tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30835586233774806092024-03-13T21:12:10.076-04:00Animation In ProgressLizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-84509510629769902752015-03-17T11:58:00.001-04:002015-03-17T12:10:29.559-04:00New beginnings<p dir="ltr"><p>Its been a ling time since I've posted anything on this blog. I'm terrible at this. <br>
With that out of the way, I'm starting anew. </p><br>
<p> A ton of stuff has happened since my last post, over a year ago. I'll just quickly go over the big stuff. I've worked on a few things. Continued to do what I love. Got married. And moved across the country. Yay! All cool and fun stuff. And I told you all about it in one paragraph. </p><br>
<p> Now for the boring stuff. I'm so bored! We packed everything to ship it across the country and now we wait. Waiting is boring. No internet/cable cause our tv and computers aren't here. What's the point in waiting around for the cable guy if we can't use the service his company provides? No sketch books cause I couldn't fit it into my carry on and I completely forgot I could have stuffed it in  the bag we checked. ::slaps forehead:: All I have is my smartphone that is crapping out on me, cause its getting old, and my kindle. Its something. But I can tell when folks are getting annoyed with all the photos I post of gorgeous weather when back east its still pretty much a frozen tundra. Sorry everyone. But I'm so fraking bored! Deal with the gorgeous weather you can't have and let me have this! (Please don't spoil any tv shows we haven't seen for the past two weeks. All I have is this. :-\ )</p><br>
<p> So now I get to learn about the industry in the bay area and apply to what looks like a bunch of cool jobs. A little difficult doing this all on my phone. If they want my LinkedIn, perfect. That's easy to link up. My actual resume, however, is on a thumb drive. And I have no computer, no laptop. So for those places, I have to wait to apply. Its not terrible. I just wish I could do something. </<u>p</u>></p>
LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-36186897112448831242013-05-06T12:33:00.000-04:002013-05-09T18:31:22.406-04:00Walk-a-thon for the LES Girls Club<span class="userContent">Folks, I'm doing it again. The Walk-a-thon for
the LES Girls Club, that is. I'd love to have a team, so let me know if
you're interested, and I'll set one up. If you just want to sponsor me,
that's cool too. <br /> <a href="https://sna.etapestry.com/fundraiser/LowerEastsideGirlsClubofN/walk2013/individual.do?participationRef=86.0.685753567" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">https://sna.etapestry.com/fundraiser/LowerEastsideGirlsClubofN/walk2013/individual.do?participationRef=86.0.685753567</a></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">Update:</span><br />
<span class="userContent">I felt like I needed to give some background on the Girls' Club. They are a club that is geared towards girls in the lower east side, but its not exclusive for girls. There are some boys involved. They are geared towards helping girls realize their talents and dreams and empowering them to be proactive about their lives. The Girls' Club has a bakery which teaches the girls the importance and responsibility of running a business. The Girls' Club also runs classes and programs that range from health (the importance of cooking and eating healthy) to the arts. The classes are meant to show the girls that they have the control to be amazing. </span><br />
<span class="userContent">The walk-a-thon is one way in which the classes are funded. </span><em><strong> </strong></em><br />
<ul>
<li><em><strong>Why Walk?</strong></em> 100% of funds raised through the
event will support Girls Club health and nutrition programs. Each $2,500
raised supports a full year of programming for one girl; $1,500
supports school year programming; and $1,000 supports intensive summer
programming. Girls Club health programs include community health
workshops, nutrition and cooking classes, body image and women's health
counseling, running a Farmer's Market, yoga and dance classes, free
summer camp for girls and more!</li>
</ul>
(yes, I totally copied and pasted that last bit, but mostly cause I can't word it any better)<br />
With all that said, I hope you click the link and at least read more about the Lower Eastside Girls' Club. LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7143528 -74.005973140.3291728 -74.65142010000001 41.0995328 -73.3605261tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-87417489315842238332013-02-25T18:03:00.000-05:002013-02-25T18:03:27.231-05:00My Oscar Opinion<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Last night, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the longest show in the universe. Can they make it any longer? I feel like they could have at least started earlier...or cut some of the fluff. Oh, I know. They should just cut out all the categories that they will definitely start playing music to signal its their time to leave the stage and cut them off sooner. They only need 5 seconds, right? Why even give them the chance to thank people if you are just going to play them off, or simply cut them short. Very rarely do they cut the audio from the mic. They usually play the music so loudly that the winner has to scream. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Granted, usually the thank yous run too long anyways, and someone starts rambling or its just not a good acceptance speech. By far, Ben Affleck's was the best acceptance speech. Why? Cause yes he thanked people, but he also brought an emotion that just lacks from most of the winners last night. Not so much an emotion, now that I think back, but he added just a little bit more of him. The whole part about how he never thought it would happen again. It was a story about his journey and how honored he was by this award. Why can't everyone make acceptance speeches like that?</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
