FATHOMS - A MOGRAFI SHORT

THE MINOR GIFT AND THE MAJOR GIFT

2012-02-16T09:43:00.000-05:00

A light shines in the darkness...

Paraphrasing from (and building on) The Art of Game Design by Jesse Schell:

I always find frustration when people talk about talent:

There are two kinds of gifts
The minor gift, and the major gift.

The minor gift is the talent someone naturally has to play the piano, or throw a baseball, or access to funding.

The major gift is the love of the game, the passion.

The problem with the minor gift is your start near the top...of the glass ceiling. The person with the major gift may start with no skills, but, there is also no ceiling. With enough hard work, dedication, and passion, they can surpass the skill or talent of the individual with the minor gift...and it is not limited to a singular thing.

Perhaps someone maybe has both, then, who knows!

Especially as technology further democratizes the creative processes...the only thing that will seperate us is dedication, passion, and hard work.

Also, I'm finishing the animatic super soon...there is a lot of other important life stuff happening, but, this train has got to keep on chugging along.

THE VERY FIRST

2012-01-02T12:11:00.000-05:00

It's my first full day back on Fathoms (vs cramming it into whatever pocket of the day I can stuff)!

So here is the very first image of Fathoms (at far as I can tell).

I was cleaning my work space (and apartment) this past weekend and came across a very old sketchbook in a box I labeled "Hope".

Here's to 2012 being full of even more great stuff!

45 DAYS

2011-12-20T09:57:00.002-05:00

Still going!

I'm working on some very slow scenes (a lot of characters and technical stuff all animating and interacting), but slowly making progress. So I'm estimating I can complete the animatic in January (fingers crossed).

Swim that mighty ocean!

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED - "OVER THE HUMP"

2011-11-21T09:51:00.005-05:00

We did it!

Well, half did it....!?!

The animatic is over half-way complete!
This is a big deal. A HUGE DEAL!

This represents a ton of work of which I have never attempted or completed before (it's scary!). I've made some great additions to the story in terms of clarity (for the viewer) of my themes and story.

Nerd details - this represents about 200 SHOTS and aproximately 10 MINUTES OF ANIMATION...INSANE!

Now of course, some shots will not make it to final edit/animation, and a lot will be shortened (or lengthened) as necessary. A lot of shots are being added and refined, though, at this stage, animation remains limited and mostly loose.

PS - I'm at 16 days straight without breaking the chain (more on that in another post). I'll consider it significant when I've made it to 30.

Keep on swimmin!

DON'T BREAK THE CHAIN

2011-11-07T09:55:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Norb for the great suggestion (and article) about working every day.
I think this is a great approach for the long term, so I'm using the calendar to make sure I'm working every day.

My current days are filled with lots of other work in addition to Fathoms. So I'm making my requirements for counting a day of work as - at least one hour of animation.

I'm only two days in, so, no major hurdles yet. My first milestone is 30 days...I know there's a ton of stuff coming up that will limit my working time, so, it's going to be a fun challenge!

2011-11-02T10:01:00.010-04:00

I had a dream about my father last night...

He was still around, and he had set up a small work shop in an old concrete building.
I came to visit his shop one day only to find the door had been boarded up.
All of his things were in boxes outside.
I knew what this meant.

He was gone.

I have these dreams, these feelings of sadness, emptiness, around this time every year.

My father died on November 19, 1999.

It's not an arresting burden, but, it is a presence that colors my life.

I am lucky to have so much love and support in my life, and it makes me all the more thankful for all the opportunities I have, and the choices I get to make.

Now back to our regularly televised submersibles, already in progress.

GETTING CRITICAL ABOUT CRITIQUE

2011-10-19T10:03:00.000-04:00

This used to be a face...oops!

When people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.

~Neil Gaiman

'Nuff said! Meanwhile, work has been nuts, so, I've had almost no time to work on Fathoms the past two weeks...trying to move the ball forward this week though.

FWD: DEFEATING THE ENEMY WITHIN

2011-10-07T10:01:00.001-04:00

From many, one

"We ALL have something we're trying to accomplish that lies outside the realm of basic human survival... whether it be some personal project or accomplishment... to get it DONE we've got to fight with and DEFEAT ourselves...

What will you do? Who/what do you want to become? Are you willing to fight for it?

How long/hard are you willing to fight?"

~MDOTSTRANGE from Defeating the enemy within

MY FATHER'S BROTHER

2011-10-05T23:25:00.000-04:00

"focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains."

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. ... Stay hungry. Stay foolish."

PRODUCTION UPDATE - PAIN & GAIN

2011-09-26T13:51:00.000-04:00

I'm animating the first rough 3D pass - or animatic . This is mostly about blocking shots and getting a better sense of timing. Character animation is limited in this pass, the second pass is where I'll breathe dramatic life into the characters! So, in this pass, they will slide instead of walk, and behave a little bit like robots dancing.

I've animated about five minutes so far, of the roughly sixteen+ minutes that comprise the film...not bad (considering this is my first time), but not brilliant either.

A lot of the slowness is down to bug fixing, and making initial camera/style choices...so, this should not be a flat/linear curve of progress, but, in theory, I hope to get faster as I go along, though every scene presents it's own unique challenge.

Once I complete this pass, I'll really zero in on the edit - It should be much more clear what really works and what doesn't, vs the boardamatic, which is like a really nice figure study, but not the final work...this is like the linework for the painting.

Onward and seaward!

SHOW UP EVERY DAY, PART 2 - TALENT

2011-08-26T09:59:00.001-04:00

I get so frustrated when people say 'You're so talented, I could never do that!'

This phrase has been repeated to me hundreds of times during my life, and you know what? It makes me mad. This is not about god-given talent, it's about showing up...EVERY DAY!

"80% of success is showing up"
~Woody Allen

You can tell how dedicated to a project someone really is based on just this factor alone. If you want to do something, or get better at something...show up. Every day. Even if it's a small amount of time. Regularity and consistency are far more important than qualitative results. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Keep showing up, you will get better.

You may eventually reach a plateau, a threshold, or a fork in the road. At that point you have to choose whether to stay on the same road, or to continue your artistic growth (challenge).

IDEAS ARE ONLY 1%!!!
You want a good idea, as you will spend most of your time laboring over it, but, don't get stuck on this, it's just a fantasy until you complete the journey.

