Bryan Engram

2008-01-20T22:35:00.000-06:00

Ron Paul Revolution

It has been a while since I've posted. We've been pretty busy at Reel FX working away on Open Season 2. We've added 30 more artists since December in order to accommodate the footage. The animation and rigging teams are doing a great job (we combined the departments, btw). I am extremely proud, as they are doing top notch work in record time. It really is impressive.

In the midst of focusing on the job at hand at Reel FX, I have been spending most (if not all) of my spare time reading and studying things related to politics, economy, foreign policy, constitution, etc. I am ashamed to say that I have spent most of my life ignorant of the history of our nation, our constitution, and haven't had enough real knowledge to have an intelligent political discussion. I know what I was taught growing up, and a lot was good common sense. Much of it was based on my family's old school Republican roots. You know the good old days when it was about small government, low taxes, etc. These are good things. Unfortunately, never did I grow up hearing about liberty, individual rights, the founding fathers, and the constitution. Frankly, I had never even read the constitution until 6 months ago. Essentially, I knew nothing of what it truly means to be an American.

For the past year, and specifically the last 6 months, I have consumed as much information as I can and asked a lot of questions. What did the founding fathers believe? What is liberty? What is the difference between a right and a privilege? Are we a republic or a democracy...or neither? Why only 2 political parties? What exactly is a neo-con anyway? What is the history of our economic policy? What is the federal reserve? Are we still on the gold standard? What is the history of our foreign policy? What is the history of the wars we've fought? Why do we pay so much in taxes? What is supposed to be federal and what is supposed to be left up to the states?

For every answer I found to these questions, pushed me to ask another question. Along with the constitution I have read numerous books about the founders and how the country was started and why they did what they did. It has been both fascinating and frustrating at the same time. These principles for freedom are simply not taught or discussed anymore...not in schools and certainly not on TV. As a nation we have seriously lost our way, and fallen so far away from our foundation.

Which leads me to Ron Paul. Never in my life have a seen an honest politician before. Never have I seen a man who is so consistent with his principles that he has voted and said the same things for 30 years. More than anything, though, he loves the constitution. He loves freedom. He wants small government, sound economy, no taxes, and a return to the nation we were meant to be. Free and independent.

There are a great many people at work (and the nation) who have traveled down the path I have recently. As more folks begin to study, and learn...the more will start to see how important this election year is for the country. As I've said in previous posts, as fun as animation is there are some things that are simply much more important. Insuring we all have true freedom and liberty is the most important thing we can do this year (and in the coming years).

If you want to begin a journey studying about some of this stuff, here is a quick history of US economic policy, money, and the federal reserve:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZM58dulPE

Also, do a YouTube search for Ron Paul, and then start studying. With that, I will leave you with this quote:

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin

2007-08-13T01:18:00.000-05:00

Back from Vacation and Siggraph....Plus Cool News

So I had a really good 3 week stretch this month. I spent the first 2 weeks in Maui with my wife, Toni. When we got married 5 years ago, we didn't have any money at all. Our honeymoon was pretty sad really. Plus, since I didn't have a job at the time...I actually spent the entire trip reading personal finance books trying to figure out what I was going to do to take care of us. Pretty crazy. So this trip to Hawaii was a replacement to our honeymoon and also celebrate our 5th Anniversary.

Maui is absolutely beautiful. We stayed down in the south in Wailea. The sunsets are out of a movie. The fruit (and food in general) is amazing. I think I gained 15lbs in 2 weeks. Pineapple will never taste the same, or any fruit for that matter. It just has a smoothness to it there that defies explanation. The resort we stayed on was also something out of a movie. I would recommend that place to anyone going to Maui on vacation: Fairmont Kea Lani

With all that said, it did cost a pretty penny to go on the trip. In one hand it eats at you because the expenses really start to add up. But when you figure that this might be the only time in your life you go to Hawaii...you are able to justify a little more. It was really a beautiful trip.

No rest for weary however, as I was got back from my trip to Hawaii only to turn right around and head out for a week in San Diego for Siggraph. Having never been to San Diego, I have to say that it might be the most pleasant weather I've seen/felt anywhere. Maui actually got a little hot, but San Diego this past week was unbelievable. 70 degrees year round? C'mon...that's insane.

Anyway, it didn't hurt at all that RFX leased a small yacht to hold interviews on this year. I feel like it was a huge success. We had people stopping by the boat constantly all throughout the day...some just to hang out. I was able to meet and talk to a lot of great and talented folks. We conducted 43 interviews in 3 days time. Plus, I had a chance to see lots of good friends I haven't seen in while. This year Siggraph was MUCH better than last year in Boston. The events, the weather, the people, everything just turned out well.

