HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
Previous Posts
- GET DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS
- COMING TO A CLOSE
- MODO 301 IS HERE!
- WHO WANTS TO WORK?
- THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
- STORM on the HORIZON
- BROKEN MISSION
- GOING AGAINST THE SYSTEM
- GONE ARE THE DAYS
- I KNEW IT WASN'T THE END
Archives
- 09/01/2002 - 10/01/2002
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Your website can be far more than a means to promote your independent animation or film work. You can make your website work for you as well!
Thursday, November 28, 2002
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Tuesday, November 26, 2002
The J4A team goes into action... Or are they going into a trap?
One of the major keys to what I do is the use of 3D models. I'm sure we've all heard terms like "2 and a half D" or "tradigital" thrown around. Well, regardless of whatever you want to call it, without the use of the latest greatest technology, what I do simply would not be possible. Still, as with any technique, there are advantages and disadvantages, and battles to be fought. In this case, the battle is often something I call "2D or not 2D", because that really is the question. 3D models are time consuming to build. Only if they will get used and used and used should they be built. Sometimes however, it is a tough choice as to whether or not something should be 2D or 3D. Coming up next I have a couple of villains which I know must be 3D models. I also have a set which currently begs the question.
One of the major keys to what I do is the use of 3D models. I'm sure we've all heard terms like "2 and a half D" or "tradigital" thrown around. Well, regardless of whatever you want to call it, without the use of the latest greatest technology, what I do simply would not be possible. Still, as with any technique, there are advantages and disadvantages, and battles to be fought. In this case, the battle is often something I call "2D or not 2D", because that really is the question. 3D models are time consuming to build. Only if they will get used and used and used should they be built. Sometimes however, it is a tough choice as to whether or not something should be 2D or 3D. Coming up next I have a couple of villains which I know must be 3D models. I also have a set which currently begs the question.
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LightWave3D Bundled on 3DBOXX
BOXX Technologies has partnered with 3D graphics and animation software developer NewTek to bundle and distribute LightWave3D graphics and animation software on 3DBOXX workstations.
-- from Animation Magazine --
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The Old Courthouse of West Palm Beach. This is the place where the J4A team will face their next great trial. A new villain has come before them. Look for him in tomorrow's post!
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Sunday, November 24, 2002
I haven't updated in a bit. I am currently plugging away on Episode 4 of J4A. I keep forgetting that one of the reasons I set this page up this way was so that I could post from anywhere. I am at Q's place right now. He just got an Xbox! Anyway, when I was in China back in April, I was able to keep updates about my trip, part of the Newtek Asia Tour, posted onto Q's Blog. Now that my page is also a blog, I can continue to keep it updated, even when I'm not in the studio. Let's hope I get invited to China again!
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Tuesday, November 19, 2002
When the J4A team is not teaching class, they confer in their secret hideout under the Palm Beach County Courthouse.
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Sunday, November 17, 2002
The storyboards for Justice 4 All Episode 4 have been completed. Now animation production can begin. Expect to see some new faces arrive on this page shortly as tow new villains plague our team.
The study of animation can reveal a great many things to an artist. Especially the study of anime. Many Japanese directors are truly masters of their craft. Today I am looking at a show called Golden Boy from director Hiroyuki Kitakubo, who did both the Ghost in the Shell Playstation game movies and Blood: The Last Vampire. It interesting to compare the three because you can see what this director does with different mediums and different size productions. Golden Boy is far fro the big budget feature that is Blood: The Last Vampire, but it still shines in its own way. The director brings very different storytelling skills to the forefront when working on a direct to video series as opposed to a big budget feature. Very enlightening!
The study of animation can reveal a great many things to an artist. Especially the study of anime. Many Japanese directors are truly masters of their craft. Today I am looking at a show called Golden Boy from director Hiroyuki Kitakubo, who did both the Ghost in the Shell Playstation game movies and Blood: The Last Vampire. It interesting to compare the three because you can see what this director does with different mediums and different size productions. Golden Boy is far fro the big budget feature that is Blood: The Last Vampire, but it still shines in its own way. The director brings very different storytelling skills to the forefront when working on a direct to video series as opposed to a big budget feature. Very enlightening!
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Saturday, November 16, 2002
Mickey Mouse is 700 years Old?!
A 700 year old drawing found in a church in Austria, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the famous cartoon mouse has raised the question of Disney's copyright license on the character!
