COVID: Shot 6

Posted on by Thor

Shot 6 was the first time I tried using Volumax Pro 7 Smart to try and get some sense of a third dimension to the monkey. I drew depth maps with a pen tool and adjusted the 4 or so layers I creates to that the hand was light and things grew darker moving back. I then painted the mouth to be darker to get some depth. The effect is subtle but it is there. I can see the teeth turn obsessionally as the monkey screams.

I used Volumax Ai to create a depth map for the background monkeys and then moved each of the hands separately. I doubt people notice all the hand movements but they should get a general sens of chaos. By this time I was used to animating breath and COVID spatter using positioning and scale. As each shot progresses the breath expands and the spatter moves with it. Each painting has a different way of visualizing breath. I must have used every color of the rainbow in visualizing how airborne COVID floats through the air like smoke.

The public was lead to believe that the virus could only spread 6 feet but it can travel so much further. My general rule of thumb has been to mask up if I get within 22 feet of anyone else. That applies inside and outside.

For the first time I am paying attention to how many times this film has been seen. I am disappointed since the day before I posted this online a woman posed a video of her singing a song about masking. That video had 80,000 views on the first day. This film has only been seen several hundred times. I don’t understand how ti use social media. I don’t think I ever will. I knew people didn’t want to be reminded of what has happened and what is still happening. Oh well, I need to muster up the courage to keep creating.

You can see the full COVID film here.

 

COVID: Shot 5

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I was amazed at how quickly mass gathering for sports became the norm. COVID infected players can literally have their hearts explode and collapse on the field and the fans still cheer. Entitled players were some of the first to express their ignorance about vaccines and the virus. Positive roll models are rare. Most celebrities are required by contract to hide their COVID infections. Bruce Springsteen and a rash of other musicians are forced to cancel concerts due to a mystery illness. Don’t think I am bashing Bruce because I respect him also canceling a concert to protest North Carolina’s newly signed anti-gay bill.

COVID-19 has hit the Giro bicycle race hard. 16 riders to date have headed home after falling ill with the virus, which returned in the peloton in the weeks leading up to the race. This seems to be the new normal with athletes and performers dropping like flies.

This shot was completed like the previous shots with each row of audience members isolated by erasing around them and touching up areas that might usually be hidden. I did try and animate each layer to get the effect but that didn’t result in a natural movement. Stacking them three dimensionally and moving the camera gave the the natural movement I needed.

When played at speed in the film, no one has the time to pick out all the subtle details in each shot. Each scene happens in quick succession much as the pandemic itself unfolds like a freight train on a collision course.

The entire COVID film is now viral on youTube. You can see the entire film here.

 

COVID: Shot 4

Posted on by Thor

This shot consists of 5 rows of audience members. Each row was isolated by erasing the audience behind them. Each row then had to be touched up so that they might appear as the camera zoomed in. Sometime I had to make judgement calls about who was in what row. For instance is the guy picking his nose in the second row of the third row? The right choice could make or break the scene. The cool effect I learned was to arrange the layers in a three dimensional space in After Effects sort of like the multiple curtain wings on a theater stage.

I could then simply animate the camera moving it forward and up or down as needed to get a string sense of parallax. If I wanted I could also add depth maps to each layer which would make for instance the knees appear closer to the camera but for such a quick shot I felt that was overkill.

I spent my birthday adding closed captions to the film since someone made that request. It turned out that was a more challenging process than I expected. It look two tries but I got it done.

COVID is now going viral on youTube, you can see the entire film here.

 

COVID: Shot 3

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The third shot of the film is inspired by Rhinoceros, a play by Eugène Ionesco, written in 1959. In the play people begin turning into Rhinos one by one in a city. The main character refuses to become a rhino and he is the last human remaining. A movie was made of the play staring Zero Mostel of Fiddler on the Roof fame and Jean Wilder as the protagonist Berenger.

As the American population has been repeatedly mass infected with COVID, those who remain uninfected are a minority. The infected seem to loose empty and an ability to avoid repleaded infections. They actually brag about how many infections they have survived as their gray matter deteriorates and their arteries harden.

The last hold out for information from the COVID conscious community seems to be on the ever failing twitter platform. Those like myself who have been shouting into the void still have a narrow platform to issue warnings which go ignored by the ever growing herd of rhinos.

I had to do this shot twice. The first time I relied on Photoshop to fill in missing information once I cut out foreground elements. The program didn’t do a good job. I was better off painting in the missing rhinos by hand. These much looser painted passages are barely noticed as the camera zooms in on the audience.

This image shows the Rhinos shot in progress. The first two rows have already been isolated and the third row is in the process of being isolated by erasing the far rhinos. The rather transparent green rhinos are being used to show where I need to do some touch up painting on the row of rhinos behind the green row. In all I think this shot had 6 rows of rhinos that needed to be isolated.

See the full COVID film now!

COVID: Shot 2

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This is the first shot I created in the film. It was used as a way to learn how to use Adobe After Effects. I had to separate the sheep into four separate layers going back in space. I did this in my painting program in my by isolating each layer using a pen tool in Photoshop.

