Twitter users:
CGTweetUp is an event where CG/Digital artists meet their local Twitter followers face to face.
CGTweetUP will have regular events right across the globe, so you need to register to find out when it's in your area.
CGTweetUP is an event which is beneficial to those who want to network with other artists, form mastermind groups, talk about CG programs/ new techniques or just talk CG.
This is an open event (you don't have to be on Twitter), if you're an employee or someone who is looking for the services of a CG artists then this is definately the place to be.
CGTweetUp is FREE - register today http://www.meetup.com/CGTweetup/
see you there
Anthony Filice
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
8 CGI moments you didn’t know were CGI
CGI effects are so ubiquitous in film and TV these days that we think nothing of it. In fact, we expect any summer blockbuster worth its salt to be chocka with them, to the point where they’ve lost most of their impact. But there’s another category of CG which is worthy of far more admiration and which has become the holy grail of VFX houses: an effect which is integrated so seamlessly and which is so unobtrusive, you don’t even know it’s there. These often crop up in the most unexpected of places, and the highest compliment they can be paid is “Wow, that wasn’t REAL?” Here’s a smattering of some of the best recent (and not so recent) examples.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics
Here was a prime case of literally billions of people being fooled by CG. Perhaps with good reason, there was a small outrage when it was revealed that some elements of the opening ceremony – firework displays in particular – weren’t entirely live action, but incorporated a ridiculous amount of work from Crystal CG. Is this sort of fakery justified for “live” events? And who cares when it looks this good?
Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher’s 2007 film about the infamous 1970s serial killer isn’t an obvious candidate for excellent CGI… but then that’s kind of the point. Fincher, always a keen proponent of the medium, incorporated CG in several lengthy scenes where practical effects would be impossible or impractical. Most notable is the stunning opening swoop over San Francisco bay, created by Matte World Digital, as well as an aerial shot of a cab driving through the streets, both of which are virtually impossible to detect as being “fake”.
Fight Club (1999)
Another Fincher production, another sterling use of unobtrusive CG for the sake of story rather than the gee-whizz factor. Aside from the obvious opening shot (travelling through a brain), sequences such as an ultra-fast vertical pan through a car park, a zoom into a wastebin, and even the figure of Helena Bonham-Carter in a sex scene are all CGI. Easier to spot now, of course, but at the time you would never have known.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Okay, the last film from Fincher, we promise. The marvellous thing about Digital Domain’s humungous amount of work for BB is that while you as a viewer KNOW there must be CG involved somewhere along the line – it would be simply impossible for there not to be – the animated head effects and indeed other shots are blissfully seamless.
The Dark Knight (2007)
Another example of a film where there just had to be effects – but spotting them is damn difficult. Director Christopher Nolan is a sort of anti-Fincher, preferring to do everything in camera if at all possible, so Double Negative’s work had to be stellar. During the armoured car chase scene in particular, the transition from practical effects to digital and back again is textbook stuff.
Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
But it’s stop-motion! Isn’t it? Well yes, most of it is, but here’s an interesting case of a few CG shots that needed to look both realistic and unrealistic at the same time. The Moving Picture Company created a shot of around 50 rabbits floating about in a vacuum, as well as various smoke, firework, fur and touching-up effects. So the next time someone bangs on at you about how much “better” traditional animation is, gently apprise them…
Children of Men (2006)
There’s one obvious moment in this gritty near-future masterpiece where the use of CG seems like a given: the seemingly single-take shot near the end. Actually, though, that was more a case of cutting and splicing. The real CG genius comes with the car scene and accident, which incorporates many virtual elements, including the Molotov cocktail, car roof, motorbike and its driver.
Jurassic Park (1993)
We’re including this one mainly for curiosity value – and to demonstrate how today’s apparently seamless CG effects might look unredeemably fake and cheesy in a few years. It’s hard to remember now that when Jurassic Park first appeared, its use of integrated effects was unparalleled – and not just for obvious elements such as the dinosaurs, which after all could have been miniatures. Watch it now, though, and you’ll be wondering what all the fuss was about…
Full Up Color Script By Lou Romano
Notice: Before clicking any links, be aware that they will lead to major spoilers from Up.Up plays out in Production Artist Lou Romano’s latest blog post. That’s because he’s uploaded the complete color script for the movie! Color scripts basically dictate what the lighting and mood will be for a shot. The lighting department uses these as guides to capture the director’s and the production artists’ vision for the final film. These specific pieces were made from January to March of 2008, so they’re fairly recent.
If you haven’t seen Up yet, do not proceed because many of the images in the post reveal major plot points including the ending. I would consider the whole entire post a big spoiler, only meant for those who’ve seen the film. So if that’s not you, do not continue with the links until then.
If you have seen the movie, marvel at how close the pieces are to the final product! You can find art like this (and much more) in The Art of Up which is available now!
Anyhow, it seems Lou’s blog has come up here a lot lately, for more of our posts pertaining to his works click here and here. Also, don’t forget to check out Lou Romano’s blog!
