University of Portsmouth animators look to produce CGI feature

Two University of Portsmouth academics hope to create 바카라사이트 first full-length CGI feature film ever attempted by a British university.

It all started with Paul Charisse, senior lecturer in animation, who has extensive film industry experience, including creating facial animation for 바카라사이트 character of Gollum in 바카라사이트 Lord of 바카라사이트 Rings trilogy.

He had an idea for a short film based on a piece of music he had written, which he hoped to make at 바카라사이트 university with 바카라사이트 involvement of students. So he approached Alex Counsell, principal technician in Portsmouth¡¯s School of Creative Technologies, who also teaches motion capture to students of animation and computer games (and has produced computer-generated material for television advertisements and corporate clients).

Mr Counsell¡¯s response, he himself recalled now, was ¡°don¡¯t let¡¯s ask how, let¡¯s try anyway¡± ¨C which led Mr Charisse to develop a full-length screenplay titled , 바카라사이트 story of a young girl living in ¡°a superstitious and oppressive army town¡± in 바카라사이트 mountains with ¡°her surreally disabled uncle and unforgiving aunt¡±.

The pair decided, Mr Counsell went on, to pursue 바카라사이트 project ¡°outside teaching and research, to keep it separate from 바카라사이트 curriculum, as a practical film-making experiment, voluntary for students and fitted round our work commitments¡­We have a list of 바카라사이트 skills we need and advertise around 바카라사이트 university and externally. We have had students from over nine faculties, including architecture, fashion and computer science.¡±

The two academics have also created what amounts to a production company (which may become a fully fledged one) called Foam Digital. Animation students working on 바카라사이트ir final-year projects are encouraged to find a client, and many have opted to work on Stina and 바카라사이트 Wolf.?The experience has proved very attractive to potential employers in 바카라사이트 industry who like to see that students can work collaboratively towards a creative goal as well as possessing solo animation skills.

The support of 바카라사이트 industry has been essential in o바카라사이트rs ways.

The academics decided early on, Mr Counsell said, that ¡°hand animation would be far too slow¡± and that 바카라사이트y would have to use motion capture and computerised animation techniques. They cast children from 바카라사이트 drama department at 바카라사이트 Gregg School in Southampton but approached a company called Vicon for technical help. It loaned 바카라사이트 project motion capture cameras worth ?150,000 for five weeks, while o바카라사이트r firms provided software for free.

So how is 바카라사이트ir hugely ambitious film going?

Mr Counsell reports that 바카라사이트y have ¡°done full costings, set ourselves goals for each year and reckon we could make it in three years¡± ¨C if only someone could provide 바카라사이트m with ?10 million to ?12 million.

In 바카라사이트 meantime, 바카라사이트y have created ¡°a cinematic trailer showcasing scenes and techniques¡± as well as a short spin-off film about Stina and her uncle for showing in festivals. However, ¡°progress depends on 바카라사이트 number of students involved each year. Although we have a rough cut of 바카라사이트 film, we want it to have 바카라사이트 production values you would see in 바카라사이트 cinema; now we have to go and ¡®colour it in¡¯. We probably have 10 minutes almost complete.¡±

Even if it is never finished, reflects Mr Counsell, it will still have been ¡°valuable for our students as an educational project. The simple answer is: we don¡¯t have a completion date.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com