Create wins "Best Student Animation" at the Savannah Film Festival!

By far the greatest festival experience I've ever had.  I got to watch Create with a happy crowd on my birthday, in the town I spent 4 years going to school in.  I got to visit old friends, and meet new friends and incredibly talented fellow filmmakers.

As you may be able to see, I was quite happy with the outcome.

Create won "Best Student Animation" during the awards ceremony, and it completely blew me away.  I was so pleased to have won, but I believe my speech was just giddy gibberish and amazement.  The response at the reception I got from friends, filmmakers, producers, and professors was wonderful.  It was such a good feeling.

A friend and amazing talent, Kirsten Lepore, won "Best Animation" with her film, Bottle.  I also had a great time hanging out with Jason Carpenter, with his award winning film The Renter, and Chris Swanson, with the film he worked on, The Reality Clock.  I was also able to speak with Christopher and Christine Kezelos, whose stop motion film The Maker blew me away.  There is a great group of people in this industry.
 

Under-dressed with 3 incredibly important and vital people in the creation of Create.  Thank you, Debra, Jeremy, and Jason.

ParaNorman - Trailer and poster revealed

ParaNorman, the film I am working on at LAIKA, is now starting to be revealed to the world.  It doesn't come out until August 2012, and there is still a bit of work to be done with it, but right now you can see what's to come.

It is looking amazing, and I am so proud to be helping out on it.

Create goes back to Savannah, also wins NYLA

Create is going back to his hometown of Savannah, GA!

While I was in school at SCAD, I would go to the Savannah Film Festival each year.  It's a week long festival that always impresses.  I now will now be going back, not just to attend, but to be part of the festival.

Create plays on my birthday, Nov. 4th, at Trustees Theater at 9:30am.  http://filmfest.scad.edu/event/3185-2/

Also, I just found out Create won "Best Animation" at the NYLA International Festival in LA!  That event to be held at The Whitefire Theater, on October 26th at 7:55pm.  

LAIKA continues to an amazing experience.  I now have 2 shots in the film.  The feeling of actually being a piece of the film now is a great one.

CREATE making its way to film festivals!

Create is now being seen by people!   Good!

I just got back from a quick flight to Austin, Texas for Fantastic Fest, which screened "Create" during its animation block.  It had a very positive response, and was a blast to attend.  I wish I could have stayed for more than 1 day of the week long festival, but sadly I'm woooorking. (It actually screened in 3 places on that Saturday (Sept. 24th) -  Austin, Georgia, and Poland!)

Here is the current list of festivals showing CREATE

9/17 - Burbank International Film Festival - Burbank, CA  (Official Selection)
9/24 - SCADanimate - Savannah, GA  (School-wide animation showcase)
9/24 - Fantastic Fest - Austin, TX  (Official Selection)
9/24 - Se-Ma-For Film Festival - Lodz, Poland  (Official Selection)
10/20 - SoDak Animation Festival - Brookings, SD  (Official Selection)

I shall try to keep this updated, as I am waiting to hear back from some and will be submitting it to many more.


Separately, CAMPFIRE made it to a festival too!  Dragon*Con Independent Short Film Festival in Atlanta, GA

The past 3 months - Frankenhole and LAIKA

Things have been intense since completing my film, Create, receiving a BFA in Animation at SCAD, and moving to LA.  Everything keeps getting better.

Right after school, I was hired on as an Animator for the Adult Swim tv show, "Frankenhole."  It was at the new LA studio, Starburns Industires Inc.  I was able to work with a bunch of my friends from Robot Chicken there, so it was a blast.
  (clip of season one if video doesn't load)

After great 2 months animating there, the season wrapped and I was ready for another step.

I am now working at a studio that has been a dream for me since I started animation: LAIKA

 

I am an Assistant Stop-Motion Animator on their new feature film, ParaNorman.  It is an amazing project to be on, and I am extremely fortunate to be helping out.  

More to come soon, especially now that Create is starting its Film Festival run!

"Create" is complete. Official.

Create, my senior film of 9 months, is complete.

This will be the only online presence of Create for a while, as I will be submitting it to a number festivals. I hope you guys enjoy the trailer!

Goodness I am tired...

