Blogging

Hello again

I was just reading through my first year of blog entries. Wow I have really been slacking with posts. I wish I was able to actually show what I am working on. This term I helped design and build a set, this week we start filming. We have 6 hours which is ridiculously short and 30 minutes of media space to record. I have to direct last. I do not like to direct. My first job in the rotation is producer so I have been working on organizing paperwork. I don't want to be a producer either but I am glad to start with it because there is less on set responsibility. Producers this term most important job is to collect paperwork. Next term the producer also edits.

Today we learned how to make DVD menus for our term 1 film exports. I am very happy to move on from "The Sandwich". I did learn again how awesome color correction is. I had a split screen that I needed to match the color of the walls. There is some amazing technology and software tools that I get to use at school.

Again this was short but at least I wrote SOMETHING.

Year 2

I thought I should actually blog about what I am doing so here it is.

I am now in the second term of Film Production. This is crazy, I am editting my term 1 Shoot, writing my term 2, writing term 3 and supposed to be thinking of ideas for my final project. As well we have to produce a classmates short. Then we also have class on top of all this with tests and assignments.

Being nearly overwhelmed I have begun to procrastinate. I usually get things done as soon as they are assigned but now I have 3 assignments half done. I am bad with coming up with ideas so I put those assignments off. Not smart.

Oh well, I guess that's college.

FILM School

Hello again to the 3 people who actually notice when I post things.

It is the third week of Film Production at VFS. I am loving the course. We have mandatory film screenings of movies used for references. We are forced to watch movies repeatedly. We get to experience the behind the scenes part of movie magic. By the way movie magic is actually magic. It is amazing what the movie cheats you into thinking is natural and all the things you don't notice the first 5 times you watch or hear something.

Now in my spare time (ha) I am catching up on the movies that are referenced in class. I was sheltered as a child and I appreciate that. Really, I am glad I only watched PG13 movies until high school and didn't see JAWS when I was seven. Now I am watching films I would not watch if I had a choice but, they are considered great films. I did enjoy watching Jaws, 2 weeks ago. However, Pulp Fiction was really confusing and I think very pointless, in class I was told Butch was the protagonist but that just confused me because almost none of the movie is about him. I think it was about the hit men.

All that to say I am catching up on my pop culture references by actually watching the movies as schoolwork.

?

I don't know how to start this post.

I was on my way back from the Vancouver airport to where I am staying. I walk 5 blocks from a Skytrain station. I am walking and listening to music with my backpack and pulling a suitcase. A lady pushes me, not like a tap on the shoulder, more of a push. I turn to look at her, she doesn't say anything. She pushes my shoulder hard, I take off my headphones and say "what", she just stares at me. She is now in my way and she pushes my shoulder again. I take off my sunglasses thinking she wants eye contact and ask her what she wants again. She just stares at me. Then she leaves and turns the corner. I just keep walking wondering if maybe she didn't speak English but was homeless and wanted money. I walk another block then she runs from behind me then turns around and punches me in the face. My sunglasses break. I freak out and keep asking her what she wants. Eventually she says her name is Roberta. I say I don't know her and she replies "maybe not personally" and leaves. She didn't take anything but break my sunglasses.

For some reason she wanted me, there where other people around and it was still bright out. She didn't appear to be drunk or on drugs. She was angry for something and picked me. She admitted to not knowing me so I don't know why she did it. I think I would be able to handle it better if she had a reason, however small.

I have lived in Vancouver for a year and walked that street many times. I have never seen anything bad happen, even on Hastings. Then a stranger punches me in the face.

A couple that was ahead of my checked on me once the woman left. My nose was bleeding and my teeth hurt but I think I will just have a big bruise on my face tomorrow. I am glad she only hit me once.

And now I am supposed to go to school tomorrow...................

Sigh...

Well it is officially summer, it took a while before it felt that way. Everyone else is done with school and is now spending time outside playing with friends. Yet I sit in school yearning for gym class. Yes, I miss gym. And I was in the band class, if you had a band at your school you know what I mean, for some reason band geeks are more klutzy than other classes. I miss being forced to run around and play games that I don't like. I miss being embarrassed by a totally pathetic attempt at greatness. I miss playing on a team for an hour a day. I miss laughing at others attempts at greatness and cheering when it was truly great. And so concludes a short blog entry lamenting the loss of gym class with the graduation from high school.

