pixel art documentary project: looking for participants

[Stwelin]

I can give you my perspective from the 'hobbyist' point of view. I am slightly considering getting into commercial work, but I don't think I would make a career out of it. This sounds like an interesting idea.

edit: also, just a word of warning if you decide to make the 'pixel portraits' to use in the film, unless you are making them fairly small and blowing them up, it could get tedious, otherwise someone may be giving some dramatic (lol) line and their expression would be staying pretty much the same... although, it would capture that old-school SNES 'cinematics' sort of style?

[Lackey]

Glad to see this number of respondants.  I'm not certain if I'm going ahead with the project right now (I should be by the end of the day) but I'll let everyone who's interested have further instructions when I'm ready to move on.

also, just a word of warning if you decide to make the 'pixel portraits' to use in the film, unless you are making them fairly small and blowing them up, it could get tedious, otherwise someone may be giving some dramatic (lol) line and their expression would be staying pretty much the same... although, it would capture that old-school SNES 'cinematics' sort of style?

True enough.  Alternate eye positions should be possible without interfering with the mouth shapes just by putting it on another layer or something.  They would definately be blown-up (size would be the choice of the aritst) and I don't want to have anyone do too much work on a relatively short schedule.  Any 4:3 proportion image could be blown up to work (from 40x30 to 320x240).

Mhh, I think there comes a third party recording tool with the latest version of skype (what version is that again, 3.0?) but I haven't tried it and don't know if it's free.
I'm really tempted to try it, but besides not having that much confidence in my speaking I'm also not sure if I would know what to say, and that I don't have any resolute ideas about it.

Skype is free, it doesn't include any recording tool as far as I can determine (unless it's well hidden!).  Even if you don't have very resolute ideas I'd be happy to hear from you; sometimes it can be more interesting to hear from people who haven't quite figured things out yet.

i'm a bit of an amateur around here, but i have a built in mic to my compy and audacity is a free pro recording tool.  I can export to ogg mp3 wav, what-ever you need.

I'd gladly answer a few questions - i would also record myself with other people's text-written answers if need be.  Subtitles of some of the foreign people would show that it doesnt matter what coutry you come from - anyone can create pixel-art.

On the subject of recording internet calls - there is a skype ripoff, called Gizmo Project which does allow voice recording.  Its a good program.

If you have any good video confering tools you could actually get video answers - perhaps one of the benfits of having a mac.

I recommend Audacity to anyone who's thinking of recording themselves.  It's a good, easy to use, and free audio recording program.  Gizmo might be necessary for conversation-interviews.  Does anyone mind downloading software for the interests of this project?

And thanks a lot for the enthusiasm everyone, I will notify you with how to go ahead when I have the details.  For anyone who is thinking of recording themselves you might just try with the questions I listed above so that you're comfortable with them.  Again, thanks!

[sedgemonkey]

This sounds like quite an interesting project for interviewing, but I would highly recommend using actual pixel art over the talking heads so people get a good feel for the subject. I'd love to see how this turns out.

@Helm:  You don't have any English issues at all in your typing and you have a damn good English vocabulary (too good for babelfish  ).  If I had to guess, I would have thought you spoke English fluently.

[ndchristie]

helm, if you are worried about searching for words while miked, could you not make a written script, and then recite it for the microphone?

i'd love to participate since it's a neet idea to ask people what they think, but I'm afraid my opinions wouldn't really be worth recording, since pixel-art to me is basically a triviality -  it's just what i do between more important things like work and study.

[Helm]

Yes, the being at a loss for words or mumbling stuff is what I'd like to avoid. I can speak english well enough, though with a greek accent - as one would expect.

I could make a script and such. I guess I can do it, Graham.

Are you aware how much effort lip-synching animations will be?

[Stwelin]

Indeed, lip synching is quite tedious, even if it is on a low resolution, and that's not even counting other facial animations. maybe you could go with just stills, like they do on the news when they are corrosponding with someone 'via satellite' and they just have a still of their face in the corner. Then play some more interesting content in the main area while the person is talking...

&Helm, it would make my day to match a voice to the face.

[Lackey]

Hey,

Sorry about this but it looks like because of complications the project won't be going ahead.  I still like the idea though, I'm going to have to consider investigating it on my own time, perhaps during the summer.

[Stwelin]

Ah, that's a shame. i hope you do pursue it, i am still looking forward to participating, if you decided to go along with it.

[eck]

Indeed, lip synching is quite tedious, even if it is on a low resolution, and that's not even counting other facial animations. maybe you could go with just stills, like they do on the news when they are corrosponding with someone 'via satellite' and they just have a still of their face in the corner. Then play some more interesting content in the main area while the person is talking...

&Helm, it would make my day to match a voice to the face.

in the middle, you could have a slide show type thing, showing off some graphics theyve done

that is, if you ever folow through with it.