Info

 The Idea

 I decided to make " 10 C�ntimos " as part of a process to learn animation. It is my first character animation experience. From its conception, it was thought to allow me to get familiar with 3d animation and with a specific software, the 3d Studio Max. My plan was to get experience in all the processes that a project of this kind involves: to write the script, to make a production plan and its accomplishment. 

I wanted to experience all the stages: modelling, texturing, staging, illumination and animation. It gets more interesting to learn doing a project than doing only the tutorial programs of manuals and books. I am very happy with the final piggybank model and its texture. I believe that the ceramic look is convincing. 

I believe that it is possible to improve the way the stories develop over the course of the animation. I want to do it in the next version. This is the argument: A little coin awakes on a writing desk, desiring to play. Close to it, there are other bigger coins, a key and a piggybank. The little coin rises euphoric, giving small jumps. It leaps over a big coin. Then, discovers the piggybank and goes towards it. The little coin tries play with the piggybank but one of the coins moves, maybe like trying to rise or also to play. The little coin goes towards the big one with the illusion that the other coin also wants to play and push it. The big coin slowly understands what�s going on and does not like the small coin intentions: it kicks the little coin and tries to continue sleeping. The little coin goes away scared, but wishing to return to try it again.

The little coin makes another try but get scared again. This time the little coin goes away sad, turns the head with resignation... and discovers a key that perhaps wants to play! That does not happen and the key finishes also driving the coin away. More discouraged this time, it evaluates the possibility of throwing itself from the writing desk to the floor, finishing its desire to play. Just when it is about to try it, the piggy bank turns and calls the coin with a whistle. Finally the coin has somebody to play with! They play for a while and the coin jumps into the piggy, happy and with the hope of finding others coins to play with. Also happy, the piggy returns to its initial position, yaws an eye to the camera... but it hears that the room�s door is opening, steps approach and a hammer bursts the piggy bank!

The last scene begins with the piggy eyes close up. It is opening its eyes. Everything has been a dream. The piggybank discovers the little coin around... but this time rejects it, saying that there is no way that he is going to be burst by the little coin`s fault.

"10 C�ntimos" was chosen to be part of the Third Encounter of Latin American Cinema of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, as part of the works of young Peruvian filmmakers.  

I believe the present version is too long (more than 5 minutes) and needs to show the story in a better way. Anyway, it is my first animation with characters and telling a story. I realized this when I was developing it but I wanted to go on until the end of the animation, as a way to get proficiency with the timing, the 3d virtual space, and with the program workflow (Max). I want to shorten it, to improve the sound and render (I had a problem when specifying gamma in the animation)... In short, I still think about it as work in process. I need commentaries and opinions. I need feedback and I have few opportunities to obtain it here in Lima, Peru. This is why this page is here.

1999 � Daniel Samanez