tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91309628384588393702024-03-05T13:47:50.920-08:00Sean Hannon's Anim BlogSeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-35710557232061557152013-07-29T14:17:00.000-07:002013-07-29T17:05:24.003-07:00Unforgettable SIGGRAPH, Unforgettable Team<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I have just returned home from an extraordinary <b>SIGGRAPH
2013</b> conference in Anaheim. It was a success on so many levels, and
was by far the best SIGGRAPH I have experienced in all the years I have been involved
with this organization.</div>
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Nothing like what took place last week happens in a vacuum. This
powerhouse of activity was the result of a year’s worth of hard work and careful
planning by many people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have
been impossible to achieve without the support, trust and guidance of a solid
team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was fortunate to have all of
that serving on the Student Volunteer Subcommittee led by Gracie Arenas
Strittmatter. She assembled the perfect team and we worked to support each
other at all the critical moments.</div>
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The six of us charged with building the Student Volunteer
program this year – Jeremy, Callie, Megan, Gracie, Carlin and I – each had our
strengths in different areas that came on full force at just the right
time. Any weaknesses were compensated for by the others and were effectively
nulled out.</div>
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I’m sure I was the least useful member of the team in the
early building phase of the program. Anything to do with coding complex
databases and troubleshooting our SIGGRAPH Information System (SIS) was not my
area of expertise and the others on the team tackled that with Left Brain
elan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hat is off to Gracie in
particular for managing the construction of this solid foundation.</div>
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It was really interesting to me to observe when the individual
strengths of each member of our team really shone. This is highly subjective,
of course, but as I saw it each one of us had their so-called “sweet spot”.</div>
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Callie Holderman was our high-caliber Marketing lead, and she
was consistently busy lifting our profile on Facebook and Twitter, raising the
SVSC’s profile with elegantly produced Intro Videos, handling the Student
Status verifications and partnering with Megan on the SV Handbook. Her key strength
was the antennae she kept out (yes, she is part alien) to catch whatever was in
need of bolstering; a natural born multitasker.</div>
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Megan Mohler was our Communications lead, and she was adept
at <span id="goog_503394963"></span><span id="goog_503394964"></span>responding to the multitudes of emails from eager SVs wanting to know
<span id="goog_503394960"></span><span id="goog_503394961"></span>who-what-when-and-where (I don’t think she ever explained why). She created wonderfully
fun pre-conference games online to help in SV training. Once we arrived at the
conference, boy, did “Mama Hen” come out! That was her key strength, and she was
there for every SV. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>She was also there
for the five of us working behind the front desk with bags of throat lozenges.</div>
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Carlin Yuen, a joy to all of us with his unique life
observations and his prodigious appetite, was the Systems Development lead and
he was truly our tech guru. Tackling SIS to the ground, his ability to come up
with useful database solutions quickly was astonishing at times. His solutions
kept getting more creative as we went, such as the onsite Master To-Do Spreadsheet
that dynamically changed color coding for entries made by specific people and
for levels of completion. Incredibly helpful and fun stuff!</div>
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Jeremy Kenisky, our Program Manager, was our
dapperly-dressed “silent partner” at the weekly meetings, shadowing Gracie’s
steps as he prepares to take the helm in 2014. He took on all the Team Leader
training, helping them with Jury selections and understanding their roles
onsite. For me, his key strength came to the fore during the conference as he
maintained a cool approach to all crises that arose. He used that cool to
diffuse, mediate and calmly resolve any difficulty. I picked up on those cues
and learned a lot from him.</div>
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I was the Industry
Relations lead, and I had the enormous pleasure of reaching out to top companies and artists to request their participation in the Special
Sessions for our SVs. I created the SV Pamphlet guide for those
sessions, organized an SV Social (and learned what a delivery of 75 pizzas looks
like!), coordinated post-conference tours, and worked with the Donations Committee
to collect and catalogue the wonderful prizes we gave away to our hard
working students at week's end. If I had to choose a key strength, it
would be the ability to stay open and adapt to all contingencies with a trust
that it will somehow all work out.</div>
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Finally, our fearless and ebullient leader and 2013 SV Chair,
Gracie Arenas Strittmatter, was the grand orchestrator of all these things. She
set the tone and pace of our weekly meetings which were always fun and
productive. She partnered with each of us to help keep things on track, and I
found out when I submitted my outreach letters for approval what a sharp editor
she is. I feel her key strengths lay in her ability to keep this massive
juggernaut in focus and under control, and in her ability to delegate and let
us run with our initiatives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Good work,
Gracie!</div>
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These people are the reason that the SV Program shone so
brightly this year. We were just one of many programs that made up the full SIGGRAPH experience, and we felt the full support of Mk Haley, the 2013 Conference Chair, and everyone in Conference Management who helped us keep things running so smoothly. I’ll go into more detail about my personal achievements in the
blog entries to follow, but I wanted to first acknowledge my good friends
without whom this dream event would not have been possible. </div>
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--- Sean</div>
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<![endif]-->Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-55233983854244255292012-12-23T16:01:00.001-08:002012-12-23T16:01:39.810-08:00PreparationsThe Pivotvfx start date is now the 7th of January, so I'll have some time to explore my new neighborhood in Albuquerque. Thanks to a good friend, I've rented a casita near Old Town that is just perfect. It's 1 mile from work, and I'll have the use of a bicycle too. I'm checking around the neighborhood, and there do seem to be some interesting places to visit during my free time, including a live rattlesnake museum about five blocks away. As if I didn't have enough to keep me awake at night.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYi88jd_AO3FZhi2onzCvsEWKQoj27YY1n-H4d_1Y7cWfkjJY6lZ_gz7amA_P0HjzxDHEMMMEFE7QYYJ86cTcYiuFuPYaTJqQK-h87VsCTWCqypgQnVOAAsCMKUpLePBhaIrVpIugtc8/s1600/postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="130" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYi88jd_AO3FZhi2onzCvsEWKQoj27YY1n-H4d_1Y7cWfkjJY6lZ_gz7amA_P0HjzxDHEMMMEFE7QYYJ86cTcYiuFuPYaTJqQK-h87VsCTWCqypgQnVOAAsCMKUpLePBhaIrVpIugtc8/s200/postcard.jpg" /></a></div>