Up Weekday Box Office (6/15/09-6/18/09)
Maybe it’s the 3D, maybe it’s the characters, maybe it’s the competition…What makes Up so successful is… up for question but the fact that it is can’t be argued with. What we do know for sure is that Pete Docter’s little film is about to beat Toy Story domestically, it’ll reach $200 million soon and it’s got great "legs." Pixar’s new movie is even on track to beat The Incredibles (the studio’s 2nd highest grosser) according to predictions by Variety! As we’ve been doing every week, each day we’ll update with the latest totals (via Box Office Mojo) right below:
Monday: $3,615,623
Today’s cumulative box-office brings the film to: $191,041,612
Notes and Predictions: This week Up should end at a solid #3 due to competition from somewhat anticipated new releases like The Proposal and Year One. It most definitely should break through to $200 million by Friday and, not to sound redundant but it’ll obviously break Toy Story’s US/Canada gross tomorrow.
Records: Apparently Up is creeping… up on some records. Right now it’s the third highest grossing movie of the year and it’s only the third week in release! It’s speeding up right behind Monsters Vs. Aliens (which Up is about to surpass) and this year’s highest grosser so far, Star Trek. In fact, it’s on the same track (as far as box office goes) as the aforementioned movie. Up has also reached number 100 of the top grossing films of all time domestically!
Keep it here for updates each day and watch as Up flies above the competition!
2DArtist Magazine - June 2009 Issue - Available Now!
2DArtist Magazine - June 2009 Issue - Available Now! See 2DArtist Magazine - or click on the image below - for further information and to download the free 'Lite' version of this month's magazine:
Welcome to Issue 42 – and what an issue to get your teeth into if ever there was one! We’ve got everything from man-eating plants to earth-chomping diggers, to car- and people-gobbling earth. We like our destruction don’t we?! Not only is this another great issue because it’s packed with a variety of both organic and hard-surface painting tutorials, but this June release is also quite an emotional one for us as we are publishing the final tutorial of Chee Ming Wong’s year-long space painting series. We are indebted to Chee for his continued enthusiasm, dedication and passion to providing the most thorough and stunningly painted tutorials of the space painting genre you’ll find, and we hope that he has not had enough of us yet and will be back for more tutorial projects in the future. A round of applause for Chee, please! And that’s not the only end of a chapter this month; we’re also waving farewell to our vehicle painters, as Hoi Mun Tham brings us the final chapter of our 5-part mini-series (p.65). Our two extremely talented vehicle painters, Dwayne Vance and Mun, are yet more examples of artists in this industry who take time out of their already busy schedules to bring you high quality tutorials through these pages; we hope that you have enjoyed their teachings over the past few issues. And while on the discussion of things coming to an end, our speed painting tutorials will be taking a 6-month breather as of August, when we’ll be bringing you a new tutorial series to keep you all inspired and up to date on your painting techniques! So be sure to check out our penultimate speed painting tutorials – for the time being that is – on p.73, by Robin Olausson and in-house artist, Richard Tilbury.
We have none other than world renowned matte painter and concept artist, Raphael Lacoste who has lent us his awe-inspiring portfolio for the interview pages of this issue. We first interviewed Raphael in our sister magazine, 3DCreative, back in 2006, and we find out how since then he decided it was time to switch videogames for films, and went from art director for games to concept artist and matte painter for the movies (p.7). Our second artist interview this month is with one of our personal favourites of the moment, Blaz Porenta, who we find out is not only an awesome artist, but is also a ninja?! Yep, that’s right; he’s been practising the art of Ninjutsu for several years – this is one artist with a kick for something more extreme, and his artwork is a reflection of his fantastic personality. Check out his stunning portfolio on p.17.
I was proud to discover that recent gallery feature, It was a fierce battle by Geoffrey Cramm was originally inspired by one of our stylised challenges held on the Threedy and ConceptArt.org forums, so it is with real pleasure that we bring to you the making of this wonderful image (p.101), which is also quite deservedly this month’s front cover feature, too. Our second making of is something a little different, by Tony Foti (p.93). His article is packed with personality and wit, and we hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we have. And with these giving you what I hope is a thirst for more making of goodness, check out Aretha by Jason Seiler on p.39 in the gallery this month, as we’ll be bringing you the exclusive making of this in next month’s magazine!
I hope you enjoy this June issue, and be sure to look out for your free resources throughout the magazine; Drazenka Kimpel has kindly provided some of her custom brush collection which accompanies her stunning sketchbook article on p.31, and Richard Tilbury has also created some custom brushes specifically for his speed painting tutorial on p.73.
