AM + How to Train Your Dragon = Awesome Day - Part 2

After watching How to Train Your Dragon I came home and "went to school". Or I guess I logged on to school? Yeah, anyway today was the first day we gained access to the full website, found out our Q & A time and who our mentor was... Drum roll... My mentor is Anthony Wong! Anthony worked for ten years as a Disney feature animator and is now working at Pixar! He's worked on such great films as Mulan, Hunchback, Hercules, Tarzan and many more! I do believe I hit the jack pot! Yes sir!

Also I watch the Basic Foundations Lecture One, which was amazing! It was basically an over view of the first class. It ran a little over an hour long, and was packed full of nothing but great things! The hr lecture took me about 3hrs due to note taking, re-winding and re-listening. I love being able to re-watch these lectures and not have to ask the teacher to repeat themselves. That alone is great!

Also I watch a few of the training videos designed to get students familiar with maya, even those are cool! They touched on what an animator needs and that is it! Cut the fluff! This is gonna be a great experience!


- Nick

AM + How to Train Your Dragon = Awesome Day - Part 1

I started the day of by watching How to Train Your Dragon, saying movie was awesome could be an understatement. I didn't get to see it in 3d, but WHO CARES! When Dreamworks released Kung Fu Panda I was in awe, but they may have topped themselves with this one.

All of the characters both humans and the dragons look amazing. Honestly I wasn't to crazy about the character design of Toothless and I'm still really not that into him, but he did grow on me. All the main characters are unique in there own way and have their own sense of humor. If you'd like to see more of the character and set concepts I highly recommend The Art of How to Train Your Dragon, its a beautiful book indeed.

The story is very relate-able from multiple stand points. The biggest being the desire to be accepted for who you are by your friends and family and not being for forced into a mold you just aren't meant to fit in. Jay Baruchel is a perfect fit for the character of Hiccup and the animators did a great job of translating his mannerisms to the screen. Hiccup is pretty much the same character he plays in all the movies I've seen him in. Which isn't bad, I guess I just need to see more of his work.

The animation in this movie was all around amazing. I thought the animators did a great job tieing all the personalities and emotions in this film together. The silent acting of Toothless was very nice. The twins were funny and played off each other very nicely, which was new. Astrid is the very strong, independent female that eventually softens up. Christopher Mintz-Plasse does a very nice job as Fishlegs.

Anywho, I could sit and ramble, but that would be boring. Just go watch it! You'll Love it!


- Nick

The Illusion of Life - Part Two

As I continue to read the Illusion of Life I want to write about the things that stand out to me and make think a little further. I'm only on page twenty one so this could be a very long blog...

"Audience Involvement" is the latest thing to really catch my attention. Movies, both live action and animated that I can really relate to really strike a cord with me. It could be anything from a particular character that reminds me of someone in my life, past or present. Or if a character reminds me of myself in a certain way, personally or professionally. These types of movies are rare, but when they come around it can be an amazing thing for the viewer.

Its kinda funny in a way how people like movies or even love them, but another person could say that it was stupid or they hated it. I guess if it doesn't have something for you, then you might think it is stupid or feel like you have wasted your time and money. Not all movies are gonna make you think and dig a little deeper or realize something about yourself. Not all of them are going to speak to you directly, but the ones that do are the best kind, that is "Audience Involvement" like no other. I hope everyone has had that moment at some point, hopefully multiple times.


-Nick

The Illusion of Life - Part One

Today I starting reading The Illusion of Life, I'm not far into it but a quote by Vladimir (Bill) Tytla really struck me... I mean the whole book so far has my chin on the ground but this one thing really popped. This is directly from the book...

Bill was speaking to a group of young animators who had been asking how he achieved his wonderful results on screen. He answered simply, "To me it's as much a mystery as ever before - sometimes I get it - sometimes I don't. I wish I knew, then I'd do it more often.

-Vladimir (Bill) Tytla

I believe this to be so true, I find I do my best work when "my brain is off". Meaning, there is no real thought process, there is no magical recipe. I'm having fun, I'm enjoying what I'm working on and I'm thinking just enough to know what I want to accomplish. After I'm done I set back and ask myself, "Well, how did that happen?" And the answer is "I don't know, but I wish it happened more often."


-Nick

AM Orientation

So this is actually happening! Animation Mentor! WOW, I've sat and watched from afar with my jaw on the ground for so long and finally the day has come! Today we gained access to the student orientation videos and a limited version of the site. Man! Its alot to take in, its so cool!

The videos range from how to format your videos for E Critique to the importance of getting out there and making new friends and commenting on other students work. The site is very user friendly, the web cam setup was a breeze, much more simple then I originally expected.

One video/ interactive exercise I found of great use was the Bridge Program. This exercise was super helpful in actually getting a major goal down on paper and setting a date you'd like to accomplish it. It definitely feels good to write down what you want, when you want it by and the steps needed to get it accomplished. Great stuff!

Tomorrow I'm going to re watch the orientation videos and take a few notes! March 29 can't come soon enough!


-Nick