Here's our latest trailer for Inside Out (which doesn't come out until next summer). It's an actual scene from the film, though it's been trimmed down in length and a couple of small tweaks have been made to make it clearer out of context. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
"Inside Out" Trailer 2
Here's our latest trailer for Inside Out (which doesn't come out until next summer). It's an actual scene from the film, though it's been trimmed down in length and a couple of small tweaks have been made to make it clearer out of context. Enjoy!
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
How to choose an Animation or VFX school
I found this article on CG Masters page. I have no experience with this institution, but I found their advice to be pretty good:
You want to find the best animation school or the best visual effects school; the one that fits your budget and your training philosophy, not some giant cookie-cutter monster corporate training institute, and not some low-end, theoretical, public school program either. Digital Media training is a big and important investment. It should come from digital media experts, not corporate educators or academia. It’s about job skills, not tests or grades. If you are seeking a career in the industry there is no better way to get in than solid training, provided you find the right school for you. No matter where you choose to study you are looking at a significant expenditure, not only for training but for living expenses during your training time. It is important that you find the school that is right for you and not waste money and time on introductory, inappropriate or incomplete training. CG Masters core principle is student-centric, to help ensure students get the training they pay for, whether at our training centre or elsewhere. Here are some tips that might help you make up your mind:
1. Be skeptical! Don’t believe what a professional recruiter tells you. Be deliberate about searching for reasons an animation or vfx school is NOT for you. Most people fall in love with the hype and marketing from a school then search for reasons to support the emotional decision they have already made. Unfortunately this often blinds candidates from the reality that most digital media programs can not provide the skills needed to get a job. They may provide grades and a diploma, but that is not the same as job skills. You are investing a huge amount of money. Make sure you will get real training, not just software classes. Make them prove it to you.
2. Don’t pay attention to advertising including this document. It’s all propaganda. Do your own research, it’s important! Every school is going to show you what they think will impress you. When you go to their website there might be some inspiring words or pictures or videos. Here’s a safety tip: If their advertising evokes a strong emotional response from anything other than the quality of their student’s work, it is a red flag. They’re tricking you into making an emotional decision when you should be making a rational decision based on the actual quality of training. The only way to discover the real quality of the school is to find out what their real professional job placement numbers are and to view the work from ALL of their students. Schools that only show selected student work are not giving you the whole story. When they give you official placement numbers, ask how many of those are now their own teaching assistants or other (janitorial, security) employees at their school. Many schools hire their own graduates to improve their placement numbers, which is pretty cheeky, we think.
3. Don’t listen to claims of “Best Animation School In The World” or “School of the Year”. In order for a school to legitimately make this claim, they will have had to compete against every other school in the world and been judged by an impartial, professional judging panel. Claims like this actually come from small competitions against a handful of other schools/students which means the results are valid only within the context of competition with those specific schools/students, not relative to all the other schools in the world. One of the bigger private schools in Vancouver constantly claims to be best school in the world, even though they competed against only 0.2% of the other schools in the world. The claim may sound impressive, but it really isn’t. In fact, they know they are bending the truth into a pretzel to attract you. What expectations do you have of a school that begins a training relationship in this way?
4. Just because it’s a fancy University doesn’t mean it provides better (or even good) training. In fact, most universities provide some of the least useful animation and vfx training on the planet due to their academic process of tests and grades. Very few degree holders find employment. As industry professionals, we have found that academic education, while great for exploring ideas, concepts, philosophy and the past, is a very poor method for delivering professional job skills. Universities are so buried in academic process and bureaucracy that they have difficulty seeing the needs of the world beyond the ivory towers. Universities are all about the credential, not skills. The simple, obvious fact is that a potential employer couldn’t care less if you have a Ph.D. if you can’t do the job.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING CG Masters SCHOOL OF 3D ANIMATION & VISUAL EFFECTS
5. See if you can speak directly to a current student or recent graduate to hear first-hand what the training is like. Speak to more than one if possible. Many would be ideal. See if the school will let you sit in on a class where you can observe the training and speak privately with whichever students you wish. If the school will not voluntarily permit you to speak with students and grads or attend a class, it is reason to become cautious.
6. Be wary if the animation / vfx school says things like “You only get out of your training what you put in.” This implies that all the responsibility for your success is on your shoulders. It attempts to absolve the school of responsibility for any failures. In fact, schools that say this nearly always have a very high failure rate and/or a very low placement rate. At the other end of the scale, a student-centric school is deeply committed to ensuring students are properly trained and prepared for life in the industry. After all, if you pay a school to train you, they should train you, not let you fail, right?
