ANIMATION TESTS- Fire

In my film I have 3 different fire stop motion effects: fire breath, candle flame and a fire.

Fire Breath

Lets start off with the breathing fire tests for little Leo.

Both tests were created with purple and pink cellophane. Ideally I would like Leo to have blue fire breath but didn't have any blue cellophane in my house.

Evaluation

Test 1- Very rough flames doesn't look alive just looks like a pom pom skaking around.

Test 2- Quicker speed and more focus on shape which makes it look more flames like and more like a breath. Still need to work on flame movement and need to test different materials including cotton wool for little bits of smoke.

Candle Flame/Fire

The aim is to create as much realism with the flame movement as possible. I'm not too concerned with which materials I use as long as the light shines through. It is amazing how simple objects can be animated to look like completely different substances. For example I've been researching different materials used for in camera special effects in Stop Motion films and Wes Anderson's films are particularly impressive.

Fantastic Mr Fox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUTXXOiMNrI -watch from 6:10

Behind the scenes cotton for smoke three-dimensional coloured plastic replacements for flames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFb0xS9_rOY

Movie scene

Study notes: its a very fast paced flame and smoke. The close up of lighting a match is incredibly detailed and complicated with multiple replacement parts.

Isle of Dogs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBsoIggc8SM

Behind the scenes

Study notes: More realistic than Fantastic Mr fox elements which were quite stylised.

Cellophane and cotton. Fire tests done with paper, optic fibres and cellophane. Seems like they have done the more complicated special effects on a green screen and have added them in post. This is a good idea as it allows the animator to focus better on individual elements creating a more refined look. This is something I should consider for my own film.

Test 1

Materials: LED light, candle wax, bracers wax for drop, balloon glued to light for colouring, replacement flame pieces made from a plastic sheet with oil pastel rubbed over.

Animation: Reference from Fantastic Mr Fox match lighting scene.

Evaluation: The oil pastel creates great texture in the flame. Wax drop is made with the right material but needs more frames. Flames need to be bigger to hide light source and moves too quickly. Could be a good speed for a fire rather than a single flame.

Test 2

Materials: LED light, yellow and orange tissue paper filter, ear plug wax flame replacements (hard to mould into smooth shapes)

Animation notes: Smaller to bigger replacement pieces then repeat.

Evaluation: Rough edges look good for a fire but not a close up candle light.

Test 3

Materials: LED light, yellow and orange tissue paper filter, ear plug wax flame

Animation: squashed and stretched single wax flame for a smoother flame animation.

Evaluation: Smoother animation more suitable for a candle flame but I'm still not happy with the shape and lack of flexibility.

Test 4

Materials: Multiple LED lights, yellow and orange tissue paper filter, JOVI plasticine recommended by Ondra Nedvěd creator of PHOTONS music video.

Animation: squash and stretch the single plasticine flame.

Evaluation: Very smooth animation and very suitable for candle flames. The last LED light worked best as it was small, bright and allowed me to fiddle with the connection allowing me to flicker the light.

Conclusion

Candle flame- JOVI plasticine with 4th LED light source.

Fire- Either ear plug wax replacement pieces or plastic sheet and oril pastle replacenet pieces.

Fire breath- Needs further testing.

Also sculpt candle from ear plug wax rather than actualcandle wax.

#graduatefilm #preproduction #animationtest #fire