IZ:TDM! Animation Tests and Stuff

Hey guys! Stanley Orr here again, and I just wanted to quickly update you (since most of the IZ:TDM! stuff I've done is stuff I can't exactly share without leaking info that I don't want leaked yet :B)



FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS: ANIMATION TESTSAlright, so you may have (or may not have) known that I'm doing animation tests (here are the videos: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] ), the purpose of which is to determine if an "animated comic" form would be a good fallback plan if full traditional animation doesn't work for IZ:TDM! I'll be updating you on these as they come along, and - fingers crossed - within the month you will see a sample of how IZ:TDM! could look in that style.

VOICE ACTING DEPARTMENTWe only have one person left to do their lines, as I said, and ZIM's Voice Actor is nearly done!!! :D He's got only a week or two to go before he can sit down and finish them up, so yay! :dance: Soon I'll be able to assemble the FULL vocal track for IZ:TDM! and that will be a huge step forward!

CONCEPT ART DEPARTMENTThings are looking better in here, actually! I have people back to working on necessary concept art, and I plan to jump in once the animation test is done so that I can keep things moving, too. Once concept art is completed for Sequence 1, I'll have my concept artists move on so that storyboard and thumbnail artists can step in and start working things out! ^_^

IZ:TDM! - General Update (and semi-exciting news!)

Hey there, all! Long time, no see. Kinda. Anyway, it's been a while since I've done an update, so - here ya go - here's an update! Yay!

PROJECT STATUS

Alright, so, currently, things aren't going as smoothly as I want them to. I think there are areas we could use more help in, and pick up the pace with. But as far as all else goes, things are on a pretty good trajectory.

Voice acting is great. We only have two characters left - ZIM and Purple - and they've only got Act III left in their lines. So that's good. As soon as all lines of dialogue are recorded, I'll be getting to work editing them together for use in the final product. That will be great.

Concept art is one of the areas we're lagging in. It's unfortunate, but the fact remains that concept art takes a lot of effort, and - generally speaking - volunteers do need constant reminders to ensure work gets done. Now, don't misunderstand me - this is not a jab at anyone, it's a mere statement of fact. If I could pay people in money, I would, because that ensures a more fastidious job. As it is, though, I find that I haven't gotten concept art in over a week, and that's mainly because I haven't poked, prodded, and reminded the few concept artists I have working that we need stuff done. So, that's something that needs to be taken care of.

Another thing currently going on is test animations for alternate animation styles. I'll be honest, guys, traditional 2D animation is not easy. It's hard, challenging, and time-consuming as is. The only way we'll be able to pull it off for a full-length feature film is with a crew of many animators, but that requires supervision, and I shudder to think of the way volunteers could manage to mess up shots, angles, and continuity simply by fact that I'm inexperienced as a director. To help, I'm experimenting with different animation styles which we will show at a later date. If all goes well, we'll demonstrate an accurate representation of how these different items could work to make a good animation in spite of it being a different style.

STORYBOARDING

Storyboarding is going to be interesting, to say the least. On one hand, I have an idiotic urge to do everything myself ("if you want it done right" and all that), but - on the other hand - I'm sane, and know that I cannot do it all on my own. Hence, I need help.

I'm planning to grab as many storyboard artists as I can (ideally eight to eleven members), and have us divy up scenes amongst ourselves based off of rough thumbnails. The storyboards will be refined, accurate, and work well. The only hangup is vision - I don't think many will share the same one I have, and I do not want to overstep a boundary and restrict their creativity. It will be a challenge to strike a balance there, but - hopefully - making a video dedicated to what I'm expecting in storyboards will alleviate this problem.

As for thumbnails, those will need a video as well. You can think of them as rough storyboards, and I would love to do them all by myself, but - in the interest of saving time and keeping the project moved along - I'm going to start staggering the workload (i.e. focuisng all efforts on one sequence at a time) so that actual progress is made (at least up to a finalized animatic).

IZ:TDM! AUDIO DRAMA

I intend to release an audio-only version of IZ:TDM! (complete with a deliberately cheesy narrator) alongside the animated version. There are two reasons for this.

