Dis-Konnected heads toward prepro - Animation

Post, Dec, 2003 by Marc Loftus

NEW YORK -- Luminetik's Akiko Ashley recently stopped by Post's Manhattan office to show us the latest developments of the studio's computer animated feature film, Dis-Konnected. The feature project was conceived and written by Ashley and follows the adventures of Alex, a Generation-X heroine whose look is the result of both stylized and photoreal CG techniques.

While funding is still being secured for the estimated $50 million project, Luminetik has already come up with a final script, concept art, storyboards, animatics and motion-capture sequences of the fully-animated and textured Alex character. A motorcycle-riding Alex was first shown on Post's July 2002 cover, and has been further refined over the past year to be more photorealistic, while still retaining her stylized animation features.

Ashley says the team at Luminetik is using NewTek LightWave as the modeling program for the project. Alias Maya and Project:Messiah software are being used to handle animation. Apple's Shake and Final Cut Pro applications are being used for compositing and editing. Workstations at the facility include Apple systems and new IBM IntelliStations. Luminetik is also working with Loud Inc., which will be providing proprietary effects software for the film.

The QuickTime sequence we saw featured a very smooth-moving, sword-wielding Alex, produced using motion-capture techniques. The Luminetik (www.luminetik.com) team is working with Motion Analysis in California for mo-cap, and Ashley says the plan is to use the animation technique for the entire film, noting that it should work well on a project like this, as all of the characters are human in form.

The clip also incorporated original music by artist Jenifer McLaren. The track was written specifically for Dis-Konnected and suitably captures the youth and energy of Alex's character as well as the high-tech environment that makes up her world. Post will be following this project as it evolves.

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