Gadsby Meeting

I met with Gadsby yesterday and got a bunch of needed help towards my resume. She helped me with the layout and the organization of how my resume should run in order with the newest information from MCA coming first and the information of my last school following after. We went over how the Objective on the resume should sell me to the clients reading it and never to refer to yourself in the sentence statement. We talked about any possibilities of beefing up my "experience" information as well. I told her that I would like to find work in Seattle, Wa and she was able to find me two contact to email and provided some references on how to email them professionally in hopes to create a network with them to gain more information on obtaining a job within Seattle and how to become more competitive with other job applicants. I plan to do a follow up meeting with her once I have completed my resume for any added help she may provide.

She also suggested that I take a portfolio and visit Comic.com and Siggraph and try to make network connections with the people that attend the shows.

Another suggestion she gave me was that I could personalize my resume with a little art work of my characters around my name or the edges of the resume that will make it stand out from the rest and not make it look so much like a typed out template.

Project Update 1/27

Discovery and Wake up backgrounds shots painted and completed. Next I will finish animating the main character walking across these shots.

Job Search Findings

1. Blizzard Entertainment

Office: Irvine, California, United States

Games they work with - Diablo, World of War Craft, Star Craft

A. Environment Artist, In-Game Cinematics

Blizzard Entertainment is looking for an exceptionally skilled 3D environment artist to join its in-game cinematics team. The ideal candidate has extensive experience designing, modeling, and texturing a diverse visual range of environments and props. This individual should have a solid grasp of form, color, and lighting for both 2D and 3D art assets. The 3d environment artist must also have a skill in another art task as well (illustration, modeling, texturing, animation, or concept drawing), and be well-versed in related tools -- Maya, Mudbox, Photoshop, etc.

B. Requirements

• A minimum of 2 years experience in game development, modeling, and texturing environments using Maya and Photoshop (or equivalent 3D and 2D programs)
• An exceptional understanding of form, shape, structure, and silhouette in regard to modeling
• Superior eye for light, shade, color, and detail in creating texture maps of different material types
• Self-motivation, good communications skills, and a great team-player attitude
• Skill in one or more of the related creation tasks -- illustration, modeling, texturing, animation, or concept drawing
• Understanding of Blizzard Entertainment's visual style and a passion to push it to the next level

Pluses

• Have shipped AAA, PC, or console titles as a 3D environment artist
• Experience with Mudbox, ZBrush, (or equivalent modeling programs) and the process of converting high-poly sculpted environments into lower poly game assets
• Experience with the creation of next-generation shaders and materials
• Strong foundation in the traditional arts including, but not limited to figure drawing, and environmental and / or architectural illustration

Blizzard Job Directories - Click here.

2. Rhythm & Hues: Job Listings Here

Past Works : The Wolfman, The A-Team, Knight & Day, and Alvin and the Chipmunks

A. Matte Painter

They are currently hiring experienced Matte Painters to join our strong VFX creative team. The Matte Painter reports to the VFX Supervisor and Art Director and will be responsible for creating matte paintings and concept art for high end VFX feature films. Positions are full time and at our studio in Playa Del Rey, CA. Projects range from 4 weeks to 6-12 months.

Responsibilities:

• Collaboration with Art Director on feature film matte paintings.
• Communicate and interact with other departments.
• Attend dailies and any job related tasks necessary for your painting.
• Must have previous feature film experience.

B. Required Skills:

• Must have high-level photo real painting experience and have the ability to match lighting and photo real characteristics of the plates supplied.
• Strong skill base and experience in Photoshop.
• Experience with 3D packages and projection painting is preferable.
• High skill level in painting, composition, perspective, and color.
• Experience painting mattes and set extensions.
• Must have problem solving skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Must be self-motivated and self-guided.
• Must know how to work with reference and work efficiently.

They ask for a copy of your resume, cover letter, and weblink to online reel

3. Rhythm & Hue - Texture Painter

Must be capable of a variety of texture styles from photo realistic to painterly for a wide range of commercial, feature and episodic television projects. The ideal candidate will be critical with his or her own work, must follow reference material exactly, must be organized and have the ability to problem solve and be creative.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver digital files with high quality texture finishing to lighters and collaborate in testing and verification as necessary.
• Collaborate and bring creativity to a team with artists, lighters and modelers
• Meet schedules and artistic guidelines under deadline
• The ability to duplicate the reference material onto your model (maps)
• Adhere to any specifics a job defines, i.e. call times etc.
• Innovative problem solver and workflow designer
• Full understanding of map properties in relation to their surface

Required Skills:

• Minimum of 2 years of prior visual effects experience required
• Organic texture experience highly desired
• Excellent work ethic
• Experience with Mudbox, ZBrush, BodyPaint and Photoshop
• Ability to create high quality texture maps, including Bump, and Specular Maps.
• Knowledge of 3D design parameters with an understanding of lighting and modeling
• Excellent artistic and painting skills, and in-depth understanding of color theory and application
• Strong knowledge of 3D animation and interactive entertainment forms
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Ability to rapidly learn and assimilate new technologies
• Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of self-direction
• Self-managed and self-motivated.
• A history of consistent high-end aesthetic and technical execution

Desired Skills:

• Interest and ability to mentor artists
• Promotes interdepartmental collaboration
• Perspective and design skills

They ask for a copy of your resume, cover letter, and weblink to online reel

Job Research

Rhythm & Hues -

Location: LA West side, two miles south from LA international Airport

Past works : The Wolfman, The A-Team, Knight & Day, and Alvin and the chipmunks

Current positions opened :

Matte Painter - The matte painter reports to the VFX Supervisor and Art Director and will be responsible for creating matte paintings and concept art for high end VFX feature films. Positions are full time and at the studio. Projects range from 4 weeks to 6-12 months.

