Life pokes its nose in

Sorry for the wordy post this time, but there's a lot to get in.

As is inevitable with a long term, ambitious project like this, life has taken a few turns of late and I find myself behind schedule.

I've moved from one full-time job to another, discovered that the new job is not the job for me, left that and started up as a self-employed freelance animator and art/animation lecturer.

My finishing date for Gilbert's War may (okay, will definitely) slip as a consequence, since working for myself is all-consuming, in that I have to go out and find the work as well as do it.

I've also taken the opportunity to look at the design of Gilbert's War while I can, and I think I have a new direction that will greatly benefit the appeal of the short. The overall tone will not change, it's just slight but obvious changes made to the fabric of the piece having stared at it for this long.

So, I'm looking at going 3d for the characters. One of my fears was having the film look like every other CGI short out there. I wanted to keep the hand-drawn element for human characters as a physical and visual connection between me and Gilbert, but I now know I can achieve the same with specific design choices.

I know a lot about the technology of animation, specifically in how it relates to modern CG practices, particularly for video games, and I plan to harness that technology, make it work for me to enhance what I can achieve as a crew of one.

So, there you are. I'll post new material as soon as I have any to show. Work on the screenplay continues, and I'll post some snippets in the near future.

HMHS St Patrick

This is the ship that brought a wounded Gilbert safely back to Blighty, only to be sent back to the front to fight for the remainder of the war.

There are monochrome photographs out there, but this fabulous colour painting is by William Albert Edward Jeneway, a ships steward who loved to paint and who sold many of his paintings to passengers aboard ship. He painted HMHS (His Majesty's Hospital Ship) St Patrick at the very time it was being used to ferry the British wounded back from the Western Front.

It's the perfect reference for Gilbert's War. I can't ask for better than that!

One man and his dog

Whilst researching Gilbert's life and family through online ancestry sites, I got in touch with a guy called Glenn from Canada. Glenn is related to me through Gilbert's family, and he has some photographs that I've never seen.

The most outstanding one for me is one of Gilbert's dad, Walter. He's seen here in a small patch of ground in Wortley, Leeds, surrounded by his chickens and one of his pigs (visible behind his left hand). With him is his dog (name unknown) and in his right hand is a switch, a small whip (I presume for the dog).

I look forward to uncovering more wonders like this, as I keep digging to fill out the picture of how Gilbert lived.

Great new development

Long time no post. I took a break from Gilbert over Christmas and started again in earnest early last month (January).

Things are progressing well. The vimeo trailer was featured on Blender.org (the main site for the open source 3d software I use) and got over 5,000 views in the first week it was up. It's had a great reception from everyone I've shown it to, and has given me determination to push on and make it the very best I can.

I've been writing and, since I need input from other (read better) writers, have set up a regular writing workshop, starting on Monday evening, with two writing partners who's work I respect immensely.

So, I have a firmer idea now on how to tell Gilbert's story to give it the best visual impact, and offer the viewer a tense, gripping drama with a great finish.

I recently got back in touch with other members of Gilbert's family through the magic of Facebook, and their added insight will be a great help.

All in all, it's a very exciting time - so I really should stop typing and get back to it!

Until next time,

Gary.