Here it is...

I am not sure what 'it' is, but it is here: the result of animation class and my love for yoyo.

Other things I have been up to lately:  
         Lots of thinking--my brain was tired yesterday
        Camera and lighting tests for my final project
        More thinking about my final project
         Paperwork for my final project
         Finding where to set timecode on a DVX video camera
         Re-learning how to edit and use After Effects

See? Even if it isn't here. I have been doing things. They just may not be digital.

Gotta love Physics

Of the 5 people in my classical animation class, I had the easiest time with the bent pendulum which i attribute to my understanding of physics which others in the class did not take in highschool.

Black is Blue

Here are some pictures of the characters for my final project this year. It is going to be stop-motion. I don't really like watching stop-motion but I didn't want to direct actors.

I am having a hard time making the walk look good without my fingers in the picture. Pressure has to be put on the shoe to cause the crease before the toes leave the ground. I have 2 sets of shoelaces so I can control the lace with wire in it but test things with the regular lace so I can be as close to natural as possible.

If anyone has ideas about how to get the crease without getting fingers in the pictures I would like to hear it!

Flash Final

This is my version of the Larryboy introduction on Dave and the Giant Pickle. I made this in Flash and added sound in Premiere. The power of Adobe....

Applause after a movie

It doesn't happen often, at least when I go to movies that the audience applauds at the end.

I went to see The Croods over the Easter holiday and was blown away. It was a very witty and well developped story. I won't say much more but if you haven't seen it yet, you should. It is amazing and extremely entertaining, it is quite adult in its verbal humor. I knew almost nothing about it when I went in and I think it was better that way.

Enjoy !

p.s. I may write more about it after it has been out awhile. If I remember.

Smurfy

Dialogue sync in flash.

Larryboy

I had to redo this many times but it finally worked :) I am so happy :)  This was made using flash. I made it more complex for myself than necessary by accident, but now it works. Yeah!
                                                                                                              

Discovery Project

This is the current progress of my miniature. The cardboard frame shifted because it got wet when I paper mached it so I need to make some adjustments once it is dry before I make another layer.

This is now the current state of my model.

Really?

How much bad is a 'good guy' allowed to do?

I have been watching a lot of spy and police shows lately and it is starting to bother me how many laws they break in the process of doing good. How many cars are you allowed to steal and destroy before you get fired? Seriously. I guess I understand it more when it's a spy and they do what it takes. But, I just watched the new Die hard movie and McClane steals 2 vehicles before he knows what is happening. Hello... he's a cop on vacation and decides that it's ok to steal multiple vehicles in a different country. Spy's are supposed to be under the radar and using anything they can find, but still... does a licence to kill give you a right to destroy private property of un-involved citizens? Does the end justify the means? They almost never show the consequences after the world has been saved. Doesn't the person involved have to explain why they happened to steal and crash a plane that wasn't part of the plan? I know that sometimes in TV shows people have to answer to their choices but in general it is ignored. I hope that in real life the 'good guys' are more hesitant to steal from bystanders or do other general 'bad'.

Cloud Atlas

Wow. I just watched Cloud Atlas. It is an amazingly well told story. there are multiple time periods and story lines that all intertwine gently. I think I appreciate it more because of the script writing classes I have in school. The way that all the holes in the story are slowly filled in until at the end it all makes sense is amazing. The acting is really good too with the main group of actors playing multiple parts through the different time periods and each one being distinct. In that way the make up and set design also kept the times separate. The way the story slowly revealed itself was awesome. I feel like this is the way all stories should be told. it felt like a book the way that things were being discovered. I kept trying to guess how the times overlapped and I was wrong every time but, the way they did made sense. I think this is the best told story in a movie I have seen possibly ever.

Final Videos

This post might be a bit overwhelming. Here is a bunch of stuff I finished for this term. I did other assignments but they used copyrighted stuff so I am not posting them. I also wrote a bunch but  you are already reading my blog so I doubt you want to read even more stuff.

To explain the videos... The first is a handdrawn animation that was colored in photoshop. The second is a scene modelled and animated in maya with the added water effect in after effects.

My finished cube painting.

Cubish

This is my project for Art and Creativity so far. I want to make parts of it 3D still. I have one day left. Not sure how I will get it on the bus.