Enjoy! The 3DTotal Team :)
3D Total - The cg artists home page
2DArtist Magazine
3DCreative Magazine
Welcome to Issue 42 – and what an issue to get your teeth into if ever there was one! We’ve got everything from man-eating plants to earth-chomping diggers, to car- and people-gobbling earth. We like our destruction don’t we?! Not only is this another great issue because it’s packed with a variety of both organic and hard-surface painting tutorials, but this June release is also quite an emotional one for us as we are publishing the final tutorial of Chee Ming Wong’s year-long space painting series. We are indebted to Chee for his continued enthusiasm, dedication and passion to providing the most thorough and stunningly painted tutorials of the space painting genre you’ll find, and we hope that he has not had enough of us yet and will be back for more tutorial projects in the future. A round of applause for Chee, please! And that’s not the only end of a chapter this month; we’re also waving farewell to our vehicle painters, as Hoi Mun Tham brings us the final chapter of our 5-part mini-series (p.65). Our two extremely talented vehicle painters, Dwayne Vance and Mun, are yet more examples of artists in this industry who take time out of their already busy schedules to bring you high quality tutorials through these pages; we hope that you have enjoyed their teachings over the past few issues. And while on the discussion of things coming to an end, our speed painting tutorials will be taking a 6-month breather as of August, when we’ll be bringing you a new tutorial series to keep you all inspired and up to date on your painting techniques! So be sure to check out our penultimate speed painting tutorials – for the time being that is – on p.73, by Robin Olausson and in-house artist, Richard Tilbury.
We have none other than world renowned matte painter and concept artist, Raphael Lacoste who has lent us his awe-inspiring portfolio for the interview pages of this issue. We first interviewed Raphael in our sister magazine, 3DCreative, back in 2006, and we find out how since then he decided it was time to switch videogames for films, and went from art director for games to concept artist and matte painter for the movies (p.7). Our second artist interview this month is with one of our personal favourites of the moment, Blaz Porenta, who we find out is not only an awesome artist, but is also a ninja?! Yep, that’s right; he’s been practising the art of Ninjutsu for several years – this is one artist with a kick for something more extreme, and his artwork is a reflection of his fantastic personality. Check out his stunning portfolio on p.17.
I was proud to discover that recent gallery feature, It was a fierce battle by Geoffrey Cramm was originally inspired by one of our stylised challenges held on the Threedy and ConceptArt.org forums, so it is with real pleasure that we bring to you the making of this wonderful image (p.101), which is also quite deservedly this month’s front cover feature, too. Our second making of is something a little different, by Tony Foti (p.93). His article is packed with personality and wit, and we hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we have. And with these giving you what I hope is a thirst for more making of goodness, check out Aretha by Jason Seiler on p.39 in the gallery this month, as we’ll be bringing you the exclusive making of this in next month’s magazine!
I hope you enjoy this June issue, and be sure to look out for your free resources throughout the magazine; Drazenka Kimpel has kindly provided some of her custom brush collection which accompanies her stunning sketchbook article on p.31, and Richard Tilbury has also created some custom brushes specifically for his speed painting tutorial on p.73.
Enjoy! The 3DTotal Team :)
3D Total - The cg artists home page
2DArtist Magazine
3DCreative Magazine
Utherworlds: The Art of Philip Straub Available for Pre-order!
Hello everyone,
It's not often I get to say this, but we're very excited to be announcing a project that has been almost six years in the making. Philip Straub's Utherworlds fantasy graphic novel is available to pre-order today, and as a thank you to early purchasers you'll either receive the complete, unreleased Utherworlds soundtrack, or two tracks from the soundtrack.
Utherworlds weighs in at a huge 10" x 15" making it the biggest Ballistic Publishing book so far. Our goal heading into this project was to make a highly collectable book from the content and page design right through to the cover. I'd encourage you to have a look at the book preview to get a feel for how almost every inch of the book has been painted or illustrated for the most impact.
Exclusive Utherworlds soundtrack offer:
The first 20 buyers of Utherworlds will become the first people in the world to hear the Utherworlds soundtrack by composer Alan Hewitt, with a free download of the complete album on purchase. The next 200 buyers of Utherworlds will receive an alternate track and the Utherworlds Theme from the soundtrack which will be released on Amazon.com.
Expanding the Utherworlds universe
To complement the book, an Utherworlds web site adds another dimension to Phil Straub's Utherworlds universe with animations bringing the languages of hope and fear to life, and providing a blog and online forums to further develop the Utherworlds story beyond the book.
This has been a huge project for all involved, and I'd like to thank Philip and his team, and the whole Ballistic team for raising the bar on what we're able to do.
Pixar at Comic-Con Preview
Pixar is surely among the studios presenting their newest film(s) at San Diego Comic-Con International this year.Note that this post is half speculation, so be aware of that while reading. Although it hasn’t been officially announced yet, I’m pretty sure Disney will bring along their tent pole films for 2010. That includes the much anticipated Toy Story 3, of course! If that’s so, it’s almost a sure bet Lee Unkrich will be there! He’ll probably show an extended trailer, new footage, reveal new characters or a combination.
I’m also wondering if the re-releases of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D will have presence at the Con. So far we haven’t seen much advertisement for the two week limited engagement, that is, besides a mini ad on the official Toy Story website. Maybe they could show 3D footage from this double feature exclusively to the audience.
Again, the above is all speculation but we do know of some Pixar-related appearances. Cars will have a confirmed presence through Mattel and the BOOM! Comics series! Their presentation will be held in Room 5AB at 2:00 PM on Sunday, July 26, 2009. Expect news on the brand new toys coming next year and maybe, just maybe some announcements on Cars 2. Alan J. Porter, writer of the Cars comics, will also be there to talk about further establishments of The World of Cars comics.
