End Of Semester Update

Been supper busy so its been a while since I last posted. Here is an update.

Dissertation:

I handed in my dissertation on Friday 25th January about 10 minutes before the deadline. I'm feeling confident about it but i'm just really happy to have it out the way. It slowed down production on all the third year projects. I wrote mine on the importane of social realism over visual realism in CGI computer animation. Its pretty strait forward really; in the film the world that you build, social hierarchies, systems, norms and values are more important that how realistic the CGI render looks. Nuff said. Post-dissertation this past week has been very slow. I feel like a lot of people see it as a week off but this is the week we need to get on with our work.

Will Oswald: Editing Lecture

On the same day as the dissertation deadline we had Will Oswald, editor of TV series Doctor Who and Torchwood. He is brilliant and really knows his stiff. Because of the time of the lecture not as many people turned up unfortunately both because of the deadline and because I dont think they see his value. He gave a very good lecture I took some notes;

• Establish the geography and space of the scene
• The moments before and after "the beat" are more important that the beat itself
• if the "beat' does not work then there is something wrong with the buildup
• exposition should be hidden in humor or emotion (this should be done in script stage)
• characters should transform from one emotional beat to another. If they do not then its exposition.
• Use rhythmic peaks and troughs to hide cuts.
• Cut for the eye trace it will make it easier on the audience.
• Failing that cut for the character eye line.

Dialogue Editing:

• cut on soft words
• cut between words to make cuts harder
• For comedy always be on the person who is talking

Climax Editing:

camera moves, quick cuts, music/ SFX build

Climax Resolution:

still camera or slower, fewer cuts, no music/ SFX

Hook, Line & Stinker:

We had a great Mocap session on Friday 1st February from 4pm - 8pm. Freddy & Luke played the son and fisherman and did a great job. We had to do another mocap session because out story/ animatic had changed so much after the christmas break. Even though we have done this session we will have to do more. These extra sessions will be short as we came up with some ways to make scenes tighter. Also now that we have Ben Wdl's feedback we can make subtle changes.