7. Find out if their trainers are real industry veterans or if they are professional teachers who worked in the industry 10 years ago for a while (or never). The minimum requirement for a post secondary teacher in a private school in B.C. is two years industry experience. This can include two years as a T.A. at the school they graduated from, which is not really professional experience at all. Many schools get their instructors this way rather than going to the trouble and expense of finding genuine masters to teach their programs. The real magic happens in a professional training centre when an industry master walks in after a hard day of work and tells a story about a current production problem or solution on a blockbuster film. These experiences provide invaluable, real-world context for the training and can not be delivered by non-professionals or T.A.s who do not have significant front-line industry experience.
8. Have a realistic look at tuition rates. Universities often say they have much lower tuition than private schools but this is misleading. If you look at a typical 2-year (4 term) university program in digital media, you’ll see a cost of roughly $10,000 to $15,000 per term depending on whether you are a domestic or international student. When you compare this with tuition at private schools, many of which are equivalent to 3 university terms, university is not much different and is, in fact, more expensive in many cases. Additionally, Universities split your focus by making you take a ton of unrelated courses you don’t need to get a job in the industry.
9. Speak directly to instructors. Ask them direct questions about their professional experience. See if any of them will give you a no-obligation portfolio critique to help you improve your skills. If you can learn something new from a portfolio critique, that’s a good sign. Most schools don’t have industry professionals reviewing portfolios, just professional recruiters who are deciding whether or not they can make you take an extra “foundation” program. Furthermore, they use the portfolio as an estimate of the candidates ability to be successful. This is complete nonsense. The only thing a portfolio indicates is the candidates CURRENT skill set, not their potential for success. That is determined by other factors.
10. Did we mention to be skeptical? If you find a school that will admit you without portfolio or interview, that is a sign that they don’t care who you are as long as you have money. You can expect from that kind of school…..well….exactly what you’d expect from someone who doesn’t care who you are. A school that intends to train you well will, at the very least, take you through an interview / assessment process designed not only to tell them if you are right for the school, but also to tell you if the school is the right place for YOU. A good school will have an industry professional review your portfolio with you to help determine your current skill set and how it relates to your training goals. This is a serious investment and deserves your serious research. It’s their job to prove they’re good enough for you, not the other way around. Remember, you have many choices. There’s a big VFX skills shortage right now despite thousands of grads, which says something about the training students are getting at most colleges and universities. According to broadcastnow.co.uk, Amy Smith, head of recruitment at Framestore says “one of the reasons for the skills shortage is that the current educational model isn’t suited to the needs of the industry because it was designed for jobs that existed 10 years ago. “[Educational institutions are] training students how to use Maya and Nuke, which is fine, but it’s not enough any more.” And this is precisely why CG Masters exists.
How to Choose your School – 10 Important Safety Tips
You want to find the best animation school or the best visual effects school; the one that fits your budget and your training philosophy, not some giant cookie-cutter monster corporate training institute, and not some low-end, theoretical, public school program either. Digital Media training is a big and important investment. It should come from digital media experts, not corporate educators or academia. It’s about job skills, not tests or grades. If you are seeking a career in the industry there is no better way to get in than solid training, provided you find the right school for you. No matter where you choose to study you are looking at a significant expenditure, not only for training but for living expenses during your training time. It is important that you find the school that is right for you and not waste money and time on introductory, inappropriate or incomplete training. CG Masters core principle is student-centric, to help ensure students get the training they pay for, whether at our training centre or elsewhere. Here are some tips that might help you make up your mind:
1. Be skeptical! Don’t believe what a professional recruiter tells you. Be deliberate about searching for reasons an animation or vfx school is NOT for you. Most people fall in love with the hype and marketing from a school then search for reasons to support the emotional decision they have already made. Unfortunately this often blinds candidates from the reality that most digital media programs can not provide the skills needed to get a job. They may provide grades and a diploma, but that is not the same as job skills. You are investing a huge amount of money. Make sure you will get real training, not just software classes. Make them prove it to you.
2. Don’t pay attention to advertising including this document. It’s all propaganda. Do your own research, it’s important! Every school is going to show you what they think will impress you. When you go to their website there might be some inspiring words or pictures or videos. Here’s a safety tip: If their advertising evokes a strong emotional response from anything other than the quality of their student’s work, it is a red flag. They’re tricking you into making an emotional decision when you should be making a rational decision based on the actual quality of training. The only way to discover the real quality of the school is to find out what their real professional job placement numbers are and to view the work from ALL of their students. Schools that only show selected student work are not giving you the whole story. When they give you official placement numbers, ask how many of those are now their own teaching assistants or other (janitorial, security) employees at their school. Many schools hire their own graduates to improve their placement numbers, which is pretty cheeky, we think.
