Stunt Puppet Pictures is OPEN for Business.

Stunt Puppet Pictures is OPEN for Buisness in the new studio. 323-314-0326

Our new home studio is Rocking and Rolling. Here is my First animation from the new spot.

DOGONAUTS STAR FLEA Territories -- the GAME and DOGONAUT'S ENEMY LINE DVD are LAUNCHED!!!

Hey Guys!

  We have been sitting on this side project and the release of our DVD for a looooong time.

We are so excited to announce the LAUNCH of DOGONAUT'S STAR FLEA Territories!!!!!!
                                                                     Amazon Link

We always wanted to make a game in the DOGONAUT'S universe but never quite made it to the finish line over the years.

When we were approached by Game designer extraordinaire Christen Senn at Senntertain Games with an idea for a card game we jumped right at it.

Here is the Game Description : The Stop-motion short film Dogonauts:Enemy Line introduces the Dogonauts universe. The Card game  Dogonauts:Starflea Territories continues from the film and pits players against one another to see who can repair their space ship first. The film and game experiences can be enjoyed separately , but combining them offers a well rounded understanding of the wonderful world of Dogonauts.

https://www.amazon.com/Dogonauts-Starflea-Territories-Card-Game/dp/B01GPPT1I0?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

The game is very simple and very very fun!! The art work for the cards is so freaking appealing and we are so honored to have the Universe GROW with this amazing addition.

We also Finally finished the Dogonaut's DVD. Woooo Hoo!!!

We will be selling it on the Blog just like the Gerald's Last Day DVD Over on your top Right of the Blog.We will also be offering it on a Dogonaut's Website . http://www.dogonauts.com

Exactly Like Gerald's DVD the Dogonaut's DVD will have lots of Special features covering the films Production and some of our adventures in stop mo madness.

We also will be doing a COMBO Deal {DVD and DOGONAUTS STAR FLEA Territories} so you can enjoy them both together!!

It is a pretty BIG moment for us in the DOGONAUT'S timeline. It marks the True end of the multi year journey and a look back on the exciting lessons learned.

     Lots more FUN news ahead!! Stay TUNED!!

                        justin

KUBO 3rd trailer and Overwatch shorts

Hey Guys!

Here is the 3rd Trailer for KUBO and my favorite yet. It really captures the adventure and cool vibe of the film.


I get goosebumps watching it and cant wait to share it with my family and the rest of you!!!!!!

I just have to say that being part of film making was something I have always wanted to do since I was a young kid and to see that dream realized is thrilling in a way I can not express.

Growing up watching and loving so many great Animated , SCI FI ,  Adventure and Horror films.
I am Completely shaped and Inspired by so much of 80's cinema.......

I really had no idea really how you get from Miami Florida to being part of Feature Animated movies......I only knew I like doing art work.

I feel utterly giddy every time I have that Dream realized.

   3 months Till it hits theaters....I CANT WAIT!!

 in other art news...

      My work at Blizzard continues to be crazy Fun and full of personal GROWTH.

we just today are releasing our 4th character short for the upcoming game.

Here is our Trailer to the Overwatch characters-



and here are 2 of the individual cinematics- more to come

Winston - Reaper



Tracer -  Widow



   justin

KUBO teaser and LAIKA 10 year anniversary!!

Hey Guys!

   Happy Holidays.....I am enjoying the start to a much needed break from non stop deadlines
and the lifestyle of a professional animator.

   I have been very excited to share that KUBO finally released a teaser video for the film I worked on this last year.

here is a peek.



this played in Front of the New Star Wars film and the amount of eyes that put on our film is priceless. This video shows all the characters I was able to animate on the film.....My main focus was
with the Monkey and Woman with the cape and Hat. But I animated Kubo and the Big guy in a few shots as well.

also in the last week LAIKA released their 10 year anniversary video .
Its so amazing to think the studio has been here now 10 years.....and so cool to see the library expand.



there are a bunch more KUBO peeks in the 10 year video as well.

I also have a BUNCH of shots in this as well as time lapse videos of me animating when I was on Kubo and Paranorman. I am super honored to have some work in this video because I remember first seeing Coraline so many years ago and being blown away by what Stopmotion was capable of being.

August 2016 KUBO will be here and I cant wait to see it.....and share with the whole world.

              justin

 



  

My second LAIKA film - KUBO and the 2 Strings -

Hey Guys,

  I have reached the End of another EPIC Artistic journey guys.

My 10 months on KUBO have been incredibly rewarding and challenged me more than any other project in my Career.

This Film will once again BLOW minds and show what is possible in our Medium. LAIKA
is Creating a Library of films that are going to Launch a lot of Young peoples Imaginations for years to come.

I am leaving with 35 approved shots in the film and some pretty killer moments I cant wait for you to share. I hear that a couple of my shots are making the first teaser ....so I will call them out when it lands.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received from a fellow animator was to {Fall in Love with your characters.} Fall in love ---- WITH  them......

WHEN YOU LOVE YOUR CHARACTERS - like your family -

you will care for every frame in a very different way.
You will apply that Love - that energy - to all aspects of the character.

know who they are  - understand all of their motivations - care for every hair - every gesture.

I felt the HUGE difference when I really really took this advice in. The animation becomes even more emotional.....the care you put in the movements are so much more thoughtful and less technical......it was a big moment for me.

   I hope to carry this through my entire career from here on.

You guys will get your first peek at KUBO in the very near future and I will post it here to make sure.


I finished my last shot on the Friday night before Halloween

then I jumped in my truck and made my way towards Los Angeles. I made it home in time to trick or treat and have a Sunday with the family.