First of all, if someone can't accesss YouTube videos easily, or if they're blind, or whatever the reason is, they can still enjoy the doomy madness via an audiodrama that I can be working on in my spare time.

Secondly, if the animation crashes and burns, well, this is a good backup plan. I'm an inexperienced director, after all, and so it's good to have a gameplan in place.

1,000 SUBSCRIBERS

Alright, this is it! This is the super exciting thing I wanted to talk about: IZ:TDM! has reached over 1,000 subscribers on YouTube! I'm so super pumped for this, guys! You have no idea! :D

Are a sizeable chunk spambots and content creators just subscribing to random channels in hopes to get more attention? Yes, very likely, but who cares? They helped get the number up that high, so I'm happy! ^_^

This is exciting for me, because it feels vindictive, in a way. It feels like I finally have a solidified base of supporters out saying "yes, we want an IZ finale, and we like the approach you're taking." To me, that's profoundly important, as it helps me mentally latch onto this. Every time something like this happens - be it a nice new comment, or a new volunteer, or (as here) a milestone of some sort - I feel more energy come in and pump me up for the project.

To celebrate it, I fully intend to do a livestream sometime in the future, where I answer questions about IZ:TDM! and prove my utter inept n00bishness with livestreaming tech. Should be great.

I *WANT* to do Another IZ:TDM! Vlog Soon!

Hey, guys! So, just to get you up to speed, I want to do another IZ:TDM! Vlog soon discussing a few things:

• The whole "Teaser Trailer vs. Viacom" issue and how I've remedied the situation.
• Alternate animation options for IZ:TDM!
• How things are going with "Dragonchist" (a short film I'm helping animate)
• Progress Update for IZ:TDM! (of course)
• What I'm expecting for storyboard artists and plans in the near future to make preproduction more efficient.

"Stanley," you ask, "why not just record a video right now?"

Well, because Summer vacation just struck, and - as a result - all my siblings are home the whole day instead of school taking them away for a good chunk of time. Basically, I don't feel comfortable recording vlogs in front of them, even though everyone knows what IZ:TDM! is (and the fact that my brother even recorded Smoots's obnoxiously bad voice - big thanks for him again for temporarily ruining his throat for my cause)

So, I'll be with you shortly. I want to do another Vlog to lay everything out on the table, but this sudden (yet expected) schedule shift is making it a bit weird for me to work with. :b That's all.

Motivation from an Unlikely Source

Hey hey hey! I am feeling very pumped right now! My favorite NFL team (and the only team whose games I care about, really) just won their first playoff game since '94. Let me put that in perspective: I haven't seen them do that in my lifetime, and I just got to witness the Kansas City Chiefs hands-down win 30-0 against Houston.

Yeah, a side of me you didn't think you'd ever see. I know. And I'm not just shoving football in your face - there's a reason behind me sharing this.

See, I'm pumped. The Chiefs are, historically, a not-too-good team. They're average at best. But I'm always rooting for them, always. And to see them totally own Houston was really really something special for me (Sorry if you're a Houston fan - I'm not trying to bash your team - I'm just sharing the excitement I felt tonight).

It's odd that such excitement, completely unrelated to IZ:TDM! - could energize me to work even harder at the projects I'm doing, but it does that. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that motivation can come from unexpected sources. In this case, for me, my favorite team playing such a wonderful game.

IZ:TDM! and 2016 - The Game Plan

I've failed you guys in the sense that this project has been in Development Hell for a while. That changes this year.

I think part of the problem stems from a lack of help in a few areas, like the concept art department. Now, hold on, this does not mean I think what help I got was useless! No, rather, it just means I didn't get enough volunteers (the ones I did get were awesome). So, first things must come first. Starting Monday, I'll redouble my efforts and talk to every concept artist I have to get things moving back to full steam in that department (and to get more character concept artists, and to get background design artists at last!) - it's a priority.

Secondly, I will be putting more emphasis on those VA's that haven't finished their lines yet, in order to ensure a speedy wrapping up of this so I can get to work on the film's audio track at last. I have a spreadsheet detailing who still needs to finish, so that should be a straightforward task to complete. I intend to get that done as soon as is humanly possible.

