taken it more upon himself to create the body of Yoda. I had ordered the mask and I think it'll work suprisingly well. We are definitely learning a lot from all this and that was the point. Now I'm off to try and learn a little more of the basics of 3DS. We also have to get back to making our rediculous droid. Plenty to do...

Oh, and I released the title today (big whoop, I guess): Star Wars Episode III: A Lost Hope

[ntbullock]

Today I drew up some rough storyboards. I also did a little research. Eh, not too much else. I've been a little sick lately and Eric has been busy, as well. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll get those tests done and maybe get a real shot in the can.

[ntbullock]

Tonight Eric and I did our last round of tests and were pleased. We also went ahead and started principle photography. We got three shots in the can. I'm working on correcting the background stills to match the angles to what we shot and adding "noise" to the otherwise still backgrounds. This will help sell the image better. It has begun!

[ntbullock]

Well, we shot all of Yoda's scenes tonight in front of a small bluescreen. I hope we got it all because it can be a pain. More a pain for Eric than anything else. His forearms were about to give. I'll tell ya, though, it was hilarious... to us anyways. Right now I'm trying to get After Effects and Keylight working. It apparently does really well with bluescreen. I'm finding that some shots key fine with one program and others key better using different methods. Definitely an art to all this. Learning, learning, learning.

Just a note: Eric is supposed to be shooting a behind-the-scenes video and nothing has been shot. Yep. He's THAT busy. I'm a slave driver. No, really, something will be put together I'm sure. We both have been trying hard to figure out all this. Props to Eric.

[ntbullock]

I've been obtaining and learning Keylight, which ships with After Effects 6 and up. It's a great keyer and it definitely handles bluescreen better than DVMatte Pro. I'm also looking into Magic Bullet, which can repair some of the inherent video artifacting that can affect the keying process. I've already done some of the comps for the shots we've already done. Yoda was the only bluescreen element and that's why I started looking into Keylight - more researching, tutorials, and manual flip-throughs. We might try and shoot something tomorrow night. We're still waiting on a few costumes to come together, too. My freelance work kicked up today a bit, and I also had to send back an external harddrive. I didn't get as much done today as I'd like, but what I did get done was a good thing. Well, back to Keylight...

[ntbullock]

Tonight was arduous, but it came out well, I think. We only got two shots, but they required a couple of props/ingenuity. We even had to re-shoot one of the shots because of a continuity issue that Eric and I promised we would be conscious of. At least it was caught... by Eric - I'm oblivious. Anyway, we laughed our asses off. It's just ridiculous some of the shots we're getting. Good stuff. Eric actually brought his camera and started shooting some behind-the-scenes footage. I'm not sure how we are going to put that together (released afterwards or during). I've still got to learn Keylight, too. I'm exhausted. We worked for about three hours tonight for two shots. Whew.

[ntbullock]

Well, this day has been spent capturing what was shot last night and software tests. I'm testing Keylight, Magic Bullet, and DV Matte Pro. I'm also trying to nail down exactly how I want to add grain to the backgrounds. Today has been about tiring minutia. I'll have to say that Keylight is great. Although, it's nice to have a good keyer in FCP, so DV Matte Pro has it's ups, too (such as light wrap, which bleeds the background onto the foreground). Ultimately, I'll be using both AE and FCP for keying and compositing. After all that is done I'll have to re-record 90% of the dialogue (we don't want it souding like it was all done in a room, do we?). Lotsa work to be done.

[ntbullock]

Tonight I've been doing some compositing and learning Keylight a little more. I went ahead and started on one of the more complicated compositing shots we've already captured. I got a really good start on it.

[ntbullock]

I've been doing some more compositing. I can see that I'll probably be compositing as we're shooting. It's actually a bit to keep up with. I'm trying to think about my workflow and what folders I need where to categorize everything.

Well, it's been about a month since all this truely started. Are we as far along on the project as I'd hoped? No, but I'm on a different timetable than most people. I've had to do so much research to even get decent results. It's taken awhile to prepare everything (not that the preparation is completely done).

Tonight Eric and I will most likely work on a prop and possibly shoot some smoke elements.

[ntbullock]

We got the prop done. I cut my finger doing it, so I can say that blood and sweat have been put into this (I don't shed tears).

I shot a lot of smoke footage moments ago - it's capturing now. I've got a small smoke machine and I made a black backdrop that hangs form my ceiling. I actually made it out of black bed sheets back when I shot the "It's Finally Tomorrow" music video.

I've been corresponding with a couple of animators. I've scaled everything back a lot with that. It's for the better I think. The point of this is to be funny and too many obligatory graphic shots could ruin the pacing and ultimately the point.

