Announcing Macross Aria: a CGI fan film project

[cannon_fodder674]

well it certainly got interesting.

i posted in the wrong place.

Edited August 13, 2010 by cannon_fodder674

[chillyche]

Introducing some character art of Captain Rafe Townsend, Apollo Leader circa 2014.

Lineart by Cannon_Fodder674, colors by me, original background Tomotake Kinoshita (Macross Chronicle Issue 08, p 25, ©2008) -- Thanks to sketchley for finding the original source of the background painting.

Edited August 29, 2010 by chillyche

[chillyche]

Okay, now for our biggest update so far. I'm proud to present the Beta-Beta Rough Cut version of Mercury's Word -- a news publication from the universe of Macross Aria.

I'm opening up the site to everybody here, to see a little bit about what we're building with the Macross Aria project. As we move forward, continuing development on the films, we will also be upgrading and adding content to Mercury's Word. What you're seeing here is only a percentage of the first version. But please, come on over, and check it out.

Edited August 29, 2010 by chillyche

[sketchley]

Lineart by Cannon_Fodder674, colors by me, background by photoshop and google.

Correction, Background copyright Macross Chronicle Issue 08, page 25, illustrated by Tomotake Kinoshita.

And shouldn't that be "background modified in photoshop", not "by photoshop"?

[chillyche]

Correction, Background copyright Macross Chronicle Issue 08, page 25, illustrated by Tomotake Kinoshita.

And shouldn't that be "background modified in photoshop", not "by photoshop"?

I knew that somebody here would be able to tell me the source of that image. I suppose I should have just asked. Anyway, I can't figure out the year that MC 08 was published. I'd really like that to cite it properly here, if you or anyone else happens to know.

Ultimately, we will be replacing most of our google searched items with original assets created by the Aria team, however. Some images we may continue using as a link to the original material that our fan project seeks to honor.

[sketchley]

Try the Macross Compendium's page on it.

[chillyche]

Try the Macross Compendium's page on it.

2008, thanks. Corrected above.

In mean time, just another plug for Mercury's Word at http://www.macrossaria.com/mercurysword... don't want that to get lost.

[big F]

2008, thanks. Corrected above.

In mean time, just another plug for Mercury's Word at http://www.macrossar...om/mercurysword... don't want that to get lost.

Checked out Mercury's Word yesterday, well if the finished Aria is as good as that should be great stuff

[Jasonc]

Love it. Lots of fun. Makes me wanna jump on the next colony ship and live the life out in space. I think I'm gonna go and sign up and register as a citizen of the next ship to take off.

[chillyche]

We'll be adding some new webcomics to Mercury's Word now and then, so, you know, check back from time to time.

[Vepariga]

man that mercury's word is awesome!! great job, oh yeah chilly,sorry bout not showing some new concepts and sketches,busy times at work has eaten most of my free time (Army charters) so i only have a few unfinished pieces that have been sitting on my desk for a while. I'll try get them to you when I can if you are still keen to accept.

[chillyche]

Always happy to have contributions. We've locked most of Cannon_Fodder's designs, but with Mercury's Word, the Aria universe is expanding somewhat, and we can always use more creative input.

[chillyche]

Just a painted version of Cannon_Fodder's concept art. The 3D model is undergoing changes to sync up better with the new art.

[chillyche]

Had to post Cannon_Fodder's favorite, Hiroko Kanno.

Holy crap, I forgot to color her belt!

[SeminNV]

freaking awesome! How many rendered minutes do you have in total?

[chillyche]

freaking awesome! How many rendered minutes do you have in total?

Well, to be blunt, nothing rendered is final yet. Now that we've got locked character designs we can move forward with modeling the characters. We still have some work to do on our hero mecha, as well. The VF-1 and Nous-G are in a 75-95% complete place. The VF-4 is less polished.

[Ganbare]

Is there any trailer or some screen shoot for this one?

[SeminNV]

Is there any trailer or some screen shoot for this one?

check his youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/chillyche

[frothymug]

I still "lol" at the "Baddest Black Man in Outer Space" clip. The "2001: A Space Odyssey" reference was the best part. Turntable... lol.

[chillyche]

I still "lol" at the "Baddest Black Man in Outer Space" clip. The "2001: A Space Odyssey" reference was the best part. Turntable... lol.

Hahah. The funniest thing was that the 2001 bit wasn't even in my original storyboards. It was just going to pull out to show Earth, but I was like, "that's boring, let's put the moon, the sun, and why not a monolithic Technics 1200 out there. And then, since I needed a transition to the next shot anyway, once I modeled the turntable, I thought, "hey, let's just go for it!" The whole project is a sort of make it up as I go thing.

