RAWR
wiped my mac
removed all the crap
saved all the goodness
got OS X 10.7 RAWR
is rather tasty
DP: TV Intro
So here is the final TV intro as described in my earlier post.
Overall very happy with the final outcome and was worth the heartbreak of destroying my wonderful creations, enjoy:
DP: Making an introductional intro
A short TV based intro for the LastDays brand.
The idea came after I had constructed a series of small foam board buildings. Each was time consumingly cut out and modelled on or based around buildings from 1950's America.
The original concept was to project onto the buildings to give the impression of movement, thus creating a mini city.
But as the whole LastDays is based upon post apocalyptic theme, I decided it would look too cool for school if I were to physically destroy the buildings on film and use that as the basis for my Intro.
As painful as it was to watch my hours worth of work burn before my eyes, the end result was perfect.
I used the cast of AMC's The Walking Dead as I loved the comic and love the show.
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Breakdown:
- Created buildings out of foam board
- Set up a mini studio using my white chest of drawers and spot light
- Arrange the buildings into four separate scenes
- Set camera rolling, then piece by piece burn the the buildings, also added extra carnage with some old BBQ ash and coals
- Edit the shots of my hands out, and merge all four scenes into one
- Add an aged look and some vignetting and scratches to the footage
- Add credits and cast list, and some fitting music (a mix of shareware piano rifts and bass rumbles)
- enjoy final outcome
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Below are some locational shots:
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Video to come next post (once vimeo is completed uploading it 
)
Peace
DP: Promotional product (not my product…)
A last minute flash idea:
To produce a mini little piece of promotional goodness, in the form of a 'build-your-own' LastDays city.
So the idea will be to create a little version of one of the buildings I created out of foam board for TV trailer.
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The item would be a collectors piece aimed at kids and adults alike. Perhaps it would be made from more sturdier materials if commercially produced, but I do like the whole foam board aesthetics and think that it helps relate back to the brand as the original buildings from the tv trailer were constructed in the same way.
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I made a little brown box, instruction manual and stickers to help the collector on their way, I also made a version of the flat pack kit to photograph for a reference and included a copy of the photo in the box.
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DP: Book printing
So book completed and sent of to the wonderful guys at BLURB.
They needed it in two PDF's, one for the cover and one for the pages.
It was my first real experience with InDesign and it was learning curve to be sure.
BLURB does provide PDF and InDesign templates to help design and construct the book and its pages.
After a little help from vegetarian dictator with InDesign I managed to correct the colour styles, typefaces and general layout, ready to be sent of to the printers.
I had aimed for a book of 20-25 pages long, in the end the total page count was 22 excluding the cover, so not bad going.
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I attached the cover PDF below, as you can see it is spread across both sides of the book and includes a section for the inside cover.
I wanted to include the painted style artwork on the cover somewhere but did not want it grace the front cover, I really wanted to try and keep it simple and to give it that 'brand' feel by just using the logo as the front side of the cover, and leaving the back page for a semi-translucent version of the shocked 50's house wife.
The pages are on a rather large PDF so as a result can not be posted here as a downloadable file.
But have included a quick video breakdown as a nice way of presenting it on a more user friendly digital aspect.
sfx: credit due where credit is due
So ryan 'the better twin' tyler has created some rather tasty little end credits for our sfx production.
We wanted to go for a simple fly through style animation that would only last a few seconds but would convey all our names (I know that is the basics of any credit sequence)
Below is the original version:
I just felt that it would benefit from a bit more of a dirty atmospheric look, one that would match the aesthetics of our final piece. So I added some dust, scratches and overall scum to give it the look we wanted.
final edition below:
sfx: breakdown, like i breakdown your backdoors
As part of our final presentation for the sfx module we decided it would be great if we included a little breakdown of how we constructed each section and how they came togther to create a the overall AMAZING sfx video we created.
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See below for the video
DP: Posters
Starting with the first assignment whey (cheese reference) back at the start of the final year, when Mark asked us to give him 3 high-res images/posters related to our DP and its theme.
It really got me thinking about how brands use posters as a major source of promotion but also as a method of continuing a brand outside of the usual print/screen based mediums.
They can also become collectors items, which again helps to boost a brands popularity.
I wanted to create some new ones, and as a result I only used one of the original images I did back in October. And even that image was altered to match it to the rest of the newly created ones, and also to help link back to the original aesthetics of the brand.
So in the end I managed to complete six individual posters related to different aspects of the brand:
1.
Taken from the poster I made at the start, it was based upon the building, Roosevelt Towers, which I created as a replacement for the world trade center, which in the alternate universe of 'LastDays' was never created.
I wanted to created an aged look to the poster, and also wanted it to appear to be an old tourism poster promoting travel to the towers.