We’ll be bringing you the official announcements and reports on Pixar’s presence at the biggest pop culture convention in the world as soon as it’s available! Learn more about Comic-Con here.
Animarte - Call for Entries
The 4th Animarte - International Animation Festival is receiving submissions until September 30, 2009. Animarte is open to animated and mixed media shorts with a duration of 15 minutes or less. There is no entry or registration fee and all animation techniques are accepted.
Animarte showcases the best animation shorts from around the world and brings them to cities throughout South America. Already three major cities have been confirmed for our fourth edition: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mendoza, Argentina and Vi?a del Mar, Chile. We continue to work hard to add more cities to our tour!
Learn more about Animarte and how to submit your film: http://www.animartefest.com
We look forward to having your film in this year's Animarte.
Thank you.
Animarte - International Animation Festival
PO Box 191812
San Francisco, CA 94119
USA
Fax # (510) 601 1654
http://www.animartefest.com
Animarte showcases the best animation shorts from around the world and brings them to cities throughout South America. Already three major cities have been confirmed for our fourth edition: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Mendoza, Argentina and Vi?a del Mar, Chile. We continue to work hard to add more cities to our tour!
Learn more about Animarte and how to submit your film: http://www.animartefest.com
We look forward to having your film in this year's Animarte.
Thank you.
Animarte - International Animation Festival
PO Box 191812
San Francisco, CA 94119
USA
Fax # (510) 601 1654
http://www.animartefest.com
25 tips for selling shorts
You’ve made your film – but how will anyone know? These 25 tips from Steve Ogden should help you catch some viewers in a crowded sea of content.
There was a time when just working on an animated film of your own could make you a media darling, renowned as some sort of garage Pixar. But these days, everybody and his dog is making and posting films online. Your work has to compete for exposure with a stupendous number of films. Simply releasing your prized production without a promotion plan would be like throwing a stone onto a pebble beach. So how can you make your brand-new film stand out – and earn you the new job, scholarship or award you want?
For years, I ran a website called AnimWatch, which was dedicated to recognising excellence in animation. During that time, I talked to hundreds of artists, and saw some really great films inexplicably languishing in obscurity. From that experience, and from talking to animators, directors and animation industry luminaries such as Chris Jones (‘The Passenger’), Josh Staub (‘The Mantis Parable’), Kevin Geiger (‘Henry’s Garden’), Adam Phillips (‘Brackenwood’), Three Legged Legs (‘Humans!’), DWA’s Roger Darnell (‘MTV Burma Viral’) and Hype’s Jessie Nagel, I have put together this list of 25 film and self-promotion tips.
This list is by no means complete – but taken as a whole, it paints a pretty solid portrait of the broad range of actions others have taken to promote their films successfully. Try several, and invent a few of your own. You’ll need to do as many as possible rather than pursue any one option. This is survival of the cleverest and the most active, after all…
01 KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE
Know what you are promoting and what you hope to get out of it. Are you trying to get a job? Are you promoting your studio? Your approach will be different if you are trying to win an Oscar or a Bafta than if you’re just getting your reel out there.
COST Free
TIME TAKEN: None, if you’re sure you know what you want
02 CREATE A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE
Get your own URL. After all, www.myshortfilm.com looks more professional and is easier to remember than www.userweb.myhost.com/~Ogden335/myshortfilm, isn’t it? Don’t treat your website as an afterthought. It’s your first ambassador: visitors will judge your film based on the look, feel and professionalism of your website. Update it frequently.
COST: Domains cost less than $10 per year. Hosting plans vary. Go for unlimited bandwidth. CG Channel offers a special deal here.
TIME TAKEN: Two weeks
03 MAKE YOUR SITE EASY TO USE
Jessie Nagel suggests you include a wel-written one-paragraph film synopsis, low- and high-resolution images, easy-to-find contact info and a one- or two-paragraph bio on the key creatives. Also find a space for any news that raises your profile. For example, have you won an award, done anything for charity or been on TV…? And make the film or trailer easy to find. That’s what most people are there to see.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: A couple of hours
04 WAIT BEFORE YOU POST YOUR FILM
Posting your film online can get you a big audience – but many festivals refuse to accept films that have been on the web. Josh Staub believes his short was one of the first 10 films online at iTunes because it did well on the festival circuit first.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Moments
05 GENERATE SOME PRESS INTEREST IN YOUR FILM
Unlike websites, whose content constantly changes, magazines such as 3D World, Animation and Stash present a more lasting record of your message. Address the editor, and briefly present one good reason why he or she would want to watch your film. Include one or two stills, and a link to the film or trailer. Don’t attach the film: if the editors want more, they’ll ask.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: A couple of hours
06 JOIN THE YOUTUBE ARMY
Some animators feel that to release work on YouTube alongside amateur content looks unprofessional, particularly for commercial projects. Others disagree. Three Legged Legs have enjoyed increased exposure through YouTube, although they lament the over-compressed quality of the clips on the site. “We want people to enjoy the details we put into our films,” says Casey Hunt.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Moments to join and submit. A lifetime to master
07 STAY ON MESSAGE – KEEP IT SHARP
When dealing with any promotional opportunity, be clear about what you are presenting. Sending anyone an entire unsolicited press kit is overkill. In the initial email or letter, no one needs to know who the second assistant director’s wardrobe assistant was. Any irrelevant or dull information increases the risk that your central message will be diluted and quite possibly binned.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Very little, if you’ve already acted on tip 5
08 START AN EMAIL LIST
Let visitors to your site sign up for your email list. Use it to give them the latest news about your film, but only when there’s actual news to be shared: people will only unsubscribe. Don’t spam. Commercial mailing list management software such as SendBlaster Pro is readily available, as well as free-to-cheap online solutions like Your MailingList Provider. Others are available through Tucows: search for ‘mass emailer’.
