Debbie Does Whatever

So Close Yet So Far

2009-04-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

Thesis Defense in 17 days! Barring any unforeseen challenges, I should have a rough (rough) draft of my film complete. I've been futzing and tinkering around for weeks, but now I know all about alpha channels & compositing. And, I've made friends with Photoshop's animation function.

Here's a sneak Peak:

must. keep. moving. forward.

I ♥ Photoshop

2009-03-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

In Bed is still underway! 4 months until deadline. . .

My production workflow looks a little something like this:

Live-Action video shoot ------> Editing with Premiere ------> Hand-drawn rotoscope ------> Hand-painted textures ------> Digital painting & compositing using Photoshop ------> Animation timing with After Effects ------> FINISH!!!!!

Here's an excerpt from my animatic. It features music by my amazing composer, DJ Brady.

Now, onto coloring, compositing, & cleanup!!!!

In Bed

2009-01-17T22:10:00.001-08:00

Thesis is underway! Here are a few preliminary still frames:

Bedtime!

Debbie Does Mocap

2008-12-05T17:51:00.000-08:00

Now, to shift gears from thesis. Here's my final project from the introductory motion capture class. I didn't create the character or the music. Although, I am responsible for the ridiculousness. Props to hubby for his mad acting skills!!!

Bonus Total Nerd T-Pose:

:)

Business Cards

2008-10-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

I wanted to create something fun & memorable, while showcasing Aaron's DIY/indie filmmaker status.

And the winner is:

Runner Up:

Now, to make one for myself. Hmmmm...

Shift

2008-10-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

Amanda, Dave, and I finished our experimental project!

Tagline:
A house breaks apart and rebuilds itself within shifting planes.

Shift is an experimental film that combines traditional and digital media, such as stop-motion, hand-drawn, and 3D animation. Amazing music by DJ Brady! Check it out:

(Ahhh, video compression. Came out a little dark.)

In Bed

2008-08-31T16:18:00.001-07:00

Thesis is underway!
Here are some early style tests:

I'll be updating my thesis blog regularly, so check it out!

Zombie Girl at Fantastic Fest

2008-08-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Great news! Zombie Girl: THE MOVIE will be screening (rough cut) at this years Fantastic Fest. I designed the poster :)

Here's the latest trailer (higher quality on the ZG website):

Links to visit:

Zombie Girl: THE MOVIE
ZG on MySpace
ZG on Facebook
Fantastic Fest
Emily Hagin's Website

Out of the Office

2008-06-22T09:51:00.001-07:00

Summer vacation, Ya'll. Check back soon.

Yep, that's me.

Character Animation

2008-05-30T15:40:00.001-07:00

I took a character animation class using Maya last semester. Maya has a pretty steep learning curve, and although I'm still a beginner, I'm pretty happy with my progress.

Here are a few of my (unrendered) exercises. The character rig was provided by our teacher, Maks Naporowski.

Weight:

Jump:

Walk:

Lip-Sync and Performance (audio clip from The Shield):

More practice!

Motion Painting

2008-05-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

In memory of Robert Rauschenberg, 1923-2008

In my first year at USC, we created experimental animations
in the style of Rauschenberg. I shot this under the 16mm camera:

More Bunny Love

2008-05-09T12:19:00.001-07:00

Just for the hell of it. Animation old school style.
Here's a quick cut-out test I did under the camera:

Love Seat

2008-04-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

I have an interactive installation exhibiting at the Sea and Space gallery this weekend. This project explores the dynamics of a relationship (recurring theme?), with over 2,000 potential gesture combinations between the couple!

This is a Flash based project, which I'll eventually publish online. Until then, here are a few random stills:

www.seaandspace.org

*Update*
Click here to see photos from the show!

Zombie Girl

2008-04-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

Titles are almost done:

Opening sequence snippet:

Special thanks to Kurt for his keen suggestions!

Debbie Does Thesis

2008-04-09T14:58:00.001-07:00

I'm messing around with different looks for my thesis film. It's about married life...

