Archive for the ‘Fictory Production Blog’ Category

SANCTUARY ::

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

Well, Courtland and I have been chugging away to get Stabb Gunner, Chapter One out to the world at large and we’re mega jazzed about the results were getting. It’s been a lot of work but it’s been worth it 100%! Our process has continued to evolve as is the case with all ongoing projects.

Which is brings me to the purpose of this post. Recently we’ve wanted to get those extreme angles with our backgrounds that are kind of signature to the book. So I decided to draw on my knowledge of film making, specifically previs. I build a very rough model of the most important set from Chapter One, the Sleeping Baby Dragon Sanctuary. Now we can fly a camera around a virtual set and make sure we get that killer angle we try so hard to find.

Original Art - Pencils by Courtland Ellis, Ink by Steve Becker and Color by Jeff McComsey

The Vitual Model, in Software

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THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL ::

Friday, January 28th, 2011

As I’ve stated in the past, and will surely repeat… Animation is hard. It is one of the most demanding, time intensive, grinding processes I have ever managed. But also one of the most rewarding. Every project is like a child. You nurture it very carefully  in the beginning, because it’s fragile. One wrong move, and the whole thing falls on its head. But, if you stick with it, grow and change according to what it needs, you end up with a fully formed film.

We’ve gotten to the point in Atomic Robo: Last Stop, where we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve crested the hill, and It’s all down hill from here. Sure, there are still unfinshed shots, and some scenes need some fine-tuning, but the majority of the work is there. This year will see it’s release. I’m hoping for the first half but who knows, but that is the nature of independent film. It moves at it’s own pace. We’re all really excited in the studio, and looking forward to unveiling something that we’re very proud of. Those of you waiting anxiously, bear with us as we clamp down on production and keep in mind those who do this, do it out of a love for the characters, and telling stories… nothing more. Stay tuned.

Posted in Atomic Robo: Last Stop, Fictory Production Blog | 2 Comments »

Space Bastard Jump-Start 3 ::

Friday, January 7th, 2011

Who’s this PYT?

You’ll have to wait until Part 2 of Space Bastard to find out who she is and why she’s important enough to get her own spot here on the Fictory blog.

As I work out these concepts, I realize how much I enjoy playing with very simple gradients. Perhaps there’s something to that, something that will find it’s way into the art for Space Bastard Part 2.

Be sure to check out the latest page of Space Bastard Part 1: PopGun

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A Legion of Confused Robos ::

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

It’s funny how life imitates art… or in this case how art imitates other art. This Monday Julia Atkins came into the studio to work on a little bit of cell coloring for a sequence in Atomic Robo: Last Stop. Well as usual I collected the colored frames and brought them into our compositing software. Then things got strange, I hit the wrong key and was immediately weirded out by what I saw. ROBO LEGION!!

Now I don’t know about our readers. But I was a big time gaming mega-nerd since back when I was still building cushion forts till well  into college. And even over such a long spanning gaming career, some of my warmest, fuzziest gaming memories are associated with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Staring Dracula’s estranged son Alucard (Dracula backwards, real creative Konami), and none of that sissy whip wielding stuff those Belmonts are always yapping about. One of the coolest and most disturbing bosses in the game was Legion. A floating, pulsing, oozing mass, of nude anguished bodies controlled by a hive mind residing in the center. Here is a comparison image between what I saw and the classic Castlevania Baddie.

Maybe my mind is just playing tricks on me. But maybe, Nikola Tesla had more sinister thoughts in mind when he created Robo. But then again… maybe I’m drunk.

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Happy Holiday’s From Stabb Gunner ::

Monday, December 13th, 2010

Well it’s that time of year again. Before we know it, we’ll be in 2011. Be sure to enjoy our last full year on the planet. Highlights for next year will include, Stabb Gunner Issue #1 for sale and our biggest project, Atomic Robo: Last Stop. Be sure and live your life to it’s fullest and prepare for the coming apocalypse. To begin preparations, you might want to check out this Documentary… and have a great holiday season!

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