COST: Free or low monthly fee ($2.50 per month for YMLP). SendBlaster Pro costs €75
TIME TAKEN: An hour or two should get you up and running
09 PROMOTE YOURSELF TO WEBSITES
Most of us have a favourite site where we can keep up with the latest in CG news and projects. 3D Total, CGSociety, CG Channel and AWN are among the best places to promote your work online. They all have news or project submission links. Contact them as you would the non-web press: do your search so that you contact the right person, and don’t attach your film.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Hours
10 GET ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Forums are a great place to network with other artists and spread the news about your work. CGSociety’s CGTalk is the undisputed king of CG forums, but the other major CG sites all have respectable forums, too, as well as Polyloop and CG Arena. Get to know the community and play your part before starting to toot your own horn. Forum signatures are useful promotional aides if you keep the message brief – “Watch my film at www.example.com” is plenty.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Weeks
11 KNOW YOUR BLOGS AND BLOGGERS
Most artists list Cartoon Brew and Drawn! as must-see blogs (although the focus at the latter is illustration). You probably visit the personal blogs of well-known animators. Contact them, and they might mention your project. A brief, polite and relevant email to the blogger is the way to go. Keep your promotions out of the comment sections.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: The moments it takes to compose a solid email
12 GO VIRAL AND START TO SPIRAL
Viral marketing is the gold standard of grass-roots PR. People forward your marketing materials for you, and your news spreads exponentially. Successful examples emphasise entertainment value over message; no-one wants to email adverts to their friends. It’s hard to predict what will go viral, but eHow has some ideas here.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: 10 hours (research)
13 ADVERTISE OR SET UP A BANNER EXCHANGE
The artists I’ve talked to don’t advertise, preferring the free options listed here. If you have the budget, click the Advertise link on your favourite websites or try Google AdSense. No budget? Arrange a link or banner exchange. Project Wonderful is a low-cost alternative.
COST: Free, or as much as you’ve got
TIME TAKEN: 10 hours (research)
14 ENTER YOUR SHORT INTO FILM FESTIVALS
Festivals are restrictive and costly, but can yield great dividends, especially for the winners. Chris Jones suggests: “If your film is successful at your first festival, it’s likely you’ll get invitations to more, and in most cases they cover the expenses. If it’s not successful, keep entering free ones until you start getting invitations.” And don’t forget Siggraph. See Withoutabox and Chris Gore’s book Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide (Lone Eagle, $22) for more.
COST: Free if you do it Chris Jones’ way; $1,000-plus otherwise
TIME TAKEN: 5 hours or more per week during your festival run (that’s correspondence, shipping and handling)
15 TRUMPET YOUR MOVIE’S SUCCESSES
Kevin Geiger says: “After winning our first award, we always made sure to refer to ‘Henry’s Garden’ as “the award-winning short film ‘Henry’s Garden’. Our festival acceptance rate improved from one in 10 to one in four.” The practice works just as well as an attention-grabber outside festival submissions. Don’t be modest.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: A few creative moments
16 START EARLY - BUT NOT TOO EARLY
Don’t wait until you’ve finished your project to start promoting it. Set up your site as a hub to begin building buzz and a fanbase. Then work the forums and blogs. If you are over a year from release, however, you’re too early. People have short attention spans.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: An hour or two per week
17 TO BE OR NOT TO BE - THE POWER OF IMDB
If your project doesn’t have a website, to many people, it doesn’t exist. Likewise, to those who frequent IMDb, if your film isn’t listed at the site, it doesn’t exist. Take the time and fill in the details. Don’t wait for someone else to do it – they’ll get it wrong.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: An hour or two
18 STAGGER YOUR EFFORTS
Most people need to see a message several times before it registers properly. Work these tips separately over time, and drip-feed information to ensure repeat coverage. You’ll have more success than if you do it all simultaneously. You’ll catch people the second time that you missed the first.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: A few moments over several days
19 CREATE SUCCESSFUL FORUM THREADS
People respond better to a thread entitled ‘Charlie Bit Me: animated film WIP’ than they do ‘Check this out!!!’ Limit yourself to one or two images per post to keep it legible. Respond to new posts and post new information occasionally to keep the thread alive and bumped. However, needless bumping can get you banned.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Moments
20 ARRANGE A PRIVATE SCREENING
Many theatre chains offer this service, and it’s not as expensive as you might fear – even at the screens in Soho and LA that specialise in this. Pricing depends on location, time of day, date and the seat-count requested.
