Horror cartoonists/ Animators

[Delfino]

I've recently started dicussing with my fellow film makers (all two of them) about branching out into animation, starting off with a few horror shorts then moving onto a feature-length production.

At the moment I have an experiment in the techiques of paper-flash going. It's set to music (so effectively, its a music video) and its revolving around an insane dentist (not exactly original but I feel its something I'd like to do something with).

The song its set to is "Stick Pit" by Buckethead, I think it has so much potential to make it seem very crazy.

Has any of you out there worked on an animated horror?

Take Care

Delfino

[bwind22]

I've also toyed with this idea but I was thinking computer animation and unfortunately I jave no skill in that. (Luckily, I have a friend that does though.)

I've done a lot of stop-motion shorts in the past but none of them were horror.

[Delfino]

I'd love to give stop motion a try sometime. I know for sure the guys I work with liked the idea of doing a comedic-religous musical (like one of the other guys on here told me about) except this has been months in development and not about Jesus :P...

On top of that its going to be animated, as of yet we haven't decided on techniques.

Delfino

[bwind22]

lol

Don't look to me to offer you any either. The movies Im refering to were crude as can be! lol I shot them on an old Sony Handycam hitting 'record,pause,record,pause,record,pause, record, pause...' Tons of time!

I usually used action figures, but I tried clay once. I made sets for a few of them too, but some I just used prop toys (TMNT sewer, WWF Wrestling ring) I still had in basement.

Anyways, it's fun to do and the only limits to what you can do is your own imagination, but it's very time consuming.

[MisterSadistro]

I'll be doing a lot of it in my upcoming short since I have no way of getting the needed footage of a bat attacking a girl, etc. So far I only have it opening it's eyes when it hears her coming. The backgrounds, foregrounds and sound help a lot (plus it's a quick cut anyways). I've got a lot of weird stuff going on in this one. :D
CK

[Delfino]

Mister Sadistro

Sweet dude, sounds awesome.

Mines more a thing for my animation portfolio, a bit of a tribute to Buckethead for rocking so much, and also a way of showing my team we're capable of branching out into animation.

So far the project has been very fun. I can't wait till I've got the knowledge of how to do some 3D animation which is what I'll be learning at Uni if I get the grades to get there (if I don't get the grades the portfolio is acting as a bribe :P)

http://www.fat-pie.com/clay.htm

Check out the video on here called "Hell"...its pretty freaky.

Also:

http://www.fat-pie.com/bwrt.htm ... This cartoon is pretty freaky but I like it. Its by a guy called David Firth, a very talented animator with a completely fucked sense of humour which is cool lol.

Also, what software/ techniques are you using for the bat sequence?

Take care dude

Delfino

[MisterSadistro]

ugh. Dialup is going to take me forever to see the links you put up. I'll get back to them tonight. I used to do some stop motion stuff when I was a kid. I wish I still had the videos of them.
There was/is a program called Rhino which was very good for 3-D animation some ways back. I never got it since I was more into make-up fx at the time. What program are you using now, Delfino ? So far I've only had to use a close-up pic of the bat because it's all I've needed, but I know I'm going to have to do a lot more to pull this off. I'm sculpting a model that I'll likely greenscreen ('King Kong' anyone ? LOL) as my first attempt.
CK

[Delfino]

I use loooads of software for all different things, so many areas of interest that I gotta' keep on top of everything for future portfolio/ experience work.

For 3D stuff I use 3DS MAX and MAYA as they are the gaming and film industry standards. I'll be learning more about them when I get to Uni to study computer games design (aka 3D Modelling and Animation).

For 2D stuff I draw my characters, scenes, propps, etc... on paper first, then scan them into my PC. I Cut out the components in Fireworks MX and then animate in Flash MX a scene at a time and compile the final cut with Windows Movie Maker (for lack of more professional software lol)

Then when doing soundtracks and scores (which is at the moment my speciality) I use Reason 2.5 with a few sound libraries (as well as a drum kit sampled from my very own burps :)). For recording of guitar-parts I use my Fender Telecaster (or my custom built 'Delfino' guitar) into a Digitech RP200 effects processor, into an amp, into the line-in port of my PC. All recorded through Cool Edit Pro 2.

However, for my recent project I'm using someone elses track rather than one of my own. That way I can concentrate more on the animation.

What software do you use for your green-screening? I've never had to use it yet, but for future reference.

Delfino

[MisterSadistro]

I'll have the model wired to ceiling to hang down in front of pure, one tone green screen while filming the whole thing. Move, get shot, repeat a billion times until I have sequence shot. I then run the footage into computer and keep the selected frames (meaning when my dopey self isn't there moving wings, etc into new position). I then run out the whole sequence as a video file, speed up, then remove the green in place with a moving background of choice (likely park at night with actress in it). I add someforeground images (ie branches in front of greenscreen) and add that over my bat/actress footage. Shown quickly enough and edited in properly, it should be pretty damn effective. I tried it out with a still pic of a bat so far, greening out the eyes gradually and replacing them with darkness to look as though it's awakening to sound of actress approaching (where else am I going to get footage like that ? LOL). I'm pretty happy with it so far.
I'll check into the 3D software you've mentioned. Ever hear Buckethead on any of the Bootsy Collins albums ? Great stuff.
CK

[Delfino]

Ah cool, sounds like a blast.

I've never heard Buckethead on the Bootsy stuff, I've heard most of his solo stuff though. He's apparently working with Serge Tankian from System Of A Down on a project...should be interesting.

Personally, I recommend "Nottingham Lace" which is available as a free download from Buckethead's official site.

I was working on my music vid last night, I got a rough walking animation done, needs a bit of perfecting but I'm pretty pleased with it...took the piss to do though lol.

It'll be so much fun when I get onto the violent parts of it...good ol' dentists...always...y'know...being hated.

Delfino