2.
The second poster was based upon the idea of another 'in-world' poster a take on the 'uncle sam' recruitment poster.
Another one with a bit of a dirty look.
3.
The third isa poster that was based upon a scene from the graphic novel that I had originally done, but one that did not fit into my finished graphic novel.
Yet I liked it so much thought it would make nice poster.
4.
The fourth was a promotional poster for the TV show, depicting the mini buildings I created burnt out and post apocalyptic.
This is also the only landscape poster.
5.
The fifth is the first of the graphic novel covers, showing the Roosevelt buildings constructed in type.
Also then made old looking.
6.
The last one is the other graphic novel cover, showing the shocked 50's house wife. Again old looking.
Below is the combination of all images, low res as the full ones are A1 & A2.
Peace
DP: Front cover
Just finished one stage of the front cover, post before I go sleep sleeps:
Scared 50's house wife sees something that is scary and scares her so scared she is scared to be scared!
night
J
PP: Show Logo
Theme: old durrty furniture mixed with clean digital work.
With this in mind I wanted to give my hand a little logo action and try and mock up one and see what the rest of the class thought.
So the title is misce11any and with a theme of oldie furniture and shabby old wood.
Played around with a few layouts in illustrator and had a look the recent logo special of ComputerArts magazine.
First Draft:
The main idea here was to try and give the impression of muddled up and mixed letters that still read as a single word. I added the lines underneath to try and frame the image. After discussion marky mark decided to try and enlarge the 11 and remove the lines.
Second Draft:
Works better I believe as it is a bit clearer and also flows left-right easier then the first draft. After showing it to Mark he said to give it a go with some more 'classy' colours opposed to the black & white feel.
Coloured Drafts:
and my personal favourite: (all kinds of french goodness)
DP: Oh my..
In the process of designing the front cover for issue 1.
I am wanting to convert this into a print for a poster once completed and want this to have more painted feel. Like the front covers of marvel where the cover art far exceeds the inside drawings (majority of time).
Like for example:
DP: Boom boom boom boom, I want you in my room…
So for some venga boys inspired pages for teh graphic novelz:
and then there was explosions
Some afternoon delights
Off subject simply because I need these light reliefs:
Not sure why but Connery in a red nappy
Wizard?
DP: Thats so Raven
Oh wrong one, meant to post some images of the ravens or such like bird I have been drawing for teh graphic novelz:
I went with the little old raven as they have been used as harbingers of doom, disease & cheese though out history. They also have linkage with norse mythology and were Odins eyes and ears around the world.
DP: Dirty Documents….
Completed some more dirty ol' documents and paper work for the pages of issue 1:
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights: Unlike our version of the Bill of Rights, this worlds version of the bill was created to give everyone in C.R.A equal rights, no matter of race, religion, colour or favourite swedish pop group.
The idea was to try and establish that if a few things had changed in early U.S history the world could have been a better place (or at lest as good as it is now just faster!)
I also created an old dirty coloured one for printing out as perhaps an 'original' copy:
DP: Scenes of a graphical nature
On with teh bookz:
I have been carrying on with the pages for issue 1, which now has a title - 'beginnings'. I know so subtly clever.
Anyway this scenes are part of the section that will explain the lead up to the main story, basically the alterations I made to historic events of North America. By using an old destroyed storage room that conveniently contains all the information the readers need 
The information section will appear on the left hand page of a run of 14 pages. On the opposite right hand page of each spread will be some sort of scene with action slowly unfolding alongside the information.
Old filling cabinet:
There are six little bits of information dotted around the filling cabinet, for example the files in the bottom draw. The idea is to remove one in each scene and show a blown up version with the relevant information.
Formation of C.R.A (Constitutional Republic of America)
A letter for a correction to a history book, that basically just informs the reader of the new name for U.S.A and the date of it (wonderful darling)
DP: Poster numero uno
Creating the posters for 'LastDays' and this one is themed on a building that I created as replacement for the World Trade Towers (which in my version of reality were never built) called 'Roosevelt Towers'.
I went with a block colour, screen print-esque style poster advertising a tourism poster for the buildings.
The aim is to 'dirty' it up a bit before final print (A3)
Completed:
*edit*
dirty one is done, bit more of a post-apocalyptic feel to it:
DP: Logo change
So I have moved from:
to the new and improved:
The changes are quiet prominent and drastic but i feel that the newer designs hold a bit more personality then the original ones I created in stage one of the double project.
The reasons for the change were a two fold:
First I felt that I could not just use a pre-made type (filmtype lasalle which I did purchase!) and just plonk it down as a logo, I felt that it was lacking in design and was just a static font. So decided to try and create a more stylised logo.
