Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
SIGGRAPH Preparation and other news
A group of students at my school have gotten together to produce an animated short to put on the festival circuit.
We have a really great story and we have this gut feeling that people will really enjoy it. After a seven hour production meeting, we got more than we could have asked for. We have a producer now. We are getting ambitious, but ambition is a good thing.
I actually like that we had this meeting as well because it made me think of the story about how most if not all of the Pixar films were ideas that happened during a lunch John Lasseter was having with the other big names at Pixar who would go on to direct Pixar films.
On another note. I'm prepping for SIGGRAPH 2011. And I designed my own business card. No pre designed crap like had last year. I really just thought about what do I want this card to say about me. Yes, I am a character animator, but it has to have my personality as well. And here I am unveiling my business card design. The first time I ever designed one. It's simple, but elegant. I think anyway.
And yes my number and email is on there for the upload, but I thought if it wasn't the full effect would be lost.
We have a really great story and we have this gut feeling that people will really enjoy it. After a seven hour production meeting, we got more than we could have asked for. We have a producer now. We are getting ambitious, but ambition is a good thing.
I actually like that we had this meeting as well because it made me think of the story about how most if not all of the Pixar films were ideas that happened during a lunch John Lasseter was having with the other big names at Pixar who would go on to direct Pixar films.
On another note. I'm prepping for SIGGRAPH 2011. And I designed my own business card. No pre designed crap like had last year. I really just thought about what do I want this card to say about me. Yes, I am a character animator, but it has to have my personality as well. And here I am unveiling my business card design. The first time I ever designed one. It's simple, but elegant. I think anyway.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Just one week left
One week is left in what has been my most difficult semester yet. Not that the work was extremely hard, but the workload was tough. Some of which I brought on myself.
First there was my class animation project. I never do anything simple and probably never will. Not only did do more work than the other students who only animated one or two characters, I animated 3. I then decided one would be animated going up stairs and falling down them. That turned out alright, but damn I was killing myself on that one. Then I decided well 2 of the characters are ghost and they need effects. And in comes compositing and After Effects work. So I then to break up the animation into render layers for the composite and the effects. Overall, it was a lot of fun and I loved doing it. But it was stressful, I was pulling at my hair, I didn't sleep, and deadlines were always looming. So if anything from that stand point, I think I'm ready to work at a studio.
Then there is the Texturing and Lighting class. This class had two major projects. First the alley project and the pumpkin composite. The alley project not so bad. The pumpkin composite kicked my ass. But it was also fun.
Then there is Perspective class which at that the start of the semester I really enjoyed and totally loved. Now I just want it to come to an end so I never have to think about that class again. 10 times the work of the other classes combined. Now I know this sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm really not. I truly enjoyed every minute of the semester and really know now that I do love this. You have to love it to put this much time and work.
That also having been said, this semester was a learning experience. I really learned what kind of an animator I want to be as far as the stories I want to tell and the emotions behind those stories. I also got extreme encouragement from my texturing class instructor to take a story I've developed and have been for close to 10 years and get it really going.
So all I can say at this point before head into the lion's den to do my Perspective class final (the only one left) is I learned a lot and made a lot of new friends and connections and even myself a bigger part of the University through my new position and title. And because of all of this... big things are on the horizon. And that is all I will say. :-)
First there was my class animation project. I never do anything simple and probably never will. Not only did do more work than the other students who only animated one or two characters, I animated 3. I then decided one would be animated going up stairs and falling down them. That turned out alright, but damn I was killing myself on that one. Then I decided well 2 of the characters are ghost and they need effects. And in comes compositing and After Effects work. So I then to break up the animation into render layers for the composite and the effects. Overall, it was a lot of fun and I loved doing it. But it was stressful, I was pulling at my hair, I didn't sleep, and deadlines were always looming. So if anything from that stand point, I think I'm ready to work at a studio.
Then there is the Texturing and Lighting class. This class had two major projects. First the alley project and the pumpkin composite. The alley project not so bad. The pumpkin composite kicked my ass. But it was also fun.
Then there is Perspective class which at that the start of the semester I really enjoyed and totally loved. Now I just want it to come to an end so I never have to think about that class again. 10 times the work of the other classes combined. Now I know this sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm really not. I truly enjoyed every minute of the semester and really know now that I do love this. You have to love it to put this much time and work.
That also having been said, this semester was a learning experience. I really learned what kind of an animator I want to be as far as the stories I want to tell and the emotions behind those stories. I also got extreme encouragement from my texturing class instructor to take a story I've developed and have been for close to 10 years and get it really going.
So all I can say at this point before head into the lion's den to do my Perspective class final (the only one left) is I learned a lot and made a lot of new friends and connections and even myself a bigger part of the University through my new position and title. And because of all of this... big things are on the horizon. And that is all I will say. :-)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Okay... one more. For good reason.
This is one of my prouder moments in life. And a great accomplishment for me. And also Flaminia Grimaldi who has sort of become my partner in crime in this project. I believe that when you succeed at something, then share that success with others. Nothing is ever a one man show, it is the combined work of several talented people. Flaminia and I have already come up with so many ideas and Vince is pretty much giving us free reign to act as the representatives and the producers of what this office will churn out.
Now back to schoolwork.
Now back to schoolwork.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Last posting for a few weeks
So, there are three weeks left in the semester and now all the work I have done this semester is reaching it's end.
This has been by far the busiest yet the funnest semester of all the ones I've been through thus far. There have been surprises, some ups and downs, mostly ups, with one especially major up that has been covered so I won't go into that.
For the end of the semester, I have to complete my animation project. I am looking forward to this because it will be great to see how far I have come, but also because I so desperately want to animate something other than the Norman rig after animating this guy for 3 months.
I also have to wrap up the photo real pumpkin composite. This is by far the easiest of the assignments, but still a big challenge that needs devotion and attention to detail.
The remaining and final assignment for perspective is to either draw storyboards or a comic book using what we have learned. I am still undecided on which I want to do, but for my idea storyboards are probably the best route.
And one more artwork upload to share from perspective class. The 5 point fisheye perspective view.
So this all I have to post before I vanish into the final few weeks and come out on the other side prepared to sleep for a few days after it's over.
This has been by far the busiest yet the funnest semester of all the ones I've been through thus far. There have been surprises, some ups and downs, mostly ups, with one especially major up that has been covered so I won't go into that.
For the end of the semester, I have to complete my animation project. I am looking forward to this because it will be great to see how far I have come, but also because I so desperately want to animate something other than the Norman rig after animating this guy for 3 months.
I also have to wrap up the photo real pumpkin composite. This is by far the easiest of the assignments, but still a big challenge that needs devotion and attention to detail.
The remaining and final assignment for perspective is to either draw storyboards or a comic book using what we have learned. I am still undecided on which I want to do, but for my idea storyboards are probably the best route.
And one more artwork upload to share from perspective class. The 5 point fisheye perspective view.
So this all I have to post before I vanish into the final few weeks and come out on the other side prepared to sleep for a few days after it's over.
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