MONSTERS: The Movie

Artwork Works in Progress
1

Hi all,
I’m thinking about making a movie called MONSTERS The Movie (No prizes for guessing what it’s about, then!)
here’s the basic idea:
There is a world of small hopping monsters and this one bad guy (Tark) and his asssistant (Wyforce) are trying to find a magical diamond in the hidden caves of Door in the Snowlands. Our two heroes (Bleep and Peach) are in the Snowylands on holiday. They accidentally find the diamond but Tark steals it from them at night. They follow him to his base inside a mountain and there find that he wants to use the diamond to destroy the local village! So they have a subterranean fight etc.
[Not sure about how it could end and admittedly the idea needs fleshing out a bit more, but Id like to know what people think!]
The first scene at the very start of the movie is already written out as follows:

We see a rotting proson block situated in a gorge/swamp filled with flies and huge mosquitoes. Barbed wire is coiled all around the building and smoke is errupting out of cracks on the hard ground.

We pan past some prison qindows showing various inmates in differing statess of awareness: some are lying passed out on the floors of their cells while others are awake and raving, rattling at the bars of their cages.

Then we suddenly come to a cell which is empty: A slimy floor tile has been removed, revealing a dark creepy tunnel.

Black

Suddenly a searchlight blasts into life on the prison rooftop. Wailing sirens are heard as prison cars errupt from the rotting garage with a billow of dust.

A flashing sign on the wall above the prison door blares out - “ESCAPE! - ESCAPE!”

We cut to a dark shadow (Tark) slipping effortlessly across thee roof of a small extension.

A sleeping guard jolts into a sudden wakefulness at the sounds. He turns as a black shadow falls across him. A knife flashes in the darkness and he falls down, dead (Note :- don’t want it gory, just as a ‘thriller’ start).

A searchlight flashes over the dead guard as Tark vaults the roof and lands in an incredibly small sleek flying craft which was hovering below, waiting for him. It’s driver is Tark’s henchman, Wyforce.

They speed off into the night, leaving the prison in a state of total panic.

So… there it is. I always loved movies that started off with a bang but I would love some feedback as to whether anyone think this could get them on the edge of heir seats if they watched it. Any ideas, even crazy ones, and any C&C would be very much appreciated!

Ta
@lex

PS i know this is a huge task but ijust want to try it lol…

2

That sounds pretty good!:smiley:
Have you made any of the characters or scenes yet? If you’re fairly new to Blender (as your join date suggests) then I’d advise trying some of the tutorials on this page, there’re ones for modelling and character animation and stuff, they’re quite helpful:yes:
Good luck!:slight_smile:

3

Cheers mate! yep i have made a couple of characters etc, if anyone out there wants to design some for me i’m not complaining lol! I’ve made one short film (3 mins ) about a juice carton but I’m still not that great at organic modelling! C&C on any ideas still welcome, as are concepts etc,

Ta
@lex

4

Destroying a local village with a magical diamond, eh?

My advice would be to start with a single character. Sketch him out, perhaps make up a bit of background story. Model, texture, rig, animate.
If you actually make it through all that, you will have a better understanding of what it will take to make a movie. And you have at least a character to show.
Only then bother to detail the story. Oh, and consider trying a 3 to 5 or maximal 10 minute clip first.

5

OK - The images are in your head… Where to from here?

I strongly recommend you create a story board. The pros use 6x8 cards, but I find sheets of paper folded into 4 or 8 panels works just as well.

Sketch each shot in pencil so you can see how the look of the thing will work.

Once you’ve got them done, scan them into your computer and use Blender’s sequence editor to work out the timing of each shot. You can render the sequence and play it back as much as you want. this is a good place to chop and change the scene so it plays out just the way you imagined. (Check the Wiki on how to use the Sequence Editor!)

When finished, you will be able to see how many frames each shot comprises. Having this as a guide makes it heaps easier when you come to animate the characters.

Now you have that, you can see what the characters should look like and what they will be required to do in the production - you can go on to modeling and rigging!

Good luck!

6

thanks guys! yeah what i was planning to do was to try and use this whole thing as a huge learning experience.
-Thorwil Cheers! I’m doing that now!

  • Ammusionist - thanks will stat those storyboards soon! (once i’ve got enough time)
    Ta
    @lex