The reason we had so many interviews is because RFX is in a hiring spree right now. For what you ask? Recently, we were awarded the upcoming Open Season 2 film from Sony. The entire studio is super excited about working with Sony and getting a shot to work on this film here in Dallas. All of our departments will have to staff up over the coming weeks and months as the film gets underway. So, if you have a hankerin' for moving to Dallas to help RFX continue to grow....sent those demoreels our way!

So lots of good stuff going on right now. I've had a really good summer, and now time to get back to work. With that I leave you with a couple of pictures I took on the beach at the resort we stayed at in Maui.

Aloha!

2007-06-13T00:28:00.000-05:00

Great News and Announcements

I've had a really good few weeks here. I can't get into all of it, as some of it pertains to potential work coming into the studio. But I can announce some good things that came about outside of our actual work at the studio.

The first thing is that I am now a proud member of Animation Mentor. I'll be starting next quarter, and getting my feet wet with the program by being a campus mentor initially. I'm pretty excited about it, to be honest. With so many other guys at Reel FX who are already a part of it...I was beginning to feel left out. We now have Kyle Clark, Tim Allen, Dave Vallone, Justin Barrett, Ray Chase, and myself representing RFX as Animation Mentors. I always heard them talking about it and how much fun they have, and so I thought I would jump in and get a chance to get involved as well. Really cool, can't wait to get started.

Second thing that happened is I had the honor of being invited to speak at this year's Industry Giants here in Dallas. Every year it is put on by a bunch of short guys....and it is a really cool event for the animation community. I was extremely humbled to speak this year, and I had a a blast getting to meet the other speakers and the folks in the audience. Always lots of passion comes through when you have those events...from professionals and students a like. it seems to always have a really cool energy to it. I had a great time!

Like I said, I do wish I could talk about the other stuff going on at the studio from a job perspective. Though I CAN talk about a new addition. I mentioned Dave Vallone above, and I am super excited about his new addition to our team. He is joining us from Blur (Sony and Blue Sky before that), and he will be helping me split duties as a supervising animator for RFX. Currently, the supervisor job rests squarely on me...and with a lot of jobs coming down the pipe it was clear I was gonna need some help. So, he is moving his family all the way from sunny LA this week in order to get settled into his new home in north Dallas. He is a super guy...a christian...great animator...and I am really excited to have him join our team.

Welcome to Texas, Dave!

2007-04-29T02:40:00.000-05:00

A Case of the PMDs

There is a disease that happens to some people once they have been in an industry for a while. It can happen if someone has been in a certain line of work for a period of time, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years…whatever. It’s not always just longevity or seniority that causes this disease, but also it can often rear its ugly head with a new promotion that takes them to a level of supervisor or manager. It happens in all professions and all industries, and only those with a certain mind set are immune. The disease I speak of is called PMDs. And it stands for “Paid My Dues”.

Since being in the animation industry, I have seen quite a few people having the PMDs. This attitude becomes most evident when a team is in a crunch, or is short of bodies to throw at a project. The team desperately needs their supervisor or manager, who has expertise in this area to help (or even be there for moral support). Instead of jumping in and helping the team members out, these individuals make the dreaded statement “I don’t have to do that anymore, I’ve paid my dues”. Even if the individual doesn’t verbally say it…you see it in their actions. A supervisor or manager’s team is trying to hit a deadline, and when the rest of the team is crunching until the wee hours…this person perpetually heads out of the office at 5pm. Thus leaving his/her team to fend for themselves night after night. Then come in the next morning and take credit for the amount of work done the night before. Hmmm….

Now everyone has times when they are first starting out where they are faced with the possibility of working late or pulling crazy hours. Often when starting out you lack the experience to be able to judge your time wisely, or you are much slower because you haven’t developed a workflow that allows you to get through a reasonable amount of work fast enough. This happens to all of us at first…this is part of starting out. But I think once some reach the level of supervisor or manager, they think back when they were first in the industry and associate working long hours as a byproduct of “not having enough experience” to get the job done without working the long hours. And therefore, feel that now they have gone to the “next level” that those under them crunching away are still in a state of “paying their dues”.

