GNOME in the Haunted Castle Movie (2D and 3D Versions)

[Zivouhr]

Hi 3D fans,

As a big 3D fan for many years and a member of this great 3D forum, here's a feature 42 minute Stereo 3D animated movie I made in my spare time this past year, about a Gnome in the Haunted Castle with a Halloween theme with zombies, werewolves, witches, monsters, etc. He's trying to get back his power gem from the Evil Pumpkin before he turns into stone.

GHCastleDVDcovercombosm.jpg

I was aiming for strong 3D, and this being my first 3D film, found it to be a fine balancing act with every single shot depending on the shot's composition of foreground, mid and background.
It's a native 3D film, in that I rigged the 3D cameras while animating each shot, not post converted 3D, which wouldn't make much sense with computer animation.

I'm pretty tough on 3D that I feel has weak 3D, so feel free to post comments on my own film's 3D, if you feel it's not strong enough or just right, window violations, errors, etc.

Thanks.

3D version:

HALLOWEEN Horror- Gnome in the Haunted Castle 3D - YouTube

2D version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvbve...ature=youtu.be

To see the whole 42 minute Gnome 3D movie, it's on DVD now for the whole film in stereo 3D as an independent 3D Gnome movie, but I don't have the option to get it onto Blu Ray sadly (Sony with their Royalties and expense of blu ray currently). Even so, it plays on 3DTVs with the side by side 3D option setting.

Thanks.

[Jsmith82]

Wow, Zivouhr - very impressive that you MADE THIS!! Really cool. Are you selling this as a DVD? If so is there a link to purchase and price?

Can you elaborate a little bit on the process you used to create it, the software, etc? Watching the little gnome jump pillar to pillar in the preview I almost felt like you programmed a small 3D game and basically sat there with a controller navigating the character, recording the scene.

I love supporting indi, I love 3D content, and hell - I want to support a fellow forum member!

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Jsmith82

Wow, Zivouhr - very impressive that you MADE THIS!! Really cool. Are you selling this as a DVD? If so is there a link to purchase and price?

Can you elaborate a little bit on the process you used to create it, the software, etc? Watching the little gnome jump pillar to pillar in the preview I almost felt like you programmed a small 3D game and basically sat there with a controller navigating the character, recording the scene.

I love supporting indi, I love 3D content, and hell - I want to support a fellow forum member!

Thanks JSmith!

Video games were definitely the theme I was going for, yes, though I animated the scene, but it would be cool if I had a program to play the character and record it, as Terminator Salvation Ex Machina did.

I use Cheetah 3D software, a computer animation program, http://www.cheetah3d.com/

The rest is character modeling, recording voices, synching voices, animation, music creation, and piecing it all together. For the stereo 3D, two separate renders were done, one for the left eye, the lead eye being the right camera. I found you have to change the distance they're apart as the cameras move closer or farther from the foreground object.

To Order:
If you'd like, you can buy it through http://www.blackarro.com and enter the code on the site to save 2 bucks which has a link to buy it at https://www.createspace.com/ (an amazon owned site). Or just order from amazon.com gnome link.
The Gnome DVD 3D movie sells for 12.99 and eligible for the super saver shipping deal.

Thanks again for the feedback JSmith.

[Jsmith82]

12.99 with SS shipping, perfect! I went ahead and ordered it along with a pre-order copy of Piranha 3DD - put my total just over 25 bucks.

I'm looking forward to seeing it on the big screen and you can definitely count on my coming back to share my thoughts. The 3d preview at 1:01 looks sick

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Jsmith82

12.99 with SS shipping, perfect! I went ahead and ordered it along with a pre-order copy of Piranha 3DD - put my total just over 25 bucks.

I'm looking forward to seeing it on the big screen and you can definitely count on my coming back to share my thoughts. The 3d preview at 1:01 looks sick

Thanks JSmith. Much appreciated.

I look forward to your feedback on the 3D, when you get the chance of course. Glad you were able to get the free shipping deal also.

[Jsmith82]

A bit late here but as promised, I wanted to let you know I really enjoyed your film.

The one big downfall was being DVD quality, if it was high def some of the negative parallax scenes would be in comparison to that of Sammy. I noticed you utilized the ground to gain perspective, or a wall - something to let you know where the scene starts and ideally lets the viewer gauge the depth. Overall I feel on a technical aspect you really thought through what you were doing, where you were placing cameras. Kudos to that!

The film itself was cute, definitely geared towards a younger bunch. A little repetitive but overall I'm happy with the purchase and I hope you keep making movies!