For instance the black sheep and the four or so sheep in the foreground were separated by using a pen tool in Photoshop. I later abandoned the pen tool preferring to simply erase what I didn’t need to see. I think I did this shot twice. The first time was done entirely in Photoshop by allowing the program to sort of expand the image behind foreground layers. I wasn’t satisfied with the computers, choices to create a sort of hint of what is behind each layer. I much preferred to paint this myself by hand. I t gave me more control to imply what the background sheep might look like behind the foreground sheep.

I learned a lot from doing and re-doing this one shot. I chose this shot since the soundtrack sounded a bit like a sheep baaaahhing.

I imported the layers into Premiere Pro the first time and moved them to try and get a feeling of three dimensions as the camera moved in. I wasn’t satisfied with the result. I ended up re-importing the layers into After Effects and effectively created a three dimensional diorama. The animating was then just done by moving the camera. I learned as I proceeded. I knew what I wanted to accomplish and had to watch youTube videos to accomplish each task.

I discovered I could animate the breath and spatters separately. If I ever go back into this shot I would move those two elements more. I got more liberal with animating breath as I got into the next shots. Do people notice? Probably not, so for now I am leaving it as it is. With over 200 shots, I am always agonizing about whether I should keep nitpicking each shot.

See the full COVID film here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQWz4umY4QA

COVID: Shot 1

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The COVID film editing did not begin from shot 1 and proceed in a linear manner. I scoured three years of illustrations and began picking out images that worked with the lyrics to Andy Matchett’s, song “Just Can’t Wait (For the Game to End)” from his apocalyptic rock musical Key of E. The idea for the film was sparked when @IamPoliticsGirl posted on March 24, 2023 a TicToc video on Twitter that was set to the music of Billy Joel‘s “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Digital Resonator used AI to create each fast paced image which appeared three dimensional. I figure I could used the same effect to pace my images to Andy’s apocalyptic music. You never know where inspiration will come from.

I had used depth maps on a few of my illustrations I posed on Facebook and I liked the effect. There had to be a way to do something similar and edit the images together to create the film. I had Photoshop and After Effects. I needed a filter to create depth maps for each shot. I searched the internet for several night and settled on VoluMax Pro 7 to do the job.

This opening shot was done with Volumax Pro 7 using the auto depth map feature. The illustration was imported into Photoshop and a script added to the actions menu created a button which automatically creates a black and white depth map. I moved a camera from left to right to get the parallax effect and was done.

For the opening shot I originally I had a shot of ground zero from 9/11. A globe shape sculpture was half destroyed by the collapsing towers. That sculpture was repainted to look like the virus as workers gathered around it. Over that scene I had the tile zoom in quickly and expand then zoom over the camera.  I liked it but the image above is far simpler and straight forward. The 9/11 image was cut and  hit the editing floor.

See the full COVID film here.

COVID Blizzard

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This phase of the pandemic feels like a blizzard with all data being abandoned and facts being downplayed and obfuscated. A blizzard in itself is not deadly, it is disorienting since you can’t see hour hand in front of your face. Pandemic era support programs have become a thing of the past. Everyone is on their own as COVID treatments will become commercialized. New quack remedies will hit the shelves as no effort is being put into improving air quality and masks.

The Census Bureau reported last year that COVID relief efforts and others sharply reduced childhood poverty. But these programs have now expired.

America is flying blind. Those who claim, “We have the tools”, are lying. With new variants, those tools are being knocked off one by one. Monoclonal antibodies no longer work against the newest variants. Testing has ceased and at home testing isn’t working well to detect the new variants. Most people don’t even know they have COVID when they are knocked off their feet for a week.

The initial infection might be “Mild” but COVID hardens the arteries and is causing blood clots and heart attacks weeks after recovery. COVID is a level 3 bio hazard more akin to HIV that a cold or the flu. President Biden ran on a platform where he claimed he would handle the pandemic. He has instead overseen 700,000 COVID deaths. Within months of taking office he declared victory over COVID and suggested everyone press together for July4th celebrations. It turned out being vaccinated does not stop infections from happening. Sending at home tests effectively made COVID cases disappear since any at home tests were not reported.

Airborne

Posted on by Thor

One of the early mistakes made in public health messaging early on in the pandemic was that washing your hand and using hand sanitizer could stop an airborne virus. Even hospitals today are abandoning masks and indoor HEPA filtration and feel they are keeping their patients safe but washing their hands and disinfecting surfaces. Don’t get me wrong, washing your hands is good but it doesn’t stop an airborne virus from infecting you. In the illustration one guy is wearing a mask but it is a surgical mask which isn’t as effective as an N-95.

Navigating the world in which everyone has abandoned masks and all health safety measures is going to be a challenge. I remain a COVID virgin but that will become more difficult as I mingle more. Another advantage of masking is that it keeps me from touching my face.

