Tuesday, September 30, 2014

THIS WEEKS LECTURE: The Wonderful World of Color Keys

This Week's Lecture:


Scratch Track Recording for your Leica Reel - Bruno Degazio
The Wonderful World of Color Keys - Nancy Beiman

SCAET THEATRE, Wednesday Oct. 1,  11 AM





The main event in this week's lecture is a review of the importance of COLOUR in your film. The colour key is your first pass at this in the pre-production phase of project development. Nancy Beiman reviews the use of colour in animated film and illustration.


Also, I will provide some tips on preparing a vocal scratch track for your Leica Reel, including information on how to book time in the Animation Recording Studio, and several alternatives to studio recording.







HOW TO CREATE YOUR TEMP MUSIC TRACK FOR FREE (OR CHEAP)

As your film concept begins to take shape cinematically in the form of your Leica Reel, now is the time to establish the essential musical character of your film via the use of a temp music track


THE INDUSTRY APPROACH

Unless you have a composer already signed on to provide you with music, I would suggest that your first attempt at a temp music track involve a review of film soundtracks in a style or genre similar to your intended project. For example, If your story is a comic prehistoric adventure, then Alan Silvestri's score to The Croods will probably give you some ideas, and may provide you with a track or two that can be "re-purposed" for your film. This approach is universally used in the film industry in the early stages of a project. 

The Croods - Soundtrack CD
As the world's largest music retailer, the ITunes Store is an ideal tool for this tactic. Its main attraction is that you can review a huge range of possibilities free of charge, because up to 90 seconds of any musical track is playable as a free preview. And if you decide that a particular music track works for your film you can buy an un-copyprotected file immediately for just 99 cents. 

Regarding the copyright aspects of this approach, it is perfectly legal under the Fair Use (aka Fair Dealing) provisions of US and Canadian copyright law to use these commercial recordings as Temp Tracks.  The operative word here is "temp".  Your musical choices cannot be used for public presentation outside the academic context. However, well-chosen temp music can be a useful stand-in during the early stages of production, and will also make an excellent guide for your future composer to work with. 



LICENSED MUSIC - CREATIVE COMMONS AND OTHERS

In addition to the industry approach just described, there are many websites that will provide licensed music for free or for a relatively small fee. The most common arrangement for "Free" licenses is via Creative Commons. Usually the required "payment" involves simply giving credit to the creator of the music. Sometimes there is a restriction on commercial use as well, so be sure to read the fine print (i.e. the type of Creative Commons license imposed.) Most of the websites listed below offer music under Creative Commons licenses. The Internet Archive and Jamendo are both quite good in this respect. 


There are also many websites that offer original music that can be easily licensed for use in film.  Usually the costs are relatively low ($25-$99) and the legal arrangements are very simple, so that everything can be done online with a few clicks (and a credit card number!) 
Two websites that offer some an interesting range of music this way are With Etiquette  and the Vimeo Music Store. 





VIMEO MUSIC STORE -- BROWSER

Of course, here at Sheridan we also have the Cyclops Music Library server, where 
technologists Mario Positano and Rick Andersen maintain a listing of approximately 10,000 titles of stock music, for which the college pays a flat fee each year on your behalf. 

Below is a list of just a few of the many places online which can provide Creative Commons and other licensed music: 

Jamendo - Jamendo has a LOT of free stuff. Try it first.

The Internet Archive: Mostly older material,including historical recordings and soundtracks that have fallen between the cracks of copyright law and are therefore free. 

Vimeo Music Store - mostly commercial ($99 for a festival license) but also has free (Creative Commons Share-Alike License)

SoundCloud - online file locker for audio. Nice player software, and many items licensable for the asking. 


Overview | Music | Musopen - recent site with only copyright-free material. Mostly old recordings and/or government produced. 

