Creating Stereoscopic 3D Images

Recreating Cameras and Lights in Maya

Original Image

Maya Lighitng 

Maya lighting with camera moved 45 degrees to the left.

Maya lighting with camera moved 45 degrees to the right.

Building a Scene in Maya

One light on camera left

Two light camera left and center

Three light camera left, center, and on top

Special Effects in Animation and Live-Action Paper

Technology, it has taken over every aspects of our everyday life. Technologies purpose is to help people preform a task in an efficient way and in a timely manner. It's amazing to think that technology has improve how films are made today, so drastically that it is hard to be amazed by how realistic the special effects that a movie can show to it's audiences. But lets not forget about older movies that has taken advantage of the new technology that are offered to them during there time. Two of these remarkable movies are, 1933 King Kong and Jurassic Park. The 1933 King Kong black and white film was an innovative film that may seem like a joke today. But with its use of miniature rear projection and stop motion to create the whole entire movie it is something to really awe about. Also there is Jurassic Park that introduced the 90s children to dinosaurs with the help of computer generated images of dinosaurs and some robotic life sized dinosaurs. Both movies has pushed boundaries of movie making during their time that might not be comparable to todays special effects, but nevertheless the production of both movies are remarkable in their own rights.

Stop motion is a process of taking photos of an inanimate object and on each photo taken, one can move the objects little by little and when these images are played in sequence it will look like the object is moving on its own. All of movie sequence that included the giant Kong of the 1933 King Kong was filmed this way. Each movement of King Kong was shoot frame by frame to create this hour and half long movie. With the use of a miniature set and a doll size King Kong was made possible by Willis O'Brien to bring the giant to life. During that time this film was shot is was such a such feat in special effects technology to create this movie because there was nothing like it during its time. Many believed during that time that Kong was a man on a suite. To add to the creative special effects of O'Brien he was able to combine both his stop motion sequence of his miniature model with real life actors in the scene with Kong. This technology of special effects is called miniature rear projection. This special effects is projecting the sequence of the film reels of the live action of the actors onto the miniature set. O'Brien while shooting his stop motion was also projecting frame by frame shots of the acted sequence of the real life actors shows a believable interaction with the real life actors with Kong. O'Brien also had to deal with a problem with this technique because during that time projecting film and exposing it to the projection light for a long period of time could melt the film. O'Brien was one of the first to use a projector with fans to help keep the projection cool and prevent the film from melting. These special effects that O'brien has establish has pushed the ways of technology in special effects today.

Originally Steven Spielberg's film Jurassic Park was going to take the same special effects of King Kong by using models of dinosaurs and stop motion to animate the creatures of Jurassic Park. But a new technology in special effects has caught Spielberg's eyes and that was computer generated images or also known as CGI. CGI is highly used in todays movies that transports viewers into the world that they are watching. During the release of the movie Jurassic Park many knew what dinosaurs looked like. But they have not seen them in a way that Jurassic Park presented it for movie goers. Jurassic Park was able t make them believable because they where able to create the textures, size, sound, movements of dinosaurs and have them interact with humans For the CGI to happened they had to use many computers to run the program to create these dinosaurs. Spielberg also had the task to shoot the movie without seeing the CGI dinosaurs because they had to edit down the film before they are able to put in the CGI effects. The animators also had to study different animal and they had to work with paleontologist to create realistic movements. They also had to combine different sounds to create the sound of each dinosaurs for them to be believable.

For the movie to work not only did they use CGI but they also had to make real life size robotic dinosaurs like the Trex and Triceratops. Some of these scenes that used robotic dinosaurs was the scene when Trex first attacked the people in the car as well as, when they encounter a sick Triceratops during the tour of the facility. With the combination of both the use of robotics and CGI they were able to make dinosaurs come to life and make it believable.

