Class 4 Weeks One and Two

Two weeks of Animation Mentor have already passed and I barely even noticed. It's so good to be back and working on my shots.
Our first assignment is a pantomime shot in which the main character experiences two different emotions (and acts accordingly, of course). Here's what I've come up with so far:

Week 1, Planning:

Week 2, Blocking Pass:



I know, I keep telling it over and over, but the break I took was great and definetely the right decision. I can see now that all the animation principles and teachings of my previous mentors had time to sink in. At Animation Mentor they fill you up with information and knowledge (and motivation!) right until you can't take nothing more. Well, at least that was sort of my experience.
But during my break in which I didn't care to read too much about animation or did any studies on the subject (except for the usual forum zapping) everything sunk in just nicely. Now as I did the blocking I was thinking about a lot more things then I did before. "Oohh, don't forget to add that overlap! Ah, where's that arc going?!" and so on. Lots of things that I would spend time on fixing/polishing later on in the process I sort of naturally include in the early stages. Now that's a welcome progress!
Ok, I'm back to watching the video lecture now, new animation weeks starts in five minutes.
have a good week, cheers
C

Time to act!

Aaaahhh, I can finally return to my studies at Animation Mentor! I just had my first Q&A, where I got to meet my class and my new mentor, Jason Martinsen. He has done some awesome work, including Iron Man 2, Horton Hears A Who! and Ice Age 2 and 3. Check out his Demo Reel!
Fantastic, isn't it?
I'm really happy to be back at this inspiring place, inhabited by great folks. Looking back, taking my 3 months break was definetely the right decision. I could work on my body mechanic shots and take it a little easier for a while and now I'm back and fully charged for all that acting goodness that's coming up now.
That's right, acting! The subject for class 4 is "introduction to acting" and we're getting to do a pantomime shot as well as a monologue shot (without facial animation though, that's going to be done in class 5). So lots to learn, lots of work, lots of excitment coming up!

Talking about lots of work; I'll probably go dark for a while now and won't be able to post as often. You wouldn't believe how time flies at Animation Mentor. Must be some different time-dimension-thing or something, you literally sit down and start working on your shot and before you know it, four weeks have passed.
Well but anyway, I'll give my best to keep you guys updated on a more or less regular basis about Animation Mentor or work related news.

Allright, let's go back to planning that pantomime shot now.

Cheers
C

these ten minutes of film have changed my life

It was in 2006 when I saw Jojo In The Stars at a local film festival and was blown away by it. I had never thought that some computer generated film might be able to touch me as deeply, to convey the characters feelings so convincingly. And they barely had faces. So much for effective character design.
Back then I was selling guitars at some store and was all devoted to music. But this short film turned it all upside down.
I came quite a long way since.
I was able to get an internship which lead to my first 3D job some months after the screening, went to school, learned and learned and learned. Then I got my job at the company where I'm still working today, Feinheit. I'm still learning new stuff every day working on the job.
And then of course there's Animation Mentor. Best school ever. Short, focused, hard animation training with great people and the best teachers you could imagine.
Tomorrow the new term is going to start and I can't wait for it. The batteries are recharged after my three month break and I'm ready to dive back into my studies.

It's crazy to think that these the minutes lead me to all that change..
Enjoy.




Happy New Year
C