Since starting this blog a week ago, I decided that I really need to have the Wendell shots done by the end of August.  At that time, there were 30 shots to go, so I decided finishing 10 a week would get me to that goal.  That means 5 on the weekend, and 1 per night during the week.  7 days later, I have 10 shots done.  Only 20 more to go!

Also, the first Giacomo shot came in from Jim Compher, and it looks great.   Very exciting to have a small piece of the “real” Giacomo in my effects project.  Jim also decided that it would be easier for him to work in Toon Boom than in Flash, so he decided to jump ship.  Guess that means we’re not a pure Adobe house anymore.  But hey, I’m more loyal to my animators than to a software company, and I want him working in whatever software he feels he can do the best work in.

For those keeping score:

• Wendell Shots: 27 / 47
• Giacomo Shots: 1 / 27

If only that were all that was left.  After Wendell, I still have “living” fog to animate, a jail-break sequence set in a 3D world, and a flying carpet chase!

Welcome to this Behind-the-Scenes look at the post-production of “Pupsock & Wendell in THE GALLERY OF DOOM!” I’ve set up this blog to keep people posted on the progress of the film, and to help raise awareness of it. I’ll post on my progress and my process, and invite some of the other people making the movie it to talk about their work.

First, the basics:

• The script was written in May of 2006.
• Principle photography took place in Orlando, FL in January 2007.
• The film was shot over the course of 8 days, on a Panasonic AG-HVX200, in 720p.
• I wrote and directed the film. Thomas Mumme produced it, Jeremy Schneider DP’d it, Ryan C. Wolfgang was the Production Designer, and Chris Santora was the 1st AD and Practical Effects Supervisor.
• The film stars Pupsock Jackson, who was built and puppeteered by Jamie Donmoyer, and voiced by Kevin McGuire. The humans are played by Joey Monasterios and Jeff Gougen.
• We’re currently deep in post-production, currently working on the two animated characters.
• Wendell is a 3D animated character, and is being brought to life via the OpenSource 3D animation package Blender. He was designed by myself, modeled and rigged by Philip Yon, and is being animated by me.
• Giacomo is a 2D animated character, being animated in Flash by Jim Compher and Sharon Jimenez.
• I’ve currently got 17 shots of Wendell completed, out of about 47.
• I did the initial design work for Giacomo, and it was further refined by Sharon. Jim took Sharon’s detailed drawings, and has begun making a simpler version inside Flash.
• The Giacomo team has 0 of 27 shots complete.
• The film is being cut by Adam Miller using Final Cut Pro. I’m doing the compositing in After Effects, on a PC.

I plan on expanding on most of those bullets in future posts, so check back often.