Nice to have this extra time to transition from home life in CT. The next four months should be so busy that I won't notice the passage of time, but I imagine there will be moments that take me by surprise and remind me how far away I am. Despite the distance and time apart, however, this is a journey that my wife and I are taking together. It is one that we have been working on for many years. Time to toast. To a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-25672304889770910652012-12-12T18:52:00.000-08:002012-12-12T18:52:00.635-08:00Vision Accomplished<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.stardial.net/movies/makeemWeepAnne_finalmix_h264.mov" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiH0VPK0Yy-U-QefGVgjm6bYYuATUtntUJSoRNyKlgFzoNRvleRVv_DuUz1A6bwNk_rjYV-EvmgX3qWKPPNLbox4W7-BEo2NC2Rw-YVCRl0ExRoqE4rS5Sa6D3v958OhuGCz_fH-uUww/s400/makeemWeepAnne_blogpicFinal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This shot has taken me on quite a journey. And I feel that it has come very close to what I saw in my mind's eye. I loved the process of sharing it with my colleagues as it developed. You all helped me enormously, and I am very grateful to you. Because of your experience and input, I created a shot that is so much better than I would have been able to produce entirely on my own. And I also see all the remaining flaws. I know how much better it could be with more time and polish (and yes, fewer poses!), but it is time to put this puppy to bed. I have a new adventure to prepare for... in Albuquerque. <br />
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<br />Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-51410258516966880882012-12-03T15:19:00.003-08:002012-12-03T15:20:33.591-08:00A Game ChangerThe Mayan's prediction of a cataclysmic change on Dec 21st, 2012 has been largely regarded as a portent of doom. But there are others who have interpreted the Mayans' message as one that signifies great change that doesn't necessarily mean bad stuff is coming. Just big stuff. Life altering stuff.<br />
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For me, that change just occurred when I was invited to join the animation team at Pivotvfx for a five-month feature character animation project in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It's been about a week since I was sent the offer, and I am only now emerging from a dream state. This is huge. Pivotvfx is a new company comprised of seasoned industry veterans who decided to stay in Albuquerque when Sony Imageworks closed their facility there. And I will be under the supervision of their Animation Director, David Tart, a man with extensive animation and directorial credits at Pixar, Blue Sky, DNA, and other studios around the world.<br />
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I know how hard I have worked for this chance, and I know how lucky I am to have been given it. I am overwhelmed every time I think of how much I will grow as an animator in this environment. Five months is going to go by very fast!<br />
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<a href="http://www.pivotvfx.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEg48zOD56HJqKvknnFzrSfwQ29CTSp-yKtSJJy0buRkHkh-Zw-Fgq5s3pZky0o2B3bA5Zkbhl5p__zVKzcL9_idrCtNATtLll4H-0x5b59Vb1U-_yYBYhkqmSkqRsLX6ErzlICUtrk7w/s400/Pivotvfx_pic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-30084714441647719822012-11-24T18:38:00.003-08:002012-12-12T21:15:33.107-08:00The Home Stretch!Well, despite a hurricane, and a job that disappeared on me after the hurricane (they were located in lower Manhattan), I managed to hunker down at home and push my shot to a satisfying conclusion. It's about to get some much needed polish. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their observations and guidance. I learned more from doing this shot than I have in a long time.<br />
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<a href="http://stardial.net/movies/makeemWeepAnne_WIP_11-23-12.mov" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisa4Hlr88SIA7pS3b-7ElUT4hZYzYWZTtlY2bYRCb0vk4SB68Qat6uIEC7CwANt0n1RLMipEW7H7qriTryNjyQRi3bKtmXOfZTyJ11O8tejusZHI_9qHvmTK9lzFRZw84HTiZ-NXeb2qg/s400/weepAnne_blogLinkImage4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-32026810277124893032012-10-21T20:50:00.004-07:002012-10-21T21:05:59.402-07:00Painful ProgressThis shot has been merciless, and it has taken me to the mat like no other that I have worked on to date. All the limitations I have with my equipment, my spare time, and my abilities as an animator are being pushed to the edge.<br />
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Frustrating as this process has been though, I have found it to be one of the most exciting learning experiences in advancing my know-how for troubleshooting a shot, and despite the aggravating setbacks I inch closer to the kind of work I want to be achieving.<br />
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So, I'm halfway there, with Anne's performance splined fully, but only Malcolm's first shot has been splined, with the rest of his performance still in stepped mode. In the last shot, I moved Anne closer to camera, and I think that was a mistake. I need to move her back closer to where she was in the previous blocking. While I have adapted my usual workflow to these nasty roadblocks, I feel in control of the shot and on track to complete it. <br />
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I would mostly like to know from you all if the first two splined shots in this scene are working for you. <br />
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Click on the picture below to see the current playblast:<br />
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<a href="http://stardial.net/movies/makeemWeepAnne_spline_010.mov" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkq2O_eawVWPEu7AefWyA2FfMAJ49nCF60Ngw3MqMzq4e09Pzl-jgcqHZ0pb05H8rpfEyPv0sQj-E4bMqp0KZ7FuKsempFLftQp2Dkw2YoXyeQAow9_mbHkwDn392VItFHBWv5ggil34/s400/weepAnne_blogLinkImage3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-65524982932635801552012-09-25T22:04:00.001-07:002012-09-25T22:07:21.541-07:00Second blocking pass "make 'em weep, Ann"Here is the second blocking pass that I am sharing for any critique you have. I appreciated all the emails I got on the first pass, and they were enormously helpful! I incorporated suggestions for some poses, pushing for emotional clarity, and worked on refining the timing, spacing and adding breakdowns. I have more to do here, but I think I am close to moving into spline. And I can't wait to put in the lipsync and work on the facial animation!<br />
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By the way, I hit a technical limitation with my equipment that has made this shot my Rock of Sisyphus over the last two weeks. The shot is gobbling up all my RAM, and I've been crashing constantly with memory exceptions and runtime errors after spending even a little time on the shot. I believe this is due to the wrap deformers that both characters use, and I have now learned to employ routines like swapping out unwrapped references, and that has helped alot. But I need to tweak shirt lines and belt orientation as I go, so I have to bring the hires wrapped versions back in every now and then. I'm learning how to dance near the edge of the cliff and save before the crashes. When I have the performances where I want them, I can break out the characters into two separate shots, and that will get me to the finish line. Anyway, here's my second blocking pass:<br />
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<a href="http://stardial.net/movies/makeemWeepAnne_blocking_100a.mov" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqG7CywEJMbco79k1eJxuwe07ioOC9Iqz398OfWbabnMd2XwnspmHeApyFbHkfbI1grfmu4z6bqs3-FmJGkOnYWrRw8cnSI8_HmbmChQdwSAzq2CNIV4m83uxnzJaz7pd2BQ4wkde6zM/s400/blocking100_blogPic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-73059904703167710942012-09-12T08:31:00.000-07:002012-09-13T15:46:25.962-07:00Blocked, and ready for crit...Here's a shot that I've been working on through the summer, when not
engaged in my day job or a little thing called SIGGRAPH 2012, and I now
have some time to push it to the next phase. I would benefit very much
from fresh eyes, so if you have any critique on how I might plus this
before going into spline, please share your thoughts!<br />
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<a href="http://stardial.net/movies/makeemWeepAnne_blocking_060b.mov" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFxUxj3ni4OQ2XRxkU-PiMC3eLKRWBlNZDbO3v-JsISBbYhdPr4kY_r3GKVkiHsMQ1B9i8aB7hBosjQNbSglKjDfHJCp5T_jBSQFHuzIO7Kkfmv7fVbs6YUj6dw7u9SabDKvxlqf2RA8/s400/weepAnne_blogLinkImage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<-- Click on pic to view Quicktime<br />