THE OTHER 99%:
SHOWING UP (EVERY DAY): 80%
GREY AREA OF MAGIC AND MAYHEM AND INTERNAL/EXTERNAL REFLECTION: 19%

That 19% of fudge-space is where things are polished, modified, enhanced, edited, simplified, and distorted. This one I think comes down to you, this is human 'error'. This is where what makes you who you are takes over, this is where you own the work. This is where you bring your personality, your style, or not.

Now, that 1% is important, but I, like so many others was in love with the ideas...they are so easy, and so ambiguous and non-specific. It's easy to fall in love at this stage. It's like infatuation. But it's not love. It's not deep or fulfilling. It's a cheap thrill.

The great rewards don't come this way.

So, long ramble short....show up, every day

SHOW UP, EVERY DAY

2011-08-16T09:58:00.001-04:00

I Just finished watching Zombie girl on Netflix streaming. Watch it, it's good stuff.

A great takeaway from the documentary:

"You're not a filmmaker until you finish the film"

F*** the quality. F*** the doubt. F*** the possibilities of making it better. F*** the new and better ideas you have while your doubt is screaming at you to do something else....anything else. F*** it all.

Just make it. Set some constraints, and do it!

If this is something you will continue doing, you will get better, but, if you don't complete it, it's not art. It's not anything.

Now, I'm not saying leap blindly into a busy intersection. Use your wits, your human instincts to survive. Rely on those things, and just make the best s*** you can.

In summary:
Show up, every day.

Q&A #1

2011-08-11T09:50:00.002-04:00

Thanks for bearing with me...I will try to find adjectives for the word "incredible"!

COOL STUFF FROM PEOPLE I KNOW

2011-08-03T16:42:00.000-04:00

Let me nerd out for a moment here cos I like tangents:

kickstarter, fathoms, me, thornberg, kyle, gel 2011 conference, kickstarter...it's a small (cyclical) world after all!

GEL 2011

GEL 2011 DAY 2 Intro from Thornberg & Forester on Vimeo.

PS - I only did a little bit of work on this, most of the credit goes to Kyle Miller and the magicians at Thornberg & Forester.

VICTORY!

2011-07-28T11:39:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much everyone! Seriously! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

The Kickstarter project finished at a resounding 261% with nearly $20,000 raised! We had support from communities all over the world, from friends and family, from mysterious anonymous sources....it has been an honor and a privilege to say the least.

Tons of crazy stuff will be happening. The real (painful but joyous) work begins now, so, GAME ON!

I DO BELIEVE

2011-07-18T10:51:00.000-04:00

( headphones on / speakers turned up )

It's truly inspiring. I can't begin to describe how thankful Hippo and myself are for everyone's amazing support. So we put a video together.

So, we have just over a week left to go on the Kickstarter project. And I have one more thing, one more thank you I want to offer. So let's keep it steady rolling, and then onward to the big show!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

THE WATER IS FREEZING, DIVE IN!

2011-07-14T13:09:00.000-04:00

M Dot Strange on taking the leap of faith:

'We all have this "I'm not ready yet" thing going on... "when I'm ready I'll start" Well in my experience YOU NEVER FEEL "READY" you just have to go anyway...'

THIS TIME, IT'S PERSONAL

2011-07-11T11:27:00.000-04:00

I received a very kind email from my dad's brother (my uncle) that I wanted to share

"Your Dad, as you know, was very talented in many areas and I am sad he never really got to spread his wings and use his gifts as you are doing. Thanks for giving me the chance to help with your film. What a great way to honor my brother and my sister."

HAPPY DAY-DAY!

2011-07-04T12:03:00.001-04:00

Click for larger Image

Week 1 of Kickstarting is over!
It's been an amazing start and I am so grateful for your generous support.

We've got 3 more weeks to go and a long way to the top. Remember, Kickstarter is all-or-nothing...so if we don't hit the goal by day 30...

I am counting on you guys to help spread the word to the greater internets!
I'm sending press releases to sites like io9, kotaku, reddit, boingboing, and cartoonbrew to try and get more coverage. If you guys also send the Kickstarter link for FATHOMS, maybe we can get some serious press...definitely worth trying, right?!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mografi/fathoms-an-animated-sci-fi-film-with-heart

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great holiday, and let's make some magic!

KICKSTARTER - GREEN MEANS GO!

2011-06-28T11:08:00.002-04:00

Spread the word. Tell your friends, teachers, siblings, family, whomever!

If you can donate even a $1, it would mean a lot to me.

Thank you in advance for your kind support and generosity.

Holy cow! It's been a long journey...and the journey is only really beginning, but I'd like to take a moment and reflect, and smile, on this moment. I've come a long way as an artist and a human being since I had the tiny seed of an idea that will ultimately become FATHOMS.

This is a big getting-my-shit-together moment for me. I also feel very lucky to have the love and support of my friends and family.

I wish I could have found my discipline 4 years ago, but, I am human, and the best lessons learned in life are learned from living it!

Keep on swimmin'

LAUNCHING SUPER SOON!

2011-06-25T13:13:00.000-04:00

A moment from the FATHOMS pitch video

OMG, freaking out! Excitement/Terror!

I've been working on the Kickstarter pitch video and project since the second I finished the preproduction phase.

I think I've got some great (and unique) rewards for you guys, and I'm excited to finally finally finally get the word out.

So, shooting to launch Monday or Tuesday if I can get everything together!!!

WE WHO BLINDLY GO

2011-06-24T09:56:00.000-04:00

"I could just be f*cking talking to myself. I mean that’s the thing that you don’t know. Am I just bullshitting? Am I just drinking my own urine and telling myself it’s the finest red wine available? I have no idea. You know what I mean? You don’t know. You just hope that you make stuff that matters, firstly to yourself and secondly to other people."

~Phillip Toledano

SUMMER SICK

2011-06-22T09:59:00.001-04:00

Click for larger image

I've come down with some sort of cold and I'm feeling pretty raw...but we're still on track to launch the Kickstarter project next week, and enter full production in July. Stay tuned for more soon!

RUNNIN ON THE EXPRESS LINE

2011-06-14T09:45:00.000-04:00

Running late

I did some math while riding the train today and realized that I put in over 400 man-hours over a 6 week period. It's interesting to look back, and realize that despite the long hours, the time flew by, and most days, it was very easy to put in the hard work necessary to get this FATHOMS ship off the ground.