In todays technology these movies may seem a bit goofy and corny with the outdated special effects. But during there time of release these movies where using new technologies in special effects. It is hard to appreciate these movies because movies like Avatar, Gravity, Marvel movies, and many other sci- fi films has taken advantage of the advancements in CGI, that it is hard to appreciate the movies of the past. But looking at these movies in depth will one learn to appreciate the time and effort that someone put into making a movie to a close realism. With King Kong's innovative stop motion and miniature rear projection it shows that there is a way to bring life to inanimate objects and interact with real life actors. Jurassic Park was one of the many movies that pushed the idea of bringing creatures of mass scales to life side by side with actors with the use of CGI and robotics. These movies had challenge the way we make movies of today. Which is why it is important to appreciate them.

Word Count:1006

Work Cited

Miniature Rear Projection in 1933's King Kong. Warner Brothers, 2005. Film.

The Making of Jurassic Park. MCA Universal Home Video, 1995. Film.

How O'brien shoot the projected film reels of the actors in the miniature set also known as the miniature rear projection.

A scene in King Kong when the doll size Kong was interacting with the projected image of one of the actors. 

Trex life size robotics, a scene when Trex was attacking the people inside the car.

In the early 90s dozens of computer where needed to create CGI effects. This was one of three computer rooms dedicated to making the CGI for Jurassic Park.

how the CGI looked like during production. A series of lined images and lines planes to map out where the CGI will go on the camera angle of the landscape in the sequence of the film.

Special Effects in Animation and Live-Action Online

The evolution of special effects in making gigantic size creatures come to life.Comparing miniature rear projection and computer created images.

Thesis: Both special effects has pushed boundaries of movie making during their time that might not be comparable to todays special effects, but nevertheless the production of both movies are remarkable in their own rights.

Body: Explains the different special effect on both films

King Kong (1933)

-Stop motion was used to created the action of King Kong

-Used Miniature Rear Projections to project King Kong

-Use stop motion and projection to create each scenes

-Used made different techniques to create scenes

-so innovative Willis O'brien has patented his way of filming in 1933

-took weeks to make different scenes

Jurassic Park:

-Used robotic made dinosaurs such scenes like triceratops

-How it created realistic fearful looking scenes

-Some miniature models with real life sized models

-started with animatics so that actors can figure out movements

-worked with paleontologist to recreated realistic dinosaur movements

-Used Computer Created Images (CGI) instead of stop motion for some scenes

Conclusion:

- both in their own rights of there time has pushed boundaries of movie making and special effects

- can't compare these movies to modern day movie effects that seems more realistic

- seeing the flaws of these movies however makes it more interesting esp. king kong

Stop-Motion Character Animation

In doing this character animation I found it somewhat difficult. Having to animate multiple different characters in different scenes and figuring out how to animate them was somewhat a task. The first thing I did was figure out what characters I wanted to do. From there I thought of a story and how each individual characters movements will be like. Before shooting I did some sketches of what I wanted my story to be about and what each scenes will look like. After that I started shooting each scenes and making sure that there is some character movements on at least every few shoots of the scene.

Science Fact or Cinematic Fiction? Outline

Topic/Thesis: Examining character interaction with there surroundings and defying Newton's Law of Motion.

Example 1: Flintstone

Example 2: Doraemon

Example 3: Ed, Edd, and Eddy

Body 1: Flintstones

- Walking on trees vertically/ trees does not bend or characters defy gravity by walking

vertically

- Fred blows the candles out of the cake and shoots inside the clarinet.

- guy sleeping moves to the beat slides out of the bed but does not fall

Body 2: Doraemon

- Doraemon bamboo copter flying them and the house

- The way the house flies in the air side to side up and down

- Objects in the house stay in place

Body 4: Ed, Edd, and Eddy

- Eddy's face get's sucked in by a vacuum

- jumps on bed and some how gets stuck on the ceiling

-Eddy smashed Edd with a bed creates a hole

Conclusion:

- these cartoon shows have shown examples of defying laws of physics to show comedic effect

- close examining the laws of physics of cartoon shows is a helpful way of understanding laws of physics.

