One Thing Every Day - Week 1

Ah... my first post of accountability. Let's see what I did this past week to better myself as animator.

Monday
1. I joined a Visual Storytelling class last week. Today I chose a pose from my personal test animation to upload as an example to be potentially critiqued. I posted 5 variations of the same pose as I updated my shot. I'll post them here to make this a little more visually interesting.

 First pass blocking

Second pass blocking with a supporting background.

First Polish Pass 

As I worked through the animation this pose got some updates.

Second Polish Pass

I wasn't satisfied with my shot so I overhauled some of the acting and the posing.

I also re-staged the shot to get a more appealing angle on the character.

I changed some of the proportions on the character's head, shoulders, chest, and arms.

I actually did some slight modeling to the pectoral area where they meet the arms.

Final Pass

As I changed the first portion of the shot, it called for some minor tweaks to blend properly.

Here's the result of the blending on the final pose in this shot.

2. Added new slides for my Body Mechanics classes at AnimSchool, which required some research on Lines, Shapes, and Form.

3. Watched Hotel Transylvania and captured some shots to demonstrate animation concepts to my students.

4. Read chapter 3 of "A Challenge for the Actor" by Uta Hagen.


Tuesday
1. Dissected live action films to collect images for instruction material. Focused on Framing and Composition.

Here's some examples of the images I grabbed for my students.

 Good framing and clear focal point.

There is no doubt who we should be looking at here. I like the framing elements behind Saito (Ken Watanabe). They are asymmetrical since they aren't centered around him, but there are also design elements (brown branches) that point toward his face. Both familiar characters are looking at Saito giving him even more importance in the shot. I interpret the complexity of the lamps above and in the reflection on the table to mirror the complexity of the situation in this scene, or even just another way to emphasize that they are in a world that is merely a reflection of reality.

I feel that Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) is framed a little too far to the right. But as I watch the scene, this awkward framing fits the mood of the shot. There is tension in here, and the slightly off-balance framing supports this tension. They do a great job with the diagonals to pull you into the focal point, and Cutter (Michael Cane) is directing us to Angier with his gaze as well. I like the white cuffs popping out against his jacket causing contrast that keeps us looking at Angier.

 Using the Rule of 3

This is a simple yet elegant example of the rule of 3. We have a clear hierarchy.

1. Agent in the center

2. Agent on the left

3. Agent on the right

Their attire unifies them in purpose, and the sunglasses remove their humanity.

Unclear Focal Point

I feel there are two competing focal points in this shot causing it to be unclear what should draw my attention. The high contrast of the octopus pulls me into the shot, but everyone is looking at Ken, and all of the dynamic lines point to Ken as well.

Where is the Power

Great example of dynamic framing, and it is very clear that one of these characters is in control and the other is definitely in trouble. There is a story in this one single frame. I love it!

Organizing Chaos

This is a marketing image that I don't think was actually in the film. There are so many characters in this shot, but it is crafted well.Woody is definitely the focal point. Then they use the rule of 3 to group side characters.

Woody, Jessie, and Hamm

Rex, Slinky, and Buzz

Bullseye, Mr. Potato Head, and Mrs. Potato Head

Story

Without ever seeing this movie you could show this image to somebody and they will immediately know that Morgan Freeman's character is a convict. Somebody is exerting authority over him, and he is rejecting their exertion.

 Contrast

Notice Mel Gibson has the most blue paint, and it is on his face, an area that draws our eyes immediately. Also notice how everyone else who has their face in the shot, has their eyes squinted tightly shut, so we are drawn to William Wallace alone.

2. Read chapter 4 of "A Challenge for the Actor" by Uta Hagen.

Wednesday
1. Completed a new hybrid version of my personal shot where I cut the original beginning back in by request of a respected peer. I did three versions of this shot. The first was in dire need of plussing, so the second and final versions are much stronger, in my opinion.

Original Version

Second Version

"I'm Not Gonna Do That Anymore"

 

(click image to see most recent version)

2. Read chapter 5 of "A Challenge for the Actor" by Uta Hagen.

Thursday
1. The Visual Storytelling class had critiques of multiple student drawings and photos uploaded. I watched 8 of them for a total of 2 hours of video critiques.


Friday
1. Watched 1 more 15 minute video critique for the Visual Storytelling class.

2. Watched The Dark Knight Rises. Focused on use of composition, and camera cuts.


Saturday
1. Read chapter 6 of "A Challenge for the Actor" by Uta Hagen.


Sunday
1. Read chapter 7 of "A Challenge for the Actor" by Uta Hagen.

My weekends will probably be mostly "low impact" work, but I do want to accomplish something each day, so reading will suffice for Easter weekend. This week we start a new term at AnimSchool, and on Friday I start a 3 day drive to Los Angeles. Let's see what I am able to accomplish this busy week!