With Etiquette - collective of alternative musicians who make their music available for low license fee. 

songfreedom.com - commercial stock music site

UniqueTracks Inc. - commercial stock music site, good selection, low rates ($40)

Royalty Free Music Library from premiumbeat.com - commercial stock music site

Stock Music - Royalty Free Music with an Edge - commercial stock music site



This Week's Workshop - Character Design

Workshop: Open Critique of Character Designs For 4th Year films.

NOTE CHANGE OF ROOM & TIME!
A151, Friday October 3,  9 am-11 am

Sheridan's very own Enzo Avolio will lead a character design workshop for us this week. Bring your current work-in-progress character designs to discuss with Enzo and others. 

Note that the workshop will NOT take place at the usual time but on  Friday Oct. 3 at 9 am. The room is Lab A151 (right next door to our usual space.)
Although design work (character or otherwise) is not specifically graded in the fourth year Milestones, it is an important part of the pre-production process and the Senior Film Project mentors support your design efforts with workshops like this. 

Below is an example of some of Enzo's character design work, from the Character Design Blogspot at:   http://enzo-avolio-interview.blogspot.ca




Milestone due this week: Milestone 3- Finished Boards and Script

Milestone Due:
Milestone 3- Finished Boards and Script

Here are links to several excellent examples of finished storyboards and scripts appropriate for this week's Milestone,  courtesy of Mentor Nancy Beiman.  

======================================================================
THE STORYBOARD 
======================================================================

I'm sure that none of you need to be reminded of the importance of the storyboard in the creation of an animated film. But I do want to remind you that this Milestone is your only chance to create your FINAL storyboards. This fact implies two important features of your storyboard at this stage: 

1) The NARRATIVE is completely worked out - e.g. exposition, conflict, crisis and resolution are all presented visually.

2) The PANELS are highly readable. They will become the basis of the LEICA REEL.

Here is a storyboard page from Yacheng Guo's Kongo:





Note the following about this storyboard sample: 

a) The project is identified by student name and working title. 

b) The version is clearly identified as "FINAL" boards. Page numbers are provided. 

c) Panels are drawn using the provided template, in 16:9 aspect ratio. 


d) All drawings are highly readable and suitable for conversion to Leica reel.


e) Panels are identified with Scene and Panel numbers.  

f) There is a verbal description for every panel, even when there is no dialog.  Editing choices (e.g. cut or dissolve, camera moves) are also indicated when relevant.

g) Although not evident in a single page, these panels constitute a portion of a FULLY WORKED OUT NARRATIVE.



======================================================================
THE SCRIPT 
======================================================================


 The script is an important stage because it allows your narrative imagination to become concrete in a form that is very easy to edit and modify.  When done well, as in this example, it will become an important reference throughout your production. 


Here is a sample page from the script portion of the assignment. This example comes from Lisa Lanese's Get Hot:




Some points to note: 

a) The page uses standard script formatting, e.g. Scene Heading left justified in capitals,  dialog centred and preceded by character name in caps, etc.  

b) The script is dated. Working title and author are clearly stated.

c) Although dialog is a small component of this script, there is a full page of description of many other important cinematic details.

d) Scene Locations are succinctly but unambiguously described, e.g. EXT. OUTSIDE A VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, 1925, NIGHT

e) Many cinematic devices are noted appropriately, e.g.  "FADE IN, Truck toward theatre," ; "SLIGHT PAN to the right." 

f) Sound effects and music are noted when relevant to the cinematic presentation. 

g) Much of the character activity which  will eventually be animated is noted verbally, e.g. "Charlie enters from screen right nervously holding a martini glass."



======================================================================

LINK TO MORE EXAMPLES 
======================================================================


The complete scripts and storyboards for these projects and others are available for download at:  
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x7cpuuha01fqcbg/AABtFJMCLUD-BWxRRBL55fdda?dl=0




Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Lecture for Wednesday Sept. 24, SCAET 235, 11 am
Workshop for Wednesday Sept. 24, A150, 2 pm

STORYBOARDING WITH SCOTT CAPLE




At the tomorrow morning's 4th Year Senior Film Project Lecture we're very pleased to welcome back Scott Caple, whose many major credits  include environment design for The Incredibles, layout artist for Fantasia 2000 and storyboard supervisor for the Inspector Gadget TV Series.  

