TheReelTodd Wrote:I do hope you stick with it and figure out the stuff you need to figure out to make it a reality! My advise - just do it. Forgive me for sounding like a sneaker commercial, but just make this happen. That's how I work - I think it up, work with what I know, and figure out the rest along the way.

I'll do my best. The vehicle action in the Tron world I know how to do. There everything will me modeled and animated by me. The real world stuff I could do as it's nothing fancy but I don't have a nice movie camera and even if I did I'm no genious working with one. I'm afraid what I'd end up with wouldn't live up to the rest of the short. Still that's not my biggest worry. I'm not sure how to do the programs in the digital world. I've thought about just animating the rod and sphere and have the Side Cycle rez-in around them and let your imagination fill in the rest. The other options are to somehow put live people into my modeled world or to put modeled programs into it. There is a nice modeled program in the opening of the TRON DVD. But even if I was given that (which I won't be) and I could import him into POVRay I doubt I could move him in a realistic manor. At the moment my plan is to do what I can as I can and share it along the way. I'm hoping that generates some interest and I might get some help along the way with the parts I'm not sure how best to pull off. The whole short might only be a minute long. Say 6 seconds in the real world to establish things. Then another 6 seconds in the digital world as the programs rez-in and the Side Cysles rez-in around them. Then at the end another 6 seconds in the real world to tie things up. All the stuff in the middle will be 100% digital and I know how to pull that off... well aside from adding sound as I simply haven't done that yet but I think I can figure that out. Most would probably consider the real world stuff the simpiest of what I have planned and that shouldn't be more then a days work at most. The hard part is that first 6 seconds in the digital world dealing with the programs. If I wanted to be really fancy I've thought about every now and then cutting to shots of the programs inside the vehicles but I think I'll replace those shots with shots that show views from the program's perspectives. That way you won't have to see the actual programs.

Looking at your avitar I'm thinking you might be a great person to try and enlist when the time comes. Have you ever seen yourself piloting a red Light Flyer? Do you want to? No pressure. Let me get what I can get done first. The rest is just icing on the cake and maybe some ideas of how to pull off the rest will come to me along the way.

Enjoy,
Carl

TheReelTodd Wrote: Do you remember our conversations via PM back around last December?

Yes, I remember.

TheReelTodd Wrote: Perhaps it is the memory of that exchange that has prompted you bring this up to me

That and the whole topic of this thread. Plus you are a very talented individual with alot more experience in this area then me. I've never done anything like this before I lost my job last year and just took that opportunity to do something I've always wanted to do. That being to learn how to ray trace. I never really thought I'd make it to making animations but the encouragement here sure has helped motivate me in that direction.

TheReelTodd Wrote: Well, I still have no circuit suit as it proved too much of an undertaking for me at the time, but I do have other parts of the puzzle worked out to some extent. Still more experiments are needed... but so is the circuit suit You do remember my "glove" test, right? I've not done anything else with that kind of imagery experimentation since though

Yes, I remember the glove test. Though for what I have in mind making a whole suit sounds like over kill for just a few seconds of screen time. Though granted I'm no expert. May I ask how you made your avatar? I'm guessing that was done without a need for a suit. Maybe something similiar would work for what I have planed.

TheReelTodd Wrote: Let's chat about this another time. Should things start to fall in to place as you press forward with your production - then a more serious conversation about it can take place

Agreed... alot needs to be done on my end before this can really become a serious conversation. But this conversation has motivated me to find a way to put more time into this project.

TheReelTodd Wrote: BTW - I take my creative works (and participation there in) VERY seriously, and though it's all in fun and for art's sake - it's also serious business to me. I'm an EVIL perfectionist. Just thought I'd warn you ahead of time

Believe me I understand. I'm in the same boat with most things. I'm just so green when it comes to this though to consider anything I've done near perection.

TheReelTodd Wrote: For now - I do encourage you to press ahead with your production. Weather or not it makes it to completion - it will be a GREAT learning experience for you and I'd really enjoy checking out what you came up with along the way. Oh - and should I ever get seriously back in to my own TRON based project again - you're on my hit list in terms of CG guy. I think I told you that some time ago. Your TRON models look great and your "new" vehicle ideas and concepts are fun and impressive!

I'll certainly press ahead and I'd be happy to help in your project as well when you get back to it.

Thanks for the kind words,
Carl