--more--
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Thursday, November 14, 2002
I think CG artists have a tendency to see CG where none exists. I remember people, even from the last studio where I had worked, going on about the "digital sets" in Star Wars and LotR. Not necessarily saying they were good or bad. In fact, most saying they were good because of their realism. Still, a quick jaunt through the extra features on the deluxe DVD sets of both... Ok, maybe not quick as they both contain between 5-8 HOURS of extras, will show that in both movies, the miniature is both alive and well. It will also show that there are more actual sets built than one thinks in Episode 2. When I saw it, I swore that Palpatine's office was a digital set. Turns out that aside from what's outside the window, it's 100% real, to scale. It was there. Maybe we just need to get used to the cameras. However most other sets that were not real, were in fact models. In LotR there were a great many models used in place of even matte paintings. Also, many scenes that were touted as using digital people, were in fact live action elements shot bluescreen and placed in the scene. This is not to speak anything against the digital stuntmen used in both films. There are shots in Episode II where the digital Obi Wan is medium frame, face fully showing before the camera and I never saw it. There were digital double shots in LotR that, while not as close up, I still didn't catch them. Now I'm sure that since these DVD sets are out, many CG artists will claim they could tell the moment the scene ran on opening day in the theatre. Funny I never heard from them back then, so I will likely dismiss any such claim as hogwash.
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Wednesday, November 13, 2002
As I mentioned in the last post, some of the year's great DVDs came out yesterday. I had a chance to view the Star Wars DVD and many of its special features. For some time now I had been following the development of the concept of "digital stunt doubles" used in mainstream filmmaking. As early as Starship Troopers I can remember digital people being used to do those things which no actor could do, or would want to. (like getting picked up by a bug and ripped in half) I was most impressed with the digital double work done in Blade II and for a long time considered it the pinnacle, even though I had already seen Star Wars in its theatrical release. Why is this? Well, I simply couldn't see all of the digital doubles used in Episode II. There are shots where digital Obi Wan is medium framed with his face, full of expression, completely visible and I would have never in my life guessed it was a digital double! On the other hand, what was thinking? This is ILM after all and their flagship show!
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Monday, November 11, 2002
Tomorrow is a great day for fans of the genre. As I'm sure many of you know, tomorrow will see the release of both Star Wars: Episode II and The Lord of the Rings extended 4 Disc edition. I wouldn't be surprised if these two titles amount to more than a day of total viewing material! Imagine the extra features, delving into every aspect of how these movies were put together. From an indy standpoint, the fact that Episode II, regardless of it's enormous budget, is the first major live action production that we will see which is 100% digital from the time the first frame was shot down to the DVD. I, for one, can't wait.
In other news, I am back in the realm of the boards. Story boards for the next installment of J4A have begun.
In other news, I am back in the realm of the boards. Story boards for the next installment of J4A have begun.
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Thursday, November 07, 2002
As new evil villains plot the end of the J4A team, production continues on the show. The animation for Episode 2 is complete and the boards for the next installment will soon begin. Look for more new villains to show up in due time!
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The evil Felonius! Criminal mastermind behind the troubles which will plague the J4A team in more episodes than just this one.
One of the advantages of having a growing library is that as new characters are added, more and more reusable elements exist. Imagine, after two or three major projects, what kinds of things would you have in your library?
One of the advantages of having a growing library is that as new characters are added, more and more reusable elements exist. Imagine, after two or three major projects, what kinds of things would you have in your library?
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Tuesday, November 05, 2002
Production continues on J4A after a short break in the stride. All the scripts are finished and some very cool things are coming down the line. There will be some interesting characters and cool scenes showing up in the coming weeks.
Tomorrow... NEW VILLAINS!
Tomorrow... NEW VILLAINS!
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WOW! It's been an entire week since I posted anything! Well, I had a lot of little odds and ends to take care of, not all relating to animation or the current project. Also, I was rarely here in front of the computer. Of course, I keep forgetting that since I changed this webpage into a blog I could literally post from anywhere there's a system connected to the net. I was never away from one of those. Still, unless you fancy reading about some of the more mundane things I do, I don't know if its worth posting. In the past, I would post about movies, especially animated films, that I had recently seen and the effect they may or may not have had on me and my work. I have seen some interesting things in the past week that may be worth mentioning. You decide!
Anyway, here's an interesting bit of information. A year ago, to this very day, I was laid off from the last studio job I had doing computer game work. Since that time I finally decided to push forward wholeheartedly into the realm of independent animation. I released Understanding Chaos and Shadowskin on DVD, promoted them through various avenues. I did many interviews and a few magazine articles. I was even invited on a trip to China and Japan to promote both my work, Lightwave 3D, and Aura Video Paint, my favorite software. I moved to LA where I started interacting in different circles and becoming a bit more known. I also hooked up with PBSO and began the J4A project. It hasn't been the smoothest ride I'll tell you, but I'd take it over that studio job any day!
Independent Animation Reality is coming! This is only the first step!
Anyway, here's an interesting bit of information. A year ago, to this very day, I was laid off from the last studio job I had doing computer game work. Since that time I finally decided to push forward wholeheartedly into the realm of independent animation. I released Understanding Chaos and Shadowskin on DVD, promoted them through various avenues. I did many interviews and a few magazine articles. I was even invited on a trip to China and Japan to promote both my work, Lightwave 3D, and Aura Video Paint, my favorite software. I moved to LA where I started interacting in different circles and becoming a bit more known. I also hooked up with PBSO and began the J4A project. It hasn't been the smoothest ride I'll tell you, but I'd take it over that studio job any day!
Independent Animation Reality is coming! This is only the first step!
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