3. Don’t listen to claims of “Best Animation School In The World” or “School of the Year”. In order for a school to legitimately make this claim, they will have had to compete against every other school in the world and been judged by an impartial, professional judging panel. Claims like this actually come from small competitions against a handful of other schools/students which means the results are valid only within the context of competition with those specific schools/students, not relative to all the other schools in the world. One of the bigger private schools in Vancouver constantly claims to be best school in the world, even though they competed against only 0.2% of the other schools in the world. The claim may sound impressive, but it really isn’t. In fact, they know they are bending the truth into a pretzel to attract you. What expectations do you have of a school that begins a training relationship in this way?
4. Just because it’s a fancy University doesn’t mean it provides better (or even good) training. In fact, most universities provide some of the least useful animation and vfx training on the planet due to their academic process of tests and grades. Very few degree holders find employment. As industry professionals, we have found that academic education, while great for exploring ideas, concepts, philosophy and the past, is a very poor method for delivering professional job skills. Universities are so buried in academic process and bureaucracy that they have difficulty seeing the needs of the world beyond the ivory towers. Universities are all about the credential, not skills. The simple, obvious fact is that a potential employer couldn’t care less if you have a Ph.D. if you can’t do the job.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING CG Masters SCHOOL OF 3D ANIMATION & VISUAL EFFECTS
5. See if you can speak directly to a current student or recent graduate to hear first-hand what the training is like. Speak to more than one if possible. Many would be ideal. See if the school will let you sit in on a class where you can observe the training and speak privately with whichever students you wish. If the school will not voluntarily permit you to speak with students and grads or attend a class, it is reason to become cautious.
6. Be wary if the animation / vfx school says things like “You only get out of your training what you put in.” This implies that all the responsibility for your success is on your shoulders. It attempts to absolve the school of responsibility for any failures. In fact, schools that say this nearly always have a very high failure rate and/or a very low placement rate. At the other end of the scale, a student-centric school is deeply committed to ensuring students are properly trained and prepared for life in the industry. After all, if you pay a school to train you, they should train you, not let you fail, right?
7. Find out if their trainers are real industry veterans or if they are professional teachers who worked in the industry 10 years ago for a while (or never). The minimum requirement for a post secondary teacher in a private school in B.C. is two years industry experience. This can include two years as a T.A. at the school they graduated from, which is not really professional experience at all. Many schools get their instructors this way rather than going to the trouble and expense of finding genuine masters to teach their programs. The real magic happens in a professional training centre when an industry master walks in after a hard day of work and tells a story about a current production problem or solution on a blockbuster film. These experiences provide invaluable, real-world context for the training and can not be delivered by non-professionals or T.A.s who do not have significant front-line industry experience.
8. Have a realistic look at tuition rates. Universities often say they have much lower tuition than private schools but this is misleading. If you look at a typical 2-year (4 term) university program in digital media, you’ll see a cost of roughly $10,000 to $15,000 per term depending on whether you are a domestic or international student. When you compare this with tuition at private schools, many of which are equivalent to 3 university terms, university is not much different and is, in fact, more expensive in many cases. Additionally, Universities split your focus by making you take a ton of unrelated courses you don’t need to get a job in the industry.
9. Speak directly to instructors. Ask them direct questions about their professional experience. See if any of them will give you a no-obligation portfolio critique to help you improve your skills. If you can learn something new from a portfolio critique, that’s a good sign. Most schools don’t have industry professionals reviewing portfolios, just professional recruiters who are deciding whether or not they can make you take an extra “foundation” program. Furthermore, they use the portfolio as an estimate of the candidates ability to be successful. This is complete nonsense. The only thing a portfolio indicates is the candidates CURRENT skill set, not their potential for success. That is determined by other factors.
10. Did we mention to be skeptical? If you find a school that will admit you without portfolio or interview, that is a sign that they don’t care who you are as long as you have money. You can expect from that kind of school…..well….exactly what you’d expect from someone who doesn’t care who you are. A school that intends to train you well will, at the very least, take you through an interview / assessment process designed not only to tell them if you are right for the school, but also to tell you if the school is the right place for YOU. A good school will have an industry professional review your portfolio with you to help determine your current skill set and how it relates to your training goals. This is a serious investment and deserves your serious research. It’s their job to prove they’re good enough for you, not the other way around. Remember, you have many choices. There’s a big VFX skills shortage right now despite thousands of grads, which says something about the training students are getting at most colleges and universities. According to broadcastnow.co.uk, Amy Smith, head of recruitment at Framestore says “one of the reasons for the skills shortage is that the current educational model isn’t suited to the needs of the industry because it was designed for jobs that existed 10 years ago. “[Educational institutions are] training students how to use Maya and Nuke, which is fine, but it’s not enough any more.” And this is precisely why CG Masters exists.
