Grant's Animation

Office Noir Scene - More to Come

2011-09-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

Minions Sing Happy Birthday

2011-03-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

I'm a fan of Despicable Me and thought about animating some minions stop mo style so I made a short video for a special person.

New Animation

2010-07-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

This is a short clip roughly edited with some sound.

2010-06-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

Happy 90th Birthday Mr. Harryhausen!!

Glued Down!

2010-06-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

All the objects in the office are now glued down. This is obviously critical for a stop mo animator to ensure. And I'm tweaking the lighting.

Close-up and Pull-back

2010-06-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

This shot obviously failed but drinking part was not bad.

Here We Go!!

2010-05-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Now that I've go most of the small scenes done it's down to some real character animation! Coming soon!

Tracking Shot into Office Through Window

2010-05-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

With this shot I started with the close-up and pulled back. Then reverse in editor.

Tracking Shot

2010-05-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

This scene will show Sam Splade's office as the camera moves in through the window. I can't wait to do this - just need to put the lettering on the glass.

San Francisco Cable Car

2010-05-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Phone Rings...

2010-05-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

A Shadow Cast

2010-04-25T17:41:00.000-07:00

New Additions

2010-04-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

Populating the Office

2010-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to reproduce the original layout of the office as best I can with the budget I am working with.

Medium Shot

2010-04-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

The lighting will be corrected to match the close-up.

The Gun in the Drawer

2010-04-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Trying to get all the short clips out of the way first - then into the real animation. This will be the closeup shot after a wider shot of the drawer being opened. And yes it is animated and not live action video.

Close-up of Trench Coat

2010-04-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

This particular trench coat is made of plasticine.

View from Above

2010-04-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

And of course a shot looking down from ceiling fan. The fan is actually secured to the tripod with a clamp

Turn the fan on!

2010-04-02T11:18:00.001-07:00

Ceiling Fan

2010-04-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

The classic low angle shot. The steady rotation of the blades will be harder to capture than it looks.

Ray Harryhausen's 90th Birthday

2010-03-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

Ray Harryhausen, as gigantic and legendary in the stop motion animation community as the many memorable creatures he created in his films will be turning 90 this June 29. 2010.

Quick Tracking Shot

2010-03-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Nothing to get excited about. I think I nailed the lighting. Made sure no light reflected up from the desk top and on to the left side of his face.

The Gangster Emerges

2010-03-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

The brick wall is a photograph that I touched up, added highlights and shadow. Saves a lot of time and work in constructing a miniature wall.

Golden Gate Bridge/ Seagull Shot

2010-03-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

This is a raw shot but some frames will be added/ subtracted to give it more life. Quite pleased with the tracking shot. You will notice the rocks in the mid-ground move slower the the seagull in the foreground.

Back From Long Hiatus

2010-02-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

Opening Shot

2009-05-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

Can't have a film based on the Maltese Falcon without a shot of the famous bridge.

Finishing Touches

2009-04-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

The gangster is just about ready for his big debut!

Test Shot

2009-03-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Just a quick test shot - obviously need to lock down set better.
And improve lighting!

Ford Deluxe Coupe

2009-03-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

This will be used as a police car once the decals and paint are applied.

The City Never Sleeps

2009-03-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

This is a test shot for a scene which will include some vintage cars from that era to create the appropriate noir atmosphere.

Gangster Character

2009-02-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

The character's overcoat is made from Sculpey. Still need to complete - then paint.

Replacement Lips

2009-01-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

For this character who will appear early in the film replacement lips will be used. This character lends well to this method because being a male and none too handsome his lips/ mouth area can have a defined edge which would look out of place for a child or woman generally speaking.

Drive By

2008-05-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

I want to include a quick scene with a car driving by. Here's a shot of the car with headlights on. Looks pretty good for a cut-out.

Sam Spindley as Sam Splade

2008-05-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

Fedora Hat

2008-05-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

Sam's fedora was made out of paper. After trying sculpey I was finding I couldn't get the nice clean edges so I tried paper and it worked quite well.

Classic Shots

2008-05-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

These are re-creations of classic shots of Bogey from "Maltese Falcon." Doing this is a good way to practice lighting techniques.

Office Noir

2008-05-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

With the TAIS short complete I can now return to "Office Noir." Here's a coming soon to wet your appetite. I've used the score from the "Maltese Falcon" as inspiration but obviously can't use it in final film. Will be looking for a composer to create similar score.

Blogger vs Youtube

2008-05-12T06:42:00.000-07:00

TAIS Monster Jam Entry

2008-05-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

This is my submission for the Toronto Animated Image Society Monster Jam. Their rules stipulated a 10 second time limit. Special thanks to my nieces Jessica and Sara for providing the voice talent. Now back to Office Noir!!

Animation Complete

2008-05-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

I finished "principal photography" as they say on the monster short and now in post production. Not 100% satisfied with result but it never quite turns out the way you see it in your mind. I'll post short soon .

Final Look Coming Together

2008-05-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Test shot of scene for monster short. Yeah, I just had to go for realism(!?)

Simpsons Lament

2008-04-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

The following animation expresses my sadness at the decline of a once great show.

