Should have put this up in May.... but took forever to get the footage...

So... yeah... like... two months of silence and inactivity on this thing and most of you probalt thought either the blog was dead or perhaps that I was dead. Well, I'm about half dead, a number of projects are totally dead, and quite a few miscellaneous things where I am waiting on OTHER people to get in touch I am assuming are left for dead. All bad puns aside. what have I been up to? The video below speaks for itself:

Been training for this particular short performance/skit in a cosplay competition. To be honest, I'm not overly happy with how it worked out, but the biggest problems we faced were not of our own making.
Mainly we expected the stage to be a bit larger than what it was. So a lot of the more expansive moves and saber spins had to be cut. That really sucked. The biggest problem this caused was that after kicking my partner vincent off the stage, it took him too long to get back on the stage - meaning that his slash was late, I ducked to early and the whole thing looked well... bad to put in mildly.

Strangely enough though, the performance still took second place over all in the cosplay competition at the IPC Movie Fiesta held in 2013. So Vincent (Green saber), Nick (dead guy on the group in the screen-cap) and I basically walked away with a 32" plasma TV. Not bad for about 12 hours of work/practice/training.

But meh... I leave that all up to you guys to judge..... laters!

Edit/update in Septem

Assignment 2 on winning finished. SO MUCH WIN!

well... it's done..... assignment two on the theme of winning... suffice to say that things did not go according to plan with this one from start to finish. The video is here, so enjoy the 50 second teaser trailer for the upcoming PC version of Nerf's Human Versus Zombies:

Now as to what went wrong... well its a really long list, but the short version is that external events really went and messed things and that is nobody fault. But the biggest screw up was actually my own: I failed to take in to account that the when filming in two different venues, you got to make sure the background match or are at least similiar in appearance. So that caused me a lot of problems when I looked over all of the rough footage. Long story short: the original plan had to go out the window.

So with what footage and tools I had, I managed to use most of it, as well as some tricky work with Hypercam and PowerPoint to create the game trailer above with the empahsis being on the survivors winning the war against the zombie hordes, which worked out rather well... I might just reuse the footage for something else if I can get things to work out... I'll upload that video if I ever get round to actually doing something with it. At the moment, I'm running the risk of having too many irons in the fire, and snuffing the fire....

anyways, enjoy the video y'all!

Assignment 2: ....

In the immortal words of Cartman from south park... well... I'm not going to say it here, but you can find it via Youtube here. Honestly. this has been one of those projects were if it could go wrong, it HAS gone wrong....

I won't bore you all with a ranting list of what has gone wrong but I've had no choice but salvage whatever footage I can from busted laptop, one external hard drive, and one memory stick and somehow figure out what to do with all of it.... damn lightning, damn surge protection, damn it all to hell.

so what are the tools that I have available to me to do something at this point?
Whatever footage I've got in the draft.
some random horde footage
some random nerf game footage - which I doubt I can use for anything
Microsoft movie maker
free sound editor
hypercam
powerpoint
I have no idea how to put this in to something related to winning at this point.

In case anyone is wondering... unforseen complications prevented me from getting the right footage to finish the draft along with a generous donation of my own stupidity... that's why the last minute screaming, hair tearing, etc etc etc....

Sod this.... I'm gonna go smoke a pack, drink a litre of coffee, insult the universe and get back to work on this later.

Five hours later... So apparently... I didn't post this during my lunch break before I went for my cigarettes and coffee.. and since I've had sometime to think - think not calm down - I've got an idea that could work.... but i'm gonna be busy as heck trying to cut and compile something that is at best two-thirds assed - as opposed to just plain old half-assed. A game trailer of somekind... showing how survivors win against zombies... something like that... might work....so i guess I'm making a game trailer for the digital version of Human Versus Zombies... rated "M" for mature, coming to a PC near you....

Hopefully I can punch out a draft by tomorrow morning or something.... cos I ain't missing a NERF Game for this!

Assignment 2: Rough Draft.

Weeeelllll.... Its been a series of good news bad news moments all damn week....
The good news is: Got an awesome video camera.
The bad news is: Preferred venue is NOT available.
The good news: Managed to find a zombie horde.
The bad news: The horde can't make it to the alternative venue for filming.
The good:  Have ALL the props in order
The bad:  The other actor might not be free for filming...
Bad: No longer have the awesome video camera.