Reverse Video Reference

Walk A

Walk B

Walk C

Walk D

Stop Motion Animation of Falling

For this assignment I used a stop motion app to take all the images. I decided to use construction paper and create a scene. I wanted to have a child like feel to it so I went ahead and made it a bit more playful.  I thought it would be cool to do an animation of a falling apple from an apple tree rolling down a hill. Before shooting I did some test by dropping an apple and see how it drops if it rolls as it fall or is it steady.

The Laws of Physics in an Animation Universe: The Croods

     Physics plays a big role in creating an animated film or television show to make it inherently realistic. Movements of characters and objects must be animated to mimic how it would move in real life, to make it seem believable. Although realistic movements are necessary in animation, animators will often also use exaggerated action to enhance the experience of watching the animated movie or television. Many animated films and television shows exaggerated motion of characters to mimic each characters persona or characteristics. In particular DreamWorks movie The Croods shows this exaggeration of character movements and action to mimic the characters characteristics and creates familiar animals but yet different from real life creates to make the movie much more interesting for children and adults to watch.

     The Croods story plot is about the early homo sapien/ neanderthal family named the Croods who meets a guy, named Guy after their cave home gets destroyed due to the tectonic plates shift that divides the land called Pangea into the seven different continents that exist today. The Croods along side Guy embarks on a journey to follow the sun and into the new world. During this journey they encounter many different land structures and species that the family have never seen before. These creatures that they encounter can seem very familiar to viewers and some seems to be a hybrid of two species that exists today. Such example can be seen in the first scene when the Croods hunt for food and they fins what seems to be an ostrich egg. First and fore most though the Croods family themselves have features of humans traits but can seem different especially the father, Grug who has a bigger upper body with small waist and small legs. His body proportion is similar to that of a gorilla. Furthermore the family in different scenes can also move in all fours or walk with two legs which obeys physical characteristics of humans and gorillas. Going back the bird that looks like an ostrich with horns like a ram in the first food hunt scene follow that same idea of hybrid mixtures that the animators were going for. The way the bird runs is similar to an ostrich, but also has characteristics of a ram. It uses its spiral horn to charge and attack its prey. This multi hybrid characteristics of these characters follows movements from real life creatures so they seem familiar. But the animation aspects of creating two familiar creatures and combing them into one creature pulls back viewers from that familiar creature they see in real life and back to the animated creature that the animators have created.

     Furthermore in analyzing the Croods family, they have a fast paced movement to them that seems to defy the laws of physics of human characteristics in real life. This can be seen in the first scene that the movie opens which is the hunting scene. Specifically when they run with the other animals. All of which seems to be moving at the same pace as the other animals as they run on two legs. If physics is followed there is no way that real humans can run at the same pace as an ostrich, leopard, and a mammoth. Another example of speed that does not follow the laws of physics is the scene when Grug and Guy gets into a fight and rolls off the cliff. When they roll off the cliff they are suspended in air for a longer period of time than they should actually be. This was a way to to dramatize the falling action of the characters as they fall of the cliff. These characters fast paced movement is necessary tough to balance the fact that the there is not a whole lot of movements in the background. The background all seems to be still, but it isn't noticeable because there is a lot of movement in the characters themselves.

     Another law bending rules of physics that can be seen throughout the movie is the super human strength that the Croods family posses specifically Grug and Eep. Grug in many several scenes throughout the movie would lift heavy boulders of rocks and would throw them in the air and he would catch them. A very good example of this is the scene where Grug lifts three rocks like it was nothing and he gets thrown in the air and get struck by lighting. When Grug falls a boulder rolls on top of him and he still manages to stay alive after the incidence. If the laws of physics is followed Grug shouldn't have been able to lift the boulders and getting struck by lighting should have killed him or knocked him out unconscious. On top of that the boulder that rolled on top of him should have crushed him and Grug should have died instantly. Another Croods member of the family with super strength is Eep. Eep has strength, grace, and agility that a normal human being cannot posses. The scene that show cases this law bending physics is when she climbs up the cliff to catch the few rays of the sun before heading back into the cave. Eep climbs up the cliff with such ease, grace, and speed it really seems so impossible. If the laws of physics is followed in the movie Eep should have fallen if she climbed up that cliff that fast. She would have had to think every move she would make before even deciding where to grab hold or where to put her feet on the rocks.

