An Introduction to Unity

For this new module, we are required to be able to use Unity to create a game level. Unity is a game engine that is compatible with Maya, meaning that some of the interface was very similar. You work on the X, Y and Z axis, with the ability to work in different camera views. Also the controls to drag and rotate around your objects are the same. 


Our first task in Unity is to create a shipping dock, so that we can familiarize ourselves with all of the capabilities Unity offers. We began by deploying a cube game object. This was used as the surface for our test level. To experiment with some of the lighting we simply placed a cube on the existing surface, and also a third person camera to enable us to assess the scale of the scene. I wanted to achieve a moon lit feet, so a directional light with a blue tint was appropriate. To try and simulate a street lamp, I used a yellow tined spotlight shining down on the cube. To prevent our third person camera from falling out of the scene, we deployed invisible barriers, using cube shapes and un-ticking the mesh render option. This was the point at which we also learned that by creating a empty game object, you can use it as a parent to group objects together. The empty object should be at the central point of the group so that everything remains in place when the group is rotated. We were also taught how to insert a sky box. This tool is under the render settings option in the edit menu. At this stage, some of the helpful tips we were taking were also to start at coordinates 0,0,0, and to always save the scene and the project. We also learned a very important point of making sure that the play button isn't selected when editing. If this is left on, when the play button is un-ticked all of the changes made are instantly lost. Bellow is a scene shot of the first test room we created, with the lighting and the skybox:

The next stage was to block out a shipyard environment. This is the process of using simple polygon shapes to create a 3D draft of a game level. I created to lowered docks, with large rectangular polygon shapes resembling shipping crates, and flatter polygon shapes resembling wooden pallets. As a barrier for the player, at the back of the map of the map Included a large wall of lightly offset stacked crates for realism. At either side of the level I also included two large buildings to indicate where the storage warehouses would be. Finally, we used the preset water asset to add realism to the scene:

We also looked at texture UV mapping cube objects. This is the section I fell behind on. I understood that all of the UV and bump maps are separate assets in the project menu. A new material must then be created from the assets menu to be assign the existing textures. I understood the bump mapping and specular diffuse bump mapping. The concept I struggled with was preventing the wood from emitting a specular, whilst having the stone areas of the crate shiny. Perhaps it is more of a misunderstanding in Photoshop, but it is definitely something I will need to pick up on over the module. I have worked with alpha channels before when converting pencil drawings to line art for digital colouring in Photoshop, but I did not manage to achieve the part shiny part lambert cube. Another tool I fell behind on was the ability to create and share an internet version of the levels we created, so unfortunately at this stage I can only offer a screenshot of the crate texture test at this stage:

Possibly one of the most exciting features so far in my opinion, was the terrain tool. This is essentially a flat plane, that can be manipulate using different brushes to form mountains and the likes. We used this tool on a different shipyard, which we had created again as practice with Unity. By adding hills to our shipyard scene, the edges of the water plane were hidden, making the scene look more realistic. There is also the ability to apply trees using a brush, which is handy for creating dense forest without having to tediously place trees one at a time. We also imported a new package which we downloaded from the unity website, meaning we were able to utilize a wider range of trees in our scene. I remember playing a PC game called 'Age of Mythology.' there would be a sandbox mode, where the player was actually able to play with the game engine, creating levels and objectives. When using the terrain tool, I was reminded of the ability to terraform and paint texture on to the land within the game. This was always my favourite aspect of designing levels, trying to create realistic mountain ranges with grass and dirt and the base, rock higher moving higher up and then finally, a touch of show and rock at the peak.

The first terrain test level.

Terrain tool used on my second shipyard.

Trees placed using the brush tool.

We also created our own seamless textures. We downloaded a texture from the web, and then used the offset filter. Using the clone tool, we merged the corners of the image together, making the texture repeatable. Here is my cracked dirt texture:

The most recent concept we studied, was efficient UV mapping. With our previous animation module, polygons were not an issue. We could use as many as we wished, the only possible issue being render time. Because a game is essentially rendering in realtime, there is a constant compromise between quality and frame rate. This means that as a game level designer, it is important to be as efficient as possible with the use of polygons. We only really need to create four different sides for our crate, and by using planar mapping, we were able to repeat the 4 sides of the UV map onto the six sides of the crate. By projecting the UV map onto the correct axis depending on the side of the crate, and then adjusting the size of the projection so that only one size is in frame, we were able to efficiently map our crate. We then imported the object as an FBX, keeping the attached media, we were able to apply our crate on our level in unity:

Crate UV map.

The crate in my Unity level.

I believe that the prospect of understanding how to use software that allows game level design is exciting. Although at points I found it hard to keep up with the tutorials, and there was a lot of information to take in, I aim to practice with the software like I had to with Maya. My first impressions of Unity, are that the interface isn't too complicated, and in fact it seems less confusing and daunting than Maya. Though, Unity isn't designed for 3D modelling, and maya will still be essential for achieving more complex shapes. At the stage, I need to try and catch up with certain tools such as the web converter and the more advanced texture mapping. Hopefully, these are features that will appear again over the tutorial processes, if not I will seek help from the module tutor. 

Idea and Concept Development

We have been asked to purchase the book 'The Computer Game Design Course' by Jim Thompson. To inform us about the processes of game development, we have been given certain pages to read independently. Bellow is a brief summary of the sections I have regarding idea and concept development.