WEEK 7 - THE END OF THE BEGINNING

2011-06-11T11:10:00.004-04:00

Bridge to success?

Pre-production time is wrapping up!

I will be back to my freelancing day job come Monday, and time to work on FATHOMS will become limited again.

I've completed 99% of the work I set out to, which is awesome, and proof that a good production schedule is critical. There are over 13 sets in FATHOMS...you would think I'm making a feature film here (that's the next project)!

Now the work begins on Kickstarter, and then actual production!

Keep on swimmin!

WEEK 6 - PRE-PRODUCTION FINALE!!!

2011-06-07T13:41:00.000-04:00

???

Week 6 is over.

Week 7 is a shortened week of catchup, and then 2 mandatory days to rest before returning to working (for others) after taking time off of working (for others) to work (for myself). Phew!

So the curtains fall on the brutal (but productive) pre-production phase. If I were to do nothing more from here on on Fathoms, I would be very proud of myself. I've done a lot of things I've never done before and never thought I could do. And I've made a lot of images that even I think could be beautiful.

However! This is just the beginning. This is like base camp at Mt. Everest; The real test begins now that I have to actually climb the mountain known as animation.

To quote a favorite of mine:

Oh snail
climb Mount Fuji
but slowly, slowly!

This is why I will be looking to you for Kickstarter support...which, of course, I will spam everyone with as soon as I have made a video.

This humble one-man-band appreciates all past, present, and future support!

And there will be cool rewards!

THERE'S NO WAY TO GROW THAT DON'T HURT

2011-06-05T17:53:00.000-04:00

Sam has pig feet (you'll see)

Soooooooo painful, but...JOB'S DONE!

I have now finished building and rigging all the characters. This is a huge milestone for me as it has been the worst part of Fathoms.

I don't know how people do it. Even using my lo-fidelity models and rigs, it's still a nightmare to get things to work well together. It makes me want to do character that are inanimate objects, like a cube.

My only advice is, get someone else to do it for you (if you can). If you can't, then...a lot of time + infinite patience. It took me 4 days for each of the main characters, that doesn't sound like a long time, but it feels like an eternity, hah.

I've also gotten sick in this painful process. Luckily week 7 is about much more comfortable territory. I've got to build a set for 1 sequence and an epic one-off shot.

Then I will update the boardamatic, including numbering my shots. This way I can keep track of my progress while animating...and make sure I stay on schedule (other job aside).

Then we get into actual production...scary!

MILTON GLASER - EMBRACE THE FAILURE

2011-06-03T13:22:00.000-04:00

This is what it's all about, literally, and figuratively.

Thanks to my good friend Carl for the link

WEEK 5 - WHERE ARE WE? HOW DID WE GET HERE?

2011-06-01T12:15:00.000-04:00

Evan, nearing completion

Some moderate distraction this week colluded with some loss of motivation. So, I would say I'm behind 2-3 days now. That doesn't sound good, but, there's still time...I just have to stay motivated in the home stretch (of preproduction, hah)!

Week 6
I have to finish building Evan, then it's on to finalizing Sam. She should be a bit faster to complete, as she was much further along to start with.

Then we will be very VERY close to....

animating!

and I can put together the video for Kickstarter and get some external support!

WEEK 4 - IN DEEP, REAL DEEP (UPDATED)

2011-05-26T19:36:00.000-04:00

A quiet night on the Q train

So, I have been working on some pretty complex (for me anyway) sets, some are intimate, some are epic.

It's been both challenging (frustrating) and fun.

There is always more to do than one plans for, so I have planned about 5 extra days of catch up time.
Currently I am behind about a day, so, that's still very reasonable.

Week 5 will be about finishing the last of the main set pieces and then getting into the nitty gritty of finishing Sam & Evan. I've put this off for a few weeks because a) I'm scared b) I'm hoping I can apply some problem solving things I've dealt with in the previous 4 weeks.

More soon!

UPDATE - after a totally unplanned life indecent today, I'm behind about a day and a half...so....keep on swimmin?!

WEEK 3 - SO CLOSE!

2011-05-20T11:20:00.001-04:00

Fathoms will be on Kickstarter, hopefully by June

It's been a busy and hectic week. I took a little time to actually sleep last night, which puts me behind about a half day. I'd rather get sleep and not get sick though, so, I think it was a necessary delay.

Week 4 will consist entirely of modeling sets...so, I have to be careful not to get too caught up in the details and focus my time more on lighting and general layout. Your imagination can do the rest!

PS - Kickstarter has accepted my pitch for Fathoms...so, in the coming weeks I will be putting together a video and rewards for the big push! I'm pretty stoked to get the word out (finally).

Keep on swimmin!

I HATE RIGGING, SERIOUSLY

2011-05-19T10:01:00.001-04:00

Even though I'm using constraints instead of skinning, rigging is still such a bitch (for me).

The individual steps don't bother me, it's more that if you screw up any step along the way, you essentially have to start all over.

VERY FRUSTRATING...but I'm chopping my way through the brush!

Just have to keep on swimmin!

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! - SCAVENGER ARKEN

2011-05-18T23:50:00.000-04:00

A WIP of the Scavenger Arken....now with underwater greenhouse!

more soon!

WEEK 2 - STILL HERE!

2011-05-13T23:00:00.000-04:00

Working in a nearly silent environment is wonderful. I've had a few days to myself at my home office this week, and it's been a wonderfully zen-like, distraction-free environment...very good for the creative soul!

So, I'm solidly ahead on some things...

like the dive suit (as seen above)

and a tiny bit behind on others...so I'm about on schedule!

Just gotta keep on swimmin!

WEEK 1 - RIGHT ON SCHEDULE

2011-05-09T01:56:00.001-04:00

click to view fullsize

Somehow I've managed to stay on track this week (even with a lot of hurdles).

I assume that's because I've done little else and I've split my day into three working shifts. This helps deal with distractions (which there are many in modern life) and gives me a little breathing room, while still maintaining a 10 hour+ (minimum) work day.

My work routine:

Morning - 9:30ish - lunch time
Midday - lunchtime to dinner time, with a short snack break
Evening - (after dinner to about an hour past my bed time

If I'm ahead of schedule (hah), then I will take some personal time.

Also, with every significant milestone, I reward myself with a less complex task. Something to cleanse the mental palate.

