I'm not too sure where to put this, so I thought that the fan fiction discussion are would be a suitable place?

A lot (see, I do learn! Not 'allot!') of people have made the attempt of creating an animated or live-action fan fiction series: just YouTube them, and you'll see trailers for dozens, if not hundreds of such projects. Many, however, do not get off of the ground past the concept/trailer stage.

A notable example is the live action genre is 'James Potter and the Elder's Crossing', which in itself was adapted from a fan fiction series of novels.

Legally, there does appear to be at least some leeway for the aforementioned projects, allowing for them to happen. This is a stark contrast compared to many other companies such as Fox, who are over-zealous in guarding their IP's from even the most minor infractions (an example being computer game modifications/mod's).

Aside from the live action, the most common (and most easiest) method of creating animation is via Macromedia Flash. Unfortunately, much of the animation created by that program is -frankly- not that well rendered. That's mainly because much of the art work is done inside of the program itself, and not created in a more suitable program and then ported/transferred in for use.

Obviously, usually due to a lack of resources, this is generally not the creator's fault: they're simply making do with what they have, when they have the time.

Example one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsWo3LL1w14

A creative way around this, however, is to use backgrounds and objects painted or created inside of another program, such as Adobe Photoshop or Corel Painter, and then use them instead of the assets created from scratch inside of Macromedia Flash. This method also allows for an artistic design theme to be utilised, instead of the flat 2D shapes seen in Macromedia Flash created projects.

Anyone familiar with the industry/amateur site 'Conceptart.org' www.conceptart.org will know what I am talking about when it comes to 'speed painting': many such speed paints only take an hour or even less, and the end results are a lot better than what can be created inside of Macromedia Flash.

Example two: http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=ConceptArt.org%20Speed%20Paint&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=837

Aside from traditional, 2D painted resources, there are many other options, some more...exotic, than others.

An example would to be create an enviroment inside of a computer game map or level editor, polished, and then take screenshots for use as background imagery.

Example three, Source Engine level imagery: http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=e...gine+Level+Design&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Example four, Unreal 3.0 Engine level imagery: http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=e...gine+Level+Design&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Example five, Crysis 2 Engine level imagery: http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=e...gine+Level+Design&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

The resulting screenshots can either be then used, or touched up by an artist in Photoshop or another program similiar to that.

There is also using pre-rendered images from items created from 3D modelling programs: an example would be how the original elements from the original Starcraft game were made, and the original DooM games.

Example six: Starcraft 1 game sprite that had been created by a 3D program: http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090113214836/starcraft/images/4/45/Barracks_SC1_Game1.png

The original 3D model had images taken of it for use in the game as a sprite image.

Examples seven and eight: DooM sprite created by a real-life latex and clay model.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Spider_Mastermind_model.jpg

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:...ck.us/img122/7590/spidermastermindev9.jpg&t=1

As for the characters themselves, game SDK's (most notably the Source SDK) have face poser tools for character lip synching and facial expression when it comes to 3D models. A perfect example would be the advanced facial expressions used by the Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 character models.

If a character model had these animations (as well as those such as walking, etc) converted into a .GIF or a .JPEG format frame by frame (much like how scenes from movies are adapted into .GIF images), these could be ported into an animation program such as Macromedia Flash -in conjunction with other assets from other sources- to make up a piece of media.

There are bound to be other programs out there that I do not know of aside from Macromedia Flash, that can do the same job, or do it even better.

Audio such as musical score can be created quite easily by the right people: a perfect example would be the many artists and remixers seen over at www.ocremix.org.

Voice audio can be cleared up in a neat little program called 'Audacity' and a simple microphone: I've personally had some experience with that nifty program.

Has anyone else ever thought about using such 'mix and blend' techniques to create an animated feature?

Edit: uh, I think the title should be called, 'Animated Harry Potter fan fiction techniques', now that I think about it? Not too sure...?

 

Personally, I'd love to see some fics made into movies. Since that can't happen, this would be the next best thing.

Now, as I don't know shit about programming and painting and animation, I'm waiting for one of you guys to make this come true.

Seriously, somebody make this happen now.

 

^ Pretty much this.

Fics that come to Mind? -;

Stranger Trilogy (Or just Unholy thus far)
Wastelands of Time
Skitterleap
Resistance of Azkaban
Denarian Trilogy, well, 'series' now I suppose. Whatever it's called.. I forget.
Bungle in the Jungle
Lie I've Lived
Summer of Change

Erm... I'm sure there's more I'd add to that list, only i can't think right now.

 

Harry Potter and the Summer of Change could be pretty awesome if done in animated format.

As for the art direction in general, while things would obviously be influenced by that of the movies (such as the wand designs), some/many elements can be redone so that they're closer to what was described in the books, e.g., Fleur's beauty, Tonks' tendency to change hair colour at the drop of a hat and depending on her emotional state (which was only done once in the movies), Dumbledore's image, etc.

 

I don't see the point of doing a whole animated movies out of fanfiction. It would take to much time and effect would be rather poor.

That said, I think making 2-3 minutes animated trailers of fanfiction with the best bits of action and dialogues is much better idea.

 

For me, I'd be happy to see some of my favorite fanfiction works come out in audiobook format. A good audiobook, with competent voice actors and reasonable sound quality.

I agree with Celestin's idea about animated trailers - it's a lot more practical to make something of that length and still retain some of the original's awesome factor. As it is there are a few fanfics that I have mental trailers for, associated with a certain song on my playlist.