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p.s. for my non-animator friends not versed in 3D shot development, I realize I am talking in a foreign language when I say "plus this before going into spline" lol! So, really, just let me know if the rough blocking looks good to you, or if you think something is missing in the action. Note that this phase does not yet have full facial expressions, lipsync, or smoothed motion. :)<br />
<br />Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-3331013098056511372012-06-23T20:00:00.000-07:002012-06-23T20:00:21.199-07:00Half-time!Hmmm, another five months have gone by without a blog post... must mean only one thing.... I've been working! It's been a very productive 2012 and I should have some brand new eye candy to snaz up my reel in a little while. And I would be an ungrateful lout if I did not express my public gratitude to Angelo Collazo for his continued generosity in steering me toward job opportunities that come to his attention.<br />
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I booked a gig at Absolute Post, a NY commercial house in the Chelsea district that has an affiliate office in London. And just to remind us that the pond inbetween is not that large, we had tea time at 4p every day which was a delightful touch. Working with them, I contributed to a couple of commercials that are currently airing. One was for Lipton Ice Tea. I animated some of the shots of the band Lady Antebellum as they transform into transparent 3D versions of themselves with floating tea leaves inside. Using a technique called "rotomation", I took the video footage of their playing in concert and animated the cg versions to match their performances. Some of the shots were roughly blocked and handed over to me to polish, and some were done from scratch. The other spot was for Bandaid, and I animated two characters, a sad defeated ordinary bandaid and an ebullient, heroic new bandaid with super micro fiber somethings that make it spiffier than spiff. I had a blast working there (my CG lead Dan Dixon had worked on one of the Matrix films and shared some badass shots of modeled set pieces with us).<br />
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Shortly after leaving there I got connected with Pandapanther on the Lower East Side, and I was brought in on the last month of a three month monster project that required them to produce close to 30 minutes of cinematic animated sequences for the videogame "Skylanders". This was for their new adventures called "Skylanders Giants" introducing some new characters. In addition to the FMVs (full motion videos) for the cut scenes in the game, I animated on a very peculiar trailer for "Skylander Giants" that aired at the E3 conference. What made it so peculiar was the aspect ratio of the trailer, which was roughly 7:1, or the similar to a web banner, only it was on a gigantic, long screen that towered overhead. Animating in such a long screen environment often felt like I was viewing the action through the gun turret of a tank. I saw some homevideo that someone took at the conference that showed the trailer playing, but so far I haven't seen it on the net. There is another trailer for the game that is up there, but in a more normal aspect ratio.<br />
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And now I am gearing up for SIGGRAPH, where I am working for the first time as a subcommittee member of the Student Volunteer program. I've been keeping the SV Facebook page active and fun since October, creating games and contests and silly videos.<br />
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So, 2012. Liking it. Good first half. More please. :)Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-64722908768888521032012-01-28T09:51:00.000-08:002012-01-28T10:06:44.520-08:00Meet You At Irving Thalberg's Place...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqloOCVYJd6dK6AEm1MthQtaUlufVeSQ2x2TZalDbrklb9r-i7JQ9ICSNQwKejdfCw5G1UOR2xWyJxJd3k3SihJx8tr0nDOBA9j0qXeeehWiRmyhiTxS9YTt7zVD1G9p2wbvWIqzf7oM/s1600/SVSC_2012_atWork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqloOCVYJd6dK6AEm1MthQtaUlufVeSQ2x2TZalDbrklb9r-i7JQ9ICSNQwKejdfCw5G1UOR2xWyJxJd3k3SihJx8tr0nDOBA9j0qXeeehWiRmyhiTxS9YTt7zVD1G9p2wbvWIqzf7oM/s320/SVSC_2012_atWork.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And so begins Siggraph 2012, for the Student Volunteer Subcommittee that is. We convened at the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City, thanks to our SV Committee chair, Mikki Rose, who works as a Cloth and Hair TD at Sony Animation. We held our "sync" meeting inside the Irving Thalberg building (and you can feel the ghosts!). Lots of posters from legendary Hollywood films on display, as well as a lobby festooned with Oscars. One small feature caught my eye. I think the window frames in the conference room we met in had to be the originals, as they had these long metal spacer bars with notches cut into them that are used to size the opening of the windows. Nice piece of the past to keep alive and active. Subtly connective.<br />
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The purpose of this gathering is to choose the Team Leaders for the upcoming conference, and begin to give shape to the SV program. We worked all through the day going over applications, and finally arriving at our selection of 22 excellent people for Team Leaders.<br />
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This time is also for the six of us to get to know each other better. Bonding time for this group of talented people: Mikki Rose, Eugene Harng, Christine Holmes, Carlin Yuen, Grace Arenas Strittmater, and me. We have been enjoying some great restaurant time, with an Argentinian breakfast to start. Carlin was taking pictures of our meals, later making the comment <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.13290848291437585" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’ve always thought that being a food critic would be the best job. You’d just run around saying “I like your food!” “I don’t like your food”.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.13290848291437585" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Later we had lunch in the Sony Pictures commissary, but alas, no celebrity sightings. Lots of people posing as if they were celebrities though, lol. Mikki toured us through the backlot and I was struck with the dissonant disconnect as we walked past buildings all named after Hollywood legends like Thalberg and Astaire while passing the soundstages for "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy". </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.13290848291437585" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the evening, we gathered at Mikki's home, where we met her dog Kizmet and continued some of the SVSC work on getting our online systems in shape, as well as being introduced to a card game called Set. We now know Christine Holmes is not to be messed with. She's killer at this game. It's now Saturday, and we will continue our discussions at Disneyland, and a final repast at the Blue Bayou. Yo ho!</span></span><br />
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</span></span>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-34114753276290823052012-01-09T19:52:00.000-08:002012-01-11T17:39:28.456-08:00TIME MARCHES ON!!!Wow, it's the New Year, 2012, and with it comes new resolutions and resolve. At the top of my list is to not let this blog collect as much dust as it did since the last post! It's not as if I didn't have anything to blog about. So a little playing catch-up is in order. Highlights of the latter half of 2011 include...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFs16ucUg6jhGUvUsKeQ4WiIqvI2W-iSVSfpdm0qhk4JCHr-25oDgzU98ozNRvc9LxAJ-Y2BgjmJOLmn0wbJOFlXdXHAfucrrcZJA_Zd5_10pm0notRUB3-k8Q5NKebEXjqYD6lWiS5k/s1600/Siggraph2011_logoTheme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFs16ucUg6jhGUvUsKeQ4WiIqvI2W-iSVSfpdm0qhk4JCHr-25oDgzU98ozNRvc9LxAJ-Y2BgjmJOLmn0wbJOFlXdXHAfucrrcZJA_Zd5_10pm0notRUB3-k8Q5NKebEXjqYD6lWiS5k/s1600/Siggraph2011_logoTheme.jpg" /></a></div>... working as a Team Leader in the Student Volunteer program at Siggraph in Vancouver Canada last August! What a gorgeous city and setting for the convention. This was my fifth outing in the SV program, and I made a splash early on with my contribution to the creation of the TL Intro Video. I choreographed and assisted with the direction onsite of our version of "The Office Lip Dub". If you watched the season 7 opener of "The Office", you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, well, just take a look at our take on it here: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100518958405098&set=vb.253757794181&type=2&theater" target="_blank">The SV OFFICE LIP DUB </a> P.S. what you will see was done in ONE TAKE with no cuts!