Thursday, October 02, 2014
"Inside Out" Teaser
Here's a little peek at what I've been working on for the past 2.5 years. It doesn't come out until next June, but we've only got a couple months left until animation is complete. I can't wait to talk about it more!
Monday, July 21, 2014
See you at Comic Con!
I'm looking forward to attending the San Diego Comic Con this week in my home town. I haven't been in about 5 years so I'm well overdue. This will be my kids' introduction to the Con, so hopefully they wont get freaked out by all the masses of crazy fans! I'll probably only be there on Thursday and Friday, and I don't know if I'll have time to wait in line for any panels, but if you're going to be there, definitely try to check out the Toy Story That Time Forgot panel on Thursday. Pixar will be showing a sneak peak of our latest Toy Story-based TV special. Check out the cool promotional poster by Mike Mignola:
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
Acting and story analysis of Frozen
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/disneys-frozen-the-acting-and-performance-analysis-97605.html
Here's an interesting article by Ed Hooks about the story structure and performances in Disney's mega-hit. He makes some interesting observations and I think it's a good read for animators and writers alike. Plot dissection aside, I was really impressed with the animation in Frozen. At Pixar we recently had the pleasure of seeing Lino DeSalva (head of animation on Frozen) discuss their process for creating such consistent and appealing performances in such a short amount of time. I found it very inspiring and I really feel they're pushing the medium forward.
Meanwhile we're deep into production on our Summer 2015 film, Inside Out, for which I am a Supervising Animator along with Shawn Krause. It's a lot of hard work, but the characters are really fun - and challenging! It's a different style of animation than we've done in previous features, and the story is unique, thoughtful, and deeply moving. Animation is supposed to wrap in late November, so we've got lots of work left to do. It's a pleasure working so closely with director Pete Docter, and it's the most fun I've had at work in years. I can't wait until we can share more info and images with the world... I don't want to jinx it, but I think it may turn out to be my favorite Pixar film!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sochi Olympics frame by frame
Here's a cool article in the NY Times with plenty of multiple exposure photos. Great reference for arcs and spacing!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
See you at CTN eXpo!
I'll be down in Burbank for the annual CTN animation expo from November 15-17. In addition to wandering the show floor and catching up with old friends, I'll be participating in a couple of events with fellow coworkers and Animation Collaborative teachers Michal Makarewicz and Royce Wesley:
Conversation with Animators - Sat., Nov. 16 at 4pm
Getting the Most Out Of Your Demo Reel - Sun. Nov. 17 at 1pm
I'll also be at the Animation Collaborative booth reviewing animation reels on Saturday at 10:30am. I hope to see you there!
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Rob 'n' Ron
Monday, August 19, 2013
Wurst trailer yet
Check out this mouth-watering trailer from Pixar animator and stop-mo afficianodo Carlo Vogele:
More gory details here.
More gory details here.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Pose Drawing Sparkbook
I recently came across this Kickstarter project from artist Cedric Hohnstadt for a combination sketchbook and textbook. Seems like it could be a good learning tool! Check it out:
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Character Design Reference on Pinterest
I'm late to the Pinterest that the kids are using these days, and I just discovered this awesome collection of character design images. Everything from general anatomy to model sheets to sculpts. Warning: this is a rabbit hole that may chew up hours of your time!
Monday, June 03, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
I'm a car!
I suppose it was just a matter of time. I've worked on so many Cars-related projects at Pixar that it was my turn to be immortalized in die-cast metal and plastic. I've always thought of myself as a cream-colored British sports car...
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Basilisk
I'm a little late to this party, but I was blown away by this film from Ami Thompson:
From what I gather, she's a student at Sheridan and has done internships at both Studio Ghibli and Disney. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
From what I gather, she's a student at Sheridan and has done internships at both Studio Ghibli and Disney. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Animator's Survival Kit for iPad
I just saw this posted on The Unofficial Apple Weblog. I haven't downloaded it myself yet, but it looks like they really did it right!
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/04/23/the-animators-survival-kit-comes-to-the-ipad-with-expanded-multi/
Retails for $35 which is comparable to the book, and much cheaper than the DVD set.