Lastly, should all go well, this is the year that will see Storyboards done and the animatic fully made. I've got a few people interested in storyboarding, and they will certainly be of help in that area. I just need to get my thumbnails finished so they have a reference point to go off of.

Well, there you have it. I hope I've sufficiently updated you as to what the plans are for this fan-film in 2016. Here's to hoping life knows that it needs to go take a hike while I'm busy bringing IZ:TDM! to completion.

''The Questioning'' - Some Disclaimers

In two days, I will be posting "The Questioning" online for all the smelly Zim fans of the world to listen and cry in disappointment over. That being said, there are a few things you need to know about it, so that your expectations aren't wrong and so you don't get the wrong impression from watching it.

1. This will be audio-only

There will not be animations to match the audio of the characters; it's strictly audio (with maybe some stupid backgrounds and small effects, but the focus isn't the visuals - the focus is the audio)

2. The mic quality will vary between characters.

I had my Voice Actors and Actresses record on whatever mics they wanted for this, since the focus isn't mic quality so much as how these people sound as the characters. As a result, some will be recorded on cruddier microphones, others on better ones. I want to emphasize: the mic quality does not reflect the quality you'll hear in IZ:TDM! - it is just for the purposes of getting the audio out on time that I had the VA's record on whatever mic was handy and accessible to them.

3. You're hearing the VA's at their worst.

This isn't to say they sound bad! They actually sound fantastic! I just want you to know that for "The Questioning" I lowered my standards so that the audio could be recorded in time. As a result, there might be some mix-ups, some stumbles, and some moments where they're not 100% perfect. Trust me, I'm a ton more picky (as I need to be!) with the actual movie's audio. What you hear in "The Questioning?" Yeah, it's nothing compared to the efforts we're putting into the fan film itself.

4. Some questions were grammatically corrected.

I tried my best to leave the questions completely in-tact as asked, but - on occasion - it was hard to understand due to the asker using incorrect (or no) punctuation. For this reason, rather than make fun of them or anything like that, I just corrected most of what I saw so it could be easy to understand.

5. Professor Membrane's Voice Actor was swapped at the last minute.

For reasons that are mostly my fault, but also because the Voice Actor for Membrane had a lot of responsibilities he needed to take care of, the voice actor who was originally going to do that voice has since left the project. I hold no ill will to him for this, but - of course - this made me scramble to find a replacement in time for "The Questioning." As things currently stand, if I cannot find a replacement in time, rather than delay "The Questioning" or cut out Membrane's parts, I simply recorded my own temporary substitute takes. So, if it turns out that I - Stanley Orr - voice Membrane for "The Questioning," please know that it's only temporary, as I am still looking for a replacement Voice Actor, and I myself shall not do his voice in IZ:TDM! proper.

October Will Be a Slow Month for IZ:TDM!...

Hey, guys. Just letting you know that October will be a very slow month for IZ:TDM! - I'll be busy with VA's. This, of course, means I won't be sharing much with you. So, fear not! I know it seems like progress will be slow, but that is only because there's not much progress I can actually share with you. In addition to VA material, I'm going to use October to wrap up my current Inside Out fanfics so they're no longer cluttering my gallery, heh (See previous journal entry regarding that if you're watching me for Inside Out fanfics).

I'll try squeezing out the occasional thumbnail or rough BGKey art, but don't expect many at all: between wrapping things up with my fanfics, working with the VA department, and getting stuff done with the short film "The Dragonchist" (animation should commence later this month! ), I just won't have the time nor the energy to do what needs to be done with thumbnails and foundational BGKey artwork. So, please have patience with that.


Oh, and one more important thing, regarding the Questioning:

We still have characters who don't have (m)any questions at all! D:

So, if you had questions for any of the characters on the list, ask. Also, here are characters with few or no questions:

*Skoodge

*Tak

*Tenn

*Spleenk

*Shloonktapooxis

*Lard Nar

*GIR




So, don't be a , go on and read the rules (here's a link - check out the picture's description) and come up with some STUFF to ask them!