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NZbwkzMDfT9r_dw7bFMfzDM8dMHRkjno5AJoS6OfmXC7p-fdirbc08tQAj4wqS4NK_u2tPsfrHsGP-E262oEzomTnsxQtRRAESTI1QTDpjrsDeGkNugFx1V_siE48gvX4ubwgevZS4M/s1600/Launch_Title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NZbwkzMDfT9r_dw7bFMfzDM8dMHRkjno5AJoS6OfmXC7p-fdirbc08tQAj4wqS4NK_u2tPsfrHsGP-E262oEzomTnsxQtRRAESTI1QTDpjrsDeGkNugFx1V_siE48gvX4ubwgevZS4M/s1600/Launch_Title.jpg" /></a></div>I've been working fairly regularly at Launch in mid-town Manhattan, and I am enjoying the company of my animator friends in the Pit as we produce a never-ending slate of previs commercials for test marketing. We use Motion Builder which is quite a different animal from Maya, and it's fun to get to know how to handle motion capture data. It's also fun to see one of our efforts selected for full production, such as a recent Bud commercial for the Superbowl, always a good sign that we're on target with our output. Here's a link to their website, with some examples of the type of work we produce: <a href="http://www.321launch.com/index.php" target="_blank">LAUNCH</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlvZoocmxpEf428yM74Qx52-QfEfpXeHqX8BbDmXaraLL8K01XTPL8igvrzt5wR9UnLGGvQz-X5M-9tYXhw0kR5Uly6y3uA4mZYe-ua6SmhkmByq02tPSyyRYzu4H_x9TDnTa1Y-9Ib4/s1600/TeamUmizoomi_Title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlvZoocmxpEf428yM74Qx52-QfEfpXeHqX8BbDmXaraLL8K01XTPL8igvrzt5wR9UnLGGvQz-X5M-9tYXhw0kR5Uly6y3uA4mZYe-ua6SmhkmByq02tPSyyRYzu4H_x9TDnTa1Y-9Ib4/s1600/TeamUmizoomi_Title.jpg" /></a></div>They finally aired the two episodes that I worked on for Nickelodeon's "Team Umizoomi" made at Curious Pictures during the fall of 2010. This is a popular show geared for a very young audience. I got to work with Maya for the first time in a production environment, and animated several characters in these two specials. The style is extremely simplistic, and the main challenge was the shear number of shots that needed to be output. It was just me and the lead animator for these two half hour specials. Here's a link to a short compilation of the shots I worked on: <a href="http://vimeo.com/31207905" target="_blank">Team Umizoomi Shots</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU-Yjv4yX5kmmjhCsxsUEiaxUyu5dvbQ9iJZPnpB5uvPGawmwDAFreae8Pi1xrA2Te3Ul9hg2XMTcyWKd4iTt6W7u1aXIW6N60JjY9EAj_QXzYFACZYsHH9rdbLhKXXXA5I1H_jnWFQY/s1600/Siggraph2012_logoTheme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU-Yjv4yX5kmmjhCsxsUEiaxUyu5dvbQ9iJZPnpB5uvPGawmwDAFreae8Pi1xrA2Te3Ul9hg2XMTcyWKd4iTt6W7u1aXIW6N60JjY9EAj_QXzYFACZYsHH9rdbLhKXXXA5I1H_jnWFQY/s1600/Siggraph2012_logoTheme.jpg" /></a></div>The last bit of exciting news from 2011 is that I was selected to serve on the six-person Student Volunteer Subcommittee for Siggraph 2012! It is quite an honor, and I've been hard at work already, keeping the Facebook page for the SVs full of exciting news, contests, videos, and more. I can use that as some of my excuse for neglecting THIS blog. Here's the link where you can catch up on all that we are jabbering about the SV program: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHStudentVolunteers" target="_blank">Siggraph 2012 Student Volunteers on Facebook</a>.<br />
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So that's it. When I am not in the NYC at work, I am working hard at home on new animation clips for my demo reel, and I hope to have some WIPs to share here in a bit. In the meantime, I hope to hear from all of you and do some serious catching up. Cheers!Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-12932999282645760962011-06-14T20:06:00.000-07:002011-06-24T19:34:46.768-07:00Animation Mentor is a Wrap!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNw6GPIi5ImqRK7mHms0Lc1gikLige4oiZo9vD_UzV4Bc9VxE2suIW4X2QtYoJPNJBhM0aYeCCSppGAmxHhdJu2HtBuZSy7jBD9hHp__weHT7U5HWL1NgvObV2cB0m-sgsLIortocaWhc/s1600/the-dancing-nebula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNw6GPIi5ImqRK7mHms0Lc1gikLige4oiZo9vD_UzV4Bc9VxE2suIW4X2QtYoJPNJBhM0aYeCCSppGAmxHhdJu2HtBuZSy7jBD9hHp__weHT7U5HWL1NgvObV2cB0m-sgsLIortocaWhc/s320/the-dancing-nebula.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> ********************<br />
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Where does the time go? Into a lot of hours at the computer pushing, pulling, squashing, stretching, deforming, overlapping and following through!<br />
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I am happy to announce that I have successfully completed the 18 month long Animation Mentor program!! <br />
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What a great journey it was, being exposed to so many top animation professionals sharing all their secrets and techniques. Their unabated enthusiasm for this artform was infectious. The program was everything I hoped it would be, and I believe it has opened the doors wide to a great career in animation. While this current economy may mean that a job at a large studio won't happen as soon as I would like, I am nevertheless confidant that I now possess the knowledge I need to take me wherever I want to go with this. Of course, there is much more to discover through practice and experimentation. I am cognizant of the flaws and faults that have yet to be ironed out with experience. But no longer do I feel that I am missing any pieces of the puzzle, and it will be my unflagging passion that takes me the rest of the way. How great is that?<br />
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Here's a link to my current demo reel: <a href="http://vimeo.com/channels/stardial"><span style="font-size: small;">http://vimeo.com/channels/stardial</span></a>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-45156319840345013112010-11-01T06:42:00.000-07:002010-11-24T19:44:00.557-08:00Chiller Cha Cha<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oF66mMpsmvLQMmAyyP2bdIOCjBi-e3onBlihmNUErwbdEgZuaCFI-vAHrQOAinJ10FKMKbvZ-L5apgrB2omeZq3PrqZOH76rp-nAlWzjqk1Yl0eIoPoQ6-PqMgA93KsLd_k3nx4DlBM/s1600/Sean_chat_03.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oF66mMpsmvLQMmAyyP2bdIOCjBi-e3onBlihmNUErwbdEgZuaCFI-vAHrQOAinJ10FKMKbvZ-L5apgrB2omeZq3PrqZOH76rp-nAlWzjqk1Yl0eIoPoQ6-PqMgA93KsLd_k3nx4DlBM/s320/Sean_chat_03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534598990144691714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WnNVZVUzS7sJZZ1SDJTUdZzhmfLmHpLczQHYEi04r5Jte3LlD1CL_h_WCrUZlZd4wpHi7MdJEmiYDL2WPq8jYWynS0ywY0TnKYsIeDjEhT9Z7I_9FLl3gyaEeqM270e_NdGMQWe7Qko/s1600/SigningPics_01.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WnNVZVUzS7sJZZ1SDJTUdZzhmfLmHpLczQHYEi04r5Jte3LlD1CL_h_WCrUZlZd4wpHi7MdJEmiYDL2WPq8jYWynS0ywY0TnKYsIeDjEhT9Z7I_9FLl3gyaEeqM270e_NdGMQWe7Qko/s400/SigningPics_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534592560519527090" border="0" /></a><br />Okay, there's surreal and then there's surreal.<div><br /></div><div>I made my first ever appearance yesterday at a Horror/Sci-Fi convention - the Chiller Theatre Expo at the Hilton in Parsippany, NJ. I came prepared with an eye-catching banner and a large pile of 8x10s to sign. Given the huge roster of celebrity guests, I figured I would be tucked away in one of the many small rooms the attendees wander in and out via a long corridor. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, as it turned out, Tracy Lords couldn't be there on Sunday. So Kevin Clement ( aka Mr. Chiller and the producer of the event) generously put me at her table. It was in the A-List staging area. Going around the room sitting to my left was Nancy Allen, Kimberly Brown and Patty Duke-Astin. To my right was Patricia Quinn (Magenta), Charlotte Lewis, Theresa Russell, Appolonia, Cheryl Tiegs, Ralph Macchio, Leslie Ann Warren, and John Astin. Opposite my table across the floor was LeVar Burton, Richard Roundtree and Linda Blair. </div><div><br /></div><div>And then there was Sean Hannon... LOL!</div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQruqXRiwHNlP5kxrsL0xIIbteYWDlT0gTQmbl0a3k-90mWd_dXYXiP7DA3BhtwNyV6pF35NHYBENZ8cW1uuDkfF1X5XNyXC2b_9gCuIJQ61v1g0_V_yc-uVuiVbMl2BkCX3QBdtIWXLU/s1600/schonk_a.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQruqXRiwHNlP5kxrsL0xIIbteYWDlT0gTQmbl0a3k-90mWd_dXYXiP7DA3BhtwNyV6pF35NHYBENZ8cW1uuDkfF1X5XNyXC2b_9gCuIJQ61v1g0_V_yc-uVuiVbMl2BkCX3QBdtIWXLU/s320/schonk_a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534596422900891266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4daVvZE0933uRj0oD3rG9oeL5nLuED9_gMqbxDvICxqVeprZp-t1HzczFBG5fz3gpq0dY-q74jwPrYJgFhTIiphKz37WiZHqc9zdp3CM50sIRDSl32B01DXAbV6xtXY5tyfVUX1qKXo/s1600/themmenp.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 108px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4daVvZE0933uRj0oD3rG9oeL5nLuED9_gMqbxDvICxqVeprZp-t1HzczFBG5fz3gpq0dY-q74jwPrYJgFhTIiphKz37WiZHqc9zdp3CM50sIRDSl32B01DXAbV6xtXY5tyfVUX1qKXo/s320/themmenp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534596678764548338" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Needless to say, I didn't really belong in that lineup (much as I would have liked), and I ought to have been in the back rooms with the cast of the original "Night of the Living Dead" or alongside the guy who played Mike Tee Vee in "Willy Wonka".</div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gRACBbHCojnyAeEyHRM4-NbkRbjLOsFreqtOd3bqoQVbrLHU5EFyV2hYMnWjTl5GodZHvI9V2ARPjtMxiltDhFTFviu-YhqKt0qBC5OkW_Bg73GUv7oVXNRaUOiXUc-O-ocE8IZPJ3E/s1600/ThePit.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 15px 15px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gRACBbHCojnyAeEyHRM4-NbkRbjLOsFreqtOd3bqoQVbrLHU5EFyV2hYMnWjTl5GodZHvI9V2ARPjtMxiltDhFTFviu-YhqKt0qBC5OkW_Bg73GUv7oVXNRaUOiXUc-O-ocE8IZPJ3E/s320/ThePit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534593310279348722" border="0" /></a><br /><div>As you might guess, many of the attendees on a celebrity hunt who passed by my table looked at the banner, the photo and me and walked on, not at all sure who I was or what "Fire & Ice" was. Oh, and if you are one of them, go to my earlier blog entry of Oct 14, "Return of the Ice Lord". It will 'splain everything.<br /><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt23O5Zc28Umf1nd30jFeXdEtGIUHPbISXaagyGROGZoMFOUErfU5GxAVF_A6UbB2wgkrlpZeuB-Lx1LrJcZ8Q2VoC4MTM4lARIOAHejuO9FOz9F705wk_vKnickDDDsvMq7VgMCcspqg/s1600/ChillerCelebs.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 15px 15px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 141px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt23O5Zc28Umf1nd30jFeXdEtGIUHPbISXaagyGROGZoMFOUErfU5GxAVF_A6UbB2wgkrlpZeuB-Lx1LrJcZ8Q2VoC4MTM4lARIOAHejuO9FOz9F705wk_vKnickDDDsvMq7VgMCcspqg/s200/ChillerCelebs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534609030912003922" border="0" /></a>Anyway, it was a little disheartening, and with a small shrug, I was prepared for a long day ahead. But the few fans who knew I was going to be there, bringing with them a copy of the film on Blu-ray for me to sign, really made my day. Two of them were eager to start a campaign to get me in the Robert Rodriguez remake. And one guy completely floored me when he walked up and said "You did 'Deja Vu', right?" He was referring to my 3D thesis film. He apparently googled my name and found the link to my 3D work and watched it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yeah, it was a strange and wonderful experience, and I learned a lot about how to do this more effectively in future. One of the attendees suggested that I also consider doing the Comic Cons, as there might be more recognition and appreciation of Frazetta's name in that crowd. </div><div><br /></div><div>But what a cool adventure (thanks again Kevin!!!) and what better way to spend Halloween than chatting with Magenta from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"?! My friend James was just getting used to the camera when he took this blurry shot, but I still think its great because it looks... well, time-warped!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ssAJJMgVmSZdeHfXiEcZFkiMxeOJGsTWRJMbuFfTisyG9r1rw_XyilZVjmZslKkw2rk6z6lkuU6qS06blldIVvQE_u3M_906a6CnyXt2u81FAR-94gvVi3qVIyA3GYcjVmJd8MhPO9A/s1600/NekronMeetsMagenta_TimeWarped.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ssAJJMgVmSZdeHfXiEcZFkiMxeOJGsTWRJMbuFfTisyG9r1rw_XyilZVjmZslKkw2rk6z6lkuU6qS06blldIVvQE_u3M_906a6CnyXt2u81FAR-94gvVi3qVIyA3GYcjVmJd8MhPO9A/s400/NekronMeetsMagenta_TimeWarped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534605461694654674" border="0" /></a><div> </div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-24931255103919372022010-10-30T08:33:00.000-07:002010-10-30T16:07:57.080-07:00Micro vs. Macro<div>It's a uniquely challenging experience to explore character animation from two extremes at the same time. I'm talking about the wide chasm between intricately noodled Animation Mentor projects (student work) and the demands of television production deadlines (professional work).</div><div><br /></div>The "Team Umizoomi" work at Curious Pictures that I've been at for two months is now done. I contributed character animation to the two specials for Season Two, and it was a very satisfying experience. I worked alongside lead animator Katherine Vargas, a generous artist whose expert eye helped me nudge each shot to a fine polish. The word we were getting from the DIGI department and the animation director was that everyone was very pleased with how the cg characters were playing. Ask any little ones in your family to keep an eye out for the two-part episode titled "The King of Numbers". My shots involved a pirate, a crocodile, a flying dragon, and runaway mine carts.<div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, I am more than halfway through the Animation Mentor program where I am currently being mentored by Kenny Roy. We're in the fourth term "Intro to Acting". I'm in the polishing phase of a shot where Stewie is waxing his car. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, how has it been a challenge to be doing both? Let me give you some numbers:</div><div><br /></div><div>At Curious, I worked for 36 days on 43 shots totaling about 5,515 frames.</div><div>At Animation Mentor during the same time period, I was working on two shots, 250 frames apiece. </div><div><br /></div><div>Quite a difference in how much time you have to design and develop a shot. It was a challenge to figure out how to adapt the luxurious time we have with AM shots to the time constraints of production. </div><div><br /></div><div>I reached out to my predecessor at Curious, Jane Nechayevsky (who has gone on to work at Sony Imageworks in Culver City... go Jane!), and I asked her advice. Essentially it was to take about ten minutes to thumbnail your idea, then take the plunge and dive in. No time for arc tracking, just do it by eye. After all the careful planning we do at AM, I felt a bit disoriented. But after awhile, it got to feel like musical improvisation. And it was looking good. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wondered how the one way of working would affect the other, and I am now confidant that the strengths of each approach add up to being able to deliver quality work faster. I can't post any of the Team Umizoomi work until it airs, and no one knows when that will be. I'll get my latest AM work up here soon. Now I'm packing up to go to the Chiller Convention and do my best Nekron snarl.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-10593961264349047742010-10-14T19:26:00.000-07:002010-11-24T19:44:53.724-08:00The Return of the Ice LordLooks like my fifteen minutes of Warhol fame just got extended a few seconds longer. I've been invited to be a "celebrity guest" at the Chiller Theatre Convention in New Jersey this Halloween. My so-called celebrity stems from my performance as the evil Ice Lord Nekron in Ralph Bakshi's animated film, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fire & Ice</span>, made in the summer of 1981. Seems it's become a cult classic now, and the film has more than a few fans. You live long enough, stuff like that happens.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrD5dwLee7rpQNloJpy2zwOiW_bfNjEcy5ztcXm2geFKiRC7vZRgiCXjgZk2a8I5-Pbdxc1KS3VId5bbUDYkENyCqLoVTODdRjdRq7U_WHULEZoAzc2vvtqTfRvYZjeM5XzqZChfeQbc/s1600/Frazetta&Sean_2009.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrD5dwLee7rpQNloJpy2zwOiW_bfNjEcy5ztcXm2geFKiRC7vZRgiCXjgZk2a8I5-Pbdxc1KS3VId5bbUDYkENyCqLoVTODdRjdRq7U_WHULEZoAzc2vvtqTfRvYZjeM5XzqZChfeQbc/s400/Frazetta&Sean_2009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528253476532213890" border="0" /></a>The invitation came about last year when I went to visit Frank Frazetta at his art museum in Pennsylvania. I hadn't seen him since doing the film and we both enjoyed the brief reunion. (I am very fortunate to have visited when I did, as Frazetta passed away this last May)<br /><br />While I was there, I met his associate Kevin Clement who managed Frank's museum and is the producer of the Chiller Theatre event. Kevin invited me to participate at his convention, and it seemed like a fun thing to do.<br /><br />It is a little strange how that brief episode in my life back in '81 is reinstating itself. I not only met Frazetta again last year, but also Ralph Bakshi, the film's director, when he appeared at SVA to promote his book "Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2MnOZHkvKtf8wI282kepforLcS940OFFMBqgrOPc2Tkgvda8DW01ScyxUnAMwU4KGk-zjJyhpKCTnuk6AFEREQx4ARrQYmECqH4xxL2iq7Q83EeERhDkwt_KkUjKuyc5fV66Kf43ORo/s1600/RalphBakshi&Sean_2009.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2MnOZHkvKtf8wI282kepforLcS940OFFMBqgrOPc2Tkgvda8DW01ScyxUnAMwU4KGk-zjJyhpKCTnuk6AFEREQx4ARrQYmECqH4xxL2iq7Q83EeERhDkwt_KkUjKuyc5fV66Kf43ORo/s400/RalphBakshi&Sean_2009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528256524369645666" border="0" /></a>I had some fun surprising him from the audience during the Q&A, and he played along, directing me in a line-reading from of the film, which he of course critiqued unmercifully. Ralph is no longer making films, but is creating works of art on canvas, living in New Mexico.<br /><br />Finally, I read recently that filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Spy Kids) has negotiated with Bakshi to get the full rights to "Fire & Ice" to remake as a live action feature. That by itself has extended the shelf life of the original, and if this convention experience is as fun as it sounds, I could be doing them for awhile. Here's the URL of the convention:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chillertheatre.com/">http://www.chillertheatre.com/</a><br /><br />If you are in Parsippany, NJ on Halloween day with nothing to do, come by the Hilton and say hello. And I'll commiserate with you over being in Parsippany, NJ on Halloween day with nothing to do. Look for me under this 6' banner...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjOuyENdw37DMZkTEKN8m43QKOPIeHjA8rHSNIyH1_-Brvy65k0Rq7r9AVXpbYqB0CFDOOJc1NZSxwEzLOJB1bVo1Sh5LMvgjCfZXrk5jnSw8veXX2MXRBU0koGNss3M-a3eQd2pTcUU/s1600/Fire&Ice_BannerArt_sm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjOuyENdw37DMZkTEKN8m43QKOPIeHjA8rHSNIyH1_-Brvy65k0Rq7r9AVXpbYqB0CFDOOJc1NZSxwEzLOJB1bVo1Sh5LMvgjCfZXrk5jnSw8veXX2MXRBU0koGNss3M-a3eQd2pTcUU/s400/Fire&Ice_BannerArt_sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528270156691460658" border="0" /></a>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-23439069521498294212010-09-19T19:50:00.000-07:002010-09-19T21:45:24.089-07:00It's Deja Vu All Over AgainA lot of work goes into the development of our thesis films made at SVA. A two-year process starts out with kicking around story ideas, followed by preliminary sketches, then storyboards, animatics, early modeling, pre-vis renders... it's a lot of material that usually ends up stored in the closet when the final film is made. Apparently this is not to be the fate of my project.<div><br /></div><div>I was just contacted by a college professor I met at the Santa Fe Film Festival last October, where "Deja Vu" was part of the lineup. He teaches screenwriting at Santa Fe University, and I had the opportunity to share some of my storyboard materials with him.</div><div><br /></div><div>He just emailed me with a request to include all my development materials - script, storyboard, and pre-vis for "Deja Vu" in a textbook he is writing for 2011 publication! </div><div><br /></div><div>I said yes.</div><div><br /></div><div>(you can be sure I'll work in a credit for SVA and Jeffrey Lerer) </div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-1474747313587362882010-09-06T05:34:00.000-07:002010-09-06T06:21:28.609-07:00Yo Ho!Took the #6 subway to Astor Place all last week, working at Curious Pictures animating characters on a Nick Jr. show called "Team Umizoomi". This is a show in the Blues Clues genre geared for toddlers. An additional perk to working here is enjoying the company of Angelo Collazo, a friend who shared the SVA experience with me. <div><br /></div><div>This is my first NY job working with character animation in Maya, and it's great to be able to play with performance. I always knew that my prior acting experience would assist me with my animation work, but it's funny how direct it is right off the bat. While I probably shouldn't say what characters I am working on ( I don't recall signing a non-disclosure agreement, but who knows how many 3-to-5 year olds are reading this, and I don't want to throw out any spoilers ;^), so here are two pics from past acting and puppeteering roles that are proving to be useful reference for them.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JmyiPRGC1pgevA13GlnwRNbba3f4kIcapNNWDokfnV_Mwz5miag3_drLbfQz_9dcFCXn-bQYc5WiU1G_JfbWgr8SRZ00Q6vvviz6I1Nlu3tj1oM6axn-DlrKylU_seKnE92380dxM0I/s1600/alligatorPuppet.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JmyiPRGC1pgevA13GlnwRNbba3f4kIcapNNWDokfnV_Mwz5miag3_drLbfQz_9dcFCXn-bQYc5WiU1G_JfbWgr8SRZ00Q6vvviz6I1Nlu3tj1oM6axn-DlrKylU_seKnE92380dxM0I/s400/alligatorPuppet.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513787382771485810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEgUeZJX-_X1ljjGjsCikgOdIh7V_HovOVVfzafIQwngbgMjdqCifUv_9H1QlmWf3envBBQelvxBbnvz3OsvFNzqQ0MZWjURM3eBeA2WphccwhIRJWmLQTMcBdVKLcBzO8NuXao5ATOE/s1600/PeterHookWendy.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEgUeZJX-_X1ljjGjsCikgOdIh7V_HovOVVfzafIQwngbgMjdqCifUv_9H1QlmWf3envBBQelvxBbnvz3OsvFNzqQ0MZWjURM3eBeA2WphccwhIRJWmLQTMcBdVKLcBzO8NuXao5ATOE/s400/PeterHookWendy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513787284546674738" /></a>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-79167945086441384912010-08-14T08:48:00.000-07:002010-08-15T16:19:05.423-07:00Tennis Tantrum à la McEnroeHere are some of my latest exercises being done at Animation Mentor. I'm doing the "AnimJam", where you create three related shots that can be strung together.Here are the first two sections...<br /><div><br /></div><div>Part 1:</div><div><br /><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14139288&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14139288&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14139288">Tennis Tantrum _ Pt 1</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user501945">Sean Hannon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><div><br /></div>Part 2:<br /></div><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14164303&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14164303&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14164303">Tennis Tantrum Part 2</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user501945">Sean Hannon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-11342045048391762782010-08-06T08:16:00.000-07:002010-08-13T05:03:59.385-07:00When Work Is Play, Is It Still Work?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4lOkP2CBJ92Gl37PbCQc3trFrPzWRXqFx4AQKKZoQGGQad5Ip6OHisGrv1yGlVs9j7MbkVM-dO0nvuNnYsC0_sQFHRS8A8pDTvfr8Xe4GuTLPAnRJ71EcNCtQBW-KhDlg63GcDcGAYk/s1600/TL+vest.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4lOkP2CBJ92Gl37PbCQc3trFrPzWRXqFx4AQKKZoQGGQad5Ip6OHisGrv1yGlVs9j7MbkVM-dO0nvuNnYsC0_sQFHRS8A8pDTvfr8Xe4GuTLPAnRJ71EcNCtQBW-KhDlg63GcDcGAYk/s200/TL+vest.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502352703199717202" /></a><br /><br /><br />I am now home from Siggraph and catching up on my honeydew list. As I said before, I had intended to blog throughout my week of Siggraph, but my duties there kept me too busy to write, and when I actually did have a moment, well...<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8i0yXY1NYc4QJXMZ2wf-ckWTYDubJpjs1zb_2b3YL1N9KYgM_82RNUMdvYaQ8UlZ2knZ9n_GJ01RUnN6g_E9UhMwNHafk6GJ1iKrYVT1mEmxIC8BUOEY0Wqix5oeteRM79Aqx9JVXYk4/s1600/SackedOut.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8i0yXY1NYc4QJXMZ2wf-ckWTYDubJpjs1zb_2b3YL1N9KYgM_82RNUMdvYaQ8UlZ2knZ9n_GJ01RUnN6g_E9UhMwNHafk6GJ1iKrYVT1mEmxIC8BUOEY0Wqix5oeteRM79Aqx9JVXYk4/s320/SackedOut.