Garbage Picker

Today I picked up some more awesome garbage. I started picking up garbage during the summer where I worked. I got a really nice sweater, a golf club and a razor scooter along with lots of golf balls. Vancouver has amazing garbage. I usually leave anythng I want for a day or 2 to make sure no one is coming back for it or a homeless person doesn't want it. I have a sweater which sadly is too small, 2 hubcaps, a leather jacket, a bow tie, a broken DVD player and broken PC monitor. I had a chance to take a broken TV but it was too big. Don't worry, I am careful and wash all clothing and make sure the other stuff is safe to carry.

I really hope I can use this garbage as art. There is a project coming up that I want to use the DVD player parts to create a kinetic sculpture. Not exactly sure how I am going to do that but that is the plan right now. I have used one of the hubcaps  in a themed photo shoot although it wasn't included in the final.

It seems that most of the garbage I pick up has been rejected by the person who threw it out and a homeless person who took what they thought was useful and broke the item further.

Good Acting

My definition of good acting is when type cast people can also play the opposite. Or when characters switch bodies, like Freaky Friday. I was watching an episode of Eureka, a sci-fi show where two characters switch bodies. The acting is so good and the episode made me really happy and laugh out loud. The Sheriff switched bodies with the cause of most of his problems. Both actors were able to convincingly portray the other by copying mannerisms believably. I usually don't notice acting and that is the way I think it should be, but I was impressed. Wow, that looks a lot shorter on screen than it felt in my head. Oh well.

Sack

This is a jumping sack. It is made of 24 drawings.

Impossible Tricks

Movie Quiz

I have decided that since I like movies and movie quotes I would give you a quiz. If you get a question right you win ...... nothing ! : )


Okay number one " well that depends on if you like danger"
                      hint: "not my neighbors. next door neighbors."
                      hint: "Barrett's naturally" soda jingle
                      hint: "It's chocolate"
                      hint: "poor Rusty"
                      hint: 1995
                      hint: Richard Karn, Dave Thomas and Mary Page Keller


The answer is Picture Perfect. If you got that without Google or IMDB good for you. If not, you should watch it. I gave lots of hints because it is old and not very common knowledge.

Number two 
The trailer said "Before Jaws....Before 20,000 leagues under the sea... Before Free Willy... The Biggest fish story of all time..."
                      hint: 2002
                      hint: family
                      hint: Vegetables

The answer is Jonah: A Veggietales movie. This is an animated film based on the Bible story of Jonah and the big fish. It is a musical acted by vegetables with very catchy music.

Number three  you had better get this....
                         "We need to send you back.... to the future"

I am not going to dignify that with any hints. Back to the Future, obviously.

Number four "That's pretty dangerous building a road in the middle of the street. I mean, if frogs couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn"
                   hint: recently revamped franchise
                   hint: " Ahh, a bear in his natural habitat - a Studebaker."
                   hint: " Jack not name! Jack job!"
                   hint: talking animals interacting with monsters and humans
                   hint: 1979

Well I hope you guessed the right one. It's The Muppet Movie, there have been many other movies with muppets and the revamp with The Muppets. The new stuff is good but the older the better. The whole feeling of the film is different when Jim Henson does Kermit than when Steve Whitmire does it. Fun fact: Yoda in Stars Wars episodes 4-6 is a puppet controlled and voiced by muppeteer Frank Oz.

This is the end of the quiz for now. Stay tuned! Don't touch that remote... or mouse. :)

Cartoons...

Children's programming is horroble now. I think it tries too hard to teach and doesn't take into account the parents at all. Back when I was a kid the kid's shows were watchable by parents the sangs were catchy but not irritating and entertaining. Shows like Sesame Street were fun and watchable by parents. The celebrities wouldn't be known by the kids prior to being on the show but the parents would know who they were. I have huge respect for people who write children's songs that aren't annoying to the parents, like Fred Penner or Sharon Lois and Bram. New songs from groups like the Doodlebops are very catchy and very annoying. Why is there a song about cauliflower? OK, that one is actually my favorite by them. Now with shows like Bo on the Go or Dora the explorer the gaps for answering are way too long. Mr. Dress Up spoke to the audience too but not with the annoying gaps.

