I'm currently sitting in a train in Inverness. We left the station 45 minutes ago, and we seem to have gone BACK in time, as we are at the station where we started.
I've been busy last week making moon landing footage. This has been a bit of a learning curve for me, as I've been attempting to get my head around Maya for these important shots, but I think the results are working well (see image above).
This is the side of animation that I love. It's so important that these shots look real, and don't appear animated, to ground our story in reality. I'm referencing the original footage, but we are all in agreement that it can be a little different. This process has really given me freedom, as I can model astronauts, space-craft etc and shoot it from anywhere. Someone said to me a few years ago that Maya is a nightmare, and if you try learn it its best to have a focus with it, as its overwhelming to try and learn everything. I'm in agreement with this, as i have super specific shots to make... and the shots are the most important thing. The method in which you use shouldn't become apparent to the viewer. After all, it's a means to an end.
So the shot where Armstrong descends the ladder above was made in a day. It makes me think about the real moon landing, and how its shrouded with conspiracy. I'm a believer, but I'm loving faking it, and sculpting a slightly blurred view of this iconic moment in time. But our film isn't about the moon landing as such, it's about a thoughtful young monkey's bearing of love.
Like the original footage, it should have us believing that man set foot on the moon, so I best get back to it and make sure it does.