So, the animatic is more or less ready to go, and I will probably get a few trusted eyes to check it out...make sure it all adds up, while I work away on designing and modeling things.

Not sure if it's too cheesy, or too bloated, or what, but, I'll get whip it into shape in due time!

DAY 1 - THE PAST IS PROLOGUE

2011-05-02T21:56:00.000-04:00

Thusly we begin our journey

A journey of the mind and body

A journey of the soul

...also, I did a ton of storyboard frames today...not sexy, but, important (see above).

HERE WE GO!

2011-04-08T15:21:00.000-04:00

In a few short weeks I will be taking time off from my day gig. I will be militantly dedicated for 6 weeks to getting Fathoms up and running.

I will be doing all the final pre-production, and if my militant schedule is realistic and I succeed, then I should be animating shots by the end of the 6 week period.

I will then nibble away on shots, animating a few hours after work...into the fall, and then I will take another 3-6 weeks off to finish the post-production work for Fathoms.

I am equal parts excited and terrified.
Great power. Great responsibility. You know the drill.

But, good, bad, mediocre, mind-blowing...it's going to be done (done-done), and then I'll move forward from there.

Keep on swimming!

TIME IS A RIVER

2011-04-03T12:27:00.000-04:00

I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING,
FROM WITHIN MYSELF

(POTENTIALLY) GREATER THAN MYSELF

VOICES OF FUTURE'S PAST

2011-01-26T10:07:00.000-05:00

When it comes to the dialogue for Fathoms I'm all business.

So I'm starting work on the storyboards and getting the dialogue locked and recorded.

I'm taking what I would consider the american approach, and recording dialogue first, making sure it works in the boardamatic, then building the animation roughly around those timings.

I'm going for what would probably be considered a hyper-realistic angle.

I imagine Fathoms as a stage play, with an emotional maturity that follows that line. I don't know that the end result will fall there, but that's something I keep deep in the recesses of my mind as a target to aim for.

I want this to feel involved, and authentic, messy and visceral - human.

Some people use the Japanese approach - fitting the voice to the animation after the fact. But I prefer to let the human expression dictate the pacing.

I'm very lucky to have two amazing actors filling the pants (or lungs) of Evan and Sam.
More soon!

SIDE NOTE - ANATOMY IN MOTION

2011-01-14T09:22:00.001-05:00

This is maybe seemingly unrelated, but, it is highly related. Because I'm a very small army.

I finally completed Anatomy in Motion, for the iPhone and iPad. I submitted it last night (Sunday, Jan 9, 2011). I started this project about a year and a half ago with my girlfriend, (who is awesome, by the way).

I delivered about a week behind schedule, but, it's delivered, and now I can finally move on to Fathoms.

This next week is for planning my whole schedule for Fathoms which involves finding a really useful and flexible scheduling program to help me keep on task. I'm thinking of it as my virtual producer......so it needs to be really smart.

I'm also working with my awesome voice talent on getting the dialogue together...more on that soon!

I've got a lot going on this year, and I'm going to try to hit a September deadline for the Sundance festival if I can...it's probably unrealistic, but I'm hoping aggressive scheduling might make it possible. If it's not ready to ship by then, it's not, but, I'm going to do the best I can to hit that milestone!

Keep on swimming

STATUS UPDATE, STILL ALIVE, STILL COOKIN

2010-12-21T10:03:00.002-05:00

So, I'm working my ass off to finish up my iphone app: Anatomy In Motion by the year's end.

But Fathoms is still cooking in the background; 2011 is full steam ahead! So I'm trying to clear the plate now of all of 2010's messy dishes.

I have cast both voice actors and will hopefully have all of the dialogue recorded (again) by mid January.

I have also been working on the character models with the little free time I have had, check up top for some current WIP of Sam!

Happy holidays, see you in 2011, the year of FATHOOOOOOOOMS!

and expect more frequent/regular posts as I pick up steam!

MYTH & REALITY

2010-11-23T10:06:00.002-05:00

There exists a myth.

The idea that you can do everything you want,
That you can have perfection.

The reality is simple

Make some compromises or risk nothing.
If everything is the most important thing, nothing will truly matter,
Nothing will get done.

In the past I would start many projects in a given year. Most of these projects have never been (or ever will be) completed. This is because of scope creep, laziness, aiming too high, and lack of dedication.

Ideas are cheap...arguably free, but that only gets 1% to the finish line. Execution, dedication, planning, compromise, these things comprise the remaining 99%. These are the means by which you deliver on the promise of your idea(s).

As I grow as an artist, my biggest realization is that I have to do one less thing, one less project, one less tangent in order to become the artist I desire. This is a realization that it's far more important for me actually finish and deliver what I start, even if I hate it, even if it's only a few projects. It's the realization that I have to mindfully shutdown tangential ideas and projects, creative distraction, if you will. Something small is never actually small, it always bursts and blooms into a jungle...it's like the tip of the iceburg....there's a mountain just below the surface.

So, you must ask yourself
Do you want to grow a few fertile gardens,
or do you want to leave behind many barren wastelands?

So I'm compromising,
I'm keeping the true goals in mind for Fathoms. I want to win the heart of Fathoms. Rather, I want Fathoms to be a nice girl, with a beautiful soul. She might end up being ugly, she might end up being Venus, but regardless, she will have a beautiful, shining heart.

Fathoms is about emotional authenticity and telling a genuine story, one that connects with the audience. The sci-fi setting is merely the backdrop for this play. The aesthetic is not to be overlooked (I am a visual artist after all), but it is very secondary to my goal, so, I have to let some things go here in order to accomplish this and still ship on time.

I'm doing Fathoms from start to finish, almost entirely by myself. So, If I want to get from (final) pre-production to completion in a year, while working full-time in motion graphics, I'm going to have to make some sacrifices...but that doesn't mean Fathoms has to be crappy, or unworthy of doing.

If I succeed in connecting with my audience, in a genuine, moving way, then it's a big win. I have to remember that perfect aesthetics are SECONDARY here.

I'm not making a demo reel
My audience doesn't care if I hand drew the frames, or did them in three-dee, or if I shot them on a 8mm camera. They only care if those things get in the way of, or detract from the story.

Happy Turkey Day

IT'S A DATE - DECEMBER 31ST, 2011!!!!

