Post 30: Progress, sort of...

        This is one of my favorite "Transformations" of the building, and I decided to start over the sequence based on my early test, adding a number of new ideas and colorful details. I made a musical "contraction" of the Presto Organ Finale of Saint Saens Organ Symphony, and and attempting to time everything to it's strong and dramatic tempo.

  I added a second set of brass "Trompettes en Chamade" at the top of the case, a big drum in the middle with and arm and hammer beating it, a singing monkey skull, two veined black marble "bénitiers", home to a collection of green frogs("grenouilles de bénitier"), and the green snake. 

  The body of the organist was reassembled in After Effects from all its separated parts so it could be animated, with 3 frames of hands pounding the keyboard as it sways back and forth. The sequence was divided in several compositions to keep the number of layers reasonnable. 

  It is rather awkward to work in After Effets, as one has to constantly use Ram previews to play the animation with the music and check the timing. It is rather slow, even with CS5, which still leaves a lot to be desired. To help wit the timing, I created a special null layer of beat markers, that was then duplicated into all the compositions. After a day of work, I still only have a very partial rough animation, but that gives a better idea of what I am trying to do:     In the last few days, I worked on the organ sequence, which I started over from the short test, adding a set of trumpets and a drum beaten by an arm and hammer, green frogs bloating, a monkey skull singing, and animated the body of the organist. I also worked on the clock sequence yesterday, but both are very difficult to time,and I am not happy with the results yet.
  To change my mind today, I built all the drawers for the cabinet in 3D in After Effects, but am having some difficulties getting the camera to see them properly when they go in and out.
  To make me feel better, I got an e-mail yesterday from the lone student I thought was working for me on the ball sequence, telling me he was dropping out...