One Thing Every Day

Last year around September I decided that I wanted to at least one thing every day that will improve me as an animator, performer, and storyteller. I feel like these all work well together, and I enjoy all three of them very much.

I'm going to start holding myself accountable by posting what I have done each week on my blog. Hopefully, it won't get stale and boring. Either way the goal isn't to write compelling posts to entice a readership, but to keep myself focused, and working on my personal goals.

The cool thing is that, by being an animator, and animation instructor, I actually get paid to improve in these areas. Since I don't currently work at a studio, I am not animating nearly as much as my peers, so I do need to stay in practice, and keep improving in all of these areas to become a more well-rounded animator.

My first update will be this Friday.

A Tribute to Great Teachers

For some reason I started thinking about my childhood and the teachers that held me to a higher standard, and by doing so, made me believe I was special.

My Father
I grew up in a "financially challenged" home. My father raised me and my two sisters, and now that I have 3 kids of my own, I realize how difficult it must have been for him to have done that alone. He worked long hours, and sometimes multiple jobs. The most time I spent with my father was when I joined his construction crew during my summer vacations. Sometimes money was so tight that our crew consisted of just me and my father. It's hard for me to picture it now, but I was in my pre-teen years helping my dad pour concrete. I can't imagine how my son would handle that situation. I earned $1 a day for my work, but truth be told it was rare that I actually received my wages. There weren't many moments that people might call quality father-son time, but I learned a lot about life during those summers. First and foremost, never work for free. All joking aside, I credit my father for my work ethic, and I try to honor his sacrifices by making a better life for myself and my family.
 

(I spent most of my elementary school years here)

Mrs. Maxwell
I am naturally outgoing, and in elementary school this helped me to land the lead part in the school play, Pinocchio Jones. My biggest fan was my music teacher, Mrs. Maxwell. She would ask me how I learned to sing and dance so well. It made me feel like a star. It's interesting to reflect on how much I enjoyed performing for a crowd back when I was that young. Being funny was a way to get attention, and I worked hard at being funny.

I was feeling pretty good about myself when I moved into middle school. I was what kids would call "popular" in sixth grade. I decided to join band and became first chair rather quickly. After two months we moved to a different part of town, and I joined a new school. The second school I attended had a band teacher that did everything she could to keep me from excelling in her class. she was the bizarro-teacher to my super-teachers. I'm sure everyone has had a bizarro-teacher in their lives. I put up with her for a couple of months but eventually I got tired of it, so I quit band. The following week we moved again.

(My old middle school is now a 9th grade only school)

My third school was Milliken. Most of the students around me came from middle to upper-middle class families. I was surrounded by students wearing brand named clothes, and I watched them get picked up by their parents in expensive cars while I walked home in my Wal-Mart duds and Payless shoes. I learned quickly that kids who wear ProWings were easy targets for cruel jokes. I did not fit in, and I was insecure.

(These are the actual style shoes I had in middle school!)

Coach Rogers
I played sports, and sang on the choir team, but my spirit had been damaged, and I did not seek the spotlight any more. I was naturally athletic, but if I excelled it would bring attention. I was content to fade into the large pack of mediocrity in everything I did.

There was one coach who was also my science teacher who saw something in me. I wasn't sure why, but Coach Rogers would put extra pressure and responsibility on my shoulders. I don't think I responded well at that time in my life. I probably let him down more than he deserved, but he made an impression on me. I appreciated what he did, but I never told him, because I didn't know how.

(Hard to believe it's been 20 years since I walked those halls!)

Ms. Brookmole
In high school I continued my strategy of flying below radar. My junior year I took Art as an elective. This is where I met Ms. Brookmole, who has since remarried and changed her last name. I remember making a fuss when she asked us to buy magazines for an assignment. I hated spending money, and I made it clear to everyone in that classroom how irritated I was. Fortunately, I turned in my assignment and she loved it. From then on she encouraged me to pursue art more heavily. I had no intention of doing so. I was going to be a pilot or an engineer. At least until I took my first physics class. Art sounded like a promising career suddenly. She coaxed me into submitting my work into school art contests which I won several awards. This gave me the courage to make art my major when I moved onto college.


I haven't been able to reunite with Ms. Brookmole or Coach Rogers, but one day, while I was still in high school, I ran into Mrs Maxwell while working at a local grocery store. She ran up to me with a big smile and hugged me about as hard as you can get away with hugging in public without getting a citation . She turned to my coworkers beaming and doted on me as if I was her own child. She told them I was the best performer she had ever seen in all her decades of teaching. I was shocked, and a little embarrassed. She asked what plays I have been in since my grand fifth grade performance, and I was ashamed to admit that I hadn't been in one. She gave me a stern look and demanded I get back to it. And with one last hug she left. I think she will never know how much those brief minutes meant to me, and how much they influenced my future.

I hope my kids, and maybe if I'm lucky enough, other people look back and think of me as fondly as I think of these teachers.