There were definitely a few surprises last night. Animated Feature was a close one. What should have won was ParaNorman. It was technically amazing, visually beautiful, and had a good story. What I thought would have won was Wreck-it Ralph. It had the story and that Disney pizzazz that everyone loves. Instead, Brave won. Yes, its beautiful. Yes, its a testament for technical achievement in animated films. But the story. It was alright. But it was a film that started with a very serious note and a darker theme, and then they 'changed' directors and they wound up making it more funny and slap stick. I kinda wanna see Brenda Chapman's version. I think it would be awesome!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
For Animated Short, Paperman was a good, safe choice. I liked it. The story was great. But the other shorts were great too. I really liked Adam and Dog. And Head Over Heals pulled at my heart strings. But I am happy with what won.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
As for Hair & Make-up, did they think that they go actual Dwarves from Middle-Earth? Almost every actor in The Hobbit had prosthetics on their face. But whatever. Maybe they thought they should just wait til the 3rd movie to give it its recognition. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
And now for the VFX award. Won by....Life of Pi! No big surprise at all. It was a film that was largely shot on green screen and brought to life with amazing effects. No one can argue it wasn't justly won. But something happened last night that is kinda bugging me and a lot of folks I know. The Jaws theme played to usher off the VFX guys! Really? Lets give time to everyone else, but not to they guys and the hundreds of artists who made that film even possible. Imagine doing Life of Pi practically. No CG whatsoever. You can't! Even if they had a real tiger, you can't just sink a ship like that. Or create a storm that immense. Or have a whole zoo under water (there would probably some horrible animal abuse to get those shots practically). Its just not possible. Below are two blog posts that probably sum up what us artists are feeling right now. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Actors get paid millions and get residuals. The average VFX artist gets an unstable job and lives paycheck to paycheck, project to project. If you think they get paid well, you're just kidding yourself.</div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/thebigevent/2013/02/25/biggest-oscars-snub-a-shark-attack-on-the-vfx-industry/">http://blog.sfgate.com/thebigevent/2013/02/25/biggest-oscars-snub-a-shark-attack-on-the-vfx-industry/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://thebigsocialpicture.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-oscar-protest-that-you-didnt-know.html">http://thebigsocialpicture.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-oscar-protest-that-you-didnt-know.html</a>LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-53637040639630272652013-02-17T18:32:00.001-05:002013-02-17T18:32:45.566-05:00Fascinated<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With all the chatter of the last couple of weeks focusing on the goings on of R&H, I'm fascinated by what other bloggers are saying about it. I'll be listing a few blogs and links at the bottom of this post in which I think people who read this might also enjoy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I usually don't get this chatty about anything. Okay, that's a little wrong. If you know me, you would know that I could talk your ear off. With an industry like ours, its important to know whats going on. Studios need to be able to run and stay open and if they do close down or sell off parts, they need to be accountable for their actions towards their employees. We need to keep the conversation open and a spot light shinning on what affects a great deal of artists. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Anyways, if you have anymore links to add on this current subject matter, I'm sure we're all happy to read 'em. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://vfxsoldier.wordpress.com/">http://vfxsoldier.wordpress.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vfxlaw2012.wordpress.com/">http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vfxlaw2012.wordpress.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/125441430/Rhythm-and-Hues-Chapter-11-Bankruptcy-Petition">http://www.scribd.com/doc/125441430/Rhythm-and-Hues-Chapter-11-Bankruptcy-Petition</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/fired-rhythm-hues-workers-sue-421895">http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/fired-rhythm-hues-workers-sue-421895</a>LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-19249882119242616902013-02-11T15:16:00.000-05:002013-02-11T16:20:46.614-05:00...Crap<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Its semi official. Rhythm & Hues will be filing for Chapter 11. So much for that $21 million infusion from other studios. I can only say that I feel those artists pain. Being told not to show up next week and then having your paycheck held indefinitely? I can only imagine. (Having had a certain studio slowly pay me up to a year after I had stopped working for them seems like a piece of cake compared to this)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So what happens now? What should happen is an investigation. I'm sorry, but any time a large company files for Bankruptcy, this should happen. Cause a problem like this just doesn't happen over night. Its something that has been an issue for several months or maybe years. How did we get to this point? Every company should want to know. And I know bankruptcy seems like an easy answer, but its way too easy these days to file for it. Cause when you file bankruptcy, your obligation to pay your staff, or anyone you owed money to, goes out some window. Everyone else is kinda screwed. (Okay, so I really know very little about Bankruptcy, any chapter for that matter, but from what I believe to be true, I think the information above is correct)</span> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/oscar-nominated-vfx-rhythm-and-hues-filing-bankruptcy/">http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/oscar-nominated-vfx-rhythm-and-hues-filing-bankruptcy/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapter_11,_Title_11,_United_States_Code">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapter_11,_Title_11,_United_States_Code</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/visual-effects-society-exec-director-eric-roth-slams-movie-industry-for-terrible-treatment/">http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/visual-effects-society-exec-director-eric-roth-slams-movie-industry-for-terrible-treatment/ </a>LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-62762335185363781932013-02-08T18:34:00.003-05:002013-02-11T15:17:09.990-05:00...So what is going on with all these large studios?