Topic: Vampire Cinema

Once I'm finally done with my massive Batman brickfilm, I'm going to be moving on to a much bigger project called Vampire Cinema.

This will serve as an update thread for the film until I finally get to animating it.

Vampire Cinema is about a film crew run by a man named Vincent Blackwood, who likes directing Monster films.  To further the realism of his film, he uses real monsters.
This will have some comic relief throughout it, but it will be more of a drama, unlike most of my goofy lolwut adventure films.

The main character and protagonist is Lord Redgrave, a Vampire.
This is an early version of his minifigure:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8214/8312270014_aa45925419_c.jpg

This film is going to be long by brickfilming standards, right now, my script has over 2,000 words (Sharks and Clowns had less than 800), and it's not even close to being done. I estimate a length of at least 15 minutes.
I'm going to spend a while on pre-production just to make sure I have everything just right.
Feel free to post your ideas an thoughts on what you'd like to see in a big monster brickfilm. mini/smile

Right now, I'm having trouble deciding whether I want Classic yellow minifigures or more realistically toned skin.
I've compiled an Album of pictures comparing classic versions of the characters to the realistic ones.
I'd really like to know which one would work better.

EDIT: I've chosen yellow.

Last edited by Squid (January 17, 2013 (04:26pm))

Re: Vampire Cinema

I never liked the beige skin. You should go with yellow flesh in my opinion.

~Hal

Re: Vampire Cinema

Him, cool idea. Though it being a drama something sort of difficult to visualize.

As for skin color, couldn't say really, though I'll give my opinion on it. Typically, when I see yellow heads, the older simple torsos, etc, I think of a more classic, "hey look, we are minifigs!", type atmosphere. That also generally means that I expect the film to be comedic. When I see a film with flesh tones, newer, more detailed torsos, etc , I immediately think that it may be trying to be a lot more realistic than your typical brickfilm, probably not as comedy driven, etc.

It may not be worth a lot, but that is sort of what goes through my head when I think about that question.


On a side note: I don't think I've ever told you this ANP, but I have always liked the still pictures you take. Their quality is great, and generally, I just really like them. mini/smile

Re: Vampire Cinema

I ditto AnW's thoughts. mini/wink

You should really go with fleshies, since the flesh skin tone not only suggests a more serious tone, but those heads match better with the more detailed torsos.

Re: Vampire Cinema

For the dark kinda feel I personally think that the beige skin gives it a much much more cinematic feel.

http://i.imgur.com/CSwoca1.png

Re: Vampire Cinema

Thanks for your input thus far. mini/smile

Some valid points, it would look more realistic, Though, this is still a LEGO film, and there's no use pretending that it's not.
One of the things that really bothers me about having realistic is that I really love the look of yellow Professor Elmo Grimm.
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/14885_513096535380360_1901485854_n.jpg

I don't have any persh face that can compare to that.

Re: Vampire Cinema

Yellow mini/wink

Nice picture! It reminds me of my unfinished film:
http://i40.servimg.com/u/f40/17/20/27/06/img_0011.jpg

Re: Vampire Cinema

Your early set photo is gorgeous and very keen to detail! mini/bigsmile

"As you can tell, I don't make many shorts. I'm more of a feature-etter. So, just get over it and watch my movies (when they get done of course)."
Thanks HomeDoggz.

Re: Vampire Cinema

ANP! I love your building vision and lighting. mini/love

Re: Vampire Cinema

Looking very nice!  Personally, I've always preferred yellow to flesh; though I find it's better to use one or the other than to mix.  I don't find Nora's face jars at all with the yellow 'figs; in fact, I think it looks better than if it actually were yellow, since many 'figs from "yellow" sets have different colored heads (like the mummies, vampire, skeletons, old Darth Vader) and some minfigs with yellow heads can look a bit odd, if another colour would suit it better--the old Emperor minifig from Final Duel springs to mind. 
  Overall, I like the yellow characters the best, except maybe Vincent Blackwood (where did you get that head?).  And I definitely agree with you on Elmo Grimm (love that name, by the way).

Anywayyy, this sounds like a great film with a funny plot, and I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on it.  Sorry for the somewhat overlong post, I guess I went a little overboard there. mini/tongue

Also, how's I am the Night coming along?

