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View Full Version : My progress in flash/upcoming series.



Scythemantis
02-16-2005, 03:20 AM
Well, I've known my way around flash for quite a while now, and have begun work on my first series, which is actually something I've been planning for years as a webcomic. Unfortunately, I can't start on the first episode until I get enough flipping privacy in this house to record all the little voice mp3's, which probably won't happen for weeks (and then I'll need more weeks to actually do the episode when I'm not at work). Until then, I'll just be further honing the actual animation skills and improving the script.

SO, here's some stuff: the series will be entitled The Fear Hole. In it, four staff members at a government-funded Evil Laboratory accidentally open a portal to a parallel universe teeming with bizarre monsters and are not allowed to leave the facility until they learn how to close it. Naturally, they never will. A monster-of-the-week comedy with nods to the Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Dr. Who.

Cast:

Dan (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/c-dan.gif) - the lab's night janitor and token normal/idiot character. Will usually be responsible in some way for the various monsters coming into our world.

Professor Weaponry (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/c-weapon.gif) - bitter, violent professor of destructive objects. The name is a bad in-joke. It sounds awkward, but people are just going to have to get used to it.

Doctor Melancholy (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/c-melancholy.gif) - the head researcher. The fear hole is actually a side-effect of his most unholy experiment (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/toasturtle.gif) to date.

Webster (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/c-webster.gif) - once a handsome and popular young geneticist until he had his accident and everyone noticed how short he always was. Got stuck as Melancholy's assistant.

....I'm assuming I should tone down some of the detail, though. I'll definately be getting rid of some of the shading and most highlights.


Animation tests (sorry that I only have three, I have to conserve space on homestead. I'll make room and put some more together later) :

Melancholy walking/talking (no sound) (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/melantest.swf)

Webster enjoying his "coffee". (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/coffee.swf) (probably won't be in an episode. I'm trying to avoid most humor that cheap)

My first ever animation test, for nothing in particular. (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/gertrude2.swf) - this was done a month prior to the tests above, which were all done this week, so you have something to compare. I was impressed with myself at first and now I know how much it sucks.

This isn't a test. (http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/wreck.swf) This is a bored doodle that I thought turned out mildly cute and sloppily animated in a few spare seconds.

I know I haven't really provided much material for a critique, but give it a shot anyway. Please inform me of any glaring errors or extremely blatant copyright infringements, because I won't be aware of them until you say something (but no, I don't think webster infringes on "The Fly" enough to be a problem)

Tanooki
02-16-2005, 11:41 AM
it all looks good to me, scythe. and you're right about that last doodle. it is kind of cute in a giant robot destroys things kind of way

Falcon

tomakel
02-20-2005, 01:18 AM
this looks awesome! how long do you think each episode will be?

Scythemantis
02-20-2005, 04:21 PM
I'm guessing 6-11 minutes, depending on the story. First episode will probably be a longer one, other episodes much shorter.

auto
02-21-2005, 06:39 PM
That would be great artwork if it was just posted here alone. From watching your animation tests, I can't wait to see how these can be used in a Flash cartoon series.

EDIT: Just a question, you drew those on a tablet PC, right?

Scythemantis
02-21-2005, 10:36 PM
Actually just drawn with a mouse. The outlines for Dan, Weaponry and Melancholy's heads were traced over some early sketches I imported to flash, though. I liked how they turned out on paper and was having trouble recreating the proportions to my liking.

Here's a much more "serious" animation test:

http://scythemantis.homestead.com/files/jellyphantomanim.swf

Jellyphantom might fill a minor no-name role at some point but was really only made to play with translucency and look cool.

Edit/ Gosh, mezco's "Dr. Mezitstein" looks remarkably like Dr. Melancholy in concept...I never saw those toys until just now. Hopefully, noone is going to care. I think both are just generic mad doctors.