Hey your work looks interesting. Before you invest alot of money or time though you might wanna go here http://chrisj.com.au/thepassenger/ and check his movie out. Spend a little time reading the making of. Good luck
Oh yeah thanks for the article. I’ve followed Chris J before. His work is gorgeous. Right at Imagi level quality all on his own. Good to see him finish. I’m hoping it doesn’t take me 3 years. 
I think most feature length filmmakers are doing the 2-4 year thing. M Dot Strange is going for a 1 year venture!
Now in terms of making your film, be it short, a series, or a feature, whatever you want to do, jump right into it. The more you have planned ahead of time the better, but as long as you have a clear idea of the world you want to create and the story you want to tell, then go at it. Feet first into the deep end: sink or swim. That’s how I made my films: Archon Defender, Rocketmen vs Robots series…
I’m with you on this one one Nodelete. I’ve followed you for quite some time as well. I’m Ilive, Flog, Ilovegodzilla, and Sasquatchiscool (all of which have been banned for sharing your IP and mine, okay and punking a mod) over at cgtalk.com. I think so many artists get in their own way before they ever get started. I liked your approach. You had a world and a story to tell about that world and you did it! It was a feat all it’s own. You prove that an artists worst enemy is not lack of money but sometimes themselves.
I think many artists stop themselves because they cannot achieve near Pixar quality work and don’t think they should try. But thinking back on some of the greatest cartoons and stories I liked as a kid Hanna Barbara always comes to mind. Is Scooby Doo, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons, The Smurfs and Heman any less loved than Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny or Buzz Lightyear? Hanna Barbara was not Disney, Warner or Pixar quality animation yet the characters and style have endured till our time alongside the greatest animated characters of all time.
After viewing Archon Defender I noticed that there was some limitations to your modelling skills, hence the short arms, lol, but I couldn’t see Archon Defender any other way! It was perfect with it’s imperfections. You created a unique style and something that is a beautiful work of art! I don’t think it could have been better. It was so interesting to see these “Doug-like” uniquely styled characters in the serious situation they were in! It was a sharp contrast and I loved it. I love, love love your film. Honestly I think it would have lost it’s heart had it looked realistic. I see those realistic characters in games all the time. You gave us a new style and a new look! Congrats. I love your attitude. PLan it out and just do it.
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I’m done with the planning and in just do it mode!
If you can’t animate well, or if you don’t know how to rig a character, or if you don’t know how to set up cloth simulations, or physics models, or comp your shots and effects, or any of the 9001 other jobs involved in 3D filmmaking, you’ll learn by necessity. And also not learn any useless stuff they might teach you in school, such as “it can’t be done” Which seems to be a common misconception.
I improvise. Can’t animate well then MOCAP, simulation, rotoscoping and fill in the blanks it is. I bought a mocap system if you need some motions by the way. Just throwing that out there for you!
I can’t comp very well so doing alot of things in camera. I think if there is a will there is a way to figure things out! That is part of the fun! I think limitations help alot of filmmakers out.
I really try to simplify things to when people did not have a computer. I mean it was a camera and puppets doing stop motion. I mean in my mind that’s really what a I need to do but on a computer and I already know the steps for that. I’ll figure the other more complicated stuff out later or as I go and it comes up.
again i’m not saying give up learning to model if you want to be a 3d artist, but if you ever expect this to be finished i would think of some other alternitives
Honestly there is no other alternatives but the Hollywood way. The way that is quickly becoming obsolete.
I can bootstrap it and find artists I suppose who’ll work for cheaper prices and include them in the profit. I was doing that till I lost my job so couldn;t afford the cheaper prices.
I could find collabers but consistancy is one problem when they want to help. There is only so much they can do. They can’t model everything for you and the other collabers might be better or not as good and you loose consistancy having 4 or 5 differant level artists on the project. Plus collabers are hard to find especially with a prevailing attitude of “It can’t be done” “I got burned” or “I don’t believe in collabs”
Really what has become the theme is “do it yourself” I descided to do it myself.
I’m okay with the style I have right now in the 3d models. I’m just going to do it! I am modelling 1 model a day and starting episode 1 of 15. I think general audience will like the quality. At least I would hope.
If u give up u have already lost… but its indeed a big piece of work u want to realize which u should not underrestimate. I like your concept sketches… here is a little doodle of a flog i made after i saw this thread a few hours ago
Wow that is awesome and scary at the same time. I love it. It’s a creepy but great version of Alienboy! I think it’s awesome. Yeah I’ve been planning this and saving up to start this film for 4 years now. I think it’s about time to get started full time. i’m just having to go with my style and models.
(so I’ll be nice) rhinokio makes some good points about tightening up your modeling to the concept art. Read this as ‘keep improving your skills’ and you’ll do fine, you should be constantly improving as you go anyway. Now if you don’t have an art director breathing down your neck (or if you are your own art director) then staying tight to the concept art isn’t that big a deal, the concept art is just there so you don’t sit staring at an empty grid waiting for ideas to pop into your head.