"Campfire" finally done! (This is not my senior film)

After over a year, I have finished "Campfire"! Most of this was made in 2 months back in 2010, as I blogged the making of here. Sorry for the delay. (Watch in HD!)



It's great to have this out now. Feels good.

On a "Create" side note, I am on the final stages of post production. It's funny comparing these two films, made a year apart, "Create" is going to be a big jump up.

Animation stage complete!

Happily, I have finished the animation for, Create. (Other than titles)

Awwwww

It's been an intense 4 weeks of shooting. 30 shots total, done. Now I can get this equipment out of my room, and have a bed again. Nice.

One of the final shots I animate is actually the very first shot. A camera dolly through the laboratory, ending on the giant door, which bursts open revealing...

 

Here you can see the high-tech dolly system I rigged up for this baby. It consists of a 1 x 3 piece of wood, sliding incrementally against another 1x3 piece of wood. I did the camera move on ones, 1/8th of an inch each frame. It worked out quite well, given the materials.

I do have one shot to share, as it is just a test on a device that did not make it into the final film. It's a test of the beastly trash compactor! With the mad scientist ready to chuck all the duct tape I've used on this project into it.

Time for a short break, and then it is on to post!  Thank you again tho those who actually read these things, it helps drive this whole blogging thing, as I find down the road this stuff is great to come back to.

-Dan

19 shots in! (out of 30)

Lots of work, but it is going quite well. More stills!

The lighting is designed by Austin Rink. He's really helping me get the look I want for this film.

I am loving the look and how it's coming together. Sure, I'm spending 12 hour nights animating a single shot, but after I pass out, wake up, and look at it, it's worth it.

Happy

Shots!

I have eight shots completed! Here are a few stills:

Here is the set-up in my dorm room/studio.

As crammed as it is, everything is working out well so far.

More soon!

Animation has begun!

Yes! I am finally underway on the animation for my senior film, "Create"!

 

I will not be posting much of my actual animation from now on, but I figured a little taste is good.

Also, I am shooting all of this in my tiny dorm room.  Sacrificing a living space and bed frame for this baby... ;(

Demo Reel

Here is my new stop motion demo reel. I am very happy with how I've grown as an animator in the past year.

Create - update 4: Finished Puppets and Sets!

First, the puppets.
The real boy

The mad scientist boy

I really like how they are looking. Megan Miller did a great job on the clothes!

Any now, the two big sets!
Full room

Closet side

Desk side

Dubs.

I am especially happy with the lab. I cannot wait to see them both alive in the shot. There will be a few teaks of color and decor before animating begins in 1 month, but essentially these are the pieces for my senior film, Create.

Create - update 4: Colors!

Well, mostly two colors... green and black!

The sets are up and painted, now I have begun on the props for both scenes. Two desks, two shelves, the boy's bed, a frankenstein bed, toys, dinosaurs, window trim, doors, and more!

Prop-master, Britain Cramer helping out!

Oh yeah, and puppet heads!

Next week I will have everything built! 100% Be ready for final puppet pictures and seeing the full sets!

Create - update 3: Puppet fabrication and set construction

I've been making some good progress on the construction of the puppets and sets. It's been incredibly time-consuming, but seeing it piece together is a great feeling.

Starting with the puppets. I dipped the arms in Balloon Rubber, a thin liquid latex, mixed with some acrylic paint. The gloves are just separate dips of of the balloon rubber with different paint mixed in.

The heads are currently being painted, and the cloths are currently being sewn on by a friend of mine, Megan Miller.

And now, the sets! Goodness these babies are taking time.

Producer, Nick Reichard helping plan it out.

Attaching the wall supports.

I only had to build 2 set walls for my short "Campfire"... this one has 9!

So, the set structures themselves are completed. It is time to paint.

Create - update 2: Mold making and foam cutting

I'm wearing band-aids on my thumb and index finger, due to all the contestant cutting and sculpting foam I have been doing with my 4 different scissors. It is intense...

But first! Before the foam-fest, I made the Create boy's head. Super Sculpey sculpt, baked, silicon mold, resin casting, sanding, and drilling.

Now with plenty of heads, back to the body!

The bodies are really taking shape now. Next step is adding the liquid latex skin! Oh, and clothes. He'll be needing those.