Archangel Alpha - Short Film

[MojoTrancer]

http://chancestudios.com/images/AA_One_Sheet_3.jpg

Directed by: Little 'ole me
Co-producter/Assistant Director: Trevor "Bev" Hawkes

Original Score by: Herman Witkam

Starring:

Dani Eilander
Bobette Twede

Since there's no sci-fest in the near future, I decided to go ahead with my idea just for the hell of it. I sat down and jotted down stuff I wanted to see in a sci-fi flick. Most notably I wanted some robot/mecha action. I love anime, especially the sagas of love, war and loss like Macross and Mobile Suit Gundam. I want to try and translate some of that into live action. This is an ambitious little film, and I'm not at all sure I can pull it off, but I'm gonna have fun giving it a go.

I'm going to document the project every step of the way as best I can, so stay tuned!

[MojoTrancer]

Well I went nuts this last weekend and spent way too much money on Archangel Alpha. There is a flood of costume related stuff headed to Utah. I figured since I'm shooting in Utah and thats where the actors are, I should just have the stuff there already. One less thing I have to pack or ship later. Bev's apartment is going to look like a costume shop by the time I'm done stashing stuff there. That's OK. He loves it.

I bought a new light to replace my POS Britek that went kaput. To this day I have no idea why that light blew up. Ok well maybe it didn't blow up, per se. But there were sparks and crackling and the glass cracked. Close enough for me.

I ordered my new light from Cool Lights (http://www.coollights.biz/). I saw the banner on here and did my click thing. Which in itself is interesting because I ignore banners on every other site I visit. But for some reason I generally check out the ones here.

I ordered the softbox fixture. We'll see how it works out. The light was inexpensive so there's not too much risk. I also purchased the Cool Lights DVD. I'm always up for some new DIY info, although I seldom follow through with it. I'm not the tinkerer I used to be. When I was a kid you couldn't leave me alone with a device or I'd have it disassembled in no time. My screwdriver was my favorite toy. My love for putting stuff together and taking things apart faded only in the last five years or so. Not sure what happened. I need to get that back.

But I digress...

I also bought some computer models. I'm planning out shot lists that I'll be turning into storyboard/animatics. I still dislike doing 3D animation, but right now, there's no one else to do it. That's high on my list of people I need to beg/cajole/threaten into helping me.

But the model for the "gunners" looks amazing. I bought the model off of Turbosquid for a tidy sum. I would never be able to get this kind of detail with my own meager skills. The big issue now is just figure out how to render and animate the thing. That "gunner" name will probably change, but there it is for now. One of the joys of having robots/mecha in your story is figuring out what to call them. Because "robot" just doesn't sound serious enough. If you don't believe me say out loud that you are "the best robot pilot they have" and then say "the best gunner pilot they have". See what I mean?

BTW, that's not actual dialogue from the script.

So getting back to the point, the gunner is looking a bit plastic right now for two reasons:

1. It renders faster. Better for creating my quick animatics on my slow machine.

2. I can't figure out the original author's settings for the damn v-ray renderer. It keeps coming out wrong. So I'm stuck using the default renderer.

[Cynic821]

Sick! Cant wait to see some animatics personally.

[Kholi]

Cool Deal, Mojo. LoL. Thanks for the PM alert!

Let us see when you get done.

[Brandon Rice]

Wow dude.... this looks intense! And way to use this forum section for what it's meant for! Looking forward to being along for the process! :)

[John C Lyons]

wow dood! can't wait, i'll definitely be following this one...

[R.L. Scott]

Cool concept brother... looking forward to see more.

[Herman Witkam]

Looking forward to scoring this one!

[MojoTrancer]

Looking forward to scoring this one!

Thanks, I'm excited you're on board! The film just got better! :smile:

[Da BEv]

It's about time I unveil myself to the DVX User community....

Mojo has not been making up a mystical helper known only as "Bev"... it is I, the real deal. I am Da BEv!

And though I am hella stressed already about this project, I am way excited to work on something that isn't... what's the word... sucky. I have worked on too many sucky projects and this one isn't gunna be.

Auditions are being held today actually for the male parts. Let's hope our turn out is better than first auditions.

Then Mojo is going to get a little package from me with Goodnite Socialite Footage and the audition tapes!

Da BEv

[Cynic821]

Welcome Da BEv, mind if we call you "bev" for short? ;)

[MojoTrancer]

LOL. Hey there, Bev-ster. You finally join in the DVX user fun. And always the showman, haha.

Nice mask. :smile:

[Da BEv]

Oh yeah... Bev is great, Da BEv is almost like a first and a last name now... :)

[jeremytuttle]

Your project sounds great and congrats on snagging Herman for the score.

[MojoTrancer]

Your project sounds great and congrats on snagging Herman for the score.

Thanks! We're excited that Herman is involved. He's a talented guy.

We're hard at work getting ready for our first weekend shoot. We only have a couple weeks left and lots to get done. I'll have a lovely update for everyone soon!

[Cynic821]

you in Utah yet?

[MojoTrancer]

you in Utah yet?

Nope. Still in Cali. So Bev is working on costume stuff there. And I'm working on the animatics here. And then on the 30th I will fly to Utah for the weekend. The first shoot is some blue/greenscreen cockpit action. Should be an interesting shoot. We may push it to the weekend after that if we need more time. I'd rather wait and do it right then rush in half-assed.

[Curtis_Rhoads]

Looking sweet.... Where at in Utah are you guys filming?

[Kentertainment]

Wow, I asked the same question and when I posted it, you'd beaten me too it. The film sounds great though!

[MojoTrancer]

Looking sweet.... Where at in Utah are you guys filming?


Salt Lake City for the stuff we have planned first. We're still searching for the other spots we'll need.


Wow, I asked the same question and when I posted it, you'd beaten me too it. The film sounds great though!

Thanks. Yeah its ambitious and I really want to do it justice. The tension is rising. But it feels good. Sometimes we have to risk falling flat on our face in order to reacher a higher level.

[R.L. Scott]

well said bro, I believe that that is how you evolve as a filmmaker... by taking risks.

[J. Erik Reese]

This film reminds me of a show called Neon Genesis Evangelion...which I loved. Keep up the good work.