I'm keeping a separate blog for this project. It's set to private, so just ask, and I'll send you an invite.

First Look '08

2008-04-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

Remember this?

It's playing as an installation at USC's First Look Animation Festival at the DGA theater in Hollywood. There are some great films playing. Click on the above title to see excerpts of everyone's work. Personally, I can't wait to see Dear Fatty.

Also, to request a DVD of the event, email animation@cinema.usc.edu.

Experimental Animation Project

2008-03-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

This semester, I've teamed up with Amanda and Dave on a project for Mike Patterson's music video class. We're making an experimental film about earthquakes, in which we'll be combining stop-motion, special effects, 2D and 3D animation.

Here's a style frame which Amanda created using some of our elements.

Exciting!

Self-Portrait

2008-03-18T09:12:00.001-07:00

Xing! Move!

2008-02-27T22:26:00.000-08:00

I finally got a copy of the documentary Li Xuhuan (Susie) and I made in Beijing. However, somewhere in the PAL to NTSC transfer, we lost all our music and sound. Bummer. In the meantime, here's a (silent) teaser clip.

Riding the Bus:

Diamonds in the Rough

2008-02-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

More fun with Flash and sound. Click on the pic below to see my animation. Volumes up:

My Studio Space

2008-02-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a pic of my workspace, Ya'll. It's a little messy because I've been working HARD:

Flash Happiness

2008-01-21T16:08:00.000-08:00

Messin' around with Flash:

Reclining Dog

2008-01-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Dinotastic

2008-01-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of animated excerpts from Dino Wars:

Animated Faces

2007-12-13T12:44:00.001-08:00

I was team leader on a group research project this semester, and for our project, we designed a website. It's really simple...Just one page, really. But, I'm happy with the concept and overall look of the site.

To see my face in action (I'm animated), click on the above picture!

Dino Screen Shots

2007-12-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

And, just for the hell of it...in 3D (don't blink or you'll miss it):

Bad News Bear

2007-12-04T13:55:00.000-08:00

If it looks tough, that's because it is tough:

I have a newfound appreciation for 3D character animation. For this project, I had to build, rig, and animate the character. It's far from perfect, but given the time constraints, I'm pretty happy with it.

Dino Walk

2007-11-26T14:25:00.000-08:00

360 degrees walk cycle (only a test).
Roar your heart out:

Title test:

Dinos Gone Wild

2007-11-12T15:08:00.000-08:00

230 Million years ago, dinosaurs ruled the earth. But only one dinosaur could be king of the world. What happens when T-Rex meets T-Rex in head-to-head combat? 8-Bit battle extravaganza!

Text and Effects

2007-10-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

I made this using After Effects. It's my fave.
Volumes up!!!

*Note* It's a little fuzzy from the Blogger compression.

Shiny Happy Toaster

2007-10-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

I'm learning 3D animation.
Here's a little diddy I did (with sound):

Style Frame

2007-10-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a style frame from a project I'm working on:

Good Times

2007-10-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

Last year, we spent an hour each week animating under the 16mm camera (just got back the telecine today!). These exercises gave us a chance develop our timing and rhythm, while exploring different media and techniques.

Most of mine are unwatchable...But, this cutout animation makes the blog cut:

I promise I'll have post new work soon. Many digital animations in the works. Including 3D!

Birds and Computers

2007-09-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

This year, I'm trying to rely on the computer for my animation. It's a bit of a challenge since I'm just now learning the software. Don't have much to show yet, but here's a tiny (iddy biddy) clip of what's to come:

Back to the Basics

2007-09-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

I'm learning how to edit. For this assignment, we had to compile an image sequence using still pictures. Here it is with sound (updated 9/19):

Stand On Your Own Head

2007-08-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

School started this week, so I'll soon begin posting weekly . Until then, here's one from the archives:

Stand On Your Own Head
4' x 4'
oil on canvas

Beijing News

2007-08-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

Here is an article about our workshop in this issue of USC's Trojan Family Magazine. Michael Tringe, my USC classmate, was interviewed about his experience trying to make a gay-themed documentary.