Unfortunately, having this attitude completely destroys credibility and undermines the leadership these people seek. It is the supervisors and managers job to protect the people under them to make sure that crunches are light, and try to avoid them. And if a crunch is a forgone conclusion because of extenuating circumstances, the supervisors and managers should be in the trenches with the soldiers trying to lessen the load and getting the pain over faster. That is true leadership, not someone who goes home at 5pm and is merely a figurehead.

Since becoming a supervisor, I’ve had to stare these types of issues in the face. Sometimes daily, these choices must be made about what type of supervisor I will be. Luckily, I have been fortunate to have had some good examples and learned from guys who weren’t scared to dig in deep and get dirty with the troops. (Keith Osborn, Keith Lango, Ken Duncan).

Either these guys would take on shots themselves to help lessen the load, or they would just be willing to stay late with us to help us out. And just as these guys were good examples, I’ve seen some guys who were the polar opposite. I’ve learned much from observing both kinds of supervisors/managers.

I write this post so that I will continually remind myself to try to be immune to the PMDs. It is a debilitating disease that can kill a team and destroy morale. For those of you who know me, if I EVER make the statement that I’ve “Paid My Dues”, or I show actions of such…I give all of you permission to immediately slap me in the face!

:)

2007-03-26T00:55:00.000-05:00

TMNT Sees Green on Crowded Weekend

"On one of the most crowded weekends in recent memory, six wide releases entered the fray and only one, TMNT, emerged a hit...."

Check the article: BoxOfficeMojo

2007-03-15T23:09:00.000-05:00

TMNT Featurette

The marketing for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) is in full force now, and so far people seem to be getting pretty excited. I have a feeling it will do well.

So far they've just been releasing teasers here and there. But today they released a featurette, which reveals much more of the film. Reel FX had a chance to animate on a portion of the film and it appears a few of our shots made into this new featurette. Pretty cool!

Take a gander...

TMNT Featurette (35mb)

...then go see the movie March 23rd! :)

2007-02-09T01:53:00.000-06:00

Another Quote....Perspective

I guess I'm just one of those people who really likes quotes. I'm constantly finding cool sayings in books or movies that have an impact on me (see the Rocky Balboa quote below). It's strange, because it seems when a certain situation/circumstance arises that is difficult or calls on me to make a decision...a quote or verse in the Bible pops into my head that helps me with the decision. Of course, if you were to ask me to recite the quote or verse verbatim...I probably couldn't. But the idea is at least there.

Anyway, recently I was reading a book that had an interesting quote in it about managing perspective in your life. It reads as follows:

Those who fix their eyes on the past risk a severe collision with the future. Those who see only the future hit much too hard the speed bumps of today. Only those who fix their eyes on God can effectively negotiate the right pace of life.

In animation, it's much too easy to get worked up over stuff: schedules, rigs, changes, studio politics, getting a new job, etc. Often people approach it as if it is life and death. In reality it all means very little...at least in the grand scheme. These things are all very temporal. Which to me, makes animation even more fun to do. God has blessed people in animation (and those in entertainment in general) with the gift of being able to "play" as adults telling stories and giving characters life. So if God is going to let you make art and entertainment for a living, why not do it as if you have nothing to lose?

It's too easy to get upset about everything, or even feel scared that if you do something wrong you will be out on the street. The worst thing you can do in life is to live it scared. If you do make a mistake, learn from it and keep going. Maybe you do fail...but at least you failed trying. As the quote states, those who fix their eyes on God can have the proper perspective of life's circumstances. It doesn't make them easy...but it can make them feel much less "important". I sometimes think we forget how big the universe is...and how small we really are.

I believe the next time I start to dwell on mistakes I made yesterday, or daydream about what I wish I could do tomorrow, or fret over today's troubles...I think I'll store this quote away for those occasions. And do my best to keep my eyes on the goal that is set before me.

2007-01-07T04:12:00.000-06:00

Rocky Balboa Quote

Recently my wife and I had a chance to see the latest installment of the Rocky series. Probably not an Oskar nominee, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was what Rocky 5 should have been. It has turned out to be a great last chapter in the Rocky saga. There were some memorable, inspirational monologues in the movie (a huge reason I liked it so much). But my favorite was one given by Rocky to his son:

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!

Great stuff...words to live by.

2006-12-31T02:10:00.000-06:00

The Cheneys are at it again...

On the heals of releasing The Very First Noel, Yarrow and Carrie Cheney already have artwork up on their blog for the next Christmas special they are working on. Looks like great fun! Go take a look...can't wait for this one. Y&C Blog.

2006-12-27T22:39:00.000-06:00

Goodness All The Way Around...