The very next Day I started my new gig back in the CG chair at Blizzard on the cinematic's team.

I have been here for 3 weeks now ad have to say.....this is the BEST cg job - studio I have ever worked for. I am kind of Blown away.

Great subject matter - GREAT characters - wonderful Story's And Super Fun animation!!

I feel very fortunate in life and in my Art....

the Animation I am doing here is getting my Passion Boiling.....and I will definitely share here as it goes live.

         justin

 

Why I Came to KUBO ? PROTECT THE SHOT

Hey guys!

   I am nearing the end of my adventure on KUBO and the 2 strings. I have just 10 weeks left
on the film before I heard back to CG land.

The way time fly's on this production It will pass way faster than I want......but at the same time I am very very excited to get home to my family!!

and UNDO....ha!

I have gotten 25 shots approved now and the next 2 shots on my list are what I call the { REASON I CAME TO LAIKA } shots

These are the 2 coolest -EPIC and most visually exciting shots that I would have done so far.  In other words - GREAT for the REEL and exciting in the doing.

There is Complicated character action...Complicated Element animation with Complicated camera moves. The shots are also both 6 - 10 seconds long which means bigger chunks of screen time.

Most of my shots have been between 2- 4 seconds....due to quick cuts..... so a 10 second piece  feels EPIC.

Wish me Luck!!!

So.....in a tense production ......

I had a big moment of growth 3 weeks ago......

I found my confidence.....after having a serious low in production.....

I had a shot that I rushed through due to production push and I was not happy with the outcome.

 I was in fact even embarrassed....ashamed.

The shot was approved { owwwch } and I learned a BIG lesson.....

DON'T FREAKING RUSH....PROTECT THE SHOT.......

when production is pushing you to finish a shot faster than is required....faster than you are comfortable with......Faster than you  NEED...

   step back .....

and say......THIS IS FOREVER......This shot will be up in CINEMA animation history FOREVER!!!

    I understand productions job of keeping things moving.....and I also have come to understand they really don't care if the shot is good or not.......{serviceable} they just want it checked off on the to do list.

BUT .....as an animator - YOU must PROTECT THE SHOT -

 In the end.... that shot could sting your eyes for the rest of eternity....as well as hurt your reputation as an animator.

When the production is over and they look back at your work....no one will will remember how long it took.....they will remember is it GOOD or BAD.

  So after I figured out this lesson.....by creating a bad shot. I have decided to never let that happen again. The animation we are doing on KUBO is the hardest most complicated stuff in stop mo history.

AND - it is at the highest level of QUALITY......as LAIKA is known for.

so......

I have felt such a relief and JOY in my last 3 weeks at work.

Creating fun animation!!! ......with confidence that I will do my very VERY best to make sure the shots are as high quality as I can.....and that the shot is protected RESPECTED for its complexity and time requirements.

I am going to Savor every frame that I take in the Last 10 weeks and the BIG shots I am undertaking.....

I plan on POURING every ounce of my passion and soul into the making.

      jriggity


           

Over a min of footage!!

Hey guys,

  Been a little gap since my last post.....

I passed the 1 min mark guys -

 .......I Have been busting my hump at LAIKA and have not had much time or energy to blog after some of those Hard weeks on the field....

Here it is Friday..... and I just finished my 19th shot....a quick 45 frame shot of one of  our heroes running from one of our villains.

Short or Long they all are hard and they all have at least one Puzzle to solve...
also....with all the sets getting over 100 degrees on stage it doesn't make it any easier.

One of the puzzles that you never hear about from stop mo guys are {RIGS- shadows- lighting?}

So......

In every shot I do....a rigger will set up something to help me control- support - move my characters through the shot.

this is like an erector set of metal gears and rods to control and rotate many axis's ......or float -fly characters.

It also is often used for BIG characters that are just too HEAVY to support them selves with their legs.

now ----once you have a contraption to support your puppet - you need to animate it smartly-

This can be a big puzzle-

......especially when dealing with multiple characters who are interacting physically with each other.

1. Keep the support rigs from overlapping the puppets - hard to paint out in post.

2. Keep weird rig shadows from crossing the puppets or - hard to fix places - this can often happen and can be a pain for post guys....its all just another puzzle to think about while trying to create smooth animation.....arrrghh

3. Animating then ----MID shot ---- switching out for new rigs throughout a shot -{Due to cross over or say coming in from flight to a landing..} spinning and needing to prevent overlap.

 This can be very very slow and often pulls your puppet out of position which you have to spend time getting back as close as possible.....

I never really knew about this stuff till I went Pro at LAIKA.....and Now I feel VERY comfortable with it......

because every shot I do is a Rigging MASTER class.....tons of action requires TONS of rigging.

just wanted to share.


in LAIKA news -

   I feel a full member of the team now......{been here almost 6 months}..and am producing on average 1 shot a week....all though the last 2 weeks have been 2 shots each..which is the most I have done so far.

This is over a min of footage guys...that's a big milestone. I left Paranorman with 3 min of footage....I am hoping for 2 min on KUBO.....but these shots are so much more complicated it might not happen.

The fight scene will be my task the entire time I am at LAIKA. The 19 shots
 are editing well together and with the post are looking quite Nice.

I really cant wait to share!!!

last but not least.

Since I have been in Portland I discovered an awesome BMX park...{The Lumberyard}...

.. I landed one of my DREAM tricks that I wanted since I was a little kid....and being 40 now and having pretty much quit riding.....

I truly thought I would never do it.....but....... I made it happen!!! IT was an incredible feeling...... another DREAM come true.

here it is ----