Mark's Notes - 6

Another few notes going over students drawings.

Searching for design + shapes that can help explain and 

push the emotion of the pose.

Mark's Notes - 5 - Breakdown of a scene - No. 1

One of my students at VANarts media college shot this video of me while I was discussing the breakdown of a James Baxter scene from ' The Hunchback of Notre Dame '.

In my Story Visual Language class during Term 2, I break some scenes apart focusing on main areas of movement and of when characters stop moving. All applying to the telling of the story for each scene. What is needed to be told and shown, hopefully in an entertaining way. 

I very much gear my Story class to the animated performance for each scene. 

I focus the students to ask questions and search for entertaining ideas that can best visually show their animation performance while also explaining their story to the audience.

The Land Before Time - John Pomeroy - sketches 3

A couple more JOHN POMEROY ' key ' animation poses from the original ' The Land Before Time '.

The ' peg holes ' located at the top of the paper were to hold these in my reference book.

A NEW BLOG

I just started a new blog called –  ‘ PUDLEINER – STUDENT SHOWCASE ‘

This blog was created to showcase my students work at VANarts Media College

and at Animation Mentor.

Along with their blog LINKS, I will post some of their individual scenes,

completed short films and demo reels.

I will be posting more and more student’s work as time continues on as I teach.

Please feel free to visit the site. Just click the link posted above  :-) - Mark

100,000 visits :-)

Wow. 100,000 Page views to this Blog.

Just wanted to say Thank you to all that visit.

I really do hope people get some positives out of 

my posts { and ramblings } :-)

Once again, thank you very much for stopping by. - Mark

VANarts animation program - students interviews

Me talking to some of the 3D seniors

                                                  click HERE to visit the College

                                            

Below is a quick video posted on the school's website.

Inside VanArts - Episode 25: Animation Students from VanArts on Vimeo.

84th Academy Awards > Animation Nominees 2011

 update update update update update update update update

 WINNERS HIGHLIGHTED BELOW

 

Animated Feature Film

• "A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
• "Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
• "Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
• "Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
• "Rango" Gore Verbinski

Music (Original Song)

• "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
• "Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Music (Original Score)

• "The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams

Short Film (Animated)

• "Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
• "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
• "La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
• "A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
• "Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Marks Notes - 4 - James Baxter - The Lion King - RAFIKI scene

Thought I would start the year with a post involving my friend James Baxter and one of his scenes from ' The Lion King '. As many know, James's character was Rafiki.

The one thing that always stands out to me about James's work is the timing. I know he plans out his scenes as we all do, but there is a point where he must stop with the planning and just animate straight ahead. Not worried about any charts or technical spacing, but just feeling the weight of whatever he is moving and going straight ahead. Giving the character and any motion a very natural feeling.

I was suprised with some of his hand shapes with this Rafiki scene. He drew some shapes I did not expect to see as he has the character's hand snap around. When you play the scene below, you can't see any distortion, but you can ' feel ' the fluid point that Rafiki gives Simba.

Beautiful stuff. I put together a sheet that highlights the different drawings of the hand

as it goes through the motion. Hope you enjoy.

copyright WALT DISNEY PICTURES

Notice how James has used a nice smooth arc in perspective as he points with the finger. The finger volume is drawn larger as it moves towards the camera { drwgs 9, 10 and 11 }. The volume is drawn smaller as the finger arcs away from the camera in perspective { drwg 12 } to then come back in size as it settles down towards us { drwgs 13 and 14 }. This smooth curved action, with the perspective, adds to the feeling of the hand moving towards us and away from us in space.

Below are James's drawings in order :

Merry Christmas, Happy holidays 2011

Merry Christmas, happy holidays to all my friends and family :-)

2011 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS + WINNERS

  UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
 Winners are highlighted in BOLD below :


====================================================================

The 39th Annual Annie Awards will take place on Saturday, February 4, 2012, at UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles, California. Award ceremony begins at 7:00 p.m.

