Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Bulletpoints

Hey all, just thought I'd post a few interesting things and combine new post ideas into ONE ULTIMATE NEW POST.  Ok that may be overstating it, but here we go:

David B. Levy's blog "Animondays" is a great source of advice for animation students, industry newcomers, and I assume, anyone else too.  He's a well known New York animator in the 2D-preschool tv-indie animation circles, and is (I think) currently president of ASIFA-East.  He recently posted a couple great articles (for lack of a better term) about tips to finding work and networking in animation, in the genuine, natural, non-brown nosing way.  They're directly related to being freelance, but obviously in the state of the industry today, good advice for anyone who finds themselves looking for the next job.  When I get asked about how to live the freelance life, these are generally the types of things I usually say, and guided by a similar philosophy.  Check out these two posts:

Checkin' In: One of the Secrets to Getting Work in Animation 

Make mine MoCCA 

 Check out his book "Your Career in Animation:  How to Survive and Thrive" for more great advice.


Next up, check out who's on the install screen of Maya 2012! (Not my image)

 Nathan Love is all over Maya 2012 promotional materials and apparently the installation screen as well!  So far I've seen images from one of the Pop Secret ads from last year, as well as Polly the Porcupine and Barry the Sheep from the Baskin Robbins spots.  Of course I now work somewhere that doesn't use Maya for animation, but perhaps I should download the free trial, haha.


As far as me and my life now, I'm still settling into Vancouver and slowly seeing the rainy winter season turn to spring!  Pixar Canada is off to a great start, and for anyone who's curious, I can say with confidence that they have the same expectations for us and follow the same philosophies as they do in Emeryville.  While I don't have personal experience at the main studio, I can tell it is extremely important to them to maintain the same values up here.  It's been quite a life-change for me moving here, adjusting to this new position, company, and phase of life, and I'm thankful that I get the opportunity to do it in a close personal environment.  I can't really say exactly what we've been working on, other than the announcement video for Pixar Canada basically tells what we are doing up here.  The team is super talented, the studio is beautiful and being renovated to be even more so, and I'm excited to see how we grow and what sort of identity we develop up here in the Great White North...(wait...I'm not sure those words fit Vancouver!)