USING AN OLD SPECIAL EFFECT
In creating the multi platform game "The Forbidden" I always opted out of using a 3D model creation
program like Blender to create creatures not because of the long learning curve of using the software from a
first go basis, but also the cost of having anyone have to be paid to model, and then animate the things in the
actual program using video formats. So I opted for another solution.
Having been an avid player of DOOM and QUAKE in the nineties, I learned from reading about the
production of the record breaking games that many of the creatures were actually sculpted by the creators,
then digitized as they were being stop motion animated, shooting different poses and angles of them. Then
they were placed in the positions in the worlds that ID Software had manufactured. This seemed to be an
easier solution to the problem, and searching for an excellent artist to bring these Lovecraftian horrors to life
seemed an even more difficult task.
The Tomb Worm from the first room comes to life. Taken from a
design of mine in draft. Richard really made the thing come to
life with his own concepts. I could not be happier. Note the
flowering head and centipede legs.
.
The Armature of the Tomb Worm made
en
with wire and shot on a bluescreen..
Then one day, as I was browsing the YouTube channels for Lovecraft oriented materials for a short I had
planned but never did due to marketing and financial success of such projects, I came across a short from a
talented artist from Sweden named Richard Svensson. Richard runs the website Loneanimator.com and I
highly recommend this for anyone into stop motion animation. I had originally wanted Richard to contribute
to a Lovecraft short I was preparing, but in reviewing the accountable success of such a short with the film
festivals and my had hoped for submission to Andrew Milgore's Lurkerfilms DVD Lovecraft compilations, I
decided to delay that and examine the options of an online game itself.
A woodcut from Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal 1863 Paris. Called Diable, it usually shows up as
copyright free art here and there in different collections. The centuries old art really should show Hollywood
a thing or two. This inspired the creature from room 2, not a demon in the story, to rise up by Richard's fine
ttalents. A really nice puppet nearly 1 foot high in size.
Buildup technique for the 2nd room creature using clay, and the skinny posing armature. The skin is latex
and Richard fine detailed the model to lifelike realism.
The Transforming Lady here being sculpted and molded. Kathleen Ritter, the wife of horror icon Tim Ritter
provided not only voice talent to our projects, as The Amulet, but also was the facial photo model for this
transforming T’kai creature.
Our room 4 creation, ala the Dunwich Horror, inspired by Wilber Whatley's end when he is revealed to be
other than human. The model human for this item was actually Tim Ritter's wife Kathleen Ritter, shown here
from an earlier film released by Sub Rosa called Reconciled to the Christ. She also provided some voice talent
for this very character in the game play.
Tim has an extensive film and video library, having been at the business for several decades like Brett. He
has made some of the best independent horror features I have ever seen. Creep, Twisted Illusions, Truth or
Dare and his Screaming For Sanity are among my favorites. Included in some of his disks are
rememberences of how the business was and now is for the indie shooter, and the reason why I never took a
plunge full into full horror features, since the market has really suffered. His production blog on on one of
the B movie sites is really informative.
Completed Transforming Lady ready for animating.
Last but not least, as there are a few surprises in the game that I would like to keep at lockdown, is our final
Boss, or end creature. Some people dislike insects, I think they are very interesting, as the design and nature
of things make good villians in any horror or science fiction film. Richard did the buildup from a suggestion
that I wanted, and he took it, once again, in a different way and made it really move. The animation of this
thing is simple but powerful. I need not say more.
I really like the look of this model. The centipede has
been a menacing looking creature to me, so I know
of no other creation that qualified for other worldly.
Another of Richard's fine creations, shot in black
and white with the background plates really makes it
stand out. This model is over 1 foot long and highly
detailed as only Richard can. The work demonstrates
a talent beyond my small expectations and an
important part of the project. I hope all else everyone
enjoys the life of this thing.
Check out Richard's earlier works on his Bluwurm channel on YouTube, you will get a feel for what I am
direly communicating. I highly recommend his website for buildup techniques, molds and other bric a brak
of stop motion artists and those vaults of cinematic stop motion horror. Considering how difficult it is to
translate HP Lovecraft's works to the screen in any form, I believe he has done a marvelous job.
CONCLUSION
These are samples of the buildups of the game creatures. There are many, many additional photos of this on
Richard's website including the highlights on this game. See Richard’s recommended site here:
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Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express
written permission is prohibited by copyright protection.
