Shit Happens ;)

Since we only had to make one video pitch (which took many takes but wasn't so much work as submitting the usual amount of animation), I used this weekend to color an old pencil sketch I've done about a year ago.

Hope you like it :)

Wall-e

I must admit - since these last two weeks I'm only to upload a video reference of my self video pitching my story, I've thought I could find something a little more interesting.
So, here's a short presentation of Wall-e ;)

Ollie Johnston (1912-2008)

Ollie was one of the most greatest and important people the world had ever known when it comes to the art of animation.
He's one of the fathers of so many beloved characters we all grew upon - Balu, Pinochio and many more.
I've found several links regarding the passing away of Ollie, and words of goodbye written by people who had known him.

Read it here :)

My AM reel and also, starting to explore my short...

I can't believe how fun it is, to finally start working on my short.
I've decided to sit and start sketching and doodling, no a reel story board, but something to explore my mind and checking what camera angles could be interesting, what could work and what wouldn't work.
For now, my mentor (Elliot Bour) and I are feeling strongly that the story about Bishop and the soda machine could really work nicely, so I'm all pumped up and super excited to start working on it.

I've also took this week to render my assignment since class 2 and up until the end of class 4, and finally composing them together in a short reel with music and a wider format.

Hope you'll enjoy it :)

Jeff Gabor's Video Reference - Horton Hears A Who!

This is one talented animator and a great actor!
You could find 4 synchronized windows to show the animation process from video reference taken by Jeff, playblast (in stepped mode and then in spline mode) and finally - the full rendered version.

I've seen this clip many times and I really enjoy seeing it each time again and again :)

Watch it here :)

Class 5 - Session 502

This week we had to think... and think... and then think some more - what would be the best ideas for our short film (and by the way - it's gone down to only 30 seconds now because apparently many students just couldn't get their movie to be done by the end of the semester).

I had to post 3 Ideas, and I would like to thank a good friend that study with me and we're in the same class (again!) - Shimi Volkovich, for helping me with the brainstorming.

Anyway, these were the 3 ideas I had posted, and for now I believe I would go for the one with the Soda machine.

My Ideas:
Story No.1

My idea is called “The last supper", and it takes place in a small kitchen, at a small apartment, nearby the dining table is already set for dinner. It’s night time.

We open with Bishop, sitting at the table, looking at his wife, watching her cooking something in a pot.
The wife standing with her back to the camera, until she finishes to make dinner and she turns towards Bishop, giving him a tired look, and putting a large amount of unrecognized food in his plate.
Bishop looks at his plate and back at his wife which is now starring at him and nodding with her head “go on, eat!”.
He looks disgused but he picks up the fork and dig in, having a big bite at the hidiouse meal under her supervision, chewing the food slowly and smiling at her with his mouth closed while he continues to chew. We can see on his face that he hates the taste but when his wife looks at him with a questioning look “well, do you like it?” he shakes his head afermitevly, so she won’t be offended by his answer.
Then she turns to sit and starts to eat, until a second later, she stops eating, realizing what’s her meal really tastes like, and only then she understands, that her husband lied to her only because he loves her too much to tell her the truth and by that, hurting her.
She spits what ever is left in her mouth into a napkin, walks to him and gives him a big kiss.

The moral of the story is… sometimes it’s better to lie than to tell the truth.


Story No.2

My idea is called “Sleeping with the enemy” and it takes place at an apartment, at the beginning - in the bedroom, and towards the rest of the movie, in the living room. It begins at night time and it finishes when morning breaks.

We open with bishop, getting ready to go to sleep, sitting on the side of his bed, with a happy and tired smile on his face, setting his alarm clock , getting into the bed, yawning, and turning the light off.
Until suddenly there is a sounds of a mosquito flying in the room. The light turns on and we see Bishop looking for the mosquito, trying to catch him with a pillow.
Each time the mosquito lands on something, Bishop jumps towards him with his pillow, trying to squash him but the mosquito keeps escaping.
And then the mosquito is fleeing to the living room being followd by Bishop, and we see the house from the out side, lights turning on in every room, while we hear things getting broken.
Until we see the mosquito on the wall and Bishop finally kills him.
Finally we see Bishop with a victorious smile on his face, goes back into his bed, the room is in total loss state, Bishop turn off the light.
Until finally the alarm clock turn on as we see the sun beginning to rise thorugh his bedroom window.