Design Inspirations:


This section was all about seeking out inspiration. As gamers who sample many different platforms and genres regularly, it is very easy to repeat an existing idea. A way of thinking outside of what already exists within the game world, is to seek out new experiences as well as simply playing games. The section of the book also listed some groundbreaking approaches that spawned critically acclaimed games. 'Deus Ex' gave the player the decision to move through the game levels through violent or non-violent means. This role playing element, where the player makes moral choices, was likely inspired by the developer's history with tabletop role-playing games. The game also referenced real-life locations, such as 'a dirty, dark and threatening version of Hong Kong.' 


The case study that really interested me was the one that looked at Shigeru Miyamoto and his childhood bug collection. It was his hobby of exploring the outdoor landscape and collecting small insects, that spawned 'Pikmin' and 'Pokemon.' Pikmin was set in a 'dangerous' garden gameworld, whereas with Pokemon, the goal was to collect creatures to to engage with others in conflict. It is interesting consider how a childhood hobby spawned such original and successful ideas.


It is also important to keep a sketchbook, which can be used to stick in cutouts of images that inspire you almost like a scrap book, and to also to sketch any ideas that enter your mind. The section encouraged the study of real life photographs (including human anatomy), to make your own concepts more 'physically credible.' The sketchbook was described as a place where 'you can let your imagination run riot.' 


Another revolutionary game concept was in 'Call of Duty 2' where instead of collecting health packs, the player (when shot) became fatigued, his vision blurred with a blood red border developing around the edges of the screen. By doing this, the player felt the impact of being shot, and was encouraged to take cover to recuperate his health. This encouraged more tactical game playing, as oppose to running in towards a health pack. The message behind this short study was to not dismiss an idea immediately because it has already been done, but to assess why the game element exists, and then to seek out an innovative approach. 


When thinking of innovative game approaches, I am reminded of 'Pokemon Snap,' a game I used to play as a child. The platform was essentially a rail shooter, yet the objective was to take photographs of rare Pokemon in the wild. Each photograph was awarded points based on factors such as the rareness of the Pokemon and the framing of the shot, which combined the shooter platform with the experience of photography. This gave the game a certain unique edge, with a completely original idea as far as I am aware. This idea of capturing photographs and being awarded points based on the quality of the shot, was later used in the game 'Dead Rising.' With this game however, the ability to photograph was only a small feature and the shots were scored instantly, whereas in 'Pokemon snap' shots taken were graded at the end of each level. In my opinion, this shows how existing ideas can be taken further, and should not be dismissed immediately. Although 'Snap' was a rail shooter the inclusion of photography made it captivating, and it encouraged a fascination with nature in the younger audience.

'Pokemon Snap'

'Dead Rising'

The final point made in the section was that there is a place for independent games developers outside the mainstream market. In fact, some games that start as small indie games, become part of the mass market either in their original form or as adaptations. Three games mentioned 'Katamari Damacy,' 'Rag Doll Kung Fu,' and 'Darwinia,' were all spawned from the 'Indie Game Jam,' an event were independent game developers meet up to develop 'off-the-wall' ideas in a short time. One independent game that has reached out to a mass audience is Notch's 'Minecraft.' The game began as a sandbox platform inspired by a game called 'Infiniminer.' It has gradually developed in to  a hugely original game, where players now defend themselves from 'mobs' (enemies) explore huge cave systems and alternate dimensions, and produce complex creations with redstone circuits. Because the game was released independently online, Notch was able to take his time with the Beta, gradually releasing patched before the official release of the game. The game however, reaches mass audiences whilst still in the testing process. Now, huge companies like Microsoft have recognized the success of the indie game, and are buying into games like 'Fortress craft,' developed by 'Projectorgames,' which aims to replicate Notch's ideas as closely as possible, but with fancy textures the ability to play as your Xbox Avatar.

'Minecraft'

With these pages, I have taken away the idea of exploring other ideas and philosophies outside of gaming to inspire new game ideas. Also, I have obtained the knowledge that existing ideas can be shaped into exiting new concepts.

Gathering Materials:

Another aspect of the design process is gathering materials. The section acknowledged that the internet is a great source for images and ideas. On top of this it spoke about game design site called 'The Gamasurtra,' which contains articles written by game designers offering insight into the processes involved. As well as the internet however, there are other sources for inspiration. The section of the book raised the interesting point that inspiration can be found everywhere around us. As game developers, it would be wise to carry a digital camera and sketchbook with us at all times, incase say a piece of architecture catches our attention. Steven Spielberg after all, had the idea for the design of the mothership in 'Close Encounters of The Third Kind,' after seeing the pattern of the Loss Angeles street lights at night:

The Mothership

Another interesting concept mentioned was morphing. This taking something physical for example a bug, and using it to inspire the form of an armoured spaceship. A fine example of this would be the 'Scarab' from the 'Halo' game series. The large covenant vehicle was a beetle-like armoured body, and pointed insect-like legs:

The final element that designers use for visual reference is the mood board. This is a collection of images  and words that communicate ideas such as emotion, colour, and composition. The mood board underlines the original concept, meaning it can be referred back to make sure that the designers ideas are on track and moving in the right direction.

Overall, I have learned that it is important to be constantly exploring and seeking out inspiration. Inspiration itself can come in many forms, wether it be from nature or architecture. It is important as a designer to gather as much visual references as possible to aid the design process and help generate new ideas. I now plan on purchasing a sketchbook and beginning to collect visual references for my game level. I have began mood boarding some possible approaches, and plan on moving towards refining my ideas with sketches and further research. 