USING AN OLD SPECIAL EFFECT
In creating the multi platform game "The Forbidden" I always
opted out of using a 3D model creation program like Blender to
create creatures not because of the long learning curve of using
the software from a first go basis, but also the cost of having
anyone have to be paid to model, and then animate the things in
the actual program using video formats. So I opted for another
solution.
Having been an avid player of DOOM and QUAKE in the
nineties, I learned from reading about the production of the
record breaking games that many of the creatures were actually
sculpted by the creators, then digitized as they were being stop
motion animated, shooting different poses and angles of them.
Then they were placed in the positions in the worlds that ID
Software had manufactured. This seemed to be an easier
solution to the problem, and searching for an excellent artist to
bring these Lovecraftian horrors to life seemed an even more
difficult task.
The Tomb Worm from the first room comes to life. Taken from a
design of mine in draft. Richard really made the thing come to
life with his own concepts. I could not be happier. Note the
flowering head and centipede legs.
.
Then one day, as I was browsing the YouTube channels for
Lovecraft oriented materials for a short I had planned but never
did due to marketing and financial success of such projects, I
came across a short from a talented artist from Sweden named
Richard Svensson. Richard runs the website Loneanimator.com
and I highly recommend this for anyone into stop motion
animation. I had originally wanted Richard to contribute to a
Lovecraft short I was preparing, but in reviewing the
accountable success of such a short with the film festivals and
my had hoped for submission to Andrew Milgore's Lurkerfilms
DVD Lovecraft compilations, I decided to delay that and
examine the options of an online game itself.
A woodcut from Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal 1863
Paris. Called Diable, it usually shows up as copyright free art
here and there in different collections. The centuries old art
really should show Hollywood a thing or two. This inspired
the creature from room 2, not a demon in the story, to rise up
by Richard's fine ttalents. A really nice puppet nearly 1 foot
high in size.
Buildup technique for the 2nd room creature using clay, and the
skinny posing armature. The skin is latex and Richard fine
detailed the model to lifelike realism.
The Transforming Lady here being sculpted and molded.
Kathleen Ritter, the wife of horror icon Tim Ritter provided
not only voice talent to our projects, as The Amulet, but also
was the facial photo model for this transforming T’kai
creature.
Our room 4 creation, ala the Dunwich Horror, inspired by
Wilber Whatley's end when he is revealed to be other than
human. The model human for this item was actually Tim
Ritter's wife Kathleen Ritter, shown here from an earlier film
released by Sub Rosa called Reconciled to the Christ. She also
provided some voice talent for this very character in the game
play.
Tim has an extensive film and video library, having been at
the business for several decades like Brett. He has made
some of the best independent horror features I have ever
seen. Creep, Twisted Illusions, Truth or Dare and his
Screaming For Sanity are among my favorites. Included in
some of his disks are rememberences of how the business
was and now is for the indie shooter, and the reason why I
never took a plunge full into full horror features, since the
market has really suffered. His production blog on on one
of the B movie sites is really informative.
Completed Transforming Lady ready for animating.
Last but not least, as there are a few surprises in the game that I
would like to keep at lockdown, is our final Boss, or end
creature. Some people dislike insects, I think they are very
interesting, as the design and nature of things make good
villians in any horror or science fiction film. Richard did the
buildup from a suggestion that I wanted, and he took it, once
again, in a different way and made it really move. The
animation of this thing is simple but powerful. I need not say
more.
I really like the look of this model. The centipede has been a
menacing looking creature to me, so I know of no other
creation that qualified for other worldly. Another of
Richard's fine creations, shot in black and white with the
background plates really makes it stand out. This model is
over 1 foot long and highly detailed as only Richard can.
The work demonstrates a talent beyond my small
expectations and an important part of the project. I hope all
else everyone enjoys the life of this thing.
Check out Richard's earlier works on his Bluwurm channel
on YouTube, you will get a feel for what I am direly
communicating. I highly recommend his website for
buildup techniques, molds and other bric a brak of stop
motion artists and those vaults of cinematic stop motion
horror. Considering how difficult it is to translate HP
Lovecraft's works to the screen in any form, I believe he
has done a marvelous job.
These are samples of the buildups of the game creatures.
There are many, many additional photos of this on
Richard's website including the highlights on this game.
See Richard’s recommended site here:
