Great little short I found from the Academy of Art University
What a Dodo from Joshua Slice on Vimeo.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Acting Reference #4
Speaking Without Speaking
This is a great scene I captured from Before the Devil Knows Your Dead. You really feel how uncomfortable Ethan Hawke is and how he's trying to get a word in, but can't. Often we overlook characters who aren't talking in a scene, but this is a great example of excellent acting without having any dialog.
This is a great scene I captured from Before the Devil Knows Your Dead. You really feel how uncomfortable Ethan Hawke is and how he's trying to get a word in, but can't. Often we overlook characters who aren't talking in a scene, but this is a great example of excellent acting without having any dialog.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Art Jumble - Princess Leia
Here's my entry in this weeks art jumble. I was inspired by a fan photo I found on the web
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
LIFE Photo Archive
Google is hosting a site with an archive of LIFE photos from the 1860s through today. Great source of reference!!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Acting Reference #3
I uploaded this video from Almost Famous to show a great example of offsetting different parts of the body to make more appealing movement. The character is going from pose A to pose B, but she moves her arms first, then the rest of her body which makes it a much more interesting move. Keep this in mind when animating, changing which body part moves first can drastically effect how an animation looks and feels.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monsters vs Aliens
The first trailer for Dreamworks Monsters vs Aliens has hit the net, check it out
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Acting Reference #2
I captured this video from the movie Kingdom of Heaven. I really like the moment before Sybilla speaks, she's asking a question but, before she speaks she asks with her eyes and small head shake. I've noticed this happening lots, we tend to anticipate what we're going to say with our eyes before we actually say it. Anticipation isn't only for big movement and actions, anticipating before speaking, like in this video, can add a lot to an animation.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Movie Screenshot Database
Surfing around on the net I found this cool blog with a pretty extensive archive or dvd screenshots. Great reference for emotions. Click the image to head there.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Acting Reference #1
Subtlety
I uploaded this video to show a great use of subtlety. Often in animation people push emotions and gestures too far when sometimes a more subtle route can be more appealing. This scene from Dances with Wolves is a great example of a subtle reaction, When the Indian tastes the sugar his reaction is very small and subtle, just a slight smile, but it fits his character perfectly.
I uploaded this video to show a great use of subtlety. Often in animation people push emotions and gestures too far when sometimes a more subtle route can be more appealing. This scene from Dances with Wolves is a great example of a subtle reaction, When the Indian tastes the sugar his reaction is very small and subtle, just a slight smile, but it fits his character perfectly.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Princess and the Frog Teaser
The first teaser for Disney's The Princess and the Frog is out. Its a fun little teaser and I'm excited that they're getting back to 2D
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Plastic Animation Paper
I found this great 2d program thats a lot of fun and its free! Below is a REALLY quick little test I did with it (sorry for the bad drawing, I didn't have my wacom) I hope to utilize this program for the planning stage of my next animation. Link to plastic animation paper website is below.
http://www.plasticanimationpaper.dk/
http://www.plasticanimationpaper.dk/
Quest
This is one of my favorite short films, I saw it while I was in school and it really inspired me to start animating. The main character is really just a stick figure, but you still understand exactly what he is feeling.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Basketball Thumbnails
So I want to start doing a series of sports related thumbnails and quick studies. Here's some basketball ones.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Ollie Johnston Animation Notes
List of animation notes taken by Glen Keane from the great Ollie Johnston. Every animator should keep these in mind when working, pure gold.
1. Don’t illustrate words or mechanical movements. Illustrate ideas or thoughts, with the attitudes and actions.
2. Squash and stretch entire body for attitudes.
3. If possible, make definite changes from one attitude to another in timing and expression.
4. What is the character thinking?
5. It is the thought and circumstances behind the action that will make the action interesting.
Example: A man walks up to a mailbox, drops in his letter and walks away.
OR
A man desperately in love with a girl far away carefully mails a letter in which he has poured his heart out.
6. When drawing dialogue, go for phrasing. (Simplify the dialogue into pictures of the dominating vowel and consonant sounds, especially in fast dialogue.