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/04/23/the-animators-survival-kit-comes-to-the-ipad-with-expanded-multi/
Retails for $35 which is comparable to the book, and much cheaper than the DVD set.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Pixar recruiting in Chicago
Pixar representatives will be in the Windy City on March 25th 26th looking for a few good animators. Sign up on the web site if you want to meet them there!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Monsters University
Here is the 2nd trailer for the film, which comes out this June:
I've been helping out on the film for the last month or so, as they were behind on footage and needed extra animators. I'm also still a Supervising Animator on our 2015 Pete Docter film, and it's been very challenging to divide my time, but I'm glad to be able to contribute and help the team. It's a fun film!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Brave animation reel
Here is a compilation of the shots I animated for Brave:
Brave Reel from Victor Navone on Vimeo.
I was just going to animate a shot or two on Brave for fun… I never like to miss working on a Pixar feature if I can help it. Then Brave production started missing deadlines, and they needed all the help they could get, so I was enlisted to be full-time on the show for about 3 months. Nevertheless it was still fun; working with Mark Andrews is a blast, and I got to do some juicy shots. I especially enjoyed the scene of Elinor eating the cake, and I did a lot of research on people trying to conceal disgust. Emma Thompson's vocal performance was hugely inspirational, and I referenced Lucille Ball and WIlliam Shattner as well. On a technical note, this was the first time I ever had the chance to animate neck muscles.
As for the triplet shots, the snot gag was my idea. Love it or hate it, I thought it was true to young kids' behavior, and it ended up in the trailer! I also came up with the chicken-on-the-head idea. I don't claim think it's funny (mostly I think it's weird). There were no storyboards for this sequence, and I was tasked with using the chicken in a way that would frighten Maudie but would be funny to the audience. This was one of about 5 ideas I tried, and it seemed to get the best reaction.
You can see some of my planning drawings here:
flickr.com/photos/victor_navone/sets/72157632560536761/
Enjoy!
How To Ask For (And Receive) Good Critiques And Comments
I just read this article on Fstoppers (a photography blog) and I thought that a lot of it applies to animation too - or for that matter any creative endeavor. Knowing how to ask for and accept feedback is just as important as the work you do.
Monday, January 07, 2013
The Blue Umbrella
Here's a short clip from an upcoming Pixar short film, The Blue Umbrella. As you can see, this short has a very different aesthetic than anything we've done before, and I'm very excited to see it. I haven't seen the entire short completed, but the few bits of final renderings I've seen have been stunning. Enjoy:
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera
I've long been a fan of the illustrations of Norman Rockwell. His sensibilities strike such a nice balance between realism and caricature, and above all he creates believable and entertaining images. The characters are crystal clear, the situations are relatable, and the compositions are impeccable. He is a wonderful observer of human nature, and he's got a great sense of humor! I recently picked up the book Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera, which shows a lot of the reference photography that he used for his paintings. The photos themselves are very interesting to see; he staged his subjects very well, and was meticulous with the details such as costumes, props, and lighting. What I really find interesting, however, is comparing the photos to the final rendered images. Here you can see a little bit of Rockwell's thought process. He picks up on certain nuances of character and exaggerates them, while he lets less important details fall away. He exaggerates shapes, lines of action, expressions, and composition, all in the service of telling a story. There are many parallels between the work of an illustration like Rockwell and the work of an animator, and I draw a lot of inspiration from him.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Sunday, November 04, 2012
Join me at CTN Animation Expo
In case you've been living under a rock, here's a reminder that the CTN Expo is happening again in Burbank, this November 16-18. It's a great event for animators and animation-lovers, and is always crawling with talented, inspiring people. I'll be there representing The Animation Collaborative as well as hanging with my buddies at Animation Mentor. The AnimC guys and I will be doing a presentation on Saturday at 12:30pm, we'll be doing some reel reviews, and I'll be on another panel ("Conversations With Creators") Sunday at 1pm. I promise to be better behaved this time!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Can't wait for this to come out!
I just pre-ordered this box set of flipbooks by Disney's Nine Old Men, and I can't wait to get them!
Shipping date has been pushed back to January of 2013, so not in time for Christmas, unfortunately. These books were put together by Pixar's very own director/animator/Disneyphile Pete Docter, so you know it's legit!
Shipping date has been pushed back to January of 2013, so not in time for Christmas, unfortunately. These books were put together by Pixar's very own director/animator/Disneyphile Pete Docter, so you know it's legit!