My New Daily Schedule

You know what I hate? People online who share way too much information with you, as if they lived in the same house as you. It's creepy, man. Just creepy.

I'mma be creepy real quick, m'kay?

So, thanks to a few exaggerated calculations (meaning I played it safe and rounded the workload I imagined I'd have up instead of down), I've got a new schedule for my week. Hopefully this will optimize the rest of the year and allow me to work as effeciently as possible on Invader ZIM: The DOOM Movie! without getting burned out, heh.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
6:00 a.m. - Wake Up and Get Ready For the Day (chores, coffee, Bible reading, coffee, shower, breakfast, coffee, vital stuff like that)
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. - Work on BGKey Rough Artwork (I should be getting one done per day)
9:00 a.m. to Noon - Work on "Dragonchist", that short film I'm assisting with (the work will vary depending on the day, but for me it will be almost solely animation)
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Devour my Noon Prey (lunch, I mean. Most people call it lunch; gotta remember that)
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. - File Organization (Meaning I adjust/organize what voice acting/concept art files I have and just get as much of that done as one hour will allow)
2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. - Thumbnails! This will be the most time-consuming block, as you can tell. It will involve me getting a whopping ten pages of thumbnails done per day. But, can I do it? The answer is yes! Yes I can!
6:00 p.m. - Suppertime and shutting off operations for the day.

Tuesday and Thursday
These two days are exactly the same as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, except...
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. - Concept Art Creation! In which I create concept art for a specified Character/Prop that I need to do (I should get done with two model sheets per week)

And there ya go! As you can tell, I'll be a busy beaver for the rest of this year, but that's a good thing! It means IZ:TDM! can get done efficiently and on-time, which is exactly what I need. So, starting tomorrow, this plan will go into action! Hooray!

Worn Out and Worried

Whew. Another long, hard day of working on IZ:TDM! has passed, and - as usual - I like to sit and take a look back at what I've done throughout the day, to allow progress to motivate and encourage me more. So, what did I get done today? Well, this:

...And that's it. Nope, you're not reading that wrong; I literally created nothing else for IZ:TDM! all day! This sucked up way too much of my time. It's essentially just supposed to be a rough idea, laying down the foundations for real background artists to come in and create the official Background Keys based off of these roughs I've made.

I planned to make ten roughs today.

I ended up making one.

And that's terrible.

Seriously, guys. I feel awful! How the heck can progress be made when I can't stick to reasonable goals such as, "create ten rough background keys" or "make ten more pages of thumbnails?" I mean, seriously!

And no, before you ask, I'm not exaggerating - I literally had those two items on my checklist for the day. I was supposed to make ten rough background keys, do ten pages of thumbnails, completely update the Concept Art list (which - might I add - is currently a tangled up mess thanks to me storing concept art wherever I feel like it), reorganize how I'm storing voice samples, and add the profile view of the Master Control Brain!

And I only have this one miserable image to show for it.

Guys, that's not good enough! That's not nearly good enough. Good enough would be accomplishing everything I set out to do. The reason I place so much responsibility on myself is twofold: First of all, I feel like we need to get all of the concept art done by the end of the year, so that Storyboards can commence come 2016. The film is due for release March 2017! Do you know how betrayed everyone would feel if I pushed the release date back? It'd be terrible! I know I've considered it before, but - darn it - I made a promise! A promise is a promise, and that's it! No take-backs! So, in order to get this done, I have to scramble and ensure all the Concept Art is finished when January rolls around (we only have 16 weeks left! Do you realize how short we are on time? We've got to pick up the pace, here).

Secondly, I don't trust handing any assessments over to anyone unless I lay the foundations first. I'm paranoid that if I just hand the storyboards over, they'll be done from bland angles or repetitive shots, without much life or Zimmy-ness. I don't know why I think that - I just do. I'm paranoid. The same applies to the Backgrounds - I just feel like if I give them over without enough detail or foundation work, I'll get cruddy sketches back in return that don't look professional. And that's unacceptable!

Look, I'm not trying to bash anyone who wants to help, here. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that I'm holding this project to the same standards that the show had! Heck, just ask any of my V.A.'s and they'll tell you how many retakes they've had to do thanks to my sheer pickiness.