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502338542621682818" /></a><div>Before I continue, I want to explain to my friends who do not live in 3D computer land what Siggraph is: this is an annual convention where professionals and hobbyists involved in the creation and development of computer graphics come to celebrate their work. It features something for everyone... eye-popping presentations of behind-the-scenes work on major 3D films, to over a hundred in-depth panels with computer scientists and engineers on their latest innovations in this field.</div><div><br /></div><div>This year I was working as a Team Leader in the Student Volunteer program. The venue that Victor Leung and I were assigned was West Hall B, a gigantic space that was host to the Computer Animation Festival, Electronic Theater, Real-Time CAF, and Papers Fast Forward. It held upwards of 3,000 people and featured all the spectacular "Making of.. " sessions that included "Avatar", "Alice in Wonderland", Pixar's "Day & Night", and the upcoming "Tron:Legacy".</div><div><br /></div><div>Our task throughout the week was to smoothly move the eager hordes in and out of the venue, passing out thousands of 3D Glasses, handling lines that stretched from one end of the convention center to the other, and genially answering all the questions that came our way. It was a real pleasure to do, and I think all of the Team Leaders and the Student Volunteers this year helped every attendee to an exceptionally positive experience. Of course, the leadership of the SV Committee, helmed by Jason Jerald, made it all possible. We would have all walked off a cliff like lemmings if they told us to. They were a remarkable team.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzNaPuogwyX9i_1JdA6VGlm6PMkrXCq8t9O3xUN4HACLbEik5AVsbqbAmlT_9QD4CtL1ckES5YMZyw3v9Lg4Y5UEeDURcicI3VxeFAG4wPN4feCDda10C0B43knIzxqNGioOcSWMrb88/s1600/TLs_2010.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzNaPuogwyX9i_1JdA6VGlm6PMkrXCq8t9O3xUN4HACLbEik5AVsbqbAmlT_9QD4CtL1ckES5YMZyw3v9Lg4Y5UEeDURcicI3VxeFAG4wPN4feCDda10C0B43knIzxqNGioOcSWMrb88/s320/TLs_2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502349815110322930" /></a></div><div>When I did have some breakaway time to enjoy the rest of the conference, I managed to take in Emerging Technologies, where the future of 3D interactivity is revealed in its nascent form. The Exhibition Hall had some fun demos going on at the Autodesk and Pixelogic booth. </div><div><br /></div><div>But if I saw nothing else (and this includes all the events in West Hall B!), I couldn't have been more thrilled than I was to be at the "Animation Blockbuster Breakdown" panel talk. This event, sponsored by Animation Magazine and Animation Mentor, featured four world-class animators showing how they each developed a specific shot in films like "Up", "Toy Story 3", "Princess & The Frog". They started with the initial notes they got, what research they did to develop the character, on to their blocking pass, getting director's feedback, their adjustments to the notes, and the final version. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first to speak was Eric Goldberg, one of the best traditional animators working today, showing how he developed the alligator in "The Princess & The Frog". </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdChDSrqYBvSCxC89hiGtfGyi_ONaaaFyM6wjtgiQsUCzGbMpCqeIVYRrv6GaiAnW98fNPSRW0_xwDsQBkWmABwDgoOk2JA7X1hcxXjL-sBhVOWcw3HPaDkyZRoSfK49Z-T6OFYKeur0/s1600/ThePrincessandtheFrog-Alligator.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdChDSrqYBvSCxC89hiGtfGyi_ONaaaFyM6wjtgiQsUCzGbMpCqeIVYRrv6GaiAnW98fNPSRW0_xwDsQBkWmABwDgoOk2JA7X1hcxXjL-sBhVOWcw3HPaDkyZRoSfK49Z-T6OFYKeur0/s200/ThePrincessandtheFrog-Alligator.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502358082526037250" /></a><br /></div><div>He didn't just tell us, he SHOWED us as he drew out the character as he spoke, illustrating the subtle changes he made to the physical attributes of the character based on his observations. He stepped through key pose sketches of Louis as he is playing the trumpet, and he made the entire room marvel aloud at the masterful audacity of his most extreme poses.</div><div>(this one is mild by comparison)</div><div><br /></div><div>Aaron Hartline outlined how he developed a shot from "Toy Story 3" when Mr. PotatoHead (running around with a tortilla for a body) has a run in with a hungry pigeon.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjYQ4KYmj2KODGSR-6vfFIuLZBgtMvmWiy7Ok4oehsskTFsxRzeQtIUJk0SqMf6L6NKHPsXogO5JKJ5sGktchAPdxi1slL1o_4RF5aFfLZ7dN-yWJD6RomN1_DFHIw9lLwfrhwY_TljA/s1600/Tortilla.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjYQ4KYmj2KODGSR-6vfFIuLZBgtMvmWiy7Ok4oehsskTFsxRzeQtIUJk0SqMf6L6NKHPsXogO5JKJ5sGktchAPdxi1slL1o_4RF5aFfLZ7dN-yWJD6RomN1_DFHIw9lLwfrhwY_TljA/s200/Tortilla.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502364241476014482" /></a><br />Finding reference for how a tortilla moves was his big challenge, and he says he found it in a popular YouTube video of an extremely drunk man trying to get more beer out of a convenience store refrigerator. </div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti3UL_mVHHI">(see the video ref here)</a></div><div>Brilliant choice for reference!</div><div><br /></div><div>Michal Makarewicz is masterful at nuanced, subtle character animation, and he proved it with his description of how he handled a shot in "Up" with the character Muntz, the mysterious explorer. He had to carry the scene forward with the character in almost complete stillness, communicating everything in Muntz's face.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNAxYg-ZbMhE-ec8mPOlDSPwDZJl39n2p3ZqUDt2yWfIT8WghCwsbISK4GjE8yxCdP13al74svZfXf2fA3IMxEIlCpU9nKIbAxXON7M7f36P25Bdf6CvnIiViGsw4YfF3ucdPSktxbv4/s1600/lantern1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNAxYg-ZbMhE-ec8mPOlDSPwDZJl39n2p3ZqUDt2yWfIT8WghCwsbISK4GjE8yxCdP13al74svZfXf2fA3IMxEIlCpU9nKIbAxXON7M7f36P25Bdf6CvnIiViGsw4YfF3ucdPSktxbv4/s200/lantern1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502365071675888626" /></a><br />He was also told not to move the prime light source, a lantern close to his Muntz's head. But there was one short section of the scene that he felt strongly about moving the lantern to a lower position, and he showed how it was sometimes possible to develop an idea you feel strongly about and win approval for it. His main message to us was "Aim for truth, not glitz"</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, we wrapped up with the amazing Carlos Baena, whose work on the Spanish Buzz Lightyear in "Toy Story 3" was pure inspiration as we watched his hilarious reference videos of him flamenco dancing around a hapless office mate.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgdSEjBiRUlWghLUCyPBZlfi86KiN9dymYoA6KGY4VGJFSmnj6oAlAbS5y-aBNFWTs8C8VUGPvJlwfb-Cu5JE29Vbke9iQaiwDiwtFoLpSCONLljobgbDmKn5P8F9hoggO29n-fyyakk/s1600/Spanish-buzz-01.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 110px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgdSEjBiRUlWghLUCyPBZlfi86KiN9dymYoA6KGY4VGJFSmnj6oAlAbS5y-aBNFWTs8C8VUGPvJlwfb-Cu5JE29Vbke9iQaiwDiwtFoLpSCONLljobgbDmKn5P8F9hoggO29n-fyyakk/s200/Spanish-buzz-01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502367718429253970" /></a><br />Yes, he did get genuine Spanish dancer footage off the internet, but it was his own homegrown reference footage that really made the sequence fly! Ole!!</div><div> </div><br />That was absolutely the pinnacle for me as events went.<br /><br />But as wonderful as taking that session in was, my main reason for my attendance at Siggraph this year was to meet new people and network. And this turned out to be a very fruitful event on that score. And that's all I need to say about that.<br /><br />Finally, when the days were done, we had the parties at night. Alas, I didn't make the notorious Blur party this year (eh, you've seen one fire dancer you've seen them all, lol) but I did get to some great ones. My favorite was the Animation Mentor party at Boardner's, a nightclub in Hollywood. That was a shoulder-to-shoulder high octane affair where I got to meet some of my fellow classmates, and a few moments of conversation with AM maestro Bobby Boom Beck! Siggraph was an exciting milestone and portent of great things to come!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPrBxfz0SpZnhly420fTyE0ucnPTXY90jyMjC9hglQHwkXdM6J1ieA11ORNGYmi5T2P83K-zduGmCIjBf4FjicOtLZrJ0w1XuXY1r_VHByppN8wp7yJgZUQw2ofE_Qn5CkZFmKm_-nCc/s1600/Sean_BobbyB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPrBxfz0SpZnhly420fTyE0ucnPTXY90jyMjC9hglQHwkXdM6J1ieA11ORNGYmi5T2P83K-zduGmCIjBf4FjicOtLZrJ0w1XuXY1r_VHByppN8wp7yJgZUQw2ofE_Qn5CkZFmKm_-nCc/s400/Sean_BobbyB.