Move it
May 25, 2017
Hey all!
This week's vlog!!
GOD is so awesome!
- Moses, motion and a stick
Let's kick off this week with my fav part of the week - walking around with a stick! As silly as that sounds, it has been one of the most helpful practical things I have ever done for an animation. When GOD told me to do it, I didn't think much of it. In fact, I didn't expect what would happen. I found that I would lean on it, hang on it, point with it, play with it while standing around, spin it, throw things with it, etc. I would say that in terms of using it to walk with, I probably used it 90% more for other stuff than purely as a walking aid - if you can even call it that. Generally, if it's a walking stick you need, you would lean on it. Someone like Moses, who was able-bodied, would not need one to walk upright. He would probably have used it for regular shepherd duties (protecting and directing the sheep) and gotten so used to it, it became an accessory that just sort of became part of his identity as the man of GOD we know today.
All things about the stick aside, I wanted to do some rotoscoping with the animation. I felt led to give it a try and so I did and unfortunately, it did not work like I wanted it to, BUT, I did learn the value in shooting reference footage. I'm not crazy about being in front of the camera, tbh, but doing this week's work and having to use one, was really great! So, in the video I included the walk cycle work for Moses for this week (took a lot longer than I expected it to, I can tell you that!, hahaha).
I also mentioned in the video that I would include tutorials in the post, so here are some of BornCG's walk cycle tutorials. I absolutely luv the way he explained it.
- NLA tips
One thing to remember about the NLA is that instead of videos or audio, it works with strips. These strips are actions that have been added to create a cohesive animation experience. That means, you'll have a track, for example, that would be Moses addressing Pharaoh at the river. And then the normal walk cycle as he walks away from pharaoh, probably mixed with the stick assisted walk cycle. Keep those actions named appropriately! :)
I find that if you copy an action and simply modify it - in the case of walk cycles, it becomes a lot easier mixing them for variety. This sort of things does require something of you - don't overdo it with actions. It becomes very tempting to have a thousand different actions for the sake of ease later, but honestly, some actions will only make things more difficult to work with (so far in my limited experience). For example, if you have Moses speaking to Pharaoh, it has to be organic. You can rather use poses here for certain gestures that he would often use. I would encourage you, where general animation is needed, use actions, where it needs to be organic, do it from scratch or use the pose library.
I have written about the NLA before, so I encourage you to go check that out! :D
It also contains one of BornCG's tutorials, specifically about the NLA editor. Just don't follow my advice on the Z pass. Using the mist pass is a much much much much much much much better solution and does give you smooth transitions from textures. Speaking of previous posts, do check out the one form last week about the relation to Joseph and the time of bondage - absolutely fascinating!!!
- Egypt the country or Egypt the city
Like I mentioned in the video, I am not sure whether they used Egypt for a city in Egypt, as well as talking about Egypt as a country.
I have to say, I'm rather undecided, though it seems to point more towards a country, as a city, but I'm still not convinced. I keep thinking of some Americans referring to the US as "the free world" or "the whole world". When it comes to scripture, like above, it talks specifically about the "Land of Egypt" and "Egypt" as if trying to make a distinction between the territory and the entity or nation. Not sure, but I do find this to be a fascinating thing. So I did a search and I couldn't find anything like that, that made a distinction between country and urbanized areas - doesn't mean there wasn't, just means very few people consider it, hahaha.
I did find another article that also shows that the peninsula was considered part of ancient Egypt, which is here and more:
http://www.ancient.eu/egypt/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinai_Peninsula
https://www.britannica.com/place/Egypt
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sinai-Peninsula
- Final storyboards and sequence
This is a step in the process that I really look forward to being finished. Not because it was horrible doing it, but just because it took so long, hahaha. In today's vlog, I get to share with you guys the whole 28:54 minutes of storyboards, which does make me kinda cringe a little bit, because it is not passionate acting, there is no music, very little color and narration lacking, on top of sound effects. Basically, a summary of the whole thing in a visual medium. So if you find it excruciatingly boring - that's why, hahahaha.
So if you're interested in seeing that, be sure to finish watching the video and get some popcorn or something! :D
The last of the narration that is lacking does sort of tell what is going on on-screen, but gives it more context. I've noticed watching it, that some of the silent moments were just too vague for me to get what was going on there. Narration (pure scripture and in order) will fill that void so it's like: "oh, now I get it."
