A benchmark in Indian commercial video production.
Colin Levy
Another great director cum CG artist, an inspiration. I came across his work when I started learning Blender near an year ago. The secret Number is amazing and is one of my favorite short films.
The Secret Number – Full Film from Colin Levy on Vimeo.
The Secret Number – VFX Breakdown from Colin Levy on Vimeo.
The Secret Number – Previs Comparison from Colin Levy on Vimeo.
Lightning Hill Pictures – Logo Progression Reel from Colin Levy on Vimeo.
En Route – Full Film from Colin Levy on Vimeo.
Sintel (2009) – Full Film from Colin Levy on Vimeo.
Azureus Rising
I used to have a taste for 2D when I entered college for a degree in animation and multimedia, But this short film changed my perspective. Watched it in 2010 and thus got inclined towards 3D. Awesome work by DAVID WEINSTEIN (director).
AZUREUS RISING from David Weinstein on Vimeo.
Here is a link to the MAKING OF on 3dWorldMag.com - http://www.3dworldmag.com/2013/02/05/cool-animation-the-making-of-azureus-rising/
Ryan J Woodward
This guy has been an inspiration to me ever since I got into animation. This is an archive of some of his work and inspirational videos over the internet.
Bottom of the Ninth trailer from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
Bottom of the Ninth – What is it? from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
bottom of the Ninth – opening 3d Animation from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
Bottom of the Ninth – post issue #1 video from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
Bottom of the Ninth – who we are from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
Thought of You – Making Of from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.
Animating from the Heart – Logic vs Inspiration Animator and Filmmaker Ryan Woodward from Creative Talent Network on Vimeo.
War Or Peace?
War Or Peace? Story by Bharat Nag is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
WAR OR PEACE?
by
Bharat Nag
All characters that appear in the story are fictitious.
W A R O R P E A C E ? (5th Draft – 31st Dec, 2012)
long ago, somewhere in central India, a fierce battle for power took place. India, then, was divided broadly into three great empires. The southern cape was ruled by the Nagas. These were brutal warriors. It is said that the Naga people were the excluded ones due to their physical abnormalities. These were termed, “the devils”, with no heart or soul. The north eastern part was the Chandravanshi Dynasty. These people had a very unstable life as they were always into war, to gain more power and expand their boundaries. This greed of power and unorganized way of doing things had left them uncivilized for many decades. The north western India was the most civilized and well organized part of ancient India. It was called the Suryavanshi Dynasty. This well developed empire was always an attraction to the Chandravanshis.
One fine evening, looking down the horizon, the king of the Suryavanshi Empire spotted black smoke trails when he was taking a walk with his daughter, princess Arya, in one of the balconies of the royal castle. He suspected something wrong and immediately summoned for a handful of soldiers to go and check if everything was alright. After about two hours, one of them returned with a bad news. He told them that the Chandravanshis have made a standout near the banks of the river and that they would attack the Castle tomorrow in the morning. The king was very displeased. He had very little time to prepare for this battle. The enemy had taken them for surprise. All of the army was gathered in the night and all arrangements were made.
The first ray of the sun from the horizon revealed the beautiful red flags waving with the breeze. All castle doors were closed and the king lead an army of two thousand men dressed in metal ready to follow commands. The king shouted fiercely and the army marched forward. The sound of horse metal on cobalt filled up the quiet ambiance of the dawn.
Back in the castle interiors, Princess Arya was waiting impatiently for her father to come back victorious. All these years she has seen her father win numerous battles.
The sun started to settle down. Long echoing sounds of bugles could be heard from the tallest towers of the castle. The remaining soldiers gathered in the open space between the castle doors and the bridge that connects the castle with the mainland. They gathered to welcome the victorious one. It was a ceremony among the army members to greet and show respect to their commander when he returned home after a victory. Two of the soldiers opened the gates of the bridge. The doors opened and everyone was astonished at what they saw. A small army of about five hundred men entered the castle gates. Their steps echoed and synchronized in march-time. But the flags were not red. They were the Chandravanshis. There was silence all around. The king had lost the battle. And worst than that he was dead. The Chandravanshi King along with his son, who rode a horse, lead the army.