It's certainly been a while since I posted last. For a while it was because I was busy...then it was simply laziness. But now that I'm in here, I can go ahead and tell folks what I've been up to the past few months.

From September through October of this year (2006), I had the great pleasure to work on a 22 minute Christmas Special called The Very First Noel. It was written, directed, and produced by Yarrow and Carrie Cheney. Both are absolutely, insanely talented...and also insanely great people as well. The entire reason I got into animation to begin with was to work on Faith based projects. I wanted to tell bible stories for kids, and really work on something that has great meaning and some eternal value. When Big Idea went under, I thought I had lost my chance to work on something like that...but since being at RFX I've now had the opportunity to work on a couple of projects that have similar focus (First Noel, and Boz the Green Bear). With that being said, I found my experience on The Very First Noel to be the most rewarding of my career so far. It was a great gift that Yarrow and Carrie gave to many of us at RFX.

I had the privilege to serve as the Animation Supervisor for Noel. There ended up being 27 animators on the project working over the length of 9 weeks (20 or so being offsite freelance animators). Sometimes it was fast and furious, but the subject and project was so much fun...it didn't seem to matter. The animators did absolutely great (as did the other departments on First Noel). Spiritually it was great for me as well. Often the directors and I would sit and talk about the spiritual meaning behind certain shots...as well as cracking open the bible a few times to discuss subjects further. It's safe to say that as a christian I really connected with the content and people who worked on this show. I'm really hopeful that I can work on something similar in the future. I believe that God gives us certain things...and they need to be used for Him.

If you want to check out The Very First Noel, you can order it from the website or amazon. Walmart should have some as well...but have had trouble keeping them in stock (YAY!!!). Also, check out Carrie and Yarrow's blog.

After we wrapped on Very First Noel, I took a short break and came back to work on the Warner Bros' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle feature that is due out in March 2007. We were asked to do some of the animation with Imagi in Hong Kong. I had the privilege to serve as supervising animator on TMNT. The animators really made my job easy...they did a great job! It was a great experience working with Ken Duncan (Animation Director) and Colin Brady (Director) as well. It's the second time I've had the opportunity to work with Colin (Everyone's Hero being the first he served as Director), and I'm hopeful RFX will be able to work with him again on something. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product in the movie theater come March. Check out the website here!

And now the crew at RFX is working on a game cinematic for a next-gen console. The game will parallel the movie coming out this summer. I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to say what the project is yet....but I will post something as soon as I am able. We are due to wrap on Feb. 10th. I was asked to serve as supervising animator for this project as well. Fun stuff.

Like I said...goodness all the way around... :)

2006-08-07T00:07:00.000-05:00

Siggraph Review

Well I'm back from Siggraph 2006. Since it was my first time to attend one I wasn't sure what to expect. According to my buddies from RFX who were there with me, it was one of the least impressive they had been to in a while. They say that there were half the booths and exhibits than when it is held in LA. It did seem smaller than I thought it would. But there were still some great highlights about the event.

Overall, the major software companies didn't really introduce anything groundbreaking. I will say Autodesk showed a piece of software at the User Group presentation that could eventually be awesome to work with for building smart, fast, intuitive motion libraries for projects. To me this software would be fanstastic for being able to take the mundane walks, runs, etc for transition shots in movies and be able to knock those things out in record time (and having them look good). Allowing the animators to spend more time on the shots that matter most...namely the acting and heavy character shots. The codename for this software: Geppeddo.

I also had a chance to meet with, and see an impressive demo of Reflex being developed by Mark Oftedal and Dan Herman over at DigitalFish. Both are super nice guys, and super talented. The Reflex animation software could very well change the way people animate in 3D. Pretty amazing stuff they have implented. It combines much of the 2D and 3D workflow into one application. I really hope to be able to work with those guys in some capacity in the future. The software is still in beta right now. Check out the site when you get a chance. http://www.digitalfish.com/

Reel FX threw a party in conjunction with Animation Mentor on Tuesday evening. I had a chance to meet a bunch of the students who are currently a part of AM. A lot of these guys are in their last session and courses with AM, and you can tell that the experience has been rewarding for them. The talent and abililty of many of these guys coming out of AM now is just great. I wish something like this had been available when I first became interested in animation. Some of these guys are already working freelance for us on our current project at Reel FX. Very cool.

I think for the collective group who went to Siggraph this year, we agreed that we were all impressed with the "making of" Pirates 2. Honestly, ILM has raised the bar so high with what they did with Davey Jones...that it will be tough to match. Insane good.