-J

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Jsmith82

A bit late here but as promised, I wanted to let you know I really enjoyed your film.

The one big downfall was being DVD quality, if it was high def some of the negative parallax scenes would be in comparison to that of Sammy. I noticed you utilized the ground to gain perspective, or a wall - something to let you know where the scene starts and ideally lets the viewer gauge the depth. Overall I feel on a technical aspect you really thought through what you were doing, where you were placing cameras. Kudos to that!

The film itself was cute, definitely geared towards a younger bunch. A little repetitive but overall I'm happy with the purchase and I hope you keep making movies!

-J

J. Thanks for the review and supporting the Gnome 3D film! Glad you enjoyed the 3D. Your suggestion to Sammy the Turtle's 3D is appreciated also.

Yes, currently prepping another movie with the goal of strong 3D, but with a bigger focus on a more detailed plot, as Gnome was more like a 3D video game, being my first effort making a computer animated 3D movie. It won't be ready for at least another year though.

Thanks again J.Smith82.

[BleedOrange11]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Here's a 3D trailer for an independent 3D film "Gnome in the Haunted Castle" I'd like to get some more feedback on for the 3D, if it's okay. Thanks.

[Show spoiler]
HALLOWEEN Horror- Gnome in the Haunted Castle 3D - YouTube

The 3D in your trailer is incredibly strong and feels like theme park 3D with high convergence settings and extreme pop-outs. Nicely done! I had fun trying to poke a few of the pop-outs and watching the gnome scurry about through the castle. Seems like a silly fun adventure that takes the viewer on a 3D ride. I genuinely enjoyed it, and I hope you continue to make more even though I am going to focus on the negatives since you are asking for feedback.

There were two issues that I have with the 3D trailer. First, the 3D causes a bit of eyestrain for me. Second, there are some inconsistencies related to hyperstereo.

Eyestrain:
Part of the eyestrain is related to the low resolution and compression of the YouTube video. The other part is related to the design and mix of strong convergence and pop-outs. I normally sit about 7.5 feet away from my 42" TV. From that distance, the convergence settings made certain frames difficult to look at, creating window violations that ruin the illusion. The shots that I did not like at all were:

- 0:07 - The gnome with his head and legs chopped off in front of the screen
- 0:13 - Pumpkin man in same situation
- 0:14 - Gnome in same situation

The lesser culprits were scenes where the ground extends far outside the screen, which occur quite often. There was a really strong contrast between the anterior edge of the ground and the black bar on my TV immediately below it.

The convergence felt much more comfortable when I sat closer to the TV, making the edges of the screen fill my peripheral vision better and taking the focus away from the contrast with the black bars. However, to accomplish this, I had to get so close that it made the extreme pop-out moments, like the skull at 1:00, slightly uncomfortable. I don't know where the film is primarily meant to be exhibited, but if it is for home distribution, I think you should consider experimenting with the 16:9 ratio for future films. With your affinity for high convergence, it might make the 3D more comfortable to watch on smaller 3DTVs.

Since I am having a tough time finding a sweet spot for viewing the 3D on my setup, I am curious. Is there a specific viewing distance and/or amount of screen immersion that you designed the 3D to be seen from? If not, what was your viewing distance, and what size display did you use when you edited the 3D?

Hyperstereo:
In general, I felt like the 3D depth settings made the size of the viewer vary too much. When the gnome was the focus of the scene, the viewer felt small like the gnome (example 0:38), and when pumpkin head was the focus, the viewer felt tall like pumpkin head (example 0:42). It might make a more emotionally engaging experience if the viewer feels like he is the size of the gnome in every situation, even if it means flattening the 3D in shots where the camera is far away (0:42).

[Zivouhr]

Thanks BleedOrange11! Your feedback is a big help and I'll take it into consideration for the next 3D film.

[UFAlien]

The 3D doesn't work for me... it's displaying the side-by-side image and doing an autoconvert. I think you might need to mess with the settings.

[Jsmith82]

Out of curiosity, have you sold many copies?

[Taygan315]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Hi 3D fans,

As a big 3D fan for many years and a member of this great 3D forum, here's a feature 42 minute Stereo 3D animated movie I made in my spare time this past year, about a Gnome in the Haunted Castle with a Halloween theme with zombies, werewolves, witches, monsters, etc. He's trying to get back his power gem from the Evil Pumpkin before he turns into stone.

Attachment 50292

I was aiming for strong 3D, and this being my first 3D film, found it to be a fine balancing act with every single shot depending on the shot's composition of foreground, mid and background.
It's a native 3D film, in that I rigged the 3D cameras while animating each shot, not post converted 3D, which wouldn't make much sense with computer animation.