  

Life After Photoshop?

I recently read an article in '3D World' magazine titled 'Life After Photoshop?' I learned that one of the currently most important tools used by 3D animators, Games designers and VFX artists could soon reach an end. It seems that when Photoshop CS6 is released, any users currently below version CS5 will have to re-buy the software which costs $500. This has raised the questions: "could the VFX industry ever move away from photoshop? And is there a Photoshop killer currently in development."


I personally am a novice in the area of computer animation. For this reason, some points raised in the article were very foreign to me. I do recognize however, that Photoshop is a piece of software that is used in virtually all areas of the art and design industry, and it is also a tool I myself have experience using and feel comfortable with the interface. Despite this, I am not filled with a sense of worry, but a sense of optimism and excitement as I read about some of the exciting new softwares that could arise from the fall of Photoshop.


One of the alternatives to Photoshop mentioned was a programme called 'Mari':

After conducting further research on the software, I discovered that 'Mari' is a 3d digital paint tool, that 

allows the user to paint directly on to 3d models in a 'fluid and natural way' (The Foundry website. A VFX and post production company mentioned in the article). Apparently the software can process large amounts of pixels, meaning the user can concentrate on applying detail. It was originally produced for the movie 'Avatar,' to meet the huge demand for detail and textures. This video below, shows the large number of layers that Mari can handle, and also the level of detail that can be achieved:





The level of detail here is breathtaking. The Blacksmith's skin is almost life-like, complete with wrinkles and small blemishes. Even the blood shot eyes have been considered.


Another piece of software mentioned was 'Nuke.' Nuke is a node-based compositor used for post-production. At first, I had no idea what this actually meant but after seeking out video examples, I discovered that it is similar to Adobe's After Effects. I watched a tutorial video on multipass rendering using Maya and then Nuke. This is the technique of rendering separate passes (examples being a specular highlight pass, later to be combined with a shadow pass and then the diffuse pass), meaning that you can have more control over the individual elements rather than only being able adjust say the brightness. The tutorial video was 22 minutes long, meaning it would be unpractical to share the embeded link in the event of me needing to PDF my blog posts for this module. The link to the video on YouTube however, is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCzzp5tG4Eg


In conclusion, it is interesting to see some of the new software being produced for visual effects. In the event that Photoshop should eventually phase out, it is important to be aware of some of some of the future tools that will be on offer for someone interested in the area of 3D computer graphics. A darker undertone of this particular study, could be one of corporate greed. Although the other softwares mentioned are significantly more expensive that Photoshop ($6800), Adobe's choice to re-charge customers who are looking to upgrade from older versions has caused people within the industry to pause for thought. Photoshop is a fantastic piece of image-editing software, but it has never been strictly for VFX artists. One criticism raise in the article, was that having to keep re-openeing hundreds of frames in photoshop often results in wasted time. By charging existing customers for the new upgrade, it seems people in the particular industry of VFX have decided to seek out  new tools that are specifically designed for working with lots of frames and pixels.

A History of Advertising

We recently received a lecture on a history of advertising. The lecture was based around the success of the Lever Brother's, and their brand 'Sunlight Soap.' The Lever Brothers was foundered by James Darcy and William Hesketh Lever in 1885. Today, the company 'Unilever', which the Lever Brothers are associated with, owns 900 brands (Ben & Jerry's and Bird's Eye to name but a few). William Lever opened a gallery for the public, which was aimed mainly for the use of his workers to draw creative inspiration. 'Port Sunlight' was build round about the time Lever became the first british tycoon.


One of the most revolutionary marketing strategies Lever came up with, was to pre-package soap, an approach which has also been used by John and William Kellogg. Before Lever came along, soap was sold in long bars to grocers, which stamped, sliced-up and sold. Lever's strategy was to advertise his soap extensively, attaching a brand identity with the packaging. His methods were very similar to the ones we see today in advertising.

The newspapers also played a huge role in advertising, As a result of taxes on newspapers being abolished, there was an advertising boom around 1855-1861. A second boom came in the 1880s, when printing technology allowed colour printing and pictorial adds in magazines. By the 1890s, advertisers were able to re-print contemporary paintings to use for their adds. The images used were often of upperclass families washing their china plates, which was fashionable at the time. The people in the paintings were usually wearing flawless white clothing, creating a very aspiration image of cleanliness.


Another key to Lever's success was that he was around in 1851, at the height of the Empire. This meant that international trade routes were established. As a result of this, 'Sunlight Soap' went from a local soap manufacturer to one of the world's first multinationals. By 1930, they were the largest corporation in Britain. Port Sunlight Museum stated in 2009 that: ‘Colourful, innovative advertising was crucial to Lever’s success’ His constant use of contemporary paintings communicated his product. He chose children as a popular subject matter as they represent purity and joy, and possibly as they create emotive undertones, because mothers want to create a clean and hygienic environment for their children to live safely in. Again white linen was used often to show that the product was good for cleaning clothes. He used other emotive techniques. For the 'As Good as New' add, Lever used a painting titled 'A Dress Rehearsal (1888)' by Albert Chevallier Tayler. The painting depicted a peasant family, watching a bride try on a wedding dress, a very cheerful atmosphere in the room. The add appeals to the less wealthy, and implies beauty secrets being passed down through generations as the mother watches proudly over what looks to be her daughter.

