On the way to work

 

These days, time is going by so fast. I feel like this picture. I can't believe it's already been six months since I've started working at Cinepix Studios(in Seoul, South Korea) working on the TV series of Kungfu Panda. It's very cool to actually get to touch and move the characters in 3D and make them do what I want, but because it's a TV series there is soooooo much work, it's insane. Because we go by episodes and usually one episode takes about 3 ~ 4 months to finish, that's how we have a sense that time is passing by. Through episodes, so you can imagine how fast time is going by for me right now. I've only done two TV episodes and half a year has gone by......... my goodness. But it's fun and I am learning so much about Dreamworks or more accurately Nickelodeon style animation and it's only making my skills better, so I can't complain that much. lol.

Tetsujin 28 go

Stealth black and blue iron body? Check. Face that gives instant reassurance and hope to people in danger? Check. And a kick that could send a giant evil robot/monster deep into the earth's core? Double check. BAM! You've got yourself a five year olds dream come true. Tetsujin 28-go!

Bonus Videos.: Actual Remote Controlled Toy Versions of Tetsujin 28 Go & Black Ox

I don't usually geek out that much, but this is one of the few times I do. How cool is that?!

From Annecy France to Stuttgart Germany. I went to FMX 2011, the 16th Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Interactive Media with my classmates from Gobelins l'école de l'image and it was like a breath of fresh air from working all hunched up in front of my desk all the time working on the same animation for weeks on end. I was especially inspired by presentations from Clay Kaytis (Supervising Animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios) about how they made Tangled and it was just amazing watching rough test shots of Rapunzel getting into character and jaw dropping to see Glen Keane critiquing their work in dallies. I was sooooooo jealous. lol. And they also showed lots and lots of rough sketches of Glen Keane's Rapunzel and it was like a visual oasis. Just drawing after drawing, pure ecstasy. They also showed a very rough animation of Maximus the lead horse in the movie and it was the funniest thing that I had seen a horse do. I was very thankful to Clay for sharing all these goodies with the public. It was very inspiring to say the least.

I also very much enjoyed the making of presentation of Pierre Coffin(Director) for Despicable Me. He showed us the original character designs of Gru and it was interesting to see the evolution of Gru and why he changed the way he did. Of course when Pierre showed rough playblasts of Gru's test animation I was gawking at the simplicity of the awesome poses that the animator had chosen to do the various acting test shots. It really made me re-think about the essence of acting in animation.

Bobby Beck did a supreme job with his presentation for Animation Mentor. He went over film scenes from Midnight Cowboy, Lemony Snicket and Forest Gump and just really did a fine job of explaining great acting references for animators and stuff you can use to make your performance that much more authentic just by using strong poses and eye movement. To try and think outside the box and be original in terms of acting choices. It was also interesting to note that he was not happy with the style that Animation Mentor Demoreels seem to be cornering themselves into and he strongly suggested for all AM students to rise above and challenge each other to be different.

Those were just a few of the things that I had experienced while at FMX, there were many other things I learned, mainly about how hard it is to make it into this industry especially if your a character animator, but it definitely helped me get some tips and tricks to make the bumpy road a bit smoother. I would advise everyone who wants to get into this industry to participate in conferences like this in the near future such as Annecy Film Festival and Siggraph 2011 which will be held in Vancouver this year if you can.

Sometimes...

I found these funny pictures of suicide bunnies through a friend and I wanted to share them. Originally from "The Book of Bunny Suicides: Little Fluffy Rabbits Who Just Don't Want to Live Any More", by Andy Riley, there was one picture that stuck with me more than others. As an animator, sometimes you can't help but feel like this, especially when you are working through crunch time or when you're going through a motivational slump. But, it's pictures like this that make me laugh and kinda shake off the weight that is pushing me down. Hope it does the same for you. Enjoy~

Inspiration, Motivation, A Reason for Treason from the "OLD" you.

I always believe that inspiration comes in many different forms. As an animator.........as an artist, I'm sure most of you will agree that this is what feeds our creativity and we constantly go on search for something that is mind blowing to shake our train of thought and make us view the world in a different perspective. Well, today I found that in a series of Yahoo videos called, "Second Act: Real stories celebrating life, passion and reinvention". I was blown away by some of the people here and how they live or(shall I say) re-live their lives. Here are some of the videos I saw.

Click here to check out Yahoo's other "Second Act" videos

My work desk at Gobelins, l'école de l'image

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

I know there are only so much Michael Moore movies you can watch before you feel "righteoused" out. And you might think one man can't change the world and there is only so much you can do, but sometimes there are times when change is more of a necessity than an activity and I believe this film is about one of them. I was shocked to see this film actually. I didn't know our food industry was this bad, to be honest and this corrupt in a way that I feel that congress is more than less responsible for. It's also as much our faults as well. This is more about our rights to know about the things that can effect us in astronomic proportions. Like the food we eat.

Take a look behind the veil that is our food industry.

And go here to find out how you can make a change in your own way. After all, you are what you eat.

http://www.takepart.com/foodinc

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE BURNT OUT?!

What do you do when you have no motivation left? (Animating 10 ~ 12 hours a day) When you are on the brink of insanity and the computer feels like the devil? When monkeys start attacking babies out on the streets. How do you find peace of mind? Paper Toys. There is just something about quietly cutting paper that feels almost meditative. And, you get a neat looking toy at the end so it's perfect for animators!

Photorealism VS Stylization (and the Uncanny Valley)

 

What is the Uncanny Valley and what does it have to do with animation? Find out here.

What is a DESK?

What is a desk? What does your desk mean to you and how much does it define you? Have you ever thought about it? Is it important? CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO BELOW TO FIND OUT and you might just re-think about how you organize your desk from then on.

Desk - Music and Sound Design from Aaron Trinder Film:Motion:Music on

Vimeo.

For my profession, as an animator/illustrator, my desk is like a mother's womb. I surround it with things that inspire me and make me feel comfortable. Whether it be books, post cards, toys, stickers, posters on the wall or even christmas lights. It does bring comfort and to a certain extent gives me a sense of identity as an artist about who I am and what my influences are. Without my desk I feel lost sometimes. Like an animator staring at a blank piece of paper, the same goes for an empty desk. I create my desk, therefore I am. lol.