Like many people, we used disinfecting wipes on groceries before putting them away in the early days of the pandemic. That practice has stopped but we still use the wipes instead of a rag to wipe down counters. The thing that I refuse to abandon is masking with an n-95 mask indoors and in crowds. I don’t care what people think of me and honestly, I look good in a mask. It focuses attention on my blue eyes.

Other things that should become common practice to help the spread of the virus include,

  • Get vaccinated. (I am amazed at how many refuse to get the jab.)
  • Minimize time in poorly ventilated spaces. (We now use a HEPA filter at home and at work.)
  • Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, not your hand.

The CDC website has many pages on the importance of hand washing. It was not until recently that they finally admitted that COVID is airborne and can travel long distances like smoke. The six foot rule from early in the pandemic was a farce. All those plexiglass barriers that went up in fast foot restaurants and stores were also a farce.

Twice the virus got into our home and both times I managed to evade infection by wearing a mask and straying close to a HEPA filter. I now survey the air filtration in any room I enter and will position myself near an open door or window whenever possible.

So you should wash your hands and clean surfaces but don’t think that is preventing an airborne virus from infecting you. Clean the air you breath by masking and using air filtration.

COVID World Premiere Screening Tonight!

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These are the opening shots of the short 2.5D animated film titled COVID, whose world premiere screening is tonight May 19, 2023 at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, 6pm in the outdoor courtyard as part of the 3rd annual “Film as Visual Art” Fringe event.

Here is the press release about the film:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Local Artist to Premiere Shocking Film Chronicling Pandemic

Over 200 original artworks detail global experience in four minutes

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 16, 2023) – Central Florida artist Thomas Thorspecken (Thor) who formerly worked for Disney Feature Animation, will premiere his newest project featuring more than 200 original digital paintings in a four-minute film. The premiere can be seen at Fringe’s “Film as Visual Art” event this Friday, May 19, 2023, at 6:00 pm in the outdoor Orlando Shakespeare Theater courtyard.

Since January 2009, as a New Year’s resolution, Thorspecken has created at least one watercolor or digital sketch a day documenting arts and culture in Central Florida for his blog, Analog Artist Digital World, culminating in more than 4,000 individual works of art illustrating the vibrancy of this community and beyond. When the pandemic hit in early 2020, he shifted his focus to creating a daily artistic commentary on COVID, politics, and both the global and local impacts of this devastating and unprecedented time in history.

“From the start of the COVID pandemic, minimizers falsely claimed the virus was no worse than the flu. After more than a million COVID deaths in America and mass infection becoming the accepted norm, minimizers persist,” Thorspecken cited as part of the rationale for his having created the jarring revue. The artist completed the film on May 11, 2023, when the United States officially lifted the COVID Emergency, despite Covid’s persistence. The paintings combat the willful denial and obfuscation of the facts of the past three years. The airborne virus cannot be seen, but in these paintings it takes center stage, a statement that ignoring the virus is deadly.

Inspired by an Artificial Intelligence-generated Tik Tok video illustrating Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Thorspecken crafted his own AI (Artist Intelligence) generated film to the music from popular local musician, Andy Matchett’s, song “Just Can’t Wait (For the Game to End)” from his apocalyptic rock musical Key of E. Each gripping artwork flashes by, building on the dark time capsule of our shared experience. Though representing a mere fraction of his overall pandemic series, each was meticulously selected and timed to Matchett’s lyrics before being custom depth mapped and animated.

 More information about the making of this film can be found at AnalogArtistDigitalWorld.com. The film will premiere as part of the 3rd annual “Film as Visual Art” on Friday, May 19, 6 – 7 p.m. before becoming available on the artist’s social media channels.

Thomas Thorspecken (Thor), is an artist, Urban Sketcher, animator, and illustrative journalist living and working in Central Florida. He attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, before working as a freelance illustrator designing magazines and publications. Thorspecken relocated to Orlando as an animation artist for Disney. He currently teaches at Elite Animation Academy and the Crealdé School of Art. Thor is always seeking new challenging projects, commissions, and ways to capture local life through art. Follow Thor on Instagram: @analogartistdigitalworld, Twitter: @analogartist, Facebook: Analog Artist Digital World, and subscribe to his blog: www.analogartistdigitalworld.com

Poster Evolution: Kinky Boots First Pass

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What I like most about the first pass of the Kinky Boots poster is the hand painted title. In the end the original title treatment was used from the Broadway production. In that treatment the boots create the letter K in Kinky Boots. The boots I painted in this poster almost create that K shape but I held back on being that obvious. Had I moved that front nook to the right bout an inch it would have been a huge letter K.

The other issue with this poster is that there is always a danger in showing a specific cast. The show had not been cast yet so it is usually better to avoid showing specific actors faces since they will never match with the final casting.

I was fun painting the shiny highlight on the red patent leather. I knew however that the Bugsby Berkley version was the winner. so this stayed as a rough pass. I know the show is amazing. I wish I had taken the time away from film production to see the Orlando Shakespeare Theater production.