Winter Break Priority List

First off here are some clay renders showing off the powerful lighting, shading, and composting system I am developing for us to use. We can do some amazingly accurate sky lighting fit for animations (no flickering), let's take advantage of it!




(Created using Maya and Toxik)

Here is a list of everything that we should aim to get done during our winter break. I prioritized what needs to get done first to ensure animation work can begin at the start of next semester.

High Priority
1. Solidify the character designs to fit the new story we have developed in our last meeting.
2. Make Modeling adjustments to characters accordingly. This could be very time intensive.
3. Finish Rigging work on the body of each character. This involves a lot of cleanup to the body rigs for characters and streamlining them.
4. Create Face Rigs.
5. Create new a storyboard to plan each Act out.
6. Complete work on the Deex Render Buffer Tool to ensure we have a solid technical pipeline in place before we get serious with texturing and shading.
7. Gather a GIANT library of reference images and footage to help establish the look of our film.
8. Further brainstorm about the story, making sure everything is exactly how we want it.

Medium Priority
1. Develop a solid world design.
2. Create an animatic possibly using a combination of hand drawn and a simple 3D representations for more complicated shots as needs be.
3. Create conceptual Art to to give us a clear goal to reach.
3. Develop the back story behind the characters considering their personalities and motivations.
4. Complete textures for Characters.
5. Create an animatic using a combination of hand drawn and a simple 3D representations for more complicated shots as needs be.
6. Put in simple lights that emphasize everything.
8. Block out the stage where the action will take place.

Lower Priority, but still very important.
1. Begin working on cloth simulations.
2. Create hair, work on simulations.
3. Resolve hair rendering issues.
4. Develop back story behind the characters. Consider the motivation behind each action.
5. Begin work on the environment.
6. Some sort of introduction training session with Toxik, how it relates to our pipeline, and composting in general.


I will probably be adding to this list the more I think up. As you can see, we have an awful lot to get done. I simply can't get it all done by myself. I'm going to focus on the character modeling, story, and rendering concerns. That alone is going to keep myself plenty busy. If you are available to help please comment and mention what you want to help with. Also say if you are available in January for a series of meetings at school with Dana Lamb about developing the story, environment, and as well as some training with Bill Stewart, the production manager on one of the short films last semester.