Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Our Tragic Universe



Here's the latest short film I have just made for Canongate Books. This movie will be used to promote 'Our Tragic Universe' the new novel by Scarlett Thomas.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Motion Control Rotations


A couple of the many rotating objects I've been shooting for my latest CanonGate Books short film. As described in the earlier post, I'm using a geared down stepper motor which can be controlled from my PC (using a Stepper Bee motor controller card).

My initial plan was to shoot these all these rotations as stop motion, but with motor control and the Canon 550D's HD video recording, I was presented with the opportunity to shoot these as continuous live-action. I set the motor to do just over a full rotation at quite a slow speed, knowing that I'd be able to edit and time remap the footage later... This simple rig works pretty well; super-smooth results and a bunch of time saved.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Russians On The Moon

I just love this picture I 'found' on the BBC website. It was Yuri Gagarin Day yesterday, so the BBC website ran an article about what could have been if The Americans hadn't made it to the moon first. I really like how this illustration paints a whole alternate universe, plus it's got that Sci-Fi comic look I'm quite partial to. I'd like to see more of this, but the BBC don't seem to have credited the image. I'd welcome any links to where I can see more of this kind of thing...

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Adventures in DIY: Motion Control Rig

For the next stop motion short film I'm currently making for Canongate Books, I found that I needed to shoot accurate rotations of many small three dimensional objects. This seemed like a good application for the geared stepper motor and Stepper Bee controller board that I've had lying around since my long-abandoned DIY film scanning project.

I dug the bits out, rigged up a small stand to hold a bearing and (after a bit of fiddling about with O-rings) the stepper motor drives an 8mm threaded shaft that I can attach my objects to. The stepper motor already enables pretty fine control (it's rate at 1.8 degrees per step) but with the gearing still attached, it actually takes around 700 steps to perform a full rotation.

The AutoStep software that comes with the Stepper Bee card is pretty basic but allows me to set the number of steps and duration of each step.

It all works a treat, I can shoot the rotating objects in single steps (for stop motion shooting) or allow the motor to run continuously at a controlled speed (for live action shooting).

Technically this IS motion control, albeit a simplified single motor rotation-only motion control.
Here's the rig...

DIY Motion Control Rig: Stepper motor drives gears then an o-ring drives 8mm threaded shaft. Note the Stepper Bee card with DC power cable and USB cable to host PC.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Some Little Hands Clapping Models






Here's a little 'behind the scenes' look at some of the paper / card models I made for the 'Little Hands Clapping' film. The visual idea was to make all of the elements appear to be made from the text of the book itself. 

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Little Hands Clapping


For the last 3 weeks, I've mostly been making this. It's a one minute short film which will be used by publisher Canongate Books to help promote the paperback release of 'Little Hands Clapping' the latest novel from author Dan Rhodes.
I'll possibly blog a little more information about how this was made shortly...

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Home Studio

Here's a little glimpse into my home studio set-up for some small scale stop-motion animation work. I'm using the Canon 550d here with Stop Motion Pro; finally a good live view-capable system is in my grasp :) This shoot is lots of quite simple things, small models made from paper etc.
I bought a couple of laboratory-style retort stands yesterday. These have a certain nerd-appeal but are also damn handy as desktop stands, small and versatile and ideal for this mini stop-mo work.
Maybe I'll post a bit more about this work once it's done.

Friday, January 07, 2011

Stuttgart 10

Back in May 2010, I was invited to Germany by the organisers of the Stuttgart Animation Festival. TXT ISLAND showed there in the International Competition programme. I was in Stuttgart for three days; here's a little montage of touristy clips. I've only just got around to putting this together over the Christmas break.

I'd just discovered that Sam's little Panasonic Lumix FX150 camera could shoot HD video (1280x720 @24fps) at this point , so I was shooting everything in 'movie mode'.


Stuttgart 10 : shortfilm by chrisgavin from Chris Gavin on Vimeo.

Monday, September 20, 2010

La Nuova Sardegna (Again)

There also isn't much else happening on the island on the 19th of September 2010, So La Nuova Sardegna again run with the Chris Gavin story :) Thanks to Nicolò Ceccarelli
for sending the clipping.

La Nuova Sardegna (Again)

The 18th September 2010 is a slow news day in Sardinia, so La Nuova Sardegna runs with Chris Gavin's visit to the AniMatti summer school. Thanks to Nicolò Ceccarelli for sending the clipping.

Monday, September 13, 2010

And in La Nuova Sardegna ...


