Friday, 23 April 2010

Machiniplex, Chromatose, FMX, FILE

Time for an update methinks!

I've not been doing too much on the movie making front lately as I've been down in Monte Carlo with work. Due to the flights fiasco this meant an interesting journey through the channel tunnel then down through France on the TGV (amazing trains!), then along the coast to Monaco. Fortunately flights are now back on because much as I enjoyed the journey down I didn't really want to have to do it all over again on the way back. (Plus I've got tickets to see Paul Merton tonight and wouldn't have been back in time if I'd had to take the train)

The April Machiniplex Forum takes place this coming Sunday (25th April), and continues on the topic of directing voice actors. This time I WILL be there! Promise! Location details are on the Machiniplex blog - hope you can make it!

I've had recent confirmation for screenings at two more events. First up is Chromatose which takes place in Newfoundland from 30th April. They will be screening Clockwork during the main program on the Friday evening, and Embers will be shown during the Anymator's conference on the Sunday evening. I'm waiting to hear whether I'll be able to participate online, although timings may be an issue as I already have some commitments on Sunday.

The next event is the following Friday at FMX 2010 which is an animation, effects, games and interactive media conference held in Stuttgart in Germany. Well-known German machinima director CD Schulz will be screening some of the best machinima from the past year, and I'm proud to say this includes Clockwork! I wasn't previously aware of this event and thought that it might be good to go along to. It's not too easy for me to get cheap flights this time, but maybe next year!

I've also had both Clockwork and Embers accepted for FILE which takes place in Sao Paulo in Brazil at the end of July - I'll post more about that nearer the time.

What else? Well I have an idea for a new movie, as yet untitled and unscripted. However I have secured a new voice actor on the basis of my previous movies, so I'd better get writing before he loses interest! This time, I want to really focus in on emotion and I'm planning to use this movie to get to know iClone a bit better. I am approaching this with a degree of trepidation because I do find iClone rather confusing, but the facial puppeteering features are simply amazing. The potential is definately there, the question is whether I can harness it though! I'll keep you posted on progress but I fully expect this project to take a while to complete.