The king stopped right at the end of the bridge facing the left-over Suryavanshi warriors. Suddenly he heard some laughter and running footsteps filling the ambiance It was Arya. She thought it was her father. She came running and just when she entered the yard her smiles faded away. Right in-front of her she saw the king holding her father’s body in his hands. Her footsteps began to slow down and her face turned expressionless. The king’s son looked at her with an evil grin on his face pacing back and forth on his horse. Arya fell on her knees. Tears rolling down her face. She had just lost what was most precious to her in the whole world.
Large flames of fire and black smoke filled the glittering skyline in the night when Arya set fire to the ceremonial pyre of his father. She was accompanied by two soldiers still dressed in red to show respect to their dead leader. Arya Didn’t speak a word. Not to the king, not to the prince, not to anyone…
In the morning, the sounds of the early morning bugles changed. The castle flags turned blue. The new king was kind enough not to enslave anyone but allowed them to carry on their normal routines under a new command. watching the king’s behavior it was way easy for most of the people to get to their normal living. But it was not easy for Arya.
One fine morning, when the sun was just above the horizon and the prince was taking a morning walk in the castle corridors, he heard some hard hitting sounds. As if someone was beating the hell out of someone. He followed the sound and reached an open yard outside Arya’s room. Arya was out in her training uniform, fighting hard against a training pole. The prince hid himself under the shadows of the large castle pillars, quietly watching her rage thrown out. She was furious as hell. Taking out all her anger onto that pole. Her father used to teach her, train her at that same place every morning. She was exhausted but was not stopping. One large blow and the pole snapped into two pieces. Arya was out of breath, bent down, resting her hands on her knees and staring at the broken piece.
Just then, the prince revealed himself, impressed by her performance. He mocked her fighting and told her that he really liked that rage in her. His behavior was improper and humiliating for Arya but she didn’t speak a word. He further provoked her by telling her that he was the one who killed her father. This blew her out. She looked down, Eyes shut, fists closed. He lied to her about her father begging in the end. Arya, outraged, lost it and threw a blow with her fist. The prince was quick and strong to fetch her wrist twisting it to her back. Just then a tall, well built man entered the yard accompanied with a soldier. Watching him enter, the prince pushed her away and went away with that evil smile on his face.
The man stood there staring at Arya. Arya took a look and asked him who he was and what did he want. He reached to her with a smile on his face. He told her that he was his new teacher. He knew her father and that he promised her father to look after her when he was not there. She could not believe him as she never saw him before. The man gets close, Arya steps backwards leaning to the wall behind. He pulls his hand out and picks a small bud from the veins growing through the wall. Looking at the bud he tells her that perhaps she would want to believe in him cause her father believed in him. He takes the bud on his palm and cups his hand like a flower. The Bud starts floating in the air. Arya astonished at what she saw. Still staring at the bud he tells her that her mind, her anger is just like this small powerless bud that can do nothing until taken care of. But when it is nurtured it can grow to a flower that blooms the environment leaving a mark with its beauty. He flew his other hand from above the floating bud and it turned into a colorful fragrant flower. Arya was wonder struck at what she saw, her mouth shut, eyes darting on the man and the flower. He handed her the flower and pointed at a nearby hill. He told her that the hill top had flowerbeds of the same flower and that he would meet her there, the next morning. Saying this he left, leaving Arya confused and wonder struck.
Arya could not sleep that night. Thinking about what she experienced. But the miracle that she saw with her own eyes always pushed her on, to go and see what’s in store for her. Right in the morning she escaped the castle walls in that beautiful white horse her father gifted her. When she climbed half the hill, she had to leave the horse. She thought it would be safer and no one else would come to know.
she reached the hill top in the afternoon when the burning sun was right over her head. walking on the large open hill top she saw various kinds of animals and plants that she has never seen before. The water from the stream felt so fresh and pure. The cool breeze brought the scent of those flowers. She walked a bit more and found the flowerbeds that the man was talking about. It was beautiful. And there was this man meditating under the shade of a tree and a large dome shaped rock behind him. Besides him was a small pond with water plants and creatures.
