Organization and production
I just wanted to make a brief note on organization, the production side of the project. I know this sounds crazy and ‘un-artistic’ but to be a filmmaker and an efficient filmmaker you have to be organized. Before I start ANY project I create a chart of goals. The finished chart for “The Lift” (above), was used to not only keep my self motivated, to keep CG sequences organized but also to organize the freelancers who helped me. First, list out all your shots, then try to visually determine their complexity. I used several ways; how many characters are in the shot, is there a 3d background or 2d background, is there camera movement and can I say the shot is complex in some other way. After that I noted what type of background was needed followed by several columns dedicated to what phase the shot was in (Anim, Cleanup, Color, Shade, Grade, 3D, BG, Final (composite). They are shown all blue because the film is done, but when I was working on it they were mostly yellow to indicate that that phase had yet to be reached. You then need some sort of note column, most of my notes relate to how to replicate the 3D shots. Then I have 2 columns that indicate who is working on what. Usually you can tint these green when they are working on them.
Making of a shot – Shot 13
This week I am posting a much earlier shot from my film ‘The Lift’. In this shot the main character is leaving for work, or what ever she does. As you saw from one of the other later shots I posted she doesn’t make it to where she was going.
Something I haven’t really talked about yet, and I am always asked, is when will it be finished. I am looking to complete this film in early 2010, actually the end of January. I am attempting to submit this film to Annecy which is apparently celebrating its 50th anniversary. If you are interested I took some pictures when I was there in 2003 (Annecy Animation Festival Pictures).
Enjoy!
Making of a shot – Shot 51
I am posting this new video on my blog a little late this time, a week late actually. I forgot to do this last week, though I did get it up on Youtube and Vimeo. This week I won’t be doing a video as its a holiday in the US.
Shot 51, what you see below is the shot immediately after last weeks, the girl gets pulled down the sewer drain and transported to another world.
Other than that I think I am pretty set on the new title of the film “The Lift”, as my sister Emma says “Once and Never Again” sounded lame. I think i agree.
Making of a shot – Shot 50
This week I created an almost 7 minute tutorial showing my process of developing a shot from the animatic to the final video. I demonstrated how I use Flash to create the animation and color the frames, Blender to generate the 3D scenes and After Effects for composting.
YouTube Kohrtoons Studio Channel
Vimeo Kohrtoons Studio Channel
On another note the film is currently called “Once and Never Again” though I am considering changing it to “The Lift”. The premise of the film is an elevator experience gone wrong, a cautionary tale about holding the elevator door for people (though you wouldn’t know it from this shot)
Based out of Brooklyn NY, Robert Kohr is the owner of