So the original script, is below - this has gone straight OUT THE DAMN WINDOW... hell I don't think any part of it was actually used....
 

Dialogue	Action	SFX	Camera angles	Props
A: How’s it look?			Close up as he peeks through around the door	Tac vests Blasters: Assilisav Stampede SMG Zombies will be dressed in street clothes/civilian casual.
K: Looks clear	Switch on the lights.	Light switch	Over the shoulder as he looks at his team mate
Corridor is littered with corpses.
	They step out in to the corridor		Fixed camera (A) angle, targeting doorway
	Zombie moans and struggles to rise	Zombie moans	Close up on zombie face as eyes open and then zoom out as it struggles to stand up.
	Kill it	Gunshot	Zombie will be on its knees, one knee, hand reaching out.
A: You said clear!	Another zombie moan, and the horde starts to rise	Zombie moans	Fixed wide angle (B), covering the corridor, and the horde of corpses.
K: I said looks clear!			Snap close up of the duo
A: Now what?
K: Well… one belt left for the Vulcan	Another moan	Minigun spinning up	Tilt down to the weaponry
A: And evac’s three minutes out	The horde is on its feet/knees/one knee	Pump underslung shotgun.	Pan to the horde
K: If it gets here	Shambling forward		Pan angle but fixed on advancing horde.
A: You are pessimism personified	Look at each other, raise weapons, and open fire.		Fixed angle (D)
	Horde gets cut down		Fixed angle on the horde (C) Close up on one or two of the horde twitching under gunfire.	Twitching as they get shot, and fall to the ground permanently dead.
	Drop the Vulcan when its empty.		Fixed angle (D) for Vulcan drop, tilt if necessary	Pile ammo chains underneath it.
A: What?	One grins at the other		Fixed Angle (D)	Dead horde on the ground.
K: 9 kills each. Round draw.	A zombie twitches, tries to rise		Fixed angle (c)
	Gets two in the head, drops dead
A: 10 to 9. I win.			Fixed angle (d)
K: Whatever.	Starts walking forward		Fixed angle (c)	Dead horde on the ground
A: Sore loser much?	Moves to catch up
K: You wish.

But what we did film is actually available on youtube - very roughly chopped and put together of course. That can be found here....

Now... with everything going FUBAR.... I have no idea how to proceed next. The only good thing is that I've got a Nerf Game coming up... so I might be able to shoot this thing, going low tech, with cellphone cameras, with the horde, with the whole run and gun routine.

To salvage that footage, I either need to reshoot/rethink the ending for it and still somehow showcase winning. Or do a lot of close ups on "zombies" getting slaughtered up close, jerking as they get riddled with bullets and dropping, in a venue that is as similiar as possible to the coridoor used in this rough assignment and hope people don't notice the difference.... bloody hell... I'm not sure which is a longer shot at this point....

Power: Version 3.0 UP!

Well folks, its been a long bumpy sorta ride but i got there in the end. The audio is still a bit choppy but that is a function of my poor quality equipment and software more than anything else - if any one is willing to donate money to help me up my game - donations much appreciated, but donations will probably be spent on prototyping nerf grenades and and on finishing my NERF Masterkey Stampede. Anyway, enough of my babble-chat: here is the final video:

See ya all next project!

Power: an Update.

Well it’s been rough going over the past two weeks or so since I first uploaded the first rough cut video (for the Nerfers that get that particular joke +1 experience point. For the games that get that second joke, +2 experience points, those that get both jokes: +5 experience points).

So I’m not going to talk/write too much here. Instead what I’m going to do is just showcase this little video below, which is the updated version – at least, as updated as it gets at the moment. The sound effects and some audio have been added and a couple of major prop glitches have been fixed since the rough cut. Of course, the most obvious of these has been substituting the chair with a sofa which makes a much more effective barricade….

Of course, this is the version that I am most happy with at the moment. There were a few others, without SFX, without Audio, without music, but all those different versions just didn’t work quite as well as this one…. What the final version is going to look like… I ain’t too sure yet. Anyway, enough blabbering. Here it is:

 

 What is still missing and still needs refinement is the same thing as always: The audio, the timing and of course the special effects. Hopefully, I can do something about that and update shortly.

 

Assignment 1: The Final Script.