As you're working now on the transition from rough to finished storyboards (on your way to your Leica Reel) you'll certainly find  both of Wednesday's events instructive. At the lecture (11 AM, S235) , Scott will offer his ideas on Professional Storyboarding, and at the workshop (2 PM, A150) he'll be on hand to look into the technique and practice of storyboarding using Photoshop and other software tools. 

(below, an instructional layout drawing from Scott's blog, "Three Fingers Hold the Pen.")

Monday, September 15, 2014

Week of Sept.15, 2014 - Workshop & Lecture

This week we have a lecture by our Mentor Emeritus Kaj Pindal. The lecture is entitled "Laying the Tracks for a Successful Film",  and Kaj is one of the few animators with the breadth of experience in the film-making process to take the long view.  S235 at 11 am.

The workshop is given by Melanie Rose, a fantasy artist and freelance book illustrator  with a fabulous portfolio.  She also an experienced storyboard artist.   Take a look at her art here - http://www.melanie-rose.com

Melanie has a unique approach to her visual art, which you might find useful in your storyboarding work over the next few weeks.  A150 at 2 pm.


Professional voiceover and character voices!

I just got this email from Patrick Sweeney offering his professional services for voice work for your films.

Patrick has done many of our student films in the past few years, and he always does a great job. He works together with Lori Scarfarotti and Elley Ray, so between them there is a large stable of characters of both genders.

Please read the email carefully. Contact info is repeated again at the bottom of the email;.

-- Bruno

======================================================================


Patrick Sweeney <patsvoice@me.com


Just wanted to reconnect and see if your students are interested in any VO help this year, my are available for anyone in need of any animation/character voices. I have also recruited another animation VO talent whom you may know, Lori Scarfarotti. She has worked with Mark Simon's students in the past few years. So with Lori and I, we hopefully can be versatile enough to cover the spectrum of needs that your students may have this year.

Just as a summary for the students benefit, the voiceover services are available to anyone that needs a voice for their film project Pro bono. Giving back and having fun is our motivation for doing this and we look forward to it!  I record from my professional home recording studio and can easily have the students direct Lori or I via phonepatch. If they need an Animated/Character voice, a Narrator, an Announcer anything at all..... we can provide it for them.

If anyone is interested in using my services the following process can be followed:

1. Contact me by email or phone to discuss their project.  Cell 416 520-8786,  email pat@patsvoice.com

2. Tell me as much about their vision/project as possible, their expectations of us, any character details/pictures etc..... If the student requires a female voice actor, Lori Scarfarotti is available and very versatile.

3. After discussing the project we can set up a time to record a raw audio file in mp3, wav or aiff etc... 

4. On the set appointed recording date, the student can direct me over the phone or via Skype. During the session I can provide the student with as many takes as they wish throughout the recording process. My goal is to make sure their characters come to life and to ensure their expectations are met to produce a successful film.

5. Once the recording session is complete I will then send the student the raw file via FTP for them to edit within 24-48 hours depending upon my schedule.

If the students wish to learn more about me or to listen to my demos they can visit my website at the following link:  http://www.patsvoice.com

Thanks again for the opportunity and I look forward to helping any students/professors at Sheridan College in the coming year.

Patrick Sweeney
----------------------------------------
Phone     416.520.8786
E-Mail     pat@patsvoice.com
Link to Medical Narration Demo:

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Nickelodeon Student Animated Shorts Pitches

This offer might be attractive to those of you going to Ottawa for the Animation Festival next week. 

Nickelodeon is willing to listen to pitches for short animated films suitable for pre-schoolers.  Details in the graphic below, or at: ottawa.nickjr.com