OK sure it's been a month since my last post but Waterlollies is ready to submit pending one tiny addition. If that one little thing holds me up I'll submit it to NG, regardless.
To everyone who offered their support no matter how long the wait, thanks for your patience. I hated having to set estimated dates, only to see them go by as Waterlollies experienced further delays. It was (still is) pretty painful getting abusive emails, as if people thought I was sitting on my arse doing fuck all.
The fact is that having other contributors to the project meant that I could only set realistic dates for my own part of the work. So I worked hard getting all of the backgrounds, animation and effects done, putting the movie together and fine-tuning the flow of the story. For the other parts (scripting and audio) I could only encourage those artists to finish quickly, then step back and hope they would.
The important thing is that it's finished now and I hope you find that it's been worth the wait. Nathan McCree (the music guy) worked very hard on this. He's done amazing work as I knew he would. The music and the sound of Brackenwood is incredible and it adds so much to the animation. I'm very happy with the movie visually, audiblibabally and I'm also pretty happy with the story.
Speaking of story, I recently slapped my forehead as I came to the realisation that there's a difference between story telling and story writing. I do know how to tell a story well, but my story writing still needs work. I think this is why hitchHiker leaves a lasting impression. At its heart is a fantastic, gripping true story and I told it well.
My average Brackenwood movie however, the story is generally not as refined as it could be. So no matter how great the visuals, until I get my shit together the story will always seem a little lacking. There's been some positive and some negative response to Waterlollies story, but all in all I think it's better than previous Brackenwoods.
So I've invented a new motto: At the heart of a good story there's a good story.
See you in a couple of days!
-chlu
Lazyfeet
Two days until another masterpiece is released? Sounds fair enough to me :) Your work is always fantastic, but as you say lacking a story at places. I can't even imagine what this animation is going to hold. Whatever it is I'm looking forward to it.
I wish you the best of luck with the score and awards that follow with it but obviously that's not what animating is about, it's just an extra.
Also, on one final note... Waterlollies? I'm intrigued.
~Lazyfeet