2011 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS

PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

          #1 - Best Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris – Folimage
Arrugas (Wrinkles) - Perro Verde Films, S.L.
Arthur Christmas – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Cars 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
Chico & Rita – Chico & Rita Distribution Limited
Kung Fu Panda 2 – DreamWorks Animation
Puss In Boots – DreamWorks Animation

Rango – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production

Rio – Blue Sky Studios
Tintin – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

#2 - Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production

Adventure Time: Thank You – Cartoon Network Studios
Batman: Year One – Warner Bros. Animation
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas – Blue Sky Studios

Kung Fu Panda – Secrets of the Masters – DreamWorks Animation

Prey 2 – Blur Studio
Star Tours – Industrial Light & Magic

# 3 - Best Animated Short Subject

Adam and Dog – Lodge Films

I Tawt I Taw A Puddy Tat – Warner Bros. Animation
La Luna – Pixar Animation Studios
(Notes on) Biology – Ornana Films
Paths of Hate – Platige Image
Sunday – National Film Board of Canada
The Ballad of Nessie – Walt Disney Animation Studios
The Girl and the Fox – Base14
Wild Life – National Film Board of Canada and Studio GDS

# 4 - Best Animated Television Commercial

Audi “Hummingbird” - The Mill
Geico “Foghorn” - Renegade Animation
McDonald’s “Apple Tree” Duck Studios/Kompost
McDonald’s “Suzi Van Zoom” Duck Studios/Kompost
Norton “Stuff”- Psyop
O2 “Niggles & Narks”- The Mill
Statoil “Good Night” - Studio AKA
“The Pirate” - Meindbender

Twinings “Sea” - Psyop

#5 - Best General Audience Animated TV Production

Archer – FX Productions
Green Lantern: The Animated Series – Warner Bros. Animation
Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas - Hallmark
MAD – Warner Bros. Animation
Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2 – Starburns Industries, Inc.
Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.

The Simpsons – Gracie Films

#6 - Best Animated Television Production - Preschool

Chuggington – Ludorum Pictures

Disney Jake and the Never Land Pirates – Disney Television Animation

Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse – Disney Television Animation
The WotWots Season 2 – Pukeko Pictures

#6A – Best Animated Television Production – Children

Fanboy and Chum Chum – Nickelodeon and Frederator
Kung Fu Panda – DreamWorks Animation
Penguins of Madagascar – DreamWorks Animation

The Amazing World of Gumball – Cartoon Network in Association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi

#7 - Best Animated Video Game

Bumpy Road – Simogo
Catherine – Atlus
Gears of War 3 – Epic Games
Gesundheit – Konami Digital Entertainment
Ghost Trick: “Phantom Detective” – Capcom

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet – Shadow Planet Productions, Gagne/Fuelcell

Ratchet and Clark: All 4 One – Insomniac
Rayman Origins – Ubisoft Montpellier
Unchartered 3: Drake’s Deception – Naughty Dog

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

          #8 - Animated Effects in an Animated Production

Can Yuksel “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Chase Cooper “Rango” Industrial Light & Magic
Dan Lund “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Dave Tidgewell “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Eric Froemling “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios
Jason Mayer “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Joel Aron “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Jon Reisch “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios

Kevin Romond “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

Willi Geiger “Rango” Industrial Light & Magic

#9 – Animated Effects in a Live Action Production

Branko Grujcic “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” Industrial Light & Magic

Florent Andarra “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Industrial Light & Magic

Gary Wu “Cowboys & Aliens” Industrial Light & Magic
Lee Uren “Cowboys & Aliens” Industrial Light & Magic

#10 - Character Animation in a Television Production

Chad Sellers “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Michael Franceschi “Kung Fu Panda” Nickelodeon
Rebecca Wilson Bresee “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Sihanouk Mariona “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.