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not so long ago, a company called Digital Domain closed its doors. Well, they defaulted on a $35 million dollar loan, filed for <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and were put on the auction block. Now another large studio seems to be in a jam. Rhythm & Hues has been a staple in the industry for a long time. I'd list all their films and projects, but that would be a very long list (</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><a href="http://www.rhythm.com/home/">http://www.rhythm.com/home/</a>). One of their most recent films is <i>Life of Pi</i>. It did well, won a bunch of awards, and everyone is still talking about it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">So what happened? This studio that has been producing good work for the past 20+ years is facing financial difficulty? Why? How? I'm finding it difficult to comprehend how large, solid studios are getting their financial asses handed to them. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">The economy sucks. I get it. But anyone who doesn't plan for fuck ups and financial hardship isn't planning well. People should do this on an individual basis, which is kinda another post now that I think of it. But I feel like that's part of what should be in a business plan. Plan for profit...but also plan for hardship. Right? (I have not taken any business class or majored in finance or anything like that. I'm just using my own logic at this point. If I'm wrong, let me know. Okay? Thanks!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, again, what the frak happened?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I found the following links interesting and thought I'd share....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.thewrap.com/movies/blog-post/rhythm-hues-we-could-be-going-frying-pan-fire-76326"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.thewrap.com/movies/blog-post/rhythm-hues-we-could-be-going-frying-pan-fire-76326</span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.awn.com/news/visual-effects/rhythm-hues-gets-20m-studio-infusion">http://www.awn.com/news/visual-effects/rhythm-hues-gets-20m-studio-infusion</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118065654/">http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118065654/</a>LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-65162558654726443852013-01-31T18:29:00.000-05:002013-01-31T18:29:52.614-05:00Gifts that I love!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I meant to blog about this about a month ago. You know, when it was more relevant (with all those holiday gifts and all). But since I forget to do these things, I'll just tell you now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Christmas gifts are always fun and useful in my family. Its stuff that I'll use and enjoy. Even if I don't make a list, my family knows what I'll like. This year, I got some fun movies and games. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cinderella:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Oh man. I had told my </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">fianc</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">é that my favorite Disney movie growing up was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cinderella. With that information, and Disney's silly Vault scheme keeping certain movies on and off the shelf, Cinderella came out just in time for him to get the perfect gift. It also made me realize that he listens to me :D</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>ParaNorman:</b> I just loved this film. It was a great movie to see in theaters and I absolutely loved watching it again. This time I have to thank my grandmother-in-law. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>Dance Central 3: </b>So this isn't an animated movie, but who doesn't love dancing and games? So what if I didn't work on this one, I'm still gonna tear up the dance floor. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>Game of Thrones <i>Season 1</i>:</b> Okay. Not exactly an animated series, but there are definitely some awesome visual effects shots. It also doesn't hurt that I absolutely love <i>A Song of Fire and Ice.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">I just loved my gifts this year (didn't list them all, these are just the animation related ones). I hope everyone loved what I got them as well. </span></span>LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-8189255692302077862013-01-24T15:09:00.000-05:002013-01-24T15:09:51.078-05:00Keeping FocusedThis is my dilemma. When I'm home, and looking for work, finding a project I want to work on and sticking with it til its finished, can be a task. I've started maybe 3 animations that I want to finish. But then I get side tracked.<br />
And its not huge problem, its just that once I get side tracked, jumping back into a project can take me a little time. Is this just a problem I have? I mean, other people must have short attention spans like me.<br />
FYI...When I'm being paid to work, I never have this issue. I know I have a deadline and I know what needs to get done by when. And I plow away at it. Maybe that's my issue. I probably should give myself a deadline.<br />
Okay. That's what I'm gonna do. Thank you, internet, for listening to me think this out. Its been helpful. Now I need to make you a promise to get on my sh*t and upload some animations I've done.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-4303717524652460222012-12-18T17:55:00.001-05:002012-12-18T17:55:04.036-05:00Posting; not my best subjectI don't think its surprising that I kinda suck at posting on my blog. What can I say, life happens. Hopefully, I'll have something more substantial to post later in the week. I have been working on my own stuff. I just forget to post it and I wanna post stuff that I'm proud of.<br />
