OK, so most of you who read this sad excuse for a blog know that the direction I am going with my education is to ultimately end up working on animatics for video games. That means working on the intro's before the game starts, the cut scenes in a game, and the final video's that close the story, or anything in between.
So I figured that I'd go ahead and share a couple of those that I find entertaining for one reason or another. Whether it's the art, the art direction, the story or the animation, there's something in these videos that I find worth looking at over and over again.
The first one here is for a game called Dawn of War II. It's a Real Time Strategy game made by Relic. I played in the beta and it was good fun, but right now I don't have the time to invest into getting sucked into the entire thing...and you can ask my wife how obsessive I can get with a game that's good, so best bets right now are to just plain ovoid testing the waters. I like this video for a few reasons. First is the mythos it occupies. That of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It's one of those that I've enjoyed for a major portion of my life having played the game since I was 13. You can google or wiki it if you want more info, but the universe is soooo damn solid and diverse. Second, I think the art work is stunning, and they do a great job at portraying the visual feel of the universe. I find some of the animation a bit lacking, but there are some very choice bits, like the Warp Spider and the Dreadnaught. So take a look and post some thoughts.
This next one comes to you from my favorite playformer/action/adventure game, and quite possibly my favorite console game franchise (nothing will ever touch Diablo from Blizzard for top game...EVAR). This is one of the videos from the third game in the God of War series, and will be the reason I go out and buy a PS3. I'm not sure but this video could be an ingame render as some of the models look like game mapped models, but Kratos looks absolutely brilliant and just plain marvelous up close. But it is a PS3 and that thing crunches numbers better than H&R Block. The things I dig about this are numerous. The video carries through it a lot of Kratos's signature moves from the game (yes this is all stuff you can do in game if you haven't played...it's AH MAY ZING) but you also see a ton of great animation, really swift and well placed camera action/movements as well as top notch visuals...especially if it is in game rendered.
Enjoy and shoot me some thoughts!!!
And as always...
Lead an animated Life!!!
Oz
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Woah boy....
...could I be any worse at keeping this thing up??? Last entry, November 20th??? Holy crap Oz! You suck! Kinda. I'm very diligent at keeping up my weekly video journal, that's gotta count for somthing right? You can catch the latest episode at www.youtube.com/absolutedman. So I think I have it stuck in my head that since I do that, this is not as important. Well I need to change that thought, and make a more concerted effort to at least post something here on a regular basis. Problem is I'd hate to rehash what I put in my weekly VJ. So, do I blog the news? Someone elses works? Oh hell, I don't know...blogs are for anything right?
I guess I can talk about school this week, mainly due to the fact that I was chosen as student of the month for the newsletter, how's that for some unadulterated self promotion? I'm a laugh riot! I got an email from the AM home office a few months back, marketing specifically, and not sure what they were wanting with little ole me, I opened the email and was a bit shocked when the said, 'You have come recommended as an excellent candidate to be featured in the AM Newsletter! If you are willing to participate, we’d love to have a creative piece from you that tells us all about yourself and your AM experience.' So I set about writting out an outline for a video. Since I'm known around the campus for my weekly videos, I figured it was only fitting. So I brainstormed, looked at all the previous featue students in the newsletter and what they had to say. Took the questions and set about it. After like 25 billion different takes, I had what I wanted and set about to crunching together a horribly edited piece of web cam film! :D
Being featured is a great honor for me, as it shows me that one of my peers or even one of the staff see something in me that they feel is worth sharing with others. And that to me is the biggest compliment anyone could ever give. So to the person who recommended me and to the person or people who selected me, all I can say is Thank You, your actions mean more to me than anything I could ever possibly repay. I wish you all the greatest successes in what life brings to you.
You can take a look at my feature here:
AM FEATURE STUDENT MARCH 2009
Feel free to drop me a line letting me know what ya think!!!
My your days this week be bright ones!
And don't forget to Lead an Animated Life!!!
Oz
I guess I can talk about school this week, mainly due to the fact that I was chosen as student of the month for the newsletter, how's that for some unadulterated self promotion? I'm a laugh riot! I got an email from the AM home office a few months back, marketing specifically, and not sure what they were wanting with little ole me, I opened the email and was a bit shocked when the said, 'You have come recommended as an excellent candidate to be featured in the AM Newsletter! If you are willing to participate, we’d love to have a creative piece from you that tells us all about yourself and your AM experience.' So I set about writting out an outline for a video. Since I'm known around the campus for my weekly videos, I figured it was only fitting. So I brainstormed, looked at all the previous featue students in the newsletter and what they had to say. Took the questions and set about it. After like 25 billion different takes, I had what I wanted and set about to crunching together a horribly edited piece of web cam film! :D
Being featured is a great honor for me, as it shows me that one of my peers or even one of the staff see something in me that they feel is worth sharing with others. And that to me is the biggest compliment anyone could ever give. So to the person who recommended me and to the person or people who selected me, all I can say is Thank You, your actions mean more to me than anything I could ever possibly repay. I wish you all the greatest successes in what life brings to you.
