Self-Critique

The Sacred Task, 2011

A lone warrior must confront and destroy an evil creature.

I intend the audience to be immersed in an experience that is as visually engaging as it is emotional encompassing. One should feel suspense, fear, and adrenaline flow as he or she watches my film.

My original idea truly came from viewing both Tarzan and Last of the Mohicans. I wanted to create a film that dealt much closer to nature's intimate connection with man. Both films dealt with this idea with success, as well as providing intense action and an engaging story. This, and my interest in both mythology and Native American culture guided me towards my finished product. This was important to me as a personal project because it allowed me to create a story that personified the way I look at life.

Theme:
Conquer your demons, lest you be conquered by them.

The strengths of my project are:
Dynamic animation
Production quality
Engrossing atmosphere throughout
Nice color palette

Problems areas I had particularly dealt with not preparing myself of the worst case scenarios. This project was two-years in the making. Since then I have suffered major loss of work, system crash, corrupted files, etc. I think that what I should learn to do and am making great strides to improve is organizing myself better.

I had the pleasure of learning a lot during the production of this film. By studying various styles of animation, I was able to improve my animation skills and produce more fluid actions in my movie. Also, I have learned a great deal about Toon Boom. A program that I thought to be so limiting is actually very compelling and diverse.

My BFA Project Done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joseph Coleman ‘11_Animation

The Sacred Task

For my senior project, I want to portray the inner struggle with one's own dark nature in an animated short. The story involves a young warrior that finds himself at war with an evil entity of his own inadvertent creation. The creature is the manifestation of the protagonist's malice. With his demon growing ever stronger, the weary warrior must make a last stand on the battlefield of his crumbling conscience.

The story will serve as an allegory for the ordeal that we must all face in life. There are personal trials that we must go through in order to become better individuals. I drew upon Native American mythology as inspiration for my story.  I chose this culture because, though tales vary from differing tribes, the common belief is of the universal harmony between man, spirit, and nature. In the film, a mysterious owl appears before the shaman with unknown intentions. The owl is an amalgamation of the beliefs of Pawnee tribe, who view the animals as protection; the Pueblo, who associates them with death; and the Sioux, who believed that possession of the owl’s feather or “essence” will bless them on the battle field.  Under the shamanic system, the owl acts as the totem of the young protagonist. Though not physically active in the fight between the two opposing figures, what the owl symbolizes holds great spiritual significance.

Owls see the truth through the darkness that shrouds one’s path. When an individual is lost, the spirit of the owl will guide him. Death often awaits those who follow the creature. The owl knows that death is the key to rebirth. Life is renewed when one clears away all unwanted burdens. Only when the shaman conquers his inner demon will he truly be free.

Major Update

Its been about three weeks since my lasy update. I am happy to say that I have made great strides since then. All of my backgrounds are completely done, along the the clean drawings of all my frames. At the moment I have my first act complete. This weekend  I am going to color my third act and put the background into it. Over the next two weeks I will try and focus on the timing of my piece and the sounds. With those two elements set in stone I will have time to polish my animation up with the remainder of my time.

Demo Reel Reviews

  

This was a very well done demo reel, in my opinion. This was the most helpful one for me because it is strictly a 2D character animation reel. The artist puts on display a variety of skills that many studios look for in their applicants. The structure of the piece is pretty good but I still found some issues with it. One of the things that bothered me was the editing of the reel. The artist would make awkward cuts to the characters talking in the middle of the dialogue, as well as cutting from the action abruptly. Other than that I think it was pretty solid.

This was another strong demo reel as well. The intro was very well done, and the music was very fitting. The reel showed the artist's wide range of animation skills and understanding of the 12 principles of animation. I think that the time should be cut down as it goes on a little too long.

This particular demo reel shows the artist's range of skill but the structure is a little weak. Some scenes I think goes on too long, particularly at the beginning. Also, the artist should have put some of his or her sketches throughout the piece to balance all of the animation.

        

This reel was ok. It had a lot of funny moments in it, which is a strong ability to have. Just needs to shorten the beginning of the reel.

  

This demo is a example of how not to do a demo reel. No personal information was given in the beginning nor the end, some shots go on too long, and overall is boring.

   

    

Nothing much to say about this demo. It is not so much of a demo, but I found it pretty entertaining.

Goals for the Upcoming Week

Rough out final act
Begin work on clean up drawings

By next class,  Feb. 1, I should be able to present the rough cut of my final scene. After Tuesday, it just going to be a strong push to getting my clean up drawings done over the week to be presented the following Tuesday.

As for wether I am on schedule, there has been some necessary alterations to my deadlines. I originally had it scheduled to be done coloring my first act by February 1 and to be working on rough sketching the last act. But given the March 31st deadline, I had to put the coloring off at a later date. But I am still in good shape as I have begun working on my rough sketching for the final act. So, in some ways I am a little ahead of schedule.