So there were some cool things about my first trip to Siggraph. I might have had a better time had I not gotten the flu on the plane ride up there. I haven't mentioned yet that I spent the first 3-4 days coughing, sneezing, and generally feeling crummy. But I had to try to fight through that stuff and not waste the time I had there. I think I had an ok first Siggraph experience. I hope to go again (preferably in LA) to see what that might be like. And next time...maybe I'll remember to take my vitamins BEFORE I go. :)

2006-07-19T00:58:00.000-05:00

Siggraph Baby! Finally.

Well I'm finally getting to go to Siggraph. It will be my first time. I'm probably the only animator in the world who has never been. I've always wanted to go just to see what the hubbub is all about. This year though, Reel FX is sending me as a representative for our animation department. They typically pick one person from each department that gets to go. Essentially we are there for a week to learn cool new stuff going on in the industry, make contacts, and recruit.

Most years it is held in LA. This year it is being held in Boston. Sweet!...I've never been to Boston. I'll be out there from July 29th - August 3rd. It should be really fun.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, here is a quick Wikipedia definition of the yearly event:

SIGGRAPH (short for Special Interest Group on Graphics and Interactive Techniques) is the name of the annual conference on computer graphics (CG) convened by the ACM SIGGRAPH organization. The first SIGGRAPH conference was in 1974. The conference is attended by tens of thousands of computer professionals, and has most recently been held in Los Angeles. Past SIGGRAPH conferences have been held in Dallas, Boston, Seattle, New Orleans, San Diego and elsewhere across the United States.

Here is a link to the Siggraph 2006 website... Siggraph 2006

2006-06-17T13:24:00.000-05:00

Everyone's Hero...Trailer is Up!

The trailer for Everyone's Hero was released yesterday both online and in front of the new Garfield movie. Turns out one of my shots made it into the trailer. I have other shots I am much more proud of, so I will refrain from saying which shot is mine at this time. ;)

Overall I think the trailer turned out well. I showed my wife and she says she wants to go see it now (and not just because I worked on it). So if you get a chance, head over to the film's website and check it out.

link... Everyone's Hero

2006-05-28T19:51:00.000-05:00

Story and Character

I recently watched the 1981 (Best Picture) film Chariots of Fire for the first time. I loved the movie for many reasons that I'll likely post about at some point. But in looking through the DVD extras and the production notes I came across a quote from the director, Hugh Hudson, regarding the way he looks at the projects he takes on...

Hudson adds, "The story is the most important. And good actors to tell the story. The film can be as beautiful as you can make it, you can even break new ground from a technical point of view. But it doesn't mean anything if the humanity of it, the human beings, the characters, don't come across as being real."

I would say this is the case for any medium of storytelling or any discipline which requires an audience. Without these, the audience is invariably lost from the start.

2006-05-22T00:31:00.000-05:00

Everyone's Hero is Done!...break time...

Well, after finishing a hardcore crunch to get animation done on Everyone's Hero...it's time to take a break. My wife (who just finished her dental school finals) and I will be going on vacation for the next week to try to get our legs back. She wants to tube down the river and enjoy a lazy day in the sun as part of our trip. Hopefully the water is warm enough for us to do that. Even in Texas the water can still be rather chilly in May or June. We'll see how it goes.

Back to Everyone's Hero. Orginally Everyone's Hero was titled Yankee Irving. The story was written and being directed by Christopher Reeve shortly before his passing. Later the reins were handed to Dan St. Pierre and Colin Brady to head the movie. Those guys really did a good job with the vision Mr. Reeve had for the film. The story seems to have a lot of heart.

Everyone's Hero is being produced in Toronto by IDT Entertainment and Reel FX was lucky enough to be able to have a role in animation and lighting/comp for a portion of the movie. Everyone's Hero is due out in theaters September 15th. I look forward to seeing it on the big screen. Be watching for it. :)

Here is a link to the official website: Everyone's Hero

2006-04-01T12:11:00.000-06:00

'The Wild' is coming

For those who haven't seen or heard anything about 'The Wild' yet, here is a link to a scene of what you can expect from this new Disney movie due out April 14th: link