Well, till then, I'll try to keep you updated.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-7734540413775612392012-10-17T22:12:00.001-04:002012-10-17T22:12:54.998-04:00Updates, on what I'm working onIts been a couple of weeks since I last updated. Maybe more. And I kinda feel like I need to update you all on what I'm working on. Nothing big, just some ideas.<br />
I've had a bunch of free time as of late and its been some time since I worked on my own personal projects. And there are a few that I'm always touching base. Recently, I talked with a friend about how sometimes we need a little push. You have all these ideas and you need someone to just say 'Start Here'. Well, we made an agreement. We decided to just give a nice little reminder to work on something specific. My next little project is short and sweet. And will hopefully make it onto this blog soon. I'm working on animating a character jumping over a gap. Simple.<br />
I'll update you all very soon on how this is going. Maybe even post a WIP for you.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-29300490950583058112012-08-29T15:32:00.000-04:002012-08-29T15:32:00.815-04:00Dressing to Get the JobOne thing I've noticed about the 3d, animation, gaming industries it that the attire that everyone has told you about in business class or from your friends working in other industries, doesn't always fit. Wearing a suit might make you stand out, but in a way where you might not fit the profile of what they are looking for. Some studios are laid back, some are more business centric. You really have to know your audience.<br />
First and foremost, <u>do your research</u>! Look into the studios you are applying to. Everything is on the web these days. It shouldn't be too difficult to figure out the vibe of certain studios. I'm not exactly sure how to describe this, but looking up a company before you go to an interview is always a good thing. Trying to figure out their vibe through their website isn't so easy. There are a bunch of studios that are becoming more social. Reaching out through LinkedIn and Facebook. Its not just on their website these days. Some places have head shots of their employees. Are they wearing suits? Are they wearing t-shirts? Looking for simple hints like that can help you figure out their 'vibe'.<br />
Let's say the studio you are applying to has a very casual vibe. T-shirts and jeans type folks. Should you wear that to an interview? Hell no. Should you wear a suit? Please don't. You don't want to look like you couldn't care less. But you also don't want to look to anxious for the job. No one actual likes the eager beaver. We tolerate them. Some more then others, but that all depends on how much they know and how well they do things. For this situation, you should dress clean and appropriate. Nicer than the regular t-shirt and jeans. Go for a nice shirt. Maybe something that buttons up. And nice pants. Now, you can still do jeans, but please make sure they look clean and there are no oddly places holes. I might avoid the ripped jeans look. Ladies, if you are gonna wear a skirt, please make sure its not too short. If your finger tips can go past your skirt when you stand straight, you are wearing something that is probably more suited for a night out on the town and not a job interview. Try again. Also, low cut shirts are just distracting. Remember, this is a job interview, not a date. You want them to hire you based of your talents (at least, this is what I'm hoping).<br />
Let's say they are the opposite. Its a very business attire type place. Well, then you should be dressing that way. I have not gone into any studios that have had that type of vibe. Maybe it exists, but I'm just not aware of it (this is where I ask you all to inform me if I'm wrong and make me update this whole post later or address it in a new post).<br />
A job interview is definitely an important way to show potential employers who you are and what you can bring to their company. But not everyone has just an interview. I've worked at a few places just on word of mouth. I've also been to a bunch of job fairs. Word of mouth is difficult to dress for. On your first day, you should put some effort towards your appearance. For job fairs, well, it really depends on the job fair.<br />
I always find jobs fairs kinda weird. You show up, stand on a bunch of lines and hopefully the person you are talking to has the information you're looking for. You hope they are looking for an artist like you. That their upcoming projects might need a person with your talents. Job fairs are tricky. You just don't know who is going to be there and it might be an impossible task to research them all. I've been to a job fair where they did not list which studios were going to be their ahead of time (well, they did. It was just they didn't list what locations they would be in. Kinda important to figure out if they are gonna be in your city or not. And they know who they are). For job fairs, I say the same thing rings true here as it did for the interview section. This is going to be the first impression. You want them to remember you, but you also want to make sure its a good memory. You don't want to be the slob they saw walk in who looks like they might not have showered this week. Clean up and make sure your leaving the right impressions.<br />
<br />LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-78167322576160972092012-08-10T17:44:00.001-04:002012-08-10T17:44:52.995-04:00Attire for Life's MomentsI was originally going to simply write about what to wear in a interview, but that's kinda short and sweet. But it can also be confusing. Cause what you wear in an interview and what you wear when you start working there can be so different. I also want to get an idea of what everyone else thinks. I feel like I don't go on interviews that often enough to be all high and mighty about it. But then I see some people before an interview or their first day of work or an outing with co-workers and think to myself, "Really? You thought that was appropriate?"<br />
