Procrastination Issues 14; A catch-up

There have been a few doodles and scratchings the past few days here are a couple,

Anglo-Spanish discussion about underwear on cardboardA Madness of animators,

Last Night and Yesterday. Procrastination/ aggravation issues 13.

The frustrating thing about Aftereffects is the fact that if you are using large files it will keep crashing and then if you start to put blurs and rotations on top of that it's even worse. But when you come to render the project, all 8 seconds of it, it misleads you with a mild estimate for the render and takes hours more. Crippling your computer and making it impossible to work, pacing, ping pong and aggressive bass playing are my methods of dealing with the render hours. Sugar does not help so I try to stay clear of it during these periods.

ah the First gap.

So there hasn't been a post since this time last week but mainly because we have been so busy, but also as I have been celebrating my 30th birthday. Damn

In the last few days however I have started acting out and lip syncing the fairies which look amazing. Rich/guy is inbetweening now and doing a fantastic job. I have also been trying to test out my lines on the cinema screen and finding that unfortunately they seem to be breaking up quite badly(well as I notice anyway) and this is not a line thickness issue. Grr.

I have a procrastination issue sitting next to me but as Phil has stolen the camera I can't scan it in. Grr.

More soon

Procrastination Issues 12.

Moments from Animation Room 4. Click to enlarge, so it's readable.

Featuring from the beggining; Toby, Rich/Guy aka Ricky, HyeBin aka Binny, Vicky, Elena, Alberto, Avgousta, Phil Bacon, Magda and then the blank space for everyone who can't draw or find inspiration in the moment {;P

Victor's booty

Wow, this is kind of Procrastination but related to the film pretty directly. Although it won't be used in the film. So has no real purpose.

One of the Characters in Today Only is an elderly Jamaican gentleman called Victor. So how does he dance? Here's one possibility if his hip doesn't give out. It's a quick 6 frame rough, I have work to do so I couldn't spend all day on it!

I'll try and get Rich/Guy to try and do one tomorrow for competition but he is actually animating the real dance for a scene toward the end of the film. So I don't know if he'll get tired of old men trying to dance.

Procrastination Issues 11.

So I found a time lapse function on this computer and so thought I would give it ago. Procrastination Ahoy!

Procrastination Issues 10.

Hello, another long day here in the room, but as today's procrastination shows I am feeling good and positive about the project. Like I have found a new breath. I do still have the issue that my images are just too big. Rendering out is taking ages and Aftereffects is still crashing every 5 mins. Hopefully tomorrow I get CS3 and then I can try using Premier to preview, but we will see.Today I have Key'd the sign painter flick. Working on the cat running under the camera hopefully this will look fantastic. The cat is larger than I originally thought at the bottom of the ladder but this will add to the action.

Its a shame I can't put any previews on here. So instead you get me drawing myself again and again. Luck you, whoever reads this.

Fathers day

One for my Dad. I know its a commercial card selling day but I would just like to say thank you to the biggest influence in my life and work.
I think this is one of the first times I've actually tried to draw my dad as a character and it dubious weather you think it looks like him. Let me know.

Under all this hair I look just like him, just a little bit younger.

Procrastination Issues 09.

Ping Pong.

Its essential and important to look away from the computer screen every now and then. Stretch the legs and straighten the back. Look at something in the middle distance and to relax.

Procrastination Issues 08.

One for John Osbourne and Doug.
Its late, I'm tired from the sugar high of a whole bag of Dairy Milk Shots, but I'm happy with what I've done today, yay!

Procrastination Issues 07.

So life is getting busy round here and we are finding less time for procrastinations of the doodle kind. Today again its just Rich /Guy and I, as everybody is busy busy busy.You know you can click on the images and they are huge so you can read them as well?

I spent the day realising that long lenses mean extreme distortion and sizes change, morph and warp through out the space. So now I am getting my head round this and putting in a two and four legged walk to push myself a bit more.

I don't want to look at how many frames a day I need to do at this moment in time. The calendar is getting smaller. Days are falling away all too quickly and we ( the second year animators) are realising what we have to do.

Procrastination Issues 06.

The gaunlet was thrown and a draw off started.


But we were working quite hard so we just did these little bits.

The Pigeon in pictures

You can see how intense the situation was by how much James was shaking. Pictures of a couple of poo locations included.