7. Lift the body attitude 4 frames before dialogue modulation (but use identical timing on mouth as on X sheet).
8. Change of expression and major dialogue sounds are a point of interest. Do them, if at all possible, within a pose. If the head moves too much you won’t see the changes.
9. Don’t move anything unless it’s for a purpose.
10. Concentrate on drawing clear, not clean.
11. Don’t be careless.
12. Everything has a function. Don’t draw without knowing why.
13. Let the body attitude echo the facial.
14. Get the best picture in your drawing by thumbnails and exploring all avenues.
15. Analyze a character in a specific pose for the best areas to show stretch and squash. Keep these areas simple.
16. Picture in your head what it is you’re drawing.
17. Think in terms of drawing the whole character, not just the head or eyes, etc. Keep a balanced relation of one part of the drawing to the other.
18. Stage for most effective drawing.
19. Draw a profile of the drawing you’re working on every once in a while. A profile is easier on which to show the proper proportions of the face.
20. Usually the break in the eyebrow relates to the highpoint of the eye.
21. The eye is pulled by the eyebrow muscles.
22. Get a plastic quality in face — cheeks, mouth and eyes.
23. Attain a flow thru the body rhythm in your drawing.
24. Simple animated shapes.
25. The audience has a difficult time reading the first 6-8 frames in a scene.
26. Does the added action in a scene contribute to the main idea in that scene? Will it help sell it or confuse it?
27. Don’t animate for the sake of animation but think what the character is thinking and what the scene needs to fit into the sequence.
28. Actions can be eliminated and staging "cheated" if it simplifies the picture you are trying to show and is not disturbing to the audience.
29. Spend half your time planning your scene and the other half animating.
30. How to animate a scene of a four-legged character acting and walking: Work out the acting patterns first with the stretch and squash in the body, neck and head; then go back in and animate the legs. Finally, adjust the up and down motion on the body according to the legs.
1. Don’t illustrate words or mechanical movements. Illustrate ideas or thoughts, with the attitudes and actions.
2. Squash and stretch entire body for attitudes.
3. If possible, make definite changes from one attitude to another in timing and expression.
4. What is the character thinking?
5. It is the thought and circumstances behind the action that will make the action interesting.
Example: A man walks up to a mailbox, drops in his letter and walks away.
OR
A man desperately in love with a girl far away carefully mails a letter in which he has poured his heart out.
6. When drawing dialogue, go for phrasing. (Simplify the dialogue into pictures of the dominating vowel and consonant sounds, especially in fast dialogue.
7. Lift the body attitude 4 frames before dialogue modulation (but use identical timing on mouth as on X sheet).
8. Change of expression and major dialogue sounds are a point of interest. Do them, if at all possible, within a pose. If the head moves too much you won’t see the changes.
9. Don’t move anything unless it’s for a purpose.
10. Concentrate on drawing clear, not clean.
11. Don’t be careless.
12. Everything has a function. Don’t draw without knowing why.
13. Let the body attitude echo the facial.
14. Get the best picture in your drawing by thumbnails and exploring all avenues.
15. Analyze a character in a specific pose for the best areas to show stretch and squash. Keep these areas simple.
16. Picture in your head what it is you’re drawing.
17. Think in terms of drawing the whole character, not just the head or eyes, etc. Keep a balanced relation of one part of the drawing to the other.
18. Stage for most effective drawing.
19. Draw a profile of the drawing you’re working on every once in a while. A profile is easier on which to show the proper proportions of the face.
20. Usually the break in the eyebrow relates to the highpoint of the eye.
21. The eye is pulled by the eyebrow muscles.
22. Get a plastic quality in face — cheeks, mouth and eyes.
23. Attain a flow thru the body rhythm in your drawing.
24. Simple animated shapes.
25. The audience has a difficult time reading the first 6-8 frames in a scene.
26. Does the added action in a scene contribute to the main idea in that scene? Will it help sell it or confuse it?
27. Don’t animate for the sake of animation but think what the character is thinking and what the scene needs to fit into the sequence.
