Phil Nibbelink Lecture on Acting and Lip Sync

 Phil Nibblenk Lecture on Acting and Lip Sync

 

 

How The Personal Computer Broke The Human Body

 

 

 // How the Personal Computer Broke the Human Body (via Vice)

 

This article by Vice got me thinking about previous work experiences.The vfx/games/animation industries require artists to spend enormous amounts of time seated (sometimes standing) working in front of screens cranking out all kinds of creative and innovative magic. It is a very sedentary career so getting up for coffee or tea, a quick walk around the block, the random nerf battle, getting out for lunch, a stroll around the dept to stretch the legs is a must. During a normal workday, these basic activities help a lot, but things get difficult when you're facing a 14hr+ day and need to stay limber, sharp and task effective. Those long crunch time hours day after day, month after month, can wreak havoc on an artist's body. I have had friends and coworkers who developed slipped discs and other physical issues due to massive amounts of overtime. I personally suffered debilitating pinched nerves in my neck and lower back, RSI in my arms and wrists during many rigorous overtime productions. I usually bounce back after a crunch is over, but after 15 years there are lasting consequences. You might say 'it comes with the territory' or 'it's the nature of the industry' and that's very true but it's not an excuse. Studios should continue to improve ergonomic working conditions and implement protections for their talented crew.

Over the years I have worked for ten studios, and two universities. They all have had various equipment standards for artists. Here are some of my experiences:

 

-Three studios provided adjustable standing desks. Of those three, two had Herman Miller Aeron chairs and the other had quality office chairs.

-One university provided standing desks and quality office chairs.

 

-Two studios allowed artists to create standing desks by using concrete blocks to lift the desks (one studio required us to spray paint the concrete blocks black so they would blend into the studio aesthetic). Both provided basic office chairs and artists had to buy their own stool style chairs if they wanted to sit and work at their standing desk on blocks (the artists had to buy the blocks).

-Three studios used extensive cafeteria style seating with row after row of artists working at long tables. You could personally buy a standing desk converter like a VariDesk and use that as a standing option if it fit on the table. All three studios offered decent office chairs but many were broken and they also couldn't roll underneath the worktables causing some artists to remove the armrests.

-Five studios had difficulty supplying basic monitor stands for artists. It is very common for artists to use reams of copy paper, empty amazon boxes, etc,  to raise the level of their monitors to a comfortable ergonomic working height. Eventually most (not all) of the studios supplied monitor risers.

Lastly, all studios are different and have varying budgets to spend on equipment for artists. While not all can provide top tier office chairs and expensive standing desks, all studios can strive to improve working conditions for their artists. This not only comes in the form of physical ergonomics but also in managerial choices concerning scheduling, bidding, artist/production expectations, and eliminating the reliance on planned unpaid overtime work. All these things factor into the health and well-being of a successful and productive crew and ultimately the studio as a whole. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Baxter 2D Animation Demo

 Here's a great lecture and 2D anim demo by James Baxter. 

Work For Free Or Not Work For Free - A Dilemma For Newbies

I generally tell students and aspiring artists wanting to break into the industry "never work for free!" However, there could be times an opportunity presents itself where the unique experience and circumstances of a job are worth the free labor investment. That's the dilemma. Cinematographer Brad Rushing offers some perspective on this topic from a live action point of view.

 

Avatar to Riot Games - Interveiw With Animator Daniel Zettl

 Check out this great interview with animator extraordinaire Daniel Zettl. We worked together on the same team at Riot Games. Daniel is a super talented animator and shares a lot of solid advice in this interview. Enjoy!

Avatar, Smaug and League of legends - Interview with Daniel Zettl

The History of Visual Effects by Matt Leonard

 

 Here is a fantastic reference of the history of VFX by Matt Leonard.

"In 1999 I was asked to write a brief overview of the history of the Visual Effects industry for a Hollywood publication CinemaGap.  This lead to a fascination with the history of Computer Graphics, Special and Visual Effects along with some aspects of Film and Animation. 
 
Below are links to my presentation,  20 years of research and hard work, and what I believe to be one of the most complete histories of the industry in one place on the internet.
 
And I'm making it available free for you to enjoy."

 Check it out here // The History of CG and VFX

Aaron Blaise - Animating a Cartoon Dog Run

 

NYFA Guest Speaker Series: Eric Goldberg (2018)

 "Eric Goldberg discusses his long history of work with Walt Disney Animation Studios and Warner Bros Animation and praise hand-drawn animation in an increasingly digital world."

 

Interview With Animation Legend Dan Haskett

Here's a fantastic interview by artist Deborah Anderson with animation legend Dan Haskett! Dan shares some great stories and valuable advice about working in the animation industry. Check it out when you get a chance!

Also, check out Dan's interview with the Animation Guild over on the TAG Blog:

// A Discussion with Dan Haskett - pt. 1

// A Discussion with Dan Haskett - pt. 2

KLAUS | Walk Cycle Mash-up

Some great walks here! Nice reference!

Riot Games: URF Academy Free Resource For Educators

Riot Games URF Academy, a free resource for educators who seek to encourage and inspire the next generation of game designers. 

// Riot Games: URF Academy Online

Nathan Fowkes: Making Your Freelance Career Bulletproof

2019 College Rankings - Top 50 Animation Schools

The Animation Career Review has released their list of the top 50 animation schools and colleges in the US. There are some fantastic schools on this list. Great to see the University of Texas at Dallas ranked at 37th. If you're interested in how they rank the schools check this page  Background Info and Criteria for College Rankings.




// Top 50 Animation Schools and Colleges in the U.S. – 2019 College Rankings

 // Top Animation School Programs in Texas - 2019 College Rankings

Ridley Scott on How He Got Into Directing

Proko: Best Advice for New Artists - Asking Pros

Some quick nuggets of general advice here from a host of 'who's who' in the industry interviewed by Proko.

Getting A Job In The Games Industry

A discussion with Senior Character artist, Daniel Orive, from Riot Games (Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/danielorive). He talks about work ethic of artists and what's required to get a job in the industry.

In this interview Michael Vicente - a Senior 3D Environment artist - explains what it takes to get a job at one of the biggest game companies in the world: Blizzard.

Interview with Artist Extraordinaire Mark Tennant

Here's a fantastic interview with acclaimed artist and teacher Mark Tennant.  I was fortunate enough to have Mark as a figure drawing professor when I was at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. His class was by far one of the best classes I attended during my college career.

TEDx Talk | Victor Navone - Creativity Fueled by Curiosity

Great lecture from Victor Navone!

Animation Breakdown: Xayah League of Legends

Here's a great animation breakdown by animator Warren Goff for Zayah from League of Legends. It's an excellent view into the style and process we aim for when animating these characters.



Xayah Animation Breakdown League of Legends from Warren Goff on Vimeo.

GOLD: Keith Lango Animation Videos

Animator, director and filmmaker extraordinaire Keith Lango has just posted 60+hrs of his animation instruction videos to YouTube! It's amazing content and I highly recommend you check them out! Big thanks to Keith for his incredible generosity in sharing his knowledge and experience!