Whatever happened to learning in person and entertaining through TV. George Shrinks, Recess, Arthur.... these shows have life lessons that are not being outrageously obvious but evident enough to work. Magic School bus taught science after school got out but was entertaining. I liked learning things before being taught them in school.

I am super disappointed in the parents of today for allowing this to continue. Perhaps I will make a new show with all the stuff I like. I remember watching kid's CBC on Saturday mornings or when I was sick and It has changed so many times. Usually when they change the settings for the stuff between shows it isn't for the better. I mean I like puppets but some of the characters they have now are too ridiculous. Mama Yamma I am pretty sure is a yam and I am not sure her kids actually exist. Anyway that is my cartoon rant for today.

Busy

This is how I feel right now. I know most of my class feels the same. A very catchy song by Veggietales.

Lonely?

Vancouver has been voted as one of the hardest places to get to know people. I beleive this is because we are too worried about offending people so we don't do anything. Getting to know people is hard because we are worried about what they will think of us. Humans are judgemental. Period. It can be a good thing and keep us safe. Like judging if a car is going to stop for us at the crosswalk or judging if walking down a backalley is a good idea. Judging character can also be a good thing, knowing if people are trust worthy or not. But we usually take the judgements too far and avoid contact with other people to protect ourselves.

It always makes me happy when I am walking and someone says goodmorning to me but I am often afraid of that possible awkwardness that greeting a stranger can bring so I don't initiate. Vancouver would be a friendlier place if people weren't afraid to make small talk to strangers when walking or on the skytrain. Yes, initiating is hard but I have decided that if it makes me happy it will make others happy. I am going to try to greet everyone I walk by that is not obviously busy with something else. And to those that are busy I will make a conscious effort to smile. Who's with me?


I know it is a small thing to say hi to people but it works. In Junior High I had an awkward acqaintancship with Sue, one of my classmates. I became convinced through a few months that Sue, though that's not her name, didn't like me at all. I was encouraged by outside sources to just say hi everyday and see what happenned. Well, it was hard to remember and at the begginning it was wierd because she was surprised. We weren't ever friends but eventually saying hi led to extra smiles in the hallway and I no longer thought she didn't like me. That was probably me being over judgemental anyway.

All About Me

Hello and welcome to my blog. I am going to spend this first post talking to you about me.

This blog is created as part of an assignment for school. I am in Foundation Visual Arts class 57 at Vancouver Film School. My ultimate goal is mechanical special effects for movies, unfortunately I could not find a course for that anywhere so I am in Vancouver instead. I love my classes and most of the homework is fun, of course there are things I don't want to do but most of it is enjoyable. The little free time I have is often spent watching movies as research 'cough cough' and TV shows. I have learned so much in my classes it has changed how I think while I watch movies. I can now tell you all the reasons why I didn't like something or why it looked bad. Other things I enjoy make me think I would have been happier if I was born in say.... the 1940's.

I have a record player and my Great Grandma's old records. My favorite music is from the 30's and 40's or epic soundtracks. I remember watching Sesame Street in black and white. My first and favorite game system is the NES, I also play PC games but I prefer the simple controls of NES. I enjoy Rubik's cubes. I think that learning the algorithms to cube online is like cheating. I admit I looked a bit but at the written directions not the video tutorials. I have solved the 3x3x3 cube twice without internet assistance and will continue to work on it. I am usually pretty fast at the 2x2x2, my record is 2 minutes. I am definitely not a speed cuber but I find it enjoyable. My current record for the 3x3x3 is 2 hours. I now have a 4x4x4 cube a.k.a. Rubik's Revenge and am extremely far from solving that. I also yoyo, it has been my hobby for a few years and I am quite good at it. Yoers often share with others but I have not met anyone better than me. Most people I share with can barely get the yoyo to return to their hand. Yes, before you ask I can walk the dog and no, I cannot do the invisible man from Recess. I tried to do the invisible man but I don't think it is actually possible in real life.

Since I am in film school you probably want to know what my favorite movie is. My favorite movie is Mary Poppins because:
                    1. It's a musical
                    2. The characters (I enjoy the mix of real accents with Dick Van Dyke's fake one)
                    3. It's from my childhood ( I remember repeatedly renting it on VHS)
                    4. It mixes animation with live action better than some newer movies (Garfield live action movies are terrible for example)

I am not sure what else you would want to know so this is the end of my post.