Testing Lighting

Si spent a good hour or so playing around with lighting and how we might cast Henry’s shadow onto the wall. All this hard work testing and sadly we will no longer be using the scene he was testing this for. I thought however he created some cool effects and it was worth slapping on the blog.

Preparing the Studio

We are SO lucky to have parents who are so keen to help Si and I in everyway and are supporting us to know end. Si’s parents have taken me on as a new addition to the family and have allowed us to use their potting shed as our workshop and studio. First job was to clear out the exercise equipment. I enjoyed standing eating my special K bar whilst watching strong men move heavy equipment. Thanks to Si’s older brother Ed who helped clear out his gym stuff and who made no fuss about us taking over his exercise shed. After all the shifting of gear etc Ed even offered to help Hoover the dead and alive spiders from the walls ceiling and floor for us.

Si and his Dad then spent the weekend painting the entire room black from walls to ceiling. It now looks like a real animation studio and we can't wait totest it out and see what the set will look like under some moody lights etc!

Plastering and sealing the set

Sadly I have no pics of the set as Si and I spent around 5 hours plastering into the night and early hours of the morning. This was a funny story as I assured Si we would get the job done in 20 mins…clearly I was talking out of my ass! I had no idea it would take so long. Si ended up sitting on the sidelines and eating digestive biscuits whilst watching stupid me trying to give the walls a smooth finish. We did it in the end but it took around 3 days to dry!!!

Painting the Walls

Getting the walls to look old and crusty was good fun. Whilst Si worked with our composer Pete (who might I add is fantastically talented and a brilliant guy to have on board our film!)

I started treating the walls to make them look as though years of damp and mold had been growing on the observatory walls. I simply sponged the walls down with a base of yellow ochre, green and brown watered down acrylic paint, and then ran a wet sponge across the top of the walls to creating a dripping effect. It worked so well! I then took a hammer and screw driver the walls and carved out the brick effect.

How Big...?

Heres me in the set...

Building the Set

Our film is set in an Observatory...oh dear I think I accidentally told Barry Purves it was set in an Orrery...what an idiot. Both Si and I didn't really think about the problems a circular set might cause. I'm sure Si realised as his degree film was set in a lighthouse...he just chose not to tell me until it was too late. The construction on the walls caused great concern amongst our fathers who scratch their heads and rubbed there chins whilst Si and I argued over how might be the best way of building firm circular walls. Me being the only one who has built a stop motion set before, stamped my feet and shook my fist at Si's plans on how we might go about erecting the walls. I ended up throwing in the towel and leaving Mr 2D to figure it out. He rose to the challenge beautifully and erected 6 perfectly circular walls. They all came together and stood strong and tall and as I looked at them it was immediately clear to me Si's determination and male ego payed off . I didn't want to admit it to him at the time but he did an incredible job and it reminded me what an awesome partner I have...and he lost 4 pounds in the process. It was pretty strenuous work and he got it all done in a couple of days!

The set is so big it makes me look like a hamster in a wheel!

The Goggles

Si was really chuffed to have received some fashionable safety goggles thanks to his Girlfriend Caz and her Dad, so he decided he would show his appreciation by modelling them for us on the blog. He did the goggle justice!

Si was complaining how he didn't seem to be in any of the pics so far...I'm about to change that... keep checking!

First Blood!!!

Despite showing Jess the correct way to carve wood (eg with the knife going AWAY from you) she still managed to cut herself and this film claimed its first blood! She also insisted I take photos so everyone would know what happened that fateful day and children might one day tell tales of her heroism around the camp fire....

We had differing opinions as to the severity of the wound, I said "it's just a scratch", she claimed "it's down to the bone!"

I bandaged her up and gave her some wine on a drip and she was fine.....for now....

Pouring out, mixing, relaxin all cool and shooting some b-ball outside of the school...

Here are some images of Jess making the cast:

Building Henry

Here are some shots of Henry being made. Jess has done as phenomenal job sculpting and casting him. It's a blast to see the characters we've been working on for so long coming into the 3rd dimension! It's also been plenty of fun experimenting with different methods of constructing the body so far. Looks like we're going with expandable foam and liquid latex, stay tuned for some shots of that.


































Next the body was sculpted. Jess decided to give him a slightly larger package than I had put in the designs.....she's a pervert.













In case you're wondering he doesn't have any arms it's because he's built to have replaceable arms rather than the usual replaceable hands. This is so Henry can have his sleeves rolled up without the joint being visible. Jess told me it couldn't be done, it's impossible she said, but I'm a visionary.

Character Designs

Here are a few images we did along the way of Henry and Teddy. Henry hasn't changed much since the start, even his costume has remained similar to these early sketches. Teddy on the other hand didn't come as easily but we're very pleased with how the both of them developed.

Henry:



Teddy:

Mackinnon and Saunders!!!

Way back in January we were put in touch with a lady called Sara Mullock who works for the model making company Mackinnon and Saunders. Have a look at the huge amount they've done at - http://www.mackinnonandsaunders.com/

Sarah invited Jess and myself to Altricham to visit the studios so in March we made the trip. Sara showed us around the workshops and introduced us to all the lovely folk who work there. After the tour, Sara, along with Ian Mackinnon and Peter Saunders very kindly took time out to to discuss with us what we needed from the puppets and offered their help in making them. We couldn't believe it, sat in a room surrounded by puppets from the Corpse Bride, Mars Attacks and the upcoming Fantastic Mr Fox!! We nearly bit their hands off when they offered their help!

It was amazing to see the puppets in person, the level of craftsmenship is unbelievable and we even got to see some top secret u and coming projects....shhhh



We refined the designs and Jess went back for a few days to build the armature...

Here is the rough layout for the armature, as done by Jess's Dad, John. Cheers John!

The pictures below show Jess working at Mackinnon and Saunders and the armature coming together.











































We returned the next week for a day with our friend Alison Cross who's helping create all the wonderful little things for the set. Ally and I even got to help by putting the fingers on the hands!

Jess really did an amazing job as you can see from the pictures and got loads of help from the guys there. A MASSIVE thanks to them for taking the time to help us out.

Black Tuesday

The third draft of the script came back and it was clear from the feedback that changes needed to be made. Rather than send another script we opted to tell the story visually through a story reel. On Tuesday the 14th April our producers came round to discuss the story and dicuss it is what we did....for FIVE hours straight!

By the time we were finished the entire story had been juggled around. It was a lot to get our heads around and what's more it had to be storyboarded again in two days....no problem. So two days and three-hundred and ten storyboard panels later we had something to work with.

We scanned the images and put them into editing software before spending three long nights at our producer Peter's house with a wonderful and incredibly understanding editor! It was all worth it however as we are all really chuffed with the results. Many thanks to everyone who gave their time and their talents helping us. It gives us a lot of confidence and energy seeing how much you are willing to give to this film. Right now it's a pretty nerve racking time as we wait to hear back how the new story reel was receieved!

Ketchup

Hi everyone, it's been an intense few weeks working on the story. We don't want to give too much away about the story at this point but let me tell you it's been tough!

I'll try and catch you up to date with some of the stuff we've been doing over recent months and some of what's going on at the minute....