AADW – Analog Artist Digital World

I have been updating my website and getting more work loaded into the galleries. When I load an image I need to search for it based on it being shared here on AADW first. I was surprised that I had not shared the Orlando Shakespeare Theater poster for Charlotte’s Web. At the time the show was being performed, I had my back against the wall with lots of illustration work. I did not take the time to see and sketch the show. I am certain that it was an adorable children’s show. I have read the book and know it is a heart wrenching and beautiful story. I did do another version of the poster which was more of a cartoon rather than an illustration. I will share that tomorrow.

My website was in limbo for quite some time because all the page links started to fail. I spent an entire day last weekend calling Bluehost to try and figure out what needed to be done. Something had happened on their end and an 8 hour scan had to be done which ultimately fixed the issue. The problem was with the server. At first an agent thought it might be a malware attack and he scanned for that. Thankfully it was not a virus. The fear with that is that everything could just evaporate and disappear. I am very aware now that n=anything digital is temporary. At some point the internet will cease to exist and any information stored there will disappear.

Most of the silent era films no longer exist. That is because film is a delicate medium and prone to first degrade and then ignite on fire. An estimated 75% to 90% of all American silent films are permanently lost, largely because they were burned, allowed to decompose, or destroyed. Major causes included the high volatility of silver nitrate film stock, which caused massive, spontaneous studio vault fires.

Thomas Edison made the earliest silent films. His films still exist because he printed every frame on paper as well as film and thus his early films can be recreated whereas other films went up in smoke. I suspect that digital will have a similar issue. That which is not put on paper will in the end be lost.

I am pleased with how the plumes of fiery smoke turned out in this shot. I combined key frame animation that warped the painting and also procedural movement in After Effects. I applied this effect throughout the film to give the rising heat shimmer. Most viewers probably do not know the effect is there but they feel it.

I decided the protestor could be perfectly still. If someone wanted to read the protest sign, I wouldn’t want to be waving it about.

I did the fire animation twice. I still think it could use improved. That is the problem with having so many shots and so many effects. I might learn something on another shot and want to apply it to other shots. At some point I just had to let go. No one is going to be as critical of the shape of a flame as I might be.

Since COVID Dystopia is now screening at the Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Competition. I want to be sure to keep posting these in progress shots in case festival goers look up AADW online. I am also thinking I should probably edit together a making of video which could be included along with the film the back or the COVID Dystopia book which is now being edited. That last sentence just created a whole lot of work.

COVID Dystopia is available to be seen at the Virtual Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival happening now through November 24, 2024. COVID Dystopia can be seen in the Eventive – Chiller Theater Block 2 – Shorts online. It can be seen anywhere in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. After you start watching the films, you have 48 hours to complete watching them. Tickets are $18.