I had the opportunity to work on the first 2 minutes of 'The Wild' here at Reel FX as a layout supervisor and an animator. We were asked to to do something that looks completely different than the rest of the film. Ken Duncan was the Animation Director, and many of us were asked to go out to Pasadena (Reel FX West Studio) to work with him for 2-3 weeks at a time. We all learned a completely new way of animating. Ken and those guys out there obviously come from a traditional 2D background. So the way they work in 3D is VERY similar...xsheets, timing charts, and all. While most animators who use Maya are graph editor junkies (me included)...none of us so much as cracked open the graph editor while there. Everything we did was a result of REALLY focusing on what was on screen and not getting caught up in the spaghetti of splines. I will say that I've since gone back to using the graph editor, but not anywhere near in the way I used it before. Before I was sometimes concerned with my curves "looking pretty" and hoping the computer would give me something I wanted in the motion of the arm, leg, head, etc. But now I use it more as a diagnostic tool, to clean up hitches or smoothen out a section that looks gittery. I can't tell you how much more fun it is to animate when you don't depend on the computer or graph editor to help you have "happy accidents", as my friend John Berry calls them.

Anyway, I'm pretty proud with what we accomplished on that first 2 minutes. My hope is that folks will be pleasantly surprised with what we contributed to 'The Wild'.

2006-03-11T12:22:00.000-06:00

Boz the Bear

Well...it's been a long time comin' but Boz will be out 3 days from now. There has been a lot of media coming up to the studio interviewing folks about the DVD release of the children's videos. They were giving out sample DVDs for the last couple of months, and word has it they were getting 1,000 requests a day for the sample DVD (which is cool cuz most of our animation is on those DVDs). The niche they are trying to fill with this property is the 2-4 year old faith-based market. The creators of Boz were also the co-creators of Barney. So it's safe to say that these guys know what they are doing.

I'll be putting my favorite shots up soon. It is getting a little more busy here at work and I just need time to sit down and put the shots together in a compilation. So look for those.

2006-03-09T23:08:00.000-06:00

Current State of Dallas Film Animation

My friend Keith Lango just made a post in his blog about the current goings on at DNA Productions here in Dallas. For the last week or so the rumors have been swirling about what was happening, and what would become of the 200+ people that are finishing up on Ant Bully. "How many would be let go, would it be ALL of them...surely not?" Sadly, that is what happened. In addition to Keith, I have quite a few friends over there who are now looking for their next gig. Some will probably be making their way over to Reel FX, the rest will be on their way to Cali, NY, or Canada. I wish them all well. It's a shame it had to come to that.

It is bad enough that all those talented folks are now looking for work, but is also a huge kick in the head in what it does to the Dallas film/animation market. For years it has been tough to get talented, quality artists to move to Dallas. Some don't like the weather. Some don't like the area. Some don't like the bible belt. Some don't like the "Texas pride". All those things can be overlooked if you have a market that supports a bunch of artists and bunch of projects. The only way to do that is to have more than a couple of studios working on feature quality films and projects. When people refer to the "film" animation studios in Dallas, they usually mention DNA, Reel FX, and Janimation. (there are other CG shops in Dallas...but typically they are post houses made up of about 5-10 people)

These 3 studios all started roughly the same time, and roughly the same way. They were commercial shops run by a small crew with a couple of founders who grew the companies through sweat and determination. Slowly but surely the places started doing better and better projects, eventually getting some notice from Hollywood and taking on even bigger projects. When Jimmy Neutron hit at DNA in 2000-2001, Dallas really started gaining momentum as a viable place for animation professionals to come work on cool stuff, raise a family, and settle down. Reel FX had some stuff in the works, as did Janimation. Almost all the local colleges and universities started looking into "getting an animation dept". Local user groups and animation guilds were being formed. These things pointed to a future of work for more local artists, more opportunity for talented professionals around the country to come and have options, and a decent little farm system in these schools and user groups for the studios to pick from and "grow".

Over the last 5-6 years the Dallas area has been on a steady climb up. These things were coming to fruition with DNA having 200+ employees, Reel FX now at 120+, and Janimation hovering around 50. All 3 working on some cool stuff. Unfortunately, with this latest blow to DNA...it appears Dallas has taken a step back. When 200+ CG artists are out looking for work (in a market that can't support it), that isn't good for anybody. The vast majority of those folks will have to move away. Not only are you losing some top quality talent that would be a part of building the Dallas market even more, but then it makes it hard on the other studios from that point on to attract more talent. Folks from LA, SanFran, or NY will have a tougher time justifying moving their families half-way across the US when there is only one other studio (doing film stuff) they could hop to should something happen. That's a big chance to take, and to most not worth it. Frankly, most would rather stay in LA and hop from studio to studio for the rest of their career. They don't have to move a lot, and they have access to big studios, small studios, and every kind of CG shop in between. It's not unheard of for some animators to rack up 15-20 feature film credits on their resume in as little as 5 years while hopping around LA. It's tough to compete with that kind of market if you're Dallas.