Click the title link to read the article.
Then, scroll down to story # 4, East of Hollywood.

Wedding Invitations

2007-08-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

Most of ya'll have seen these already, but I thought they were worthy of a blog entry.

*The invitation had rounded corners.

Front Invite:

Back Invite:

Front RSVP (address has been changed to protect me):

Back RSVP:

Debbie Does Beijing

2007-07-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

I'm back!

I had a great trip. My partner Li Xuhuan (Susie) and I made a film documenting the experience of traveling through Beijing by pedicab, bus, subway, etc. The film is called "Xing" (pronounced shing), which means "move". Hopefully, I'll get a copy soon so that I can show you. Until then, check out a few of my pictures:

Tiananmen Square

Three of the Olympic Mascots, Yingying, Huanhuan, & Nini

Three Men and a Baby Ghost

PBR does the Great Wall

Check out my entire photo set at Flickr by clicking here!

Little Debbie

2007-07-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

My first drawing
Age 3
Lipstick on Wall
(I wanted to be an artist like my older sister, Jennifer. Those were her animal portraits.)

Off to China!

2007-05-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I hop on a 13 hour flight across the world to Beijing where I'm participating in USC's global documentary workshop. I'll team up with a Beijing film student from China to document an aspect of Beijing life. Our topic has yet to be determined, although I'm hoping to explore issues specifically related to women.

I'll be working with a really talented group of people, both from USC and the CUC, which is where I'll be living for the next 7 weeks. I'll try to keep my blog updated while I'm away, but if I can't, be sure to check back after July 7th.

Bye!

The End

2007-05-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

I finished my Sally film. The purpose of this project was to experiment with ideas or methods we'd like to potentially explore next year in preparation for our thesis film.

Here's my project. I have a very subtle soundtrack, perhaps mixed a bit too low, so volumes up!

Sally

2007-04-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

An animated portrait. I realize that she looks a little dead.
I'm going for subtle animation, breathing, hair blowing in the wind, etc. I'm also thinking about compositing the image over other video footage, like people walking, sounds of the city...etc.

It'll come together shortly. For now, here is a quick pencil test:

More Nude Drawings!

2007-04-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

Tangles

2007-04-08T23:29:00.000-07:00

More pencil tests, including color! My sound is not NSYNC. I will be scheduling a Foley sound session soon. I'm almost ready to shoot on film. 150 drawings retraced and painted, about 500 more to go!

See Bunny Hop

2007-03-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

I made a mixed media/collage flipbook out of my Joshua Tree photos. Here are a few of my stills:

Watch the animation (please excuse the crappy crappy video quality):

Adobe Shoutout!

2007-03-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

USC's Animation program is featured on the Adobe website (they are one of our sponsors). Click on the above link. Then click on the Master's Collection to see a video featuring a few of my classmates, including Amanda!

Visual Effects Shout-Out!

2007-03-23T22:21:00.000-07:00

I've yet to post about my Visual Effects class that I'm taking this semester, so here goes. I'm learning to model and animate using a 3D/CG computer program called Maya. So far, so very very slow, but hopefully, I'll have something cool to show by the end of the semester.

At USC, we have access to great digital filmmaking facilities over at the Robert Zemeckis Center. A few weeks ago, we learned a bit about Motion Capture (Zemeckis himself is teaching a MOCAP class this semester), and Monday, we had a Green Screen video shoot. Check out our green screen pictures, courtesy of Renae:

The Green Screen

Ching and Hsiao-Wen pretending to fly my animated spaceship. I'll be compositing them into my model.

Too Cute!

How could anyone resist this face?

Legs, Legs, & More Legs

2007-03-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I've posted my figure drawings. That's because I've spent this semester relearning to draw. We started with the basics, and I've slowly been catching up to where I left off 4 years ago. Hopefully, I can squeeze in a few lessons over the summer.

10 minute pose

2 minute pose

2 minute pose

10 minute pose

It's Spring Break!

2007-03-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

And, I haven't been to the beach once!
I've been animating non-stop, pulling 12 hour work days.
Though, I did take a breather for Hsiao-Wen's Birthday.

