Mitchell Hammond

Boss, Madnar and Cigar WIP 6

Getting closer to finishing this shot, still need to animate Madnar grabbing the cigar, sniffing it, and expressing disgust - not a ganja man. Also Big Boss's animation will continue once Madnar touches cigar. I plan for this to be finished by the end of this week. Fingers crossed.

Boss, Madnar and Cigar WIP 5

A small update, almost have Big Boss passing the cigar finished, just need Madnar to grab it from him then he'll walk off. Not much to add, just small adjustments to his arm positioning, what's taken the longest to draw is the changing position of his hand, however this is what I get for deciding to fully expose his robo-arm.  Anywho, bed time then more grinding tomorrow.

Boss, Madnar and Cigar WIP 4

Once again, you know me, I gotta say sorry for the lack of updates. I'll be pretty transparent and say I've barely been working on it because I just became depressed and burnt out over the passed week, started questioning if I should continue as I feel bad for making everybody wait. I think not having enough time due to my day job taking priority began to push my project further and further away into irrelevance and it reminded how purposeless my life is without my project to give me drive an...

Boss, Madnar and Cigar WIP 3

Sorry for the lack of updates lately, work has been taking up most of my time, and with this shot I had to reanimate the arm because I couldn't get it to look right, and looking at it now it still doesn't look right so I'll have to re-reanimate it. Again, sorry for the hold up on this.

Boss, Madnar and Cigar WIP 2

Finally drawn both Boss and Madnar. I've only just realized I made a mistake with Madnar's design as he's actually bald and has a goatee, plus he's supposed to be at least 6 feet. I've attached an image from the game's manual for reference. Ah well, at least I gave him his glasses. I modeled him a little too close to Victor Jurgens from Kojima's Policenauts, picture also attached.

A little background behind Big Boss' prosthetic arm. It's a portable blood transfusion kit, implying h...

Boss, Mandar and Cigar WIP

Small thumbnail I drew at work, it's a bit wonky but I'll correct the proportions on-screen. May need to design Mandar an ID Card, too. Also Big Boss' stance is based on Vader from The Empire Strikes Back

Big Boss' Lapel Pin

Thought I'd have Big Boss continue to carry the fallen with him, but this time it will be on his lapel, front and center. Anyway, back to animating...

Nuke Attachment Complete

Finally finished this shot, took a bit longer than intended but with all the detail I had to account for I shouldn't be surprised. The shots after this when Metal Gear is up and moving will be the true test. I've attached two images of the background with and without the foreground elements. Next shot will be a close up on Big Boss (with the top of his face cut off screen) and Madnar, with Big Boss handing Madnar his cigar before walking off camera. Let's get a move on.

Nuke Attachment WIP 5

The winch release still doesn't look right so I'll need to reanimate it, otherwise all I have to do now is draw the background and this shot is finally finished.

Nuke Attachment WIP 4

Not too much of an update, but thought I'd show the nuke finally drawn and attached, as well as the background linework. Still need to draw the wench attached to the nuke, too, so I'll get that done tomorrow and start animating it being lowered. Onward!

Nuke Attachment 3

Still a lot to get done, was having trouble mounting the module at the right angle and size, my version in this regard is very different from every other design of the TX-55... for better or worse. Wish I had more hours in my free time to work on this as I've finally gotten into my groove and it's already time for bed. Oh well. Will continue tomorrow after work.

Nuke Attachment WIP 2

Finished drawing Metal Gear, still need to finish the platform it's standing on then I'll move onto the nuke module itself. Once that's drawn, I'll actually animate it fitting on. 

Nuke Attachment WIP

Became a bit frustrated these passed couple of days as I just couldn't come up with a satisfying composition, you can see some of the sketches below. Fortunately drawing the TX55 over and over again means I can pretty much draw it and all its intricacy by heart. 

2019-08-29 10:58:57 +0000 UTC View Post

Nuke Lowering Complete

Next shot will be much wider like before where the nuke module will finally attach to Metal Gear, with the ending of the shot panning over to Big Boss (from behind) with Madnar slowly approaching. I'll draw this out as a thumbnail tomorrow so you get what I'm talking about. Anywho, let the mission continue.

Nuke Lowering WIP 2

I was hoping to get the background finished tonight but I have work in the morning so I'll have this shot finished in the afternoon. I'm thinking the module stops a little too soon so I'll go back and ease it up a little as well as add a few more frames at the end.

Nuke Lowering WIP

This is an upward perspective with us looking up from the "tusks" point of view next to the gatling/laser gun module. The nuke module will move into frame then stop and begin tilting up (how many times can I say 'up') while simultaneously lowering toward us, ready for insertion. Think of it as Bis Boss' very own sex-ed course. Anyway, back to work.

