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Topic: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

So, I have been part of the brickfilming community for almost two years, but all of my films have been very short (the longest was 26 seconds, which was my unfinished THAC X film), and I need a few questions answered:

How in the world do you get voices to fit in perfectly with dialogue?

How is it possible to make longer films?
I always try to get everything complete before my camera goes all kapoof on me, so is this the reason?

And finally, how do I slow down movements so that they stop happening in a few seconds?

That is all.

I figured this thread goes here since it asks about the actual production aspect of brickfilming.

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

Troodon wrote:

So, I have been part of the brickfilming community for almost two years, but all of my films have been very short (the longest was 26 seconds, which was my unfinished THAC X film), and I need a few questions answered:

How in the world do you get voices to fit in perfectly with dialogue?

How is it possible to make longer films?
I always try to get everything complete before my camera goes all kapoof on me, so is this the reason?

And finally, how do I slow down movements so that they stop happening in a few seconds?

That is all.

I figured this thread goes here since it asks about the actual production aspect of brickfilming.

The only question I can answer for you Troodon, is the longer films. To make a longer film you need a very well written out script. Then put it into animation. Some scripts may be 10, 20 or more more pages long. But you need something the audience want, of course they want a bit of talking, but if some animations had two minifigures talking for about 2-3 mins about their favorite brick piece, the audience will have lost hope. Hope this scores out one of your questions!

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

I am writing a script that is near 30 pages, but I'm still getting worried about putting it into animation, because I do not know how to make the animation fit the script.

And, I also need a good walk cycle for 15 fps that isn't too hard for an amateur like me.

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

Troodon wrote:

I am writing a script that is near 30 pages, but I'm still getting worried about putting it into animation, because I do not know how to make the animation fit the script.

And, I also need a good walk cycle for 15 fps that isn't too hard for an amateur like me.

For your animation to fit the scrpt say, what? Maybe a 45 second scene. What I would do is a rough test animation to see if it fits what your looking, and if it does, do the final draft.

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

For a 15 fps walk cycle that is great try:
http://www.bricksinmotion.com/resources/view/260/

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

Troodon wrote:

I am writing a script that is near 30 pages, but I'm still getting worried about putting it into animation, because I do not know how to make the animation fit the script.

And, I also need a good walk cycle for 15 fps that isn't too hard for an amateur like me.

If you consider yourself an amateur, maybe you should make film a little shorter than 30 pages. I don't know how much detail you put in your scrips though, but I would say 30 pages is pretty much.

I always stick to this: If you have problem or can't do a good short film, you shouldn't try to create a long one.

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

If you take the theory that 1 page of script =  about 1 minute of film then going from 26 seconds to half an hour is a huge leap!

Personally if I wereyou I'd perhaps make the jump to such an ambitious project more gradually. Perhaps try and make your next few films around 2 minutes long, then 5 minutes, then 10 and then finally work on this project. I have written half of a script that I think will turn out to be amazing but my animation skills are definitely not good enough to do it justice amd have decided to work on a few other films first.

Also about your camera going 'kapoof' (assume that means the battery runs out!) maybe you can consider purchasing. a cable that goes straight into your camera so the battery never runs out.

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

Troodon wrote:

So, I have been part of the brickfilming community for almost two years, but all of my films have been very short (the longest was 26 seconds, which was my unfinished THAC X film), and I need a few questions answered:

How in the world do you get voices to fit in perfectly with dialogue?

How is it possible to make longer films?
I always try to get everything complete before my camera goes all kapoof on me, so is this the reason?

And finally, how do I slow down movements so that they stop happening in a few seconds?

That is all.

I figured this thread goes here since it asks about the actual production aspect of brickfilming.

1) Record the voies first, place them in the timeline, and animate to match the audio

2) To make longer films, follow the following plan exactly:
     o Write the entire script 1st
     o Proofread and revise the script
     o Find appropriate voice talent
     o record all the lines
     o Animate
     o put together your animation, marrying sound & video
     o Add sound effects
     o The previously steps can be done by shot of by scene, to give you smaller victories on the path to producing a long film, which is what I specialize in.

3) To slow down movements, I start making my movements more subtle as the movement slows.

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

HoldingOurOwn wrote:
Troodon wrote:

So, I have been part of the brickfilming community for almost two years, but all of my films have been very short (the longest was 26 seconds, which was my unfinished THAC X film), and I need a few questions answered:

How in the world do you get voices to fit in perfectly with dialogue?

How is it possible to make longer films?
I always try to get everything complete before my camera goes all kapoof on me, so is this the reason?

And finally, how do I slow down movements so that they stop happening in a few seconds?

That is all.

I figured this thread goes here since it asks about the actual production aspect of brickfilming.

1) Record the voies first, place them in the timeline, and animate to match the audio

2) To make longer films, follow the following plan exactly:
     o Write the entire script 1st
     o Proofread and revise the script
     o Find appropriate voice talent
     o record all the lines
     o Animate
     o put together your animation, marrying sound & video
     o Add sound effects
     o The previously steps can be done by shot of by scene, to give you smaller victories on the path to producing a long film, which is what I specialize in.

3) To slow down movements, I start making my movements more subtle as the movement slows.

I would like to add a note to No. 1, some people have voices recorded, and then they do an animated storyboard, which shows drawing pictures of animation. This would also help quite a bit.

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Re: Questions on brickfilming production from a newbie

I would suggest looking at some of the "Older" Brickfilms... Like videos from Mindgame and One Brick Studios (Nathan Wells). That's what helped me pace things a little better...

Basically, what they did for dialogue, is simply animate the arms moving, and edit that footage to the voices...

1 Raise the right arm up (and maybe spin hand), then lower right arm.
2 Raise the left arm up (and maybe spin hand), then lower left arm.
3 Raise both of the arms up (maybe twist both hands), then lower the two arms.

If you do this for EVERY time someone may talk, you can just loop the footage. For instance, have one character raise the right... Then another raises both. Then the first character raises the left in his reply...

Aside from that, all I can suggest is to look at xxxfancypantsxxx's "ease in, ease out" video, OR film things slowly (if you film at 15 fps, try 24 fps) and then just cut down on the frames: You'll spend more time in editing, however, you will have better films then. It's better to have too much footage, and have many liberties at editing, rather than to be limited on footage, and have to struggle in editing. mini/smile

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