XACK FANTASIA
2023
In order for Xack and their friends to win the battle of the bands, they must first get their drummer, but a nightclub bouncer is the only thing standing in their way from a trip to outer space.
Themes
What are you willing to risk in order to get out of your shitty environment?
Friendship vs. Dreams Brains vs. Brawns
PUPPET MASTER
As the puppet master of this short film, my responsibility was to ensure the aesthetic of the puppet fits the entire scope of the storytelling, check what environment the puppet is interacting with, and finally the most challenging and thrilling part to design and construct the puppet from scratch.
DESIGN PHASE
Design Phase - construction phase
SCRIPT ANALYSIS
Script analysis allows me as the puppet master to understand what world this puppet is living in. I can start imagining the movement, personality, and take active notes for the construction phase.
RESEARCH
Research is when I collect any visuals and contextual information needed. That can be from why should this puppet resemble anything, to how should I achieve the actions and looks of the puppet.
SKETCHES
Sketches are finally when ideas get to physically exist. Most of the visual problem solving is done here.
Should the puppet have four fingers or five, have it done in a sketch and we'll figure it out.
RENDERING
Rendering is to hone the design into one complete concept. After the problem solving of looks and world-building, the rendering solidifies the design discussion between me as the designer and the director.
SCRIPT ANALYSIS
Who is Nomi?
Understanding who Nomi is essential to the script analysis part of the work.
Nomi's appearance will heavily rely on his personality, his background and motivation.
Inspiration
Nomi was directly influenced by Alf for its quirky, playful, careless character.
Although the start was from Alf and Nomi's features resemble Alf to some degree, Nomi has his own parts to elevate the storyline of the film Xack Fantasia.
RESEARCH
How would Nomi look?
Nomi's appearance is determined by research on what animals should be mashed together to create the Nomi-look.
What hair and fabric create that look and what materials should be utilized to achieve a successful translation of concept to construction.
Research also relies on the script analysis. During this stage, I jump back and forth between the script/character analysis to establish a working and appropriate visual for the story.
SKETCHES
Early Visuals
Sketches are to share my intangible ideas into a physical medium to share with the director and check if the direction is correct, is the vision aligning with the scope and discuss details and generals.
RENDERING
Finalizing concepts
Rendering part of this design phase is finalizing and solidifying Nomi's appearance.
This is the final step before moving into construction phase, and even during this stage, revisions and additions happen.
Design never ends and my role is to try and communicate as effectively as possible with my rendering.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
design phase - Construction Phase
MOLD-MAKING
Mold making defines the base of the mask. This includes structuring, clay-kneading and fabrication.
CASTING & LATEX
Once the mold is complete, an imprint needs to be cast for the latex process.
MECHANICAL PARTS ATTACHMENT
With the latex mask, apparatus for the mouth movement, interactive pieces with the puppeteer are determined in this stage.
FABRIC ADDITION
Most of the structure is formed at this stage, so fabric comes into shape Nomi's body silhouette and his actual hair.
FACIAL FEATURES
The materials for the eyes, insertion of nose, ears' placement securing all happen here.
DETAILING
Detailing includes anything from painting, adjusting placement of facial features, and last minute fixing.
TESTING
Once the puppet construction is completed, camera test, movement test, lighting test are done to revise, improve, and elevate the story.
MOLD-MAKING
Head foam for first base.
Breaking down scrap foam to create Nomi's head shape.
Paper mache-ing for smooth surface.
Applying clay to form Nomi's face mold.
CASTING & LATEX
Plaster to create mold for casting.
Latex pieces fabrication.
MECHANICAL PARTS
Wire for ear attachment to the helmet.
Cardboard for lower jaw.
Elastic to create movement range and retrieval of the lower jaw.
FABRIC ADDITION
Pattern making.
Fabric trimming and fitting.
Overlaying fabric on pre-built structure for the feet.
FACIAL FEATURES
Marbles for pupil
Feathers for eyebrows
Mesh to create illusion of depth
DETAILING
Paint: Acrylic
Adding layers of paint for the right skin texture and tone.
Contouring and color correction with painting.
TESTING
Nomi's prep for the shoot.
Testing measurement,
