Updated: Nov 27, 2020
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We know it's been awhile since our last blog post and we apologize for that, but now we've got some really awesome updates. If you've been checking out our website and social media pages periodically you may have already seen some of this stuff, but if you haven't, then you're in for a big surprise.
First off, our modelers have been absolutely grinding on some really epic accurate dinosaur models (and one's for other prehistoric animals of course, not just dinosaurs). First off is our new Dilophosaurus model! Below is a render of the adult male and female models (male on the left, female on the right). As you can see there's some sexual dimorphism between the two sexes, which we did to make them more interesting, and because the episode's story requires there to be a distinction between the two sexes. More renders are on the way (with some younger growth stages as well)!
This stunning, beautiful model was done by a modeler that goes by Callie C. She has done wonderful work for another dinosaur project Beasts of Bermuda and did a fantastic job with this model. We made sure to account for the latest Dilophosaurus paper when making this model as well, so it is absolutely up-to-date with the latest science.
Dilophosaurus is going to be the star of the series' second episode, taking place in the Kayenta Formation, and will also be the star of the scene that will be animated first, a scene from early on in the second episode, that we'll use to advertise the project during its crowdfunding campaign. This will be the first scene that you will see. How long this scene will take to finish depends on a lot of factors that can't really be accurately predicted, though we hope that we'll be able to show off all of our hard work to the world and launch our campaign by February.
One of Dilophosaurus' co-stars has also got a model (this one has actually been up for awhile), a coelophysid that some refer to as "Syntarsus". This animal has a quite confusing taxonomy, with some lumping it into the genus Coelophysis (which we are not doing, as it’s too basal to be included in Coelophysis, at least not without lumping like 5 other taxa) while others give it its own genus "Syntarsus".
This model was originally going to be used to represent Camposaurus, the focus animal of our first episode, which is set in the Chinle Formation. Originally "Syntarsus" was simply going to be a reskin of Camposaurus, using the same model. However, it's now being exclusively used for "Syntarsus" and Camposaurus is getting a new model, so Camposaurus' new model will be another update for another day.
Another animal that we've got some updates for is another theropod, Tyrannosaurus, the iconic tyrant saurian. Even though this animal won't appear until the final episode of the series (set in the Hell Creek Formation), we've already commissioned the model and it is being worked on right now. Here is a work in progress picture of the model, being done by another fantastic modeler named Sergi!
We are having the model done this early because since Tyrannosaurus is the animal on the series' poster, it's only appropriate that it be listed on the series' website on the Creatures page (because it's obvious it will be in the series). We also didn't want just a picture of a skeletal mount to be on the page to represent it until it comes time to produce the final episode (which will take awhile), so we've commissioned the Tyrannosaurus model early to showcase on the website.
And plus, it's Tyrannosaurus. Does there need to be another reason?
Again, the model is still being worked on, but we can definitely guarantee it'll be done by the end of the year.
But that's not all regarding Tyrannosaurus we have to show you! We have concept art with an official color design for the animal, done by a wonderful artist who goes by FluffShady.
Male:
Female
The full model should be coming soon, and trust me, we're just as excited as you to see it!
Another excellent piece of art that was actually a collaboration between Sergi and Fluffy was the new Dinosauria logo, which we think looks much cooler, unique, and way more memorable and polished then our old one!
That's all we're going to show you for now! More models are on the way (we'll give you a hint for one of them: it will be a sauropod, and not the one that's already listed on the site) and the crowdfunding scene with Dilophosaurus is in the making! The storyboards are already complete, and work on the actual scene itself is being done.
From this point forward we'll try to push out one of these posts once per month, so ya'll can stay updated with what's new with Dinosauria. Our next blog post here will probably be on Christmas.
That's all for now, enjoy your avian dinosaur meal today (remember, birds are dinosaurs, and dinosaurs aren't extinct)!