"The locks of hair rolled daintily upon his shoulder and across his chest. All the while, his eyes pierced and cut at me with a ferocity which I felt as likely to slaughter as to befriend me. These monsterous eyes however, where graciously kept civil, and tame, blanketed behind a generous and thoughtful squint. Yet it was the serene and gentle smile on the mans lips that betrayed his true nature."
Well there's a pretariously early description of our gentleman hero, the Doctorfarius Citan Aeshendrum of (some crazy sounding city or province).
I am resting at my parents villa, nestled at the heart of Washington's Bellingham. A cozy little city with an honest mix of nature lovers and those with a lesser education. I wandered for a stroll, and came across a wonderously cozy little bookstore, where they seemed delighted to allow me to sit, and sip at the compelling works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, while considering my own stories which I hope to bring to fruition. The establishment seems to be pleased to have me there so long as I keep myself filled with the houses' coffee, and pherhaps walk out with a book or two when my time in Bellingham is finished.
You may have noticed my mentioning of Sir Doyle, who is the much celebrated and praised author of those legendary sleuthings of the brilliant Sherlock Holmes. I read those novellas not entirely for pleasure, but also in hopes that they might add a bit of flavor to my own writings. So I do pray that my typings here are not too abrupt or ridiculous, as I attempt to step into character. I expect you all to let me know if I break that fine line into pretentiousness.
At any rate, it is with this refined flavor that I hope to estalish the character of Aeshendrum the Citan, and I would like to submit to you all; how I would like to approach the telling of his tale.
I intend to approach this story as a series of written accounts by various partipants in Dr. Citans adventure. I think that it will be the variety of actors and authors depicting a consistency in Dr. Aeshendrum's character that will do best to describe the good doctor for our audience. With the added bonus of our delight in meeting an array of fun and hopefully memorable characters.
How best to introduce him? Our Citan? I wonder. It seems that to introdue a character as brilliant and versatile as Citan Aeshendrum's, it is a matter of describing his environments and surrounding company.
A wealthy statesman calling to ask a favor, or seeking news? A fellow researcher giving his admirations and insights to our audience? The hateful scribblings and accounts of the Citans very own assassin hopeful. I do not yet know, but I would very much like to share here, with you, some of the ideas that I would like to tuck into the narrative.
Aeshendrum is a man surrounded by books and women, yet he seems to be uninterested in sharing romance. Or at least, we the audeince should be assured that he is not romantically inclined towards the women of his household. He is more a protector, or healer of women. Pherhaps he has somehow rescued these women from a life less fair, and now seeks to shelter them in an honorable fashion. But what then is his relationship to them? Educator? Employer? Guardian? How do justify this Lion's pride of female attendants? and What men are present around his table?
Those who will give accounts of our Aeshendrum will not be able to help themselves from listing his accomplishments and abilities, to which if mentioned, Aeshendrum would deftly pass these compliments upwards onto his cold systems of logic, deduction, or his training and hours of practice. But it is imperitive that the people surrounding him, herald the doctor as an emblem of success and righteousness. To which the Citan offsets, and keeps that enormous pressure from himself by encouraging his admirers to follow his same systems of pontifineligence that he himself subscribes to, but does not seek to hold ownership over. He is an encourager of others, a leader of men, and a healer of women.
The question now lies, how to begin it all? Whose accounts must be given for us to percieve the entire picture? I am a fan of only deciding upon what needs to be known for the entire story to unfold, for there is plenty of unknowns to be fleshed out before any draftings can be attempted. But why waste energy and information on items uncrucial to our tale?
But here is my plan. I intend to draft out the overall arc of the story I would like to tell. What is the rough jimmy of what happens? What symbols and messages do I feel would be appropriate to focus myself upon? What locations and peoples, systems of government and political environments must be shared with the audience for them to correctly recieve the importance of the story? There are so many of these questions which must be crossed. But somehow I feel the open invitation of Sir Doyle, and the masters Tolkien, Rowling, Miyazaki, and Fleming. I trust in their guidance and example, and it is only with their help that the story and character that I wish to describe will be born. I would also like to trust and invite you (messiers Tom and Dylan, at the very least) to submit yourselves into the creation of our gentleman hero. In an age where social irresponsibility is celebrated, and selfishness is seen as the ideal, let us embark on the self-journey to see the one who can balance the raging torrents of masculinity, society, and personal power. For the attempt must be made to see the man who can help us to save our own Earth from the self-destructiveness which seems inevitable.Even if he is mere fiction, if we can make a man of intelligence, once again fashionable, then we may be at least one step closer to humanities salvation.