La Nuova Sardegna runs with the upcoming visit to the island by Chris Gavin ;) Thanks to Nicolò Ceccarelli
for sending the clipping.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Lanzarote Holiday Photos

Just back from a week's holiday with the family and here are a few snaps from the trip.  I recently bought a 'new' lens for my Canon 350d stills camera. Loving this retro Pentacon 50mm f1.8. It's got a proper aperture ring  and manual everything; makes it fun to take pictures again
Several places here have the feeling of Bond film locations; burrowed out from the volcanic rock, then kitted out with pools and palm trees. This is the lagoon at the Jameos del Agua, only the King of Spain gets to swim in there.


The cave lagoon at the Jameos, featuring rare albino crabs.
El Golfo on the West coast, now a string of fish restaurants where the lava once met the sea.
There are a lotta cacti on this island. This specimen is to be found in the garden of the Fundación César Manrique; it's as big as a tree. The gallery was once Manrique's house, it's a modern building with rooms below hewn from 'bubbles' in the solidified lava: it's very impressive.
I liked this wrecked cargo ship so much, I came twice to take photos. The first time, a pesky hound was not keen to have me mooching about on its patch.

Sunset over Costa Teguise, our home from home for the week.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

TXT ISLAND The Interview

Way back last Autumn whilst at the Onedotzero festival (at the BFI Southbank) I was interviewed about TXT ISLAND. I must have had a lot to say; these folks have only just now finished the editing and it's July now ;) Hardly a scoop, but here I am on the Onedotzero Vimeo channel.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Annecy 2010

Just come back from the Annecy Animation Festival. My film TXT ISLAND was showing in the 'Out of Competition' selection and had three screenings. Could only make it for the long weekend, but worth the effort nonetheless. Lots of animated short films to see, met some fine people and made it to a few parties too.
Annecy is a fine old place, a medieval town by a lake, surrounded by mountains and a river there's a river runs through it...
Like any french high street there are lots of these animated neon pharmacy signs, I'm collecting these...
The foyer of the Bonlieu Centre is the epicentre of this huge and sprawling festival. As of this year it's been going for 50 years now. Somewhere under one of those umbrellas, Nick Park is signing books etc.


Tartiflette is the local dish here. Potatoes with runny cheese on top. Reblochon seems to feature heavily in the cuisine of the Savoie.

The Argentine Film Board threw a fine party at a local bowling alley / nightclub venue. Here we see an acrobat in an over-sized hula hoop.
Followed by a fine demonstration of Argentine tango.
 
Splendid impromptu music-making at the lakeside picnic. That's David Silverman (Simpsons director) on tuba.

It's the closing night ceremony. Prizes are given and the giant balls are released.


Last morning trudge down the hill from the campsite. Head for the TGV station and as  the town awakes we bid a fond farewell to this fine city of animated festivalness..

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Living the Brand


Our model wears the classic TXT ISLAND 'logo' T-shirt, seen here in black but available in many other colours at the TXT ISLAND shop.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Stuttgart Fantastisch

Back in the UK today after my long weekend at the Stuttgart Animation Festival. Had a fantastic weekend and met lots of interesting folk. TXT ISLAND was shown in the International Competition and a special 'British Shorts' programme put together by Kevin Franklin.


Stuttgart is a pleasant city. I had lots of fun shooting little video clips after discovering that Sam's little point and shoot Panasonic FX150 shoots 720HD at 24P!

A great view of the city can be had (for free) from the top of the tower above the Bahnhof.

The modern Art gallery on SchlossPlatz is worth a look too.

At the festival, TXT ISLAND was shown in competition programme 5 and the British Shorts showcase. I also did a directors Q&A and a 'making of' presentation too.

Bratwurst and beer. Festival food Stuttgarter style.

The final night party features an impromptu session from a fine sousaphone, melodica and rapper combo!

Monday, May 03, 2010

Thick's a Hit

I went to see Rick Bland's play 'Thick' last night at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington. I can honestly say it rocked and I'd heartily recommended it. There's another show at the same venue next Sunday, then the play has a run at the Brighton Fringe Festival thereafter.


Friday, April 23, 2010

The CG Fun Continues...

Back in Maya, the 'plastic' letters looking a bit better now with some fancy HDRI lighting applied...

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Letters from America














Just bought a lovely new font 'Now Playing' from New York type designers Terminal Design.
I've got the urge to make some 3D 'plastic' letters in Maya... Just for a few tests at the moment; maybe a new project further down the road...