Monster Jam at TAIS

2008-04-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

Quick test shot thought I'd use as promo for TAIS "Monster Jam."
Here's their link for those interested:

Toronto Animated Image Society

Night Camping Scene

2008-04-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been camping , it's late at night and you're in your sleeping bag all comfy and cozy when you hear something outside the tent? It may be footsteps or a snorting sound. But from the sound it seems like something heavier than say a squirrel or a raccoon. And all that's separating you from it is the thin nylon material of the tent. It can be a tense few moments. This picture is a miniature still in progress of a night camping scene that will incorporate the above elements for the monster short.

Creature Consistency

2008-04-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

With high definition quicktime frame by frame advancement and increase sophistication in viewer's ability to spot inconsistency one must strive even harder for good continuity when using two versions of same character. A popular example would be the original King Kong. The full size bust of Kong clearly looked different than the 18 inch puppet. Anyway I think these two look pretty close. But I'll probably tweak a little more.

Close-up of Eye

2008-04-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

I thought for greater impact and realism I would create a larger eye that will actually move in the socket. I will be sure that the smaller version and this larger version look fairly the same. The full creature was made with Crayola Model Magic and this larger eye is made with Super Sculpey. It still needs further detail added.

Eye Ball Movement Test

2008-04-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

Just a quick test to get a feel of how the wee beastie looks alive!
But that's it for previews until the finished product.

Tentacle Test Animation

2008-04-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is a short test to practice the monster's tentacle movements.

Tracking Test Shot

2008-03-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

Another test shot from "Kivioq's Passage." Not too bad considering it was done with a simple dolly set-up. Camera was mounted to a block of wood and moved along a ruler to maintain consistent length in movements - very incrementally of course. Slow to start, then speeding up and finally slowing down.

Test Footage

2008-03-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

This scene is some old test footage for "Kivioq's Passage" which is on hold until "Office Noir" is complete and I have sufficient resources to do it justice.

Creature Feature

2008-03-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

This cute little guy is for a very short film. Stay tuned....

Kid's Puppet Show

2008-03-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

Donut Anyone?

2008-03-14T07:27:00.002-07:00

Made using Crayola Model Magic. How do donuts figure in the plot you ask?

Close -up Watch

2008-03-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Another test shot for a close-up of a watch ticking to add suspense. Didn't have an old watch so I created this one and added the seconds hand in a photo editor.

Test Shot

2008-03-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

Experimenting with the use of cut-outs for a car drive-by. Scene won't be much longer than above. But I thought to establish a good feel for the 1940's it would be good to have a car pass by in a scene. And cut-out is MUCH easier than building a scale model.

Tracking shot

2008-02-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

This is a shot of a building in downtown Toronto but looks appropriately 1940'ish.

And this is my reproduction (not finished) for the close-up of window.

I want to begin Office Noir similar to Citizen Kane's opening shots of Xanadu, the fictional estate of Charles Foster Kane, with the camera tracking closer until it's inside.

The Silhouette

2008-02-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

Like the dutch angle the silhouette is a bit of a cliche in film noir but I can't resist. Just a test shot.

Miniature Radiator

2008-02-19T16:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I ended up making it out of cardboard. Couldn't get the press moulds to come out as nice, clean duplicates.
Just needs a coat of paint.

Cast Iron Radiator

2008-02-18T18:39:00.000-08:00

For a short scene I need to miniaturize a radiator that's in the office. The good Mr. Brent from http://darkmattr.blogspot.com/
suggested making a mold and cast duplicates or a press mold and press out dupes from more sculpey or epoxy putty. This will ensure uniformity of the pipes which is important since real radiators are basically the same pipe casted and iron duplicates made and attached in a row.

Hopefully look like this:

It's really quite a work of art. Sorry, no Christina Ricci puppet attached to this one. (Sorry, I had to steal that one Mike.)

The Magic Projector

2008-02-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

Christopher Walsh is an experienced stop-motion animator and his latest short is "The Magic Projector." From his website:

http://www.walshanimation.com/

"The completed film is fifteen minutes long, incorporates cut-out animation and three-dimensional puppet animation, and features the voice talent of GORDON PINSENT (an icon of Canadian television and cinema). The story is based on tales my mother has told me about her life growing up during the 1930s in rural Ontario (Canada). I've taken those stories, and added a healthy twist of fairytale magic to create what I hope is a moving story of family bonds and the magic of cinema."

Charmingly animated with a poignant story.

Ok, here's the view

2008-01-20T11:56:00.003-08:00

Office with a view circa 1941

2008-01-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

The set coming together

2008-01-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

FEMME FATALE?

2008-01-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

OFFICE NOIR

2007-12-28T11:52:00.000-08:00

Almost finished the desk. This is a replica of the desk in Sam Spade's office from "The Maltese Falcon."

OFFICE NOIR

2007-12-20T08:05:00.000-08:00

This is the first test shot for the new short. It was shot with an old Sony so it is low resolution but it gives a nice grainy image like in an old movie.

Office Noir

2007-12-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

The props shown in photo are to be used in a new short to be completed Jan./08. What movie could it be based on? Hmmm....