I know I'm not the only one to think this. There just have to be more people who are thinking to themselves that maybe their should be a little handbook on these things (there might be one already). But its not just what is appropriate and what isn't. There is also the whole, "We are artists...yada, yada, yada." Casual attire at work is usually a t-shirt and jeans. And everyday seems to be Casual Friday. So what are we supposed to wear for events pertaining to our professional life? Let me know. Comment about this, pretty please. :D<br />
Let me, and everyone else for that matter, know what is appropriate for the work environment, interviews, after work activities, company mixers, studio parties, etc. If you can think of any events where you've thought "Hmmm, is that too racy?" or "Should I dress up?", please, I want to know your thoughts. I have my own, but I want to see what others think in the comments. This way I can take examples, too.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-48352720721387978322012-06-12T17:43:00.003-04:002012-06-12T17:43:32.559-04:00Freelance LifeEvery time I run into a freelancer who is trying to make the business side of freelancing work for them, I keep telling them about a few resources available on the web. Being our own boss is cool, but sometimes we need to cover our asses from shady clients (they aren't everywhere, but we've all seem to run into a few). I've been meaning to post on this topic for awhile. And I've actually written this same post a few times to try and get my point across without sounding too cynical or like a sales pitch on certain products. I can turn down the cynicism, but talking about certain free resources is just gonna sound like a sales promo, however I spin it.<br />
Over the past couple of years, a few resources have greatly improved my life (as a freelancer, but also my life as a whole). Being a freelancer, you really need to know how to budget your time, life, and most importantly, your income. No matter what you do, your going to have months where your doing great and getting work all the time, and then your gonna have your dry months. The months where you get a day gig a week, if your lucky. Its just how it is. When we're doing well, we are doing well. When we aren't, we just aren't doing well.<br />
I have to give my sister credit for this one. She introduced me to mint.com. Mint is a free budgeting tool. You put your accounts in and make a monthly budget. My budget fluctuates and this tool helps show me where I'm putting my money and if I need to adjust my budget. I can tell you how much I'm spending every month on things like rent, groceries, metrocards, entertainment, etc. When your income fluctuates from month to month, you can see how something like this would help you to see where all your money is going to. Now, you can do a spreadsheet and figure this all out on your own, but you have to input all the information. Having a budget is something everyone should do, but I think I can easily say that for us freelancers, its vital. <br />
Another great resource is the Freelancers Union. You know you've seen the adds on the subway and have been curious as to what they're all about. They aren't a union in the typical sense. As freelancers, we come from a diverse background of talents. So they aren't going to bargain with a single employer to get you better working conditions. But they are trying to help gain protection from non-payment in a few states and have banded together to get health insurance for individuals at group rates. In that sense, they are a union.<br />
At this moment, the Freelancers Union has 2 really great resources that I think everyone should at least take a look at. The Client Scorecard and the Contract Creator. We've all worked for a client or employer that we wish we could just forget about. But why forget about it and let the next sucker just find out for their own. The Client Scorecard lets you inform the masses about your crappy experience. Or if you had a great experience, let others know. There are a few poll questions, a star rating, and a review box. Its a great way to see if there is a place you would want to work at, or place you should avoid like the plague.<br />
The Contract Creator is really great for all of us who can't afford to have a lawyer write us up a contract and protect us with the correct language. It allows you to put in certain variables and saves out a document to your computer that you can adjust later if you wish. Very user friendly.<br />
I'm always looking for tools to help make my life a little easier. These have just made it possible to tame the madness of freelancing. Yes, I did just plug a few resources. But I actually use them. I'm not gonna tell you about something that I've never touched before. Give these things a try. Might make your life easier. Or you can ignore every word of it.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-40454740381447859422012-03-01T15:37:00.001-05:002012-03-01T15:37:47.564-05:00Tips for Working from HomeWorking at an office and working from home are very different experiences. Working in an office or at a studio forces you to start at a certain time and concentrate. I'm not saying that concentrating at home is impossible, but it can be tricky. When you work from home, you tend to wake up later and stay in your pajamas all day. And sometimes you feel like you can just switch on the TV and work with some background sound. Here I'm just going to list a few quick tips to get you working from home.<br />
<br />
<b>Start your day the same way you would if you were working elsewhere. </b>If you keep your morning routine the same as it was, it'll be easier to sit down and get all your work done. Whatever time you usually wake up, get up at that time. You can wake up later if you wish, but it makes getting into your routine a lot easier. I think waking up later can work just fine as long as the rest of your routine is the same.<br />
<b>Get Dressed!</b> Ok. This might be a silly one. But I have noticed that I work better if I'm wearing cloths and not my PJs. Something about it wakes me up more or preps me for doing things.<br />
