Lounge Production Presents: Joint Efforts Project

Report · Oct 03, 2013

Since I don't feel it would be right to take over the thread started by Steven, I start a new one. This thread is going to be dedicated to producing a movie as a result of those voluneers' joint efforts, who are members of Adobe Community.

The main objective for this project is to collaboratively create final product from scratch: from defining the project scope to finally publish a movie somewhere, be it a dedicated website or just YouTube or Vimeo, as we'll define later.

This main objective is not the only project's goal. It is assumed, participants will be able to work on a particular tasks so as to improve their own skills in a desired field via sharing creativity, knowledge and skills.

I also hope we'll gain the Forum moderators' support so as to be able to appropriately update this original post so that others, who might arrive here later, will be able to understand at which stage the project is that time.

Now let's try to define the project scope.

By 15 October we reached our first milestone and defined

PRODUCT SCOPE and PROJECT CONSTRAINTS & QUALITY CRITERIA

Product Scope

Item	Specification	Priority
Movie, The	Genre: TV commercial Duration: 60 seconds Quality: Broadcast Safe Luminance & Chrominance Format: 1080p, 24 fps, H.264, 32/40 Mbps Compulsory Elements: - 3D graphics and VFX (SciFi) incorporated into live shots - Specific consistent look (colour design)	Highest
Dedicated website	Genre: Promotional website Scope: 2 pages Compulsory Elements: - Web animation - Video streaming	High
Official trailer	Genre: TV commercial Duration: 30 seconds Quality: Broadcast Safe Luminance & Chrominance Format: 1080p, 24 fps, H.264, 32/40 Mbps	Medium
Behind the scene movie	Genre: Documentary Duration: 2 minutes Quality: Broadcast Safe Luminance & Chrominance Format: 1080p, 24 fps, H.264, 32/40 Mbps Compulsory Elements: - Short interviews with the project participants - VFX breakdown	Medium
Talk show appearance	Genre: TV commercial Duration: 30 seconds Quality: Broadcast Safe Luminance & Chrominance Format: 1080p, 24 fps, H.264, 32/40 Mbps	Low
Poster	Genre: 16 x 9 Billboard Quantity: 1 sample Format: 1920 x 1080 pix, PNG Genre: 4 x 3 Affiche Quantity: 1 sample Format: 1080 x 810 pix, PNG	High
Print ads	Genre: Glossy magazine ad, Front cover Quantity: 1 sample Format: Full page, Page-proof PDF Genre: Newspaper ad, Multi-column print Quantity: 1 sample Format: ¼ Page, Page-proof PDF	Medium
Article	Genre: Review Quantity: 1 sample Format: Page-proof PDF, ~500 words	Medium
Brief Report on Collaborative Tools	Genre: Review Quantity: 1 article Format: Page-proof PDF	Highest

Project Constraints & Quality Criteria

- 24 December 2013 is a strict deadline;

- All media used in final product, from sound to 3D model textures, must be created by the project participants. Utilising stock media in final product is not allowed;

- Missing media or incomplete elements must be replaced with placeholders, white noise or subtitles, which explain what is missing (e.g. 'nice music is playing on the background' or 'nice colour grading applied here' etc.);

- The project is accepted as successful in terms of quality control, if no less than 90% of all planned work is complete. The overall progress is calculated as the following ratio:

(SUM OF COMPLETE ELEMENTS MULTIPLIED BY THEIR WEIGHTS) / (SUM OF ALL PLANNED ELEMENTS MULTIPLIED BY THEIR WEIGHTS)

- The project is accepted as successful in terms of attractiveness to external audience, if we reach 1 000 hits within three months after final product release, where

100 hits = 100 website landing page visits = 10 visits of 2nd page = 10 movie views = 1 movie download.

The following hits distribution is expected:

600 hits within 1st month after release;

250 hits within 2nd month after release;

150 hits within 3rd month after release.

Discussion on the next project phase, planning tasks list and obtaining required resources, starts at comment #84.

Report · Oct 27, 2013

my storyboard completed...