Please post your comments. (What sort of accounts would you like to read about? What stylistic considerations do you think would improve this endeavour? What do you think fo what I have proposed, am I missing something? etc... by the way, what do you think of this writing style. I do think that I am incapable of truly handling the brilliant styles of doyle and tolkien, but I think if I approach it with a sense of humor, and particularly self-directed humor ("pontifinelligence" heheh) then it may just work. What do you think?)
I invite you, into this seriously light-hearted adventure.
R. Naegle.
Monday, December 20, 2004
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Thurs, Dec 16th : the Citan Story
Here are the concept drawings (thus far) for the lead character for the next chapter of the ZoZe epic. Pleas epost any comments you might have about him. I feel like I am challenging myself by trying to create a truly dynamic character, one who is far cooler than myself. So if you understand, or see something about him, please let me know.
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Tuesd, Dec 7th : Back on Track
Well, my term is finished... thank god.
But by no means dos that mean that there is not more work to be done.
There is still the half-finished scene 3, sitting in the computer lab with no backgrounds, and unpolished animation.
There is still a load of scanning that needs to be done before I leave for Christmas vacation.
I would like to have all of the currently existing frames to be scanned for the vacation. So that I can arrange and peruse them, and decide what frames are missing, what needs replacing, etc.
Then, it would be nice to get a nice handful of new drawings done, while on vacation. With any luck, I'll come back for winter term with 99% of all the frames I will need for the Temptation to Fail. Then it will mainly be a matter of sitting all day and night in the multimedia lab, coloring and animating those frames into life.
But of course, music and sound are an entirely different issue. It would best for me to arrange every scene with a degree of flexibility. So that there is plenty of excess and lead for post-processing and editing if I want to work in music, voice, and sound effects. But I guess for now, i will plan to move ahead and work through silence. Which is something that i have recently come to terms with, but has always puzzled me before, and I'm sure it will again. (animating to silence,..when it's so easy to follow the musics lead.) But there is good news on the horizon...
I've recently become nicely acquainted with a real chill cat, who's got his own world unto himself (which means he's got his shit in order.) But the fella has always reminded me of Margwa, or pherhaps Margwa has always pointed him out to me. But it sounds like he and I are interested in helping each other out with our creative endeavours. He's got his own animation starting up, whereas I've nearly got one, but it doesn't have any music. But luckily, I think that he can help provide.
Which is interesting to me...because TTF is primarily told from Fuhiyo's experience, and so the visuals are Fuhiyo's visuals. But in the end, Margwa is as crucial to the plot as Fuhiyo. So maybe now, Margwa will be taking charge of the musical stylings, which could relly help to flesh out and ground the entire animation (while giving Margwas character a deeper presence)... hmmm....
Well then, what for now? ...
I think a bit of relaxing is in order
(In the meantime, how about a far too small little teaser movie?)
But by no means dos that mean that there is not more work to be done.
There is still the half-finished scene 3, sitting in the computer lab with no backgrounds, and unpolished animation.
There is still a load of scanning that needs to be done before I leave for Christmas vacation.
I would like to have all of the currently existing frames to be scanned for the vacation. So that I can arrange and peruse them, and decide what frames are missing, what needs replacing, etc.
Then, it would be nice to get a nice handful of new drawings done, while on vacation. With any luck, I'll come back for winter term with 99% of all the frames I will need for the Temptation to Fail. Then it will mainly be a matter of sitting all day and night in the multimedia lab, coloring and animating those frames into life.
But of course, music and sound are an entirely different issue. It would best for me to arrange every scene with a degree of flexibility. So that there is plenty of excess and lead for post-processing and editing if I want to work in music, voice, and sound effects. But I guess for now, i will plan to move ahead and work through silence. Which is something that i have recently come to terms with, but has always puzzled me before, and I'm sure it will again. (animating to silence,..when it's so easy to follow the musics lead.) But there is good news on the horizon...
I've recently become nicely acquainted with a real chill cat, who's got his own world unto himself (which means he's got his shit in order.) But the fella has always reminded me of Margwa, or pherhaps Margwa has always pointed him out to me. But it sounds like he and I are interested in helping each other out with our creative endeavours. He's got his own animation starting up, whereas I've nearly got one, but it doesn't have any music. But luckily, I think that he can help provide.