SIGGRAPH 2012 - Los Angeles

This August I jumped on a plane and headed back to the west coast for a convention that I have wanted to attend for the last 10 years, but never could justify the expense. Of course I'm talking about the National Unicorns Are Real But You Just Can't See Them Expo, or NUARBYJCSTE for short.

I landed in LAX for the very first time, although I made many trips there back when I lived in Los Angeles, picking up friends and relatives. It never failed the first thing they all wanted to do was see Hollywood. I always tried to convince them to join me on a unicorn hunt, but never got any takers.

Well I learned rather quickly that NUARBYJCSTE is as elusive as the unicorns themselves. I asked at every corner where the convention was being held, but to no avail.

Instead I decided to go to SIGGRAPH since I was in town, and because my boss paid for my flight and told me to help him run the AnimSchool booth. So all wasn't lost.

I remembered just how hard it was to park in Los Angeles rather quickly. But I found a great way around that problem. Apparently, if you are a police officer you can park anywhere you want!

This police car is NOT stopped at the stop sign waiting for traffic. They pulled up right in front of me while I was speaking to my lovely wife on the phone. Initially I thought they were going to ticket me for being so good looking, but nope, they just hopped out and proceeded to the taco stand across the street. Fortunately the smell of tacos distracted them from how amazing I looked that day. It also distracted them so much they parked 2 feet away from the curb. Driving around L.A. really works up an appetite.

The fun started the next day when we built our entire exhibit, from scratch. Me, Dave, and Isaac tackled this booth with the vigor and grace of three panda bears.

If something didn't bow to my whim I punched it in the face. I made an example of the sofa and everything else did as told. Here's a few progression pictures of our booth. This was taken just after I laid out the insolent sofa.

Eventually the sofa came to, and apologized for it's misconduct. It even offered to take me out for drinks after we were finished that night. I found under its rebellious facade, it was a softy. Good thing I didn't make that pun near those L.A. cops. I would have been ticketed for sure.

 Finally we finished and were ready for my adoring fans to flood the building for autographs.

We were there for 3 days. I had so many fans clamoring to meet me, I actually lost my voice the first two days. It was the hardest fun I have ever had. Here's a little video of the AnimSchool guys in action.

If you missed your opportunity to see me in person, don't worry! I'll be back in L.A. in November for CTN. Maybe next time I'll even catch a unicorn!

Home Office Make-Over

The new year brought with it some big changes for the Tonymation family. I left my studio job and decided to venture out with AnimSchool full-time. It was a much needed change for me and my animation sanity. I enjoy spending my days in my home office. However, that wasn't always the case.

There was a time in my not so distant past that my office was the messiest and most unorganized room in our house. And let me tell you, with 3 youngsters running amuck all day, that's quite a tall statement. With the magic of Photoshop, I will give you a glimpse into the mess that was once my office...

(This is a panorama stitched together from 13 photos)

I have to admit that a small amount of the mess was attributed to my prepping for the office overhaul, but I assure you that most of it was what I saw every day I mustered up the courage to venture into that part of our home. Another thing I should mention... the clean floor you see there, used to be littered with toys that my two girls graciously placed there for future engagements. I gathered them up and cleared room to build my...

SUPER AWESOME TONYMATION RENOVATION OFFICE OF THE YEAR! 

"SATROOTY" for short. Which is also how my youngest says Saturday, by the way. A little Tonymation trivia for you. If I'm handing out trivia I guess I should be more accurate. She hasn't said Saturday to my knowledge, but that's how I imagine she will say it for the first time.

So I sought out the replacement office furniture, and after selecting the best that money has to offer... that is, the best that my wife allowed me to buy, I made my purchase and sat in my office chair for 5 days anxiously waiting for the delivery. My family begged me to come out of my office but their pleas fell on deaf ears... mainly because I was asleep.

Finally the boxes arrived. I figured I'd have a new office in a matter of hours. What I didn't realize is that those hours would add up to span over two days. I assembled the seven pieces with the precision and efficiency of a Winnebago. Eventually I threw away the extra parts and overlooked the wobbly pieces and claimed victory over the instruction booklets I refused to look at. To make a statement I urinated on them and tried to light them on fire ceremoniously. Unfortunately urine is not flammable, so I just threw them into my neighbor's backyard.

Be prepared to be amazed! The exclusive unveiling of the SATROOTY is about to happen before your very eyes!

(SATROOTY demanded 25 images for you to fully appreciate all of its glory)

Even though I deserve all of the credit for this amazing transformation, I'm obligated to mention that my father-in-law replaced my old lame ceiling fan with this fan that matches my sweet cherry finish theme. My ten percent discount would have been revoked had I left that out.

So there you have it. SATROOTY has truly lived up to the expectations of the entire Tonymation family. Yes it is true that I am the only one allowed in or near SATROOTY, but I know that everyone else is satisfied with simply living vicariously through me.

SATROOTY requested that I inform her fans that more posters will adorn her walls soon.