You can take a look at my feature here:
AM FEATURE STUDENT MARCH 2009
Feel free to drop me a line letting me know what ya think!!!
My your days this week be bright ones!
And don't forget to Lead an Animated Life!!!
Oz
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Coraline
First full trailer is up for Coraline.
Stolen from Laika.com
"Written and directed by Heney Selick, Coraline is the first major stop-motion animated feature to be shot in 3D.
Adapted from Neil Gaiman's Internation best-selling children's novel, it's a spine-ting, fantastically original adventure about a brave, curious and lonely child, Coraling (voiced by Dakota Fanning). The movie also features Teri Hatcher as the voice of Coraline's Mother and Other Mother, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as Miss Forcible and Miss Spink, and Golden Globe Award winner Ian McShane as Mr. Bobinsky.
Coraline opens widely in theaters February 6, 2009."
Well firstshowing.net has the first full trailer up, check it out here:
Coraline
I'm excited to see this film, it's a piece coming out of Portland, OR based Laika Entertainment, formerly Will Vinton Studios. Their office is located just a few blocks from where I currently work and a place I soon plan on calling home. You can see more of what they do and info about them at www.laika.com
Check them out.
Until next time, lead an animated life!
Oz
Stolen from Laika.com
"Written and directed by Heney Selick, Coraline is the first major stop-motion animated feature to be shot in 3D.
Adapted from Neil Gaiman's Internation best-selling children's novel, it's a spine-ting, fantastically original adventure about a brave, curious and lonely child, Coraling (voiced by Dakota Fanning). The movie also features Teri Hatcher as the voice of Coraline's Mother and Other Mother, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as Miss Forcible and Miss Spink, and Golden Globe Award winner Ian McShane as Mr. Bobinsky.
Coraline opens widely in theaters February 6, 2009."
Well firstshowing.net has the first full trailer up, check it out here:
Coraline
I'm excited to see this film, it's a piece coming out of Portland, OR based Laika Entertainment, formerly Will Vinton Studios. Their office is located just a few blocks from where I currently work and a place I soon plan on calling home. You can see more of what they do and info about them at www.laika.com
Check them out.
Until next time, lead an animated life!
Oz
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Happiest Place on Earth
So the family and I jetted off to Disneyland last week for a little Halloween adventure. We left Thursday the 30th, arrived around 12:30 and dropped into the park shortly thereafter. But we did stop at the Rainforest cafe for lunch really quick.
We initially stopped at the big ass pumpkin...
..then we strolled through Main Street...
Have to stop and get a shot with Walt and Mickey of coarse.
We spent 5 days in the two parks, watched a couple of parades and rode pretty much every ride there. But, It's a Small World was closed for repairs! YEA ME! We did get dressed up and went trick or treating on Thursday at Disney's California Adventure. It was pretty sweet, they had 13 large stations and a number of smaller ones along the path ways. Pretty kule, they load you up! We each had giant bags full when we got done. So full in fact that the two older kids said...no more candy dad, my bags too heavy. :P Comedy...what kid says no more candy???
I took over 500 pictures while we were gone and you can get a good glimpse of those here -DISNEYLAND 2008
Overall the trip was awesome as always with a few hick-ups and hitches here and there...but hey what do you expect when you go with 4 women? I'm pretty sure we all had a great time and we'll be returning the week of my graduation from AM, so I'm looking forward to that already.
One of the bonuses though was that the wife and I were chatting about some of the sweet things we were seeing and that I'd love to do my office up in a theme. She said go for it...but I don't think you can do it. You can't make that stuff.
Oh really???? So I started shooting some reference and have absolutely no idea in the world about what I want to do!!! Holy hell! I need a theme!! I saw Toy Story, Cars, Nightmare Before Christmas, and a host of other really killer things, including a sick ass desk made out of a giant wine barrel -
So the wife says, that's excellent, I really like that idea. You could put your toys up there, have your desk and get things tucked away and hidden so I don't have to see them all the time. Now that's a good compromise I think...cause as it stands now, all my damn toys are in boxes...and that sux!