She sat there for sometime because she didn’t wanted to disturb his meditation. An unusual animal came to her sight. It came closer and felt friendly with the girl. It cuddled onto her lap and the man opened his eyes. He said he knew she would come. Arya at once interrupted and asked how did he do that trick in the castle. To this, he laughed and stood up. He told her that it was no trick, it was no magic either. He told her how our mind, if trained, can communicate with different forms of energy. He told her that even she could do it if she comes to master her senses. She seemed surprised and confused at the same time. She asked him about his motive behind all this and about who he really was. He told her that he was her father’s friend. They both went to the Gurukul together. But he chose to live a saintly life. He told her that her father wanted him to be her teacher but he knew her father himself was a great teacher so he never felt that there was any need for him to come over. He respected her father and his ideals. But now that he was not there, It was his duty and responsibility to come to her rescue. Now she did believe in his words.
So she started living there on the hill. On his watch. As the time passed she came to respect what he taught her. He taught her about ideals, he taught her to meditate, and taught her to fight. One fine day when she was standing alone against the breeze, he came to her and asked so as what she has been thinking all this time. She told her how angry and impatient she was to go and do harm to those who did harm to her. He could see that she remembered her father and how she missed that love and affection he gave her. To this he tells her to bury the past behind as it didn’t matter at all. He tells her that if someone hurts you, It doesn’t mean that you do the same in return. the most important time that she should worry about is now not the past neither the future. To this she argues that if it is so, if she shouldn’t avenge her father’s death then why is he giving all this training to her. Why is he teaching her to fight.
He takes a deep sigh and tells her that he is training her to stop any further tyranny that the prince is capable of showing. Violence for self defense violence for Dharma, Violence for Staya is not bad he says. There is nothing like vengeance in my principles he adds. Don’t fight because you want to avenge your father. No, that was history and better be history. Fight because you don’t want to see any more killing. Fight to kill Adharma.
Arya was matured enough to understand what he wanted to say. She saw her father in him. It was tough for her to swallow all of it but she respected her teacher and believed in him. To this she bowed down for blessings. He took her by her shoulders and picked her up. His hand on her head. He told her that his teachings have at last come to a fruitful result. But he said he had one last test for her. He told her that yesterday night the king died in the castle. And so now the prince was to have the throne. And today he was about to march with his army to capture the northern provinces. You’ve got to stop him he said. He looked back and Arya wasn’t there. He sighed.
Arya understood what she had to do. She was running down the hill and half way she met her horse. She rode it to the castle doors. there was this huge army with the prince in front. Arya got down from her horse. Everyone including the prince was surprised to see her. She pulled out her sword and pointed it towards the prince. She said move back with your army. She said she won’t let him kill any more men. He smiled and asked so as who is going to stop him? She replied, she would. He laughed looking at his army. No more killing, she said. No more fathers would die, No more daughters would cry. If he wants to kill he has to go through her first. To this he said, “so be it this way”. He got down his horse and commanded his army not to interfere, whatever might be the condition. Took off his helmet and pulled out his sword. Arya so calm and quiet stood at the same place. Prince started moving closer. Arya closed her eyes for a moment and remembered her father, her teacher and his last words. She opened her eyes and blew nice one onto his sword. They both started the fight. The prince was astonished experiencing such hard blows from Arya. She fought like a man. The prince began to exhaust. He came running to her with anger in his eyes and shame of being blown down in-front of his army by a woman. Arya anticipated, dodged and blew. The sword went right through his body. Arya pushed it further in. She got close to his ear and whispered, “This one’s for killing my father”. She pulled the sword back and the prince fell down. Silence all around. She shouted out loud, “Is there anyone else?”.After a pause one soldier came closer, pulled his sword and blew it down on the ground. He knelt down to show respect to his new queen. The rest of the army followed.
The End
Shadow Origins
(backup – script) 30,Oct,2011.
