Hench-DADA Student Work
I really enjoy the DADA student shows. In a sense, they are the first round for First-Frame. Seeing my classmates work helps me better understand them – not just as makers and storytellers, but as individuals. Grouped by instructor and course topic gives me a chance to looking forward and think about what I would like to do in the upcoming classes. I hope if my work is screened at next semester’s seminar, it speaks true of who I am – or better yet, of who I want to be. Isn’t that why we’re all here?"Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone …"
Proclamation 3422: American Education Week
John F Kennedy, July 25, 1961
John F Kennedy, July 25, 1961
7StarSun; Projection Mapping Technical Directors
This was the rare occasion that seminar speakers are also soon-to-be collaborators. Seeing 7StarSun’s presentation, then seeing their studio space in the Big Art Lab gave me the impression that the vibe for our group screening at Doheny would be more Burning Man than Getty. I realized we were making – or should be making – work that compliments an outdoor rave, than one that illuminates a scholarly understanding of Lewis Carroll. That was refreshing and energized me to use Dance and Humor in my storytelling – rather than to look for some new relevance of this 150 yr old story to our times.] 7StarSun and this collaborative effort to celebrate Lewis Carroll gave me the OK to try to make work that simple -happy!
Wonderland Unbound Projection Mapping
I thought I was done with my final project when I presented my interactive animation tool, and the Try Me filter during the seminar. I had after all, just shown 1 minute of animation and provided a tool for making more in real-time. But I could not pass up the opportunity to use four 26K projectors to cover the 200 ft, wide x 50 ft. tall face on Doheny. Memorial Library. So I spent nearly every waking moment and some sleep time, in the form of dreams, making Wise Words (for the Modern Girl), a 2 min 30 sec stand-alone animation. Seeing it was a thrill. Sometimes size does matter!
Pablo Valbuena; Space, Time and Perception
The thrust of Pablo Valbuena’s talk, that “Light Matters,” is fundamental knowledge for all visual artists. His assertion that “Light has memory” felt right, and sounded less obvious than his thesis. Though I did not understand his explanation, I imagine that by pushing away darkness, Light can reveal hidden truths; that by the time it hits our retina we are actually seeing what was there at the time of impact. Typically this difference in the time of initial impact and retina impact is negligible unless it is happening in the vast space of the universe, where astronomers are actually looking back in time.
Mr. Valbuena’s work was stylish and handsome. His work mapped to architectural space felt more like exercises, perhaps for projector calibration/registration, than meaningful works of Art. And his work, which extends real space into virtual, really only works from a fixed location/perspective, and looking through only one eye. But it did seem to correlate with his earlier comment that the perception of a Rainbow’s location is dependent POV.
I would like to see Valbuena's Time Tiling series on the geometric patterns of Islamic Architecture.
I attended the opening of his exhibit at Project Young gallery. It’s a wonderful show about light artists, including works by Turrell and Campbell.I would like to see Valbuena's Time Tiling series on the geometric patterns of Islamic Architecture.
Stephen Hillenburg; The Art of The Pitch
This was my favorite presentation of the semester. Stephen Hillenburg showed us his path to realizing the elusive dream job. And this man-boy from California, via Oklahoma, made it look easy … like we could do it too!Mr. Hillenburg certainly writes what he knows, and employs his life-long interest and college education in Marine biology – though I’m baffled why he would knowingly imply a household sponge is an ocean sponge.
He walked us through the Pitch Bible for SpongeBoy (later changed to SquarePants due to copyright rules) explaining it’s How/What/Where/ When/Why. He puts the main focus on the characters. He said: “The chemistry in the show is generated from its personalities.” He went in more depth by showing us the educational comic he made while at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point Harbor. And then we saw the comic book, which seemed to inform the TV series. I was struck by the enormity of his generosity when I realized he wasn’t just feeding us; he was teaching us how to fish.
Showing his first film, “The Green Beret,” connected the dots from where we are as students to making our first (really big) pitch.
Huckleberry Lain (aka Paul Shepherd); Experimental Visual Music, Expanded Cinema, and New Media.
Here it is – another wonderful example of what is possible after graduating from DADA. I applaud Mr. Shepherd for following his bliss, and for sharing it with us. We should all be so lucky to find our voice and express it so clearly, so soon after school. One change in language he may consider is to switch the word ‘experimental’ with ‘research’ in describing his work – and the work in the iotaCenter. As experimental films, it seems the audience doesn’t ask (or care) what the novel experiment is in the film. “Experimental” in Cinema in synonymous for strange, or weird. Calling it ‘Research” then demands the author clearly articulate the research goals, and the process for testing – and allows projects to still be considered informative, even if they fail as entertainment. In research, you often learn more from a failure than a success.