 

Can we have A Black Comedy as Animated fanfiction? Please? Oh please can we?

 

Holy crap, how could I forget 'A Black Comedy' ... Damn =\.

Trailers would be awesome, but when I go back to re-read these stories, I can't help but sit back sometimes & play it out in my head, as if it were a film. It just seems infinitely better for it. I can't go back & read canon anymore, that's for sure.

Audiobooks.. Possibly, but I'd still expect to hear Richard Harris and that would just kill me inside not too =\.

 

The whole fanfiction turned to movie thing is a double edge sword though. On one end of the spectrum, you have the possibility of amazing fic like Joe's Wastelands of Time being a movie, but on the other end, imagine the worst slash fic you've ever even laid eyes upon. A HP/Twilight Slash Crossover would definitely happen due to the shit loads of teen fan girls that exist. I'd be wary if this ever came to be.

 

I think I just upchucked in my mouth, a little.

I do agree, it is a double edged sword.

The same thing could be said for the actual film industry, though.

Uwe Boll, anyone?

I actually toyed with these lines of thinking as a year or so back: I was helping a fan project of which whom were aiming to continue the Disney Kim Possible series in a new/altered format. Suffice to say, I eventually ditched helping the project because it seemed like there were only two or three people getting things done out of a crew of about a dozen, and I was wasting my time in helping: the guy who was 'directing' it' seemed completely incompetent/clueless. For about a year, nothing basically got done.

One of the things I thought up (aside from the technique mixes as mentioned above in my first post and a Source Engine machinima continuation) was an audio book project done on either YouTube or/and as a 'Movie' format download for use in players such as Windows Media Player/WinAmp.

Essentially, it would of been a normal audio book, but with critical pieces of artwork/music added in at important scenes/chapter coverings. I even had a relatively rough production process (involving technique and software to be used) fleshed out.

Maybe something similar could be adapted here for usage in a Harry Potter project? 'Dark Lord Audio', heh.

 

Honestly?

Because I've already done the majority of the research back in the old Kim Possible continuation project days, I could put together a rough document outlining 'how and what' could be done to create an animated piece of fan fiction. Same deal with the audio book format. Would anyone here want to see it if I wrote it/them up?

The only downside is that some of the software used are actual commercial and propriety, but are so 'well spread' and 'used' anyway by fans and amateurs everywhere (e.g., see computer game modification 3D modelling for game engines such as the Unreal Engine and Source Engine), that it's sort of a 'gray area', even if using such 'well spread' software is a tad illegal. There are free alternatives to those, however, so it's not that big of a hurdle.

The audio format wouldn't have the same potential 'restrictions' as any potential animated feature, though.

 

This is a good, if potentially inviable, idea. Could be great, but chances are the result would be crappy. Now, having parroted the other posters enough, I'd support such a project if someone I trusted to do it well was in charge. Monetarily. And I'm not fucking kidding, either.

 

Animated, may be a longshot but possible to do, but an 'enhanced audiobook'? Perfectly viable, and with tools that can easily be found free on the internet.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KgWF9bMEmQ

Double edged sword, indeed.

This thing is quite possibly the funniest thing I've seen in a while and reminds me so much of the Old Spice commercials it isn't funny.

Hello Ladies, I'm Harry Potter.

Look down, look up. Where are you? You're at Hogwarts.

With your new DADA teacher Lucius Malfoy.

What's in my hand? A note from Malfoy Jr that says "I love you."

Look again you are now at the Quidditch World Cup.

I'm on a broom.

 

Everyone is talking about a fully animated movie for their favorite fanfics. I highly doubt anyone has the patience, raw-nerve, or focus for such a huge project.

However, I think far more doable would be for certain scenes to be animated. Much more doable I would think.

Maybe the closing of Wastelands? Or in the Denarian Renegade the opening? Or even Joe's one-shot with Terrorist:Harry?

I think I would like to personally see nmb's Chernenko(sp?) versus Harry, their first fight, animated. Or maybe the fight against the faceless and Harry. Stranger in an Unholyland's Harry v. Voldemort would be epic. Or from a Black Comedy, one of the moments where Sirius and Harry find out out their fuckmates are related. Each would be awesome to watch I would think.

 

If we had 10 animators on the boards at Monty Oum's level, I'd have already enslaved recruited them to work on animating most of the fics listed - and then some.

Sadly, such people usually have nothing to do with fanfiction, and are gainfully employed. Le Sigh.

 

I think if it were done though, I couldn't decide which would be better;

Wastelands, Stranger in an Unholy Land or, option 3.. Black Comedy/Resistance of Azkaban. All 3 always make me stop reading & imagine the scenes in my head, repeatedly.

Stranger would have some stunning fight scenes, watching Bourne!Harry would be incredible when the Dark Knight kicks in unconsciously.

Wastelands Harry would be so arrogant and suave that I couldn't help but love his lines and interaction, though it would -have- to have his running monologue, I think the downfall with first person fics would be that, the loss of monologue or story telling in a manner.

And well, the final 2's a coin toss. Humour vs again, amazing battle and fight sequences alongside a plot that's not that common, but done well when approached by certain authors, Shezza being one. Still waiting for him to finish Resurgence one day...

 

Frankly, I love the idea of animated fanfiction.

With that out of the way...

People who can't write a decent fanfic, trying to voice act...

People who can't write a decent fanfic, trying to voice act, and do a convincing English/Scottish/Irish/French/European accent... when they are from Idaho.

Not a Perspicacity level parade-pissing, but I thought I'd throw that out there. :awesome