Aria on the other hand, is much more carefully planned, although in the storyboarding process, new ideas are constantly being born.

In the spirit of sharing, though, I'll post the links to some early previz stuff:

So, none of these are actual scenes from Aria, just tests of visual ideas, concepts. Nothing here is using final models or rendering passes or even environmental effects. Just ideas.

And of course, there's this early audio trailer:

Audio Trailer

I posted that link before, but it's worth posting again. Of note, one of our voice actors heard the trailer, and submitted a brand new recording of the lines, so this trailer no longer even represents the current dialog! But it still gives a little taste.

And, Ganbare, this post wouldn't be complete, of course, without a plug for Mercury's Word, our in-universe publication. This is where most of the first elements will truly be seen, as we create exclusive content that promotes the overall project. It's off to a great start, but will only continue to evolve.

[SeminNV]

hey check this channel

R...tech

You got a competitor...from the enemy camp

Edited October 3, 2010 by SeminNV

[chillyche]

hey check this channel

R...tech

You got a competitor...from the enemy camp

Yeah, I saw the earlier teaser. Looks great, actually.

[Jasonc]

hey check this channel

R...tech

You got a competitor...from the enemy camp

I like the character designs in that, looks very anime like, but the Valkyrie in that looks like it needs some help. On the other hand, Aria has a lot of people working on it, doing 2D, 3D, and things like original music, and the Mercury's Word is awesome. I think they're very close in styles for both projects.

[Ganbare]

In the spirit of sharing, though, I'll post the links to some early previz stuff:

So, none of these are actual scenes from Aria, just tests of visual ideas, concepts. Nothing here is using final models or rendering passes or even environmental effects. Just ideas.

And of course, there's this early audio trailer:

Audio Trailer

Simply...WOW! Keep it good work!

hey check this channel

R...tech

You got a competitor...from the enemy camp

The VF is weird. Somehow the pivot of the wing is not in right place.

[SeminNV]

Simply...WOW! Keep it good work!

The VF is weird. Somehow the pivot of the wing is not in right place.

Cloud be, but this is his own design. So he can in principle sell it.

Edited October 6, 2010 by SeminNV

[Ganbare]

Cloud be, but this is his own design. So he can in principle sell it.

One thing, some how it look like VF-17. Just my opinion.

[SeminNV]

One thing, some how it look like VF-17. Just my opinion.

looks like you are right.

[Starscream]

hey check this channel

R...tech

You got a competitor...from the enemy camp

[Aurel Tristen]

L O L, nice one. Way to be on the ball with the random internet image memes.

Nah, no competition. None of these CGI projects are for profit for starters. I don't know about you, but if there were three free CGI fan films released, I'd watch all three. Also, I've seen allot of GCI projects come and go. Most die off eventually. Sadly for us involved in Aria, Chillyche hit his head a few years back and forgot how to quit, so it looks like Aria is coming be there hell or high water.

Just FYI SeminNV, While it may be a 'modified' design, as long as it has the word Macross in the title, or resembles Macross or Robotech, it cannot be sold. Now days its so bad that if a reasonable person can observe a resemblance to copyrighted material, its done for. You'll notice that Aria is not only blatantly labeled a FAN production, but it avoids any material owned by Harmony Gold. HG is insane, and they'd sue a bum for whistling the Robotech theme song in-front of more than two people.

[chillyche]

Alma Bridoll, the male lead of Macross Aria. Another rough sketch by Cannon_Fodder, this time roughly colored by yours truly.

[big F]

WOW !! It looks great.

[Ganbare]

Agree with big F

[SeminNV]

Hi, che

so we are now connected in facebook. My gf already asks who is that "guy". She was even more amased when I told her you are also a macross geek.

Anyway, I see you have several destroyds here

http://www.macrossaria.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=64

Could you lend me one? I need the rifleman. Nothing is for nothing of course. I can give you anything you like from what I have in return.

[Hikuro]

I gotta say I got one of the toughest parts lol waiting. No footage = sad James with his thumb up his butt thinking he's an oscar myer weiner. But you didn't hear that from me.

I do gota say I can't come up with squat for anything fun until i get a new PC monitor so I can see what I'm doing as I never imported my sound files into my External HD. Oops...

As for the competitor, I'm not worried, it's Robotech. What Che's trying to do is bring in a new style to Macross that even Frontier didn't achieve. What that style is, you'll just have to wait and see.

[chillyche]

I just wanna say that that Skull Knights R-Tech piece looks pretty awesome, and while I don't think we're in direct competition, it certainly inspires me to really show off what we can do. Of course, I'll have to get some time off of work to do that at all, but I believe we've really got a solid product with a great team behind it.