The moral of the story is… sometimes it’s worth ruining all your possesions in order to have the satisfaction of killing a mosquito.

Story no.3

My idea is called “Painfull pride” and it takes place in a swimming pool. It’s the middle of the day in the summer.

We open with Ace, he’s a macho guy who is really full of himself, and he likes girls very much. He loves to impress the young girls by pointing at them with his finger and giving a wink and a smiling at them, making a gesture of “who’s your man? you know I’m your man”.
Ace walks around the pool, making bodybuilder gestures, trying to showoff while looking at his bolcky muscles.
Until he see’s from the other side of the pool a young woman, lying in the sun having a tan.
He decides to impress her by making a fancy jump into the water from the spring board. He goes to the spring board, making sure he has her attention, giving her a big smile, sending her a kiss through the air and beginning to jump higher and higher, while he never takes his look off her the entire time.
Until finally he makes the biggest jump. Making a few circles in the air and going down into the pool.
Then we see the pool from above and him lying on the floor in a painfull position, his arms and legs trumbles and the pool is completely dry out of water.

The moral of the story is – pay attention to the more important things!


Story no.4

My idea is called “Be Cool” and it takes place in a company’s lounge. It’s the in the middle of the day in a closed place.

We open with Bishop, he’s an employe in the company and he’s having a rough day.
All he wants right now is a cool soda can to relax with, and he’s approaching the soda machine, enters a coin and presses one of the buttons.
The machine gives a slight sounds as if begining to bring him his drink, and then immediately stops, while keeping him waiting.
He looks at the slot and doesn’t see anything. He pushes the button again, and keeps on pushing the buttons many times, and fast, then he starts tilting and shaking the machine.
The machin starts trembling and shaking until suddenly it shoots 3 cans at once into Bishops “lower stomach” and he falls on his knees in pain. A few seconds later Bishop tries to get up, putting his hand on the machin, and then the machine shoots another single soda can that hits him on the head and knocks him on his back.
Finally the tilted machine is almost settled and then finally falls on Bishop, crushing him under its weight so we can only see Bishop’s twisted hand.

The moral of the story is – Try to relax, or you might get yourself into more trouble.

Ice Age 3 - Dawn Of The Dinosaurs

Finally it's here - the first glimpse of Ice Age 3!!!
Watch the trailer here:

Watch it here :)

Keeping myself busy!

Since this week was all about looking for ideas, and since I had a few free hours, I've decided to come back and draw in Photoshop.
This was originally a pencil sketch I've made at work about two years ago, and only now I've found the time (and strength) to "give it birth" ;)

Hope you'll like it!

Class 5 - Here we go!!!

Finally I begin my class 5! This term will be the beginning of my short film, even though it should last about one minute or so, and even though it sounds fairly easy - I know it would be one hard work, but I'm looking forward to it (and scared as hell too).
My mentor this semester will be Elliot M.Bour - an animator at Disney which worked on Aladdin, Mulan and many more (since 1991 which is pretty long time comes to think of it!).

Come check his Blog

This week's lecture was about how we think and who we should think, and tune our way f thinking and having ideas - there are no bad ideas nor good ones - there are all just ideas.
While I was listening to the lecture, they had suggested to let the inspiration comes to you by doodling - so I did. I draw a doodle for about 5 minutes, and this is what I came up with... hmm.... kinda freaky :)

Irma's Car - A (really) short clip by Crew 972

This is a shot yet entertaining piece of animation, using drawings and 3D animation (which looks like 2D).
Anyway, enough talking - check it out :)