done with that mess...

I finished converting the story boards to photoshop and coloring them the right hue for the scene (rain exterior - blue, interior - orange, exterior with the Garum - blue green, Scenes with Drifters - red)...I ended up with 525. I can now start editing these as they are all saved as jpgs. However, I have since added a few other scenes. One in particular is the "Wedding Celebration Dance". A single dancer emerges from her home and performs a dance with wing-like contraptions on her arms...these catch water and she is able to store water and pour out water onto the ground to create a rythm with the sound of the rain...she also has long streamers tied to her belt that have rocks on the ends. As she spins, the rock streamers fly out. When she stops, the rocks clack together and make more sound. The dance is enjoyed by the audience as they listen to the rocks and water and feel the vibration in the ground of her feet pounding the mud. I have yet to story board this sequence...there are other scenes that are emerging as well...

an idea...

My original idea for the opening credits was a series of blue text credits against a black background with lightning flashing between texts...however, during the rain the past two days i saw the water flowing down the truncks of the massive trees that line the area i live in...i've instructed the camera man (jay) to film close ups of water flowing down tree trunks and we'll place the opening credits over that footage...its a softer opening for the film...i'm pumped! Now it's time to go down stairs and watch the last half of SIGNS...pay no attention to to 'time' that this post is posted... i need to change something on the blogspot so that the time is more accurate...it's actually 11:15 pm...

Film styles

One of my IPFW students today, after reviewing the blog, asked who he thought my style best resembled. There was a bit of a pause as I contemplated saying, “I don’t know” or “Me?”. He suggested that the images seemed a bit M. Knight-like and I realized that I had to agree a bit. Darkness Aftermath is a bit scary at times – like Signs and Sixth Sense – and it is about a spiritual reawakening or testing of faith – Signs. But as mentioned earlier in the blog, I’m also going with the Spielberg/JAWS school of thought by saving the ‘monster’s’ revelation until the third act of the film. I’m also trying the Lucas method of creating the ‘world’ and characters first, then working on the story (not to say that he’s the only one to do that, but I’ve been reading the ART OF STAR WARS 3 and it’s a fascinating read about Lucas’ creative process).

I am hoping to get more artists on board who can start improving on my sketches. Looks like the Jan. 28th meeting is a go, but we’ll start at 3:30 and go till 5:00.

The Garum...again

A profile...I think the main problem with the sculpture of the Garum is the fact that the head is too small.

Wedding dress and Cloak

When Cllar and Gwen get married, I thought that perhaps a costume change would be in order...

WEAPONS

Did some sketches of some of the warrior's weapons.

GWEN FIGHTING

I was just sketching and came up with this image of Gwen fighting.

DRIFTER SKETCHES

Click on the image to get a larger view of the drifters...which one looks the best?

337 and Jaws

Have I mentioned Jaws? I've always loved that movie (the sequels were total trash...though for laughs, watch the last one...it's practically a parody)...so...why mention Jaws? Because the shark is never really revealed until the last third of the film...that's how I plan to handle the Garum...I just added frame 337 of the boards (out of 530) and it's the first time you see the Garum in relationship to a person. Hopefully it'll be a big moment as the audience until this time won't know if the creature is 6 feet tall or 9 feet tall. More sketches posted tomorrow.

Garum sculpture

Here is the latest design for the Garum. I'm not too excited about the color. I'll probably mess around in photoshop and make the flesh more of a gray tone. I also want the skull to have less contrast with the flesh so it'll have to be darkened. I am quite satisfied with the Garum's back. The sculpture was made with sculpy and plumber's putty.

meeting of the minds...

It looks like we'll be getting together for our first meeting the last Saturday of Jan. 2006. @ 5:00 pm. My lovely wife will make snacks and munchies...we'll review the animatics and discuss the shooting schedule...anyone who is all ready involved is invited...that means you, Ron, Jay, John, Danielle, Dorien, Christy, Jen, and the other Jenn and the body gaurds and Olivia and well, you get the picture...(Lana, I'll have a camera ready for you)...this is the date unless something comes up...stay tuned and I'll get you directions to my house...

UPDATE TIME!!!