<b>Be mindful of your start time and any breaks.</b> This is the hard one at first. If you have an hourly rate, you'll want to track your hours correctly. Be honest. Also don't forget about watching when you end your day. Most employers can tell if your being honest or fudging your hours in your favor. Especially if they are doing the same work as you from home. Everyone has their own speed, but a good employer will always know if someone is trying to milk them. If your working for a flat fee, be sure to take this step anyways. Its going to give you a great idea if you are charging correctly for your services or if you need to adjust your contract in the future. If you get back too many revisions that increase your hours exponentially, then you need to adjust your revision clause to state that there will be overages after X amount of revisions. This is really up to your own judgement, but you should be careful to make sure that you are not being taken for a ride.<br />
<b>No TV!</b> I know. I'm being lame by saying you should shut off your entertainment while you work on things. But you'll be surprised to see how much work you'll get done in a shorter amount of time without that distraction. If you don't believe me, test it out yourself. TV is just a distraction that will slow you down.<br />
<b>Create a work space. </b>When most people come home, they don't want to bring their work home with them. Same goes for you at home. When you step away from your 'work space' you should be home. Creating this border will help you separate yourself from your work. Remote work doesn't mean you have to become a workaholic.<br />
<b>Make sure you take breaks.</b> Make yourself a consistent lunch time. Go outside if you wish. Make sure you don't become a hermit. Working from home can be challenging. My cat sometimes makes it all about him. Gets in between me and my work. I'll take a break when this happens. Play with him a little, then get back to whatever I was doing. It keeps him happy for a few more hours and releases some stress I might have had. Go get some coffee or tea or even make it yourself if you want. You don't want to get stir crazy. Stepping away will recharge you. And when you do come back to your work, you'll have a semi fresh perspective. Just make sure you log your time away from your work.<br />
<br />
I hope these tips help you like they did me. Trying to focus at home can be difficult. Creating a routine will help you adjust to working from home and get your work done.<br />
<br />LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-17304764847784944972012-02-02T12:28:00.003-05:002012-02-02T12:28:48.046-05:00Last Nights Maya Users Group MeetingI've been to a few of these in the past, for both Maya and 3ds Max. Its a great way to see whats going on with the programs and how studios are utilizing the software. Last night Ryan from Buck gave a nice presentation on a spot not yet released. The breakdown was pretty impressive and the layers/renders used were pure eye candy deliciousness. That doesn't mean that they were pretty with no brains. On the contrary. It seemed like a very complex process on getting the correct look for the spot, without being overly complicated that I couldn't understand what was going on. The end result was amazing renders with a great story.<br />
<br />
After Ryan presented, we all took a little break and caught up with friends, colleagues, and met some new faces. Then Stephen Mann took the front and went over some changes with some Maya tools. Always good to know. If your interested in the NY Maya Users Group, check out the blog: <a href="http://nymayausersgroup.blogspot.com/">http://nymayausersgroup.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
Thank you, Ryan, for presenting. It takes a good amount of courage and certainty to present to a group as large as we were last night. And thank you, Stephen, for putting this all together. <br />
<br />LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-51925957632785523432012-01-22T19:44:00.001-05:002012-01-22T19:44:48.387-05:00RedesignLately I've been redesigning my website. I just find that its kinda a pain in the butt. I like designing stuff. Let's not get that wrong. I just wanna make sure its perfect. So I set it up with the layout I like. Now to make all the pieces work well together and feel seamless.<br />
Building websites isn't really my thing. But I have been getting better with the layout and my idea is clearer. As long as I get my content up there, it could be a blank white page (but that's boring).<br />
Anyways, the layout and design of a page makes it easier to see an artists work. If the layout makes it confusing to see a persons work, its really a strike against the artist. If I can't figure out what you did or the style of your work from your site, how will I know you can do the job. At least, that's what I think when employers look at my site. What they are really thinking, I can only guess at (as I've not had to hire anyone and haven't looked at sites to hire an artist. I've only looked because of my curiosity.)<br />
What makes a great site to show off your work? You guys should let me know. I really want to know what every bodies opinion is on this. Is it the ease of getting to where you need to go? Or is the creative design really more involved than we think? Are you coding your site by yourself? Or do you use a tool like dreamweaver or indesign? Your opinions are always welcome.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-505908209610982232011-12-22T19:03:00.001-05:002012-01-11T21:14:54.505-05:00Recap!It has been a few weeks (maybe months) since I've updated this. I really try to keep this updated...I swear. My life just gets too busy. I like updating this, even if I'm the only one to read it. Reminds me what I've been doing and how I've felt about certain things. Hopefully, I stay on the topic of animation.<br />