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
The Making of Paperman
Paperman is a new short film from Disney that will premiere in front of Wreck It Ralph this November. It was directed by former Pixar animator John Kahrs, and I had the pleasure of previewing it a few months ago. The Disney artists employed some new technology to blend hand-drawn animation with CG animation, and the result is quite beautiful to behold. You can see a technical breakdown of the process here, and there's more Making Of… info here.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Movies on Vimeo
I've been slowly migrating all my reels and clips over to Vimeo, as it makes them easier to embed and share. I recently discovered an old video tape of my first animation exercises at Pixar, so I had it digitized and uploaded it as well:
This basically represents my training over the course of a month or two, as well as my first production assignment: an acceptance speech by Jessie for her induction into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. It's nice to look back and see how much I've learned!
This basically represents my training over the course of a month or two, as well as my first production assignment: an acceptance speech by Jessie for her induction into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. It's nice to look back and see how much I've learned!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Dubstep Dispute
"Join this lovable crew of droids as they solve their differences the only way dubstep robots know how." As a fan of both robots and dubstep, I got a kick out of this. Hope you do, too!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Animation Mentor's 2012 Student Showcase
AM's annual Student Showcase reel is online, and is as inspirational as ever. Way to go, AMer's!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Updated: Animation Thumbnails
I've added a few from Finding Nemo, and a bunch more to my Incredibles gallery. I'm in the process of updating my reels as well, though obviously I can't show my Brave work yet...
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Restored: Animation Thumbnails and Caricatures
Back when I accidentally changed the template of my blog, a few of my page links got lost. Those included my collections of animation thumbnails and caricatures. I've just moved all these images to Flickr and added the links back to the page.
Friday, June 08, 2012
Brave behind-the-scenes footage
Here's what appears to be a random collection of b-roll footage from the production of Pixar's next feature:
No spoilers in here, but you do get a peak at our animation software. We're looking forward to our company wrap party this weekend at a secret location, and the movie premieres on June 22nd. I'm just as curious as you to see how it's turned out!
No spoilers in here, but you do get a peak at our animation software. We're looking forward to our company wrap party this weekend at a secret location, and the movie premieres on June 22nd. I'm just as curious as you to see how it's turned out!
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Anim C summer session
Just a quick plug for the Animation Collaborative, a learning space for animators and artists in Emeryville, CA, right across the street from Pixar. It's an intimate environment with small class sizes, and it's a great place to learn from working professionals. I teach there, as well as some of my fellow Pixarians, and they're now accepting applications for their summer workshops. Classes include Animation Critique, Story, Character Design, and an Intensive Demo/Lecture workshop. Check out their web site for more info.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Dinner
Some more nice animation from Bird Box Studio:
That puppy is perhaps a little smarter than I might expect, but still very appealing and well-observed.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Full-Day Session: Breaking Down the Animated Shot
Hi Readers,
I'll be presenting a breakdown of some of my Pixar work in a live session in Berkeley, CA on June 30, 2012. Joining me will be other animators from Dreamworks and Tippett Studios. The event goes from 8am to 4pm, and breakfast and lunch are included. This event is sponsored by AnimationMentor.com and Autodesk, and you can get more info here. Register by June 8 to get a discount. I hope to see you there!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Flour Sack Animation Test
Here's a brilliant little slice of 2D animation by my friend and coworker Ron Zorman, created entirely in TV Paint Pro on a Wacom Cintiq:
Friday, April 06, 2012
Luminaris
A really clever and beautiful stop-motion short:
UPDATE: looks like the video has been privatized. Bummer.
UPDATE: looks like the video has been privatized. Bummer.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Animation Critique on 11SecondClub.com
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Ralph McQuarrie, 1929-2012
This past Sunday, one of my personal icons passed away. Ralph McQuarrie was a fantastic artist, and among other things, he was a concept artist and matte painter on the original Star Wars trilogy. Of course I loved these films as a kid, but even more so, I loved the Art of Star Wars books and the Star Wars Sketchbooks, among which his art was featured heavily. He and Joe Johnston really defined the look of the Star Wars universe. His designs and rendering were hugely influential on my own work as well, and he fired my imagination like no one else. He had fantastic design sensibilities, great composition and color, and his work always had a real sense of "place", of existing somehow. I spent hours staring into the worlds he created, and was inspired to copy them and try to build on his vision. I'm deeply saddened at this loss, and I would have loved to have met him in person, if only to thank him for him impact on my life and career. I still have my old Star Wars portfolio (somewhere), and the cover features what is probably my favorite of his paintings.
Thank you, Ralph.
Monday, March 05, 2012
The Story of Animation
Just in case you were wondering how we do this stuff, check out this cute new video from former Pixarian, Dave Tart:
Sunday, March 04, 2012
This just kills me!
"It's funny 'cause it's true."