[ntbullock]

Tonight Eric and I got together and worked on making some faux darts for a scene. That took awhile. I also went by Wal-Mart to get something and they didn't have it. I ALWAYS see them there except the time I need one. Christmas holidays are going to be as silly as ever. This sucks because when I'm working on a project I tend to go to Wal-Mart a hell of a lot more than usual. Either way, we got a little done tonight. We're knocking out some of these props. I wish the costumes were going the same way.

As of right now we've probably got about 4 shots and all of Yoda's bits in the can. Considering there are about 40 "scenes" I'd say we have a long way to go.

[ntbullock]

Had a bit of freelance to do today, but another smaller prop got done. It involved purchasing a particular product, tearing apart the container, scanning it, altering it, printing it back out, and afixing it to another container. Yeah, all that.

I've also been working on a costume a little and am about to do more of that right now. So, here I go.

[ntbullock]

Today was spent completing a costume. Tonight will be spent shooting 4 scenes that were dependent on that costume. This costume is Padme's, who is played by Michelle Flowers [she'd kill me if I didn't mention she was my girlfriend]. Jared, a friend of mine from college, is supposed to come down and help a little (you could also call this "hanging out" for those who like to work - "Find something you love and never work a day in your life"). I'll try and post on how the night went. So, whatever you do don't go to sleep without reading this possible post. Really, how could you sleep anyway?

[ntbullock]

Tonight we shot all of Padme's material. I think it went well. We definitely got some laugh-out-loud moments. Well, that takes care of another character.

[ntbullock]

I've actually been taking a little break because we got all of Michelle's shots the other night when I expected to get them this weekend. That just kind of worked out. We have to reshoot one of her bits, but we'll do that next week. Now, back to relaxing a bit, catching up on some freelance, and playing Metal Gear Solid 3.

[ntbullock]

I've been going through the footage we shot of Yoda and Padme/Anakin and choosing scenes. I've been doing some tests, too. We shot a clip in front of a greenscreen involving a pickle. I had a feeling I could still pull a decent key from it. If I couldn't then I knew I could just mask it back in. It looks like it'll key, though.

I've got a couple of people working on a 3D set. I'm not sure if it will come together. I have a backup plan just in case.

I'm interested to see how the holidays will affect my schedule. It may work to my advantage - hopefully.

[ntbullock]

Tonight Michelle and I had a reshoot. Eric brought up a good point that we needed a small reaction shot from the princess and after some thought I agreed. So, I shot that tonight trying to match the lighting from the other night. Then I reshot something that should've been framed a little different to allow ease of manipulation. Then I had to reshoot a sunset scene of mine because the sunlight was on the wrong side of my face. I also wasn't pleased with my eyeline - twas a tad off.

I've done a good bit of rough comping last night and today. I posted a few stills on the site. I don't want to give too much away, so I try to keep in mind what might possibly spoil a joke.

I've found that some shots key better using Keylight in AE and others do better in DV Matte Pro in FCP. So, now I'm switching back and forth quite a bit. This is quite an undertaking for a "simple" project.

[ntbullock]

Didn't get too much done today. I'm in the process of procuring a cloak for The Emperor. Hopefully, we'll start shooting his scenes this weekend. Tomorrow night Eric and I are getting together to try and get the few Jar Jar shots done. This also involves a few props, so it should be interesting. I've been corresponding with a couple of gents who are helping with some logos and backgrounds. I've also got a lunch with Sarah Friday about the make-up. We've got a bald cap, a face burn, and the Emperor's face to touch up.

I'm going to try and get Padme's voice-overs before she leaves town Saturday. I think about 75% of everything we record will have to be looped in post. The sound isn't that great where we are shooting. During the pickup shots the other night there was a karate class next door. No, that wasn't loud at all.

[ntbullock]

T I M E B R E A K \\\
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The forum got hacked. I won't get into specifics because I don't want to give anyone credit. This means, though, that I've lost the posts since Dec. 8th, which was the last time I backed up the forum database. Quite fortunate, actually.

I'll try and briefly recap:

We had a huge shoot on Saturday 11th. We shot all of Scott's material [Palpatine/Emperor]. Sarah Rials and Anthony Washington [Borpheus] helped with make-up. Matthew Magee, an old friend, came down from Jackson to help. I started working at 10 that morning and finished at 3:30 the next morning. I think that's my record - 17 1/2 hours straight. VERY productive. We shot an hour and a half of footage that night. That's quite a bit for me.

A few nights before that we shot Jar Jar's scenes. That was absolutely ridiculous. It took four attempts to make him talk and not look even more retarded than he actually is. Good stuff. Here's a pic from the first attempt. I call this character Retard Tard Binks:



Eric and I the other night went through the footage we shot of Scott and I on the 11th. It took about 3 hours to go through it all and choose our shots. We then pieced together a few sequences. I've been comping them the past couple of days. A teaser poster was also created and posted to the site. I may be forgetting a few things, but I can always edit later.

Today Eric and I worked on the droid prop and Anthony's costume.