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Homework Week one
Hi everyone,
Please post your finished revisions to your portfolio here by midnight on 2/13/14.
Thanks,
Chris
0
Comments
1.) Shots of the sculpture
a.) if it is a simple head, show shots front 3/4 (never directly at camera)
b.) if it has something REALLY cool going on (horns, skull detail, etc.) a rear 3/4 photo
c.) If it is a full body, get some shots of the full body sculpt as well as the head
d.) If it has really interesting hand detail, a shot of that
2.) Studio shots of the finished creature
a.) This is so the paint job is featured, again a few shots of detail areas if the paint job is
complicated
3.) "Location" shots
a.) One or two shots of the creature on set, in the lighting it was filmed in, to show how it
was used. (Hence, the fog machine comment)
Let me explain my philosophy: Look at your portfolio the way you would be telling a story - You introduce your character (subject), and then reveal facts about them, and just when the viewer is getting tired of seeing the same thing over and over again, you hit them with a REALLY cool image of the character and then move on. Does that make sense?
A blunt way to say this would be: Kill your children. I know you all fall in love with the stuff you create, but only show multiple shots if we are LEARNING SOMETHING NEW about it.
However, this does NOT mean...I repeat....does NOT mean that I don't want to see multiple photos as your instructor. I do. It helps me see what you are doing and yes, I'll make suggestions about what shots to use. My above comments are about your portfolio.
I've illustrated below - You saw the Brontosaurus in the studio - I'd put a shot like this in to show its versatility:
The green creature in the paneled room is VERY cool. Love the sculpt and the paint. I'm assuming this is its final resting place? If it is, punch in closer and lose the overhead lights in the shot. We want to focus on the subject for portfolios. But I love the creature.
Finally, your last group of photos tells me that you're looking to diversify and that is really important. More than that, you've created your I.P. which I love. The T-shirt idea is great and it looks cool. Just know that time is money and you probably can have shirts silk screened for a fraction of what it costs to airbrush every single one. Between us business people, my Phantom Harbor 3-D shirts cost me about $4.50 per unit (shirt and screening) + $1 for the chromadepth glasses - I sell them for $20 + tax/shipping. Profit, baby, profit! You have to value your time Brian, so when you are ready to have shirts made, just bite the bullet and spend the $500 or so. It is a great asset to have. Not only can you sell them, but you can give them in trade, or to people who assist you with projects for no pay - it's an awesome "thank you" gift.
It's one of the best tools around to make people take notice. Hey, nothing is better than seeing someone in the real world wearing one of your shirts. Makes you feel all warm inside!
LOVE the multi-colored Jokers - again, retake this on a piece of black velvet so it looks like a catalog shot!
Great work Brian! Really nice job!
Shannon
What about the rest of you? Class day after tomorrow!
Be there or be square!
Shannon
First of all, the photo you sent is cool! I can see it is rather small and unfinished, but the lighting really adds interest and shows off the forms! Can't wait to see this one completed. Take photos of the sculpt and then the finished piece for your portfolio.
Now -
About dummies
I commend you on your resourcefulness. Going directly into the life cast is risky, especially when dealing with seam issues but it is quick, cut out about $1500 in extra expenses and the proof is in the final piece which is fantastic.
I don't know what you charged them for making this dummy, but if an established company that I used to be associated with were to do the job, we would have charged @ $6500. And that price would be based on the fact that there were pre-existing body molds, etc. I don't know what you charged but the
price I quoted is fair market price.
I ask you about the hair work because it was pretty darned good, and adds to the cost of the dummy. Even if you purchased a low-cost wig and styled it, the hairline should be hand punched and that takes time and time equals money.
Finally, YOU should OWN this dummy. Unless they were willing to pay $10,000 to out-right OWN it. You should have it back in your shop available for rent. Now, this head and wound are VERY specific (which is why I would rather have had a mold of the head so that you could run another one - and if you silicone life cast mold is still in one piece - I'd run another one and paint it all up for your portfolio)
My point is that I don't think you could rent this dummy without getting in trouble from the production company you made it for initially - that is, without CHANGING it 15% or only shooting it from the back.
Then, do what you will.
As for a rental price, this is what I'd do: Cleaning fee (that means cleaning off all of the existing blood and dressing it to be camera ready upon delivery) - $100. Daily rental $500. Weekly rental $1500 AND there should be a clause in your rental agreement that production will pay for any damage done to the dummy and you need to take a picture of the dummy all clean and ready to go and email it to production prior to its being picked up.
If you need to change the hair or hair style, I'd add another $200.
These are MORE than fair prices and the only way you'll get away with being so cheap is because you are starting out. As you build your library of rental products start increasing your cost INCREMENTALLY. However, if you take care of your stock, store it well, it should be nothing but
easy money and profit.
Finally, we'll be talking about expenses and factoring "time in-between" both as an employee and an employer on Saturday. If I forget to mention it, ask! We have a lot to cover tomorrow.
Shannon
Charlie - I LOVE this page...It shows, very clearly that you have the skills to take a project from conception to execution skillfully! WOW! So impressed. Makes me want to make a STARSHIP TROOPERS type movie and shoot it in Texas!
Congratulations! Excellent work.
Shannon
I think it's about time for another STARSHIP TROOPERS anyway! Brought to you by Shannon Shea, StudioADI, and introducing Blue Realm Studios
S.
http://www.shellypinder.com
I made a ton of changes and am in the process of designing a new header with the help of a friend.
I also had a chance to meet with Charlie at his studio today and I definitely see some collaborations in our future. He had so many fun toys!
I think you could stand a BIT of editing.
Again, I'd rather see 5 OUTSTANDING things than
30 pretty good things. I understand that you get a lot of work
doing injury makeups and if that is what you want to pursue, then
make it the absolute focus of your site. HOWEVER, blood gags are like
magic tricks - it's better to see them happen then to just see the elephant that
appeared on stage. Think VIDEO links. You can upload videos on youtube and
make them private - link the video to your page so clients can see the magic trick.
Also, you have a photo of a makeup you did on Lance Henriksen - THAT should be the icon slide
for your character makeup sub-menu. Most industry people have heard of Lance - so use his
celebrity to up your stock!!!
Great work!
Shannon
Again, this is ILLEGAL, but it kind of looks like this:
I've had a rough day today so let's all play nice tomorrow, okay?
:-)
See you in the morning (or whatever time it is for you, Peter!)
S.
I go to your blogsite and I start looking around and I got confused, then, once I sorted it out, my reaction was HOLY CRAP! THAT IS COOL!
So, again, what does Peter Cooper need to learn? Peter Cooper needs to put a website together that doesn't look like a discussion board and looks more like an artist looking to attract clients.
Your work is EXCELLENT! I especially like the digital Gwangi....we must talk Peter Cooper....
See you tomorrow.
Shannon
The oven is cool and I'm going to hold off for now. We live in a rental and don't need the headache. I'm hoping to have an actual studio sometime within the next couple of years and I'll revisit the idea then.
AAaaannd....I got a working webcam, so you guys get to see my shining face tomorrow.