Here’s a rather cute Halloween animation (which I completely missed) using DAZ content and rendered in DAZ Studio 4x. I like that DAZ are incorporating more animation into their marketing and community development, and I hope this trend continue and develop.
The butt-kicking warrior students from Beacon Academy are back! RWBY season 2 is just around the corner (online premiere 24th July). Just yesterday the trailer for the 3D, beat ‘em up and RPG inspired anime premiered at Rooster Teeth’s very own convention (RTX). Obviously, as posted above, the trailer is now available online. The second seasons boasts better visuals – gone are the black silhouettes that constituted character extras. This in itself will please many, but visuals have been improved in many other areas including shadows and greater utilisation of Poser’s physics engine for hair and cloth (perhaps other stuff too – not sure).
During development a number of “Production Diaries” were filmed and offer some interesting insights into how the anime is put together. Areas covered (albeit far too briefly) include: modelling, uv mapping, texturing, motion capture and animation, voice acting and sound effects. Though us 3D nerds would have sunk our teeth into deeper production diaries, there were some areas clarified from earlier technical discussion that took place at the previous RTX and elsewhere online.
I found the section on animation particularly interesting. It has been known that the RWBY team use a mix of motion capture and keyframing, but it was never clear how much of either was used. As it turns out much of the fight sequences are animated with traditional methods. Motion capture, on the other hand, seems to be heavily used for scenes that are heavy on character interaction, where emotion and subtle nuances are more important. Given Monty Oum’s previous projects this approach is not so surprising. This guy has built a cult following with his rapid paced hand-animated fight scenes.
The work Rooster Teeth do with Poser on RWBY and Red Vs Blue continues to be inspirational, and I have to admit I have become a little intrigued with the plot. What are The White Fan up to, and is going to what about them? Any bets the young women with their male sidekicks (makes for an interesting change of pace, doesn’t it?) won’t be pushed to the fore of the coming conflict? No, I thought not. Of course a bunch of children with insane weaponry and magic will once again save the world. And why not? Adults are far too busy playing Politics and Tycoons™ to get involved with such noble endeavours.
Catch up
If you haven’t yet seen RWBY season 1 you can catch up at Rooster Teeth’s website and on their YouTube channel. You can also pick up RWBY season 1 on DVD/Blue-ray at Amazon.
It is amazing the things one stumbles upon while in the depths of a procrastination binge. Caldera is a visually stunning 3D animation created by Evan Viera, Chris Bishop, and a host of students and professionals that donated their time. The project was produced under the Bit Films program at Hampshire College, Amherst. While dark and dealing with tough subject matter, Caldera is beautifully realised, touching and thought provoking. There are also some serene moments that soften the impact, while making the experience all the more compelling.
The film was 4 years in the making and is inspired by Viera’s father’s experiences with schizoaffective disorder. It depicts a young woman who decides to go off her medication and flee a threatening and oppressive city. The film doesn’t attempt to push a particular perspective on us, but instead poses questions for the viewer to consider.
Caldera has been to many film festivals and picked up numerous awards. Bit Films is currently working on a number of projects including Tube, a 3D short animation that seems to be in the latter stages of production. Bit Films is currently taking on interns for Spring 2014.