So back to the matter at hand - I NEED A THEME!!! The insanity of it all! So looking at the roughly 13 x 16 room I'm sitting in what exactly do I want to do with it? What theme really hits home and how creative can I get with it? I was discussing a Tarzan theme with my buddy Clam last night (his name is Glen but my daughter called him Clam when she was younger) :D And I came up with a few ideas. In one corner I build a hallow tree desk for my PC, roughly 3 to 4 feet high that is open in front and round like a tree, but sits in the corner and is open topped. I continue the tree on the wall in paint and extend some branches and vines along the walls. In the other corner I have my fold down desk like the wine barrel above, but instead of a wine barrel, its the Swiss Family Robinson sytle tree house, and the window is what folds down to be the desk top. Obviously the window is oversized, and it doesn't extend to the floor, but it does continue the wall painted theme so it blends. Another hollow tree next to the door but this ones a book shelf. I'd have to get a flat panel to replace my giant TV for my consoles and figure out something for them to reside in that would fit thematically as well. But it was just a brainstorm of coarse.
So the possibilities of coarse are endless. Do I follow the Tarzan motif or go with a Toy Story? Pirates? Sword in the Stone? Straight Buzz Lightyear and Star Command? Disney Villians???? Now there's an idea...
I'd love to hear some thoughts and ideas from you all! Lemme know what you think, give me your favorite theme, what you'd do for a desk and a workstation, book shelf and a console cabinet. I'm going to start planning and once I decide on something, the magic shall begin. Here's a link to some of the photo's I took of the vignetts at the World of Disney store.
http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y98/absolute_d/Disneyland/office%20ref/
Until next time!!!
Lean an Animated Life!
Oz
We initially stopped at the big ass pumpkin...
..then we strolled through Main Street...
Have to stop and get a shot with Walt and Mickey of coarse.
We spent 5 days in the two parks, watched a couple of parades and rode pretty much every ride there. But, It's a Small World was closed for repairs! YEA ME! We did get dressed up and went trick or treating on Thursday at Disney's California Adventure. It was pretty sweet, they had 13 large stations and a number of smaller ones along the path ways. Pretty kule, they load you up! We each had giant bags full when we got done. So full in fact that the two older kids said...no more candy dad, my bags too heavy. :P Comedy...what kid says no more candy???
I took over 500 pictures while we were gone and you can get a good glimpse of those here -
Overall the trip was awesome as always with a few hick-ups and hitches here and there...but hey what do you expect when you go with 4 women? I'm pretty sure we all had a great time and we'll be returning the week of my graduation from AM, so I'm looking forward to that already.
One of the bonuses though was that the wife and I were chatting about some of the sweet things we were seeing and that I'd love to do my office up in a theme. She said go for it...but I don't think you can do it. You can't make that stuff.
Oh really???? So I started shooting some reference and have absolutely no idea in the world about what I want to do!!! Holy hell! I need a theme!! I saw Toy Story, Cars, Nightmare Before Christmas, and a host of other really killer things, including a sick ass desk made out of a giant wine barrel -
So the wife says, that's excellent, I really like that idea. You could put your toys up there, have your desk and get things tucked away and hidden so I don't have to see them all the time. Now that's a good compromise I think...cause as it stands now, all my damn toys are in boxes...and that sux!
So back to the matter at hand - I NEED A THEME!!! The insanity of it all! So looking at the roughly 13 x 16 room I'm sitting in what exactly do I want to do with it? What theme really hits home and how creative can I get with it? I was discussing a Tarzan theme with my buddy Clam last night (his name is Glen but my daughter called him Clam when she was younger) :D And I came up with a few ideas. In one corner I build a hallow tree desk for my PC, roughly 3 to 4 feet high that is open in front and round like a tree, but sits in the corner and is open topped. I continue the tree on the wall in paint and extend some branches and vines along the walls. In the other corner I have my fold down desk like the wine barrel above, but instead of a wine barrel, its the Swiss Family Robinson sytle tree house, and the window is what folds down to be the desk top. Obviously the window is oversized, and it doesn't extend to the floor, but it does continue the wall painted theme so it blends. Another hollow tree next to the door but this ones a book shelf. I'd have to get a flat panel to replace my giant TV for my consoles and figure out something for them to reside in that would fit thematically as well. But it was just a brainstorm of coarse.
So the possibilities of coarse are endless. Do I follow the Tarzan motif or go with a Toy Story? Pirates? Sword in the Stone? Straight Buzz Lightyear and Star Command? Disney Villians???? Now there's an idea...
I'd love to hear some thoughts and ideas from you all! Lemme know what you think, give me your favorite theme, what you'd do for a desk and a workstation, book shelf and a console cabinet. I'm going to start planning and once I decide on something, the magic shall begin. Here's a link to some of the photo's I took of the vignetts at the World of Disney store.
http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y98/absolute_d/Disneyland/office%20ref/
Until next time!!!