*sigh*

Sorry, I guess I just need to take a break for today and tackle all this tomorrow. Maybe then I'll be in a less sour mood, heh.

Thumbnails Galore!

I know it's been a few days since my last post. Sorry about that. To make it up for you, however, I figured I'd share what I've been mainly focused on: thumbnails! These are essentially the foundation for Storyboard artists to come in later and use to do their jobs. As of right now, I have 7 pages worth of these things. Check it out!

Pretty neat, huh? In addition to thumbnails, I've been doing a lot of organizational work (ugh!), which is boring but necessary. After all, how will anyone be able to find anything if everything is everywhere and nothing is nowhere?

Yes, exactly.

So, on the agenda for tomorrow is creating more thumbnails, pulling together more background keys, organizing and updating the character concept art list, and organizing the voice samples I currently have. Speaking of voices, Saturday is a big Skype session planned for all the voice actors that still have lines to do. It will be all about organizing and scheduling due dates for recording the characters' parts, sequence by sequence. Should be awesome.

Anyways, that's all for now. See you in the next blog update!

Organization is VERY Important

Don't learn it the hard way: organization matters. Today I spent almost the entire time finding, organizing, labeling, and checking off voice samples, concept art, and reference images. Why? Simple: I hadn't done that up to this point. It might not sound like it's that important, as long as the content is there, but I disagree - it is very important to have everything secured and properly up-to-date. That way I'm insured against delays or future problems that might arise just because a piece of concept art is missing among the countless other images that make up the concept art department. Or, perhaps someone winds up having to redo some audio because I lost the original file. Stuff like that is bad for a project.

So, taking matters into my own hands, tomorrow will be dedicated to more organization. I need to crack down on this and take care of it. I need to organize reference images, concept art (both finalized and rough) for both characters and props, I need to take inventory of what 3D models will be needed, and I need to sort out all the audio that I currently have from my voice actors.

Does that sound boring? Well, yes. It is. It is going to be so tedious! But I have to get through it. It is a very serious matter that must be dealt with, or else!

Tomorrow is a New Day!

I didn't accomplish all that I set out to do today, which stinks, of course, but I did get a lot done, and you know what? That makes it worth it. In fact, as evidence of what I've done, here are some pictures!

Yeah, it's a lot of images. And there should be a lot more tomorrow! I will not allow the temptation to cut my losses and move on get the best of me! I fully intend to continue on with rough concept art design, and get all of it finished as soon as is humanly possible (heck, I'll even shoot for the end of August! You never know...)

Anyways, tomorrow I will continue this work. :)

Feeling Drained... In the Best Possible Way

Today was wonderfully exhausting. I got so much done again! And, to top it off, an unexpected issue was resolved! I could go into detail, but I really don't feel like it. I'm not joking guys, I am completely worn out.

I did some background rough art. I prepared some images for the BG overview video. One of my VA's fixed their microphone issue. I submitted more art for that short film I'm working on. I sent a movie review to someone who has been begging me to watch a movie and tell them what I thought of it. I sent a bulk message to my Voice Acting department to prep for a Skype session coming up. I even typed out a full list of things that needed descriptions for the Concept Art department.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get to everything. A turn of events meant I couldn't work with my brother on more of Smoots's lines. Additionally, though I did get one done, I wish I had more background keys roughed out.

Oh well, though - that's what tomorrow's for.

I Feel Good About How Today Went.

Seriously, today was fantastic! I got done with everything I set out to do at the start and then some!

The Concept Art department is running terrifically, and the manager's computer is almost finished being updated, so she can use it again. This means that I will soon be able to see what progress has been made concept art wise. Additionally, I got wind that one of our concept artists is improving his skills so that he's prepped for storyboards come 2016. If you're reading this, keep up the good work! I've heard about how you've been improving, and I can only say that I'm thrilled. Also in the Concept Art side of things, the department is getting an assistant manager. The best part? It turns out that the manager and assistant manager know each other! This will, obviously, save time on introductions.