So now with the storyboards done, I need to go back and watch it myself, the whole thing again, and make notes of where I was like: "Wha?!" and add some narration there, if the final animation won't make it clear enough what is going on.
- Voice actors or not voice actors
Still a very touchy subject for me, honestly. I can only ask people, if I have peace to, after the final script is finished and I know how many voices are needed. We'll see what GOD does with it this week! :D
The voice work has to be done before the majority of the animation work can kick off, because without it, I can only do fill in animation (Moses walking in to confront pharaoh - the plagues taking place, etc.). Honestly, I want voice actors, but I also don't, because of possible issues with IP and model releases (more of an excuse than actual reason) as well as the major elephant in the room; I've never directed actors, haha (can someone say insecure, hahaha).
I would say though, most people who have a little bit of a theatrical background or like to do silly impressions or voices, don't need much direction, because they know how to take the piece and make it genuine while having a blast. My problem is that I'm still insecure about the process, hahaha. Sometimes you gotta step out to find out and we'll see what GOD leads me to this week.
In addition, I think I also may hurt someone's feelings. It sounds stupid, but honestly, I don't want to offend people, especially not if I can do something about it, but in this case, I believe it's an irrational fear keeping me from making progress, not just about protecting other people's feelings. Pray for me people! Pray for me! haha :D
For those of you who do, thank you!!! :D
Keep it up!!
So on that lovely insecure display, haha.
Check out Make Human here - Moses was started using Make Human then finished in Blender:
http://www.makehuman.org/
Check out Blender:
http://www.blender.org/
This week's vlog!!
GOD is so awesome!
- Moses, motion and a stick
Let's kick off this week with my fav part of the week - walking around with a stick! As silly as that sounds, it has been one of the most helpful practical things I have ever done for an animation. When GOD told me to do it, I didn't think much of it. In fact, I didn't expect what would happen. I found that I would lean on it, hang on it, point with it, play with it while standing around, spin it, throw things with it, etc. I would say that in terms of using it to walk with, I probably used it 90% more for other stuff than purely as a walking aid - if you can even call it that. Generally, if it's a walking stick you need, you would lean on it. Someone like Moses, who was able-bodied, would not need one to walk upright. He would probably have used it for regular shepherd duties (protecting and directing the sheep) and gotten so used to it, it became an accessory that just sort of became part of his identity as the man of GOD we know today.
All things about the stick aside, I wanted to do some rotoscoping with the animation. I felt led to give it a try and so I did and unfortunately, it did not work like I wanted it to, BUT, I did learn the value in shooting reference footage. I'm not crazy about being in front of the camera, tbh, but doing this week's work and having to use one, was really great! So, in the video I included the walk cycle work for Moses for this week (took a lot longer than I expected it to, I can tell you that!, hahaha).
I also mentioned in the video that I would include tutorials in the post, so here are some of BornCG's walk cycle tutorials. I absolutely luv the way he explained it.
- NLA tips
One thing to remember about the NLA is that instead of videos or audio, it works with strips. These strips are actions that have been added to create a cohesive animation experience. That means, you'll have a track, for example, that would be Moses addressing Pharaoh at the river. And then the normal walk cycle as he walks away from pharaoh, probably mixed with the stick assisted walk cycle. Keep those actions named appropriately! :)
I find that if you copy an action and simply modify it - in the case of walk cycles, it becomes a lot easier mixing them for variety. This sort of things does require something of you - don't overdo it with actions. It becomes very tempting to have a thousand different actions for the sake of ease later, but honestly, some actions will only make things more difficult to work with (so far in my limited experience). For example, if you have Moses speaking to Pharaoh, it has to be organic. You can rather use poses here for certain gestures that he would often use. I would encourage you, where general animation is needed, use actions, where it needs to be organic, do it from scratch or use the pose library.
I have written about the NLA before, so I encourage you to go check that out! :D
It also contains one of BornCG's tutorials, specifically about the NLA editor. Just don't follow my advice on the Z pass. Using the mist pass is a much much much much much much much better solution and does give you smooth transitions from textures. Speaking of previous posts, do check out the one form last week about the relation to Joseph and the time of bondage - absolutely fascinating!!!
- Egypt the country or Egypt the city
Like I mentioned in the video, I am not sure whether they used Egypt for a city in Egypt, as well as talking about Egypt as a country.
"And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do."
Genesis 41:55, KJV
"And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more."
Exodus 11:6, KJV
"And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair."
