It's been a little while: I've been giving time to my other projects, and trying to avoid people while going to the shops, and so far I haven't died! Win win!
I did my first task on the Trello board: making a list of all the different assets I'm going to build for the cell. There actually were quite a few more than I originally had thought, but then it made me realize how important the little details and assets are in making a scene feel coherent. I watch a lot of gaming YouTubers in my spare time, and something that happens a lot is they play a game that takes place in a house which just feels empty, or fake: looking at the references for the cell, and then writing down the assets that need to be made, was rather eye opening for that.
As an example: the coffee table (which considering it is in a prison cell likely wouldnt be called that), drinking glasses and papers are all seen for about 2 seconds total in the film, and are pushed into either the background or the frame. However, the fact that they take up space and are recognizable shapes make the scene feel much more realistic, and thus the film feels much more relatable and alive.
Probably the best example of this is in this still from the film:
The chess table is an iconic prop in this scene, given how it has been displayed previously being played by Charles Xavier (one of the main heroes) and Magneto (one of the main villains). It becomes a symbol of the two men, as both play games with each other and make sacrifices. However, as you can see, it is also see through, which is what allows this scene to play out so successfully, with both men on opposite ends of the table, and Magneto clearly the victor.
Looking at this scene for longer, you notice the other props in the background. The bed frame, desk, papers, coffee table and drinking set are all visible, but they are pushed to the very edge. This is exactly what I mean: the props are almost invisible, but seeing them there as shapes in the corner of your eye while you focus on Magneto and the guard fills the space, and makes it believable. Without them there, the action would still be important, but the space would feel fake and empty.
I think the next thing for me to do, bearing all this in mind, is to make a birds eye view plan of where everything is going to be in the cell, and then I can begin modelling the blockout. See you then!
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