Since September, I've been working pretty consistently at Edgeworx Studios. They do get some awesome projects. In November, we delivered a project called 'Bones of Turkana' for National Geographic. It won't be airing until April. My co-worker, Edmund, really took those challenging renders and made them manageable. And the renders came out beautifully. I won't give away too much, because I think you should watch it. Its pretty interesting if your into science and history. Really gives you some incite into our history as a species. <br />
The project I'm currently working on is a Titanic special on how the Titanic actually sank. Apparently, James Cameron got it wrong. As far as the sinking goes, that's all I'll say. I'm trying to get you interested in tuning in. Its a lot of fun working on modeling and animating something that everyone has heard of. This project is still in progress. It'll be airing in April (100th anniversary and all).<br />
I'm not sure of the exact air date of these projects. TBA (the air date is probably already set, I just can't announce it if I don't know it). There are also some exciting projects coming up on my roster that I'm pretty sure I can't mention. Just know that they are cool, because I said so.<br />
I've also started the People & Polygons NYC group. So far, we've had pretty good turn outs. We'll be planning our next meet-up soon. Aiming for early February. It's been a pretty solid turnout so far. I've met some cool people and have managed to get friends working at different studios to come out and meet other friends they hadn't met before. If you're interested, leave a comment and I'll get you the info. Or you can email peopleandpolygonsnyc@gmail.com.<br />
That's been it really. Not too interesting. Hopefully, I'll get some more animations and art up on here. Its been too long. I'll have to make a more conscience effort.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-88251821481029779262011-09-02T01:04:00.000-04:002011-09-02T01:04:03.092-04:00When to use Motion CaptureThe question. When is it better to use motion capture over hand keyed animation?<br />
-Many people are under the impression that mocap is a faster way to get animation done. - If everything goes according to plan and you use the mocap as is, without splicing together clips, then sure. But no one wants to just use the mocap as is. The actors are usually different sizes than the characters the actions will be placed on. An animator will have to go in and make adjustments to the file in order for it to look natural. In reality, most of the mocap I've cleaned has been anywhere from 50% to 85% there. That's anywhere from 15% to 50% of cleaning and retargeting.<br />
-It looks real and it doesn't require a good animator to make sure the movement is correct. - Well, in some alternate reality, that might be the case. Here on earth, you can always tell when a good animator worked on a mocap file or a mediocre animator. In my experience, the animator behind the scenes makes or breaks the motion. An advanced animator can clean up to 10 times as much as someone just starting out. Rule of thumb, an animator can average about 10 seconds of animation a day.<br />
-Mocap gives you the freedom to work with many different takes before settling on the final one. - Here I agree. The actor can take on a scene in any number of ways. A good director will now how to get the actor to perform well. If there is no direction on set, however, the actor will most like produce poor movements or do things incorrectly. I don't know how many times I've seen shoots where the clients came ill prepared and expected the studio holding the shoot to play the role of director. As clients, they know more about what they want then the guy sitting behind the capture station. His job is to capture the files and organize them so that it won't be a headache to go through them later.<br />
Its like real acting. You can't just stand there and say to the actor 'Go, do the movements'. Every time that has happened, the actor just stood there, and shrugged. There was no walk through, no direction. How would they know what to do? Knowing what is needed is key. A script, a shot list, and a goal.<br />
-Mocap is used for every game out there, it must be easy. - Ummm, that's not true at all. Depending on the video game, some of the studios out there have preferred mocap. But not every game is made with mocap animation. Yes, its a great tool to use for characters walking or interacting in a certain way. Have you played any games lately? I really don't think that anyone has a big enough stage to capture certain leaps, dives, bounds, swinging from trees, rafters, etc. Some of that motion might be mocap, but no one can mocap a person flying. People don't fly by themselves. An animator has to go in there and make it look like we can fly. My hat goes off to them.<br />
-Mocap seems like a pain in the a$$. Might as well just pay an animator to do it by hand. - I do love animating key poses. Its a lot of fun. But sometimes mocap is just a better solution. If you want real movement, like super realistic, mocap can be a great asset. You'll need good actors and a solid director to get the motion you want. And not to forget, a great mocap team. If you want a more cartoony look, well, you're better off staying away from mocap. Mocap really is for a more realistic look.<br />
-"I have this great idea for a short/show/pilot. It's about this ::insert animal here:: and takes place in a ::insert scene here::. I've been thinking about maybe using mocap for the main character who is a ::insert animal here::. It would probably be easier to mocap a person, right?" - LMAO. I'm not gonna say how many times I've held back tears when someone has asked me this because of how hilarious this seems. No. You cannot ask a Human to walk around like a specific animal. No matter how many times you try to get them to move like a cat or a dog or an elephant, it just isn't happening. Yes, Andy Serkis has been a great actor, but I really don't think you realize how much of a budget comes with him and his type of service. There are very few humans who can move around like animals. Mostly because we have different skeletal structures. Maybe we can do Apes and other primates, but a horse? Are you kidding me? If I really have to explain the differences, I might just cry.<br />
<br />
