Hopefully you've had a chance to watch Dark Side EP1.
Chrome Armor was posted to a Youtube account with less than 100 subscribers yet it gained 350,000 views within a month and added 2500 new subs.
The 6 minute film was the result of ONE person’s efforts in production (story, acting, set design/construction (some 3D modeling (the hanger bay and, in EP 2, Brenda) but mostly kit bashing), motion capture, cleaning, application, rigging, camera, sound, editing, color, logo design and compositing, effects, and whatever else that made it onscreen). He was joined by one other actor and a “What button do I push?” first-timer mocap technician. It is Cinemotion’s first beacon of the thesis. Now, not everyone needs to be a lone creator with mastery of every skillset (though MANY ARE nowadays), but a few friends can gather to collaborate. Youtube is today’s college and the tools showing up now are changing what film production means.
Is it really a SERIES?
Yes, it sure is. Chrome Armor was the first of several Dark Side Episodes that were written to push the Unreal Engine hard but steady.
Chrome Armor proved the theory, now it’s time to push the production. Below you’ll see what has been already completed for the next episode and a glimpse into the series future.
We are in the finishing stages of Episode 2 (about 70% completed) and in fact scripts, soundtracks and motion capture are completed for episode 3 and 4 as well.
Let’s take a look…
Script: COMPLETE
Tom goes on a short-lived date with the chrome-armored Brenda! Jeremy meets one of the few remaining clones and convinces him to take it easy – a defining moment in both of their lives.
Voice Acting: COMPLETE
Scott Barrett reprises his role as Jeremy and Joel Settles is a clone. Joel does a fantastic job channeling New Zealander Temuera Morrison. The impression is uncanny. A New Zealand accent in space. Why not?
Soundtrack: COMPLETE
This is the full soundtrack (minus the body armor sound) that the movie is animated to. It is all spoilers, right to the end!
Motion Capture: COMPLETE
Using move.ai, and a multi-gopro-cam circle in a dance studio, stars of DS/EP1, Mark Strohman and Scott Barrett play the Clone (Trooper TX-1138) and Trooper Jeremy.
Several takes, a few minutes of dialog at a time, allowed this capture to happen smoothly. The actors simply mimed the dialog as it played over speakers in the volume.
Sets: COMPLETE
Two major contributors to the sets of Dark Side EP2 are Talon-3D and Jason Lewis
Talon-3D provided the Dark Corridors of the Death Star that we saw in EP1: Chrome Armor
Jason Lewis re-imagined the 90’s FPS “Dark Forces” using the Unreal Engine.
What's left to do?
- Retargeting motion capture and applying to characters
- Matching moves to dialog
- Cleaning animation (a very intense and time-consuming task)
- Recording facial animation for the clone (he takes his helmet off!)
- Processing and applying facial capture to clone (bringing him to life!)
- “Filming” the movie using iphone or ipad tracked take recodings
- Applying camera takes to main sequence
- Cleaning camera takes (smoothing filters / retargeting / re-focusing)
- Editing within UE shot track (how to visually best tell the story)
- Render ‘final’ film in UE (pathtraced or ray traced?)
- Import rendered frames to Davinci for final editing and color correction
- Record trooper suit movement sounds (foley)
- Sound sweetening and final mix
- Titles
- Export Final Film
- Post to Social Media
- Vacation / Dive into EP3
Keep GRINDING!
EP 3: THE ENDOR THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
We learn of a series of events that turns everything we thought we knew about Star Wars on its ear. It’s no teddy bear picnic I’m afraid.
EP 4: LOST IN SPACE
While Princess Leia is being rescued in Star Wars EP IV, we tag along with a group of Troopers that just can’t seem to find the detention center. Would it hurt so much to put up a sign here and there?
EP 5: DOWN TIME
We visit the Tatooine cantina when Luke, Han, Ben and Chewie meet for the first time. This goes unnoticed by Jeremy and his workmates, troopers who just want to share scar stories and drink blue milk.
We are very excited to deliver this episode and move forward on the next installment. Cinemotion has a lot of ambitious productions in its future and it’s a joy to be able to do this!
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