What we see through Lever's choice to use contemporary paintings, is an example of creative advertising. His adverts draw in the audience with the interesting and colourful subject matter, also adding an entertaining spectacle. By using slogans, Lever could also manipulate a paintings meaning to sell the product. With the 'Sunlight Soap' product, you were also encouraged to save up vouchers to receive prints of the adverts. Lever was also innovative in the fact he organized events to raise interest and awareness company. When opening new offices on Lake Geneva, he organized a washing competition, to encourage people to sample his product, whilst offering entertainment. The company even reached out to children, including paper dolls in their packaging. In essence he achieved world domination. Some of the marketing methods he used are still seen in advertising today. 'Lynx' still make extreme claims based on hygiene, that by using their product, you will attract the opposite sex. It is this aspiration element that still drives many products today.

There are criticisms however, against what is known as 'Admass.' It has been argued by Lewis that: "People degenerated into drones: docile bodies or blind mouths etc…unable to think beyond free market capitalism." This reflects the idea that people begin to believe everything that is pitched to them, and also this idea that large corporate industries take advantage of the public with their aspirational adds. There is the counter argument however that advertising created jobs, and those who support capitalism believe that consumption 'improves the well being of the population' (Lewis).

In the context of our course, I believe that what the Lever Brothers show is the idea of creative advertising, particularly through collaborative medias. If we think of the use of contemporary art to sell soap product, it is very similar to using say; animation to advertise other products. I found this 'Digicel Pacific TVC' advert, using 3D animation created in 'Maya' and 'Blender.'

Digicel Pacific TVC from Stefan Wernik on Vimeo.


By using 3D animated characters, the advert is quirky and engaging. The message is conveyed with a subtle sense of humour, fitting with the Lever idea that an advert should be entertaining and contain some kind of spectacle for the audience to marvel at. 

Media Specificity

Media was once known as 'medium', the above phrase therefore, would have been called 'medium specificity.' The medium is more about the method's involved, whereas when the word media is used, we are usually discussing the messages and information carried. A piece of art or music, for example, might communicate a political message to a large audience. When we discuss Media Specificity, we are considering how media shapes what we do. Media specificity also relates to how we might for instance, distinguish photography form music, as the means of communicating information.


To introduce us to this idea, our lecturer began by suggesting that 'PowerPoint' may not have been the best platform for the presentation, as the subject of media specificity is very broad and in-depth. Powerpoint encourages short bullet pointed snippets of information, perhaps more 'specific' to business presentations, where the presenter wants to pitch lots of digestible ideas to possible clients. Professor Edward Tufte is know for his criticism towards PowerPoint, as it encourages users to dilute and simplify information.


During our lecture on 'media specificity,' homo sapiens were used to demonstrate media specificity. If you consider evolution, we have: A large brain, most of our sensory organs located facing forwards, a long throat and a small mouth with a flexible tongue and lips, an upright stance enable our arms to move freely and allowing us to see further, and finally posable thumbs. We then created tools to be used as extensions of our body. The stone axe, specifically is an extension of both the teeth, as it chops through meat, and also of the hands and arms, as it increases our reach. we have also created telescopes as an extension of our vision. By recording moving images and sound, one could we argue that we have create the means to extend our memory. Perhaps one of the most modern and extreme examples, could be the creation of the internet, almost as an extension of our voice. We can now communicate our ideas, and they can be received form anywhere across the globe. Another interesting idea raised, was that new technology often mimics old ones. The editing software 'Final Cut Pro,' uses an interface that resembles the cutting and placement of pieces of film. This style of editing style has existed for ages, showing that it is the effective medium specific to the editing of film.


Reflecting more on how we specify different medias, we can firstly look at fine art. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing said "An artwork, in order to be successful, needs to adhere to the specific stylistic properties of its own medium." So what are these properties? Painting most likely to be aesthetically pleasing, with a
composition that helps the viewer follow the contours of the painting and also its message. Colour theory is widely considered, and is often the key to capturing and conveying certain emotions. Take Jackson Pollock for instance. Although his style at first appears chaotic and random, he was believed to use a repeating fractal style, meaning his compositions are well balanced. Some however were critized, as they took this idea of composition and colour theory specific to the media too seriously. Their minimalist/ purist approach made some painter's work such as Frank Stellar and John McCracken, unsuccessful in capturing their audience. Still, even in tradition religious paintings we can see how geometry has influenced the composition.


Taking a look at a medium more specific to our course, film bears these specific properties. The writer Münsterberg established these traits, saying: “These devices (close-ups, edits etc.) are all objectifications of mental processes.” What Münsterberg was trying to distinguish was the methods of film in contrast to theatre. When we watch a film on screen, we are all looking through the view of the camera lens. This means that like paintings for example, composition can be considered. Different shot compositions convey different messages and emotions. Another example of this would be when the transition form theatre to film was first made. actors wore heavy make-up, similarly to in theatre. Like a spectator sitting at the back of a theatre hall, the cameras of the time could not pick out the actors features, meaning they needed to be exaggerated by the make-up. Also, when actors began on screen, they had very clear diction. As the media of film has developed, more natural diction is used to give an authentic feel. A similar development seems to be occurring in game. As the technology advances, one could argue that in some cases, the two medias are taking the same specific traits. Evidence of this can be seen in very nature of how our course runs. It seems that games are growing ever more cinematic, which means that film-makers are crossing over in to the media. This also brings animators in to the picture, more specifically 3D animation. If we look at the 'Uncharted' game series, the production team are constantly striving for cinematic effect and realism.