Compositor - 2D - Compositions work closely with Lighters and Matte Painters to finish shots; seamlessly integrating live-action footage or elements.

Jr. Houdini Effects TD - Effects TDs create visuals to represent natural phenomenon (fire, water, smoke, clouds, and bubbles) and anything else extraordinary. These effects employ the use of particle systems, deformations, blobbles, flocking, dynamics, rendering, compositing, shader writing, scripting, and other procedural techniques.

Modeler - Technical Director -

What does a good Modeler show in his or her portfolio?

Modelers have come from a variety of backgrounds. Successful applicants must show a solid sense of three-dimensional design and attention to detail through work with traditional sculpture, architecture and/or industrial design, as well as digital models.

Since much of our work deals with combining computer generated elements with live-action, you should show that the level of detail in your work can approach photo-realistic complexity. Also, a demonstrated high level of understanding of anatomy and proportions of realistic human figures and animals is helpful.

Since our work is also quite diverse in subject, the most successful applicants also demonstrate a breadth of competence in 3D form – from mechanical design to organic objects, from photo-real To stylized.

What do Modelers do at Rhythm & Hues?

Modelers concentrate on modeling and sculpting, but these days, that encompasses the assigning of UV texture mapping coordinates, as well as creating any groups which the Lighter or Character Animator may need. This means that the Modeler must understand the different ways to project a texture map and what those results will be. They must also understand how the object will be lit. Modelers work very closely with Lighters and Animators to ensure that there is enough detail and control where necessary and not too much detail where it is unnecessary.

Demo Reel for R&H - Visual FX

To submit your work you must have the following :

Cover Letter, Resume, Demo Reel (DVD NTSC only) & shot breakdown sheet

Huge list of film companies that are Midwest Based

Plan to have by 1/25

1. Revised time line completed - Because we now have the dates on when our projects are to be completed and turned in for the BFA, I want to redo the time line to be more accurate.

2. Backgrounds for Scene 4 completed and ready for animation. Total-3

a) Tune Croon discovery bg.

b) Close up of couple bg.

c)Tune Croon close up bg.

3. Wake up Shot completed.

4. Re-write log line

BFA Pitch

Log Line - In a world where music becomes a right of passage, a tune croon must discover his tune to find his perfect mate to sing his song too.

Synopsis - A lonely Tune Croon journeys around the forest in search of the perfect mate to sing his song too. After trying too hard to impress just anyone he realizes his actions aren't working. This Tune Croon learns that you can't go out and look for love, love will find you.

Objective - My project Goal is to create a full animation telling the story I have written that is themed as a "rite of passage". The sounds from the Tune Croons will be animated bye visual effects that appear as they sing.

The story starts with a Tune Croon who has not yet transitioned into a type of adult-hood that he desires and seeks out. He watches from a distance how two other Tune Croons play their songs to one another to make a harmonious melody. In his discovery he learns that his own sounds can be used to find a mate. He is now faced with a journey to develop his own melody. Through three different attempts he learns that finding a mate will be harder than he thought. After his failed attempts the Tune Croon is exhausted and sadden as the day becomes night. His emotional stress causes him to give up and and sleep. Only after he starts to rest that he is discovered by a few lightening bugs that temp him to try his tune again with their own tones that emit as they glow. It is here where he starts to piece together his own song and follow the bugs into the forest where he is lead to many other lightening bugs who have gathered for mating season. This is where he becomes so intrigued by the bugs that he did not notice another Tune Croon is already there and watching. He sings out his newly found song to the bugs and the female returns his call and sings along with him.

Target Audience - I believe the target audience can be just about anyone ages 10 and up. Themes include: Self Discovery and Adventure. The story itself should display character and environmental design along with story development.

Positioning - This animation will be presented by computer screen that will loop in the BFA gallery and shown from my demo reel.

Mandatories:

Photoshop- Backgrounds, foregrounds, and assets designed with a painterly effect.

Toon Boom- Character animated and exported with transparency.

After Effects- Used for composition and placement of animated characters. Animating the visual music characters will play.

Logic Pro- Creating individual tunes for each character to play as their songs.

Old Trumpet- Unique (bad) vocals for the main character through his development through out the animation.

Keyboard- Creation of the music for characters.

Inventory:

10 painted backgrounds

16 shots

Time Line:

Jan

week1 - Pitch

week2 - scene 4 - Couples Discovery, Wake up shots

Feb

week 1- scene 5 - Girl 1, Birds

week 2- Finish Birds

week 3- Scene 6 - Girl 2, (music and effects)

week 4- Finish 6 and cont. Music and Effects

March

week 1- Girl 3, Scene 7 Sad Walk

week 2- Scene 10 - Fire fly follow

week 3- spring break (record trumpet sounds)(music)

week 4- Scene 11 - Ending (boy meets girl)

April

week 1- Finish any sounds needed

week 2- Composite

week 3- Critique

week 4- Revisions

May

BFA Showing, DVD, Online Portfolio