The other huge reason for Dallas needing multiple studios doing features is what it can do for the salaries of the artists in the area. Feature budgets usually pay feature salaries (which was the case at DNA). And having competition is good for an area when all the studios are vying for the same talent pool to work on their films. But what happens when there are more qualified animators than positions to fill? Unfortunately, it's simple supply and demand.

With all that said, I am hopeful that DNA can get their next feature greenlit sooner rather than later for the sake of the artists left and the area. I also hope that one or two more local CG houses can begin to grow and flourish. The Dallas film industry needs that to happen in a bad way. It may take a couple of years for it to get there, but wouldn't it be cool if it did? Here's hoping.

One thing I haven't mentioned thus far in this post is the local games industry. Though I consider the film and games industries to be separate right now...there is no question that Dallas has one of the best game industries around. Dallas currently boasts the likes of Ensemble Studios, id Software, 3D Realms, Ritual Entertainment, Terminal Reality, TKO Software, Paradigm Entertainment, and Gearbox Software to name a few. That's pretty stout. All these places are working on some cool games. I think it is safe to say the Dallas game market is healthy and thriving.

And as most know, the game play and cinematics for these games are getting more movie like. And with the next generation of games coming to HD, I look for these game cinematics to surpass many of movies already at the box office. So aside from what is going on with the Dallas film industry, this is a cool time to be in games in Dallas.

2006-03-03T21:26:00.000-06:00

Faith & Animation

It’s always been interesting to me that many of the great classical artists spent much of their life dedicated to expressing their faith and beliefs through their work. Often the work that they are best known for is also the piece that is the most powerful demonstration of that faith. Rarely (if ever) do I hear of those involved in animation say that a particular shot they work on is an expression of their faith, or that they were inspired by their faith to approach work the way they do. But surely there are those animators who have the same mindset about their work and careers as those classical artists.

In thinking about this, I recently stumbled across a couple of essays that show that some of the greatest (if not THE greatest) animators/storytellers we’ve ever known had this in common.

Prayer In My Life By Walt Disney

Every person has his own ideas of the act of praying for God's guidance, tolerance and mercy to fulfill his duties and responsibilities. My own concept of prayer is not a plea for special favors, nor as a quick palliation for wrongs knowingly committed. A prayer, it seems to me, implies a promise as well as a request; at the highest level, prayer not only is supplication for strength and guidance, but also becomes an affirmation of life and thus a reverent praise of God.

Deeds rather than words express my concept of the part religion should play in everyday life. I have watched constantly that in our movie work the highest moral and spiritual standards are upheld, whether it deals with fable or with stories of living action. This religious concern for the form and content of our films goes back 40 years to the rugged financial period in Kansas City when I was struggling to establish a film company and produce animated fairy tales. Thus, whatever success I have had in bringing clean, informative entertainment to people of all ages, I attribute in great part to my Congregational upbringing and lifelong habit of prayer.

To me, today at age 61, all prayer by the humble or highly placed has one thing in common: supplication for strength and inspiration to carry on the best impulses which should bind us together for a better world. Without such inspiration we would rapidly deteriorate and finally perish. But in our troubled times, the right of men to think and worship as their conscience dictates is being sorely pressed. We can retain these privileges only by being constantly on guard in fighting off any encroachment on these precepts. To retreat from any of the principles handed down by our forefathers, who shed their blood for the ideals we all embrace, would be a complete victory for those who would destroy liberty and justice for the individual.
link

And this one...