2010-11-08T10:02:00.003-05:00

So, I am using Seth Godin's ShipIt Journal (let me know if you want one, I have 3 extras) to help document Fathoms. And I have set a do or die delivery date (well, two actually). The first is secret, but the final delivery date for the whole project is the last day of 2011.

I'm planning on finishing the film 2-3 months before that, and then working on bonus features like an art book to all be available by this magical 2011 new years's eve.

So, that's it! ...seriously!

I know it sounds like a long time from now, but I'm always amazed at how quickly time slips through the fingers.

Hold me to this date, this project has stretched over 5 years now (I know), so, wherever I am at December 31, 2011, it gets delivered (or it gets killed)!

2011 is gonna be a bumpy ride....but magic WILL happen!

RALPH BAKSHI

2010-10-15T11:21:00.002-04:00

It's the doing it, not the doing it right. You can't compete with them, so don't. Do something different, hopefully you have a light inside you, uniquely yours, and you can trace some of its rays. Leave your mark, your signature, on the work.

ART IS WAR

2010-09-27T09:55:00.003-04:00

From the gold-tongued (fingered?) Seth Godin:

No risk, no art.

No art, no reward.

Art is a leaders game.
Art is leaping, not stepping, into the void.
Look before you leap, but leap, jump...
FLY

INSPIRATION & INFLUENCE

2010-09-15T15:59:00.002-04:00

I just took a trip to Bermuda. There was so so much inspiration and research through osmosis.

You will see influences in Fathoms, from my home - Brooklyn (and New York City), as well as Bermuda. Being on the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the mind-blowingly beautiful water, land, and weather of Bermuda....something that pictures on the internet can't replace.

We (as people, and as artists) need time to reflect, absorb, and redirect. Bermuda was much needed time to gather my thoughts.

I often overthink projects, and I'm working on streamlining my processes. I'm developing methods to limit myself, cut myself off before I get carried away. I have to keep in mind simple goals, and always align to those. I understand there has to be room for experimentation and exploration, but there also has to be some kind of deadline at which, good or bad, things must be completed. Otherwise I'll be long dead before I complete any of my great works, hah. Sometimes a vacation is reaffirming research.

I'm still finishing two other major projects before I go back into full-on production of Fathoms. To keep Fathoms fresh in my mind, I'm trying to work at least 15 mins a day on some aspect of design or pre-production.

EXECUTIVE DECISION

2010-08-27T10:23:00.002-04:00

So I've made an executive decision - no more work in progress will be shown until Fathoms is nearing completion. [secrets]

Instead I will continue to focus on more conceptual entries related to progress, storytelling, life and art.

The big deal is that I have two major projects to complete by the end of 2010. Both are unrelated to Fathoms. After that I can fully focus on pre-production, and I have scheduled summer of 2011 for production time. I am still working on Fathoms in the mean time, but it has to go on the back burner until I finish more pressing obligations.

So, in summary:

2008 was the first attempt at production for Fathoms v1.0.

2011 will be the second attempt to be made for Fathoms v3.7.

I will get the software out of beta and onto store shelves!

Also, if anyone (someone) has any technical questions, I'm happy to answer. I'm not a fan of tutorials, but I'll probably make a few when the film is complete.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

2010-08-18T11:01:00.005-04:00

Fear is paralyzing.

Fear is demotivating.

Fear is isolating.

Or...

Fear is your greatest motivator.

Fear is a cheerleader, pushing you, shaking and sweaty, back onto the stage.

Fear is an epic equalizer.

Fear is something we all experience. It's not about being fearless, it's about facing the fear, embracing it, and pushing through. It's like waves on the beach. They are intimidating, but they are not impossible to wade, swim, and dive through...they can even be fun.

Part of this is about safety, familiarity, comfort zones. Doing new things means escaping predictability, which leaves uncertainty and fear...room for failure. But it's really the oppurtunity to find new invention, and even genuine success...of course failure is possible, but, failure is still a win if we learn something and apply it to future challenges.

We have access to the tools now, we have the time. It's all about who does the thing, who finishes (first), and then who does it better, fresher, with more humanity.

Fear raises the stakes.

Fear intrigues us. What are we really afraid of? Ourselves? Success?

I'm working hard to let go of the things in Fathoms that are not critical, and only embellish what's important.

I have to remember that "If everything is special, then nothing is special."

I'm making some compromises, but, if I don't finish, how will anyone know that it's a (hopefully) great film?!

WHO AM I DOING THIS FOR?

2010-08-10T09:58:00.004-04:00

I'm making Fathoms for two people:

My father, and myself.

I am very much my father's son, for better, and for worse.

He died when I was 17.

So I have a very personal story to tell, and it relates to my father. Fathoms is part of my growing and healing process, to share my story. This is not the only influence, so, it colors the story, but it's not literally a story about a father and son.

In regards to anyone else, it's nice to have their approval, but, sorry, this story is not (expressly made) for you. This is a story I hope you can, and want you to enjoy, and relate to, but it's not for you. This is my art therapy.

LEVELING-UP IN THE REAL WORLD IS HARD

2010-08-06T13:17:00.011-04:00

From the ever brilliant Seth Godin:

Are you a bullfrog in a china shop?

They make a lot of noise but don't break anything.

They're annoying but not dangerous.

They create a swirl but no impact.

They don't ship.

I hate to say it, but, unfortunately, I have been, and still am a bullfrog. I have shipped on some things, but my greatest works, I have not yet to ship. BUTTTTT, in my defense, I'm working on the shipping part.

I don't know if I care about being dangerous...though I do understand it as a tool to turn heads/get attention/etc.

I would say I'm in the middle of the ocean, I've made a lot of progress, but, it won't matter if I don't reach the other shore.

Where are you?

PS - I think it's important to talk about failure and doubt AT LEAST as much as success and positive motivation and victory. I would say I fail 80-90% of the time....it's so strange to me that our society doesn't acknowledge that most wins are built on the experience gained from tons and tons of failure....at least the meaningful ones.

DIALOGUE AND SUBTEXT - KEYWORD: BETRAYAL

2010-08-02T15:55:00.005-04:00

Subtext is amazing, it's a very naturalistic/realistic thing that is very easy to recognize, but for me, difficult to consciously (and tastefully) create.

Subtext is our tell, the true face behind our mask. Subtext is like beams of light from our id flickering out through the cracks in the boarded up windows of our Super Ego. Our true feelings, our darkest desires, etc.

