city designs for dr breakfast

and some character ideas

just a doodle

I was thinking today about 2D and 3D in student films thanks to a recent post on Michael Sporn's blog. I feel like 2D, 3D, hand drawn and after effects--there's no reason why it all can't come together in an efficient and effective way.

Here's an example of my workflow for a shot in Chicken Cowboy. I sketched out these keys first according to the storyboards. If I like the pose in the board enough, I can just use that as my key.


From here I can make vectorized shapes in after effects, or use the pre-made illustrator rigs if the poses are similar enough. But getting the right pose is always more important than using the premade rig.

Here it is in AE:

above is a pan BG I painted for CC.  This spring I left it on a school computer overnight, and the next day when I opened up the file--there was oprah!

I found out later that Harry was behind this.  Mos def the best banner ad I've ever seen.

here's a clip from Chicken Cowboy now online, hosted by sound designer Robin Arnott's new website.

For me, Chicken Cowboy was all about the sound. From initial concepts through boarding, the idea of sound as a way to supercharge the rhythm, pacing, and action of the film was crucial. Robin did a great job balcncing the very realistic and very stylized sounds required.

Sound really is half of filmmaking. I think so anyhow.  Check out the clip and see for yourself! Present are two scenes--one's very sophisticated and subtle from a sound standpoint, the other one is a little, well, louder.

oh the tintinnabulation

He's concentrating! You've got to make your atoms align!

And for good measure: a goose.

dr breakfast paintings

some sort of rough kitchen design, where it all starts.

For about a week now I've been spending a good 3 hours a day on trains and subway cars. Brooklyn to white plains is a little bit of a trek, but with a sketchbook and a paperback, it's a very doable, and dare I say it, very enjoyable commute.

Some of the people on the train crack me up, though.

This guy had his paper up, creating a little office for himself. I'm not sure if he was trying to muffle his business call out of politeness or out of privacy. He shouldn't have worried. The call was completely undecipherable, even to eavesdroppers.

"If you look at this next move as a destination from this place . . . where does that leave us incentive-wise? You're narrowing the focus of what an exit strategy looks like."

say what?

me trying to figure out the ins and outs of my next film.

It's always good to go back later and discover that what you worked out the previous day. . .

1) is bad.
2) makes no sense.
3) doesn't conform with previous ideas.
4) doesn't conform with previous themes.
5) doesn't conform with previous themes because the story has no theme.
6) is bad.

that's how I learn.

I'll post this again with hopes of boosting the view count:



Why are festivals so expensive? I'm going to start my own. Who's with me?

I started carrying around this little goat notepad:

Aside from having a good picture on the cover there, it's tiny. Smaller than a moleskin. Which is great, because I'm constantly losing those awkwardly-sized, expensive little black books.

Anyhow, little notepads are great for doodles.

Or for jotting down some storyboards just long enough to remember. Be sure to write it down more detailed somewhere else--this picture here doesn't make much sense otherwise. Or maybe this is how I really see things.

When in doubt, draw merlin. take advantage of the 1:4 aspect ratio.

I haven't told the blog world yet so here it goes. . .

I start as a story intern at Blue Sky on Monday!

I'm mad excited.* I'll let you guys know how it goes. Plus, the daily commute from Bed Stuy to White Plains should give me plenty of time to doodle, so maybe expect more bloggin'.

This is how I wish the dudes at Gringotts looked. Not like those scary goblins in the movies.

Dr Breakfast visits the pyramids!

*yes. I did just say "mad excited"