I've been practicing my Mandarin and learning some characters!
Beijing plans are moving full steam ahead.

More to come. Check back soon!

The Period Project

2007-03-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

For our Expanded Animation class, a group of us girls have decided to collaborate on a film (this will be the project shown at Cannes Film Festival). Click on the title to check out the blog.

To learn more, read the Period Project Concept.

We'll be posting regularly on this blog, so feel free to check out what other artists are doing. I'll also keep you updated with my work here on my blog.

Click here to see my concept and storyboards!

When thinking about this project, I started reminiscing about that time in life when things were simpler: pre-adulthood, pre-internet, pre-period. I think the image of the prepubescent girl in the swimming suit nicely symbolizes innocence. For me, this time came to an earth-shattering halt once I started my period. During the summertime, I would swim at the pool everyday, but during that "time of the month", I'd have to sit out. Because of this, I absolutely hated being a girl.

For this project, I will hand-draw the girl running, and it will work as a cycle. Near the end, the girl will run out of cycle and jump into the pool, ending with a giant splash. For me, the splash represents the end of childhood and the onset of womanhood.
The animation will be hand-painted.

I've also posted my inspirational, source paintings on the Period Project Blog, if you want to check them out.

And The Title Goes to:

2007-02-28T07:11:00.000-08:00

Growing Pains?

2007-02-22T06:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

I still need a title for my Production 1! Can you help me?

Tagline:
The 45 year evolution of a mother/daugther relationship told through the act of hair brushing.

Check out a stream of my rough pencil tests:

Any ideas?

*Update*
Here are a few suggestions that I like so far:
Brushing
Hair Brushing
Daughter & Mom
Family Cycle (since the whole film is a cycle)
Armchair memories
A Mother's Legacy
Hair Loss
Pony Tale
Brush Strokes
Hairlines
Locks & Knots
Growing
Home Grown

Yay? Nay?

Fan Girl

2007-02-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Ha! Looks like I made the geek circuit.

My picture with George Lucas is making the rounds amoung Star Wars fans. Check it out at Rebel Scum!

Lost Sheep

2007-02-15T08:21:00.000-08:00

So, I am making an experimental short film in my Expanded Animation class, and the other day, we had to storyboard a potential idea. While mine isn't abstract, I did approach it more spontaneously, and I tried to break away from the traditional narrative. I probably won't follow through with this idea, but I loved creating my storyboards.

Actually, they might not make much sense without my narration, but here they are anyhow:

Celebrity

2007-02-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

I just saw Christopher Lloyd on campus. Apparently, he's acting in a student's film. Nice.

Character Designs

2007-02-09T07:20:00.000-08:00

Click on image to enlarge.

The daughter at different life stages:

Color Tests:

I'll be using gouache and watercolor on paper. I'd like to leave the pencil lines, but the graphite is smearing when I paint it.
Looking for alternatives...

Cover Girl

2007-02-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

Check it!!!

The Desert

2007-02-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

My Expanded Animation class took a field trip to Joshua Tree National Park over the weekend. Using film and sound equipment, we captured footage, which we will use to create experimental short films later this semester. Fun. Our professor, Kathy, usually shows the work at the Cannes Film Festival every year (she sets up an animation workshop there). I wonder if I can put that on my resume? :) (*Update: Kathy says we can put that on our resume!)

Here are a few of my pics.
The dangerous Cholla Cactus Garden:

They bite, for real.
Almost all of us were attacked! The needles have barbs that stick in your skin, so you can’t pull them out without the help of pliers/tweezers. See example photo (classmate shall remain anonymous):

Here's a picture at the Jumbo Rocks:

And, here are my cheesy sunrise photos.
We woke up at 5 am to see this:

A blurry Joshua Tree:

The end.

Revised Production 1

2007-01-25T09:32:00.000-08:00

I've been deep in pre-production, revising my story. Because of the heavy dialogue, I was faced with the daunting task of hiring actors to carry the film. Instead, I did away with most of the dialogue and went for more of a tender, feel-good story.