Which is interesting to me...because TTF is primarily told from Fuhiyo's experience, and so the visuals are Fuhiyo's visuals. But in the end, Margwa is as crucial to the plot as Fuhiyo. So maybe now, Margwa will be taking charge of the musical stylings, which could relly help to flesh out and ground the entire animation (while giving Margwas character a deeper presence)... hmmm....
Well then, what for now? ...
I think a bit of relaxing is in order
(In the meantime, how about a far too small little teaser movie?)
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Sat, Dec 4th : Aside from Zoze
Hello, all the activity recently has been going on at my adjacent blog- http://ryancheck.blogspot.com/
So check it out.
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~rnagle1/IMAGE/taichitest1.jpg
Watch movie? Watch movie?
So check it out.
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~rnagle1/IMAGE/taichitest1.jpg
Watch movie? Watch movie?
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Wed, Dec 1st : Collaboration with Colin
Today is an important day for a BFA student under the wing of BFA advisor, Colin Ives. Today we'll be meeting with Colin in order to discuss our progress, and projected goals. Synchronicity worked in my favor last night, as a flood of interesting and new ideas entered into my sphere of perception. Many of these ideas are in fact due to my expanded sense of animation, that has been cultivated through the excercises of my primary class this term at the U of O; Experimental Animation.
So let's get to it.
There is now access to Motion Capture equipment through my friend Cooper who works here in the Science Dept. of the UO. So that opens up new doors to possibilities, and expands both my understanding of this world, and so i want to talk to Colin about this, in fact, check out this little playblast of my friend Cooper doing the Tai Chi segment called 'Ward Off'.
Watch movie?
I love the idea of using Motion Capture data to add a bit of sauce to the environments of the Zosseous, to be shown in Temptation to Fail. I am thinking it is possible to use this very same Tai Chi data in order to duplicate a number of low-res figures, like a class with an instructor, doing Tai Chi together on some back lawn of the Zosseous.
So imagine people doing Tai Chi in the background of thise frame of Fuhiyo and Margwa walking.
FINAL PROJECT
This directly applies to Colin, and my interaction with the course he is hosting (Experimental Animation) because with any luck, I will be able to use it in my upcoming final project, to revamp Assignment #2.
Watch movie?
This will hopefully not only compliment the growing ending for the Temptation to Fail, but it has also unlocked a whole new outcome for the story. The connection our growth/union/events between the group of characters, leads to their eventual progression as individuals. This was always the hope of the story, and it was to be represented by a change in the characters skin tones and attitudes. That all remains intact, but I am thinking now that instead of the quick-flash ending for the story which was the initial approach, I am now excited about trying to work in a sense of the relapse of time. Now that these characters have resolved their karma, time resets itself to when they first meet, and yet the time which we watched as "the Temptation to Fail" is not unexisting. Which is a way of saying that, although time has relapsed, it retains the progression or evolution that was achieved through their emotional turmoil. There are many implications to this, which may be chewed on at a later time.
the CITAN STORY
Statement Two of the ZoZe epic is one that I am very excited about. It is often the enticer, I use to sweeten the deal, and encourage other people to implement their talents into this little story/world that is being fleshed out in the imagination.
Where Temptation to Fail is trying to be a sturdy, and thoughtful dissertation on the cyclicular nature of depression and relief (or something).
the Citan Story is just good ol' fashioned Character Hero Worship. About an elite Ninja Assassin Hitler Youth named dJaigoroh , who is sent to track and kill the figure head of an ancient nations lead Historical and Medical institution. the man he is sent to hunt, Citan, is a Medical proffessor, as well as an archaelogist and Martial Artist, and the foremost authority of the Worlds history and an expert with the subtle energies of ZoZe. As the assassin pursues the scholar he is drawn into the quest to obtain or safeguard ancient relics of a long-dead institution and the power which is locked inside these relics.
The initial story will involve the search for one of these objects, as the Citan departs his nations capital to visit the outskirts of civilization, to a more back-water, podunk, city that is caught in grips of mob warfare and a hub for an evil nations slave-trade. The Citan must navigate himself carefully through the dangers presented in this city, and weave the two mob bosses into destroying each other, so that Citan may safeguard the relic of the ancient insitution. All the while, the Assassin falls into fascination with the sword that the Citan carries. Seldom unsheathed, the blade breaths a sort of ancient and immutable wisdom.
I would like to use an approach similar to the pictures I have linked to below.
I would like to convey the story through a sort of DVD interface, and enlist my very talented friends, and my own animation abilities into making animated sequences of key moments in the story, i.e. Fight Scenes (!!!)
