WARNING: If you haven’t seen Avatar or Princess and The Frog, there could be spoilers.
Before that I would like to show you my animatic on Jon’s (Awesome Wells) music video. I’m working on the design and style of the characters at the moment so everything is a bit unmethodical. I’ve showed this to Jon and he likes it and suggested to add something dark. Here is what I’ve done so far.
I finally got to watch Avatar in 3D last night. It was amazing. I didn’t read up on anything much about the technical aspects because I know that my brain will constantly analyse everything (I still did). The world of Pandora was so imaginative with the forest and creatures looking slightly familiar with our own world but extra special obviously. I want to be in a helicopter and fly through the floating Hallelujah Mountains. I want to have an avatar! The technology they had on the film was so cool. I really want one of those transparent concave screens. Also, forget USB sticks! They just have to transfer a file from one screen to a portable screen with one swoop. Everything is just pure coolness.
While the visual effects and compositing is fantastic, I was more curious about Jake’s bare atrophied legs. I was wondering if Sam Worthington is a real life paraplegic as this was the first time I’ve seen the actor. I thought it would be so amazing if it was CG or a very well made prop. This is something I have to check out because I know for sure that Worthington is not a paraplegic. He could be a dedicated actor like Christian Bale for The Machinist but I doubt that there is a method to make his physical appearance possible.
UPDATE: I’ve got this source from MTV.com. “John Rosengrant at Stan Winston’s studio took a mold from the legs of a paraplegic who had about Sam’s skeletal size, and then we created rubber legs,” Cameron said. “Sam’s actual legs are tucked down through the chair.” Prosthetics! Wow…
I’m liking the Native American/African tribe vibe going on with the Na’vi and the story is a bit like Pocahontas, but lots of things are inspired by others. It went a bit Braveheart/Hollywood-ish near the end but it’s still a very good film. 9.5/10!
Another animation I saw recently was Disney’s Princess and The Frog. A very impressive 2D comeback too! I wasn’t sure if everything was made in 2D as there were some parts of background and minor animated bits that could have been done in 3D. I think it was set in a 1930s New Orleans so they had really catchy jazz tunes. Also, I have to get me some gumbo, jambalaya and beignet! I wonder what they’re like in real life because they looked so tasty in 2D. I was having trouble with the firefly’s Cajun accent, I wondered if our Japanese friend understood what they were talking about with the heavy accent. If I was little, I would have been petrified of the voodoo shadows because they were rather scary but not as bad as hypnotised Aurora in Sleeping Beauty (watch below). I mean THAT was scary. One thing bothered me, all the time that Tiana was as a frog, everyone else was carrying on with the Mardi Gras as if she wasn’t missing. I’m just nitpicking.
It’s the new year and it’s February and here is the first post of 2010! I’ve been too busy (possibly lazy too..) to update and I had lots of materials to post but I’ll just put some snipets of my Christmas. I had an old friend visiting all the way from Australia. It was great because we get to see places that I normally wouldn’t have thought about visiting. I wasn’t sure if she was satisfied with her trip, but I think we did a lot around London and Brighton in two weeks. England didn’t show the best winter weather either. We saw How It is at the Tate Modern, changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square… We went to the Winter Wonderland Christmas Market at Hyde Park, The National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, V & A, Hampton Court Palace, Roger Hiorns’ Seizure exhibition, Brighton Pavillion, Sherlock Holmes Museum, Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross and Jack the Ripper trail. The last one wasn’t an official tour so we had to follow a map that was part of an AA 1001 Walks in Britain file that my dad got me as a joke. However, it proved to be very useful. The tour will be the first and the last for me. The cold and the short daylight really gave the creepy atmosphere when you go through small, quiet alleyways.
Besides the events at Christmas, I did some animations for a company, sent CVs/showreel, got an interview, had the interview, nearly got the position but they wrote the loveliest rejection email so I wasn’t too disheartened, did a storyboard and animatic for Jon’s music video, looked at Escape courses, re-did my showreel, still animating things for the company, learnt something about php from boyfriend, met another old friend and did some catching up. Now it’s back to updating blog, sending CVs/showreel, character design for Jon’s MV and thinking of a new layout for website. The list is never ending…
Churros are freakin’ tasty.
