MoTR Production Update: Week 2

Howdy sailors!

Despite the title of this post saying "week 2" we've actually been working on this series for the better part of three quarters of a year. Looks like we still got a ways to go, but that's the nature of animation particually with a truly tiny team like ours.

For me personally, I've had a hell of week. I was ill, recovered, had a terrible night that included stomach pains so bad it felt like I was close to passing out and added yet another tablet to my daily ritual tablet taking. Don't get old kids. Stay young. :P

Current Status

General

Generally things are still making progress albeit slowly. We've still got a fair bit of focus on generating content of the socials in the hopes of generating and maintaining excitement for the series. To that end we came up with a short skit to make a small 4 panel comic out of.

The First MoTR comic

Every now and then a good idea hits the team and just run with it. Which is exactly what happend for this comic. I basically asked a member of the team to remind me of something and phrased it as "hit me with the memory bat." Thus the premise for this short little comic was born. Have a gander!

Another purpose of this comic was to partly counter a perception of Captain Reveller that had grown amongst the team. Whilst Reveller is a VERY competent captain and leader she's not without her own goofiness, though usually done with an ammount of grim certainty.

More modelsheet updates

As a result of the above comic and trying to tackle the MoTR design guide it became increasingly apparent that more character modelsheets were in need of updating as a result of me growing more comfortable drawing the characters.

J.Hawkins

J.Hawkins version1-2 to version2-1 modelsheet comparison.

As you can see in this image above, the broad design elements are generally the same. The colours haven't changed at all and the features of Hawkins' character haven't changed. But the overall shape have. As I've grown more comfortable with these characters I've found that they seem to naturally become more squat, round and "cartoony" for lack of a better word. Overall I like this new design and I feel it fits the MoTR vibes perfectly.

Carbo D'Bladington

Carbo version1-4 to version2 to version3-1 modelsheet comparison.

The Powder Monkeys in general have actually been the characters that have had the most modelsheet interations. These changes were orginally most their colour schemes. By the 4th iteration of the 1st modelsheet we had ironed out exactly what the colours of Carbo would be.

Now the changes made have been similar to the ones made to J. Hawkins design. We can see in the differences between modelsheet 1-4 to modelsheet 2 that the features have remained largely the same, but the shapes have changed. It was only after all the clean and colouring of version 2 that we decided that Carbo now look a little too young. Thus another modelsheet had to be created. Carbo's head remained the same but was risen up a tad to make the neck obvious and the overall design was made slightly taller and much leaner.

3D Modelling

Katherine continues to plug away at the 3D model of The Grand Vagabond ship day after day between her university work.

The WIP of The Grand Vagabond ship

We're determined to get the design right as I mentioned in the previous post, this is an asset we intend to use over and over.

It also allows Katherine to develop a catalogue of 3D models she can reuse in the future. For example she's modelled butchers knives, barrels, grated hatches, picnic tables, BBQs etc etc.

With all that said, we're all delighted at the progress being made day by day then though we keep point out small things we want her to change. ;D

More background art

Melotea has been a longtime contributer to this series, primarily in background art that has been used extensively throughout content related to MoTR, including this website. Her artwork of the strange and mercurial space known as The Seas Between has been essential in conveying the MoTR concept to folks.

To that end I'm always delighted when they drop some more fantastic artwork on us.

The Seas Between by Melotea.

This image is of The Seas Between itself. A dizzying shifting swirl of stars and colourful clouds in which the majority of the 1st season of Member of The Revelry takes place.

The Seas of Misery by Melotea.

This image depicts the area of The Dream known as The Seas of Misery. The colours are more focused on shades of purple and blue and is the primary home of The Court of Misery.

We're all looking forward to what she makes to depict The Seas of Mania. Should be lots of bright colours and golden shades. :D

The Coming Week

1rregularCharlie

As always a great deal of current work falls upon my shoulders. but that's the nature of trying to get a production like this off the ground.

I was hoping to be able to focus on the needed Animation Guide this past week but I struggled to begin it, even with other animation guides as examples. What I concluded is that the guide will have to be an on going document constantly updated as we begin animating the shorts before moving onto the full pilot episode.

What I could begin working on however was The MoTR Design Guide. It was this that spurred on the focus to update the modelsheets. the difference between the Animation and Design guide is that the design guide is focused on teaching others how to DRAW and COLOUR in the MoTR style. Which I should be able to fill out considerably even at this point.

So my plan for the coming week is to finish updating the modelsheets for Sulfu and Potas and then move fully onto completing the first iteration of The MoTR Design Guide. Doing so should help Natka make some progress on her test animations.

Natka

Natka's been kept busy at FUMI and even had her contract extended! So congrats are in order. She'll be able to put time into her test animations when she's got spare time.

I should also mention that Natka has been essential in managing and organsing this production and her constant feedback and support makes up some of the bedrock of this production. :)

Katherine V.

Katherine has finished moving! Woo! Lord knows moving is a STRESSFUL time.

With that in mind she's immeadiately jumped back into 3D modelling the ship in her spare time and we've loved the progress.

That's all for the mo'! See you in the colourful Seas Between friendos!