Rod, I don't see or maybe simply miss (hence your turn to clarify) where in this storyboard version are takes with some room for incorporating Sci Fi VFXs, about which Steven asked at the beginning of the discussion. So, please, while I'm sleeping, elaborate. Also bring two more storyboard versions (maybe discuss something with Steven, since he is here today) so that we get more freedom to choose if some takes in a storyboard will appear unfeasible to shoot.

when you say you want to integrate the 3d model stuff.. thats something YOU want to do and can do ???
...
you do want to do that part of it if you can , right ???

Correct. Want and can, depending on complexity.

I guess it could be done by just putting in text or VO that says plainly... " billions of years earlier in this same spot ......"

I think it's much better to do that visually via colour grading.

Report · Oct 27, 2013

just a heads up regarding the scale of my thinking re: flying saucer and egg artifact near pyramid...

imagine a giant flying saucer discovered in a cavern that is billions of years old ...and near that flying saucer is a pyramid shape, and near that pyramid is an EGG shape...

This is the size of that egg shape...see image...

The pyramid is even bigger....as they egg is basically INSIDE the pyramid ( its beyond me to do fast illutrations for me to include that now )

The larger point is that the flying saucer is HUGE compared to the stuff it brought to earth..

Report · Oct 27, 2013

these are frames ready for SFX modeling

Report · Oct 27, 2013

Steve, you got any storyboards ???

I'm sorta running out of ideas..

Report · Oct 27, 2013

thats a guy in a hazmat suit ...for scale purpose

Report · Oct 27, 2013

in my imagination the egg would actually have a metalic look...with lots of queer alien hyroglyphic type symbols on it...more or less telling scientists information they try to understand ( like deciphering alien language stuff )....so as to come up with some idea what this stupid egg thing might be ....

Report · Oct 27, 2013

unfortunately my new mouse has lost maya so I cant even begin to think of making that as a 3d object....

I had XP with maya and mouse was having a hard time dealing with the program then...but at least it worked...

now i have 64 bit vista and there's no way I can try to install maya on it...and I cant afford to keep buying stuff , nor do I wanna use pig for anything but edtiting... so I'm dead in the water for 3d stuff...

Report · Oct 27, 2013

fuzzy, those frames marked good for sfx models are also good for your composites of spaceship control panel, stuff that the spaceship is doing to land on earth etc.

Report · Oct 27, 2013

Steve, you got any storyboards ???

Not me. I am enjoying watching you and Fuzzy get this stuff ironed out.

As for the VO, I can do that to a well timed storyboard, for a first pass. I can record it for the final at a later date, once the actual animation, titling, video work has been completed. I just figure that if you want to hear what I have in mind, and what I can do, you just tell me what you want to hear, and we'll see if I can do something you will be happy with.

artofzootography.com

Report · Oct 28, 2013

Okay Steve.. The area with black box around is the VO part... we dont need it on the very beginning cause those frames are printed text...

FUZZY.. .can you do a model like this ??? It rotates so saucer is in center of rotation and starts out side view, and ends up top down view with earth in background out of focus a lot ( earth is out of focus a lot.. all of it against black background..

it should look according to my imagination like the camera has tracked up and around the saucer ...

The end frame ( hiding the arm that rotates the thing ) will kinda look like your earlier drawing of cooking eggs, oddly enough...as per the flying saucer shape...dont you think ???

This would fit that frame in storyboard where you see the flying saucer...with the VO " NOW " and would be approx: 8 seconds...

2 secs static, then turn model for 5 seconds.. and end frame static 1 sec...something like that ??

Steve, Your VO word " NOW " would come at the end of that motion so the end of the word NOW ends on that last static frame...so that there's hardly a beat before we see the next frame ( movie poster ) ..and we hear you say in VO " SEE THE MOVIE ! ".....So it will sound almost like " NOW ( half beat) SEE THE MOVIE " is one sentence.

this is gonna drive fuzzy nuts cause instead of more storyboards I am a bad dog and just working on the same one ! oh oh...

Report · Oct 28, 2013

So the way this is sorta working out time wise.. .for the beginning..is you can count, one mississippi, two mississippi, etc...and on 2, 4, 6, 8 you hear this kinda crashing noise ( I'll fix that up and put sample up in dropbox...soon )....on the 8th beat that crashing noise blends into start of music ( whatever that is , I have no clue ...some kinda spacey music stuff ... more like just sounds probably , more than real music.. who knows )

Anyway, that music quickly gets keyed down in volume a little so the VO starts okay over the music...and on the last frame...( text of " in a theatre near you " ) we here that crashing noise for the last time...