UPDATE: looks like the link to YouTube is down, so check out the clip "Playground" on the BirdBox Studio site.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
New Brave footage online
...And just like that, here's a new trailer for Brave, just like I mentioned in yesterday's post. Actually, it's not so much a trailer, as it is a sequence from the film, edited down a bit to fit into 2:30. And how about this sweet new poster?!
Gingers, Rejoice!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Everything is a Remix
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Whoops, new template I guess
I inadvertently upgraded my Blogger template and it blew away the old custom design I had. I've tried to put in place a temporary layout that is not too offensive. On the upside, this should force me to put some serious thought and time into redesigning (and updating) my blog. Those of you who read your blogs through an RSS reader (like me) have probably not noticed anything different. Keep calm, carry on.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The explanation I've seen of SOPA/PIPA, and Why You Should Care
If you're wondering what all the controversy is about these bills then check out this quick TED video:
Here is a link to an online petition you can sign, and here is a link that will provide you with the contact information of your senators so you can call them and urge them to oppose these bills.
Here is a link to an online petition you can sign, and here is a link that will provide you with the contact information of your senators so you can call them and urge them to oppose these bills.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Lego WALL-E Meets a Vacuum
A friend just sent this to me. It's based on a promo scene I did for WALL-E back in the day, and I love the simplicity of the Lego design!
Here's the clip it references:
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
My Cars 2 reel
At long last, here is my Cars 2 reel. This contains most of the production shots I did for the film, but unfortunately none of the prepro tests (which I find the most interesting and fun to do).
This was my first feature film as a Directing Animator, alongside Michal Makarewicz, so I had a lot of other responsibilities besides animating. Director Animators are responsible for supporting their fellow animators creatively and technically, as well as representing animation in other departments' reviews. For example, we would often visit animators at their desks to give feedback between Director reviews, and I was responsible for training many of the animators who had never worked in the Cars world before. I would also attend reviews for FX, Crowds, and other downstream departments in case there was a question or note for animation. Supervising Animators (the highest ranking animators) drive the animation production, and are responsible for casting shots, budgeting time, giving feedback to animators, and working with the director and producer, as well as the leads from other departments. Usually Supervising and Directing Animators don't get to do a lot of actual animation footage on a film because they're so busy attending meetings and helping the animators. However, on Cars 2 the department was able to produce record-breaking amounts of footage every week, because the rigs are so simple. This allowed me and the other leads to contribute more footage to the show than would normally be possible.
Being a lead on a film is (obviously) much different than being an animator. You have a lot more responsibilities and you don't spend a lot of time at your desk. On the upside, I really enjoy having a larger influence on the film and getting to interact with so many people inside and outside my department, including the Director. On the downside, I often miss the zen focus of just sitting at my desk and losing myself in the process of animation. Cars 2 afforded me both opportunities, and I don't expect that will come again. I also don't know if we'll ever see John Lasseter direct again, so it was a wonderful chance to work with him again. John is a great boss, as you can imagine, and he really invites his team to bring their own creative ideas and solutions to the film. On Cars 2 in particular, because the production timeline was so short and his availability so limited, he really relied on us to take initiative and solve problems on the show in his absence. This gave the team a greater sense of investment in the film, and made for a more enjoyable experience (even if it is more hectic and stressful at times).
Being a lead on a film is (obviously) much different than being an animator. You have a lot more responsibilities and you don't spend a lot of time at your desk. On the upside, I really enjoy having a larger influence on the film and getting to interact with so many people inside and outside my department, including the Director. On the downside, I often miss the zen focus of just sitting at my desk and losing myself in the process of animation. Cars 2 afforded me both opportunities, and I don't expect that will come again. I also don't know if we'll ever see John Lasseter direct again, so it was a wonderful chance to work with him again. John is a great boss, as you can imagine, and he really invites his team to bring their own creative ideas and solutions to the film. On Cars 2 in particular, because the production timeline was so short and his availability so limited, he really relied on us to take initiative and solve problems on the show in his absence. This gave the team a greater sense of investment in the film, and made for a more enjoyable experience (even if it is more hectic and stressful at times).
Monday, November 28, 2011
Interview on Animated Views
Here's an interview I did for Animated Views a few months back, which has just been posted. Thanks Jeremie! Now that the Cars 2 DVD is out I'll try to put together my reel for the show and post it here soon...
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Brave trailer online!
Our trailer debuts online today at 9:00 am PST at disney.com/brave and apple.com/trailers/brave.
It will likely be attached to a family film opening this weekend...
I'm doing a brief tour of duty on Brave right now in between preproduction on future films. I'm having a great time animating these characters, but this movie has been extremely challenging for the entire company, both creatively and technically. It's been a loooong time in the making. But just like hard weather produces the best grapes for wine, I'm confident that all our hard work will pay off, just like with Toy Story 2 and Ratatouille.
