March 14, 2008
I’ll give you a hint: The lunch menu today consits of cornbeef and cabbage. Guess they didn’t get that memo where us going “green” means something different!
August 31, 2006
I wanted to post this quote. With crunch time happening, i have had little time to keep up on this blog. However, time will pass and I’m sure I’ll get back to it regularly after the film is over. In the meantime.. with all the rhetoric in American politics these days… i thought it would be good to post this quote; just as a little reminder what we as Americans are SUPPOSED to be represent.
“We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law.
We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were for the moment unpopular.”
And so good night, and good luck.”
~Edward R. Murrow.
August 21, 2006
I’m really excited about the student showcase Animation Mentor just released. It really shows some of the very best work the students have done since AM started. I’m a fairly new mentor as I’ve only taught 3 sessions.. so i was pleased as punch to see 3 of my students included in the showing. GREAT JOB EVERYBODY!!!
Download it HERE.
August 9, 2006
TMZ posted an article two days ago about Robert Zemeckis who is about to sign a deal with Disney to create his little motion capture beauties at twice the pace and half the cost that Pixar produces it’s films.
To read the article, GO HERE:
It’s quite a juicly little piece; full of typical Hollywood banter about rows with studio heads, creative differences and the promise of new things to come. And while the intrigue behind directors and executives makes me yawn and wish for my bed… i do think this is a significant event and surprised I haven’t seen more articles about it. While Monster House hasn’t done so hot with a meesly $60 million domestically… world wide, Polar Express made a respectible $297,775,955. Not great.. but not peanuts either. I’m not surprised that Disney wants to corner the market in animation again, but I am rather surprised…with their history and tradition of quality that they are willing to take on Motion Capture films as well. Then again, this is the same company that’s been remarketing and rereleasing their Classics just to make an extra buck.
I don’t know, i guess because their recent deal with Pixar I was expecting more of John Lassiter but maybe I’m being harsh. Then again… the article implies that this is a way Pixar can keep on the schedules they’ve created.. thus protecting the quality and not having to output work at a quicker pace. So i take that back. John Lassiter is a GENIUS!!!!
Still, i’m not happy about more of those motion-capture movies being made. I’m not a huge fan of motion-capture as most people who know me can atest. But I’ve worked my fair share of it and i do believe there is an appropriate time and place to use it. But is it more cost effective? Both in time and money? I don’t think so. I get steamed up when I see it promoted as being a “cheaper ” method for performance. It’s a nice pipedream but I bet those animators who worked onMonster House can atest to, it’s just adding an extra step that will require so much tweaking, they might as well start from scratch. But hey. I’m not a producer. What do I know?
June 28, 2006
Hey so my friend Kevan just posted this on his blog and it is so cool… i just have to copy it and send the word out.
FAMILY DOG IS ON YouTube!!!!
Oh this is so exciting. I remember when i first saw Family Dog. I was in school and an aspiring 2-d animator. Everything about these shorts to me was PERFECT; story, pacing, character design, animation… everything. Now that I’m a little bit wiser (but not much) i see some of animation issues… but for the most part, the brillance of these shorts holds up. These were made back when Simpsons were the only primetime cartoon to ever have a successful run, and many producers and studios were trying to create other primetime animations to compete. I always thought Family Dog had a great shot, but the brillance of the series seemed to fizzle once Brad Bird left the picture. Someone correct me, but didn’t Family Dog only get thru one season? (If that..)
Anyhoo, check em out.
June 20, 2006
So I found out today that not only did I NOT get a credit on Over the Hedge while in theaters… i won’t be able to get a credit on the DVD. It came down to numbers; only people who worked more than 9 weeks on the film qualified.. and i came in a bit short. (I only worked 7 weeks on the film.)
POOP!
DOUBLE POOP!!!
Oh well. That’s how it goes sometimes. You win some you lose some. Still, I’ll be able to claim I worked on it on IMDB, and I’ll still be able to claim credit on my shots. They can’t take those away from me.
I finally saw the film this weekend and you know… it was pretty good! I still haven’t seen Cars yet. Maybe this weekend…
Oh, and have I said lately how much I LOVE Robot Chicken? Well, I do.
June 9, 2006
So I didn’t know about France’s School Gobelins, until I was a professional in the business. Mainly because I knew people who had attended the school. And while I knew it was an excellent school, I didn’t really realize how excellent until this Moment.
Annecy 2006 is going on right now, and this year they have a few submissions that really are having me sit up and take notice. Check out “Burning Safari.”
From what I understand.. (and if anyone knows the details, feel free to post about it) the students get together, form teams and make finished shorts. I haven’t watched all of them yet, but this one is so good… I wouldn’t never have known it was completed by students. Great job guys! Awsome awsome awsome!
March 15, 2006
Wow, they were only a couple of years off…
From: The Onion
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): Despite the niggling feeling that you require medical attention, you will continue to leave the symptoms of schizophrenia untreated this week after management at Pixar awards you yet an other raise for the facility and inventiveness with which you anthropomorphize inanimate objects.
In other news, I finally have my own copy of Maya! Right now, my only plan is to use it to create fun, interesting demos for the class I’m mentoring. (Unfortunately, it will come too late for this session…) Considering I haven’t used Maya in over 3 years, it will be good to be re-schooled in it.
January 26, 2006
ASIFA-Hollywood is featuring Mary Blair’s paintings from her Golden Book series, called “A Golden Book of Little Verses in their ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Mary Blair. I’ve heard it said that the 9 Old Men should have been titled, The 9 Old Men and One Woman because of her contribution to the Disney classics. In the days where women were shamefully sent to the Ink and Paint department if they wanted to get into Animation, it is a testement to her talent and vision she was allowed to contribute as much as she did. Her work has always been a huge inspiration for me.
And no. I don’t think I’ll comment on the Disney/Pixar merger. Especially now. But thanks for playing!
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