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hahah Fun banter! :) I recommend changing up the poses a bit between panels, that will help "liven" it up and make it a bit less stiff. It's looking good!
Very enjoyable csaa! I enjoyed the camera angles and banter. The lighter backgrounds really make the characters stand out. Nice work!
@3Diva, @SapphireBlue: Is it odd to say that I was binging on the Matrix Trilogy this past weeks?
On closer look, somethings that look cool, like wearing sunglasses in a brawl, can turn out to be very impractical. Nevertheless, time hasn't taken away any of the magic the Matrix films have!
As I explained before, there are practical reasons behind the images I render. In this case, I've been trying out different hair for Sgt. Inez. My criteria is simple: it looks good on her; and the hair exported as an OBJ file shouldn't be too large. I have these needs only because I render in Blender. So far, compromise is the name of the game, and I've happily found the right hair assets for Sgts. Cleo and Andrea. But not for Sgt. Inez.
Cheers!
Sgts. Andrea, Cleo & Inez: Public Service Announcement | Daz assets and set up | Blender Eevee render | Clip Studio Paint post-edit
Love this one!
Really like how they're looking and talking to the viewer. And the "Public Service Announcement" caption!
HAHAH I love this! :)
Oh, this is just a nit-pick but there is just one cat in Alien, Jones (sometimes called Jonesy). Great movie, though I think that the second one, Aliens, surpasses even the first. It's one of my all-time favorite movies! The character Ripely meant a lot to me when I was a kid. She was the only character I remember seeing as a child that was a strong, competent, and heroic woman. It was SO RARE when I was a kid to see a woman like her, and it meant so much to me seeing that character and being shown that women don't have to be how Hollywood normally portrays women. There is a saying "if you can't see it, you can't be it". Representation matters and how we represent women (and other groups of people) in media, be it movies, shows, books, or comics, can make a big difference in how people see themselves and each other. "Life imitates art far more than art imitates life" -Oscar Wilde
And back to your image: This is a wonderful render! The poses look nice and natural, the contrast between the background and the characters is great and really helps the characters to not "get lost" in the background (which can easily happen with 3D comics). The contrast here is fantastic and helps keep the focus on the characters! The choice of the square speech balloons is different but not bad. It's a little jarring at first but I think one could quickly get used to it if reading a full comic with those types of speech bubbles.
I really like this panel - well done!
I was just thinking, I wonder if Ripley saving Jones in Alien is where the "Save the Cat" writing theory originated from. Has anyone read or listened to Save The Cat by Blake Snyder? Apparently, it's hugely popular with comic writers and other types of writers.
SapphireBlue, 3Diva,
Thanks for the kind feedback! I've been working on the shaders for assets belonging to interior scenes. This is one of my tests. Once again, I added the dialog as an afterthought just to give the scene context. Lighthearted context. Needing something for the ladies to talk about, I borrowed a few lines from an Alien meme. (I wish I kept a screenshot of meme showing Ellen Ripley and her cat -- but alas!)
Speaking of "cats" ... that was deliberate. I guess it's a shibboleth, something to separate the casual viewer from die-hard fans of the Alien franchise!
Personally though, if I was asked which film character from that era stood out as an archetype for the strong woman, it would be Lindsey Brigman from "The Abyss" (1989). Maybe it boils down to the difference between the two films when it comes to conflict. In Alien, the conflict is stark, a life and death struggle between good and evil. In The Abyss the conflict is between paranoia on one hand, and understanding and co-existence on the other. In Alien, Ripley vanquishes the aliens from outerspace. In The Abyss, Dr. Brigman overcomes fear and uncovers the truth behind the aliens beneath the waves. The two films, hence the two characters, turn on different themes.
Strong female characters. On one level, there's an outward portrayal of the strong woman; on another level, a woman can be strong through introspective ways too. The challenge is to evoke both, showing a combination of these two aspects throughout the story. It may be my own quirk, but I've chosen a black-and-white style, 'ala manga, to make the task easier. The simplicity of two tone lines, shapes, shades and contrasts helps bring out those unique aspects of the character. I hope I can pull it off.
Cheers!
csaa Thanks for a lovely analysis!! Great to read! I don't think I've ever seen Abyss - but the trailer is intriguing. I'll see where it might be streaming...
It is interesting that both 3Diva and CSAA named two successful James Cameron films ALiens and The Abyss, which both have exceptionally strong female protagonists. Smart, educated, and capable. Though he didn't create her, the Ripley in the second Aliens movie is more evolved than in the original, Cameron gave her his tradmark strong female persona. No surprisem, he's the same director that created Sarah Conner and Rose Dawson.