Whether media is shaping our social habbits with services such as facebook and twitter, or genuinely extending our human abilities to perform tasks or voice our ideas, specificity is withoubt doubt a constant. Specific medias are forever evolving, which as we are studying one of the larges medias today, it is important for us to be aware of this. As animators or filmmakers, we need to begin to recognise certain media specific traits, and we also have to consider how we can build on our audiences reception of our work. Although originality is also a key factor when creating a piece of media, there are also the groundworks that have been developed to use the specific medium to its best potential. To become a professional in a particular industry, one must both acknowledge and utilize this.

Distant Future Animation Studios

Recently, we had a talk from a small animation studio called 'Distant Future.' The team consisted of two 3D animators, One of which was an ex-student of the Leeds College of Art. The Studio is based in Bradford, where one of team members studied for a 3D computer graphics degree. He explained how his job was in IT, and he later decided he wanted to do 3D animation after watching Pixar's 'Monsters Inc.' The two founders were already friends, who bumped into each other at a networking event. They soon acquired a studio, which made clients take them more seriously. As a result however, they spent the first year in business trying to break even.


There were interesting points raised in regards to finding work as an animator. We were told how after acquiring a degree and even a BBC award, one of the team originally found it difficult even to get an interview. We were also given some insight into working with clients. Like Cyriak explain in a previous talk, 'Distant Future' also spoke of difficult customers, who expect great amounts of unspecified work for the original agreed cost. They also warned us about preparation and rushed projects due to fast approaching deadlines. One of their animations was projected onto a huge castle wall, and the team were unsure as to whether the sequence was a success. They explained that they should have hired a helping hand, to achieve some of the animations. Instead, they took on the project as just the two of them.


Some of the advice given that stuck with me was: To decide on the area that you enjoy working in the most and become a specialist. By doing this, people will know they can hire you to approach a specific task, which will help you find work. Another helpful tip was to ask for help. If you are having trouble getting around a problem, post a question on a forum as oppose to spending hours trying to work it out for yourself. There people on the net who will likely know the answer, which will save you time. A final point I took from the talk was the importance of organization. The team spoke of how at one point they had files scattered across several different servers which made finding bits of work painstaking. They spoke of online servers that allow you to store unlimited amounts of work incase you should loose the original files. By using one of the sites, all of their work is backed up and safe in one place.


Currently, 'Distant Future' have a showreel, which they say has helped improve business. The showreel even reveals that the studio have produced work for 'Toyota' and 'E4,' which I find impressive. It was really interesting to see two animation graduates who managed to start a sucessful business nearby. Even though it seems work for animators is hard to come by, 'Distant Future' managed to create their own studio and find work for themselves. With patience and dedication, I that feel generating work through finding clients is achievable. It may be hard to acquire a job in some of the larger more established animation studios, but there always the option to work freelance.

Sectors and Services (Part Two)

Following a lecture we received on sectors and services, we were given a talk which went more in-depth regarding the organizations that could be relevant to us.


Interestingly, we discovered that game is the largest industry within the creative services. Disappointingly however, there actually appeared to be no independent games developers within the Leeds area according to google maps. However, after being directed to the 'gamerepublic.net' I found that companies such as 'dubit,' 'Rockstar Leeds' and also 'Thinkd' who 'specialize in finding creative new uses for technology that result in unique outcomes,' are all based in Leeds.


Under the public sector, we have organizations such as:


'Screen Yorkshire.' They are a company who invest in creations by Yorkshire-based companies, and also work to attract other production companies to film on location around Yorkshire. The company has recently received a 15million pound boost as a result of european funding.
'Marketing Leeds,' who are working to raise interest in what is happening in the city of Leeds.
The old broadcasting tower in Leeds also offers a fantastic public space which can be used for creative projects.
At the top of all this, there is also the Leeds City Council, who also fund voluntary work and services.
These are only a few of the organizations mentioned.


There are also the private sector organizations:


'Hebe Media' is a fashion-based organization based in Leeds.
The 'Munro House' is an independent art gallery, interested in fine art, illustraion, and photography.
'Round Foundry Media Centre' offers office space specifically for creative digital and media based business.


There are also the public and private partnership organizations:


'Test Space Leeds' offers creative space for everything from bands to art exhibitions.
There is also the Leeds fashion show, as well as the 'Northern Art Prize', which is set up to create a turnerprize-esque award ceremony based in Yorkshire.


Some of the third sector organization are:


'Artsmix*,' which is a themed market set up to promote emerging artists, writers, performers and musicians.
'Animated Yorkshire,' which offer support for animation within the region.
'Culture Vulture' is purely done as a hobby. It is set up to give updates on what is happening around the Leeds area in terms of creative industry.


In conclusion, I now see the city of Leeds in a whole new light. The city seems to be buzzing with creative organizations and spaces. It is assuring, as a student on a creative course, to know that there are so many organizations within the area who aim to support creative services. Although I commented that there are no organizations linked directly to gaming, perhaps office spaces like the 'Round Foundry Media Centre' who specialize in digital work, would be kean to support work in the specific area of digital film, games and animation.

Sectors and Services

Industry is devised into three main industrial sectors:

We have the 'Primary Sector', which deals with harvesting resources form the earth (Farming, mining etc.).