Also, I'm finally ready to commence background roughs. I know I keep saying that, but I keep getting delayed. No longer! I have a checklist printed out featuring each and every single background that I need to rough out for our artists. I also found a long-lost list that details what each character and prop should be described as for our Concept Art department - that should be very helpful for our Concept Art manager.

Coming up soon, I'll be having another Skype session with all of our VA's so we can schedule a timeframe to record sequences in. Once that's running, voice takes should be churned out very quickly. I'm looking forward to how wonderful the progress will be, like a perfectly-oiled machine!

So, to sum up, my checklist for tomorrow is:

• Send my Concept Art manager the list of descriptions.
• Email my Voice Acting department and begin scheduling a Skype session.
• Find someone to create a background for a demonstration on my Background overview video.
  OR
• Recreate one of the normal Invader Zim backgrounds to use as a demonstration.
• Begin creating rough backgrounds of every Background Key, thereby laying the foundation work for my artists.
• Go into a Skype session with one of my VA's regarding some microphone issues.
• Record more of Smoots's lines with my brother.
• (non-IZ:TDM!) Sketch out the torso of one of the characters for that short film, to test my skills and send in some more drawings I did today.
• (optional) Create a Storyboard Tutorial video.
• (optional and non-IZ:TDM!) Submit another Fanfic just for fun.

So, that's it! :) I'm so happy!

Mission Accomplished for the Day! :)

Well, the concept art has been assigned, the voices have been listened to, and the Skype sessions have been had. I have successfully done everything (and more) that I set out to do today! It's a good feeling to have accomplished something, and it's an even better feeling when you stay on schedule. If things keep running this smoothly, IZ:TDM! might actually be done ahead of schedule...

...but let's not count our chickens until after they hatch.

Still, I'm very satisfied with how things turned out. The Skype call sorted out technical issues with some of Red's lines, Lard Nar's voice actor busted out an epic opening take for the character (seriously, guys - I can't wait to share it with you - the dude literally sounds exactly like Lard Nar), I've managed to draw a few things for that short film that turned out pleasing to the director, and I have got a Skype session arranged with my concept art manager to overview the entire department and streamline things.

Yes, things are terrific. Here's to an even better day tomorrow!

Progress is Delicious

Hello again, everyone. Today is going to be a thoroughly busy day for me. I have quite a bit that I need to get done, and - with God and coffee - I believe I can do it. Still, I'm not upset that I have a lot on my plate. If anything, it makes me happy to have these items to keep me busy with IZ:TDM! work all throughout the day. So, I'm very eager to do the following:

• Plan out an overview video of set design concept art.
• List everything that will require a 3D model.
• Listen to some lines from Lard Nar's Voice Actor.
• Sketch characters for a short film project.
• Update more Fanfiction.

Hooray! Of course, these items don't count periodic, standard communication that I have with various volunteers, nor does it include things that might spring up unawares and require my attention, but - essentially - this is what I have planned to work on for today. I hope all goes well, and - of course - I hope more progress is made!

Right on Schedule

Well, as usual, today is busy. I have home renovations that I'm actually planning on doing, and - if time permits - fanfiction to be written. But that won't stop IZ:TDM!'s progress in the slightest; I have a few more Skype calls I plan to make, and something more: a schedule.

If we're to get audio and concept art done by 2016, we'll need to kick it into high gear. To help, I'm going to concoct a schedule dictating what needs to be done by what times. Hopefully we can stick with said times and get things rolling successfully. Sorry there's not a lot for me to say today. It's not like I have a lot to do; it's just that what I do have to do will keep me busy all day.

Have a nice one, everyone.

Kinda Sick, but Still Moving On

Ugh. For the past few days I've felt it - a sore throat. That in and of itself wouldn't be too bad, if it weren't for the fact that I have multiple Skype calls to make this week, one of which was yesterday, and one that's only hours from when I type this. But a sore throat wasn't enough, I suppose; coming to join the party are my old enemies running nose and stuffy ears. Allergies, man. They mess with you.

Interestingly enough, I haven't had allergies this bad ever. Usually my symptoms are relegated to sneezing, but nothing more. I guess this is God making up for all the extra years I've had without allergies, heh.

