Appalachian Dreams

March 12 reel

2009-03-12T19:37:00.002-04:00

Lighting Pass Reel

2009-02-24T22:05:00.001-05:00

appy reel initial renders

2009-02-02T23:11:00.001-05:00

Cabin render, Walter

2009-01-03T22:23:00.003-05:00

Walter's cabin is starting to take shape and we should start putting all the pieces together.

We'll need more stuff to furnish this cabin as it should have a clutter feel...or at least looked lived in. But nothing fresh or new things need to be hand made and depression era living (1930's)

Rug, Spoon / Fork, Plate / Mug, Clock Updates

2009-01-03T19:32:00.003-05:00

Playblast reel 12/30/08

2008-12-30T12:32:00.004-05:00

Shoe Rig Mocap Update

2008-12-11T18:30:00.001-05:00

Updated Footage

2008-12-02T22:23:00.001-05:00

Lighting test

2008-12-02T22:07:00.003-05:00

Shoe design REVISED

2008-11-27T14:35:00.004-05:00

Here's a version that Walter did.

The shoe has come a long way, but since it is the main character, I feel we need a little more detail to reveal the character more. I think the tongue can stick out and curl a little bit. The side flaps should flare out and curl out a bit too. The laces should be tighter at the bottom and then loosen up and widen out towards the top. A little more wrinkling and the contours should be less smooth. But nothing real drastic, as the main geometry looks great. We just have to add a bit more to the shoe to make it look a little rougher and have more crease and bumps to loosen up the stiff and computer precision.

2008-10-22T00:19:00.000-04:00

2008-10-21T10:56:00.000-04:00

2008-10-21T10:45:00.000-04:00

2008-10-21T10:40:00.000-04:00

lighting update

2008-10-14T10:21:00.002-04:00

Updated Oct 9

2008-10-09T10:01:00.002-04:00

Story 3.0

2008-09-22T22:26:00.003-04:00

GOALS:
We need to take a scene like Scn 9 and texture and light the background elements ASAP so we can put the clogger, shoes, and cornhusk bride in there to see how their textures looks.

lay out each scene, Folders with scene names needs to be created and maya files with camera positions matching the staging of the story boards. We can tweak some size relations so that characters are nicely staged within the camera.

animation tests with everything but the shoes.

The last shot is utter destruction in a domino fashion. This maybe a techical challenge, but we can start strategizing how to get it done.

In the mean time, the clogger can break some joints to get the real crazy action.

We are on our way and should now start pushing to get layout, rough animation together.

We also need to strategize the mocap and get it ready.

new cabin layout

2008-09-16T22:08:00.002-04:00

This is a photo sketch I mocked up. I dodged and burned parts of the cabin to highlight and to darken the composition. I want to paint the scene to create a nice staged area for the shoe. I am going to board the animation around this setup.

beats for new music

2008-09-15T23:40:00.003-04:00

The music is still rough but the narrative is in place. There still needs to be a bass player and the spooning will be cut out from all but two scenes.

I will be reworking the storyboards and revisit the staging.

Clogging a definition

2008-09-10T19:25:00.000-04:00

The Hoola is the dance you would expect to see if you visited Hawaii.
The Polka is the dance commonly associated with Poland.
These are folk dances which identify the heritage of the native people of those areas.

Clogging is the folk dance that identifies the heritage of the settlers of the Appalachian Mountains.
With influences from our English, Scotch-Irish, German and native American ancestry it involves a vast mix of influence on the dance, with variations from community to community depending on the heritage mix of the settlers of these areas. The dance can be performed as a solo or as a group. Most often clogging was performed while you were doing a Square Dance. Clogging and Square Dance have become so intermixed in the Southern Appalachian Mountains the two now have the same traditional definition.

By definition Clogging is a step dance. It is also a percussive dance. The steps are taken on the down beat of the music giving a rhythmic sound. These movements are combined with ball of the foot (toe) movements which provide the double time sound associated with this dance form.

The modern version of Clogging is a mixture of the above with the addition of the Irish Step Dance movements, Canadian Step movements and other movements of percussive nature. The traditional dance form does not change while the modern version is continually is a state of change. In competition the two are divided into separate classes.

Bill Nichols
The Grandfather of Modern Clogging

Appy beat board

2008-09-09T22:31:00.002-04:00

Goals

2008-09-09T22:11:00.002-04:00

Initial Modeling: Cornhusk Bride, Fiddler, Banjo player.

Toy Clogger: Painted and Rigged

Interior Cabin: fully textured, modeled, and more light tests

Story Reel 3.0/Revised Score

corn husk sketch design

2008-09-09T21:34:00.000-04:00

more cornhusk photo

2008-09-09T21:33:00.000-04:00

Lighting Tests

2008-09-09T10:39:00.002-04:00