It will likely be attached to a family film opening this weekend...
I'm doing a brief tour of duty on Brave right now in between preproduction on future films. I'm having a great time animating these characters, but this movie has been extremely challenging for the entire company, both creatively and technically. It's been a loooong time in the making. But just like hard weather produces the best grapes for wine, I'm confident that all our hard work will pay off, just like with Toy Story 2 and Ratatouille.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Cars 2: Getting Behind the Wheel
Here's a sneak preview of one of the supplemental documentaries from the upcoming Cars 2 Bluray. This one features interviews with myself, Supervising Animator Dave Mullins and Co-Director Brad Lewis, talking about the "research" we did at Infineon Raceway. Don't know if it helped our animation much, but it sure was fun!
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Goodbye Steve
I haven't felt compelled to post anything on my blog for a while, but with the passing of Steve Jobs I feel like I have to say something, because he has had a direct and positive influence on my life. Not just because of all the cool gadgets, but because he created Pixar, a place where an artist like me could work with hundreds of other like-minded artists on films that we love, and that touch audiences around the world. He created a safe-haven for us, away from Hollywood, and I still scratch my head that a studio like this can even exist, much less persevere and thrive. I was there when Steve used to walk the halls, and while I never had a real conversation with him, I was always glad to see him around, and I'll admit I was starstruck as well. He used to lead the company meetings and was always very straightforward and honest. I always felt that with such smart guys as him, Ed Catmull and John Lasseter running the company, we couldn't go wrong. When Disney bought us in 2005 he stopped coming around as much, for various reasons, including his health, I'm sure. Then I only got to see him a few times a year, like the rest of the world, in those keynote addresses for Apple.
Now that he's gone I feel like there's a little less magic in the world, but I'm proud to be a part of one of his greatest creations, which will live on like so many of his others.
Thanks, Steve.
Now that he's gone I feel like there's a little less magic in the world, but I'm proud to be a part of one of his greatest creations, which will live on like so many of his others.
Thanks, Steve.
Friday, September 02, 2011
Animation Collaborative
If you follow animation blogs like mine then you may have heard about the Animation Collaborative, which is a new workshop for animators and artists. It's conveniently located right across the street from Pixar. I will be teaching there starting in the Fall, so if you're interested in joining me for a class then check the availability on there web site. No, I'm not leaving AnimationMentor.com, I'm just mixing it up a little bit.
AnimC (as we call it for short) is having an open house tonight at 6pm, so if you're in the neighborhood swing by, check out the space, and meet some cool people!
Friday, July 15, 2011
A Day in the Life of John Lasseter
What a life! Check it out:
If you watch closely you might see me in animation dailies...
If you watch closely you might see me in animation dailies...
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Animation Insiders book is back online - for FREE!
Thanks for your generosity, Patrick!
UPDATE: Link seems to be working again!
Friday, July 08, 2011
Some thoughts about my remarks at the CTNX panel...
Hi All,
I made some snide remarks about the Character Riggers at Pixar in this panel, and I want to say that I didn't mean it seriously! Those guys are great and they enable the animators to do what they do. We've developed a great relationship between Animation and Rigging over the years, and I don't want to upset that. To be honest, we had been drinking a bit before the panel, so I was a little more flippant than usual; I know that's not an excuse, but I sincerely respect those guys and hope that no one in the rigging community takes offense at my remarks. Here's to you, Chars TD's!
Monday, June 27, 2011
CTNX panel is back up on Vimeo
This video was marked "private" originally but now it's back up for public consumption. It features Carlos Baena, Aaron Hartline, Michal Makarewicz, and myself, with Adreas Deja (!) as the moderator. We all had a few drinks before the panel, so things are pretty loose...
Tools of the Trade of a Successful Animator Yesterday Today and Beyond from Creative Talent Network on Vimeo.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Local boy makes good
Here's an article on me from hometown new source, SignOn San Diego. Surprisingly accurate journalism, except for the part about me being 40. I'm still 29...
Friday, June 17, 2011
Cars 2!
If you don't already know, Cars 2 opens in the US on June 24th, and I'll be attending the world premiere tomorrow, June 18th, in Los Angeles (my first premiere - yay!). I had the honor of being a Directing Animator on this film which meant, among other things, getting to work closely with John Lasseter again. Once the movie opens I'll talk more about my involvement. Until then, I hope you enjoy it!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Animation Mentor Student Showcase 2011
Just in case you haven't seen this elsewhere:
AM is over 5 years old and still going strong!
AM is over 5 years old and still going strong!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)