Also of note is that I'm drinking tea right now, which should tell you how bad it is. I hate tea, actually; it's bland and it has no flavor, and I can never seem to add just the right amount of sugar to make it taste good to me. Nonetheless, I enjoy drinking it when I'm feeling like this, as it helps ease my throat and allows me to deal with it.

So, in spite of my groggy state, I will continue on with my plans for today, among which are...

• Working with Smoots's Voice Actor to get more lines out.
• Skyping with the Voice Acting department's manager.
• Emailing some individuals regarding Skype sessions.
• Talk to a potential concept artist and see if she meets the qualifications.
• Create a schedule for thumbnails, so that they are complete come 2016.
• And, if I have time, updating my fanfics so that my readers aren't left hanging.

All in all, it's not so bad. This is one of the less-busy days, which is good. Hopefully my allergies will calm the heck down right away so I can be back to 100% working capacity (I'd like to start practicing my drawing skills again so that I can - eventually - resume assisting with Concept Art, Storyboards, and Animation). Until then, I'll be here, slurping tea and being absorbed in the world of Invader ZIM.

Back In Action

Alright, so I recently had to take a two-week-long break from IZ:TDM! simply because the stress was getting to me. During that time I had quite a lot of fun and relaxation and whatnot, but now I'm ready. The itch has returned, and I am back to working on Invader ZIM: the DOOM Movie! stuff. Hooray!

So, in the upcoming weeks, here's what I plan to get done.

First, I want to get in touch and plan Skype sessions with my Voice Acting manager and Concept Art manager, to discuss how things went in each department during my absence. Hopefully, there weren't any issues, but - if there were - then we can identify them and iron them out before they get to be too much of a nuisance. By 2016, I want all the voices recorded and all the concept art created.

Secondly, I do have my eyes on the future in terms of the next phase of preproduction - namely, storyboards. Soon I'll need storyboard artists who are skilled enough to take my cruddy thumbnails* and convert them to high-quality storyboards that can be used as a foundation for animators. To help get things set up, I intend to upload a tutorial (or series of tutorials, should the need arise) on what I'm expecting from Storyboard Artists, including everything from technical terms to perspectives to working with the concept art. That should be fun.

I also have exciting news in regards to animation. I'll be helping a friend (specifically the voice of Red for IZ:TDM!) create a short film. The film - which I will talk more about later - will mostly be stop-animated, but one character is a cartoon (my responsibility is to animate said character). This will be a golden opportunity to create a detailed rundown of the animation process, which - in turn - should help me demonstrate what I'm wanting from my minions when the time comes to animate.

Sort of relating to the previous point, I'll be getting a Newgrounds account soon, I believe. It would be a good avenue to explore and should help me get connections with animators and artists who want to assist me with Invader ZIM: the DOOM Movie! Now, whether or not that will actually happen remains to be seen, but oh well, time will tell.

I have a few other things I'm doing (fanfics, minor projects, etc), but none so big as this fan film, and I wouldn't have it any other way. So, as of today, I plan to blog at least once a day and just get my thoughts out there; it's a good habit to get into, I think.

Behold: Checklist.

☑ Critique Skoodge Audio
☑ Critique Tak Audio
☑ Rerecord Toll Guard Mockup Lines
☑ Contact ToonBoom with software questions
☑ Compile Prop Concept Art List
☑ Post Prop Concept List
☑ Post BG Concept List
☑ Critique Irken Pilot Lines (Take One)
☑ Create Mockup lines for extras
☑ Adjust BG Concept Art List
☑ Adjust Prop Concept Art List
☑ Critique Gaz's VA's First Takes
☐ Upload BG Concept Art Video
☐ Upload Prop Concept Art Video
☑ Complete Smoots's Concept Art☑ Revise Concept Art of Zim's Stilts
☑ Record Bob and Larry Audio
☐ Complete Robotic Substitute Concept Art
☑ Approve Tallest's servants Concept Art
☑ Critique Tallest Purple Audition
☑ Skype Call with 3 of the VA's

You best behold it.

You beholdin' it?

Good.