Well, it is about time for me to meet and talk with my BFA advisor, Colin Ives. I am looking forward to this, because this man has been another great influence on the crafting and exploration of this experiment in story unfolding. Many of the techniques, and ideas that will be integrated into the ZoZe epic are directly related to the challenges and enlightment that Colin has passed on to me through his Class and Person.
So let's get to it.
There is now access to Motion Capture equipment through my friend Cooper who works here in the Science Dept. of the UO. So that opens up new doors to possibilities, and expands both my understanding of this world, and so i want to talk to Colin about this, in fact, check out this little playblast of my friend Cooper doing the Tai Chi segment called 'Ward Off'.
Watch movie?
I love the idea of using Motion Capture data to add a bit of sauce to the environments of the Zosseous, to be shown in Temptation to Fail. I am thinking it is possible to use this very same Tai Chi data in order to duplicate a number of low-res figures, like a class with an instructor, doing Tai Chi together on some back lawn of the Zosseous.
So imagine people doing Tai Chi in the background of thise frame of Fuhiyo and Margwa walking.
FINAL PROJECT
This directly applies to Colin, and my interaction with the course he is hosting (Experimental Animation) because with any luck, I will be able to use it in my upcoming final project, to revamp Assignment #2.
Watch movie?
This will hopefully not only compliment the growing ending for the Temptation to Fail, but it has also unlocked a whole new outcome for the story. The connection our growth/union/events between the group of characters, leads to their eventual progression as individuals. This was always the hope of the story, and it was to be represented by a change in the characters skin tones and attitudes. That all remains intact, but I am thinking now that instead of the quick-flash ending for the story which was the initial approach, I am now excited about trying to work in a sense of the relapse of time. Now that these characters have resolved their karma, time resets itself to when they first meet, and yet the time which we watched as "the Temptation to Fail" is not unexisting. Which is a way of saying that, although time has relapsed, it retains the progression or evolution that was achieved through their emotional turmoil. There are many implications to this, which may be chewed on at a later time.
the CITAN STORY
Statement Two of the ZoZe epic is one that I am very excited about. It is often the enticer, I use to sweeten the deal, and encourage other people to implement their talents into this little story/world that is being fleshed out in the imagination.
Where Temptation to Fail is trying to be a sturdy, and thoughtful dissertation on the cyclicular nature of depression and relief (or something).
the Citan Story is just good ol' fashioned Character Hero Worship. About an elite Ninja Assassin Hitler Youth named dJaigoroh , who is sent to track and kill the figure head of an ancient nations lead Historical and Medical institution. the man he is sent to hunt, Citan, is a Medical proffessor, as well as an archaelogist and Martial Artist, and the foremost authority of the Worlds history and an expert with the subtle energies of ZoZe. As the assassin pursues the scholar he is drawn into the quest to obtain or safeguard ancient relics of a long-dead institution and the power which is locked inside these relics.
The initial story will involve the search for one of these objects, as the Citan departs his nations capital to visit the outskirts of civilization, to a more back-water, podunk, city that is caught in grips of mob warfare and a hub for an evil nations slave-trade. The Citan must navigate himself carefully through the dangers presented in this city, and weave the two mob bosses into destroying each other, so that Citan may safeguard the relic of the ancient insitution. All the while, the Assassin falls into fascination with the sword that the Citan carries. Seldom unsheathed, the blade breaths a sort of ancient and immutable wisdom.
I would like to use an approach similar to the pictures I have linked to below.
I would like to convey the story through a sort of DVD interface, and enlist my very talented friends, and my own animation abilities into making animated sequences of key moments in the story, i.e. Fight Scenes (!!!)
Well, it is about time for me to meet and talk with my BFA advisor, Colin Ives. I am looking forward to this, because this man has been another great influence on the crafting and exploration of this experiment in story unfolding. Many of the techniques, and ideas that will be integrated into the ZoZe epic are directly related to the challenges and enlightment that Colin has passed on to me through his Class and Person.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Monday, November 29, 2004
Mon, NOV 29th : Status
Shoteh and Margwa showing off for the new students of the Zosseous
Watch movie?
Here is a walk cycle which may or may not be used to introduce the character 'Fuhiyo'
Watch movie?
If you'd like, you may watch a mid production cutting of scene 03 of Temptation to Fail. Please not that this scene is still quite rough, with no backgrounds, and a flat, unanimated ending.
All of these files can be found at:
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~rnagle1/animation.html
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