1. Rationale/ Intention:

• My intention is to continue challenging myself with my time-piece experiment in creating an experimental 3D futuristic ‘Souls-like’ environment, worthy of a boss battle with a focus on lighting.
   
• This is to take on the other half of the challenge/experiment from my Folio1 Project. And having a greater understanding of the ‘Souls-like’ genre, I believe I am more ready to handle creating a ‘souls-world’ in a bigger aspect, in a full environment that one would typically see than a smaller niche interactive experience set in the modern-day era.
   

2. Context: Field

• This project sits within the game design, environmental/level design and potentially  the ‘speedrunner’ field.
• Two people immediately come to mind,
  • “VaatiVidya” (Vaati) – Which I used as reference for Folio 1
    A Youtuber/Twitch Streamer and a prominent figure in the Dark Souls lore universe who was very helpful for the world creation process in Folio1.

• “heyZeusHeresToast” (Zeus) – Which I’ll use for reference in what players like in their levels, what works and doesn’t work.
  A notorious Bloodbourne speedrunner and Twitch Streamer. (Multiple appearances in AGDQ - Awesome Games Done Quick, a large speedrunning charity event)
   

• Other notable studios are: Japan Studios (Playstation), Bluepoint Games (Demon Souls Remake), and FromSoftware (Dark Souls) – Bandai Namco Souls Series.

3. Method

• The studio work will help support my intention in a hands-on fashion, allowing for learning of lighting and helping my level/environmental design skills.
• Softwares: Unity (Game Engine), Maya (3D Modelling software)
• Research and development documentation: Microsoft Word, Pen and Paper, Google Docs/Drive
• Consultations/Interviews with the avid Souls Genre community member from Folio1
   

4. Production:  Tools

• Week 1:
  • In Field research and consultation within the souls-like community.
     
• Week 2:
  • Concepting and sketching the environment/level for the
  • Greyboxing the sketched environment in Maya, imported onto Unity.
  • Basic Lighting in Unity
     
• Week 3:
  • 3D Modelling key elements/environmental placements.
  • Greyboxing and changing environment/level as needed or suggested.
  • Colors added with Lighting in Unity
     
• Week 4:
  • Testing/Playtests
  • Revisions of the environment if needed.
  • 3D Modelling key elements/environmental assets
  • Lighting, Color, Emissions, maybe Shaders
     
• Week 5:
  • Continued (re)modelling of environment, key elements, concepts, and implementation of assets.
  • Playtesting
  • Lighting, Color, Emissions, maybe Shaders
  • 3D Modelling key elements/environmental assets
     
• Week 6:
  • Revisions of the environment if needed.
  • Lighting, Color, Emissions, maybe Shaders

FOLIO 2 PLAN
Rationale:
I intend to continue surrounding my project around ‘Anne’s Wombat’s and Weaving’. This story is about a middle aged woman exploring the practice of weaving, in a spinners and weavers club with other women and wombats. I want to develop this concept into a more cohesive story, potentially following scenes and creating a character arc for the titular character. I think it's important to express a story which celebrates the warmth in an old craft and in older people, and I have found myself developing more interest in the composition of scenes and stories visually.
Context:
In terms of technical context, a focus on character animation would place this work amongst practitioners like Barry Puvres and Hiroyuki Oikura. Although, in terms of concept it also sits amongst live-action films like 9 to 5 (1980) and First Wives Club (1996) due to the nature of the cast. Although it may be out of the scope of this project, it would be interesting to explore this as a screwball comedy, and I feel like there’s an intersection here with some of the elements of Pom Poko (1994).
Method:
I’d like to start by working on generating scenes ideas and storyboards, then experimenting with different iterations of the scenes composition and colour trials. I enjoyed working with 3D models and experimenting with the stylisation of these models, so I’d like to attempt that further in my work. I’d also like to formulate some level of story and potentially a character arc, so there may be a level of writing involved in the process.
Production:
I will be continuing to use Blender and OpenToonz in my production. I’d also like to potentially branch out into using programs like AfterEffects.
Outcome:
This project will take an animated form, potentially a series of vignettes that may hint to a larger story.

Linked is my 3rd WIP video for Studio 1:

https://youtu.be/l4xYuSr2Ido

James Elms s3707557 Folio Plan Post 2

Project:

POST PRODUCTION: 2d animated short (single action scene/ dynamic animatic)

1.RATIONALE: Intention

My focus for this project is to continue working on my animated scene from folio 1, this time with a focus on post production methods to enhance my original project goals of stylistic direction and dynamic action shots.

2.  CONTEXT : Field 

At this early stage of development, I am looking at recent watermark designs and art direction and post production in animation. Some early points of reference are..

• Sony Pictures Animations Spider-man: into the spider-verse

• Shigenori Soejima and the post processing of Persona 5’s animation production.

• CloverWorks studio and the colour theory / scripting of their animated series Wonder Egg priority

• Disney’s limited series “Gravity Falls” does some interesting work with particle effects and transitional shots. 

• The synergy of soundtrack and atmosphere conducted in Supergiants game “Transistor”

3. Method? (iterative loops and reflection)

Necessary period of clean up, inks and flat colours.

Further tinkering with previous animated scenes both in pre and post production to further flesh out the dynamic nature of the shots.

Research and experiment various methods of colour theory and visual effects. 

These include

• Motion blurs

• Colour scripting

• Post processing

• Matching visuals to themes (Chromatic aberration, camera lens effects, use of slow motion etc)

• Create, input music and sound to match the flow and mood of the project.

4. PRODUCTION: Tools

Software: After Effects, Blender

My schedule for this period of development is to clean up and colour some smaller scenes in the animation. I will then use these scenes and the basis for the beginning for my experimentation in After effects and blender to establish a visual style and determine just how much I wish to push the colour and editing dynamics.

Once this is established, I will use this template to develop the larger scenes and project as a whole, leaving time for possible innovation and experimentation to further push the art direction I hope to achieve.

OUTCOME

After Folio one, I have attempted to scope the project fairly small, with the hope that once the necessary work is complete, it will allow for a comfortable period of experimentation. As outlined previously, the focus now really is to take the potential of the animated roughs and polish them up in a way that they can conceivably be used as a finished, polished folio or showreel piece.