Heading Into Spring

March 2024

Welcome to March 2024 and we find ourselves just that little bit closer to our goals.

Also, it’s my birthday….Horary!

Super Charly continues as the script goes through another draft (some fundamental tweaks, which I can’t believe I didn’t think of, to assist the narrative flow of the story).

Also Charly (The CGI model) now works with BVH or FBX motion capture files. Due to Charly being a toy there was a decision to make. Do you give him an armature which means he would have human movement or give him the limitation that the articulation of the original figure would have. I opted for the later as I felt it was more true to the character, also It was far more, visually, interesting having him move like a toy.

I was able to achieve this with the combination of Brekel (Motion Capture via a Kinect 360) Blender and Rococo (This made retargeting extremally easy.) Also, the wonderful thing regarding this method is that it is FREE!

Rokoko also offers AI capturing via a mobile phone webcam.

As I talk about the programmes I am using I will leave links for anyone interested in following these up.

Rob Goldsmith and I have known each other for over ten years (Probably longer!) and he is a very talented guy.

He started his own company Digital Vision Media and has gotten involved in many different projects. He’s also diversified into many side lines, from hiring out his exercise smoothie bikes (Built by Rob himself) to traveling England giving his amazing Titanic talk.

You read correctly! Rob has been one of the very lucky few who has been on James Cameron’s submersible and has been down to the wreckage of the Titanic to film the famous vessel and with his exclusive footage (Which has appeared on the History Channel) Rob has travelled the Country giving a talk about his first hand account and the passion he has for the history and tragic story of the Titanic.

I will, of course, provide links to this incredible talented friend of mine in case you are in need of an experienced film maker, producer, Titanic expert & smoothie bike provider.

Click on the image below to visit Digital Vision Media.

The David Cross Band

My dear friend Mick (Base Player and now lead vocalist) sent me the above picture and I was pleased to see that it was a venue that could facilitate the CGI (Thank you Blender) video backdrop I produced for them. Nice!

So if you are fortunate to be living in an area that they are visiting please go and see them. The are the masters of Prog Rock.

The future is bright for film makers

The movie Vindication Swim is released this month and the writer/Director is a person I only know indirectly via some of his cast, but I have found it an interesting production to follow. Apart from the fascinating subject matter and powerful story, the Director, Elliott Hasler, comes across like a film maker after my own heart. A person of passion for the movie industry and just a simply love of it's artistry. Also, being local to myself he has hired home grown talent, many I have worked, watched or know and they have all praised Elliott. I shall look forward to seeing this movie and I look forward to watching Elliott's continuing film career. Not only does he make me wish that I was a younger man with todays filming Tec, but he's also an inspiration and as his career builds I believe he will inspire the next generation of film makers with his story. Please, go and see this movie, support our industry, I know I will.