Nuke Module Above Metal Gear Complete

I didn't change the panning too much, didn't want to move the camera upward any further as there's not only a limit to the background's height but with the nuke module at this angle I'd end up cutting most of it out.

For the next shot, the nuke module will finally come to a stop and begin lowering onto Metal Gear. Let's a'Go!

Nuke Module Above Metal Gear WIP 3

Need to add shadow and lighting to the ground support equipment below the nuke module, change some of the environmental lighting in a few areas and add the other engineers looking up. Next to the engineer at the console is a Mitsubishi MSX Computer ML-F80 and cartridges for Sky Jaguar, Ultraman and  The Game Master. Also, still have to change the panning a bit.

Nuke Module Above Metal Gear WIP 2

The saga continues. I've got the nuke module moving, now to draw the background which, much like the previous shots, will make up the built of creating this shot. Gotta keep moving.

Edit: I feel like the panning abruptly stops, so instead I'm going to have it keep moving up at a consistent pace so the crane cables are seen a bit clearly.

Welcome to new Patrons

So I posted a video over on Facebook of the animation, not thinking anything of it as I've already posted about 80% of the clips in that scene online anyway. Welp, it blew up a little bit. To the point where even Kojima retweeted it.

Now my phone is blowing up with notifications. It's a Samsung so I'm wondering if it'll explode like everybody was saying like a year ago about these phones. Eithe...

More Bad News

I've ran out of coffee.

On the bright side, the project has been saved. I'm going to pick up the new hard drives that the project has been transferred to tomorrow as the older hard drives were obsolete, needing battery power to start them up and all. These new ones are simply 1TB USB's so no more of that plugging into a power outlet bullshite. Can't wait to get back to working on this thing.

Bad News Update

The IT specialists think that the problem isn't the hard drives so much as it's the adapter being too low a voltage (9v instead of 12v). The 9v adapter I bought about a week ago was a replacement for my crapped out 12v so they ordered the same 12v model adapter on Wednesday. They got the new adapter on Friday however it's a completely different model as the one they ordered went out of stock. They asked me to bring in my broken 12v and they're going to try and repair it. 

If it do...

Bad News

My two storage devices containing back ups of the animation project might be dead, making the project itself dead. Taken them to IT to see if they know what's going on. We'll see... 

Nuke Module Above Metal Gear WIP

Scanned in some rough sketches of the composition. I've yet to draw the cables attached to the nuke module, but essentially it will be lifted toward us, stop, then move right above Metal Gear. I've attached images of both the nuke module and the shot it featured in below not only because I forgot to post them previously but also because I'll be using its assets for the sake of continuity.

2019-07-23 05:56:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Raising Nuke Module Complete

As I said, not much in terms of actual animation. I've thought this for a while but I don't consider myself much of an animator, rather I'm better at production and creating atmosphere. What has definitely cemented this fact is checking out a few animators on twitter who have been animating less than me and work in the industry or are still students.

Anywho, next shot I'm thinking of a top down view as the nuke module if raised above Metal Gear then lowered onto it's body. Let's go.

Raising Nuke Module WIP 2

Sorry for the delay. Father's doing a lot better now, he came home, was fine, then started having chest pains so took him back to hospital thinking it was another heart attack but turns out it was nothing, fortunately. So it's back to normal for me with the project, still need to draw the background for this and then get it moving. Here's two images with and without the nuke module so you can get a better look at Metal Gear from the side. The layout is a bit different from the sketch I posted...

Family Emergency

My father has suffered a heart attack over the past week so the animation has been a low priority. He's back home and he's actually doing well, so I might have something finished by the end of this week or early next week. 

Raising Nuke Module

In terms of animation this will be a simple shot, however much like the previous shot the real work comes with illustrating the background, lighting, etc. Basically the nuclear module will be raised and then pulled right above Metal Gear where it will be lowered toward its body. Had meetings at work all week so my time's been limited but I'll definitely get cracking with this on the weekend.

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear Complete

Finally got this done, only took a month, sorry for the wait as always. To cut to the chase the next shot will be from above as we watch the Nuclear Module move closer to Metal Gear as it's about to be attached. I'll come up with  a few  thumbnail sketches to sort out the composition and post them here. Let's roll on.

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear 5.7

Still a lot more work to do. The nuclear module will raise from the floor up to the point you see in the image, also need to add engineers preparing Metal Gear, plus more props and of course the ceiling. I've been sick all week so I haven't been working on this that much, frustrating considering the shot is almost complete.