• Joined: April 3, 2018

Topic: Test.

This is my first brickfilm. I don't have many pieces, so I am using mostly wood, clay. Etc.

I am new to this world and first lesson I learned is. If you are tired. Just give up for a while.

Anyway, I have many ideas of how to make a WWIi movie, but since I have no clue about photography, filming, light... I am learning by doing, buying books, reading and watching. Sometimes (I guess it is very Newbee thing) I try to do complicated things... That simply does not work. I chose Blanck and white because it will hide many defects, and I can work better with the lighting. And it also, kind of it really looks cool.

So, here we go.

This is a rough idea of how it is going to be. I am also thinking in a silent movie. Just music, no effects. No words, as starting point. Just some letters like early XX films.

https://youtu.be/6DrDf0sTNIE

  • Location: Southern California
  • Joined: December 9, 2015

Re: Test.

This is incredible! You have a moving camera, the appropriate aspect ratio for a silent film, and the explosion at the end, which I'm assuming is a digital effect, is composited in quite nicely. A lot of times digital effects stick out like a sore thumb, but it blends really well into the footage. Also the exposure and amount of graininess and blur on the "film" looks right, not just like a sharp color footage desaturated into B&W but feels right for the old film look that you're going for.

Much of the animation is quite nice. The walks in particular are very smooth and not overpronounced, so they feel really natural. Some of the camera movements are a little choppy, but actually quite good considering I'm guessing you aren't using a motion control rig, and your moevement of the camera to reframe the shot reminds me of this analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFpki7v4xiI

The characters moving the heavy guns around could show a little more effort in moving them, which would help us feel the weight of the equipment, but portraying weight is on every animator's challenge list, and will come with practice.

It seems like you have a pretty good feel for what you are doing, from an intuitive level. Dive in and make a short film! It might not be your best, but then nobody's first film is. Each one gets better, so just get out into that battlefield!

https://bricksafe.com/files/thistof/hillbillyheist/TofAnimation.png

thistof's Website

  • Joined: April 3, 2018

Re: Test.

Good advices!!!
One of the things I enjoy is doing scenary sets, and my 3 years old son loves it. I made few clay houses... And an inside trench. You LL see.

The weitgh is a really good advice. I I'll try to work on it. But most of the problems come from my impatience. I want a lot of things and I need to go, step by step.

I think I LL finish a short film following this story. And I hope to have a real record of my improvements... By watching the film I hope I improve tecnically

  • Joined: April 3, 2018

Re: Test.

https://youtu.be/lTSYYQR2Zig

here is the test 3. I wanted to put some more "action"... still I need to work with the camera. I tried to do a thing... but not very succesfull.

  • Location: Southern California
  • Joined: December 9, 2015

Re: Test.

Looks good. What camera are you using? If you have a small enough camera like a webcam, you can build a case for it out of Lego bricks and then move it around one stud at a time on a baseplate. Makes it easier to control the distance between each move. Another idea is to rest your camera on a piece of paper that is taped down to the table and make marks on the paper to ensure that your camera is moving smoothly, the same amount from frame to frame, with shorter distances at the beginning and end of the camera move (slow in/out aka ease)

https://bricksafe.com/files/thistof/hillbillyheist/TofAnimation.png

thistof's Website