Storyboard

Jobs Info

I have been searching for jobs that are hiring traditional animation artists. I found two that are online gaming sites that specializes in 2D vector-based animated cutscenes.


Kabam Studios

About Kabam

Kabam is an interactive entertainment company that creates free-to-play games for social networks. Kabam games combine deep, immersive gameplay found in massively multiplayer online strategy and RPG games with the connectivity and interaction benefits of social networks. The first in a wave of new social games, Kingdoms of Camelot® and Dragons of Atlantis™, have been praised by the press and, more importantly, players for their depth of play and social interaction.

Responsibilities
Animators are responsible for creating 2D animations in Flash for use in a wide variety of games. Candidates should know Flash or be willing to learn. Animations need to look great, flow smoothly, follow established model sheets, be versatile enough to be customized by users (sometimes), and work within the technical constraints of a given title. We want people who really know their traditional 2D animation, not merely people who know how to slide layers around in Flash and fake it. And you need to be comfortable working with a wide array of characters, from cute and bouncy to more realistically-proportioned human anatomy


Requirements
* 4+ years of traditional / 2D animation experience (Work at a game company or equivalent situation preferred but not mandatory)
* Experience with Flash (or similar vector-based 2D animation application) or willingness to learn Flash
* Excellent understanding of all of the principles of traditional cel-based 2D animation. If you have no idea who Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, or Richard Williams are, you're not the right candidate.
* Advanced knowledge of Illustrator, Photoshop and preferably Flash. Actionscript 3 knowledge a plus.
* Character design skills, coloring ability, environment design, and illustration chops all desirable
* 3D experience a plus
* Strong cross-functional communications skills. Must be able to take direction, communicate with other artists (and the occasional external contractor), and work with engineers to ensure that art and animations are properly implemented in the game
* Strong passion for gaming, especially in the social/casual sphere. Experience working on them desirable but not absolutely necessary
* A desire to grow your skills and experience; a natural mentor
* A terrific sense of humor.
* Must be available to work full-time at our offices in Redwood City, CA




Riot Games

About Riot


Riot Games is an independent Los Angeles-based game developer and publisher. The studio was established in 2006 to develop innovative online next-generation titles for PC and consoles. Comprised of world class industry veterans with a shared passion for online gaming, Riot's first game is League of Legends, a free-to-play premium multiplayer online product launched in October 2009.


Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

• Create high quality 2D art assets
• Work together with various teams such as interface, marketing and content to gather and execute on requirements
• Seek out feedback and take direction

Requirements

• High level 2D illustrations skills
• Rapid conception and iteration
• 3D and animation skills a plus
• Game experience a plus
• Self-motivated and strong team player

Desired

• Passion for video games
• Knowledge of video games industry
• Strong ability to prioritize effectively
• Positive, team-oriented attitude

The skills that I have acquired in college has qualified me for these particular jobs. There are programs listed that I have little to no skills in such as Actionscript 3 but it is not a requirement for employment. Also, I have experience in animation but the program in which I am efficient is not what they work in. So, I must take the time to learn my way around Flash.
____________________________________________________


Pixar


Animator

About Pixar

Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation.  Creator of some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, WALL-E and most recently, Up. The Northern California studio has won 21 Academy Awards® and its ten films have grossed more than $5 billion at the worldwide box office to date. The next film release from Disney/Pixar is Toy Story 3 (June 18, 2010).

Summary of Position

Creates the motions, gestures, and expressions of three-dimensional computer graphics characters and objects.

Responsibilities

- Receive with each assigned shot: storyboards, story reels, recorded dialogue, set layout, and direction.  The Director shows each new sequence in layout and describes what is expected for every shot at a "blocking meeting"
- Read soundtrack and plan shot
- Block in movements in rough animation and show for the Director's approval in a daily review
- Finish work for Director approval in a timely manner
- Attend animation dailies

Qualifications

- Degree or certificate in classical animation, film, or related field, or equivalent production animation experience
- Must have a DVD demo reel that demonstrates application of the principles of animation to tell a story with meaning through movement
- Ability to work collaboratively
- Must be open to direction and able to embrace change
- Proven storytelling skills
- Ability to use acting skills, which bring characters to life, as well as clearly communicate simple ideas with which an audience can empathize
- Strong understanding of traditional animation principles
- An art background, which shows a thorough, understanding of physical motion, weight, balance, texture, and form
- Computer animation experience preferred but not required

Submission Process

After applying online at www.pixar.com, please submit your cover letter, a hard copy of your resume and demo reel (DVD preferred), and reel breakdown/shot list to:

Pixar Animation Studios
Attn: Recruiting
1200 Park Avenue
Emeryville, CA 94608


When it comes to Pixar, it seems that there is still a place in the company for the traditional animator. Though I have experience in 3D programs, I feel that I need much more in order to become a skilled CG character animator. With that said, the direction I want to take in my career at the moment fits Pixar's criteria. When it comes to the demo reels, though, I may need to do more small projects to really highlight my acting skills.