PRODUCTION UPDATE - PAIN & GAIN

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

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

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

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

COOL STUFF FROM PEOPLE I KNOW

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!

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

( 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!

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

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!

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!