AMC: www.amctheatres.com/meetingandevents
Cineplex Odeon: www.cineplex.com/CorporateSales/MeetingsAndEvents/Overview.aspx
Largest cinema chains in US, UK, and CA: http://ncam.wgbh.org/mopix/chains.html
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN An hour of phone calls and an hour of sending invitations
21 NURTURE YOUR FANBASE
A well-supported fanbase will spread the word about your film on their blogs, in the forums they frequent and on the email lists to which they belong. They want to help, so ask them. Supply banner graphics they can use to direct traffic to your website.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Ongoing
22 GIVE IT AWAY – PEOPLE LOVE FREE STUFF
If you host your film online, will you stream it or allow it to be downloaded? With streaming, your bandwidth cost may go up with repeated viewings. With downloads, the video can go viral, which increases your exposure, though you give up control over where it goes. You may be looking for fortune as well as fame for your work but, unless you’re getting or depending upon significant advertising revenue, our advice is to label the film well and allow people to download it free.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: None
23 GET IT ONTO A COMPILATION
There are several DVD compilations that get released regularly. Being included on one of them can net you a lot of exposure, similar to a successful festival run. Try submitting your film to Stash or onedotzero – but be aware that you’ll compete for inclusion on the disc with film-makers and 2D animators.
COST: Free
TIME TAKEN: Moments
24 PUT YOUR SHORT ON YOUR OWN DVD
Nothing represents your film better than your film. You can give it out for promotional opportunities, and sell it through your site. You can burn your own, but homebrews are incompatible with some DVD players. A commercially duplicated disc is better if you can afford it. Disc Makers is one company that offers this service.
COST: $250 for 100 discs
TIME TAKEN: A week or two
25 MAKE SOMETHING EXCELLENT
Following these tips won’t help much if your film isn’t worth the time it takes to watch it. Word of mouth spreads faster when your film excels – that means having a great idea, arresting visuals, inspired animation, superb sound and clever promotion. Success begets success.
COST: Sleep, personal life, your immortal soul
TIME TAKEN: Five minutes and 25 character-forming years
Vue 3D Environment Competition 2009
Competition now open. Winners will be announced at Siggraph 2009
Beaverton, Oregon: e-on software, maker of the leading solutions for natural 3D environments, in association with Maxon, Pixologic, 3D Total, 3Dconnexion, Cornucopia3D and 3D World Magazine, today announced the fourth edition of the “Vue 3D Environment Competition”, designed to showcase the capabilities of 3D technology for CG environments.
Any version of Vue, including the Pioneer and the Personal Learning Edition (PLE) which are available at no charge, can be used to enter the competition (standalone or in combination with any other 3D application).
Judging will be based solely on the quality, realism and artistic merit of the entries, not on the version of Vue used to create them.
With 8 prestigious judges representing the different fields of the 3D Industry, this competition is a unique chance for anybody to see their work exposed to the eyes of industry experts, as well as winning a complete 3D toolkit (over $11,000 worth of prizes).
Get Noticed!
The “Vue 3D Environment Competition 2009” judges are all leading figures in the world of 3D graphics, representing the Motion Picture, Game, Media and Broadcast industries:
•?Paul Huston – Digital Matte Supervisor, Industrial Light & Magic
•?Scott Brisbane – Digital Matte Painter, Rythm & Hues
•?Max Dennison – CEO and Senior Environments TD, Matte Painting UK
•?Eran Dinur – Compositor and Matte Artist, LucasFilm Animation Singapore
•?Stephane Belin – Senior Concept Artist, Electronic Arts
•?Susumu Yukuhiro – Matte Painting Supervisor, Whiskytree
•?Tom Greenway – Editor, 3DTotal.com
•?Jim Thacker – Editor, 3D World magazine
Win a complete 3D Toolkit!
The winner of the “Vue 3D Environment Competition 2009” will receive a complete 3D arsenal worth over $6,500 including: Maxon Cinema4D XL Bundle ($2,495), Vue 7.5 xStream ($1,495), a 3D Total Mega Bundle (worth over $1,300), Pixologic ZBrush 3.1 – with free upgrade to ZBrush 4 ($595), 1 3Dconnexion SpaceExplorer ($299), 1 year subscription to 3D World magazine ($150), $100 voucher for Cornucopia3D content, and a 1 year subscription to 3D Creative and 2D Artist magazines ($81.2).
The first runner up will receive Maxon Cinema4D Core ($995), Vue 7.5 Infinite ($895), 1 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE ($99), 1 year subscription to 3D World magazine ($150), 1 year subscription to 3D Creative and 2D Artist magazines ($81.2), and $75 voucher for Cornucopia3D content.