Note all Poo locations have been disinfected.




Michelle and pigeon.

Drama drama

So today starts well, I am admittedly late starting but the weather is great, the birds are singing and my hay fever hasn't started playing up yet. Next follows my thoughts and actions as I enter my room...

'ah, such a nice day. Mmm coffee. oh the alarm is set again. Chris the security guard must have been here. Right Lets work. Oh, ew! whats this under my mouse and wacom? Milk? did I spill milk yesterday? No there's green in it, Pesto Humus?!! No this is too runny! It looks like bird poo! But no a bird couldn't have got in here, how could it?'

I grab a tissue and start to clean up when I notice a huge white mess under Alberto's desk.

'Oh my god, there must have been a bird in here look at that!'

I then notice some more white/green lumps on the coffee table and decide to take this curious situation to HyeBin and crew filming next door.

'You want to know something weird' I say, 'I think a bird has been in my room'

So Michelle and James follow to my room,

'Look' I say 'Look at this mess'

Gasps and awe's come from James and Michelle. Then Michelle asks the only question I hadn't thought of 'So where is it now?'

A simple and practical question.

Then it dawns on me, I look around and there fat as a chicken sitting on top of a tatty copy of Homers Odyssey is a dirty great pigeon. Its orange eye buried in its neck as it looks bloated with fear and stress. It doesn't move apart from the occational blink.

After several loud swear words of shock, we stop and James takes some pictures. HyeBin, after being dragged round by Michelle tries to shut us in and I chase it out skillfully, with a 5' piece of foam board. It left happily without too much hassle, but in its night here managed to crap on every side of the room.

My Desk is now disinfected, but the mess under Alberto's desk is too much for tissues alone. Plus I want him too see something to prove that I'm not making this up.

I will try to get the pictures off James as well.

How and when did it get in? I'll ask Alberto later if he saw this at all.

Ok, I'll start my day now. But I'm worried I'm going to find some more poo in an unexpected place. ew!

Procrastination Issues 05.

Its very quiet at the weekend.

Er... Just so you know

I was in yesterday but didn't post anything as i was a bit too busy. Believe it. Look I only got a chance to draw this.

Procrastination issues 04

Whitney Issues. So I think you can tell we were not so into this today.

But in order, today we have; Alberto, Rich/Guy, Vicky, Elena, Toby.

Friday-yay

So bought some coffee, biscuits and will work work work once I stop sneezing from the Hay Fever. Achoo. Coffee and cookies yay. Achoo.

As I feel

Procrastination Issues 03.

Today, in order; Toby, Rich/Guy, HyeBin, Jens and Alberto.

The loss of coffee today had a big effect on pace and work flow. I may try a Caffine free day tomorrow and see how far I can get. Maybe even sleeping tonight may help.

itunes continues to convert all my wma's. zzzzzzz.

Crisis!

WE ARE OUT OF COFFEE! Noooooooooooooooooo! zzzzzzzzzz.

Team

So this is some of the team at one of our first meetings. So happy to have this group. You can see the fear and horror realising exactly what they've let themselves in for.

So from Left to Right there is Ness; Cinematographer, (top) Jeet; Sound Design , Max; Production Design (bottom), Lawrence; Editing, John; Composing, Alex; Producer and Mahalia; Writer.

Procrastination issues 02

Today... Toby, Rich/Guy, Elena, Vicky and Alberto's hand. Today I lost half the day trying to upload and convert to itunes on my computer.

Now the big debate... ...do I get an ipod? mmm?

Background

A little backgroung to let you know who your dealing with today.

I'm Toby and I'm studying Animation Direction at the National Film and Television School. I'm currently in my second year and so making my final graduation film. I have a nice comfortable room with regular traffic and coffee making. I share my room with Alberto, a Maya Wiz and Rich/Guy who's assisting me on my film.

This is our room.

Procrastination issues 01.

Today Featuring, Toby, Rich (Guy) and Alberto.

So I thought it would be interesting to draw a ourselves together in a strip and see what happens no plan, no reason, ah the beauty of procrastination. So draw yourself in the panel pass it on. The next person finishes that panel and starts the next. Simple. Toby to Rich/Guy to Alberto to Toby etc etc...

Also, its not work and so you can have fun ;)