Pups Log

Our test shoot went reasonably well, so we've been hard at work creating assets ever since. Recently, we welcomed a graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts as a member. It's very encouraging. However, since we are still a small team, it is inevitable that each person will have to handle multiple tasks at once. Currently I am making two scale models of kayaks, one for normal shooting and one for "distant view". Additionally, I am reworking the default mold for the main character. It is possible to mass-produce faces using the molds I made previously, but I didn't like them because they looked too distorted. This remake was a good experience for me in terms of getting used to working with silicone.  As for our future plans, once the main character is complete, I would like to do some more test shooting. I'm sure we'll be able to see some expressions there. I'm really looking forward to it. You may think that the production process is slow. But I'm n...

We did a test shoot last weekend, and we are very pleased with the results. At the beginning, we had put a milestone of “let's get ready to do a test shoot in this April,” so the schedule is on track.  The purpose of this test was to confirm the operation of the Dragon Frame and the structural suitability of the armature. Since Dragon Frame is still a trial version, only 50 frames were taken in each take. However, it was enough to check the paddling animation while setting the armature. Now that we have confirmed that there are no problems with the shooting itself, we will be creating more and more assets such as characters and backgrounds.   As a personal matter, I need to get used to making animations without “In-Between” as soon as possible. In stop-motion animation, the “Straight Ahead” method is a prerequisite, requiring the animator to grasp (compose) the character's movements frame by frame.

The sizes of characters, props, etc. need to be appropriate for each scene. So I decided to make a "Distant view kayak." The silhouette has been deformed to match the character design. First, draw appropriate lines on the timber and cut it according to the plan. Secure the cut scraps in their original positions with tape. Then cut it on the side view. This will complete the rough shape. Use a plane, cutter, and sandpaper to shape the piece.

 Keep drilling every night, making something for the armature’s Jiggs.  Finally, I found a mass-produced ball joint jig. That was very simple.  Drilled 2.5mm holes in the 2-layer 2mm thick brass plates with a jig for correct drilling.   After drilling with a jig, one plate was tapped for a 3mm screw, and another plate drilling with a 3mm bit. Screwed both plates and drilled 3.5mm holes for the 6mn ball joint, and 5mm holes for the 8mm ball joint.  Cut them apart off with the band-saw and grind 4 corners.  Majored and cut a long thread bolt for armature size.  I forgot to make the neck part. That's why he doesn't have an upper shoulder body.  Look like he is Rodin’s “Thinker”  He might think something sitting on the band saw that had made him.  Now we can make an armature original size.  One bad thing happened a while ago when I tapped a brass block, my only 4mm tap was broken.  Need to get a new one sometime…

The factory manager, Shingo, is finally trying to make his own armature. And he has almost succeeded.   He has a huge head of ideas. He can look at ready-made products and modify them to make them more usable. Actually, he was one of the first students in my Qajaq building workshop. He probably didn't have much experience in kayaking before. But his curiosity quickly filled the gap, and he became a master of Qajaq building. I sometimes let him lead the workshops. That's why I got him involved in this stop-motion animation project. Yes, he is very dependable. His partner Sayaka is also involved in this project. She graduated from an art school and previously worked at a famous animation studio. You must be familiar with that studio's work. Yes, it's the one with the giant deer god in it. I left the design of the main character to her. She also completed Qajaq several years ago. And now She can do some rolls too. This project focuses on child kayaker. So, I'm excited ...

Due to the division of labor, the material for the characters gradually came together. When the things I imagine begin to materialize, they become real. The fact that the character I had drawn on paper now had volume and weight meant that the vessel was finally ready to breathe life into it. The very meaning of "Animate" is to give life.   We also did some "stop motion" testing with the armatures. In stop-motion animation, we can't use a technique called "in-between." We have to create one motion consistently from start to finish. This is called "straight ahead" as opposed to "in-between." This means that there are no frames that correspond to milestones, so animators are required to have very high levels of skill. For now, we tried shooting 24 frames, which is equivalent to 1 second.  After that, we removed the prop that supports the character, called the "tank." This was done using an automatic digital deletion funct...