After much deliberation with the tutors, the film that I really wanted to get through but didn't, has been put through which I am immensely happy about!
The film is called Sweet Tooth, and I'm the head animator.
Sweet Tooth is about a small Parisian bakery where the cakes inside come alive and take revenge on their human tormentors.
The film I am working on has asked they crew to try and create some creatures that are inspired by books. And by that I mean the actual shapes of books.
So I decided to try and create a snake like creature and took inspiration from a Cobra and a Venus Fly Trap and used open books to get the shape. The directors also wanted a creature based off an Arthropleura, which is a prehistoric centipede. I struggled a bit with this one because I couldn't find a way to make the books work with the body of the creature as it didn't really capture a centipede body. So I tried another one and decided to do a mixture of the first draft of the centipede and the cobra creature, and I'm much happier with it.
We have been officially told which films from the pitches have been given the go ahead, and unfortunately the one film I was really rooting for didn't make it.
However I have put my name down for a film that did get through and I'm happy to help on any other film that requires any help, provided it's something I can do of course.
We finished the project in the short time allotted, despite the majority of the workload being put onto the animation students. Which is a bit unfair as we're not getting marked on this project but the TV students are.
We decided to go in the style of The Snowman (1978), and the animation students (3 of us in the group) chose a country each and did the drawings required for them. This then meant that there was a mix match of styles, but not too jarring when you watch the animatic. The TV students were in charge of sound.
In the end we came 2nd place and won a £30 Amazon voucher to share between the group which was nice.
We have been introduced to a new project that involves 2nd year TV students, where we have to create an animatic of an advert for a John Lewis style company.
The fake company is called Benjamin Cook and the advert has to be Christmas themed. It has to be 60 seconds long and be able to be shortened down to 30 seconds. And it has to be done in 3/4 days.
Fun. Right now I want to focus on my dissertation. Alas, I'll have to wait until next week.
The pitches were split into into two groups. One group was pitching short film ideas, the other to pitch skill sets. I was in the latter group.
It was extremely nerve wracking. Granted I didn't have to speak as much as the people pitching film ideas but still, I was terrified. I've never been a fan of public humiliation speaking. It took place at The Poly in Falmouth, which is like a theatre/cinema. We had to stand up on the stage in front of an industry panel, our tutors and the whole of the Animation course.
I feel like my pitch went okay. I mean, I think I spoke loud enough and not too fast. Honestly, I'm just glad it's over.
And here is the showreel I used to show my skill set, enjoy!
The studio has been renovated into three separate studios, due to an influx of first years. Fingers crossed there will be enough computers when deadlines hit.