Lean an Animated Life!
Oz
Bloggin
So...I continue to forget and forget and forget to update this damn thing. I just don't have that 'digital bug'. I don't feel the need to 'twitter' or 'twine' or this that or the other thing. I hit facebook and linkedin regular enough, but continue to forget to drop a note here there or anywhere. I'm obviously in a Dr Suess mood it seems.
I was going to drop on here last night and write up a big ole entry on my trip to Disneyland, but ended up watching a pair of movies looking for dialogue for this weeks homework assignment instead. I guess that's a bit better use of my time, but sheesh, it's been over a month since I've updated this thing. Besides, who the hell reads it anyways???? :P
I do do a great job at upkeeping a weekly video journal though, and you can find that at www.youtube.com/absolutedman - Disneyland update today after work!
Til then - Have an Animated Day!!!!
Oz
I was going to drop on here last night and write up a big ole entry on my trip to Disneyland, but ended up watching a pair of movies looking for dialogue for this weeks homework assignment instead. I guess that's a bit better use of my time, but sheesh, it's been over a month since I've updated this thing. Besides, who the hell reads it anyways???? :P
I do do a great job at upkeeping a weekly video journal though, and you can find that at www.youtube.com/absolutedman - Disneyland update today after work!
Til then - Have an Animated Day!!!!
Oz
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Progress Reel
Ok. So here it is, the almighty PR or Progress Reel. This is a compilation of all the work I've done so far in two terms at Animation Mentor. This is gonna be a short post as I gotta go pick up my kid from soccer practice here in a few minutes.
I will say that without a doubt the last 3 weeks of the last term, things started clicking for me. I started seeing things a bit differently, started understanding some of the more advanced concepts and saw a huge step forward in my work. So it really felt like my first reel step to becoming an industry level animator.
We have to put our latest work first, so you'll notice that my best stuff, is my first stuff. :P
that's all for now.
til next time, lead an animated life!!!
I will say that without a doubt the last 3 weeks of the last term, things started clicking for me. I started seeing things a bit differently, started understanding some of the more advanced concepts and saw a huge step forward in my work. So it really felt like my first reel step to becoming an industry level animator.
We have to put our latest work first, so you'll notice that my best stuff, is my first stuff. :P
that's all for now.
til next time, lead an animated life!!!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Kung Fu! Panda Style
So last week we got the treat of having a Q and A with Mike Stern and Deter Brown, a pair of students from my skule who went to work for Dreamworks and both scored shots on my favorite movie of the year, and arguabley my favorite animated film of all time.
KUNG FU PANDA!!!!
If I have to tell you what it is and what it's about, close my blog, you don't deserve to be reading it. No seriously, not kidding, go ahead...close the page, I'll wait.
Now for those of you who were there, well this will be review, but for those of you who were not, this is kinda how it broke down...we got an intro to Mike and Deter, then they went through, described their shots (some in detail, some not). They showed parts of the film, high profile shots, shots they did, and the rough breakdown of the film process. Things like who developed the feel for Panda, and who did this and what was so significant about that, lots of killer info, but sadly I did not take notes, as well generally during a game or movie Q/A, I'm there to get all excited and extra geeky. This was hardly a time to take notes!
So I did manage to ask a questions, something along the lines of "What have you found to be your biggest disappointments overall upon entering the industry? What things have not met your expectations, and on the flip side, what were your greatest surprises and what has surpassed any of your expectations going in?'
Mike took the reply -
He expounded on how he was asked to do the title shot for Bee Movie (that's Seinfeld you monkey not second rate)!, a 30 second montage that intro'd all the toons (that's geekspeak for characters for those of you who are not animationly inclined) and was a good fly through with tons of this that and the other thing. TOP O DA WORLD MA!!!! He went out proclaimed himself a god...well maybe a lesser diety to his family and friends...ok fine, he just told them he was uber psyched cause he was doing the opening shot for the movie. (so this is his big surprise moment). But when it came down to it, his hopes and dreams were dashed upon the rocks of too effin bad shore and his shot was left on the cutting room floor (man is that dramatic or what???! I rock!). Seriously though they just decided to roll with something else, but man...talk about the WORST experience EVA!!! So I got his greatest and worst moment in the same damn story...what a cop out. Sheesh.
I will say though that Mike's one helluva guy and pretty damn funny. Gives good QandA! Yup I said it like it's dirty...that's what makes it so damn funny.
Deter peeled through a couple of his shots (I didn't screen Deter...well cause he wasn't on screen same time I was and being a Narcicist such as I am, if I can't be on screen, dammit neither can he)...so I'll just post this shot.
