1RST Week in the can!

Hey guys,

Here I am having completed my very first week as a LAIKA animator.......what can I say...... HUGE deep breath!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first 15 minutes in the building I got to sit down with a bunch of the LAIKA crew in the giant screening room and watch a bunch of the AMAZING shots being created for the new film.

This was the very first time I got to see the designs and characters for the new film...and I was Incredibly PLEASED....They are excellent and incredibly appealing. POWERFULL.

can you say INTIMIDATION.....FEAR...... OUTCLASSED.......and THRILLED to be there!!!!!!

This are how I felt through out the week.

This is going to be a Defining Artistic experience for me guys...

So before I talk about my week I have to say that the BIGGEST thing I have learned in my very short time here is ?

{NO MISTAKES ALLOWED} the animation has to be PERFECT guys ...100% PERFECT!!! Zero room for error....

I never realized how much imperfection I have allowed in my work until coming here....working on 2's give you so much breathing space between your frames....its so so forgiving in a sequence.

This was a very quick and Very hard HAMMER to my Psyche.

My first task was basically to just play with the puppet....do some pose tests in character......and just familiarize myself with how he moves-works. this went just fine....and was very fun.

One of my next tests during the week was to do a walk with the puppet across the stage in character.....on ones.... this was not easy at all....and I was felling very bad about my first showing....{especially since all the other staff has access to your work } YIKES!!

WEAKness....will not be hidden

I have never done a walk at this level of perfection before - on ones - and zero mistakes allowed.

after being critiqued by the animation supervisor I set out to do another Improving upon my mistakes from the first job.....This sounds simple enough but I was so full of fear of messing up that I just could not perform like I know I can...

after creating a sub par 2nd -walk....I decided the only way to deal with this fear is to GRAB a hold of it and BEAT it into submission. {Take charge}

I decided to stay late and do it again-It was much better....but still I need to do better....

A method for taking controll of the fear i was having was to Start BLOCKING all of my work out in advance....

This was INSANELY helpfull!!!!!!!!!!! I have never blocked out my work in stopmotion before....I always thumb nailed my work but Never Blocked.

After Blocking my walk....It gave me all the confidence to do a clean piece of work...Which I did

Pppfffeeeewwww!! Wipes the sweat from the brow.

so...

In finishing the week of work and getting my pass to the building....I spent all Saturday...{after a slept in ofcourse}-......Animating something just for FUN!! {Blocking Actually} I figured this could be a nice FUN reminder and practice session directly related to my first shots I am scheduled to do.

This was very theraputic....and I am excited to go in on Sunday and Put it together in animation form....

a piece of info that I did not know in FEATURE stopmotion film production....PROCESS

when given a shot for the film...the first thing you do -

1.Talk to Director-

2.If scene is complex or has elements that are unique- TEST animate them...

{cameras- particles-trees-leaves-certain specific motions - car bounces-bikes-u name it}

3. BLOCK Shot- {all posing- and camera}

4. Let Director-Supervisor give Approvals comment...

4. Rehearsal - {Animate entire Shot On 2's}

5. Let Director-Supervisor give Approvals comment...

6. LAUNCH- Animate Shot on 1's ALL the way...

8. Daily's Approval by Directors -Supervisors...

9. JUMP UP AND DOWN SCREAMING at the top of your LUNGS!!!!

That is the process and I cant wait till I get that first shot approved.

Wish me luck going into week 2 guys...

SOOOooooo much to learn!!

jriggity