28. Actions can be eliminated and staging "cheated" if it simplifies the picture you are trying to show and is not disturbing to the audience.
29. Spend half your time planning your scene and the other half animating.
30. How to animate a scene of a four-legged character acting and walking: Work out the acting patterns first with the stretch and squash in the body, neck and head; then go back in and animate the legs. Finally, adjust the up and down motion on the body according to the legs.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Toy Story Mania! Behind the Scenes
I found this pretty cool video with some behind the scenes of the Toy Story Mania! ride that I did animation for. The Bo Peep shot at 0:45 and the Army Men at 0:50 were two of the shots I worked on.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Toy Story Midway Mania Opening!
So I just got back from DisneyWorld for the MidwayMania opening. The trip was a lot of fun, pictures below. I've been working on this project for about a year and a half now, I did character animation for the ride and some Mr PotatoHead animatronic animation as well.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
WALL*E Vignettes
A couple of funny little wall*e shorts in the spirit of the super bowl commercial with the vacuum cleaner
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Sunday, May 11, 2008
Top Movies of 2007
I'm a little late making this, but here are what I think were the best movies of 2007
1. The Assassination of Jesse James
Amazing cinematography by one of my favorites Roger Deakins and a very solid performance by Casey Affleck
2. No Country For Old Men
Really a beautiful movie, I loved the long sequences of action with no dialog, also a great performance by Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem
3. Ratatouille
Another PIXAR great, I loved how the story took you places you didn't except and as usual the animation was amazing
4. The Lookout
This one flew under the radar, but it was one of my favorites from long time writer Scott Frank. Really great performance from one of my favorite actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt
5. Alpha Dog
I was turned off by this movie initially because of the idea of Justin Timberlake acting, but once I gave it a chance I was happily suprised, Timberlake gave a really great performance as did the entire cast
6. Knocked Up
Really funny movie that actually had some heart in it as well
7. There Will Be Blood
Loved this movie for two reasons, the amazing cinematography and the brilliant performance from long time great Daniel Day-Lewis
8. Superbad
Another well made really funny movie. I am McLovin!
9. Zodiac
Another solid movie from long time great David Fincher. They really captured 70s San Fransisco
10. Transformers
Really fun summer blockbuster. I know the story wasn't perfect, but the visual effects were freakin' amazing!
1. The Assassination of Jesse James
Amazing cinematography by one of my favorites Roger Deakins and a very solid performance by Casey Affleck
2. No Country For Old Men
Really a beautiful movie, I loved the long sequences of action with no dialog, also a great performance by Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem
3. Ratatouille
Another PIXAR great, I loved how the story took you places you didn't except and as usual the animation was amazing
4. The Lookout
This one flew under the radar, but it was one of my favorites from long time writer Scott Frank. Really great performance from one of my favorite actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt
5. Alpha Dog
I was turned off by this movie initially because of the idea of Justin Timberlake acting, but once I gave it a chance I was happily suprised, Timberlake gave a really great performance as did the entire cast
6. Knocked Up
Really funny movie that actually had some heart in it as well
7. There Will Be Blood
Loved this movie for two reasons, the amazing cinematography and the brilliant performance from long time great Daniel Day-Lewis
8. Superbad
Another well made really funny movie. I am McLovin!
9. Zodiac
Another solid movie from long time great David Fincher. They really captured 70s San Fransisco
10. Transformers
Really fun summer blockbuster. I know the story wasn't perfect, but the visual effects were freakin' amazing!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
11 Second Club Entry
I tried to find some extra time from work and entered last months 11 second club competition. Still a lot of stuff I would like to fix, but it is what it is
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Website for Toy Story Mania up
Website for the Disney/PIXAR ride I've been doing animation for. Click the picture to go to the site
Friday, January 18, 2008
First Look at The Princess and the Frog
Walt Disney Pictures has revealed this first photo of princess Tiana in the studio's traditionally-animated The Princess and the Frog, coming to theaters in 2009. Nice to see Disney getting back to traditional animation.
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