It's like when you ask a good friend if he is over his ex and he replies

"I was never really that into her"

or he volunteers before you even ask "I'm so over my girlfriend!"

Subtext. His words betray him. Betray his truth.

The first response shows that he is really trying to sooth his pain by downplaying the importance of her to him...which would might infer means he was very much into her. The second response shows that she's already on his mind and he has to fight his own feelings of regret or melancholy with a public rebuttal (against his inner monologue) of anger and denial.

There are much more subtle and playful ways to create subtext, not just in dialogue, but with imagery, and action, but, this is a good example of everyday subtext.

Sometimes a light is just a light, and this is not here.

FAILING UPWARDS

2010-07-26T22:25:00.011-04:00

"The way to solve the perfect problem is to make it imperfect.
Don't just bend one of the constraints, eliminate it.
Shut down the factory.
Walk away from the job.
Change your product completely.
Ignore the board.

If the only alternative is slow and painful failure, the way to get unstuck is to blow up a constraint, deal with the pain and then run forward. Fast."

~Seth Godin

Getting over the hump is difficult. The speed bump grows to an impregnable mountain as our fears feed the beast.

Sometimes it's writers block, sometimes it's technical limitations, sometimes it's plain fear of completion.

My biggest fear is not of the inability to complete something, but rather, completing something and hating it, or worse, feeling nothing at all (meaninglessness).

NATURAL EVOLUTION

2010-07-23T15:48:00.004-04:00

Limbo is probably the best game I've played in years. It's beautiful, and it lets you wade into it's world, without hitting you over the head, or doing lots of hand-holding.

The story is very minimal, but the world is so fantastic that it's just as fun to watch as it is to play. We need more unique voices singing different and interesting songs like this.

Ranting on, if every story is a heavy metal opus or poppy dance drone, we will go deaf, or at least be really really bored. It's the Michael Bay problem, if everything is exploding, then it's like nothing is exploding (think about it).

WHERE I HAVE BEEN, WHERE ARE WE GOING

2010-07-22T15:33:00.003-04:00

The final *quadruple crosses finger* script is done. There are a few lines of dialogue to be tweaked/worked out, but, it's pretty much done-done! Fathoms is finally starting to shine, and I feel really confident about it. I feel very competent about the actual production side, so, feeling good about the story means there's a great chance at Fathoms coming out tops!

So what now?

I'm working on re-finalizing the character design for Sam. I may still put up a vote for which face people like/sympathize with more.

I'm also writing the shot list and starting storyboarding again.

Also, some design elements will need to change to fit the story now...including the Scavenger Arken, which I will be turning to master mechanical designer Mike Doscher to help with, seriously, I can't say enough good things about his work.

More sooner than later!

SERVICING THE THEME

2010-07-20T15:41:00.002-04:00

Now that I know what I want, thematically, I can cut the fat.

It's much easier to see what's important, and that everything else exists solely to enhance and support the theme.

The core of this story-planet is super hard and solid, unwavering, and pure. Everything around it is a swirling, morphing vertex of supportive energy. Like harmonies in a really catchy tune, they pull you further into the melody.

Why we do the things we do

2010-07-14T15:55:00.001-04:00

Art is therapy (for me).

I love creating things with my hands.

Things real, and things unseen.

If my hands are static, I feel hollow.

Fathoms is a dream about a story from a time when I lost my father and about the ghosts of the past that follow us through empty warehouses of the future.

This is not about monetizing my name into gold silicon wafers in the interwebs, or in the side door of a trendy vinyl toy store in SoHo.

This is about

Finally delivering on my promise (to myself) that I am a real storyteller, proving to myself that I can do it, and be satisfied (happy) with the story I tell.

Dealing with the past, expressing it on my terms, remembering it how I want, as skewed as that perspective may be.

Telling my story, for better or worse, I do have something to say (we all do, some of us have one story, some of us have many).

It's about rising above my humanity while simultaneously embracing it. This isn't the first or the last story I will tell...but so far, it's the most involved. So keep on swimming.

Tiny Inventions - Something Left, Something Taken & Making of

2010-07-03T16:55:00.005-04:00

Tiny Inventions made this over the course of two and a half years, in between paid gigs. It's very inspirational, and technically will be similar to how my animation works.

Check out more detailed making of stuff here, it's definitely worth the jump.

Nice work guys!

I'm going to tell you a story...

2010-06-24T10:07:00.002-04:00

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."

Concept Art - Dive Suit

2010-06-23T10:01:00.000-04:00

This is pretty close to what the dive suit will look like...You'll just have to wait and see what it's used for...

This is not easy (for me)!!!

2010-06-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

If anyone has any good rigging tutorials for Cinema 4D, please send them my way. I am very close to scrapping 3d for the characters (except the heads), as I can not seem to get a proper rig going. Anyway, there will be an animation test, I just don't know if it will be with my original 2.9D technique...maybe more 2.6D, hah.

Fathoms For Change

2010-06-08T10:34:00.005-04:00

I have decided that I want my personal projects to be a vehicle for change. Not just for me, or for you, but for the world. Therefore, any present or future short film I make will be in connection with at least one non-profit that I think is changing the world for the better.

For Fathoms I want you (I know there's at least two of you out there!) to pick the charity that Fathoms' proceeds will support. I've narrowed it down to these four relevant groups, but feel free to suggest something else in the comments.

Vote in the sidebar, and click on the following images to find out more about each group

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

However big or small the donations, they are important. It's better to try and fail then to give up before you even start. I want to see what I can do to give something back, it's not all about me (or you) you know!!! So, I thank you, in advance, wherever you are, for choosing who to give to and for giving back.

PS - You have just over two weeks to choose your charity!

Sink or Swim, keep on kickin

2010-06-07T16:28:00.001-04:00

I am currently working on an animation test. Life has been full of business, so it is going to take me a little longer than expected to produce my proof of concept. Within two weeks I should have a short test to post.

This is requiring me to first (re)finalize the character designs. For me this is not a small thing. But I am trying to push through as I have had months of back and forth about the characters looks.

I have trouble deciding on the exact face of the female lead, Sam. I don't want her to be too beautiful and I don't want her to be too beat up.

I may place 2 or 3 final designs of her face up for a vote on here in a few days. So, let me know if anyone's interested, and keep your eyeballs peeled!