And Without Further Ado...

2007-12-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

I, OFFICE ROBOT

2007-12-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

I, OFFICE ROBOT was shot over a period of a week and a half from the start of certain new props to the final edit. It was shot using a Canon A540 (basic point and shoot but with manual options)see photo above. Not the ideal camera for stop-mo but sufficient. To stabilise the camera as it does not have remote capture, a bracket was created to serve two purposes. One to lock the camera in place and the other to provide an attachment for the cable release. An eraser was used to protect button. Due to budget constraints only available light was used. That's right, the sun! Shooting was done on clear days or heavy cloudy days. Cloudy with sunny periods obviously not. Flicker was present but not severe. The resolution is quite acceptable for the web with no camera shake. Original J-peg's were 2816 x 2112. Sorenson 3 for compression. Wide converter lens and A/C adapter used. Lens retract and power saver shut down turned off. Editing done in Mac imovie. As you will see (short to be posted Sat. at this blog and at stopmoshorts.com hopefully) results are quite acceptable for non-professional stop-mo enthusiast applications. Let's give the professionals a run for their money!

"I, Office Robot"

2007-12-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

The scene at left is a test shot for a new short to be completed in the coming weeks.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Part 2

2007-12-01T12:56:00.001-08:00

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2007-11-23T18:00:00.000-08:00

New Animation

2007-11-20T06:59:00.000-08:00

This character will be seen in a short film to be posted this week-end. Something light-hearted and quirky to give me a break from the heavier theme of Kivioq's Passage.

"Teaser trailer"

2007-11-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

The following link will direct you to new animation on Youtube. I put this together to experiment with the editing software and get some actual animation posted!

Kivioq's Passage

High Resolution Images

2007-10-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

Viewer Discretion Advised

2007-10-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hope this doesn't scare the kiddies. Needed to strip down our hero to do a little adjustment, tighten some joints. Wood armature is holding up pretty well.

Looking for polar bears

2007-10-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Cold Arctic Night

2007-10-09T07:28:00.001-07:00

Forced Perspective

2007-10-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

This picture is a good example of forced perspective. The ship in the background is actually an inch and a half long. The tombstones are different sizes with the farthest one half the size or less than the closest one.

More test shots

2007-09-30T10:43:00.001-07:00

Interior of cave

2007-09-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

The recent pictures are all test shots to determine a consistant "look" in set/ prop design. Final shots will be composed differently with dramatic lighting. These serve as a starting point.

Test shot with miniature ship

2007-09-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

Interior Cave "Ice Sculptures"

2007-09-14T09:35:00.001-07:00

Again, using the hot wire tool to sculpt different ice/snow formations for interior of cave.

The Cave

2007-09-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Test shot of cave which our inuk takes refuge during a blizzard and makes a startling discovery.

Details added to ship

2007-08-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

Searching for seal air holes

2007-08-13T04:56:00.000-07:00

Test shot of abandoned Erebus trapped in ice

2007-08-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Arctic Landscape

2007-08-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

To create iceburgs/ formations I'm using a hotwire tool to carve or sculpt styrofoam.

Rhino

2007-05-15T04:39:00.000-07:00

Rhino Profile

2007-05-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

Rhino "maquette"

2007-05-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

Sideshow Collectibles/ AICN contest

2007-05-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

This Rhino "maquette" is my entry to the Spiderman villain contest at aintitcool.com.

Frozen Sailor

2007-03-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

This clay sculpture is a sailor that our intrepid Inuk will come across in a cave and will make a gruesome discovery.

TEST SHOT

2006-12-26T07:43:00.000-08:00

Cut to the Chase

2006-11-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

These three sculptures were to be used in a short titled "Cut to the Chase" spoofing the chase scene in "Bullitt" unfortunately it has been put on the backburner for now.

"SEA OF ICE"

2006-09-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

This painting by Caspar David Friedrich captures the scene of an abandoned ship locked in a crushing "sea of ice" in very dramatic fashion. That's the stern of the ship to the right.

National Film Board of Canada - Stop Motion Shorts

2006-08-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

The following links take you to the NFB of Canada Focus on Animation page featuring some stop motion shorts:

Night Angel - http://www.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/film.php?sort=title&id=16702

The Bagonie Birdman - http://www.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/film.php?sort=title&id=25961

The Impossible Map - http://www.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/film.php?sort=title&id=14229

The Sand Castle - http://www.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/films/film.php?sort=title&id=12503

Another sketch of main character

2006-08-22T04:58:00.000-07:00

Test shot with Nikon D70

2006-08-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

This digital photo was shot using a Nikon D70 set at f32 for 2.5 seconds. This increased the depth of field so all objects in fore/ mid and background are in focus. Water is a plexiglass sheet ramped up at horizon to produce illusion of distance. Sky is blue art paper spray painted white at horizon.

National Film Board of Canada Vignettes - Woolly Mammoth and The Egg

2006-08-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

The following link takes you to youtube.com that features these stop mo shorts from the National Film Board of Canada made in late 70's:

"Woolly Mammoth":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acZ3pcg8Tdc

And "The Egg":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evPHvwpw1YU