Tony Smeed “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios

#11 - Character Animation in a Feature Production

Andreas Deja “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Dan Wagner “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation

Jeff Gabor “Rio” Blue Sky Studios

Mark Henn “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Olivier Staphylas “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Patrik Puhala “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Pierre Perifel “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation

#12 - Character Animation in a Live Action Production

Andy Arnett “HOP” Rhythm & Hues, Illumination Entertainment
David Lowry “Paul” Double Negative Visual Effects for Universal Productions/Relativity Media/Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions

Eric Reynolds “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” 20th Century Fox

Mike Hull “Paul” Double Negative Visual Effects for Universal Productions/Relativity Media/Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions

#13 - Character Design in a Television Production

Bill Schwab “Prep & Landing” Walt Disney Animation Studios

Carl Raggio “Disney Kick Buttowski” Disney Television Animation
Chad Hurd “Archer” FX Productions
Chris Battle “Dan Vs.” Starz Film Roman
Eric Robles “Fanboy and Chum Chum” Nickelodeon & Frederator
Gordon Hammond “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Mike Dougherty “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Robert Ryan Cory “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome” Cartoon Network Studios

#14 - Character Design in a Feature Production

Jay Shuster “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios

Mark “Crash” McCreery “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions

Patrick Mate “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Peter de Seve “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Sergio Pablos “Rio” Blue Sky Studios

#15 - Directing in a Television Production

Brian Sheesley “Dan Vs.” Starz Film Roman
Chris Savino & Clay Morrow “ Disney Kick Buttowski” Disney Television Animation
Dan Riba “Ben 10 Ultimate Alien” Cartoon Network Studios
Duke Johnson “Community” 23 D Films, Inc.
Gabe Swarr “Kung Fu Panda” Nickelodeon
Ken Bruce “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Kevin Deters & Stevie Wermers-Skelton “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios

Matthew Nastuk “The Simpsons” Gracie Films

Mic Graves & Ben Bocquelet “The Amazing World of Gumball” Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
Peter Hausner “Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu” Wil Film
Steve Loter, Christo Stamboliev, Shaun Cashman, David Knott “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor
Tony Craig “Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas” Hallmark

#16 - Directing in a Feature Production

Carlos Saldahna “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Chris Miller “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Don Hall & Stephen Anderson “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Gore Verbinski “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present a Blind Wink/GK Films Productions

Jennifer Yuh Nelson “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation

Kelly Asbury “Gnomeo & Juliet” Touchstone Pictures

#17 - Music in a Television Production

Adam Berry, Bob Schooley, Mark McCorkle “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor
Ben Locket “The Amazing World of Gumball” Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
Frederik Wiedmann “Green Lantern The Animated Series” Warner Bros. Animation

Grace Potter, Michael Giacchino “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios

Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda “Pixie Hollow Games” DisneyToon Studios
Kevin Kliesch “Thundercats” Kliesch Music Inc.
Shawn Patterson, Zeb Wells “Robot Chicken” ShadowMachine and Stoopid Monkey in association with Adult Swim

#18 - Music in a Feature Production

Henry Jackman “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation

John Williams “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

Mikael Mutti, Siedah Garrett, Carlinhos Brown, Sergio Mendes, John Powell, “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Zooey Deschannel, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Henry Jackman, Robert Lopez “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios

#19 - Production Design in a Television Production

Mark Bodner, Chris Tsirgiotis, Sue Mondt and Daniel Elson “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome” Cartoon Network Studios

Peter Martin “Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas” Hallmark

#20 - Production Design in a Feature Production

Harley Jessup “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios
Paul Felix “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios

Raymond Zilbach “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation

Tom Cardone, Kyle MacNaughton & Peter Chan “Rio” Blue Sky Studios

#21 - Storyboarding in a Television Production

Barry W. Johnson “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Benton Connor “Regular Show” Cartoon Network Studios

Brian Kesinger “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios

Dave Thomas “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Fred Gonzalez “TUFF Puppy” Nickelodeon
Joe Mateo “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios
Justin Nichols “Fanboy & Chum Chum” Nickelodeon & Frederator
Katie Rice “Fanboy & Chum Chum” Nickelodeon & Frederator
Rebecca Sugar “Adventure Time” Cartoon Network Studios

#22 - Storyboarding in a Feature Production

Bob Logan “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
David Gosman “Rango” Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
Gary Graham “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation

Jeremy Spears “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios

Josh Hayes “Rango” Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
Kris Pearn “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Nelson Yokota “Gnomeo and Juliet” Touchstone Pictures
Philip Craven “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Scott Morse “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios

#23 - Voice Acting in a Television Production

Carlos Alazraqui as Denzel Crocker “Fairly OddParents” Nickelodeon
Dan Harmon as Jekyll “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.
Daran Norris as Cosmo “Fairly OddParents” Nickelodeon
Dee Bradley Baker as Obi-Wan “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Diedrich Bader as Batman “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” Warner Bros. Animation
H. Jon Benjamin as Sterling Archer “Archer” FX Productions

Jeff Bennett as Kowalski “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor

Jeff B. Davis as Victor Frankenstein “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.
Jessica Walter as Malory Archer “Archer” FX Productions
Judy Greer as Cheryl Tunt “Archer” FX Productions
Logan Grove as Gumball “The Amazing World of Gumball” Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
Nika Futterman as Asajj Ventress “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Scott Adsit as the Creature “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburns Industries, Inc.
Tara Strong as Timmy Turner “Fairly OddParents – Operation Dingleberg” Nickelodeon

#24 - Voice Acting in a Feature Production

Ashley Jensen as Bryony “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations

Bill Nighy as Grandsanta “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations

Gary Oldman as Shen “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
James Hong as Mr. Ping “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation
Jemaine Clement as Nigel “Rio” Blue Sky Studios
Jim Cummings as Featherstone “Gnomeo and Juliet” Touchstone Pictures
Zach Galifianakis as Humpty Alexander Dumpty “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation

#25 - Writing in a Television Production

Blake Lemons, William Reiss, C.H. Greenblatt, Derek Evanick, Diana Lafyatis, Neil Graf “Disney Fish Hooks – Fish School Musical” Disney Television Animation

Carolyn Omine “The Simpsons -Treehouse of Horror XXII” – Gracie Films

Dani MIchaeli, Sean Charmatz, Nate Cash, Luke Brookshier, Paul Tibbitt “SpongeBob SquarePants - Patrick’s Staycation” Nickelodeon
Josh Weinstein “Futurama - All The President’s Heads” The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Kevin Sullivan, Will Schifrin, Ray DeLaurentis “TUFF Puppy Thunder Dog” Nickelodeon
Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis “Agua Unit Patrol Squad 1 – The Creditor” Williams Street Studios, Adult Swim
Ray DeLaurentis, Will Schifrin “Fairly OddParents “Invasion of the Dads” Nickelodeon
Steve Wermers-Skelton, Kevin Deters “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” Walt Disney Animation Studios

#26 - Writing in a Feature Production

Andy Riley, Kevin Cecil, Mark Burton, Kathy Greenburg, Emily Cook, Rob Sprackling, John R. Smith, Kelly Asbury, Steve Hamilton “Gnomeo & Juliet” Touchstone Pictures
Brian Kesinger, Kendelle Hoyer, Don Dougherty, Clio Chang, Don Hall, Stephen Anderson “Winnie The Pooh” Walt Disney Animation Studios

John Logan, Gore Verbinski and James Byrkit “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions

Sarah Smith, Peter Baynham “Arthur Christmas” Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Steve Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cronish “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

#27 – Editing in Television Production

Garret Elkins “Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole Season 2” Starburn Industries, Inc.
Hugo Morales “Kung Fu Panda” Nickelodeon
Jason W.A. Tucker “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Lucasfilm Animation, Ltd.
Paul D. Calder “Futurama” The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Television

Ted Machold, Jeff Adams, Doug Tiano, Bob Tomlin “Penguins of Madagascar” Nickelodeon and Technicolor

#28 – Editing in a Feature Production

Clare Knight, A.C.E. “Kung Fu Panda 2” DreamWorks Animation

Craig Wood, A.C.E. “Rango” Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions

Eric Dapkewicz “Puss In Boots” DreamWorks Animation
Michael Kahn “Tintin” Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
Stephen Schaffer, A.C.E. “Cars 2” Pixar Animation Studios

JURIED AWARDS

          Winsor McCay Award – Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring, Robert Searle

          June Foray – Art Leonardi

          Special Achievement – Depth Analysis .

Some doodles

Just a few of my sketches that were hanging around my desk at work.

Mark's Notes - 3

Some more of my notes to my VANart story/animation students regarding their silhouette poses.

Below shows one character reacting { laughing } at another who slipped and fell to the ground.

Below are some notes over the students drawn silhouette of a person in despair.