Elysian Tail

News and Production Diary

Oct 25, 2007

Wow, has it been over a year since the last update? My apologies, I'll try to do better on the website. It's been quite a hectic year (for the film and myself), but things are starting to settle and hopefully I'll be able to update more often.
Since the last update I've been working on one of the 'big' action sequences for the film. I've taken inspiration from many of my favorite directors and video games for what I hope to be something extraordinary, and it's been a thrill to finally see it put to 'film'. I've probably made these sequences much more complex than any single person should, but I believe the payoff speaks for itself. One of the shots is 20 seconds long and involves about 12 characters; CG and traditional. I'll have some more artwork up shortly, although I don't want to spoil 'too' much. There's a reason most of the screenshots so far have been from the same few sequences.
Otherwise there's little news to update with. The film, while rewarding, is obviously a slow process. Personally I've kept busy with family and video games, to keep my mind going crazy working on such a large project.
In other semi-animated news, I felt compelled to share this bit with you regarding Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strips and easily my favorite American artist. There is a new bio coming out, and the Schulz family has had some strong criticm over its contents. I had read excerpts and the book paints Schulz as unloving and cold, and his children have come to his defense. Head on over to Cartoon Brew for the story, and to read some comments by his family.

Oct 7, 2006

This is an exciting time because I've begun work on Segment 5. The reason this is of significance is that I'm finally getting to animate the heroine in some cool action sequences. Interestingly I've found most of my action inspiration from video games. Particularly with sword fighting.
I'm currently working on a very bold and lengthy shot involving a lot of 3D camera work. It takes five times longer than a traditional shot (purely cg or traditional), but it's incredibly fulfilling to see it slowly come together. I spent a couple weeks simply building assets for these few shots, and it's finally paying off.
In other news, animator/director Phil Nibbelink has made history by being the first person to single handedly animate a full length feature film. While there have been other independent features, his is the first of this caliber, worthy to compete at the box office against your usual studio films. Check out the website to his film, Romeo and Juliet - Sealed With a Kiss. From one indie to another, congratulations Phil!

Aug 9, 2006

Thank you all for visiting. Although I've intentionally done very little to advertise the site, we've already received nearly a thousand visits in the short time that it's been up. I want to thank my new webhost, Barron Hosting for hosting the site, and I highly recommend them for anyone needing a good service. Their customer support thus far has been top notch, and they have great rates.
I rarely get to animate cycles for the film, as they tend to look, well, like cycles. But I finished a shot where Leddinger is working on his bike (Seg03 Sc055c), and it was fun to get a bit of extra mileage out of using a cycle, quite sparingly of course. Ahh, if I could only complete footage at that speed at all times.
I'm also doing a few bolder scenes as well. The last six months have been spent mostly on dialogue, and although I'm not doing full-on action, at least the characters are moving around a bit more and doing stuff. Always makes it a little easier to animate. After I finish this sequence, I'm dying to do some really bold action stuff.
I don't spend much time online, but I do occasionally participate over at the Animation Nation forums. A great place for professionals and fans alike. And I'm currently finding a lot of inspiration from xerox-era Disney. Milt Kahl's Medusa has been quite humbling for me as an animator.

Jul 24, 2006

The teaser website for Elysian Tail has been put back online. Yes, we are still here, and production is moving along at a brisk pace. A good bit footage been completed, and once again early feedback has been promising.
Several new pieces of art have also been added to the gallery.
Segment 04, a seventeen minute stretch of film, was completed last year. Originally started as just a proof of concept, Segment 04 blossomed into a great piece of acting, action, and animation. I'm currently working on the end of Segment 03, a scene involving Leddinger, one of the lead protagonists, and his daughter, Tika.

Aug 18, 2003

More screenshots uploaded, as well as a frame of rough animation. The fanart section grows daily as well, so be sure to check it out!
I've had the opportunity to give a sneak preview to a select few people that I've worked with in the past, and reaction has always been positive. The film is coming along great, and every day we get a little closer to the dream. Once a large enough portion of the film has been completed, you can be sure to find a trailer as well as a revamped website right here.

Mar 22, 2003

Since the last update I've been adding a slow stream of images. We are nearing completion of our first segment (there are roughly 16 segments to the film). Six minutes of footage is complete, and it's looking great! Keep checking this space for more info as it is released! Also, don't forget that my personal page, Noogy.com (currently down), is updated more often and full of updates on the film. Thanks for visiting!

July 27, 2002

We have put up a Fan Art Gallery for Elysian Tail. If you would like to contribute artwork and have it uploaded to the gallery, please email me. (fanart and email currently offline)

April 2, 2002

The Official Elysian Tail website goes live!