The Making of: The 4th Background

Apparently, every few backgrounds there is one which doesn't wish to comply with a straight forward composition.

It's all in the angles: this one seemed dead set on being another jump cut. And I just wasn't having that. Although, now if I have time, I can insert a wee bit of a pan. But it really isn't needed, now that I have the composition looking okay.

And, here is the trail of trials and errors leading up to the almost-complete fourth background.

Making of: The 3rd Background

Another couple of hours go by...and another background is made.

I wasn't sure whether or not to put the path along the upper peripheral, but decided against it as it isn't really needed. At this stage, if it is not needed but means extra work, then it is being cut from the production.

I love putting in the grass. Sure, it's a brush effect, but that doesn't negate that it both looks good and fun to add in.

I didn't think too much about creating the bird's body (I haven't quite finished tidying it up yet...) but remembered to put at least the beak and eye in different layers, so that there is something to animate without cutting the bird up.

Also, I decided that the bird in the film is going be a robin. Why? Because robins are cute, adorable, and fit in this warm toned garden much better than, say, a Blue Tit.

The Second Background Take 2

Hmmm...

Roughing out some character movement lines, and then I put those and the new background together to test how it looked once rendered.

I was not certain myself, I thought there was but then as a bit of a perfectionist there was the slight possibility that I was making more work for myself.

As such, I decided to get a second opinion.

Making Background #02

This morning I finished off the second background!

To get it right, I had to strip the thought process right back. First, I drew a rough plan view of this part of the dream world, as well as the direction of movement. Once I had marked that on, I added in the camera, and the limits of it's view.

This made everything a lot easier. Once this was clearer to me, I then sketched in the blocks of the environment, as well as a rough outline of the character as it will move across the screen.

I just hope that the camera switch is okay, and not too much of a jump...either way, here is the final background, background number 2!

Experimenting With Camera Angles

Today I am waiting with thinning patience for some of my materials to show up. In the meantime, I am working on the 2D part of my film.

For the shot where the character runs across the screen, I have been playing around with some perspectives.
This is one that is looking down a bit, but it is hard to fit the house in as well:

 Here, is an experiment with having the camera at ground level looking up:

I think it looks quite good, and as such I should be able to throw a bit of the ever-present house into the shot as well.

I added in the environment:

But somehow it is at odds with the perspective of the person:

And then there is this one, which is similar to the angle used in the animatic:

Unfortunately, though rough, this angle doesn't quite work either. They are all close, but appear to be wrong in some ways.


As of yet, I haven't found the one to use, but I am going to keep working at it until I can get the angles and proportions right.