So…..

this was done about a year or so ago, but now it’s on YouTube for the sake of attracting voice talent to the project.  I’m kinda sick of scrounging around for voice talent.  For heavens’ sake, I’m willing to pay even.

I spent a lot of time back then designing imaginary rank insignia and uniforms and frivolous bits of accessories and attire for the feuding factions of whatever story I was preoccupied with.

Now I need to come up with simple and effective ways to do these things using the medium I chose, and while clonecloth solves many of these problems I still find a need for things that can’t be improvised or bought off the shelf.
That means I will have to learn whichever app is the most appropriate for achieving these objectives.

I’m hoping it can be achieved with Blender because I don’t want to scar my project with pirated apps. I certainly can’t afford my preferred choice of 3D Studio…

In any event, I should enjoy the diversions of the making of and dealing details and loose myself from this infernal drive to finish it all as quickly as possible.

This project has become such an obsession, over such a long time, that I tend to forget to savour the moments of playful creativity that brought this far, and that it needs in order to result in something worth the time.

It brings us to the point where the script says there’s a subtitle “Four years later”, and the tricky animation really starts because now the avatars need to “act”.

I did a redesign on Liyarch’s avatar and I’m looking at options for Rowe’s, and also looking at options for a few sets.

I’m a bit lethargic right now because apparently my blood sugar is at 10.5 so I have enough energy to post this and breathe at the same time but that’s it.

The questions I asked myself were something like:

“Why do I insist on doing this project of mine like an Amateur and a Hobbyist?”

and

“Why dont i go down that road of finding finance for a proper film production to be made?”

Well here comes a monologue if I ever did see one…..

What I know about doing it the “right” way (i.e. find a financier, studio, etc, not to mention distribution and marketing) is as follows:

1. You’re supposed to sell your idea to a group of people who are not passionate about your project and can’t be expected to be.
2. These people will only take it further with you if they see  your ideas and concepts as profitable.  Note the word – profitable.  Not “good”, or “gratifying” or “rewarding” or “cool”, or “profound” or “of outstanding quality”.  Just profitable.
3. From the point the sale is made and someone decides to take your project on, your hands are cut off.
4. Actually, rightly so.  Just because you had a good idea does not mean you can make a movie, so best leave it to those who know how to make a good job of it.
5. In any event, what exactly is it that you are supposed to do when you are part of a team who make a movie and you’re “just the guy who wrote the script…” and “…no, you wouldn’t have heard of him…”?  Direct? Produce? To direct or produce a movie is not the same as making an attempt at writing a script.  If you do it right, it will rule your life on ITS terms.  If you don’t do it right, the movie will suck.  James Cameron can make a good movie.  Michael Mann can make a good movie.  Peter Jackson too.  Lynch.  Scott.  But that’s all they do.  For years on end on a single project.

Here’s what I know about doing it “MY” way.

1. There is no deadline.  There is only drive.
2. I decide.  On everything.
3. I do not have to worry about whether or not a budget is met.  There is no budget.  I was over budget on this project when I was born.
4. The audience expect less – they know they’re not watching a big budget feature.
5. I can change my mind at the last moment without inconveniencing whole groups of crew people, because there is no crew.
6. My actors are totally and utterly under my control but dont take teams of people months to rig and animate.  I work with iClone and CrazyTalk, Sketchup and a bit of Blender here and there….
7. I wont be getting as much sleep…
8. I can invite collaboration as and when needed.
9. If I make a bad decision in terms of directing the animation or something about the project, I can change it.
10. I must learn to balance my activities and do what I can to remain in good health.
11. I will have a problem finding voices for voice overs.
12. I will not have access to marketing as do the big production houses.  Nor to distribution.  It’s all on me.
13. YouTube is as far as it is likely to go.  Not all “My Movie I made”  projects are good enough to get ported or elevated beyond obscurity.

So… If I’m happy with the restrictions I have to live with when I insist on doing my own thing, then I reckon that’s good enough.