Oh you're totally right! I didn't even think of that. So many of James Cameron's movies are on my all-time favorite movies list. He even made Neytiri pretty awesome - I mean, she taught Jake so much and taught him how not to be a "scown". lol She's strong, competent, and intelligent, I'd definitely put her in the "strong female character" column.
While I do see the Lindsey Brigman character as a "strong female" she was also portrayed as a bit too stereotypical of a "strong woman archetype" IMO, in which they are also seen by many of the other characters as cold and unlikable, being portrayed as a "b-word" and an "ice-queen".
3Diva,
I almost forgot Dr. Brigman's she-b**ch designation! We don't really know the backstory to that. But I find it very satisfying that in spite of her shortcommings, she musters enough courage to step out of her comfort zone and does her part to avert a war and save her marriage. There's something to say about redemption stories like her's -- 'ala The Parable of the Prodigal Son -- that appeals to the viewer. After all, who wouldn't find themselves admitting that, "Yeah, I've got my faults too," and feeling validated that an uncool or flawed heroine like Dr. Brigman could rise to the occasion? Many would claim that it draws out strong empathy from the viewer.
Which brings me to character arcs and conflicts in stories. There's external conflict in stories, such as the unstoppable force meeting the immovable obstacle; then there's internal ones in w/c characters struggle to do right in spite of their predisposition. Of the later, I can think of no character more tortured than Theon Greyjoy from Game of Thrones. Boy did he walk the stony road! The trajectory of his character arc went through zigs and zags before he finally redeemed himself. Here's where a two hour feature differs from a season-long series. In two hours, its easy to set up a grand clash for the ages, but there's not enough time to develop a character arc, such as Theon's, that follows the from-hell-to-redemption formula in nitty-gritty detail.
Going back to The Abyss, I think the film was able to pull off a redemption story in such a short time mainly because Dr. Brigman's backstory was left off. With bits and hints about her flaws based on reactions of those around her, the story starts off from "bottom" and proceeds to chart her bumpy road to redemption. Not bad, I'd say, given all the other exciting sci-fi plot elements thrown in the mix.
FirstBastion,
Let's not forget Alita. But, alas, I now wonder if James Cameron will continue with the sequel. Chalk one up to another manga-to-film adaptations that critics didn't receive well.
Cheers!
to paraphrase a quote: Write a script if you can, the entire script.....or .... just wing it page by page. Creativity is a funny thing. I like her flexibility, both are viable, do what works for you.
Sgts. Andrea & Inez: Cross Talk | Daz assets and set up | Blender Eevee render | Clip Studio Paint post-edit
I'm really having issues with bullet point (c) above. For example, I'm currently doing a scene in a boxing ring using an environment that looks like an old brick firehouse (sorta) from the inside, but the outside is just a plain old box - it doesn't even have a door (and I'm not sure I can model/adapt/adjust one in!)
So my opening shot is a close-up of a fighter and a voice-over by the narrator, giving her name. I'm not really happy with this, but not sure how to do an ext est shot. Does this need an exterior opener, or is jumping right to the character clear enough. Not like you can't tell it's a boxing gym. ;)
Open to comments!
Witt,
Yeah, establishing shots are crucial, especially during the opening of the story. If you put yourself in the viewer's shoes, the introductory sequence should answer a couple of questions, chief of which are: (a) What is the story about? and (b) Should I, the reader, stay or should I go? If the opening sequence fails to provide context and an interesting hook, the story is likely to lose the viewer's interest very quickly.
Certainly an exterior establishing shot is the time honored way of introducing the story. But you could also start inside. For example imagine a sequence of panels tracking a fly-on-the-wall POV inside the boxing gym. It doesn't have to be a long series of panels. As the sequence unfolds, the panels reveal the interior, presenting the gym environment, the people inside and the circumstances unfolding. Using a couple of unusual camera angles, such as low shots or over-the-shoulder shots paired with silhouettes, would add to the intrigue. Combined with dialog (off camera) or boxed text or sound effects, the tracking sequence could answer those key questions, convincing the reader that it's worth his or her time to pursue the story further.
Cheers!
Well said csaa..
To piggy back...
an establishing shot can be just the name of the gym. Like any building facade and you gym and logo plastered on the front. That's an easy cheat.
Also, real images of a gym or sports center (royalty free) can be inserted. A close up of the bell and the narrator box giving details works.
Pretty much anything can work in a pinch...