In Summary...

2010-06-03T16:01:00.003-04:00

More Concept Art

2010-06-01T09:59:00.001-04:00

In a cave somewhere...

Grants or no grants? How does one afford this stuff?

2010-05-28T11:00:00.005-04:00

I want to make my art. It might further my career, it might not. But my goal is to make the art I want to make. To tell a story I need to tell. To apply everything I've learned and everything I love. To have full ownership and authorship of my work, for better or worse.

So, I make more money than I need. So that I can work 9 months of the year, and take 3 months, unpaid, and continue to pay the rent and the bills and just work on whatever I want.

I work in a creative industry. But, the clients have the money, and ultimately the say. This can be very frustrating, as even they stand in the way of their best interest at times. They are tied to a system of meetings, and notes, and blindly distributed accountability.

Grants are their own issue...I've looked into them in the past. It seemed to me that the leg work involved (making a trailer for a short film that's not already made?) did not equate with the pay off ($2500???). This is money I could save simply by working, and not living beyond my means.

In the end it's about how you spend your money. I don't spend my money on fancy suits, or cars. Sure, I invest in technology, but most of that is related to my creations. I use my money to buy time. Time to make some stuff I like.

The process of making moving story picture titles

2010-05-25T14:51:00.005-04:00

Here's a great article on Wired about the development process behind Toy Story 3. I don't normally link to external stuff, but, this is right up Fathoms ally.

How to deal with distractions?

2010-05-24T14:35:00.001-04:00

How do I deal with distractions?

Not well. hah, I have ADHD, and I am sooo easily distracted. For this reason I can NEVER work at a coffee shop. I mostly will just end up people watching, because people are interesting, and there is so much distraction. I don't know how people focus better in those environments. Maybe it's just the stimulants?

I think it ends up being that when I get to crunch time, and I need to get stuff done, I quit Firefox and iChat. These are my main distractions during the day.

I've seen apps that will disable the internet on your computer for a preset period of time, but this seems like overkill to me. It's just about not running those apps. That internet is damn addicting, especially for procrastination.

The only legitimate excuse I have for internet while I'm working on Fathoms is for tutorials or forums for when I can't find the right nob to turn in Cinema4D.

There's also real world stuff to distract, but, in my home office, with some good music cranked up, nothing phases me.

Preparing the 2.8D rig, or what should I call this thing?!

2010-05-21T15:58:00.003-04:00

I have settled on my character animation technique. It will be built mostly in Cinema 4D. I still want to create something that feels like a comic book, but have fairly fluid motion. I am calling my technique 2.75D, or 2.8D, or even 2.9D? ...or something close to that. It's not 2.5D (2d planes in 3d space), and its not 3d (fully volumetric), it's a Frankenstein hybrid.

It's meant to look pretty flat, but retain the dynamics of 3d, as well as the humanity/illustration qualities of 2D hand drawn works. I think everything will have a slightly sketchy look as well. I'll post my animation test soon, or some kind of crude diagram of how it works...once I've proven that it totally works, hah.

My philosophy

2010-05-20T11:28:00.002-04:00

I have many thick-headed beliefs, but the way I generally operate is:

Aim for the stars, land on the moon.

I always bite off something bigger than I can chew. But if I learn from it, and make some small accomplishment, even if the greater mission is a failure, then, success (to me, anyway)!

How do you roll?

The Spirit, Broken

2010-05-18T14:19:00.002-04:00

This xkcd comic summarizes the spirit (pun?) of Fathoms. It's about hope, and it's about sadness. It's about isolation, and it's about the human condition. I think it's one of the best single-panel comics I've ever read.

Speaking of broken things, my laptop is on the verge of breaking, and it's time to replace it. I'm thinking about getting a faster processor so it can help with renders down the line. But, for now I'm going to save my money and ponder character animation techniques.

Families are tough

2010-05-14T20:25:00.003-04:00

I have been called away from my attempt to post daily by a family medical emergency. I will come up with something interesting, and relative to post soon. Healing happens too....

3 little questions

2010-05-10T14:55:00.003-04:00

These are three very important questions:

"
What was the artist trying to achieve?

Did they succeed?

Was it worth doing?
"

Roughly quoted from Henry James/Art & Fear.

If you watch Fathoms, and you don't know what I am trying to achieve, then I will have failed. If I succeed, it will have been worth doing (rather, completing) for me. And that's all I can really hope for with this project.

The weight of water

2010-05-09T15:18:00.004-04:00

A simple test render of what the surface water could look like in Fathoms. It's even nicer in motion, trust me!

Art & Fear

2010-05-08T18:45:00.000-04:00

"The artists are different. They took a leap.
They weren't pushed. They jumped."

~Seth Godin

Story & Plot - Star-crossed lovers in a delicate balancing act

2010-05-07T11:11:00.009-04:00

It took reading some very blunt advice to realize that I'm good at creating plot (what happens), but not at story (what it means).

Plot is the action, the thing that happens to the characters.
Story is characters, and their reactions to the plot.

Both are critical, and interwoven. They inform and drive each other. They are inseperable, and if either has too much weight, the film falls apart. The plot drives things forward, but the story gives the plot meaning, purpose, value.

So, I continue pushing, pulling, revising, and rethinking Fathoms until the river flows freely with emotional gold. I'm not quite there, YET!

Things that are old, but not dead

2010-05-06T14:19:00.005-04:00

These are some thumbnail sketches for deep sea dive suits for one of the characters in Fathoms. Courtesy of master mechanical designer Mike Doscher. I can not say enough wonderful things about him and his work. These are old, but the new story still includes scenes with the dive suit. So this is still relevant stuff.

I will be posting more artwork, including things that will never be used in the final film in the coming days, weeks, and months.

Keep on swimming...

On Storytelling

2010-05-05T10:52:00.016-04:00

I have been drawing since I was a wee child. I have been working on my visual language for all of my (short) life. Finding the right imagery and stylistic choices for the art and animation of Fathoms is not an easy choice, but, it is a choice I am much more comfortable with than the story. But, the story is the critical thing, it's the backbone, and the heart and soul of Fathoms.

It's the reason I stopped production half-way through completion of the original Fathoms, and it's the reason I am still revising my script. It may take me 5 or 6 years to complete this, but this is my baby, and I will finish it, but I also want to be happy with it. I'm not going to pump something out just to say I finished it. That works when I'm making things for paying clients, but not when it's for me. If I'm the client, and I'm not satisfied, what's the point?

