3D Production Models + Film Work

Hopping onto the blog for a quick update. I honestly don't even have time to be writing this right now. So much has been put on my plate. (I mean, I did it to myself on purpose).

So just finished the models for my "Willy Wonka" project. I know they're just divine...

I spent about 8 days trying to figure out my Wonka model (the first one). The second model I did in about 4 hours. It's incredible how these things work. The whole time I was working on first model, I was slowing myself down with self doubt and uncertainty. Also I was trying to learn Zbrush feeling that an easier-to-sculpt-in program would make the process quicker.

The toss-up here being either work in the program that is harder to model in that you already know, or work in the program that is easier to sculpt in that you barely know.

I was so afraid of screwing up in the modeling process and the topology that I would run into issues later when it came to texturing and rigging and then I would be setting myself up to backtrack and start over. In these situations though, I honestly can't be too concerned with that. I just need to get it done. I don't even understand why I was fretting so much about it in the first place. Because really this whole project is meant to be super simple. Simple models, simple rigging, minimal animation. Like seriously, I don't even have to worry about lip-sync or blinking.

But as usual I have to freak out more than necessary.

I should just be glad that I got it done. (But I still have to model the environment...)

The only really disheartening thing about this would just be that I feel as though I wasted a lot of time worrying thus taking longer to model than I should have thus giving myself less time to model these characters thus not doing as great of a job as I could have if I had been able to get the basic model down in 4 hours for each and spent the rest of the time polishing and making it look super nice.

I'm hoping to go back in and redo Wonka's hair so that I can put a nice hair texture on it. We'll see how that goes.

But I can't change the past. Just need to keep going. Time slows down for no one.

Speaking of messing things up in the beginning, I did that for my rig. Fortunately I was able to redo my entire rig in about 30 minutes. At least this class has been easy so far. I know it'll get more complicated though.

Concept is going fine. I am so glad that I am going with my already fully developed idea. (fully developed meaning it has a beginning, middle, and end). At this point I'm really just developing it further and making it better. Film-ready I would say.

So that takes a lot of the pressure off. My mind is already all-over-the-place as it is. I think trying to sit down and conceptualize and come up with ideas to work out a decent story would have me up in even more knots.

The latest thing is that I've hopped onto a grad film this quarter. Hooray! Now I'll put it out there that I did try to get onto another film before this but I didn't hear back after they asked for my reel. I can't say I was shocked or too disappointed. It was another serious reminder to me as I pieced together my temporary reel that I have really no experience at all still. I hated needing to show them pretty much only 3D Principles work, but that's the best I have. I have personal projects from the winter and last summer, but they're all really bad.

It's the best that I have for right now and I just need to accept that I take the time to do things like what I'm doing now and go get that experience.

I'm not going to say much about the film itself or show process posts as I normally would for privacy and possible legality reasons.

But I will continue to make updates on my school work and general experience or things that I've learned without getting into specifics of the film.

Honestly, this film is going to be a real test for myself. It's the first real project that I've ever worked on. Because up to this point it's all been school work. I know it's a student film, it's not like there's pay or anything, but this is the closest to the "real-world" as I've gotten so far. And already I feel a shift in mindset. Not to state the obvious, but it really hits you when you know that messing up or forgetting something can screw not just yourself, but everyone in the crew. Whereas for class assignments, mistakes only screw yourself.

That being said, I know that I shouldn't count on myself messing up or what not, but just like when I start a new job somewhere I allow myself to ask questions and make small mistakes like the noob that I am. I mean, I'm obviously not trying to mess up or be careless. That's not what I'm saying at all. But I mean that when mistakes happen (which they always do even to experienced people) I'm not going to be so harsh on myself as I have in years past. Because if a mistake is made there's no undo button or rewind button. You just have to accept that you made the mistake and learn from it and fix it or do better next time.

Aside from animation experience, this will also really push me in the time-management area as I am concurrently taking 3 studios.

Regardless of whether my first time experience goes super well or really bad, I am going to see it as only a beneficial experience. The worst that could happen would be that my shot isn't good and no more is asked of me. Even if that were the case I would still have benefited from this experience. It's better to do things with a little fear rather than not do anything at all.

Even getting one experience like this under my belt will be wonderful for me. Ultimately the goal is to get shots that I can put on my demo reel, but for right now, it's all just about getting the experience.

I want this blog to be about me and my journey so even the mistakes I will try to talk about on here. Not to dwell on them or feel bad about them, but to remember it and the lesson that came out of it.

So don't know when I'll be able to post next because I'm really going to be cramming it in with the even more limited time I have now. But I will try to stay up-to-date for my records.