Here are a couple of storyboards (character/design revisions to come):

Here is a sneak peak of my rough draft animatic:

Thomas Kincade, eat your heart out!

Beijing!!!

2007-01-21T20:20:00.000-08:00

Yay!

I've been selected to take part in USC's Beijing Workshop this summer. For six weeks, a group of us will team up with film students in Beijing to make documentary short films. The films will also be shown at a university sponsored exhibit during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

I'm so excited that I can't get anymore work done tonight.

You can read an article about the workshop by clicking the above title link.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-11T18:39:00.000-08:00

Here's another from the archives. I'll show some new work soon, hopefully.

Self-Portrait
12" x 12"
charcoal on paper

Production 1

2006-12-29T17:21:00.000-08:00

It's time to start gearing up for my production 1. Before the semester begins, I have to rewrite the dialog, flesh out the character design, and create a final animatic for this project.

Here is one of my preliminary storyboards:

I've loosely based my idea for this animation on one of my favorite paintings by Edgar Degas, titled Combing the Hair, see below:

The visual design for this piece is my main priority, and I'm nowhere near happy with it. It's a good starting point, but I have a long way to go. This break wasn't long enough!

Dog Thinking of Bone

2006-12-22T08:19:00.000-08:00

Drawn by Debbie, age 4
August 3, 1984

Me and My Monkeys

2006-12-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

An oldie but goodie. This painting actually made the cover of the Flagpole newspaper in Athens, Georgia back in the day!

Me and My Monkeys
4' x 5'
oil on canvas

The Final Push

2006-12-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

Just a few days left this semester. On Monday, I'm taking a final exam for my History of Animation class, and on Tuesday, I'm pitching my Production 1 animatic. And, then it's Holiday! Check back soon for new work. Until then, here are the classes I'm taking next semester:

Visual Effects
Survey of contemporary concepts and approaches to production in the current stage of film and video effects work. Digital and traditional methodologies will be covered, with a concentration on digital exercises illustrating modern techniques.

Writing for Animation
Workshop exploring concept and structure of long and short form animated films through practical writing exercises.

Expanded Animation
A survey of animation across media; applications to live action film, the fine arts, architecture; linkages with modern art, postmodern theory and social history.

Animation Production I
Practicum in film, video and computer animation emphasizing the production process through individual projects.

And, my favorite, figure drawing!

Production 0

2006-12-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

I have finished my Production 0 animatic. Basically, an animatic is an animated storyboard: the rough draft. It took me about 6 weeks and hundreds of drawings to complete. The purpose of this assignment was for us to experience and understand DADA's basic physical production process, to develop a work ethic that will help us negotiate the numerous rigorous projects we will be asked to make, and to discover the limits of our own personal skills. It was a throwaway assignment that will not be carried into final production.

However, I have begun preproduction on my first film. It will be fully rendered, colored, and shot on 35 mm film. I will also be hiring professional actors and composers. Intense!

Back to 0.
Here are a few of my preliminary storyboards:

Here's the animatic (there is sound):

Rotoscope

2006-11-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

Here's my rotoscope exercise. It's pretty straightforward, but you get to see me dance!

I'm happy with the charcoal renderings. It has a nice texture, and I'll probably use it again for my Production 1 project. Unfortunately, it's a little hard to see on YouTube.

Look Who's Talking

2006-11-21T00:25:00.000-08:00

Here's a lip sync exercise I threw together for my traditional animation course. Volume up!

Only two weeks left of the semester!

The Puppet Master

2006-11-14T08:32:00.000-08:00

Here's a puppet I made for a stop motion excercise:

The moment you've all been waiting for...(okay, I only had an hour! Please excuse the bad lighting and poor video quality.)

This is what I'm doing for the rest of my life. It's ridiculous, but I couldn't be happier.

Happy Belated Halloween!!!

2006-11-09T23:27:00.000-08:00

I made this in honor of Halloween...if you still give a hoot!