The art style (for me), is just the skin, the hair, the nails. Sure, we will all judge these things first, because they take the least work to address, but, these things do not make a success (unless I'm making a demo reel).

Anyway!

I admit, I am not a good storyteller, not in the midst of conversation anyway.
I find that I stumble in live performance situations, including telling stories.

But, I am good at planning. If I have time to sit with my thoughts, and write something out, and let it sit, and stir, for a week or two, then I have a chance at addressing my lack of innate storytelling abilities.

I believe I have stories in me, unique, universal stories...maybe even interesting stories. And no, these stories don't include the main character finding out that they had a split personality and they were really the villain (as well as the hero) the whole time.

I have lived a little, through good and through bad. I don't always know how to connect with others, but, I think that adds to my unique perspective as a story teller/writer/auteur/director/artist/whatever.

Basically, I'm saying this: I'm very comfortable with my visual vocabulary, but I'm very uncomfortable (and unpracticed) with storytelling (and writing).

The focus of Fathoms is, at its core, a story about people and their internal struggles. So, I am still focusing on refining my story until I am absolutely satisfied that it has an air of emotional authenticity...before I start doing the 'easy' part, the visuals...again.

Also, when this is all over, I will be making an art book that includes all the original art work and storyboards for the version that sits dead on my work table. And, hopefully I will be making tiny real life models of the Scavenger Arken to give away to a few kind souls.

Proof that FATHOMS is still alive

2010-04-08T23:24:00.006-04:00

so, I am rewriting the script for the billionth time. I know what I want now, it's just a matter of getting it in the writing (the hard part for me). My goal is to project emotional authenticity within my scifi setting..........anyway, that's a style frame from the recent past

Still Alive, Seriously...

2010-01-31T22:21:00.002-05:00

Happy 2010! We are living the future!

There will be more in the second half of the year on this project, but it's on hiatus right now, as there are more profitable ventures in the immediate future.

However, Fathoms will be finished. It is on my very short to-do list for this life.

Quietly creeping forward, still...

2009-09-22T17:57:00.001-04:00

One day at a time, but long before I die...

2009-09-19T16:11:00.006-04:00

A (very dear to my heart) professor told me in my last semester as an undergrad that although he did not think my current body of work was in any way bad, he did not think I had yet created my greatest work. He described my work (me?) as a beautiful and exotic flower that was showing a petal here and there, but that had not fully bloomed, not yet revealed all of its secrets.

It's nearly five years later....and I don't feel like I'm making or have yet created my life's greatest work.

I don't even know what that phrase would mean to me. I would think that all my future work would build off my previous and current work, making every new work the greatest work of the moment...it's a strange to me.

It depends mostly on what the viewer or artist sees as valuable. Is my greatest work the one that makes me the most money? or recognition? or critical praise? Is it a work that defines me (as an artist or a human being)? Is it the work that I will be remembered for (being conceited, and assuming I will be remembered by those other than my immediate family)? Is it the work that changes the world, or the world of one individual? Or is it the work that I am proudest of, that means the most to me, that was my greatest struggle, my darkest hour, and my most opaque triumph?

Or is it the work that is the most therapeutic for the artist? ...is it about a work that finally frees me from the constraints of this world, and all it's simple and burdensome truths?

These kind of things weigh heavily on my conscious: late at night, riding the train, or whenever the weather in my head is clear, because I do consider myself an artist, and because I am conceited as well as ponderous. Will this be my greatest work? Will any work be my greatest? And will I know and deem it so, or will it be bestowed upon me by some unseen phantoms, or will it be some thing prescribed well beyond my short time on this earth. Or will there be any of my works worth deeming great? or memorable? or important? or valuable?

If this is my life, will it be my death?

if I am a failure as an artist, then am I also a failure as a human being?

I suppose, I am starting to worry that the daylight is beginning to dwindle, and the days are rapidly accelerating towards an infinite plane just beyond the horizon...and I worry that I will never make it in time.

Slowly, so slowly...

2009-05-17T22:43:00.001-04:00

Did I mention?

2009-04-27T17:34:00.003-04:00

Did I mention Fathoms is in the midst of being 2.0'd??? Well, it is...and it will be completed (eventually). It will just be made of different trees from the same forest.

Into the abyss...

2009-02-16T01:24:00.001-05:00

Style frames abound...

Redirection is in effect-ion

2009-01-29T16:37:00.002-05:00

For better.
For worse.
I'm going to carry that weight.

We will harness the sun!

2009-01-23T23:53:00.002-05:00

Still Alive

2009-01-20T23:05:00.002-05:00

Image of the Day - Storyboards

2008-09-10T02:03:00.003-04:00

The ship will be resuming course shortly...

Image of the Day - Screen Test

2008-08-14T16:41:00.002-04:00

Image of the Day - Something different

2008-08-11T18:22:00.002-04:00

Image of the Day - Compositing

2008-08-08T18:20:00.002-04:00

Click for a video of what goes into shot 058.

Image of the Day - Open all the boxes!

2008-08-07T19:35:00.002-04:00

Storyboard and final shot for comparison. Click for the larger image.

Image of the Day - Bubbles bubbles bubbles!

2008-08-06T18:36:00.001-04:00

Image of the Day - Arken

2008-08-04T18:41:00.001-04:00

Image of the Day - More from the deep sea!

2008-08-01T19:42:00.001-04:00

Image of the Day - Shot 085 is Double Done!

2008-07-31T19:41:00.003-04:00

A comparison of the storyboard frame and the final shot. Click for the animation!

Image of the Day - Shot 085 WIP

2008-07-30T20:03:00.002-04:00

Image of the Day - Weekend Edition - Evan Eats

2008-07-26T17:11:00.004-04:00

Click for the tiny video!

Image of the Day - Colonol Mustard; in the kitchen; with the cellphone!

2008-07-25T16:13:00.003-04:00

Oh the ubiquitous cellphone....bloodied....whatever could it mean?

Image of the Day - The Early Years

2008-07-24T17:05:00.003-04:00

One of the first sketches when I started toying with the idea of an underwater short almost three years ago. The sketch is of a deep sea dive suit (and a lot of scribbles).

PS - You can click on the images in each post for a bigger version (or video).