Mirage Comics Fan Made trailer

[ff]

Hi,
I'm FF and this is my first post here. Right now I'm animating a short trailer for the first issue of Mirage Comics' vol.1. I have been animating for 5 years now and I have been doing some freelance work lately. However, since I've got some spare time I decided to embark on a fun project just to keep busy

This is my project's blog:
http://tmnttrailer.blogspot.com/

And this is a test Run Cycle of a 3D model that I built and rigged on my own. Just in case you want to see which direction I'm going for:

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES - run cycle

Please let me know what you think about it. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
FF

[Michaelangelo]

Really cool!  Thank you for sharing, can't wait to see this done

[Fugitoid]

Hi FF and welcome to TMNT-L!

My bro is a computer animator as well. I wish I had the time to learn animation myself.

That's a really good run model. The only thing I feel could be improved is the plastron/chest area. Looks too flat & stiff and maybe a little too big. Otherwise, you got a great model there! And I'll have to check your project blog regularly now.

Took a look at some of your other work. I like your Cops and Robbers vid. A little odd but fun! Your thesis film is great also! Love the 2D 8-bit and CGI mixing! It's no wonder why you got that Editor's Choice and spotlight. On a side note, I found it funny that your thesis was based on "Judith in the Tent of Holofernes" only because I used to work in a museum and they had a few paintings based on that same subject. So when I saw the image near the end of your thesis film and then read your spotlight it made say to myself, "I've seen other paintings of that!" LOL!

Thanks for sharing and can't wait to see more of your work!

[ff]

Wow!
YOu guys are great! Really supportive attitude. I wish I had found this forum earlier hehehe

About the plastron area, I tried to have it pliable as in all iterations so far, but it didnt feel right to me. As a kid I had turtles as pets and that area shouldn't bend at all. However if I have a crouching going on with any of the turtles I may need to weight-paint on the fly. So maybe that wasn't the best of all ideas...

I'm doing this animation 5 days a week full time for the past 2 weeks. So far I have around 30s of first pass animation. I'm aiming for around 1min completed animation. Hopefully in a month's time it shoul be ready.

If it's OK with you guys, I'll keep posting updates on this thread. Cheers!

[Michaelangelo]

It's deff ok to post updates! 

I agree with you about the plastron, I use to feel the movies were wrong when I saw them bend.  They're not soft shell snappers after all  

I look forward to your updates!

[Fugitoid]

I understand the plastron area doesn't bend in real life. But sometimes what looks good in animation or film isn't 100% accurate to real life. However, when I said stiff I didn't mean to say that it should bend. I was just saying that to me the plastron looks like a rigid plane on the chest. Perhaps giving the plastron an edge that is rounded inward towards the body would help. I'm not sure. I'm don't have enough experience with creating 3D models to know in what direction to go.

[ff]

Ah I see now what you mean about the plastron. 

By the way, I forgot to reply earlier on the other part of your post: I'm glad you picked the references on my other works. Usually they go right through people's minds and all they can see is "cartoon". Even at my thesis film I got a lot of criticism for using anthropomorphic creatures and whatnot. Anyway, it's all in the past now...

Today I have some more run cycles that won't be used in the final film:

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES - Foot Soldier & Leonardo Run Cycles

The reason I won't be using these is because they don't look like the Mirage comics at all. 

It's reinvigorating to talk to people who like the turtles as much as (actually, much more than) I do. Gotta sleep now, tomorrow more scenes to animate. All the best!

[Fugitoid]

Finding people who like the Turtles on a forum called TMNT-L... who'da thunk it! Right?

I'm glad to hear we're able to lift your spirits. It's one of the things we do best!

Another nice run cycle. Can't wait until you go from running to actual fighting!

Just out of curiosity, what software do you use to animate?

[ff]

point taken! 
LOL

Hmm, I use Blender 2.49. It's quite old but I'm used to the interface.

It's freeware and I wish it was more common in the industry as it's one of the most comprehensive programs out there:
http://www.blender.org/

These recent run cycles were to be used but they just looked too "Sin City" and I thought they would be very jarring compared to what I have done already...

After breakfast, I'll start the fight scenes. Finally!

[Fugitoid]

Yeah, Blender is underrated. But you gotta start somewhere and it's really good for being free software. Besides talent is what gets a person noticed. Not the software they use.

I didn't think of "Sin City" when I first saw your last run cycle. But now that's all I can think of. 

[ff]

sorry it took me so long to reply, Fugitoid!
I was busy trying to make this trailer happen!

You're right about the sin city feel to that test video. I really liked but couldn't use as it was referencing the wrong comic book...

Ah, I almost forgot: just uploaded this on youtube

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Trailer (1984)

All the best,
FF

[Fugitoid]

Heh. I guess it's now my turn to apologize about taking a so long to reply. But I've been on a trip since the 14th and I just got back yesterday.

I really liked the video! Great action and your Shredder model is wicked!

Keep up the great work!