Lifeboat 3D Update November 30th 2003
http://www.matus1976.com/public/pictures/lifeboat/update113003.htm
notes - all the earth images in the movie are 2D graphics placed onto discs in space. Some of the major differences I noticed all the shots in 2001 had compared to mine were: They were much longer, so in this animation all of my shots are longer, the shortest running 10 seconds. They almost all had a background movement slightly different then a mid-ground movement which was slightly different then a foreground movement. I find this definately gives a good feeling of movement without actually making the objects move much. Most of the scenes also featured a bright earth visible with a starry background, which is unrealistic, but is probably what people would expect to see. All of my shots would have starry backgrounds as well, I just didnt add them in the low detail test renders. At least any of the shots without an earth / moon background should have them to help establish the motion.
The scenes in this compiled movie are all almost directly based on corresponding scenes in 2001. Following these are some extra scenes I tried to create in that theme.
part 1 - earth distant, with a slight zoom.
part 2 - jump to earth a bit closer, with more slight zoom. Note I wasnt positive on how to set the animation up, perhaps just one slow zoom shot of the earth would be enough. 2001 seemed to set the theme of a common presence in space by showing different earth shots with different artificial sattelites passing by.
part 3 - this starts with the camera in earths shadow, the sun moves out from behind the earth, lighting it up. a small WR becomes visible in the distance and as it moves toward the camera it blocks the sun (note these are all quickly set up images, so the sun, earth, etc. wont look right, especially as it is getting lit up) this is the scene that introduces the WR
part 4 - the camera pans slowly up and to the right, starting with the earth in view, moving up to the WR passes from right to left, and finally showing the moon
part 5 - camera moves toward ARK, starting in distance, with earth panning slowly to the right. note, the last second or so of this has the camera change angle some, I think i would drop that change and keeps its orientation to keep the flow of the zoom in even.
part 6 - this relates the Ark to the WR. Ark is in distance with moon visible to the right of it. Camera is panning slowly up, with ARK moving in relation to the moon. WR enters bottom left and drifts toward Ark
part 7 - brings the WR closer to the Ark, the camera starts below the station and moves up past it, earth is at bottom left and moves up the side. the Ark moves away from the camera as the WR enters frame left and moving toward the ARK
part 8 - is the detail of the hanger door opening. camera starts close to the ARK and moves away as the door open. note the door opening will be more apparent when the interior of the hanger is added in the detailed renders. The earth pans slowly from left to right
part 9 - view from inside the docking bay showing the WR aligning and moving toward it with the earth in the background. The camera starts out just showing the rotating rings and moves backwards into the bay.
part 10 - camera shows position / size of WR in relation to ARK, spinning rings clearly visible and WR moving slowly closer to ARK. earth in background pans down. WR and ARK slowly move toward rights of screen.
part 11 - view from inside the WR as it approaches the open hanger door. the camera moves slowly forward inside the WR.
part 12 - external view from above station. WR just about to enter ARK, camera moves down and into the rings, just passing the hanger and the WR.
Here are some additional scenes, based on a slower camera movement, longer shots, and hopefully not as reductionist and simple as my previous shots.
extra_1 - This animation is rouglhy based on the opening graphic to the site. (earth in different position for the time being)
extra_2 - A different shot showing the WR approaching the opened ark door. possibly replacing part 10 with an earth background added
extra_3 - A side panning shot of the full space stion, with a WR waiting to enter. Another shot that with the addition of the earth background might come out really nice.
combining extra_1 and extra_3 might make for a good short animation of just the space station.
extra_4 - A different shot of the WR approaching the ARK. In respose to Eric's suggestion of showing the entire trip from when the Ark is small to when it is large. Starting with the earth visible on the left, and adding the moon in the distance background, and starting farther away, and making the shot longer, this might be a good replacement foor part 6