There and Back Again

Odd Sleeping

2011-09-22T02:38:00.000-04:00

This can drive you batty. Exhausted and ready to go to sleep, make it home and... What?

I decided to draw this comic since apparently I have so much energy!

:dA:

Location:Via Baldona,Vista,United States

Sarah at School

2011-09-15T00:36:00.000-04:00

I always wondered what the teacher was thinking when I was doing my classwork. Now, with friends as teachers, I wonder what they think of. I think I know Sarah decently well, so, I'd imagine she'd be riding a shark into... well, into what is really up to your imagination!

I like gradients. I'm on a gradient kick now. I love how it pushes you to look in one direction. Hopefully it works like I intend it to! Also the comics are changing a lot in style I've noticed. They're a bit more free. They still take just as long, but I love to shade, and I like to be looser. Here, let's compare.

This was drawn in August, 2006! Man what a change. I was still in college then. Angie Tabone was studying in Australia and our friend Adrienne had just come back to the States. I couldn't help but play off that. As for drawing, the line is more controlled, a bit subdued. Funny how I've changed!

Car Cooking

2011-09-12T11:58:00.000-04:00

Ahaha. In what is probably the best email conversation I've had in a while, somehow Angie concluded:

How the hell does getting lost while driving a car correlate with your stew boiling over? Do you have a stove in your car or something?

And then... this comic. I would imagine Angie would be screaming while I tried to genuinely cook. Kelly and Jill however would be frozen in shock. Oh what fun. This one made me laugh when I drew it ;)

Oops

2011-09-11T03:38:00.000-04:00

This certainly occurred today. I was making a cajun stew and talking to Jill and then it hit me. It hit me like splashes of hot firey, spicey chicken stew. Specifically over my arm. As tingly as it felt, it would have been far worst if I hadn't stopped it. This monstrosity was just waiting to spill over and wreck my chances at getting back my security deposit!

I made a post over on CGTalk describing a bit what Theory Animation is and what we accomplished. I think it's a great thread on bringing your own vision to life; definitely worth the read. Somehow it led to me finding this quote:

"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people."

- George Benard Shaw

I couldn't agree more!

Ok, now for a blast to the past! Here's an old comic from September 7th, 2009 talking about Jill's awesome time back at the island; and my sad attempt to make her happy about it (she loves mountains):

I agree with the crab.

Stress!

2011-09-06T23:06:00.002-04:00

Trying something new. Eventually we move to pupils right? Freddie Moore did it to Mickey for Fantasia, Friz Freleng to the gang at Looney Tunes. It's about time right?

Stress happens. I think the only way to deal with it is to go in the opposite direction. Maybe meditate, clear your mind, work out, anything. An animator from Pixar, Dylan Brown, used to say "change the wheel" to a different setting. Try something new, but whatever it is, don't keep doing what caused the stress in the first place.

Even for me, working full time as an animator, I found it stressful to play video games. It was still on a computer and I was still more or less in the same position. But going for a walk, or working out would help me break away from that stress. In the end you're just getting your mind off things right?

:dA:

On Moving

2011-09-05T03:51:00.001-04:00

Moving across country is never easy; especially in fields where it never seems to end. For Scott (a strange polar bear rabbit thing) and Cuka (a flying squirrel) they've had to economize and take the bare essentials... like their cats.

I'm much more mattress on the floor, one set of utensils kind of guy. In the end we still have to pack and we still have to move it. Here's to that!

:dA:

Location:S Melrose Dr,Oceanside,United States

Uncontrollable Turbulence

2011-09-01T01:10:00.001-04:00

I was on an airplane when I heard the stewardess announce "tighten your seat belts as we may experience uncontrollable turbulence." I thought for a moment, uncontrollable? Having just had dinner a few nights before with my infallible friends, Cuka and her husband Scott, I thought it would be great to show what real Uncontrollable Turbulence was. Cuka has been known for her craziness, this would have been no exception!

Don't you feel like this too sometimes? I feel like this a lot, especially lately. You work hard, you trudge through the hard times, you get to the top of the mountain and are totally exhilarated! Then you realize there's another mountain, a little farther, a little higher and... another challenge! I spend a great deal of time in this sort of perpetual mountain climbing. I think anyone in creative fields do. My point here though: relish in the fact you just climbed a big one yourself; then worry about the next mountain ;)

:dA:

Projects x Time

2011-08-17T10:52:00.002-04:00

I've long held the attitude of doing more than what can fit on your plate. Always I've had concurrent projects and multiple timelines all at once. Still, time management software, google tasks and calendars don't solve the problem that you need a break. Or it will break you.

