Mitchell Hammond

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear 5.6

Finished with the legs, now to work on the actual hanger itself. 

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear WIP 5.5

Started adding more, the sticking out pipe thingies to the left and the big tube thingy in the back will insert into the nuclear module. Now to get to the legs, if I'm satisfied with how he's looking I'll move onto the background.

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear WIP 5

Started drawing up TX55, yes that is an MSX monitor, much like the ones in Big Boss' lair. That actual component from the original design I could never figure out what it was, even looking at other fan renditions of the TX55, so I decided to go my own way as usual. Still not 100% with the colors and lighting just yet but we'll see where this goes when the entire thing is drawn up.

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear WIP 4

Now that I've finished Boss and Madnar and I can finally get to work on the background, not just drawing it up but animating the workers and engineers, too. All 95 frames worth. Better get to work. Also, I typically render animated gifs through Photoshop but it kept crashing so when through After Effects which is why it's all jittery.

TX55 Schematics Art Print

Had a few of you asking about a print for the Metal Gear schematics sheet so I've put it up on Society6. I wanted to edit the pricing so it's a little cheaper but obviously that isn't up to me, although I think they're having a sale on art prints so if you're interested check'em out.

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear WIP 3

Managed to get Big Boss walking and Madnar reaching for his glasses, was hoping to at least get this part finished this weekend but unsure that will happen. Oh well, better keep moving.

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear WIP 2

Just something small, while Big Boss walks off to the right Madnar will look up, adjust his glasses, then look down at the clipboard. Alright, back to animatin'.

Boss, Madnar and Metal Gear WIP

Here's a draft where I've blocked everything out with sketches, the border around Big Boss and Dr. Madnar is the main framing of the shot so you can see how large the background will be. I'm going to animate Big Boss and Madnar first as that way I can know the overall shot duration so that I can animate the background in time with it.

Clipboard Complete

That's right, all that work put into the schematics and they go by in a second. As you can see it cuts off right at the end as Big Boss grabs the clipboard, this is because he's going to hand it over to Dr. Madnar before he walks toward Metal Gear. The next shot will take longer than most shots I've made in a long while, but of course I'll keep you updated on its progress. So without further ado, let's get back to work. 

Full Schematic Sheet

Now to animate Big Boss holding it, and handing it over to Drago Prettovich Madnar. Let's keep movin'.

Schematics WIP

Still need to draw the front and side view at the bottom, with certain modifications to the legs as well and just notes and project codename at the top. The blueprint template is a bit haphazard and I'll admit I don't know what it all means, as long as there's enough visual information to understand what it's conveying.

Snake Eyes Complete

There will be a zoom in on his eyes in post when I edit it in After effects. Finally the prison stuff is over, and we can go into Metal Gear itself. The next shot we'll see Big Boss' hand holding onto a clipboard with TX55 blueprints on it. The Walker unit from MGSV will serve as a springboard to TX55's design. I'll create the blueprint designs first and post them here, won't be charging though until the actual shot is done. Onward!

Fox Speaks Complete

Yet another small shot, next up will be Snake's reaction to Fox's words then we'll get into the TX55 stuff. Finally I'm done with this prison scene and we can move on!

Fox Looking Down Complete

Another small shot. The background will eventually turn to black in these next two shots (attachments) to symbolize the transition into Fox's briefing to Snake about Metal Gear. Enough jibba-jabba, let's keep going.

Another Metal Gear thumbnail

Been doing some more brainstorming at work, decided the angle should be from the same point of view as Big Boss, with the camera panning upward to show its scale. But I may have made TX55 too big here so I'll need to lower the body, shorten the upper legs, enlarge the lower legs, make the Vulcan cannon smaller. I kinda like the way it looks with the longer legs but I can't have it looking more advanced than how it's originally portayed. Anywho, back to actually animating.

Metal Gear thumbnail for upcoming shot.

I'm bored at work and have been planning the upcoming TX55 sequence Fox describes to Snake. Big Boss and scientist Dr Pettrovich Madnar will be in the foreground, but I have to figure out their placement as this will be a panning shot with a large background. Anywho, back to reality.

Hand on Fox Shoulder

Another short shot, the next will be a little longer with Fox looking down knowing what he knows of Metal Gear and how he's going to explain it to Snake. I've added a little thumbnail sketch to the post if you want a lookie, though it's a bit rough. Anywho, let's keeping moving forward.

Handshake Final Complete

Quick little shot to end the sequence, now for the end of Snake and Fox's meeting, where Gray Fox visually describes the nuclear menace Metal Gear and what it is capable of Let's get to it. 

Handshake 5 Complete

Now to move onto the final shot of this handshake, a closeup of the hands clamped together at last. Let's get a move on!

Handshake 4 Complete

Yet another quick shot, now to get to the last two shots of this damn handshake. Fox will turn his body for the final swing and we'll be closer to animating the part I always wanted to get to.

Handshake 3 Compete

Very quick shot, as will be the next one with Snake. Let's get to it...

Handshake 2 Complete

Managed to knock this one while enjoying gastritis over the past week. Now onto the next couple of shots to finish this handshake.

I'm not dead!

Sorry, yet again, for such a delay on this. Seems there's only so many hours in a day lately. Back in March there was a mass shooting in our country and turns out the youngest victim, a 3 year old, happened to once go to the home based child care service that I work at. A few of us ended up making a photo album for the family so our boss could take with her to the funeral. Much of this brought me down. I have the next week off and with the next few shots being very quick cuts I should be able...

Handshake WIP 2

I originally drew Fox they way he is in the previous post's thumbnail but decided to just animate him in chronological order like a normal person. I'll need to animate the rope dropping a bit more than where it stops in the gif above, change the size of Fox's hands, as well as start animating Snake so that he lines up with Fox and they can initiate their cool handshake.

Handshake WIP

Thought I'd post the thumbnail and notes for the next shot, should do this more often. Sorry for the messy handwriting.

Knot Untie Complete

I realized that the knot I drew on Fox in a previous shot didn't really make sense, so I... tried to make it sort of make sense here. Either way, the rope will actually drop in the next shot where Fox will release his arms and begin the cool handshake with Snake. Let's get to it.

Snake to Fox Complete

Finally, FINALLY I finished this shot. Once again, I apologize for taking so long with this. I actually took a week off the project (5 days technically) to refresh and come back to it. The next shot will be a close up of Snake undoing Fox's rope (thumbnail sketch attached), then we'll have them do a little hand shake. Hopefully I won't see you in a month this time.

Edit: Might need to go back ...

Snake to Fox WIP

Once again, apologies for the lack of updates. About a year ago I think I made a post about my job and how I had to reapply as my contract was over and so I've been going through this process again recently and it's been stressing me out, along with the fact that I'm now Dirty 30 which means I've been grinding away on this project for nearly 5 years *shudder*. I won't lie, I've been feeling major burn out lately, but if I take a break from the project then it's effectively stillborn so I can'...

Snake to Fox WIP

This will be a panoramic shot where we'll follow Snake as he walks out of the hole to the right and toward Fox on the left, with remaining dust clouds added for effect. I might go back and add some more shadows to the broken bits of wall on the floor. Working on this prison scene for the past few months has been like being in prison. Had a family emergency recently which halted a bit of progress but I'll keep going. Let's go.

Fox Sees Snake Complete

Managed to get this one before the weekend's over. Next shot will be pulled back, showing Snake walking through the newly created hole in the wall approaching Fox and untying his bounds. I may post some thumbnail sketches of how I want it to play out. Let's go!

I hope you all have a great Christmas!