Genesis 12:14, KJV
"And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar."
Genesis 13:10, KJV
Genesis 41:55, KJV
"And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more."
Exodus 11:6, KJV
"And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair."
Genesis 12:14, KJV
"And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar."
Genesis 13:10, KJV
I have to say, I'm rather undecided, though it seems to point more towards a country, as a city, but I'm still not convinced. I keep thinking of some Americans referring to the US as "the free world" or "the whole world". When it comes to scripture, like above, it talks specifically about the "Land of Egypt" and "Egypt" as if trying to make a distinction between the territory and the entity or nation. Not sure, but I do find this to be a fascinating thing. So I did a search and I couldn't find anything like that, that made a distinction between country and urbanized areas - doesn't mean there wasn't, just means very few people consider it, hahaha.
I did find another article that also shows that the peninsula was considered part of ancient Egypt, which is here and more:
http://www.ancient.eu/egypt/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinai_Peninsula
https://www.britannica.com/place/Egypt
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sinai-Peninsula
- Final storyboards and sequence
This is a step in the process that I really look forward to being finished. Not because it was horrible doing it, but just because it took so long, hahaha. In today's vlog, I get to share with you guys the whole 28:54 minutes of storyboards, which does make me kinda cringe a little bit, because it is not passionate acting, there is no music, very little color and narration lacking, on top of sound effects. Basically, a summary of the whole thing in a visual medium. So if you find it excruciatingly boring - that's why, hahahaha.
So if you're interested in seeing that, be sure to finish watching the video and get some popcorn or something! :D
The last of the narration that is lacking does sort of tell what is going on on-screen, but gives it more context. I've noticed watching it, that some of the silent moments were just too vague for me to get what was going on there. Narration (pure scripture and in order) will fill that void so it's like: "oh, now I get it."
So now with the storyboards done, I need to go back and watch it myself, the whole thing again, and make notes of where I was like: "Wha?!" and add some narration there, if the final animation won't make it clear enough what is going on.
- Voice actors or not voice actors
Still a very touchy subject for me, honestly. I can only ask people, if I have peace to, after the final script is finished and I know how many voices are needed. We'll see what GOD does with it this week! :D
The voice work has to be done before the majority of the animation work can kick off, because without it, I can only do fill in animation (Moses walking in to confront pharaoh - the plagues taking place, etc.). Honestly, I want voice actors, but I also don't, because of possible issues with IP and model releases (more of an excuse than actual reason) as well as the major elephant in the room; I've never directed actors, haha (can someone say insecure, hahaha).
I would say though, most people who have a little bit of a theatrical background or like to do silly impressions or voices, don't need much direction, because they know how to take the piece and make it genuine while having a blast. My problem is that I'm still insecure about the process, hahaha. Sometimes you gotta step out to find out and we'll see what GOD leads me to this week.
In addition, I think I also may hurt someone's feelings. It sounds stupid, but honestly, I don't want to offend people, especially not if I can do something about it, but in this case, I believe it's an irrational fear keeping me from making progress, not just about protecting other people's feelings. Pray for me people! Pray for me! haha :D
For those of you who do, thank you!!! :D
Keep it up!!
So on that lovely insecure display, haha.
Check out Make Human here - Moses was started using Make Human then finished in Blender:
http://www.makehuman.org/
Check out Blender:
http://www.blender.org/
Biggest thanx to GOD for helping me with this. Without HIM, none of this would be possible! :D
Know JESUS yet?
To find out more, you can check out this link:
http://www.crossallegiance.org/knowJesus.html
It gives you access to free Bible translations, free teaching videos and more. Remember, this is a decision with eternal consequence, choose life, choose JESUS. :D
Have a great one!!!
Thank YOU!!!!!!
Know JESUS yet?
To find out more, you can check out this link:
http://www.crossallegiance.org/knowJesus.html
It gives you access to free Bible translations, free teaching videos and more. Remember, this is a decision with eternal consequence, choose life, choose JESUS. :D
Have a great one!!!
Thank YOU!!!!!!
Posted by Marius Oberholster. Posted In : WIP
Hey all! I've been doing CG work full-time since 2011. GOD has been with me, supported me and taught me all the way. HE tells us to do all things as unto the LORD and that is my goal. I do whatever I believe the HOLY SPIRIT is leading me to do and it's not always easy, but it's always worth it to be obedient!
JESUS is awesome!! If you don't know HIM yet, follow the link above!
