Ok. I needed to get my animation that I had started 1 year ago, off my plate so that I could move on. (Gawd. ONE YEAR AGO???...Are you serious?)

One month ago, I noticed there was a music video contest advertised on Talenthouse.com, sponsored by the band The Cataracs, in which they were inviting people to animate to their little ditty "Undercover".

The music "sorta" fit with Ida & Lothario's already started dance routine. The music clip was only 1 minute long. I had 45 secs or so already done.

I missed the entry date by 1 day (confoooosion on my part, very confooosing due date for their contest which only got 6? entries). Boo Hiss Lame.

BUT the VERY good part is that this greased me back into animating, and learning some more (especially with Aftereffects). And even more fortunately, I procrastinated for 2 weeks. So that I really only spent 2 weeks in finishing this.

Compression is REALLY crappy. But here is the link to what would have been "final" (as of today):

http://vimeo.com/32855337

EDIT: added a still as it looked straight from A:M, then result after AE effects added (screen capture)

Awesome, Nancy!

Really well done! Did you try to get it in past the due date? They missed out not letting you in!

I'm disappointed i don't get a chance to vote for that!

It's their loss, your entry looks quite good!

Lovely style as always Nancy!

Bravo, Nancy!

Just watched it on FB and again AWESOME! Great job.

Very nice stuff
Well done Nancy! I like it much!

See you
*Fuchur*

Oh that's really nice Nancy, i love the back ground as well as the dancing.They look like stars, To bad about the entry time, you would have taken the show.

Wow! Your stuff is always a treat to watch, as well as learn from.

the bouncing lights are perfectly executed.
they could so easily take over, now they just blow up not only the spatial
experience but they actually add to the general magicalness of motion.
the film has the one flaw all the best ones have: too short!
seriously, is there a longer version?

That was a lot of fun, Nancy!

I'm sad you missed the deadline. Really high quality stuff.

Thanks people! I very much appreciate your comments.



Sorta. I couldn't find an email on their website to contact them (The Cataracs). They have a facebook page (actually a gazillion fan facebook pages). I did manage to post something at what I believe to be their official page. Talenthouse.com seems to be just a clearing house for all sorts of contest "invites", but they had an email, so I asked them to pass my link to the band.

I'm actually relieved that I didn't get to enter, as their requirements for the final product delivery also seemed quite complicated and a lot of work. I didn't expect to win either, as the band is more "edgy and young", and I suspect cutesy, chubby little dollies bouncing around doesn't fit their image.

There was something flaky about the whole "contest" thing. At first the prize was advertised to be $1000 gift certificate for Apple products, then it was $1000 on an American Express card. I know I saw a due date of dec 1, at one time (but also specified that it should be in 48 hrs prior). On the 28th I went back to their site and the date had been changed to nov 27. Gak.



That's funny, because they are stars! backgrounds courtesy of stealing images from NASA. (HEY! the stars belong to everyone...don't they?...just cause they have that ol' hubble thing...pshaw...my tax dollars...)


Those terrific newtonian perfect bouncing lights were a variation on a project that XTAZ (Marcos Rezende) had posted awhile back that I rendered in A:M and then composited in AfterEffects.

No there isn't a longer version. I had run out of steam & interest for doing anything longer with this dance routine. A one minute music clip was just about right to get me to "done".

AWESOME!

awesome Nancy I love the movement of lotharios' chest and mane.

Great style definitely a NG production

Excellent! Love the look great job
J

That was awesome Nancy. Great fun!

beautiful

Lovely job Nancy! Like I mentioned before, animation is hard enough without also having to choreograph the dance steps. From what you mentioned about the contest, I too think something sounds a little "shady" on their part. If it's any consolation, I never heard of "The Cataracs" but I HAVE heard of Nancy Gormezano ...

ha!! that was fun! good job.

Mike Fitz
www.3dartz.com

Nancy,
That was outstanding. great work.

Well done

Thanks again all for the encouragement !



The dance routine was stolen from...er.. courtesy of a Fred & Ginger video on Youtube. Their routines, probably choreographed by Astaire, were magical & Youtube is Rotoscope Heaven.

I hadn't heard of The Cataracs either, but I chalked that up to "they" not letting me out all that much, here at the home.

That looked great Nancy! Nice to see it finished.

Thanks Mark.

Really well done and cute. I like Lothario's look, kinda reminds me of the cowardly lion.