Glen Keane
Pocahontas, the sylph-like Native American princess whose romance with Captain John Smith was the film hit of the summer of ’95, is the child of Glen Keane, supervising animator for Disney films. Keane drew Pocahontas as well as other beloved Disney characters like Aladdin, the beast in Beauty and the Beast, Ariel of The Little Mermaid and the golden eagle Marahute in The Rescuers Down Under. All this success has not gone to Keane’s head, however. He remains a humble family man, hard-working artist, and Christian.
Keane, son of “Family Circus” cartoonist Bill Keane, has been at Disney for over 20 years. It was shortly after entering the Disney training program that he began to examine his faith. “I remember walking around the department feeling incredibly honored that I was there, and challenged as an artist. But at the same time this heaviness was coming over me, and I was sensing an emptiness inside. I knew that if I had to stand before God, I could not say I was pure in His eyes.”
One day at work, the animators were matched in pairs, and Keane was partnered with Ron Husband. Keane noticed that at lunch Husband ate alone, reading the Bible. “I had never seen anybody read the Bible. I was raised Catholic, it was just not something anybody close to me ever did. And I had never really read it so I went to him and asked him what the Bible had to say about this emptiness I was feeling, about having my sins forgiven, and how I could know I was right before God.” Husband showed the verse John 3:16 to Keane. “Suddenly, for the first time, I had the faith inside to believe that. It was as if I could reach down in my heart, and there was something I could put toward that verse. I knew there was nothing I could do to earn my way, that He had paid everything for me. All it took was for me to believe that He was God’s son.”
Keane’s newfound faith helped him approach his art with fresh confidence. “I felt like I could pursue my animation with reckless abandon. With a joy and freedom that I did not have before.” When Keane animates a character, it often reflects his Christianity. “Every film I make is an expression of my faith, although that is not the main intention of the film. It seems that there is always a parable mixed in there for me.” In The Rescuers Down Under, the little boy flies on the eagle’s back, learning to trust. At the end of the film, the eagle lets the boy jump off a waterfall and soar by himself for a while before the eagle catches him. “To me that is a parable of faith. God is always there to lift us up on eagle’s wings and carry us, if we trust him.” In Beauty and the Beast, the beast is transformed from the inside out. “To me, it is a great illustration of 2 Corinthians, 5:17: ‘If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.’
“Even in Pocahantas, though there are a lot of New Age messages in it, that did not stop me from being able to equate the movement of the wind to the movement of the Holy Spirit, guiding and giving direction in my life just the way the wind does for Pocahantas.” For Keane, it is easier to animate a character that he has conviction about and who is real to him. An animator does more than simply draw a figure, he gives the character its spirit. “An animator is really an actor with a pencil.”
When Keane first became a Christian, he thought he wanted to get out of animation to become a minister. He told his pastor about wanting to do something “serious,” and his pastor told him to stay put. “You are there because that is where God wants you to be. You can have a big impact sharing your light at Disney,” he told me. Keane does not look at people as potential converts. “If somebody asks me about the hope I have, then I tell them what drives my life from the inside out, but I don’t start evangelizing in the hallways.”
“On my desk I have a verse that says, ‘whatever you do, work with your heart as working for the Lord.’” Keane keeps this verse in mind when decisions are made that he does not agree with. “I approach that as if it was the Lord saying, ‘I want you do to the best you can. Even though it is not your idea or the way you would choose to do it, do it for me.’ ” Sometimes other employees will ask how Keane can be so calm about having two months of work simply thrown out. “If you are honest you say that it really hurts and sometimes there are tears involved. But in the end I tell them I don’t look at it like I am just working for Disney. I am working for the Lord first, and then for them.”
While Keane is deeply committed to his work, he decided early on that he needed to make time for his wife, and later his two children. Leaving work is not always easy. “I may have spent the whole day going over somebody else’s work and going to meetings. And finally I sit down and start my scene. I am going to animate Pocahantas diving off the cliff, say, and I can just picture the wind blowing in her hair and how she feels. But it’s six o’clock—I’ve got to get home. You have to decide where your priorities are. Home is real, my wife and kids. This is animation; I can focus on my scene tomorrow.”
While Disney is undergoing some cosmic changes, Keane feels comfortable leading the animation department. “There is a genuineness and sincerity in animators that is very unusual in Hollywood. There are a lot of family people in this line of work.” Once a week Keane meets with some other Disney employees for Bible study. Although other branches of Disney may release controversial films, the animation department stands apart. “If it was feature animation that was doing a film like Priest, I would really struggle with that. Actually, I don’t think I would struggle for long—I don’t think I would be there. But I see feature animation as separate, as a group of artists producing our own work. I feel very comfortable there. All I can do is focus on the one area that God has given me some say in, and that is in my own work as an animator.” link

Much of their work and life was rooted in their faith. And it shows. My hope is that eventually I can use my faith in this way. That despite quotas, schedules, or even subject matter…I can find a way to take something from my faith and make it a part of everything I do in my work.

2006-03-01T16:23:00.000-06:00

New Blog, New Site

Hey guys, this is a slight redesign of my old site. Hope I don't neglect it the way I did my other one. I'll have work up soon enough though. Stuff I've been working on is coming out shortly. It will be good to finally be able to put some stuff online. Thanks for visiting. Later. B