BSA226, alien inspiration, 29 February 2016

 Aliens from Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001)

 Plava Laguna, The 5th Element (Luc Besson, 1997)

Long, skinny, and blue aliens

Pa'u Zota Zhaan, Farscape (SyFy Network, 2000-03)

 Nilaam, "Vita Mortis" Farscape (look at the patterns on the fabric)

BSA206, NZ animator research, 29 February 2016

Find NZ animator whose work appeals
provide overview of body of work
choose one film an provide:
name of film
year
how well received NZ and overseas
genre/themes
influenced by and influences on


The Frog, the Dog and the Devil 
1986
Director Bob Stenhouse
nominated for Oscar, Best Short film, Animated 1987
Hugh MacDonald, producer
Martin Townsend 

nominated Ottawa International Film Festival
won Grand Prize 1986 Bob Stenhouse

genre: western

Fane Flaws on NZ on Screen

Radio with Pictures opening credits,  won two awards (one was 1989 Listener Film and Television Awards for Best Production/Graphic Design)
Fane Flaw's website

I really liked the Hide and Seeky? Bird animation but I can't find it...

Gaming, research, 29 February 2016

Interactive Fiction in the Classroom  My sister sent me this link.  We'll give this a go as the next generation of our collaboration.

Choose Your Own Adventure movie in the works

BSA206, animation history,NZ, 29 February

NZ film and animation directors
From Len Lye to Gollum:  The story of NZ animators
Len Lye made Tusalava in England
Rainbow dance- blend of live action and pictures
Fred O'Neil claymation for the National Film Unit
Plastiphobia
Bob Morrow, Sam Harvey and
Morrow Productions, Bob and Mike Walker
Trees
Flare on the Sun 1958

Harvey Productions
Story of Ice Cream? ad

John Ewing
immigrated to NZ, trained at Disney animation for ten years

Dick Frizzell worked for Harvey Productions for awhile

Sam Harvey animated Good Night Kiwi

Murray Freeth worked in England and came home to Christchurch
Cumie the Cloud

Euan Frizzell
The Wizard of Wallaby Wallow  and Hairy MacLary
Hairy first to use computers in the 1980s

Bob Stanhouse, Wellington,
The Frog, the Dog and the Devil  1986
used computers to amplify the effects on pencil drawn animation

Pat Cox, producer Footrot Flat's- A Dog's Tail
made in Sydney because there weren't enough animators in NZ
computers changed that

John Sheils used computers to make dancing figure on Countdown
first 3D computer generated film Red Scream

most animation done for advertising
Fane? the Under Water melon Man the Hide and Seeky Bird
(First NZ animation that I think looks good)

George Port worked on Meet the Feebles and started working with Peter Jackson on 3D in films
birth of Weta Digital/Workshop
Sir Richard Taylor
massive armies and Gollum (synthesis of 3D and mo-cap acting)

Andrew Adamson Shrek 2
started doing graphics and commercials in NZ before moving to US

Brent Chambers studied with John Ewing
first animation school

Ian Taylor, Dunedin, Animation Research, Squirt (Dear LORD! Never type "squirt" into youtube's search engine)
Dean Lyon, Wellington, Oktobor Animation, animation for medical research

Jamie Canard  Soup and Beyond Woolly Valley

Tim and Guy Capper, Jemaine Clement The Shed claymation

Mario Wynands, video game company SHE?
John Sheils also working in video games
Greg Page "crapmation" claymation put his effects into The Locals feature film

Kaleidoscope documentary from the 80s
John O'Shea- 3 films in the 50s

BSA226, 3D, character research, alien critters and plot synopsis, 27 February 2016

Abraham Sapien from Hellboy graphic novel

Abe Sapien from Hellboy movie

I was thinking about my alien junk peddler and what was going to happen at the end of the speed date.  I originally thought it would go off with a "blue" version of itself.  But I've been thinking about it having a little "pet" and inspired by the story of the Angler fish (the male is 1/20th of the female's size) I've decided to work with the look and size differential of that critter.  Abe from Hellboy's look is going to be influential in the creation of this alien.  We'll only see it's face and hands as it will be wearing a futuristic kimono covered in junk sort of thing.

I don't know what it is, but I love it's bio-luminescent quality.

male angler

male angler fish

Space junk peddler (some sort of alien) comes into the Mos Eisley cantina, "a hive of scum and villainy'.  It's speed date night..  It sits in a booth off to the side at a table with a light and a bell.  A series of weird aliens sit across the table: their faces are never seen, only the reaction on the alien's face, and a tentacle or two, hint at what they look like.  As the junk peddler is constantly rejected by the speed daters, the little "pet" sitting on it's shoulder looks on, first neutral then disapprovingly of the suitors as they ring the bell to end the round.  At last, the little "pet" skitters down and offers itself, seriously, as a romantic possibility.  The junk peddler hits the bell, signifying the end of the round.  The little "pet" is crestfallen.  But then the peddler offers a hand and the two leave together.  

male (small) and female (big) angler fish

BSA226, character research, kimonos, 27 February

The costume should be a mishmash of Japanese kimono, unusual textures/materials and some futuristic design.

unusual fabric choice

tabi feet, possibly three toed/flippered

asymmetrical styling 

environmental mask that sits on front of face, then pops off

bare skin, chest and back

stuff stuck in elaborate hair

backpack looking thing and hair

stuff bandoleer

giant hat

like the Klimt head rising out of the patterned body

capri pants/board shorts with heavy boot

barrel obi

rigid shrug

stiff headpiece framing face, metal chest and wrist jewelry

kimono made out of riveted pieces

work in some African textures and headpiece

rumpled fabrics

hood

metal bits like coins or nuts and bolts hanging in wire hair

wire headdress

big heavy feet so character looks tough when first comes in carrying junk, then drops junk and hops off of big feet

rumpled fibers