Make Animation to Help My Friend Whose Life Was Destroyed

Jobs Volunteer Work
1

This is an unusual post, but I’ve been amazed at how far the Blender community has been willing to go, and how much time they’ve been willing to donate, to create something extraordinary. And so I am asking for your help.

Background:

So, here’s the story. When I was a child, I was very close to a family that lived across the street from me. They were a beautiful family. A mother, father, son, and daughter. Growing up, I was particularly close to the daughter. She was only ten years old when we first met. I used to walk her to the school bus when she was little. Eventually, we went to high school together.

Our lives went in two different directions when I left for college. We lost touch. I ended up going to law school, and she ended up going homeless. But I didn’t know until last year when I heard in the news that her husband brutally murdered her own mother.

I tried to reach out to her but she wouldn’t respond. So to get through to her, I made an animation in Blender along with an orchestral score. It worked. When she saw the animation, she called me the next day. We reconnected. But her life is in shambles. And I want desperately to return hope and beauty to her life.

Your Help:

I am asking artists to help me recreate the animation I made for my friend. I plan to use it to raise money for her. I have two fundraising goals: (1) to hire an orchestra for further fundraising and (2) a much loftier goal, to purchase a house for her. But the only thing I’m asking from you is your computer graphics talent.

My current animation is pretty rough. Here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NobvjvcJ7GE

I didn’t have the time, resources, or talent to make something of high quality. I need your help to create something that will attract a large audience on youtube and gofundme and inspire them to give. If we’re lucky, the animation just might raise enough money through ads alone. The animation is a fictionalized version of our childhood. I welcome improvement to the storyline.

My friend has lost her way. It will take enormous effort to bring her back. I already spoke to an orchestra, and they are willing to perform for her. A memorable event of significant magnitude can remind her of her importance and inspire her to rejuvenate her life. A chamber orchestra is only about $2000. So it’s accomplishable. Thank you for your help.

2

Sounds really interesting! Unfortunately, I am not a senior animator so I won’t be able to do it myself but it would be fine if we did it as a group project. Can we discuss this further in PM?

3

Yes - absolutely. A group project is what I was hoping for. To everyone else, I’d be very excited to start a group project for this.

4

The project sounds amazing, I just returned after watching your animation.The beauty of the music was really touching. If I can I can try and assist in a way, my skills are not much, but I’ve played around with effects and animations a bit. I would like to contribute in a group project , but with my upcoming graduation and problems with PC I don’t know If I’d be of adiquate help. From my heart I wish the best of success to this project and your friend!

5

Dragomir, thank you for your interest! I sent you a PM with more information.

So there are two artists who are tentatively looking to help. I think if we get some more artists we can really start something here. Please, if anyone else out there would be willing to donate his or her time, I would be tremendously grateful. Qvarsken mentioned to me in private message that we’ll need more than 2-3 people. So if you’d be kind enough to contribute your talents, I’d be very excited to speak to you.

Thank you.

6

Hi, I would really like to participate in this project :smiley:
I didn’t really work with modeling of humans or rigging yet but I am sure I can learn it or help with other aspects of the animation.
So just PM me :slight_smile:

7

Thank you! I will PM you now! I really appreciate your generosity.

8

Is there anyone who is amazing at animating characters? More than anything, we could really use a great animator who can really bring life to the story.

9

You know, what makes a work or animation “job” a creation, is the heart and soul you’ve obviously put into this. It’s the way you’ve expressed this story and the impact it has on it’s viewers, not the artistic quality of the production that counts. The ‘film’ is brilliant, the music lifted me clear off the ground, the story beautifully symbolic. It’s complete already to my mind. High quality production is your quest though and I sincerely wish you every success with this venture. I’m merely a Blender hack, not an artist by a long shot and can only envy people such as yourself.

10

personally i think its pretty good, for the most part, and maybe you should not dive deeper into much realism and animation, keep it this original cartoonish style only adjust the movie clips let them fade in and out, so it will look a bit smoother. Only if sudden action happen you could do without smooth blending, else like the music keep it smooth.

However looking at the viewing numbers on youtube, i dont think you will be able to make money with it, well not a lot.
Its just not a blockbuster movie, you might perhaps put your energy into different things to raise money.
however your intentions are good and i think he / she for who you made it, will like it.

I dont think people get rich from a single animation on youtube, despite the efforts that wents into them…sorry.

on the other hand since you ask for suport put your blend files here with the thread, and well you never know what can happen.

11

I appreciate the compliments so much. Thank you. I’m touched by all the positive comments. We’re gonna give it shot though and see what comes of it. Again, if anyone else is reading this - we could really some great animators!

12

Sent you a PM.

13

i am very new to animation and modelling, so cant really help there, but i have many years of experience with audio, so if i can help with anything audio related please let me know.

14

Unfortunately, audio is pretty much done. It’s going to be strictly music, which I’ve already recorded.

However, I was considering the idea of collecting musicians who could play the actual instruments (right now, it’s all sampled sounds through a keyboard). I’d love to do a virtual orchestra kind of like Eric Whitacre’s virtual choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7o7BrlbaDs

Are you also a musician?

Thanks for your interest

15

What about foley?

16

i am also a musician, but unfortunately i dont play any instruments (not well anyway).

i can help with foley if you need it, but i assume there is none, if i understand you correctly.

if there is anything that pops up that you would like done post it up here and i will do my best to help.

17

Thank you - I really appreciate it. I hope maybe something will pop up.

18

I sent you a PM

19

Making an update here:

We now have a team of 5 artists working together. Got some really cool artists, and it’s very exciting. So we’ve got some momentum and the project is coming along nicely.

If anyone is looking for a cool project to work on with several artists, we’ve got something coming into fruition and could use some more talent. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of an animated movie. We’d especially love to have animators! This movie has dancing and lots of other character interactions. So if you’re an animator, you’d be a god send. But we can also use modelers, sculptors, riggers, compositors, light-designers, 2D artists, etc.

Thanks everyone! And thanks to everyone for the enormous support so far.

20

Very interested to hear how it’s progressing so far. Have played your movie several times, always enjoy it. My Blender skills are more towards animating objects, mostly non biological, techniques for video etc., and imagine they wouldn’t much apply to a project of this nature. It’s been a little while since my last reply and I’m quite interested in how this turns out for you. I offer any assistance I can if it will help you get you there.