DARK SOULS
I love this intro, the story is epic and the visuals are superb. Despite being a CGI cinematic, I think there's still quite a bit to learn from this one.
The intro cinematic is about 3:30 mins long, containing a decent amount of storytelling and action, presented in a dark style that fits the game perfectly. The voice-over works well and the narrative does a good job of letting the viewer know just enough information and lore at this early stage of the game.
The main attraction for me is the variety of shots and camera angles from scene to scene. A lot of dynamic compositions are presented, with lighting and atmospherics that do well to enhance each. The angles used to show the dragons (in particular Seath the Scaleless) really emphasise the fact that these are gigantic, fearsome creatures. Which in turn makes you question the immense power of Lord Gwyn and his Knights, who strike them down with ease.
The major lesson I'll learn from this clip though, is to have a controlled pace - and change of, if possible - within my own animation. As the Dark Souls cinematic begins as a slow introduction to the setting and characters, the change in visual action is matched by the music and narrative, before fading again into a more direct introduction to the player's position within the game.
If I can manage to get this kind of effect into my own work (which I already have plans to do, but am concerned it might not be successful within a shorter timeframe) I'll be pretty happy.
LORD OF THE RINGS
In a similar manner to the Dark Souls intro, the backstory for the Lord of the Rings is summed up in a narrative that lasts for several minutes, which is supported by fantastic visuals and music that immediately immerses the viewer in the epic story.
Again, changes of pace are used to great effect, as are close ups of important elements, and far shots to capture the grandeur and scale of battle.
This clip reiterates the point that variety of shot and pace are important to maintain fluidity in a motion picture; if I can incorporate a good variety of close ups and wide shots then I should be able to create a more cinematic animation, which should hopefully counteract some of the rigidity that comes with the style of animated illustration I've chosen.
UP
This intro tells a story perfectly without the need for a single word of dialogue. If I can learn from this and mange to make an animation whose story remains clear even without the voice-over narrative or subtitles, then I'll feel I've succeeded a little.
That's not the only quality this clip has: it's also full of great shots, lighting, character animations and superb editing throughout. Adding a hard emotional hit from the storyline makes it an instant favourite.
VIKING: BATTLE FOR ASGARD
More similar to the style of work I'll be producing, I chose this intro as it matches my earlier appraisal of pace within narrative. The images keep good pace with the storyline, flashing by like an animated comic book, supported by the sound effects of battle.
There's plenty of variety in the images - I didn't feel as if I was seeing too much of any one of them - which had me going back for another viewing, even pausing the video to get a better look at some of the illustrations. I feel that might be a bit of a double-edged sword though; without the ability to pause and rewind in-game cutscenes like this, would the viewer feel detached from a clip featuring images that are there and gone in the blink of an eye? Or would the majority of players even appreciate the artwork if they're barely getting a good look at it?
That's something I'll have to consider, but the clip does have a lot of good points, particularly in the use of parallax and layered illustrations.
SUMMARY
Combined with all my other research clips for earlier posts, I think I've picked up enough notes and examples from which to learn. Obviously there's always a ton more I could learn, but at this stage I'll have to try and narrow it down to just a few points.
Everything I've picked up from my studies so far I'll be incorporating into the next stage, where I'll be finalising the narrative and trying to nail down a storyboard.
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