Retribution (3rd place in BRAWL 2015)

&Smeagol      make the most of being surrounded by single, educated women your own age on a regular basis in college
AquaMorph    I dunno women are expensive

Re: Vampire Cinema

I myself think that yellow minifigs look better then the "flesh" one's.  I only ever use yellow skin minifigs.  But the "flesh" one can look good some times.  Just don't put yellow with "flesh".

Re: Vampire Cinema

I think it kinda depends...if you want more of a classic brickfilm feel, go with the yellow.  Since you would consider this to be more of a drama, I think flesh color would help that more than yellow.  I also prefer the way the flesh looks in your stupendous lighting!

Re: Vampire Cinema

Since you have more of a variety of faces and expressions when using yellow minifigures, go with that.
That's the main reason why I tend to use yellow skin.

Not literally dead, just no longer interested in Lego or animation.

Re: Vampire Cinema

More people seem to think that yellow is better when I count it all up here on BiM and elsewhere, plus I generally prefer the faces of the Yellow people now that I'll thought about it thoroughly, particularly Elmo Grimm, I couldn't live with Grimm looking lousy.
So I think I'll go with yellow.
Thanks for all of the feedback guys. mini/smile

FlyingMinifig wrote:

Sorry for the somewhat overlong post, I guess I went a little overboard there. mini/tongue

Also, how's I am the Night coming along?

I prefer long feed back. Reasons for wanting one or the other are more convincing.
I Am The Night is going slowly. But I should start filming more soon.
I was planning to animate today, but I'm horribly ill and dizzy.

Loïc F-B wrote:

Nice picture! It reminds me of my unfinished film:
http://i40.servimg.com/u/f40/17/20/27/06/img_0011.jpg

I should use some windows of that type.

Re: Vampire Cinema

I'm not sure that did I understand you right ANP, but have you filmed the Batman film or you just gave up for making it (like if you don't have enthusiasm) or what? mini/tongue

Re: Vampire Cinema

I like what you have posted so far bud. The idea is slick and Grimm looks great. Definitely stick with yellow.
Look forward to hearing more about this project as it becomes available.

Re: Vampire Cinema

Squid wrote:

I prefer long feed back. Reasons for wanting one or the other are more convincing.
I Am The Night is going slowly. But I should start filming more soon.
I was planning to animate today, but I'm horribly ill and dizzy.

Well, I'm glad I could help. mini/smile

Just out of curiosity, what sort of "condition" does Nora Webb have?

Retribution (3rd place in BRAWL 2015)

&Smeagol      make the most of being surrounded by single, educated women your own age on a regular basis in college
AquaMorph    I dunno women are expensive

Re: Vampire Cinema

FlyingMinifig wrote:

Just out of curiosity, what sort of "condition" does Nora Webb have?

A witch stole her face and switched Nora's with it's own.
Her curse also makes her blood unappealing to vampires, which is convenient since she works with one.

He job is play extremely ugly characters as though they just have a really good makeup artists.

I'm not sure that did I understand you right ANP, but have you filmed the Batman film or you just gave up for making it (like if you don't have enthusiasm) or what?

I'm still planning to finish it. I have not filmed all of it, only a little. It's going very slowly. But I've been trying to pick up the pace.
I've been cutting out some unnecessary scenes to make it slightly shorter so I might actually finish in a more timely manner and not spend additional years on it.

Re: Vampire Cinema

I did a test animation for Redgrave's walk cycle when he's on camera.

Vampire Walking.

(Redgrave will be visible through most of the film, however, he will be invisible when film from Blackwood's movies is being show)

I've also taken some pictures of Victor Moore's Monster Hunting Truck:

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/385246_517978954892118_837147009_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/318046_517979221558758_802336132_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/24417_517979054892108_1724606406_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/555410_517979088225438_1855125791_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/251920_517979114892102_1153518595_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/66431_517979144892099_2080319874_n.jpg

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/321484_517979178225429_702909976_n.jpg

I also did a bit of effects experimentation.
This was done with a light, masking, and some custom flares.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/391340_517978914892122_1493568315_n.jpg

I'll need some improvement, but I hope to actually get some headlight light in the film.

Last edited by Squid (January 26, 2013 (01:31pm))

Re: Vampire Cinema

Looks very promising. I love the car design.