We also have the 'Secondary Sector', which deals with processing products from the primary industry. Examples of this would be factories that package primary product.

The third main sector is the 'Tertiary Sector'. This covers service providers like teachers and so on.

These can be broken down further:

The '1st Sector' is public, therefore runs on the money of tax payers. One of the most recognized public service is the NHS, where people can receive free healthcare if needed, which I assume will be a non-profit organization.

The '2nd Sector' involves private companies, usually set up for profit.

The '3rd Sector' involves voluntary organizations. This includes community owned businesses and charities.

Creative industry comes under the category of services, meaning that we fit in the 'Tertiary Sector'. At the moment, the Government aren't very interesting in funding creative arts. There seems to be more focus on sciences, which is generally where most of the funding is going. Fortunately, Creative England is an organization that supports creative businesses anywhere outside of London. They have a focus on independent filmmakers, and distribute funds supplied by the government to aid creative projects.

In conclusion, it is important to be aware of the sector which creative services comes under, and how they can be funded. Studying on a creative course, I image most of us will be looking for creative work, and for this reason we must understand that 1. There is an issue that the government are not showing a great deal of interest in funding creative work, but 2. There are alternative organizations that can offer support.

Cyriak

We were treated recently to a talk from the animator Cyriak. He is known for his bizarre animation style, as demonstrated by the above link. There are a few ideas I took away from the talk, and his style of animating and work ethic were very inspirational to me.


Cyriak was very honest. He didn't boast stories about fighting to be recognised, in fact he seemed very laid back and down to earth. he presented some of his animations, which all received a welcome applause. His style seemed very unorthodox, with the look of graphic stop motion animation. When asked how he produced some of his work, he explained that he 'Adobe After Effects' a lot, which is generally used visual effects and post production. What also made his animations different was the crazy subject matter. Barn yard animals performing synchronised dance routines before transforming in to bizarre looking spiders. You could see clearly that these were ideas straight from his head, with no desired audience restricting his thoughts. His syle for me beard some resemblance to Terry Gilliam's graphic animations for the 'Monty Python' series:

Cyriak has a style which I imagine would be hard to imitate. What I personally took away from the talk was an understanding of how to balance independent work with commissioned work to keep afloat. Cyriak later spoke of how he takes on jobs for financial income. Clients will contact him with details of what they want. Cyriak will then let the client know whether he is interested. Once everything is given the go ahead, he can then begin animating. Generally, the client will request changes, meaning that the process will take a while. He also warned that clients be very particular, generating lots of work, and sometimes in the end loose interest and cancel the deal. He also explained that sometimes the client will dilute their original idea so much, that in the end the results may turn out very poor. Although this is not ideal as an animator would ideally want to be happy with all their work, it is assuring to know that one can make a living through their hobby. 

The commissioned work aside, Cyriak shared with us a fantastic collaboration video he created titled 'Meow'. The animation was about the zombie apocalypse set in a city inhabited by kittens, and was the result of a great idea actually going through to completion. This reassures me that along side making a living, an animator can still make time for personal projects. I will conclude this post with in my opinion, one of Cyriak's strongest animations:

Guest speaker: Andy Peers

For one of our personal and professional practice lectures, a guest speaker was organized. Andy Peers was the National Acrobat Gymnastic Champion at a young age. When he was a boy, him and his friend had the privilege of meeting their favourite band 'Motorhead'. Moving away from his early ambition of being a gymnast, he is today the advertising director of the 'Big issue'.

The most important message that Andy Peers was trying to convey, was that business morally should be based around set values. He asked us about our values, and how we would choose to run our own business. Reflecting on this, I decided I would strive for honesty (fair production processes), fairness towards the consumer (prices based on costs, not just the popularity of the brand logo) and loyalty (maintaining the values that have won custom in the first place, not making changes based on the mass consumer market). I think this is the area that engaged me the most. I feel strongly against huge corporate companies, who believe that because their brand is attached to a product, they can exploit the consumer and charge ridiculous prices.

An example of an independent store that goes against the mass consumer market in the city of Leeds, would be Jumbo Records. They are value based in the sense that they run on a genuine passion for all genres of music. Unlike the Virgin 'megastores', Jumbo try and appeal to the specialists, who want to scratch beneath the surface and move away from the mainstream. The store dates back to 1971, and was the baby of a 70's mobile disc jokey. Today the store still operates strongly with a small team of staff. Although not massively values based, the store bears an independent feel. For someone who is passionate about music, one could quite easily be offended by the mass media market and the throwaway singles produced today. For this reason, I believe that in the particular area of music, Jumbo records values a genuine interest in artists creating music, and not the exploitation of popular song for profit.

http://www.jumborecords.co.uk/

Another point Andy Peers shared with us regarding success in business, was how to network. He explained how as soon as a person glances over your shoulder in conversation, you have lost their interest. He spoke of imagining small clumps of jelly, as a metaphor for information. Each small clump of information you can stick to a person, helps maintain their interest. If you can convey your points in small chunks rather than overloading the listener, you can engage them in snappy interesting discussion.

