CG Focus :: DarkTide - A Dave School Fall 2005 Final Class Project Released With Marvel's X-Men Mini-Mates

March 10, 2006 - Diamond Select Toys and Art Asylum have released a new Marvel Minimates X-Men box set which includs, Darktide, a full-length mini-movie featuring computer-animated Minimates as you’ve never seen them before! The Mini-mate DVD animation was produced by the DAVE School's fall 2005 graduating class as their final project.

When Storm goes missing during an undercover mission, it’s up to the X-Men to investigate. But their search gets even more dangerous when Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants arrive on the scene! Featuring an original script officially approved by Marvel Comics, Darktide also features the Minimate debut of Archangel, Beast and the Minimates Max Sentinel in all their fully-rendered glory!

For every class entering the DAVE School their long hours of study and hard work culminates in the often mind numbing feat of joining together as a mini-production company. Their task was to take the story from concept to completed short in just one semester. The payoff? Graduation and a demo reel seen the world over!. In order to produce this project the students used the Dave School's own render farm using NewTek's LightWave. Adobe's Photoshop was used to art and texture production and the final renders comp'ed and edited with Adobe's AfterEffects. In addition Sound-O-Rama provided the sound and music production for the students project.

Based on X-Men Minimates Designs by Art Asylum
Class of September 2005
Heather Arthur
Jeremy Cheney
Benjamin Duman
Howard Fargo
Liz Gist
Purcia Headley
Rob Klotz
Kristopher "Bones" Larson
Edward McDonough
Nate Moneypenny
Eduardo Nodar
Marlon Perez
Josh Reagan
Michael Rizzuto
Bradley Roe
April Warren
Jason Wilson
Gregory Young

Additional Artists
Jose Astacio
Michael Davidson
James Eckerson
Michael Fessenden
Sean Fitzsimmons
Joe George
Emily Goff
Gretchen Grajales
Jim Hibbert
Andy Lawler
Ian Mackey
Christopher Maness
Larry Moore
Rene Perez
Michael S. Thompson

Directed by: William Vaughan
Written by: William Vaughan and Steven A. Roman
Editor and Assistant Director: Ivan Young
Produced: by Jeff Scheetz
In Association with: Art Asylum and Marvel Entertainment, Inc.

Sound Production by: Sound-o-Rama
Music Composed by: Kays
Sound Design by: K.C. Ladnier
Sound Editors: Emily Arvidson and Martin Burch
Music Produced by: Sound-o-Rama Studios
Music Producer: K.C. Ladnier
Music Publisher: Sound-o-Rama.com Music

Voice Director: Russell Wait
Casting Director: Russell Wait
Tech: Boris Li

Cast:
Professor X: Peter Jordan
Sentinel 1: Darren Pleavin
Sentinel 2: Russell Wait
Mystique: Candice Moore
Juggernaut: Victor Lee
Magneto: Darren Pleavin
Jean Grey: Claudia Thompson
Cyclops: Darren Pleavin
Storm: Mary Ondeng Ewing
Archangel: Russell Wait
Wolverine: Digger
Beast: Dave Bridges

Concept Art by: Art Asylum
Storyboard by: Mark Simon

School Founders and Co-Owners: Anne and Jeff Scheetz
Director of Information Technology: Scott Kingston
Systems Administrator: Saham Ali
Administration: Brad Murphy, Shari Fox

DAVE School Instructors:
Tom Henry
Sam Mendoza
Chris Nelson
Dave West
William "Proton" Vaughan

Effects Consultant: Deuce Bennett