ROUGH DRAFT
Steve is driving his car on the highway when he receives a phone call. Something terrible has happened. He turns his car to the opposite lane and heads backwards. He reaches the place surrounded by cop cars and army jeeps and finds his wife, Suzanne there. He moves ahead and finds that she is tied to a set of bombs all rigged to blow. He starts beating the hell out of the locks in all his dismay. He holds her face with his hands and tells her that everything would be alright when both of them knew that nothing would be. Suzanne is quiet and doesn’t mumble a word.
15 seconds on the clock and the bomb squad person on the side tells him that he is sorry but nothing could be done. Two other army men hold him tight and take him away. He struggles with all his strength to get off their grips but couldn’t He takes the last sight of Suzanne She closes her eyes and the bomb blows her into pieces.
A month later, Steve reaches home from work and turns on the answering machine to check out any messages. A stranger recorded a message for Steve. The voice tells him to head to an address where he would like to meet him. He adds that he has something that belongs to Steve. Something that his father left for him.
Steve heads out to the address and finds his uncle Carl there. Carl is an old man of about 70. He tells him that he heard about Suzanne and that he was really sorry for his loss. Steve changes the topic and asks him the cause for calling him here.
Carl takes a deep breath and begins. He tells him that his father left some things that would be his when he had learnt some lessons from life. He wanted you to use it for a special purpose, for something good.
He takes him to his study and reveals a secret door. They both take the stairs down to the basement. On the way Carl tell him a story. He tells him that his father was a great man. He was a great scientist and worked for the Indian army when Steve was a baby. He designed this high tech machine equipment for the army which got stolen. He was held responsible for everything and was called to have betrayed the country. He was sentenced to be hanged. The truth was that he did nothing. The corrupt generals were the ones that put everything to his hands.
He was a great man. On his last days at prison he wrote me some letters addressing how much he loved you. He told me that he had something for you and told me to hand it over to you only when the time was right. He wanted you to use it for good.
Both of them reach the spot. Carl brings in a Tube full of gas from beneath the floor. The tube rotates to reveal a high tech army suit wonderfully crafted. Carl opens the glass door and it stands right in front of Steve. Carl tells him that Steve’s father wanted him to wear this suit and protect the common people from terrorism that was growing because of people like those generals who were responsible for his death. Carl tells him that this suit would give him extraordinary powers like no other. He tells him that now is the right time and opportunity for him to avenge the death of his wife and send those terrorist a message that it’s time to stop killing innocent people.
Steve touches the suit with his finger tips and regrets that all his life he thought that his father was a terrorist. He thought that his father betrayed his country. And is really surprised to see his intelligence and love for his son.
On the boundaries of the army headquarters a small ball rolls to the fence which transforms into a spider-bot. It cuts a hole through the fence and moves in. It has a small screen on the head that shows AREA CLEAR blinking. Just then two Saber-bots(panther like robots) break into the compound and start destroying the place. At the same time the spider bot reaches there main army archive where it starts stealing the documents from the computers with the gadgets that come out of his head.
Meanwhile, Steve back home with a picture of Suzanne in his hands stands looking out of the large window thinking about his love and his father. Thinking about how in earth is he going to fight terrorism alone. Just then the TV set at his back sounds the latest news of terrorist attack on the army headquarters. He raises the volume and sits to watch it carefully.
On the battle ground, the Sabers are destroying everything and suddenly Steve appears as Shadow for the first time. With rage in his eyes he beats the hell out of both of the Sabers. The Spider bot now showing NEED BACKUP on the screen. News Helicopters record Shadow fighting the Sabers and protecting the army compounds.
Just then a large humanoid robot appears to jump from above. Shadow runs to fight him with his sword but finds that it’s too difficult for him. He is incapable of fighting him and gets some beat from him. He lies on his knees and hands facing the ground. The memories of his love occupies him. All those thought, those moments they spent together and the moment he saw her die. This outrages him and He starts fighting back. He beats this robot too and at last kills it with a huge bomb blast. The spider bot bounces off due to the blast now showing MISSION FAILED.
The Smoke fades of to reveal the burning remains of the robot and Shadow standing with his Sword in his hand. And thus Shadow Origins.
…FINISH…