I think I got most of the obvious issues when people think of motion capture. It really is its own art form. Mocap has some great advantages. People just need to educate themselves a little more when they think about using mocap.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-31373808188052044872011-08-17T20:58:00.000-04:002011-08-17T20:58:33.161-04:00Dear Ladies of New YorkPlease Close your Legs! Ok, so I might not just be talking to NY ladies. Probably ladies everywhere. But if you wear a skirt or a dress that is on the short side, when you sit, please don't show the world.<br />
I don't want to see your inner thighs. I don't even want to see my inner thighs sometimes. Yes, its summer and it is hot out. But do you have to spread your legs on an air conditioned bus or subway? Think of it this way. Do you want to see some strangers inner thighs and undies? Do you want a perve to give you dirty looks while placing his hand above his crotch? Do you really?!<br />
I'm sorry about this rant, but its not just a courtesy to cross yours legs or keep them closed. As far as I'm concerned, its a safety issue. Even if its just a safety issue for my sight and every other person who would rather not have a full on view of something that should have been covered.<br />
This blog is supposed to be about animation and art. But sometimes something happens when you must address the world or your small audience. We shouldn't have to stand, or sit, with issues like short skirts and the issue of how to sit in a short skirt. Either don't wear skirts that short, or don't sit (at least, across from em).LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-10048953839554721242011-08-02T15:23:00.000-04:002011-08-02T15:23:56.208-04:00Animation Test I did recently<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy8X-Oj7_CO8H9mb3aIkmHHKiiDL_RQ2o6qkE6doaMp0JE3OgyzYs2Ox_wOmmJe-HyyjwQ5rYkfGixRS0ua7A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>This is an animation test I did recently for a job. Any feedback is welcome.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-45841433580611385762011-07-13T15:34:00.000-04:002011-07-13T15:34:26.229-04:00The ESPYSAnyone going to watch the ESPYS tonight? Well, if you are, you'll be in for a treat. Along with some fellows over at Mocap NYC, I worked on cleaning the mocap for some cool character stuff. I'm not exactly sure when you'll be able to see the pieces I worked on.<br />
Here's the info for the ESPYS: <a href="http://espn.go.com/espys/#%21/behindProduction/video=6764850/">http://espn.go.com/espys/#!/behindProduction/video=6764850/</a><br />
It was a fun project and I enjoyed working with the fellows over at Mocap NYC.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-25950435544187432632011-07-01T17:36:00.000-04:002011-07-01T17:36:35.083-04:00Reelly?!I just looked at a bunch of reels for fun, and I'm not afraid to admit, I like to sniff out the competition, but it seems like a good portion of them put a little bit of everything they've worked on. Even the not so pleasant looking stuff. I know. They spent a lot of time on it. That's fine. I just want a quick taste of your talents, not to watch every single thing you worked on.<br />
Does this bother anybody? I'm used to thinking that 1 to 2 minutes tops is what a good reel should be. What's with the 3+ minutes for a personal reel? Studios can do more than a person. I've seen some awesome reels for some larger studios that got close to 10 minutes. I didn't get bored cause it was all cool stuff. But someones personal demo reel doesn't need to be that long. I was watching a few were I kept looking at the timeline. If I look at the timeline at all, there has to be something wrong. (Or maybe, again, that's just me.)<br />
And what is with the focus on stuff that looks like it might be student work? I like looking at student stuff. As a matter of fact, I think I have bits and pieces of my own student stuff on my reel. I can understand people right out of college doing it, but if you've been working awhile and have the ability to make a reel that is 4 minutes long, cut the student stuff! Not all of it, just chop it down to a few seconds, maybe like ten. And if you really want to show you student stuff, put it on your site as such. Put your thesis up, put assignments up. I'm not opposing the whole student work. I just want to see what you can do, personally and professionally. Is that too much to ask?<br />
Sorry for the ranting, I just get passionate at times and want to slap people onto the correct path in life.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-14142135137313496252011-04-08T00:07:00.000-04:002011-04-08T00:07:17.684-04:00Updated ReelI've recently updated my reel. Its almost there. I've gotten some feedback already, but I can always go for more.<br />
What do think? Any parts bother you? Let me know!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lizzkupfer.com/">LizzKupfer.com</a>LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-20869691139337278352011-04-06T16:54:00.001-04:002011-04-06T16:54:22.925-04:00How Long is your Reel?So, I've seen a bunch of reels and I've made a few myself. My own reels are almost all under a minute. In and Out. No extended cuts. Simple and to the point. But does there come a time when a minute is not enough? I posed the question to a few friends and most agree. Get whatever message you want to convey in a minute.<br />
How long is your reel? Do you agree? What reasons do you have for having a longer reel?LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3083558623377480609.post-75090583931546531342011-03-24T17:31:00.000-04:002011-03-24T17:31:19.773-04:00Been a few weeksWell, its been a few weeks since I last updated my blog. I've updated a few things on my site and resume. Haven't done that in awhile. I don't like updating the info, but its necessary. How else will people know what I've been up to? I'm working on getting some animations polished up and hopefully posted in the next week or two.<br />
Working on my own stuff can be kinda awesome and daunting at the same time. You can only blame yourself for failing. But then you can also only credit yourself for succeeding. And you can never know with out putting yourself out there.LizZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714756822867493294noreply@blogger.com0