I've assembled about 110 out of 530 storyboards in photoshop. I've been tweaking the color of these black and white sketches so that the editors (me a some guiy name Greg...you know who you are) can color sinc the final movie for the proper mood. Deep blue for outdoors, a yellow orange for indoors, blue green for when the Garum is near, black and white for flash backs and story telling and finally, brown for the shots where Lilly confronts Drifters. I should have all of the images ready in about a week and then I can edit them into the animatic.

Last night at as one of many Christmas gatherings was winding down and I finished off my second bowl of homemade French onion soup, I did some reworking on the script. I'm trying to limit Gwen's dialog and define the Garum's origins better. I've already decided to include the original two sets of storyboads I made for the Garum's origins on the DVD. Had I gone the original direction, the story would have linked much closer to the Entropy Gate universe. As is, the only connection now is Lilly.

We got our camera man!

I spoke with a student at ITT who has a sweet new video camera that cost like about twenty of my paychecks or more. He's been itching for a project to shoot. I am so ready for March to arrive so we can start shooting.

Costumes go into production over Christmas break as well as starting our first soundtrack recording session.

need adresses

All of those who are involved in the film need to send me your email adresses or phone numbers so that I can set a meeting up.

asetter304@aol.com

RENDERINGS OF THE GARUM

Ron has designed this rough sketch of the Garum to flesh out his physical structure. I added a few things (the top image) just to see what direction the design could go.

Images of Lilly

A comic book style Lilly...

Pencil sketch of Lilly for Darkness Aftermath

An ink version of Lilly drawn as a techno chic...kinda weird, actually, but it was for a different story.

Mixed media Lilly

costumes...

I need a bunch of cotton cloth...actually, canvas, cotton cloth, leather, fake leather, fake fur, (or real) a case of Steele Reserve, twine, and or rope...for costumes (natch).

good news - bad news

Well I've got Danea locked in (thanks Jenn) and two mrore hunters...but my lead male fell through...

Now this is interesting

I called the deadly forest creature in Darkness Aftermath the Garum because I liked the sound of the word...but guess what...GARUM is a real thing...go HERE to find out...

finally done!

The storyboards are done...for real this time...no, really...I mean it.

Honestly it does really feel like a completed story now.

Also, it looks like the ball is really rolling. I spoke to some drummers who are very excited about the soundtrack. I think I've got a lock on the lead male. I also think I have a lock on the pre-moster version of the Garum. I've also finished the call sheet for the actors. I'll be finishing the script this weekend and then next week I'll meet with Ron at ITT to set up the CG team.

more story boards

I've finished twenty more boards! MAKE IT STOP!!!

movie poster

Nov. 1 rocked!!!

Two really cool things happened...I spent a half hour going over the fight scenes and fighting styles with the fight co-ordinator. He's totally psyched about it and has some great ideas.

Second, STAR WARS III came out on DVD. Need I say more?

IPFW news paper

It looks like the project will be featured in the next issue of IPFW's news paper. I hope to post the article here next week. The script is well on it's way...hope to have it finished soon!


ps. those of you out-of-towners...IPFW Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne

Cool stuff

Two really neat developments...

I have two instruments almost finished...a pan flute and a three stringed instrument...

Also, I spoke with a student from IPFW who has had many years experience in martial arts (as an instructor and competitor), and is a huge fan of Jeet Kun Do...that is the style I wanted to emulate for the fighting in the film. This student has agreed to choreograph the fights.

things that make you say...hmmm...what? oh well...

Some people just don't get it...I have the 'display' for the film up at USF for the faculty and Alumni show...a show in which no one from my graduating class showed up for the opening or entered anything...bad class of 89...no donut...no beer...but I digress...I overheard a student (one who has grown from below average painter to top notch printer in four years) talking about my display complaining that I did not put in a painting. Well I've put paintings in every year. This year my ART is the film! Some people (unfortunately a lot of artists) still don't see film as a real art form...their loss I suppose...

hopefully I'll be starting the "Behind the scenes" video this week. I have three designs for instruments and one built.

WOW!

Just met with the young lady who is playing Lilly...she's perfect...also spoke with one of my students who works at American Health Fitness...she thinks she can round up some muscle for the scene where the hunters all go into the woods for the last time to battle the Garum...

500 plus

The script is half done and the boards are up to 503...

Scripting...

As I continue to work on the script, I'm finding that there are several plot holes and jumps in the story that need a fixin'...I'm now up to 490 storyboards...whew!