Elisabeth Mann replies:
I disagree. “Research” does not signify cutting edge the way “experimental” does. Research is not necessarily an alternative to the mainstream, in the way that the term experimental is (by definition.) Although experimental animation and commercial mainstream animation are not necessarily mutually exclusive (ie SpongeBob), research would seem to be the study or pursuit or practice of something, which may or may not be experimental. Research can be very mundane and ordinary and non-reactionary, unlike experimental work. The term avant-garde has pretty much been put to rest as a particular period of art and cinematic history, but the terms “experimental” and “alternative” are still widely in use. And, if experimental work is weird to you, it is probably as comfortable and “unweird” as sliced Wonderbread to someone else. Finally, the term “research” is associated with science. Not all of us produce work or have a process which falls into this category of scientific inquiry/method. Many artists are less scientific and more intuitive. Anyway, thanks Kurosh, for “the food for thought!”
The Future of Music Visuals
FIELD TRIP Moogfest, Ashville, North Carolina
Thi Exquisite Forest is an online collaborative animation based on The Exquisite Corpse (Surrealists Yves Tanguy, Jacques Prévert, André Breton and Marcel Duchamp, France, 1925) which is based on the old parlor game Consequence. Mad Libs (Leonard Stern and Roger Price, USA, 1958) is another derivation of the game.*
From 2012 - 2014, website visitors could use an online drawing tool to create a short animation. Other visitors could then build off of that animation, resulting in branching, ever-evolving narratives resembling trees.
Thi Exquisite Forest is an online collaborative animation based on The Exquisite Corpse (Surrealists Yves Tanguy, Jacques Prévert, André Breton and Marcel Duchamp, France, 1925) which is based on the old parlor game Consequence. Mad Libs (Leonard Stern and Roger Price, USA, 1958) is another derivation of the game.*
From 2012 - 2014, website visitors could use an online drawing tool to create a short animation. Other visitors could then build off of that animation, resulting in branching, ever-evolving narratives resembling trees.
The project was conceived by Chris Milk and Aaron Koblin and produced by the Google Data Arts Team and Tate Modern. It makes extensive use of Google Chrome’s advanced web technologies, as well as Google App Engine and Cloud Storage. A physical exhibit at Tate Modern was open for over one year beginning on July 23, 2012, and allowed visitors to participate using digital drawing tablets. As of August 1, 2014, the project is closed to new animations but the site is still open for those who wish to browse the forest of animations.
* "There are no new ideas, just new media."
Kurosh ValaNejad, 2014
Screen Novelties; Chris Finnegan, Mark Caballero, and Seamus Walsh
The guys from Screen Novelties leverage the magical math called synergy – where 1 +1 is greater than 2. And they enjoy its benefits of their collaboration (and cooperation,) by getting to run their own studio – and prioritizing playtime. They seem to have figured out how to have fun and get paid. It’s inspiring – and contagious, as I see similar synergy in many of the final projects.
Bob Kurtz, founder of Kurtz & Friends Animation
So much of what Mr. Kurtz said rang true to me.
- Animation is choreography.
- Use a live-action editor
- Go out into the World and experience it, instead of spending time in theaters. It is real world experiences which will inform our work and help us find our voice. (This was echoing Lewis Carroll wise words “You can't learn without living” )
- If you repeat, then it’s a craft.
- Humor is hard to pull off. After hearing Mr. Kurtz speak I feel more comfortable with the genre knowing that Comedy has comedic rhythms and timing 1is critical!
- Mr. Kurtz’s words hit home when he compared his approach to that of a Ninja, in that he hijacks his client's projects and makes them his own.
James Atkinson
James Atkinson has built an impressive career and should feel proud of his many achievements in visual effects. I appreciate his frank comments about the sacrifices required by this career path, Here are some quotes from his talk:
- “Getting paid is the most important thing.”
- “Projected matte painting is our bread and butter”
- “Game people will make the most money.”
- “I’m the one-camera guy.”
- “Don’t fall in love with your own work.”
- “Content isn’t important.” – when describing why he is most proud of his commercial “Liberty Answers”
Evan Harbuck said:
One of the big takeaways for me was his response to Kurosh’s question about the content of his work and that to him the artistry of the craft and the caliber of the team you work with overshadows the shortcomings you may find in the content of your work. I think that’s a very important message for anyone, not just in animation, to find happiness in what you do.
Erin Shea said:
As Kurosh and Simón wrote about, the way he described his relationship to his work and his career was off-putting for me.
Amelia said:
I agree with Erin, Kurosh and Simon. Those quotes Kurosh! Taken out of context they are kind of funny, but as an artist attempting to pursue her passion, those statements are kind of terrifying.
Jan Nagel -Networking: The Art of Building Relationships
Ms. Nagel’s experience in networking cannot be matched, but perhaps it is that experience which makes her advice seems dated. Her basic advice is still sound. Interpreting it and applying it to today’s market is ultimately our job, not hers. Cohorts start making professional friendships and make sure you are genuine in how you represent yourself, your interests and your skillset. Don’t charm your way into a job. Charm your way into a job you love .. because like Love the quicker you fall in, the quicker you fall out of work.
Erin Shae said:
I really appreciated when Lisa and Kurosh made a point of saying that networking/talking with curiosity to people must be genuine, because after being in Jan’s class for more than half the semester, I feel she often forgets to emphasize that.