My Space

2006-11-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

Here's my work space at school. Next year I'll have my own studio space/cubicle equipped with a fancy computer and light table. Until then, I'm animating old school.

I stole this picture from the USC website:

More work coming soon!

Preliminary Character Designs

2006-10-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

I have 5 weeks to complete my first film (henceforth referred to as "Production 0"). It's a one minute hand-drawn animation.
We'll be shooting it on 16 mm film. I have a lot of kinks to work out, mainly the animation. Here are some of my initial character drawings. I liked her, but she's a little too prepubescent for this story. She needs more curves.

Something more like this...

She will have a face.

Legs, Legs, Legs!!!

2006-10-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

I like drawing legs. Here are a few rough sketches.

USC Animation Website

2006-10-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

Finally! Our department website has gone through a much needed makeover. Now, I have a student profile which will be updated to include my work. Check it out (click the above title link).

Where's Debbie?

2006-10-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

See if you can find her!

Celebrity Sighting #6

2006-10-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

I saw Casey Affleck last night at El Compadres Mexican Restaurant.

Puppet Love

2006-10-11T00:28:00.000-07:00

Meet Octavious, a cutout puppet I made for a project.

Celebrity Sighting # 2, 3, 4 & 5

2006-10-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

George Lucas recently donated 175 million dollars to USC's film school. Whoa. As a grad student of the film school, I scored an invite to his honorary ceremony, which was today. I was also one of two animation students included in the Lucas photoshoot, so be on the lookout for press photos. I'm standing right behind him!

Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, and Leonard Maltin were also in attendance.

Furthermore, in recognition of USC's film school, Los Angeles officially declared October 4th as "USC's School of Cinematic Arts Day." Hopefully, they'll give us holiday next year!

This has been the 2nd ceremony I've attended since beginning school here. Recently, the animation program received a 5 million dollar endowment from the John C. Hench foundation. This school is oozing with opportunity, and I feel really lucky to be here.

Life Drawings

2006-09-26T00:19:00.000-07:00

Here are a few sketches from my figure drawing class.

We had a dog model for us last week!

A woman:

A man!

From the Archives...Again

2006-09-20T01:14:00.000-07:00

Because I don't have anything else to show for myself.

Little Man
60” x 48”
oil on panel

Art Superstars

2006-09-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hey! Long overdue shout out to Erin McIntosh whose work is published in the current issue of New American Paintings. This is a huge accomplishment! You can preview the latest edition by clicking on the above title link.

Let me also introduce you to one of my fellow classmates, Rie Takayama. Check out her website for beautiful textile work and sumi paintings.

Zombie Girl: The Movie Again

2006-09-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Emily, the girl starring in the documentary, was interviewed for this month's Teen Vogue. Zombie Girl: The Movie documentary was also mentioned. Check it out on newsstands today!

*Update*
You can read the article on the Zombie Girl website in the press section.

Gone With the Wind

2006-09-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a pencil test of a leaf falling. When I first drew this, I was pretty happy with it. Then, we had critique, and I learned how I could make it better, which I haven't done yet. Anyhow, here is leaf in it's original form.

XXX

2006-09-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Figure drawings from my 2nd week of class.

1 minute gesture drawings:

2 minute gesture drawings:

Coming Soon

2006-08-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive in LA. A few highlights include: leasing an apartment, buying a navy blue refrigerator, and seeing Tim Robbins on campus my first day of school (my first LA celebrity sighting)!

Hopefully, I'll be posting weekly (still no internet). Check back soon for "Fun with Flipbooks." Also, lookout for weekly figure drawings. Unfortunately, none from last week made the blog-cut (I'm way out of practice), so here's a few from the past.

Are nude drawings work-safe?

Looks Like We Made It

2006-08-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm in LA! School starts up in less than two weeks, and I can't wait to start workin' again. Hopefully soon. Content, content, content...

That's All Folks!

2006-08-03T03:42:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Los Angeles! It'll be awhile before I post again.