Good vs Evil

Some one asked me today if the movie was basically a good vs evil story...yes...and no...it is GVE, but on several levels. First off, the people in the story are plauged by the GARUM. He is the large beast that moves about the forest and is killing the hunters, beggars and village dwellers. He is not evil. He has been driven mad by blindness and the curse of a long life. He is bad, however, and must be destroyed. The DRIFTERS are evil...I mean, come on...they're demons. They are attempting to stir things up and eventually use the GARUM to wipe out the humans. Lilly is there as a wall between the DRIFTERS and the humans.

...and here is the display

Lilly and the Drifter

The sculpture is finished and on display at the gallery at the University of Saint Francis.

More boards

Just added 21 more storyboards...script is chugging along...

CASTING

Casting is going well:

The Lead Cast

Gwenn: cast
Cllar:
Danea: some one in mind...waiting to hear back
Danea's lead warrior: cast (and pumping iron!)
Lilly: just got a photo of a young woman who's smile is PERFECT for the part
Librarian: cast
Elders: one of for cast
Priest:
Beggar: someone in mind...waiting to hear back

By the way...Danea is pronounced Duh-NAY-uh

And one more...

Wooden swords should be fun to make...

More Images

Here is an image of thweapons used by one of the hunters...

Jake's Graphic Novel

Jake's graphic novel is going...check THIS out.

lilly...again...and why not...

Just another image of everyone's favorite looney-goof-hero-girl...

Danea again...

I've become rather fascinated with Danea, though she is only in three scenes...family and the family tree are important to the people in Darkness Aftermath...so I thought, what if she's black or asian or something other than that of Gwenn, her sister. It would mean that one of them was adopted, but since they are blind, they wouldn't know it...

The casting continues

I found the (almost) perfect woman to play Danea. The only problem was the fact that she is about 5 inches shorter than Gwenn. She needs to tower over Gwenn and just about everyone else. The serch continues.

nothing new...

it's been hot...really hot!!! I've been miserable and unable to work on the project because I just sweat all of the time and am miserable...but it finally started raining today. 'bout time...maybe I won't be so cranky now...maybe I'll get some work done...

jus' so ya know

Anytime I post a picture, if you click on it, you should be able to see a larger version of it in a new window. The 'Death Star' loses some detail in the smaller image. Also, the sculptures are almost finished. I should be posting images of them on Monday. And I'm going to start composing for D.A. tomorrow. Most of my E.G. music until now has been rather...mellow...deep throbbing tones that seem to move as if floating on water. Some, unfortunately, have said it sounds rather new age, though I have tried to follow in the path of Tangerine Dream and (from T.D.) Christopher Franke (Babylon 5). The music always sounds 'space-like'...does that make sense? The stuff for D.A. is going to be much more rythymic...I've been inpsired by the new "Battlestar Galactica" themes and the opening 'space battle' theme of Star Wars III. I'll also be including more percussion...some will be from intruments I've created. I'll be playing a three stringed BUKKA (the name my elementary students gave the intrument I designed eight years ago) during the "love theme"...I have some PVC instruments and a yet-not-finished intrument made with Piano strings. I'll hopefully be relying a lot less on keyboard, though the opening theme is going to be played on a synth. nuff said.

And this is sorta cool too...

I just got asked by the Criminal Justice dept. at ITT Tech. to do make-up on an actor who is playing the part of a recently murdered...uh...corpse. Neck wounds and defensive hand wounds. Apparently the video will be part of an on-line course and will be on the web...fun stuff!

Lilly faces the Drifter

There are two scenes in which Lilly faces 'demons' known as Drifters. The Lilly sculpture is not quite finished...I am reworking the hands to hold weapons. The Drifter is close to being finished...it has no arms and only horn-like growths protruding from its back where wings once were...it is severely burned and charred with flesh hanging from its emaciated form.

Wounded Gwenn

This is the sculpture of Gwenn after her shoulder is dislocated. She has wrapped her left arm against her body to keep it in place. She is about to face the Garum in the final showdown.

Garum setback

I was working on the sculpey-sculpture of the Garum and Gwenn...Gwenn looks great! The Garum fell over in the oven and lost his head...literally...I'll be posting images next week.

Lousy, rotten sculpey! mumble, mumble...