The second runner up will receive Maxon Cinema4D Core ($995), Vue 7.5 Infinite ($895), 1 year subscription to 3D World magazine ($150), 1 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE ($99), 1 year subscription to 3D Creative and 2D Artist magazines ($81.2), and $50 voucher for Cornucopia3D content.
Submissions start June 15, 2009 and end July 20, 2009.
The winners of the competition will be announced at the Siggraph show, in New Orleans, on August 04, 2009.
More information and submission guidelines are available at:
www.e-onsoftware.com/competition
Beaverton, Oregon: e-on software, maker of the leading solutions for natural 3D environments, in association with Maxon, Pixologic, 3D Total, 3Dconnexion, Cornucopia3D and 3D World Magazine, today announced the fourth edition of the “Vue 3D Environment Competition”, designed to showcase the capabilities of 3D technology for CG environments.
Any version of Vue, including the Pioneer and the Personal Learning Edition (PLE) which are available at no charge, can be used to enter the competition (standalone or in combination with any other 3D application).
Judging will be based solely on the quality, realism and artistic merit of the entries, not on the version of Vue used to create them.
With 8 prestigious judges representing the different fields of the 3D Industry, this competition is a unique chance for anybody to see their work exposed to the eyes of industry experts, as well as winning a complete 3D toolkit (over $11,000 worth of prizes).
Get Noticed!
The “Vue 3D Environment Competition 2009” judges are all leading figures in the world of 3D graphics, representing the Motion Picture, Game, Media and Broadcast industries:
•?Paul Huston – Digital Matte Supervisor, Industrial Light & Magic
•?Scott Brisbane – Digital Matte Painter, Rythm & Hues
•?Max Dennison – CEO and Senior Environments TD, Matte Painting UK
•?Eran Dinur – Compositor and Matte Artist, LucasFilm Animation Singapore
•?Stephane Belin – Senior Concept Artist, Electronic Arts
•?Susumu Yukuhiro – Matte Painting Supervisor, Whiskytree
•?Tom Greenway – Editor, 3DTotal.com
•?Jim Thacker – Editor, 3D World magazine
Win a complete 3D Toolkit!
The winner of the “Vue 3D Environment Competition 2009” will receive a complete 3D arsenal worth over $6,500 including: Maxon Cinema4D XL Bundle ($2,495), Vue 7.5 xStream ($1,495), a 3D Total Mega Bundle (worth over $1,300), Pixologic ZBrush 3.1 – with free upgrade to ZBrush 4 ($595), 1 3Dconnexion SpaceExplorer ($299), 1 year subscription to 3D World magazine ($150), $100 voucher for Cornucopia3D content, and a 1 year subscription to 3D Creative and 2D Artist magazines ($81.2).
The first runner up will receive Maxon Cinema4D Core ($995), Vue 7.5 Infinite ($895), 1 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE ($99), 1 year subscription to 3D World magazine ($150), 1 year subscription to 3D Creative and 2D Artist magazines ($81.2), and $75 voucher for Cornucopia3D content.
The second runner up will receive Maxon Cinema4D Core ($995), Vue 7.5 Infinite ($895), 1 year subscription to 3D World magazine ($150), 1 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE ($99), 1 year subscription to 3D Creative and 2D Artist magazines ($81.2), and $50 voucher for Cornucopia3D content.
Submissions start June 15, 2009 and end July 20, 2009.
The winners of the competition will be announced at the Siggraph show, in New Orleans, on August 04, 2009.
More information and submission guidelines are available at:
www.e-onsoftware.com/competition
A Note on John Carter of Mars
We’ve been getting a lot of e-mails lately pertaining to casting on Disney‘s John Carter of Mars and if we’re reporting on the upcoming project.Here at Upcoming Pixar we fully support Andrew Stanton’s live-action debut at Disney. I myself am actually very excited for it, but if you notice, I emphasized that it’s a Disney movie and for now it seems it won’t be under the Disney•Pixar brand. My logic on posting JCoM news is basically: since a Pixar director (Stanton) is heading the project, news that is central on him will be posted. If not, it’s just like if I posted news about The Princess and the Frog or Bolt, both tied to Pixar, but essentially not.
Now that I’m on the topic of JCoM I might as well pass along the fact that main characters have been cast, although this won’t be the norm. Taylor Kitsch is John Carter, Lynn Collins will be Dejah Thoris, Thomas Haden Church is also rumored to be attached. Furthermore, the film will be shot in Utah starting in November.
Note: The above news is an example of that which I won’t take regularly. If you happen to come across big news primarily featuring Andrew Stanton, don’t hesitate to pass it along. If it’s more along the lines of casting and rumors, think twice. If you’re interested in following JCoM (as am I) check out Slash Film and First Showing‘s coverage, they’re doing an outstanding job at it, as usual!
Announcing the "Vue 3D Environment Competition 2009"!
WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT SIGGRAPH 2009!
June 15, 2009. Beaverton, Oregon: e-on software, maker of the leading solutions for natural 3D environments, in association with Maxon, Pixologic, 3D Total, 3Dconnexion, Cornucopia3D and 3D World Magazine, today announced the fourth edition of the "Vue 3D Environment Competition", designed to showcase the capabilities of 3D technology for CG environments.