     Ultimately The Croods follow most of the laws of physics, especially the important bits like the movement of the body and how the animals run and their movements. The movements of the hair from the wind even though the characters where still makes it come to life, without any scene that would seems dull. Bending some of the laws of physics is a way for animators to exaggerate characters skills and characteristics, as well as a comedic relief for entertainment. The quick pace movements of the characters, shows of great strength,and agile movements makes for an entertaining animation.

Word Count: 1028

this shows the features of the Croods family gorilla like posture

 the hybrid ostrich/ram 

The fast movement of the Croods they can run just as fast as the other creatures. 

The speed and the strength Eeps shows in the scene when she goes up the cliff to catch the last sun ray of the day.

The scene when Grug and Guy gets into a fight and they hang in mid air for a few frames before falling. 

 

These last few scenes shows the super human strength that Grug has. He is able to lift huge boulders. He also gets struck by lighting and a boulder rolls on top of him him and he still manages to live.

The Laws of Physics in an Animation Universe: "The Croods" Outline

Intro.

A. Talk about the movie “The Croods”

B. Thesis: The animated film, The Croods bend the laws of physics to bring the stone age action pack adventure to life.

Body I: Lively, fast paced path of action

• Fast movements of the characters as they hunt and climb rocks
• Eep’s fast climbing and jumping on rocks as she follows the unknown fire
• Grug rolls on a rock hits a tree falls instantly as characters moves to the side in matter of seconds

BodyII: Incredible strengths of characters and animal like movements

• Back to the scene of the hunt use physical power to stop the mammoth 
• Characters movement walk on two legs and sometimes on fours
• Grug kicks the log with bare foot fly’s miles away 

BodyIII: Unnatural characters that play on real species(hybrids)

• A hybrid nocturnal animal owlcat 
• Flying turtle but the movements similar to those of turtles swimming at the sea instead flying
• Blue whales with four legs walking on land

Conclusion

• Fast paced action cause for a more entertaining live action comedy animation
• Exaggerated strength makes the characters seem invisible and animalistic
• Hybrid animals from real life animals makes it seem unnatural, defying laws of physics we see in real life from these animals

Video Analysis of Path of Action

Tracker Video Analysis of Falling

     

Shooting Video Reference

PHYS-123: Fourth Down at Half-time

Mini–Portfolio

My name is Jojomar, but my friends and family call me Jojo. I'm a graphic design and photography student in San Jose State University. Some of my hobbies during my free time are drawing, hiking, biking, exploring abandoned buildings and houses, and I love to take street and landscape photos. As far as my illustrations go, my main tool of illustration is Adobe Illustrator. I do a lot of vectoring of all sorts that fits into my projects in design. I also incorporate a lot of my graphic design work with photos that I've taken. Most of my fine art work is in the field of photography. I work in both film and digital photography to capture the world around me and artistic ideas that comes to mind. I am currently getting back into drawing and doing a project for myself. 

In this mini–portfolio I wanted to show the different mediums I work with. As a graphic designer I like to explore a variety of mediums so that I can incorporate these skills into my design.

Self Portrait

A current series that I am working on. It is a series of portraits of individuals with their quirkiest faces. I would take their photos and draw them out in funky colors with the use of colored pencils.

Nature Conservancy Poster

15 Second Animation for Nature Conservancy

These two projects is part of a four part project for my graphic design class. We had the task to create a poster, brochure, 3D model, and a 15second animation that relates to nature conservancy. My whole project was to give awareness of habitat loss of wild animals due to oil excavation. 

Film Photography

This photo is part of a series I did of Bodie the preserved ghost town. It's a body of work that shows a glimpse of the gold rush in California and the real wild west of America in the late 1800s.

Digital Photography Studio Work

This photo is a part of my digital portfolio of my portrait work in studio with the use of strobe lights. 

First Post

Blog Test 

Hi my name is Jojomar I go by Jojo. I love graphic design and street photography. I hope this class can teach me skills I can incorporate in the field of design and maybe even photography.