Happy New Year!!!

Yeah, sorry it's a bit late. I'll post a proper blog on what I've been doing since November (!) shortly. Rest assured, I've been doing important stuff and things (re-writing episodes 1, 2 and currently 3) and I've been getting James to model some scenery/objects, but I have this week off work and I intend to get stuff done.

I'll have plenty of pictures to put on next time too, I had planned to post some but I've had a few technical issues.

Hope/Change/Other buzzwords

Well folks, it's certainly been a while hasn't it? Yes, in a scene so typically 'me' I haven't updated this thing in over a month. Well, inspired in part by a certain man's victory speech this is going to change. Things have certainly changed since I last posted - the economy has gone into melt-down (I work for a bank - great..) and more recently, America has a new president - one of those new-fangled 'negroes'

I'll start by saying I haven't been completely inactive, although Football Manager and Fable 2 have conspired to try and make this so, as has the usual copious amounts of naturally-occuring plants. But anyway, I'm going to make a conscious attempt to get this going at full pelt again as I am concerned at the lack of recent posts.

For a quick status update, other projects for Dan and James have got in the way of starting the actual character designs (this is fair considering other projects actually pay money out) and secondly, my own ineptitude has also caused the project to stagnate somewhat from a visual point of view.

Dan and James have set up their own website which I understand James will be migrating his blog to and can be found here: www.iontide.com, or simply google "iontide" and I'm told it is the number 1 hit on the list. Then again, it's suprising what you can do on Google when you make up your own word.. :)

With those shameless plugs out the way, I'll move onto my own developments and let you know that the scripts are currently undergoing a process of revision (this is the first and only time you'll associate that word with me, even during the course of degrees and exams) and the first episode has had some amendments made to it which I'll detail

here. Well, not exactly right here, but on this next line of text. The episode is now around 45-60 seconds longer to allow for some more character development and story telling. Therefore we get more of Boris and Miguel, along with a couple of new jokes/visual gags and the extra scene I've added now helps with the overall pacing of the episode. Lastly, I've changed the ending of the episode so that it now kind of actually ends, as opposed to the rather abrupt cut-off from before. I'll post it on here shortly.

Lastly, I'll be recording some voices this week as I have people who I think are capable of doing all 4 characters but we will see, won't we? Additionally I'll be starting the character designs, etc this week/weekend so hopefully soon I'll have some things to put up on here. Oh, and lastly, I think Esteban might be making a guest return again soon but we'll see, he's a frightfully lazy man.

In the words of Jerry: "Until next time, take care of yourselves, and each other."

Dem Bones

Slightlier later than scheduled, here's the last character description of Bones, Esteban's best friend, who can be seen in episode 1; which can be found here:


http://rapidshare.com/files/141144250/TCT_-_Webisode_I_-_Meet_The_Mexican_v1.1.doc.html


Here's his little potted bio:


"Name: Bones

Also known as: “Homes”, “Children’s Ward boy”.

Age: Around 25

Main Relationships: Esteban (best friend), Miguel (friend), Boris (friend)

Appearance:

Bones is so-called entirely due to his appearance. He stands about 6ft tall and is extremely lanky. He has a shaved head due to him trying to avoid a receding hairline, and deeply set blue eyes with pale skin.

He is not an ugly man as such, just very skinny, giving him an almost skeletal appearance. To contrast his appearance Bones can normally be seen wearing a huge dopey grin unless angry, when he can turn very suddenly.

Clothes:

Bones nearly always wears the same outfit: blue jeans and a black hoodie with the characters “:OD” written on it, which is a reference to his casual attitude towards drug taking. Bones will on occasion wear other shirts that relate to drug taking, the sort you would find at any novelty festival stand.

Personality:

Bones is a friendly, loyal chap who is best friends with Esteban. He is one of few people to truly stick by him, rather than use him for drugs or his house. He is also friends to some extent with Boris and Miguel, yet they see him as stupid and don’t truly consider him an equal.

Bones appears quite stupid, yet is smarter than he is given credit for, often able to hold his own in a battle of wits, but his general knowledge leaves plenty to be desired and he is easily led and can be gullible.

Whilst generally a very easy-going chap, Bones was previously in the army but was sent home in disgrace for smoking weed, and will recall these tales with glee. He is not to be crossed, as he does still have the training to take people down but it is rare he is that riled. He still lives with his parents, who believe he was kicked out of the army on legitimate medical grounds.

Bones does not have a job, and is currently collecting the dole. He hangs around with Esteban for the majority of the day and will often earn extra (although miserly) cash for carrying drugs for him.

Mannerisms:

Bones is very gangly and clumsy but spends most of his time stoned with blood-shot eyes and has a dopey laugh. His voice has a very broad west midlands accent, but when he is drunk or on pills he will tend to speed up his sentences and intersperse them with swearing and the word “buzzing”."


Sadly no pics of note, but don't worry, I'll post episode 2 online tomorrow for people to have a perusal of at their leisure.

Laters.

Webisode 1 - Meet The Mexican

For today's blog I thought I'd give you a different kind of treat. This does depend on your definition of the word 'treat', but I thought you might like to see the script for the first episode of the animation. It's in it's first draft, and there are some tweaks in my head that I want to make, but it's almost there I think.

Despite the fact that it introduces two characters I haven't yet described, I thought I'd post it anyway and my next couple of posts will be to describe the two characters left to introduce.

The first of these is "Bones", Esteban's best friend/partner in crime. For now, think of him as a tall skinny 25 year-old with a shaved head and slightly skeletal (although not ugly) features. His accent is the one typical in my neck of the woods, a broad Black country accent. Here's a video for those who don't know what I mean.

Ignore the bloke's own words, folk round here should be proud of their accent!

Anyway, Boris is as my main profile image is, an owl that looks a bit Ronnie-Barker esque, and has a northern/Yorkshire accent.

Anyway, without further ado, click here to get a copy of the script for Episdode 1, depending on the response, I may post or e-mail some of the further 5 I've written. Laters homies.

http://rapidshare.com/files/141144250/TCT_-_Webisode_I_-_Meet_The_Mexican_v1.1.doc.html