Environment Reel

Hey all,
So I've decided to go the world building route.  Looks like there's more job opportunities there than anywhere at the moment, so I figured it would be wise as a career.




Michael Mercer's Environment Showreel Mar 2010 from Michael Mercer on Vimeo.

The portfolio blog moved to http://michaelmercerenvironment.blogspot.com.

And here's a few of the new things I've been working on...got several more on the way!!

PS - if you visit my environment portfolio, you'll get to see some of my textures for Pajama Gladiator I did back in 2007 as a sophomore...unfortunately not all of them made it into the film as there were some props that just got discarded, and I lost the files a long time ago.  I'm not sure anyone but the director and producer knows I did these textures because there was no one on campus that summer.  Have a great day!  Best of luck to everyone in their job hunts!

Caveman Update

An unfinished clip. I can't wait till it's done. I think my brain cells are starting to commit suicide in rebellion. I will never touch 3D again...

Caveman Animatic

So the forever-long caveman project I've been working on finally has somewhat of a face.  Please comment on it if you have an opinion.  Many people have had a hand in this project, providing ideas, comments, and encouragement.  I will do credits when it's finished and name everyone.  Thanks ya'll!

Caveman Update

Nicolai the caveman is the world's first genius. This is the most recent color study of what the commercial will probably look like. We are going for happy, pleasant, cartoony, and most of all: MARKETABLE.

I'm concerned there might be too much purple in the shadows...maybe too saturated? We are trying to get Nic to pop out of, but at the same time fit into, his sunny, desert environment.

If you are media savvy please let me know if this is similar to something you've seen before. Thanks!

Caveman Update

So I've been wrestling with the rig on this character for the better part of 250 hours--I think I might be up to 300 now...anyway, it's for my work, for Independent Study at BYU. You can tell I'm tired. I've been sick. And tonight I was having serious issues with the back muscles...things just weren't working right and I'm so tired of it and so guess what? I decided to have fun!!! Yes, contrary to popular opinions I do sometimes smile.

So I just posed Nic into various positions. You'll see a number of things that aren't working yet, I'm sure, but I think one of the things that is working right now is the facial rig. I've been very pleased with the facial rig. See if you can guess what Nicolai is feeling!!!

PS - I will finish the commercial before I die! It's a goal...kudos to my boss Glenn Anderson who let's me spend as much time as needed to make something (that I think is) really cool!

Caveman Rig...

Hi everyone. I'm doing some test renders of my rig so far...it's a work in progress. I'm using Michael Comet's PSD script for this. Google it. But be warned that I'm not 100% happy with it.

Rigging a face

This is a facial rig using polygon muscles as influence objects. Motion capture data provided by CGToolkit was used to drive the muscles.



This is the script I wrote to create the muscles and control handles. My favorite part is the color-coordination.



A simple script to aid in the setup of a Facial UI. I looked at the bones of Judd Semantov's facial UI creator but didn't like it for a reason I no longer remember, and so I decided to make my own. I actually have revisited Judd's work since then and find it far superior so I think I'll just stick with it from now on.



So I wanted to be cool and use something other than blendshapes on the face so I started to create a facial rig driven by set-driven-keys. The keys aren't yet attached to the UI in this video.

Designing the Caveman's world

Here are the steps taken in designing the Caveman's world. Most drawings done by Steve, paintings by me. We have a lot more drawings than this, now that I think about it. Maybe we'll post them someday.

Evolution of a Caveman

Steve and I went through many iterations before we settled on a design for our caveman. Here are a few of the major changes. Most of the nice drawings are by Steve. All the painting is by me. You can see how I improved. Steve, did, too.







Too much like Fred Flintstone.



Chin too large. Also, it looks like a beard. Not appealing enough.




Too wide. Arms too big. Too innocent looking.






Too realistic and sausagey.




Final Caveman.

Learning Animation and 3D

So I painted in my free time in 2006, but what then did I do with the REST of my time? Easy. January-April I tried to get into the Animation program by drawing and animating a lot. Here are some of my anims from Intro class:

In April I weaseled my way into an Animation position at my work. I had previously been working as a design assistant which meant I did a lot of editing and gopher tasks. The animation position had me working with Maya and After Effects. These jobs were at BYU Independent Study. I still work at Independent Study today and will continue to work there until we have completed the Caveman commericial.

I cannot say enough good things about IS or about my boss, Glenn Anderson, who has provided me countless hours of freedom to learn on the job, direction, guidance, TONS of flexibility (as much as any man could want), and of course money necessary to pay for my daily needs. Glenn said yes when I pitched the idea of hiring another animator, and Steve Glauser started working there in January 2007. We spent about 6 months getting used to each other and the software and then in the summer we decided to pitch a commercial idea to keep us busy. It was approved, surprisingly.

About the time Steve was hired I completed the following animations which are introduction "tags" (titles) for various videos that had been created for a high school foods course. I thought the idea of a foods course was fantastic. Who wouldn't want to learn about food?

So I created Molly the Minicow. She gets abused, but no one seemed to mind the abuse, I guess because she's just a cartoon. Or is it because she's just a cow?

I think these animations show some dormant feelings from my high school days when I was vegan for a month and vegetarian for 8 or 9. I am now ominvorous again but sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't see a psychologist because I always seem to side with the vegetarians in conversations. But in the Philippines, where they would literally starve to death without animal meat, I definitely side with my Filipino friends and declare that even eating my own dog is appropriate if it means myself and my family will live another day.

For those interested (which probably none of your are), I had zero guidance at IS. I was THE only 3D animator there so everything I learned I learned on my own. I was on the internet forums a lot and I spent about $500 on tutorial DVDs and books to get me through it.

PS - Sound NOT done by me.

Sketching...

The teapot was a 3D assignment from Fall Semester 2006.
His name is Vern. He was made in digitally in a similar way to King Kong, except vern doesn't move or talk. He just sits there.
This is Parchesi the dachshund. She tries to get our of her house, but finally does and learns that life outside the house isn't what she always thought it was.
This is the young prophet Nephi with his wife. The are reading the Brass Plates (Old Testament) somewhere in Arabia around 600 B.C.E.
This is a dragon.