Thanks to csaa and Griffin Avid both for the comments. Yeah, I think I can get away with the shots I have in a pinch since it's set up in the previous page/panel before we change locations. But I really would like a more traditional est shot. I had envisioned the outside of the gym, my two progatonists (from previous scene) walking up to the door or halfway through the door or whatever, then an interior shot of them coming through the door etc. But ... gah. Really? Who puts no door on their building! :)
My other choice would be to buy an alternate boxing gym; I like the look of this one, but I'm not married to it. And I'll check for a door before I buy. :)
Anyway, thanks again to you both!
The page is looking good!
For the exterior - do you have a brick shader? If so you could just apply the brick shader to the outside. Also you might be able to "borrow" a door from a different set. Kit-bashing is a great way to get some more unique looking environments, hair, and outfits. :)
I like this page. It's looking cool. I think an establishing shot would definitely help "ground" the audience in the scene, giving them a more solid look at where we are in your comic's world. :)
You don't necessairly need an establishing shot. Depends what story you want to tell. Characters are what matter most and drive the story. What you do need is a hook. Something that draws your audience into caring about the characters as soon as possible. Because if the audience cares, then they continue reading.
Anyway, establishing shot. If your interior model does not have an exterior, you can always just snap a photo of a laneway entrance on some city street and you have your establishing shot. Or, even if you don't have a door, there are windows on your interior shot, you can easily establish your location with a clear picture of the neighborhood through the windows. Lots of options.
You can use any exterior model for the exterior establishing shot. I always thought this Stonemason urban alley would make a great entrance for a boxing/martial arts gym.
You don't necessarily need an establishing shot. Depends what story you want to tell. Characters are what matter most and drive the story.
There's a lot to unpack with this statement.
1) "You don't necessarily need an establishing shot." Now it's required. Here's the artsy fartsy part. You WANTED to show a 'gym' establishing shot and it mattered enough to pop on the forum and look for a solution.
Now, if you don't come up with one (like the one you imagined in your head) it will be taking a step backward from your original desire. And the EXCUSE will be, you couldn't find one or figure out how to make one work.
2) "Depends what story you want to tell..."
That's not good to limit you creativity, storytelling and artistic vision based on.....the available CGI Assets. Figure it out...
3) "Characters are what matter most and drive the story. "
That's a great guide for the overall theme.
How, or if you do this establishing shot probably won't make or break your work, but I'd try and avoid the early habit of using CGI assets to tell a story and switch to Telling a Story using CGI assets.
It took me a very long time to break away from that - and it can lead to some $$ purchases and/or creative solutions.
A huge thank you to all who replied to my question about an establishing shot for a boxing gym. I took everyone's suggestions and came up with this. I'm happy I did the extra work. :)
Thank you all!
- Witt / Brian J. Underhill
Deviant Art, Facebook
(PS - if anyone cares, this is a rough/WiP of Page 34 so a lot's already been established).
Wow! You even got missing letters on the marquee. That's amazing.
that looks very cool, too late for clever advice here but I enjoy the discussion and the results
Here's the first episode of one of my comics, if anyone is interested in checking it out. :)
I'm open to feedback. It's already uploaded on Webtoons as a part of a contest, so I can't do any edits to it this late. But I'll keep any critique or feedback in mind for any future episodes.
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/uploads/FileUpload/26/bf0f84bc9b9b0bec54c19372de1ec4.jpg
(Sorry for the low res, I couldn't get the higher res version to load as an attachment.)
I don't know how I missed this. But this turned out awesome! I love the dilapidated look, and the missing letters on the sign. This place has a LOT of personality. I'm so glad you worked it out, it came out great, Brian!
Another word on establishing shots that I thought you guys might be interested in. I was reading Making Comics by Scott McCloud and came across this page:
(Sorry for the quality, I took the photo with my phone and it came out a bit blurry - I tried to clean it up as best as I could in Photoshop. lol)
I think this kind of approach can be more viable for 3D artists, since they can impart a great amount of detail into the environments without a whole lot of extra time and effort.
However, I do think that the traditional establishing shot approach is probably best for most comics - giving the audience a clear and solid view of where they are in the story's universe. The ability to further solidify that with highly detailed backgrounds in more of the panels is something that is a strength of 3D comics, IMO.
PS - I HIGHLY recommend that book Making Comics by Scott McCloud. It's REALLY helpful for comic creators, imo.
@3Diva are you participating in the call to action contest on webtoons? leave a link to we can find it, this is looking very cool, the only little critique I got is that when She's hangin on her arm her body weigth would pull her sideways so that the shoulder axis is more angling towards the floor. You can achive the effect quite nicely using active pose and pulling on the limp upwards (soem corrections afterwards will be needed)
also I totally agree on recommending Making Comics by Scott McCloud
good luck with the challenge!