Second reason was that although the original fitted with the whole 1950's style it still flet a little unrelated to the title 'last days'. So I wanted to created one that linked with the whole 'end of days' apocalyptic theme of the brand - with the T from last becoming a cross. Also choose a stronger, square based type which again helps to create a more harsh & strong feel to the brand.
On a side note it also helps that the image is perfect for converting to posters, cards & other promotional items alongside special printing methods such as vinyl cutting.
Jamie
DP: Concept for book
Book & book and of coarse the book, need to be created and need to be done fast!
So today I started to compile my sketches and arrange the different parts of my narrative into a little prototype for the final design.
Went with creating 'issue 1' of what will be a long running series, but of which I will only be making the first one (fully).
Layout as follows:
0 : title page
1 - 2 : credits & information
3 - 4 : issue 1 cover
5 - 22 : story element & main content
23 - 24 : next week previews
25 : back cover
With the plan all ready, I downloaded the InDesign templates from BLURB and started to create what I hope will be a successful book.
Completed the title and the credits & information pages. Screen shotted below:
Thinking it will be black & white
Jamie
PP: Glo and make a lightbulb
Thanks to the vegetarian mutant I got offered a wonderful little opportunity, in the form of a quick redesign of a energy saving LED light bulb by 'GloLighting'
Was a really interesting little exercise and I was chuffed to be asked to do it.
I started by looking at imagery associated with Barbados and drew up some concepts which included these key aspects and the new energy light bulb. I decided to create it using a mix of photoshop, illustrator and aftereffects, and aimed to make a prototype box for the bulb and a little animation for the web/smart phones.
I wanted to show a sunny ol' place, yet not orientate it around tourism, but instead display a more domestic side of the country.
Above is the box design I went with, bright blues and soft yellows/greens help to create a very natural feel which seemed to be one of the main points of the new bulb.
Above is the final video, little bit of post production to give it a bit of a weathered look.
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Over all I was happy with the outcomes, especially for a weeks work.
After meeting with the guys from Glo I feel that they liked josh's 3D versions a little more but still felt that mine went down well for a first time pitch.
First of many (hopefully)
Peace,
Jamie
I ain’t Russel brand, and this ain’t no booky wooky!
So part of my final concept and proposal for the double project was to create a graphic novel / illustrated book.
Been looking a few different sites that offer some form of printing:
BLURB - The first recommendation from the vegetarian mutant (Mark). A really easy to use site that offers a number of different ways to upload & create your very own printed book. Seems to prioritise photographic books more, but not sure if this is just because average joe will mostly be aiming to create sucha thing. They offer loads of paper types, book types and a huge array of size options.
SIPSCOMICS - a rather 'interestingly' designed website for custom comic printing services. Seems to air on the more bulk orders but does offer numerous sizes and shapes and specialises in comic printing.
ENDEAVORPRINTING - another one of those 'well constructed sites' yet does offer a nice little small run comic book printing service. Seems to be the cheapest overall site yet offers the lest customisable content in regards to the other two.
Thinking that I am going to go with BLURB as they provide some handy InDesign templates and pre-made PDF formats to ease the book creation process.
I am aiming for around a 20-25 page book, on matte paper in a dust jacket cover, at 200mm * 250mm landscape.
Now to just fill those pages....
Been a long time:
sfx: destroyed canary warf
a quick mock up for sfx, canary warf as photographed by william.
so the task was show reels, here are some of my favourites and ones that most link to my work:
- showreel for a graphic designer: brunoarujo
- A beautiful 3d work based one: artificalparadise
- A nice little one from a motion graphics artist: fraserdavidson
- Here is a nice article and tips on making a nice showreel: computerarts
and lastly my favourite showreel ever!! sooooooo good imagemanagement
MASTERS OF THE WEBSITES!
PP: Ass1 – Tutorials
So to go alongside my work for Aimee I wanted to create a group of tutorial files to present aswell.
PP: Ass 1 – template no more
So finally think i have got the theme to a presentable format:
SFX: fog off
testing some fog, and also testing it on r12 instead of r11.
Seems that certain aspects of the plugin work faster in r12 and render slightly more efficiently.
SFX: render tests
So been playing around with the nice shinny citykit and aftereffects. Trying to create a softer, more realistic look yet still keep it styled.
Really need the live footage to composite it into and test it out but a nice way to start some testing.
SFX: Citykit
whoop change of plan on our sfx work today, no more lego more will smith.
tasty will smith....
.
on a side note brought citykit today and playing around with it, with the intention of compositing it at a later point.
simply because i do
a little bit of colour grading, too yellow but a rough test that does in fact create a more realistic look.
PP: Ass1 – changing
so after much annoyance with the last theme have decided to go with the glider one instead
lots of fun to come