Report · Oct 28, 2013

I put the new sound in dropbox for the " crashing sound "...which is now called something like " spaceEggSound1.wav "....

hehe...vol and length must be keyframed and so on in edit..whatever...you know...

Report · Oct 28, 2013

fuzzy, if you do that flying saucer model.. we also need a frame of that to use in our poster ( just saucer with transparent background so we can drop into poster )...

so it replaces the current saucer in the poster...

Report · Oct 28, 2013

OK,

How about this?

I will mock up some slides as placeholders for the final images and each scene will get its own phrase.

1. You've seen the headlines!

2. You've watched the News Reels!

3. You've heard from the scientists!

4. Now!

5. See the Movie!!!

I changed your wording somewhat to get variations on the second word in each sentence. If you are good with this I will record it later today and you can tell me if it is something you want to use, or if we need a different voice.

I will put some music behind it to give it a little more, well, just more. Obviously a decision will have to be made jointly on the music. Is stock music allowed, or does someone have to write something? (Beyond my skills anymore. I don't have access to an orchestra like I used to.)

artofzootography.com

Report · Oct 28, 2013

I dont know what to say Steve.. but fuzzy has not accepted the storyboard the way it is...and I have no clue what parts of my storyboard he doesnt like. Maybe all of it. He is not saying anything about it so far.

In your storyboard, fuzzy, the man walking on beach would be better and tell the story if he was a mining operations engineer " exploring " some segment of a mining operation....and DISCOVERS the cave where the flying saucer is located. That makes sense to me. The going back in time part would also be good in the movie.

Since nobody can shoot a mining operation now thats not going to happen...

geez.. this is a lot harder than I thought it would be ...would be easier just to have money , buy script and hire crew etc... and do what I want . this is like herding cats.

Report · Oct 28, 2013

well, we seem to be here now ..so how about we stick around for like 10 minutes and deal with this stuff now...???? is that possible ??

Report · Oct 28, 2013

maybe thats a solution.. make a specific time where all of us can be here yappin at the same time for a little while.. I type about 40 wpm so that works for me

Report · Oct 28, 2013

He is not saying anything about it so far.

And that is not true. I asked you several times to tune it in the way, that would give room for Sci Fi VFXs, Steven asked about on 3 October, and present your storyboard as timed takes (frames). And I asked you to come up with some more versions so that we have choices. Several times.

Report · Oct 28, 2013

I cant time the storyboard until it gets fine tuned and I cant do that without knowing the content available.. I cant use a poster if nobody comes up with a poster...the development of the storyboard is a process that begins rough and gets fine tuned.. and furthermore, it gets changed on the day of the shoot.. nothing is EVER exactly like the storyboard that was on paper.

I cant time the storyboard without knowing that its accepted.

I dont know what you mean by different versions. You mean scrap the idea of the flying saucer and do a totally new product ?? Or do you mean keep the back story and the premise of promotion and work on totally different ways to do the promo ???

That is like saying to Tolstoy, " okay you got this book war and peace. Can you come up with a few other versions now ?? ".. I just dont get that...

Report · Oct 28, 2013

lets forget about who said what and what was said when... obviously communication has been a problem.. I dont care about blame ... now lets get it as fixed as we can for right now so we can continue working

Report · Oct 28, 2013

is that it ? no more today ??? we are done with our confusion for the day ??

Report · Oct 28, 2013

I cant time the storyboard until it gets fine tuned and I cant do that without knowing the content available.. I cant use a poster if nobody comes up with a poster...the development of the storyboard is a process that begins rough and gets fine tuned.. and furthermore, it gets changed on the day of the shoot.. nothing is EVER exactly like the storyboard that was on paper.

I cant time the storyboard without knowing that its accepted.
I dont know what you mean by different versions. You mean scrap the idea of the flying saucer and do a totally new product ?? Or do you mean keep the back story and the premise of promotion and work on totally different ways to do the promo ???
That is like saying to Tolstoy, " okay you got this book war and peace. Can you come up with a few other versions now ?? ".. I just dont get that...