Any version of Vue - including the Pioneer and the Personal Learning Edition (PLE) which are available at no charge- can be used to enter the competition (standalone or in combination with any other 3D application).
Judging will be based solely on the quality, realism and artistic merit of the entries, not on the version of Vue used to create them.
With 8 prestigious judges representing the different fields of the 3D Industry, this competition is a unique chance for anybody to see their work exposed to the eyes of industry experts, as well as winning a complete 3D toolkit (over $11,000 worth of prizes).
Read more here: http://www.e-onsoftware.com/about/p...ne%2015,%202009
A Call to Video Artists Everywhere
Are you creating abstract, surreal or psychedelic motion graphics? Can you create a 15 minute video in MPEG2 format? We are a unique digital art gallery showcasing the talents of video artists around the world.
Dynamic Art TV is the world’s first dynamic digital art network, a revolutionary platform created to promote the magic, mystery and fantasy of VIDEO art on the internet, TV, mobile and other multi-media display systems. Sanbase TV recently launched on TiVo with a potential reach of over 500K living rooms in the U.S.
We are in search for the “best of the best” in video art production and looking for artists that are willing to share all forms of their work with the Digital Art TV Community. Meet other artists, upload your video artworks for viewers to see, comment and vote. The work of the best video artists as voted by fans of the community will be featured in our monthly themed art shows distributed over TiVo and other broadcast partners. We will promote you on our website, partner websites and in our broadcasts.
Contact info: http://www.sanbasestudio.com
Dynamic Art TV is the world’s first dynamic digital art network, a revolutionary platform created to promote the magic, mystery and fantasy of VIDEO art on the internet, TV, mobile and other multi-media display systems. Sanbase TV recently launched on TiVo with a potential reach of over 500K living rooms in the U.S.
We are in search for the “best of the best” in video art production and looking for artists that are willing to share all forms of their work with the Digital Art TV Community. Meet other artists, upload your video artworks for viewers to see, comment and vote. The work of the best video artists as voted by fans of the community will be featured in our monthly themed art shows distributed over TiVo and other broadcast partners. We will promote you on our website, partner websites and in our broadcasts.
Contact info: http://www.sanbasestudio.com
Gobelins - Annecy 2009
Sweet Stuff from Gobelins!! Very inspirational Stuff , Check them out!
Their web page
http://www.gobelins.fr/galerie/animation/
Their web page
http://www.gobelins.fr/galerie/animation/
CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D Now Half-Price in Limited Time Sidegrade Offer
CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D Now Half-Price in Limited Time Sidegrade Offer
Through July 31, 2009, owners of a qualifying 3D application can save 50% on the suggested retail price of MAXON's modeling, animation, texturing and rendering solutions.
MAXON Computer, a leading developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions, today announced that CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D are now available at special prices to 3D artists wanting to enhance their current 3D arsenal.
CINEMA 4D is known as the easiest to use professional 3D software and is utilized by artists in many industries, from architecture and design to broadcast graphics and movie special effects. CINEMA 4D's flexible modular system allows customers to tailor the application to their needs, and its unprecedented stability makes CINEMA 4D a premier choice for all 3D artists.
The advanced 3D texturing toolset of BodyPaint 3D lets artists create advanced object surfaces hassle-free. BodyPaint 3D has been used in countless blockbuster movies for over a decade and provides immediate feedback, offers comprehensive UV tools and full 32-bit image editing features. BodyPaint 3D even connects directly to your primary 3D application of choice.
All these cutting-edge tools are now available at a 50% discount for owners of a qualifying 3D application (see list below). As an added bonus, customers have the option of subscribing to an upgrade protection plan at a discount of up to 50% on the first year's subscription.
More At:http://www.maxon.net/index.php?id=205&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1567&cHash=80bcda047b
Through July 31, 2009, owners of a qualifying 3D application can save 50% on the suggested retail price of MAXON's modeling, animation, texturing and rendering solutions.
MAXON Computer, a leading developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions, today announced that CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D are now available at special prices to 3D artists wanting to enhance their current 3D arsenal.
CINEMA 4D is known as the easiest to use professional 3D software and is utilized by artists in many industries, from architecture and design to broadcast graphics and movie special effects. CINEMA 4D's flexible modular system allows customers to tailor the application to their needs, and its unprecedented stability makes CINEMA 4D a premier choice for all 3D artists.
The advanced 3D texturing toolset of BodyPaint 3D lets artists create advanced object surfaces hassle-free. BodyPaint 3D has been used in countless blockbuster movies for over a decade and provides immediate feedback, offers comprehensive UV tools and full 32-bit image editing features. BodyPaint 3D even connects directly to your primary 3D application of choice.
All these cutting-edge tools are now available at a 50% discount for owners of a qualifying 3D application (see list below). As an added bonus, customers have the option of subscribing to an upgrade protection plan at a discount of up to 50% on the first year's subscription.
More At:http://www.maxon.net/index.php?id=205&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=1567&cHash=80bcda047b
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