Freaky panto window display at Selfridges.
Vero and I.
Mushroom-like trees on the grounds of Hampton Court Palace.
The start of the creepy trail of Jack the Ripper…
Roger Hiorns’ Seizure
Tourist couple posing as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
It’s very rare to get a snowy Christmas over here but it’s happening! I was reluctant to go out because I didn’t want to step on the fresh snow… but I had to take pictures. In my pyjamas. I’m so happy!!!
Keeping up to date, I went to see New Moon with my friend, Jonmin on Saturday. I’ve been looking forward to it but, I was dreading that it was going to be ruined by shrieking girls (and possibly boys) as I’ve experienced it in last year’s Twilight. It turned out that the pre-booked seats were well placed and the kids in front of us were too short to block our view. As the film started, the swooning and wolf whistling began but it was pretty much tamed throughout the movie. However, this time, I didn’t mind the few vocal reaction. I was sort of joining them with my inside voice.
Jonmin and her ramen
We ate at E-Kagen. It’s a Japanese restaurant run by a couple on top of an Asian mini market. Personally, they serve the best Japanese dishes with generous portion in Brighton. Jonmin told me that they’re from the Kansai region just from tasting the ramen! Of course, we overheard them talking in the end to confirm this.
Spot the fake one…
A slice of pecan pie from Cream Tea
I had my first pecan pie. You have to say this in a southern accent like in True Blood. I wanted to try it ever since Sookie *spoiler* went crazy because someone was touching her dead gran’s pecan pie. I’m not a fan of nutty dessert but it was pretty tasty. Next TV pie to try is a pumpkin pie.
On our way to the station, we passed The Bicycle Shop and had our breakfast there. The food and drinks are so cheap and good quality too. If I lived in Norwich, it would be my usual hangouts. Farewell Norwich…
I had a bite of Hannah’s butternut squash and feta cheese crepe. 10/10.
Today, we met up with Will and took him to Bar Tapas that I’ve never been to but always curious about it. In fact, in the three years I’ve lived here, there are few things I haven’t done. One of them is to go to the Norfolk Broads! I don’t think we’ll get to do that this week though. I just have to make another trip some time soon.
Coincidentally, Phil, our former sound technician from uni, passed by! Steff had to catch the train and Will went to get a haircut, so it was just the three of us catching up at Frank’s Bar. Again. Afterwards, Hannah and I browsed shops and went to this new cafe called the Bicycle Shop. I believe it was one before. Apparently the guy who owns it is Rob who used to be behind our SU bar and at the Playhouse too. I must say he has done very well. I wonder how hard it is to run a cafe…
Inside the Bar Tapas.
A trapped pigeon with expensive taste.
Me, Hannah and Phil – the original animal jumper wearer.
Steff joined us today! So the four of us went to see Up. It was such a heartwarming story. Wish I could have watched it in 3D but it was a good film nonetheless. All the characters are lovable and Dug, the talking dog reminds me of Niall’s dog, Tiehawk. It makes me want to try out 3D animation again and maybe not to give up so easily. We met up with Kelly after work at Frank’s Bar. I haven’t seen her for a year so it was nice to catch up.
I’m visiting my friend, Hannah and her boyfriend, Dave at Norwich. It’s quite different to when I was living up here. All the scaffoldings are gone, the pedestrian road finished and new cafes and shops appear. I heard that Adam of Adam and Joe lives in Norwich now and does some kind of show at the Playhouse? Is it true?? Good times happened at the Playhouse… I have the feeling this trip is going to be a nostalgic one.
Behind that building on the right is my old uni.
The Playhouse bar – they make good hot chocolates.
They used to have crazy decorations inside, like plastic animals hanging off the ceiling and suspending train tracks where the train would go around and around above you. They seem to have toned it down a bit.
Snoooooow! Fake snow that is.
We’re ending the night by playing Katamari. The most satisfying game ever.
