BlueLightSFM
patreon
Plans
🕑 Added 2019-05-11 16:51:08 +0000 UTCWith the scenebuild revamp more or less complete, it's time to go over the next step of Undercover ASSignment. Additionally, I want to go over the plans that go with that.
I'll need to implement the new scenebuild to all the old scenes and poses. I'll also need to implement the new Miranda model to those as well. That means some scenes might get changed a bit to suit the better model and new scenebuild. I also want to go through the audio and possibly restore some cut content to accommodate all the new parts of the club.
That leads in to the plans. I want to go all in on the movie... but I don't have the support required for it. I've tried many different avenues of content with posters, loops, blender, and movies. They all have one thing in common though. I've always tried to split the work between two different things. With the except of poster commissions (I'll keep doing those), I want to focus on one thing at a time. I'd like that to be the Undercover ASSignment, but I'm far from the support I need to comfortably work on that.
This lead me to think about what posts were most successive in gaining patrons. And they weren't really the movie scene teasers. They were the ZeroDiamonds loop animations. What I think that says is that people would appreciate even short and tangentially related content so long as it's fully finished with high quality. I'm hesitant to use the movie itself for teasers anyway. For one, I don't really want to "spoil" the movie though that might be silly. For two, I don't really want to tease unfinished works. And since the previous scene teasers weren't the most successful, I don't think that's a good strategy for the movie.
Basically, I think the movie updates and teasers keep current patrons, but they don't drive new ones. I need finished content for that. Also, try to think of this as someone who isn't already a patron. This guy wants to build a huge movie... but hasn't done much more than a few posters and loops for a while. I haven't done a short movie in years. Undercover ASSignment was that "short" movie. I need to show people what I'm capable of with similar content.
Put all that together, and I think I want to create some short movies to build up support for Undercover ASSignment. And by short movies I mean actually short. 30-90 seconds max. With no distractions from other projects, I think I can do them in 2-4 weeks. I think it can actually build support by showing people similar, finished quality work. Perhaps I can sprinkle in some short Mass Effect loops like the ZeroDiamonds teaser for specific Mass Effect support. Otherwise, movies don't have to be Mass Effect related since the content itself would be similar to the movie. All movies and loops would be determined by polls.
The hope is that after just a few short movies, I can gain the support I need to then focus entirely on Undercover ASSignment. I'll admit, my expectations for success are tempered. I'd like at least $750-1000 a month to comfortably work on something full-time like Undercover ASSignment, but even that seems like a pipe dream considering my patreon has peaked at $300-400. We'll just have to see how it goes.
To start with though, I still have to get Undercover ASSignment squared away. I want to implement the new scenebuild and Miranda model before I work on other projects exclusively. I'll split the time there as I run polls and set up the other projects. When the movie is in a good state, I will focus on alternate projects one at a time to try to crank them out. With better support, the focus will then entirely be on Undercover ASSignment.
It's a rather bold plan, so I really appreciate your feedback.
Comments
BlueLight
Thanks for all the feedback guys. You've definitely given me some new things to think about.
BlueLight
Variations are something I hadn't put much stock into before. I don't like to paywall stuff, but perhaps alternate outfits or cameras work as a compromise. They'd be more like extras. I do think mainly Mass Effect should be the focus, though I can splash in some other stuff.
BlueLight
The DAZ4 model set is a good point. I thought about it before but worried it might be too lazy. It wouldn't work for longer, dialogue based shorts, but perhaps I can use it for some loops.
Derples
Pumping out a 10-15 second voiced loop or two a month should boost interest, especially if you do minor variations of it and put that at a patron tier. Of course, it has to be related to Undercover Assignment to drive interest.
UnprocessedCoalLump
This is one of the two ways I expected the announcement to go and the more realistic of the two. The other would be that you were working on something on the side, but your time schedule seemed extremely prohibitive of that. So, moving on, yes shorter movies do seem to be the way to go. ZDs voice work is also a very large draw for the audience. If I could make a suggestion here, first of all, I wouldn't stray too far off from ME, as some patrons, once you resume work on UA, may feel a little led on that you would dedicate so much time on a movie that doesn't feature someone from a franchise of their liking. However, one thing I could suggest and one maybe you've considered it yourself, but DazV4 models should share the same rigging, which means that animations sharing these assets could be reused for many characters, ensure a wide reach and market penetration, thus a bigger base and you could add another middle tier to your patreon at $7-10(?) with some interchangeable models that could be decided by a poll? Just throwing an idea out there. Also, at some point you should consider taking some time off. Rest is important. The video game industry may go into crunch fairly frequently, but that doesn't mean you should too.
Riblit
Yea I'll be honest I joined expecting afew clips here & there (1-2 a month) to show the movies progress & to stir interest in the movie
