Skwigly

My other news this month is i've started writing for Skwigly's online magazine.
After reading the pap I write on here this may suprise you but I promise to put my best authors foot forward.

http://www.skwigly.co.uk/



heres my first article with the wonderful Chris Dicker

http://www.skwigly.co.uk/whats-your-news-interview-with-chris-dicker/

Tree Fu GO!

Wow its been so long since i've written on here,
lots has been happening but one of the most exciting thing is
TREE FU TOM IS ON THE TELLY!!

Its been fantastic to see it come to life over the last year and i'm so proud of the group of people that i've been working with.


The first 13 have been aired on Cbbies and have gone down really well. They are being repeated on bbc 2.
Its extremly geeky but i'm much more excited to have work on the bbc than I would have thought.
I've been lucky enough to have work on the tv before but it must be the Brit in me thats extra excited to be on the bbc.

The down side to the show being aired is that it means my time at Blue Zoo is almost at an end but i've loved every second . I think i've learnt about 3 years worth of experience in one year. no one can complain about that :)

Week 10: Showreel diary

Week 10
Things have had a slow start.
I've blocked things out.
The idea is a man running for his tube train but It has been missing something.

That's when I realised I've got bogged down in the realism. I've filmed reference so much and looked at people in a normal environment that I forgot that I'm animating a cartoon not a motion capture sequence.
So I've gone back to the drawing board and I'm looking at the classics.
I love the way in this clip from Ratatouille Chef Skinner is being led by his head and his arms have so much overlap.They almost trail behind him in this clip. you would never see someone do this in real life but get rid of it in this clip and you lose a whole dimension. LINK
(the posing at 1:13 is fantastic)


Another fantastic animation to look at for a realistic/ cartoony balance is the great 'cloudy with a chance of meatballs' this is one of my favourite animations of recent times. every move is so ridiculous but also in the right place. Love it!LINK
(no clip suggestion..just watch it all!)

Then of course, there's goofy.
enough said:
(4:52 onwards is classic Disney runs)



This drawing by Andrew Tunney
is a favourite of mine because in this still you get such a feeling of music and a pose I would never think of using.

So the motto of the moment is. if in doubt cartoon it out....that doesn't make sense but you get the idea.

Week 13 : Showreel Diary

Week 13

New Showreel Time.
Yes its that time of year.

I've decided that instead of settling and editing together clips from the shows I've been working on , I'd make a whole new reel.
Animating is a 24 hour job and it does come with the unfortunate bonus of not being able to just fill out a CV but that's surely why we do it.

So I've set myself a 13 week challenge. 5 new animations , each with 2.5 of a week to finish.

It sounds like a crazy plan but when we think about how much animation we are producing at work its quite a relaxed schedule.

The plan is:
3 mechanical animations i.e run, walk, jump
1 pantomime i.e a change in emotion without words
2 acting pieces (both dialogue pieces, one single character and one with two characters)

I'm aiming to spend most of the two weeks of each animation just planning.
Planning has definitely become my secret weapon as I have become an animator.
Ref, thumbs and more ref. I say secret but I think that we all know that planning is king.

This all sounds simple and easy in writing but I have already encountered my first stumbling block.
The plan was to animate a baby's first steps. I've wanted to animate this since uni as it has always fascinated me. Unfortunately I assumed that a few rigs would be easy to alter and I was proved miserably wrong so its been put on the back burner and instead I have started my run.

So cross your fingers for me and I'll keep you updated.
Go Go Gadget Showreel!

Spungella 100 Frame contest

Last week was the www.spungella.com 100frame competition.
Normally i always want to do these things but something always gets in the way.
This time i was putting my footdown and no matter what getting an animation out.

The theme was Magic so my partner and I came up with two ideas we liked. i animated them both but he was in charge of one and so was I.
He built, designed, rigged and skinned the rabbit which is a fantastic model in just 3 days.


'Levitate' was quite hard as there was a lot to get across in 100 frames but really enjoyed it.



The animation isn't what i wanted it to be for both as things did get in the way but i'm so glad that i got something out. its a step in the right direction :D
we're on our way to the next project now.
Too many ideas and not enough time!