I'm pretty tough on 3D that I feel has weak 3D, so feel free to post comments on my own film's 3D, if you feel it's not strong enough or just right, window violations, errors, etc.

Thanks.

3D version:

HALLOWEEN Horror- Gnome in the Haunted Castle 3D - YouTube


2D version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvbve...ature=youtu.be

To see the whole 42 minute Gnome 3D movie, it's on DVD now for the whole film in stereo 3D as an independent 3D Gnome movie, but I don't have the option to get it onto Blu Ray sadly (Sony with their Royalties and expense of blu ray currently). Even so, it plays on 3DTVs with the side by side 3D option setting.

Thanks.

Zivouhr, I can't tell you how cool I think it is that you did this!! You should be very proud of yourself man, seriously. Can only imagine how long this took for u to make. Congrats man and well done. I'm sure you did an excellent job. I think we need to get this site to do an official review of your movie. Think I am going to suggest to the mods just that.

[Jsmith82]

Originally Posted by Taygan315

Zivouhr, I can't tell you how cool I think it is that you did this!! You should be very proud of yourself man, seriously. Can only imagine how long this took for u to make. Congrats man and well one. I'm sure you did an excellent job. I think we need to get this site to do an official review on your movie. Think I am going to suggest to the mods just that.

As a paying customer of this film, you can include me as a secondary on said request. It's well deserved.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Jsmith82

Out of curiosity, have you sold many copies?

Originally Posted by Taygan315

Zivouhr, I can't tell you how cool I think it is that you did this!! You should be very proud of yourself man, seriously. Can only imagine how long this took for u to make. Congrats man and well done. I'm sure you did an excellent job. I think we need to get this site to do an official review of your movie. Think I am going to suggest to the mods just that.

Originally Posted by Jsmith82

As a paying customer of this film, you can include me as a secondary on said request. It's well deserved.

Thanks guys! Sorry for the late response as I should visit this section of the forum more often, but enjoy talking about new 3D in movies a bit more.

Really appreciate the kind remarks. Thanks again Taygan315, Jsmith82, BleedOrange11.

I'm usually very busy with art projects and new animation, work to properly promote these movies, but I think I'll eventually get around to it. On amazon, sales are modest at best without more marketing. I'm usually striving to top my last effort. Newest one will be about a zombie infested city in 3D, City of Rott Animated Series.

[Jsmith82]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Newest one will be about a zombie infested city in 3D, City of Rott Animated Series.

[Zivouhr]

YouTube

View below for the full movie in stereo 3D.

[Zivouhr]

Gnome In the Haunted Castle in Stereo 3D (2012)

With your 3D display or 3D TV, set it to SBS 3D (side by side 3D), or in your youtube settings, see if you can set it to anaglyph 3D if that's possible to use with regular red/cyan glasses. Set it to 1080p if needed, by pressing the cogwheel gear icon in the youtube window. Thanks.

YouTube

Gnome in the Haunted Castle Stereo 3D Part 1 (2012)

YouTube

Gnome in the Haunted Castle Stereo 3D Part 2 (2012)

YouTube

Gnome in the Haunted Castle Stereo 3D Part 3 (2012)

YouTube

Gnome in the Haunted Castle Stereo 3D Part 4 (2012)

While I originally released this 3D film on DVD back in 2012 through amazon.com for 2D and 3DTV, I decided to offer a 1080p version of my stereo 3D animated 42 minute CGI experimental, low budget film about a Gnome trying to reclaim his stolen life gem before he turns to stone, trekking through the dangerous Haunted Castle in stereo 3D on here.

I was aiming for strong 3D layers when I made it, and while it's not perfect, it was a good challenge creating a 42 minute stereo 3D film, and a fun learning experience. There are some pop outs like the Green skull as a great example, but had I been able to add some rain, snow or more fireworks, there would've been a lot more pop outs. As far as the film's creation, it was a one man project on my own in all aspects, on a very low budget, which explains some of the basic CGI visuals, limited to my computer's limited processing capabilities.

I would've liked to have added more 3D stuff on the ground the Gnome runs on, but whenever I added grass stalks, leaves or objects to the ground, the rendering time slowed to a crawl to compensate for those objects and their position in the rendering. So my computer's limits back then were the main concern and reason I kept things more simple visually, at the cost of more interesting layers to enjoy seeing in 3D. Either way, thanks for watching.

[Show spoiler]

YouTube

YouTube

2012 3D trailer