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502368046897105794" /></a>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-30171824894949092292010-07-28T12:29:00.000-07:002010-08-08T18:35:16.266-07:00SIGGRAPH 2010I'm sitting down in the Student Volunteer office catching my breath with just a few minutes to try to blog some moments of my SIGGRAPH adventure. I thought I'd try doing this throughout the conference, but as a Team Leader shepherding SVs to their work venues I have almost no time to sit down to do this. It's been a fantastic experience overall, and I couldn't be happier doing what I am doing, which is facilitating the smooth flow of attendee traffic into the Computer Animation Festival and Electronic Theater events. And the incredible people I am meeting and having conversations with is making my head spin a bit.<br /><br />The committee staff of the Student Volunteer program has gone to great pains to make the experience a rewarding one for the TLs as well as the SVs. We were treated to a tour of Dreamworks on Friday during the pre-conference period.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQKMVt4HyqPRrksP1rYJ5nXyJOR53BB6FefybYpntkPCH1j9jB-oeXbAL7c0uSyHWQUWYoH7hNUJvVqNlOyE607NFPQ7dYeEw37hoLkG3qngDLefaQWBmprrVwcQuQd0zo_wrLkHr29E/s1600/SIG_Dreamworks2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQKMVt4HyqPRrksP1rYJ5nXyJOR53BB6FefybYpntkPCH1j9jB-oeXbAL7c0uSyHWQUWYoH7hNUJvVqNlOyE607NFPQ7dYeEw37hoLkG3qngDLefaQWBmprrVwcQuQd0zo_wrLkHr29E/s400/SIG_Dreamworks2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499045294269776050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />During our walk through this BEAUTIFUL campus-like environment I had a unique encounter.<br /><br />We were being escorted through this plaza, and our tourguide said "Hi Scott!" to an employee walking by. I turned to look at him and said incredulously, "Scott? Scott Seiffert??" He looked at me and took five seconds to go from a look of "huh?" to a huge smile of recognition. You see, the last time I saw Scott was 23 years ago when we performed in a small musical in Santa Monica, CA. This was the same musical where I met wife Emilie (who played my wife in the show), and Scotty was at our wedding.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFl5okFwlpHBCDcAIny-zFxn2iQyE8O5VB5VnljC1ijL1jS9nS4B_K7tB0_V0JWg5xJn45y7WRUV2aNB7tF256nnVBTGQYnqNXW40na_8yGqKGQDG_JlSJlyfPHkxi4KRGdwHVQnH_rkA/s1600/SIG_Dreamworks3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFl5okFwlpHBCDcAIny-zFxn2iQyE8O5VB5VnljC1ijL1jS9nS4B_K7tB0_V0JWg5xJn45y7WRUV2aNB7tF256nnVBTGQYnqNXW40na_8yGqKGQDG_JlSJlyfPHkxi4KRGdwHVQnH_rkA/s400/SIG_Dreamworks3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499048420073437890" /></a><br /><br /><br />I was so taken aback by this random encounter I forgot to take a picture of the two of us there. I asked him what he was doing here, and he said he was working as a pitchman for Dreamworks. As he played the Jester to my King Mark in the musical, I could easily see him pitching the plot of the latest Shrek film, playing all the characters! And I told him of my getting started in my new career as a character animator. We were both astounded at this random and fun encounter. Hopefully I will catch up with him some more before I leave CA. More about my SIGGRAPH experience soon!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsF_AdlGRjJ2TQzk5uXzFioJuiOhZ6V9bfg7g4styzjtAGXBgfX6IvVnoWcaDLTRd-D8rNYQlY8wiNEIeMc-vHXLyfBtZRHxsSY1FkA4m6bc0z10YlRJo3yDdG8YLLN1W-VqblOF1RbE/s1600/SIG_Sean_Dreamworks1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsF_AdlGRjJ2TQzk5uXzFioJuiOhZ6V9bfg7g4styzjtAGXBgfX6IvVnoWcaDLTRd-D8rNYQlY8wiNEIeMc-vHXLyfBtZRHxsSY1FkA4m6bc0z10YlRJo3yDdG8YLLN1W-VqblOF1RbE/s400/SIG_Sean_Dreamworks1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499048214056243954" border="0" /></a>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-70422860560156151632010-07-20T16:50:00.000-07:002010-07-20T17:46:14.144-07:00Heading into Round ThreeAnimation Mentor has delivered in a really big way. And I'm only in my third session. <br /><br />Until you are working in a large production house like Pixar or Dreamworks, I doubt that there exists any other place where you can receive the over-the-shoulder guidance from as many top pros in the animation business as you do with this small online company. Every class has been illuminating, and something new has been learned with each exercise. <br /><br />It isn't so much that they have some secret that no one else has. It's all out there in the many books by animator legends. It's simply that without the feedback and critical eye, you don't develop your own eye as fast as you might otherwise. In the short time I've been there, I know that I am seeing differently. I've had this reflected in the comments I am getting from TDs and producers who have viewed the progress. It's a good path, and a great followup to the excellent training I received at SVA.<br /><br />Friends of mine who are not in the business have asked me why I felt I needed this training after my four years of college. I tell them that the college experience and class instruction was a thorough immersion in all the areas of our profession. We swam in some deep waters, and there was a level of intensity and energy surrounding all that we were taking in. And the totality of the experience certainly prepared you for any job in the field you were aiming for. <br /><br />That said, there is a price to be paid for such complete exposure to every part of the animation pipeline. You don't get a lot of time to focus on any one thing and nurture it with your undivided attention. To really get animation into your bones and begin to see it and feel it, and force that 3D program to bend to your will and not the reverse, you need to make the time to practice, get feedback, and practice some more. That's what Animation Mentor is doing for me while I am working my day job as a commercial animator. Here's the latest compilation of my AM work, beginning with the latest project and working backwards:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=13485143&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=13485143&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9130962838458839370.post-70489075744967147152010-04-23T16:47:00.000-07:002010-04-23T17:35:01.593-07:00Method Movement for Animators at SVAI just came back from a fun visit to SVA today where the 3D Animator's Club was treated to a special four-hour movement class with visiting artist Jena Necrason, the Head of Movement at the Stella Adler Studio. She was invited by Jimmy Calhoun to do a special session with the student character animators there. It was an amazing workout. She put us in touch with our primary instrument as animators - our own bodies - and got us loose and limber in no time. <br /><br />We did a series of physical movement exercises designed to quiet our minds of all the daily chatter, heighten our powers of observation and awareness of balance. We walked the space exploring inner states of mind and amplified them physically without losing the truth in the motion. We mirrored our partner's actions, trading off the lead, becoming more sensitive to the slightest impulses. <br /><br />Jena then had us wear masks - neutral in expression - and that opened up some amazing behaviors in everyone. Jena called out key words and phrases, and we were asked to physicalize them spontaneously. I wish someone had a video camera to record it, because by this time, the expressions were uninhibited, rich and diverse - and excellent reference for an animator!<br /><br />At the end of this session, we talked about the experience and what our take away from it was. We agreed that the most effective physicality occurred when it started at the core, the hips and spine, and emanated throughout our body. It was eye-opening to many who had never done this type of work what a great tool this is to get in touch with whatever character you can conceive. As an actor, I have experienced many classes similar to this, but that was quite awhile ago. I'm so glad I came in to share the class as I rediscovered the immense value of this preparation to my current work as an animator.<br /><br />Kudos to MontaQue Ruffin, Jimmy Calhoun, and JMac for making this exceptional seminar happen.Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11109673318920050616noreply@blogger.com0