14" x 17"
oil on paper

Rated for Mature Audiences

2006-07-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

I'm in charge of the title sequences for the Zombie Girl documentary. This past Thursday, I put together my first film shoot, and I had a blast. As Art Director, I'm in charge of concept, storyboards, props, etc. and I went with a bloodbath Barbie theme. The shoot lasted for 11 hours. We have 40 minutes of footage which will be cut down to maybe a minute's worth of title cards. Now I have to find appropriate typography for the text overlay, so I still have quite a bit of work ahead.

Here are some of my story boards and digital stills from the shoot. Not for the faint of stomach!

The Rest of My Life

2006-07-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

I finally secured my student loan (yikes!), so I registered for classes. Here's what I'm taking:

Fundamentals of Animation
The exploration of the techniques of the art of character animation with an emphasis on discipline, performance and personality observation, specializing in classical Hollywood animation.

Introduction to Film, Video and Computer Animation
Fundamentals of film, video and computer animation production. Orientation to assist students in determining future emphases and specialties.

Animation Department Seminar
A weekly seminar required of all M.F.A. Animation students. This course includes guest speakers, faculty and student presentations followed by lively and critical discussion

Basic Motion Picture Techniques for Animators
Introduction for animation majors to the basic techniques and processes of film, video and computer systems, including cinematography, editing and sound.

History of Animation
In-depth survey of historical developments, styles, techniques, theory and criticism of animation as an art form.

I'll be in class about 14 hours a week, Work Study for 20 hours, and the rest of the time spent in the studio. No class on Mondays. Yay!

Out of the Office

2006-07-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

I am going out of town this weekend. Unfortunately, Saturday Sketches will be postponed. See ya'll next week!

It's Official!

2006-07-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

Dear _____,

It is with regret that I submit this letter of resignation, effective Wednesday, August 2, 2006. I have decided to pursue graduate studies at the University of Southern California.
I have enjoyed working with you, and I wish you and ________ continued success in all your endeavors.

Sincerely,

Me

Adventures in Typography

2006-07-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

Project. Expressive Words (I was assigned "Rigid")

Purpose. To typographically enhance the meaning of a word while exploring the computer’s typesetting potential.

Project. Toy Logo Design (I was assigned "Frisbee")

Project. Double-Page Spread

Purpose. This project serves as an introduction to publication design and to the many typographic decisions that must be made regarding text type, display type, heads, subheads, captions, folios, illustrations, and their placement on a grid.

Saturday Sketches

2006-07-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

Animation 101: I compiled some pencil tests into a music video, sung by They Might Be Giants (volumes up).
Quite the precocious 26 year old...er...

From the Archives

2006-07-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

My digital camera went on vacation this week, so instead of posting new work, I thought I'd entertain you with this drawing I made as a 7 year old. Quite the precocious child, if I must say so myself. (Click on picture for detail.)

A Shout Out To Zombie Girl

2006-06-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

Zombie Girl:The Movie picked up some press in this weeks Austin Chronicle (click on title for link).

Saturday Sketches

2006-06-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick sketch ripped right out of a notebook. My friends and I are going to post sketches on our blogs every Saturday. So, don't expect masterpieces!

A Shoe Lost

2006-06-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

18" x 24"
charcoal on paper

Brushwhack

2006-06-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't go to LA. Apparently, not a single landlord in LA can tell me if there will be any apartment vacancies in August. They only know what's available now. In LA, you find an apartment when you're ready to move.
So, canceled trip. Now, I have credit with Southwest. Maybe I should just hop on a plane this weekend. Fly by the seat of my pants..Hawaii?

Now, we are moving to LA a week earlier. I'll be homeless for 1-3 weeks. Hopefully, only 1.

In the meantime, I've signed up for a screen-printing class. I took Intaglio and Lithography in college, which I enjoyed. I'm excited to explore other avenues of creating, besides the brush.

Zombie Girl: The Movie

2006-06-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

Zombie Girl: The Movie, a documentary that follows a 12 year old girl as she makes her first feature-length zombie movie.

Trailer online now! Click title link to view.

Edited/Produced by my boyfriend. I'm currently working on the opening title sequence.

Watch!