art of icy influenza

8/6/2019 Art Of Icy Influenza

1/30

Art of Icy Influenza

by

Max Rogers


2/30

Introduction

The following pages are an insight into the pre

production and production of a fantasy narrative inspired

animation on influenza attacking the body. This topicwas from a pick of four and we were assigned to create

a two minute animation of our own take on the topic.

The project has been a gruelling test and time

management was definitely key in this unit but much hasbeen learnt in relation to the pipeline of creating an

animation.


3/30

Influenza Looking at images of the flu virus magnified it looks

rather vicious with spikes used to attach itself to the

host cells. These attachment spikes are known as

hemagglutinin which make up for around 80% of the

spikes while the other 20% is made up of

neuraminidase which is mainly used for the release

of newly produced virus particles from the host cell.

Although the flu virus is generally easily treated there

have been many instances where this is not the case

due to different strands of the virus such as H1N1

which are much quicker in their growth. The deadliest

case of a flu outbreak was the Spanish flu epidemic

during 1918 which is recorded to have infected one

billion people - half the world's population at the time.Reinforcing the point of its ease of eradication the

virus is still among the top ten causes of death in

America, shockingly ranking higher than that of the

HIV virus which causes Aids.


4/30

Idea

From the research gathered of the Influenza virus I

became interested in a fantasy depiction of the way the

virus attacks the body. The virus gives the victim coldsymptoms which then led to me pushing my artistic

license and thinking along the lines of coldness leading

on an interest of ice.


5/30

Influences

Influences for this animation

originally came from a picture

of the swine flu virus H1N1

instantly coming across as a

sentinel-like menace from

The Matrix trilogy. This

caused me to think about the

design of my virus and


6/30

More Influences

I looked in to concept art from the game

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for

inspiration of snow and ice

environments and the artist LukeJerrams glass sculptures of viruses for

inspiration of my virus design,

envisioning it as being in some ways

transparent


7/30

Target Audience

The target audience for this animation is young

teenagers, it is more story driven and artistic in order to

entertain rather than educate. The narrative is dark

accompanied by a setting which becomes darker in the

appearance of the flu virus. It is not recommended for a

younger audience due to the mild peril.


8/30

Unit 6 Acts Act 1

Soft classical intro is played accompanied by a black screen where a sneeze is heard. The screen

fades in to a single flu virus which is then breathed in by an unsuspecting victim. The virus travels

through the respiratory system heading for the lungs causing the respiratory walls to freeze up as

it passes through. The virus makes it way to the cell membrane of a lung cell where it begins to

push through.

Act 2

As the virus breaks through the music begins to become more powerful as RNA is released

menacingly making their way to the nucleus of the cell. The nucleus reads the RNAs data

causing the nucleus to freeze then the RNA makes its way to the cells membrane and is encased

within the proteins and lipid Bilayer as it forces its way out.

Act 3

The music calms again as the flu virus leaves the frozen dying cell as it heads to another cell

within the lungs. As it makes its way more flu viruses begin to push through the dying cell and the

camera begins to zoom out to reveal other viruses leaving dying lung cells accompanied by the

more powerful section of the music. The screen once again fades to black accompanied by a

terrible cough


9/30

Concept Art Influenza Virus


10/30

Concept Art Virus travels throughrespiratory system


11/30


12/30

Storyboard


13/30

Storyboard


14/30

Storyboard


15/30

Storyboard


16/30

Changes after Pitch

After the pitch there were a few comments on the

animation which needed to be investigated. Spacing was

an issue, I needed to really think about the size of my

virus in comparison to its environment. And this issue of

spacing would also give the environments a sense of

place which would mean the audience would understand

where my animation was taking them. Dr. Klappa also

highlighted the dislike of the sentinel-like tentacles

comparing the look of the virus to a surfer dude. I was

advised to change the movement into more rigid like my

pre-viz to resemble a naval mine.


17/30

Influenza Virus Model

This is the untextured first

model produced after thepitch but rightly pointed out

to me it didnt feel like one

object as the tentacles

looked separate from the

spherical body.


18/30

This is the final

untextured model for

my virus concept

where I basically

smoothed the body upthe sides of the

tentacles to make

them look a whole

object rather than the

tentacles being stuckon the side of the

body


19/30

Textures for the virus

Main Body Tentacles

(hemagglutinin)

Spheres

(neuraminidase)


20/30

Bump Maps for Virus


21/30

Finished textured model

This is a final render image of my virus. The model has a slight

glow to it to make look colder.


22/30

Respiratory Tube Scene


23/30

Respiratory tube scene textures and bumps


24/30

Respiratory tube render images

These are the rendered

images of the respiratory

tube scene. One thing

that worked consistently

throughout the animation

was the wall texture. I

also used this texture for

the lung as well. The

idea for the scene was

as the virus travels

through the tube iciclespierce through the walls

of the tube causing

damage.


25/30

Lung scene texture and bump


26/30

Lung Renders

The organic texture was

again used for the lung

which works really well.

Blend shapes were used to

give the look of breathing

in for the lungs

something simple but

rather effective. Bumps

were also painted onto thegeometry as well to make

the surface less even .


27/30

The Lung cell


28/30


29/30

Final Scene

This was a huge scene in the animation, very large in data sizebecause of the amount of geometry in the scene making it rather

temperamental. However I like the opening of the shot with its

lighting and when the camera shows the many flu virus within the

lung the glow effect that they all possess works really well.


30/30

The top image is from the render

I took however after some thought Irealised that this wasnt epic enough

and led me to re render the scene out

and adding extra flu virus copies and

Icicles into the scene.

art of icy influenza

Documents