Well... having shown the rough cut to a number of different people.... quite a few questions came up that are addressed, again people want to know "what the hell is going on before we see the character." And a lot of people wnated dialogue.... what the heck is that about?

No worries. It took some doing but I've managed to get dialogue in there that actually adds to the concept/theme of power, that also provides a very brief explanation of just what is going on in a very generally and undefined context. So the final setup/script/plot/document/thingamajiggie is here:

On screen event	Camera angles	Sound Effects	Dialogue	Props/misc notes
Blank screen	N/A	Gunfire Tank attacks, somebody gets pulped. Horde Call Hail of bullets Screams Running feet.	“Contact Left!” “Holy Shi…” “Fire! Fire! Fire!” “help me! Arrggh!” “Fall back! Fall back!”	N/A
Rounds the corner Takes aim backwards Fires one shot Reloads Turn, crabwalk retreat, leaning against the wall. Stumble against the door Tries door handle It opens Throws himself inside	Fixed shot1. Tracking shot Camera turns and follows	Hunter growl	“Control-Eristarisis: Situation Overrun! Squad's Dead! Need Immediate reinforcement! Position..." hear static "Control? Control? Fuck!"	Vest, c/back, gloves, core retaliator 1 x 6 dart mag on vest
Slams door, Leans against it to rest. Pushes off door. Barricades the door Backs away, aiming at the door, slams hip first in to the table Turns and aims at the table.	Fixed Shot2. Tracking shot Camera turns and follows	Something slams against the door Claws raking the door. Door shakes		The stuff to barricade the door.
Picks up a recon Idiot grin on his face.  Aims at the door	Long panning shot over the table. Close up on face. Fixed shot2	Claws raking the door. Door shakes. Creature gives up and leaves		Loaded with stuff on table basic Recon, stock and barrel
Stands at the table Lowers his weapon.  Loads a magazine Slings the last magazine on his vest.	Fixed shot2 Close up on hands fixed shot3, quick cut Close up on torso, fixed shot3, quick cut			Mags, darts – lots of em. 18 dart drum mag loaded 18 dart mags x2 twelve dart mag x1 vest etc...
Takes the recon.  upgrade Retaliator	Tracking shot, moves around the table. Re-establish on birds eye view shot		need something... bigger
Assembles the retaliator with raider stock, laser sight and assault bipod.  idiot grin  Pick up PPS	Static shot from birds eye view		...crap...
Drops the PPS. Bends down to pick up See his eyes widen, idiot smile	Fixed shot under the table. See the PPS land Close up on face
Comes up with a stampede. Ditches the shield and 18 mag. Mounts a drum mag and tactical	Back to Birds eye shot.		grin like an idiot	Stampede under table
Something slams in to the door Door begins to disintegrate. Checks position based on map in iPad/pc/something	From bird’s eye Snaps to the door, then back to him. Birds eye		“Any receiving unit, this is Eristarisis…position Hallway junction 31-10. Have contact with main enemy force. Will hold them here as long as I can.”	The iPad/pc/something.
Slings the retaliator Grabs the stampede	Panning shot, circles round returning to fixed shot2		“This is K-Dog. Position Hallway Junction 30-06. Moving to support.”
Moves towards the door	Tracking shot from over the shoulder
Clears the barricade away from the door	Fixed angle shot4		“Solid copy K-Dog. Huntress, coming up behind you”
Something roars in the distance	Fixed shot 4	faint gunfire Hits, scream, something dies. More gunfire, close by.	“Good to hear friendly voices. This is Wolf: Joining the fight. Eris, any orders?”
Open the door	Tracking shot over one shoulder	Gunfire gets louder	“Eristarisis to all units: Just one: Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out!”
Charges out	Tracking shot over one shoulder	Gunfire
Fades to black, gunfire, screams of enemy dying			“Come on you mindless mother fuckers!”

So that literally detailing just about everything that needs to be done. the good news is that with a bit more background research and prep work, shooting should go a lot smoother this time... Now to track down my assorted crew of misfits and miscreants and minions.

The same venue will be used with a few minor changes - just to add a little more atmosphere/mood and background. The lightning won't be altered either. One of the last things that will be outstanding will be the audio aspect... I've got to track down sound effects and of course find a few voice actors - but that should beas y enough, considering my minions are willing to help. Now if only I could get Samuel L. Jackson to do the major audio... sigh...