In conclusion, I have been left to ponder on the values I would like to base my work around. Even working independently, values can have an effect. For example, if I was asked to do commission work for a company I felt went against my own values, I believe it would be wise to maintain integrity by voicing my opinion, and if nothing could be changed, respectfully turning down the work. Even if maintaining strict values can potentially prevent certain opportunities, I believe that in the long run, honesty and respect is important. If you have a set of values that you can lay out on the table whenever you are interviewed for a work, you will be taken serious as an individual or as a business. In the end, the path you follow will be true to yourself and the values you have chosen to live by.

Writing an Evaluation

We make choices al the time, whether it be what to wear for a meal out, or which of the latest games to purchase. An evaluation is an important tool to show that you can go back, consider your work and see where improvements could be made in the future. The evaluation requires us to make careful choices, as it should not just be a rushed list of what was done to achieve the final results. This was the message conveyed in a previous lecture titled 'What is an Evaluation?'

When we write an Evaluation, we could consider: Costs, design (was the design effective? Did it reach out to the desired target market?), scientific analysis and possible recommendations for improvement. A good evaluation is not just you boasting about what went well, but what you have discovered through the process, and how you could take this experience to improve on the areas that weren't quiet as effective. It is good to acknowledge your strengths, being careful not convey arrogance.

With an evaluation, you should: Acknowledge what you have been asked to do, how you've progressed through the process, the quality of the solutions you created, your performance and ability to work in a team. You must not self praise, try to tell a story and give an example of what exactly you did, make comparisons with work of others (this includes measuring yourself against the best), talk about land marks within the process, describe how you overcame hurdles, quote the guru's (the professionals within the trade), and finally; what was the impact? How do you believe your work reached out to your target audience.

You should finish with an action plan. To do this, you should: Ask questions, respond to your own questions with an answer, analyse your work and reflect on it, and finally, act upon your thoughts/ make changes and improvements. We can use Bloom's Taxonomy theory to help us remember this. The theory  covers: Knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. When writing the evaluation, we should also organize our thoughts, perhaps using headings.

In conclusion, the evaluation is a key element of the learning process. We must use the written reflection to help collect our thoughts, and understand our strengths and the areas to improve upon. We must treat the evaluation as an academic piece of writing, taking time and care on the structure and organization of our thoughts. In the contexts of film and game, an evaluation can come in the form of a review. Even as independent filmmakers or animators we could receive feedback in the form of an evaluation, perhaps on our blogs. It is important that we take this feedback and use it to improve on our trade.

The Unnamed Protagonist

I recently watched the movie 'Drive' by Nicolas Winding Refn. The film was about a stuntman and mechanic, who also worked as a getaway driver. This loner character meets a woman and her child, their husband and father in prison. The father is released, and the protagonist seems grow close to the family. When the husband is killed in the process of earning back his freedom from a crime boss associate, the main character takes matters in to his own hands. One of the strongest points of the film in my opinion, was the decision for the protagonist to be kept unnamed. Throughout the film, the mysterious main character's name was never given. He is referred to in other media, such as web articles, as simply 'driver'. 


Reflecting further on why this decision was so effective, I was reminded of the famous Spaghetti Western 'Dollars' trilogy, and 'the man with no name.' In the famous western trilogy Clint Eastwood plays a bounty hunter, who moves from town to town. Like the 'driver', Clint Eastwood's character has no real ties. We are never introduced to any of his family members, and his background is never really touched on. The Character's in both 'Drive' and the 'Dollars' trilogy are highly mysterious. They are generally stone faced, and keep their dialogue very limited and to the point. They are both highly skilled in their trade (Gunslinging in the case of Eastwood's character), but never speak of their talents or boast. They often fashion a signature look, 'the man with no name' wearing a poncho, the 'driver' a stylish white jacket with a scorpion logo on the back. 


Another similarity I noticed, which perhaps could be more than just coincidence, is the way that both characters hide their hands and arms from view. Eastwood hides his hands and arms beneath his poncho, and the 'driver' keeps his hands in his jacket pockets. Even when the 'driver' has his hands on the steering wheel, they are shielded by driving gloves. I believe our hands could be seen as an intimate part of the body. contact with others is often made through engaging in a handshake, or through embracing someone in our arms. When the unnamed characters keep their hands so much to the themselves, I believe it creates the effect of distance and reclusiveness. This idea of masking parts of the body to achieve distance, is taken to the extreme in 'Drive'. For one of the 'driver's' Hollywood stunt roles, he is required to wear a face mask. When the stunt car driver decides to hunt down one of the men who threatens the lives of those who have become dear to him, he puts on this mask to shield his identity, or perhaps even just to frighten his target. As the 'driver' stalks the enemy, the mask he wears looks cold and emotionless.


So why do the narratives of these films put so much emphasis on the protagonist being distant and mysterious? My view is that when the main character remains unnamed with no clear background, we can attach our own back story in our minds, that we can relate to. The character almost becomes a shell that we can step inside. In this sense we can almost place ourselves inside the story. One media this style of protagonist works effectively in is game. I remember a very powerful video game in the sense of style and narrative: 'Oddworld: Strangers Wrath.' where the player followed the story of 'the stranger'. The approach was done in the vein of the 'Dollars' trilogy, where 'the stranger' moved from town to town in the search for outlaws and bounty. Again we could relate to the unnamed protagonist, as we were 'strangers' in this virtual world. We didn't feel so much that we were watching the story of another unfold, but that we were living out the campaign. I imagine this is what game developers inevitably aim to achieve, which is likely why this particular type of protagonist worked so well for the 'Oddworld' franchise.