The term 'brainstorming' assumes generating as much various ideas as possible. Only then ideas are groupped and assessed. If you see just the only way to tell your story, that may end up unfeasible because of various reasons. That's why we better have several ones.

You can't decide what is feasible and what is not alone. The way you see how to do this or that may probably be accomplished in a different way by another person and more efficiently. If you undertake something alone, you should better rely on yourself only. If it's about some joint efforts, you have extra resources, hence you may be proposed with a way of doing something you thought unfeasible. So, as I said, you ask right questions but in a bit wrong order. I gave you some samples of what I can do with 3D modelling in a hope that would extinguish the fire of some impatience and you could finish what I was asking about by telling the whole story in the way you WANT instead of just targeting something extremely simple. I did not succeed, unfortunately.

Report · Oct 28, 2013

fuzzy,

lets get some things straight okay ? The other day you told me that if I had taken the time to even read the project scope and information I would know that you already have a vertical poster dimension ... this is in regard to my saying a vertical poster frame would be true to real life posters. If you check the project scope etc you will se it only has a 16:9 dimension and a fliche 4:3 dimension ....I see no vertical dimensions now or before... But you keep saying things like " if you took the time to read ...or if you just try to do this .... " but you are just contributing to more confusion and questions....

now is not the time to keep explaining what is not going to work. Now is the time to focus on what each of us can do, and what will work. I dont care if you think you succeeded or not about explaining something to my stupid brain.... that is not productive and is juvenile to focus on those things now.

I told you I am not good at the organizing of things into segments as you have done for the whole project. That should tell you that you should continue to do that as best you can. I thought the helicopter was the primary product and the gold paper was the trailer.. I'm pretty sure THAT was what you said. The box and paper and ribbons are the project.... as a whole. I really dont need to keep on about this stuff over and over ...so stop talking about what I dont understand and focus on what we can all really DO ...which means listing those things we think we can DO on time...

you gave me examples of 3d stuff... and I still have NOT HEARD you say that you can do the 3d model for a flying saucer ....because we are still stuck on mixing and matching a bunch of storyboards that dont exist....

why dont YOU make a storyboard that tells the story and use what you think is working in my storyboard as well ?

Now, to make things plain from my point of view....about MY storyboard...

It is very similar to drawing pictures on a napkin in a bar....and sharing thoughts of what I draw with 2 guys at the bar with me....Steve on one side you on the other. We look at it, we talk about other ideas and if anyone wants they draw pictures on napkins and share these and we talk about how to tell the story and what works to tell the story, and all of that has to be limited to what we can actually MAKE ... because this is not film school... this is real life making a product...

All of the drawings on napkins are rough and meant to tell the basic story....and all of that must be refined and made as good as it can be made. But the story is the same once that story is accepted. Whether a scientist is in the first frame or in the 10th frame is a matter of refining the pace, mood, buildup to final statement etc...

All of the elements ( text for examle can be 3d and reflect some design that says " alien writing style " ) need to be finessed and then TIMED during that process...

if you think I can't decide that lighting a theatre and shooting people in theatre cant happen... since you have already said you are shooting NOTHING .. then who do you think is qualified ??

I am not doing any more versions of the storyboard but will refine what is already done. That can mean adding and subtracting things and re arranging things.. but I'm not doing some stupid exercise in telling the same story 3 different ways with totally new ideas about the story...

Report · Oct 28, 2013

the maysles invention of using people coming out of theatre and giving what looks like impromptu opinions of what they just "saw" ( the movie or play ) is very simple and very effective. It works. It sells people on also wanting to see the movie or play. It simply WORKS.. and we can DO THAT...

less is more sometimes and I dont under estimate that statement ever.. no matter how big the budget is etc.

Report · Oct 28, 2013

Now we have basically one month left to do this whole project and get it out the door by DEC 14....and try not to look like fools with placeholders all over the project...

If you can't get into the spirit of making things happen with the shooting part then just focus on the web site and your 3d stuff....we can use a placeholder for your 3d stuff and use something else ( illustration etc ) in the meantime.