Yea that's right, me and the Panda...sharing screen space...who's the effin man now???!
But back to Deter, duud's sheer hilarity, messin around in the background, making faces at Mike, flyin toy aeroplanes across screen, just random nutty crap, bonus points for that, plus to top it off, his name is DETER...how damn kule is that name? Huh? Answer me dammit! Yea it's pretty effin sweet.
Deter did work on my favorite shot in the film, which also happens to be the most expensive shot that Dreamworks has ever done in a CG film...or so Deter says, and since I don't work in accounting or accounts payable or well in any damn department at Dreamworks, I'm just gonna have to take his word for it. The bridge scene. TALK ABOUT AN EPIC FIGHT SCENE!!! Holy good gawd golly gee damn!!! That's what I have to say about that shot. EPIC...that's EEEE PEEE EYE SEE...EPIC!!!
All in all it was a fantastic Q/A, one that ran an hour over time, longest one I've been in, and they coulda gone another hour and still had one solid ass audience, the room was packed.
I must say, my hats off to the boys, great QandA and they both landed sweet digs at on a sweet project. Jealous? Me? A bit, but it does show the success of our skule and the program, and that is justification enough for me to know that I made the right choice when I enrolled...
til next time...lead an animated life!
Oz
KUNG FU PANDA!!!!
If I have to tell you what it is and what it's about, close my blog, you don't deserve to be reading it. No seriously, not kidding, go ahead...close the page, I'll wait.
Now for those of you who were there, well this will be review, but for those of you who were not, this is kinda how it broke down...we got an intro to Mike and Deter, then they went through, described their shots (some in detail, some not). They showed parts of the film, high profile shots, shots they did, and the rough breakdown of the film process. Things like who developed the feel for Panda, and who did this and what was so significant about that, lots of killer info, but sadly I did not take notes, as well generally during a game or movie Q/A, I'm there to get all excited and extra geeky. This was hardly a time to take notes!
So I did manage to ask a questions, something along the lines of "What have you found to be your biggest disappointments overall upon entering the industry? What things have not met your expectations, and on the flip side, what were your greatest surprises and what has surpassed any of your expectations going in?'
Mike took the reply -
He expounded on how he was asked to do the title shot for Bee Movie (that's Seinfeld you monkey not second rate)!, a 30 second montage that intro'd all the toons (that's geekspeak for characters for those of you who are not animationly inclined) and was a good fly through with tons of this that and the other thing. TOP O DA WORLD MA!!!! He went out proclaimed himself a god...well maybe a lesser diety to his family and friends...ok fine, he just told them he was uber psyched cause he was doing the opening shot for the movie. (so this is his big surprise moment). But when it came down to it, his hopes and dreams were dashed upon the rocks of too effin bad shore and his shot was left on the cutting room floor (man is that dramatic or what???! I rock!). Seriously though they just decided to roll with something else, but man...talk about the WORST experience EVA!!! So I got his greatest and worst moment in the same damn story...what a cop out. Sheesh.
I will say though that Mike's one helluva guy and pretty damn funny. Gives good QandA! Yup I said it like it's dirty...that's what makes it so damn funny.
Deter peeled through a couple of his shots (I didn't screen Deter...well cause he wasn't on screen same time I was and being a Narcicist such as I am, if I can't be on screen, dammit neither can he)...so I'll just post this shot.
Yea that's right, me and the Panda...sharing screen space...who's the effin man now???!
But back to Deter, duud's sheer hilarity, messin around in the background, making faces at Mike, flyin toy aeroplanes across screen, just random nutty crap, bonus points for that, plus to top it off, his name is DETER...how damn kule is that name? Huh? Answer me dammit! Yea it's pretty effin sweet.
Deter did work on my favorite shot in the film, which also happens to be the most expensive shot that Dreamworks has ever done in a CG film...or so Deter says, and since I don't work in accounting or accounts payable or well in any damn department at Dreamworks, I'm just gonna have to take his word for it. The bridge scene. TALK ABOUT AN EPIC FIGHT SCENE!!! Holy good gawd golly gee damn!!! That's what I have to say about that shot. EPIC...that's EEEE PEEE EYE SEE...EPIC!!!
All in all it was a fantastic Q/A, one that ran an hour over time, longest one I've been in, and they coulda gone another hour and still had one solid ass audience, the room was packed.
I must say, my hats off to the boys, great QandA and they both landed sweet digs at on a sweet project. Jealous? Me? A bit, but it does show the success of our skule and the program, and that is justification enough for me to know that I made the right choice when I enrolled...
til next time...lead an animated life!
Oz
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