The Origins of 'the stranger' however, did eventually unfold. In that sense, the player never really had ultimate control over the narrative of the game, despite the presence of this indefinite character. Perhaps the unnamed protagonist is only used as a tool to engage us and generate curiosity. We as the viewer or player, may never truly be able to apply our own influence in to how we perceive a piece of narrative. It is likely only the writer or director who can ultimately piece the story together.

Kiwi!

I stumbled upon this fantastic animation, which was produced by a student of computer arts. Here is a video link:

I find it both impressive and inspiring that this short was produced by an independent animator, studying for a masters degree. The movements of the Kiwi bird are very weighted, and I particular enjoyed the animation of the bird heaving on the rope attached to the tree, possibly demonstrating anticipation. Another creative feature as far as character design goes, is how Kiwi uses his feet to perform tasks. It adds a great comedy value to the short. When the bird hammers the nails into the tree, we even see the follow through principle as the body subtly wobbles with the motion of the foot. Another effective aspect of the animation is the story. We are made to laugh for the majority of the short, as we see this tiny bird trying to pull this colossal tree up the face of a cliff. The whole idea could even fit our module title 'Little and Large'. The story then takes an emotive turn however, as we realize that Kiwi is attempting to simulate flight, as he has no wings. Of course, this simulation does inevitably end in death, showing that the bird is essential committing suicide, to experiencing the dream of flight. This emotion is emphasized as Kiwi closes his eyes in preparation for his death. The character seems at peace, and we can see that.

Clearly, 'Kiwi!' is a fine animation, demonstrating many of the principles. What I took from the short however, is a look at how great narrative can be achieved through computer animation. Like our videos, 'Kiwi!' is only a short animation, yet it manages to on some level move its audience. It really demonstrates the power of animation.

'Little and Large' (Final video)

Here is a H264 render of my final animation. I am generally happy with the results, and I feel the colours and the lighting look very nice when rendered out. One aspect I am a bit disappointed with is the ray trace shadows. By forgetting to tweak the settings, some of the shadows are very sharp and blocky. Unfortunately, the rendering process took so long that adjusting the shadows would have cut my project worryingly close to the deadline. Another improvement I would have liked to make if time permitted, would be the easing with the bouncing ball animations. I could have really demonstrated an animation principle by easing out the ball to a halt. I believe I have still covered the easing principle however, generally with the considered curves in the graph editor. You can see the principle in simple animations such as the Lego man pulling down the switch that appears from off the screen.

Overall, I am happy with the animation. There are obviously still improvements that could be made in future projects, but as a first attempt, I believe the project has given me a nice introduction to Maya.

Three Point Lighting

I recently followed the three point lighting tutorial on moodle, using the key light, the fill light to bring out the shadows created by the key light, and the back light to create an edge around the subject making it pop:

Key:

Fill:

Edge:

I found the guide very useful. It covered everything from emitting speculars, to the relationship editor, which are all important to consider when rendering out high quality images in Maya. I plan to apply a lighting 'rig' in my 'Little and Large' Maya scenes, to hopefully bring out the subjects with in my animation. I plan on using directional lights for a more natural look, as my animation is set in an outdoor environment. Of course, this is something I will need to test first, as I am not fully sure how the objects within my scenes will react to the directional lights.

Revized Animations

I made a previous post about the final crit we had recently. In response to some of the comments I received, I have revized some of my Maya animations. Here is a short reel showing the improvements:

As you can see from the video, with the kick animation the ball now takes off at the moment of contact. I have also added more weight to the ball as it drops out of sight. I have also pulled out the tangents to add more weight to the ball as it bounces in to the shot on the second clip. Finally, I worked on improving the squash animation where the large beach ball crushes my Lego man. I simply inserted new key frames on the y axis in the graph editor to add extra bounces. The first attempt contain too many bounces, which made the ball loose its weight. In the end, I ended up using the single quick bounce that was suggested during the crit. The result is a ball that appears heavy, yet does not stop too suddenly at impact.

MegaMind: Behind The Scenes

Expanding on my previous post on the extreme deformation style of Dreamwork's 'Madagascar', I found this behind the scenes video showing the production processes behind the movie 'MegaMind', also by Dreamworks. The video gives great insight in to the entire production process behind a high quality animation. If we refer to the chronological order of the video, it is suggested that the voice actors come in before the animating begins. This makes sense, as I imagine it would be easier to key a CG model to dialogue, than for an actor to try and achieve sync with a computer animation. What I also found engaging, was to see some of the concept art behind the characters in the film. We see development after development, pages of faces and varying hairstyles. This gives an idea in to the amount of work that goes in to creating a character, before the modelling process even begins. It is also clear that different people are working in different areas of computer animation. We see one artist producing an epic fly-cam over a city landscape, where as one animator is working on the character's facial expressions. It is also interesting to see the facial animator manipulating MegaMind's eyebrows on what appears to be a graph editor, which I often use in Maya to try and achieve smooth animations. Seeing this, it becomes clear how much detail is required for such an large scale production, and also, that perhaps this requires more animators taking on different roles. We also see one team member who's role seems to be to review the rendered footage and make sure no mistakes are present. We see him point out that a small streetlamp is superimposed onto the camera view, ignoring the large object destroying everything in its path.

In response to the video, I believe it has given me a general idea of the type of working environment within a large animation studio. There seems to be many different roles, so that focus and effort can be distributed evenly, ensuring every aspect of the finished animation is achieved with time and care.