Now I'm trying something new. I'm dividing up what I want to work on into 3 daily things. The first two are usually family and work. The third is my choice. Go work out, animate the raptor, etc. Even then I switch it up every other day. I'll focus on the short film this day. On that day I'll work on my stances and forms.

And then sometimes, I'll do nothing at all.

:dA:

Location:S Melrose Dr,Oceanside,United States

Day 815

2011-08-02T01:46:00.000-04:00

Almost 800 days ago, on May 8th of 2009 I said to the world "I want to work on the Hobbit!" It is the closet thing to the Lord of the Rings, to my childhood (I loved these books) and to working on it.

800 days! In that time I've done everything I could to work in New Zealand. I've applied to 3foot7, I've completely revamped my demo reel since I last applied, twice over, I even almost had a Previs position there last year!

Still it alludes me. Remember how many Kung Fu movies and the like always say "Its the journey that counts?" Somewhere over the past few weeks that really has started to sink in. There's chance that even with working hard on my reel, working on some amazing projects, and all the best qualifications I have, I could still miss out. I could still not get accepted.

And that alone can cause a stress that never yields "What if, what if... what if?" My point is: I will do the best I can and put all my energy to getting in. And if I don't make it? Well it's not all a lost, look how far I've come!

I guess what I'm trying to say is, this animation career can really take you anywhere, at any time, but enjoy it! The road goes ever on.

Career Fairs

2011-06-27T16:40:00.003-04:00

I had a fun time visiting the VES/Creativeheads get together in Los Angeles this past weekend. It's always exciting to go these and observe what the industry is doing and where it's going. It also reminds me of all the mistakes you can make. In no particular order:

• Showing your reel on a iPad or iPhone seems to be the norm.
• No more DVDs. I asked multiple artists there if they made reels. None. And no recruiter wanted them (I didn't hit all the booths though)
• Do you have a Business cards, resumes and website. Are you on LinkedIn was also a big question.
• For the love of god... If you're going to show your reel on a laptop, be prepared. Some people had to boot up, login, one session crashed... Man that just hurts your chances.
• Stop playing on your phone while in line. Talk to the people around you, they are just as likely to get you a job than the recruiter. I'd argue even more so.
• No business card is a definite no no. But no pen either? I met three artists who wrote their info on my business card with my pen since they had nothing on them.
• If you use a laptop, make your reel a QuickTime or something. This one guy had to wait for the DVD he burned to load up each time. It just gives that awkward moment for you and the recruiter.
• Get the recruiter's card. Follow up with a thank you. I just feel it's good etiquette.

Overall it was cool. A lot of jobs have shifted to Vancouver, a lot of shows are hiring in late fall or early next year. Some as early as August. I think these things just help you meet people and get in touch. I've never had luck getting a job directly from it but I still feel their value comes in interacting and getting your name out there.

Yeah!

:dA:
www.davidra.net

Location:Venice,CA,United States

Airport Sketches

2011-06-22T19:42:00.001-04:00

Waiting to go RDU -> LAX

:dA:

Location:Airport Blvd,Morrisville,United States

Thoughts

2011-06-18T00:36:00.001-04:00

We all have them. A lot of books have been written on them; philosophies invented; regimens practiced to eliminate them. Hell I've read many of those books and practiced those philosophies. Ultimately it still comes down you on how to deal with it. For me, I treat it like animation. You know that part when you just hit spline after blocking and the animation looks like mush? Or maybe you try and avoid it and you just start off in spline, either way you still have a mushy difficult climb. Thoughts arise "don't do it, this sucks blaahhhgg!" but you just have to ignore... all of them.

Anyways I sometimes get lost (a lot) in thoughts with my girlfriend Jill just blankly staring at me...

I imagine this is what it would look like :)

:dA:

Rejection Letters

2011-06-11T14:31:00.001-04:00

I like many others have suffered the painful bluff of rejection. The slippery slope will soon slide you into depression if you don't fight back. In many ways it reminds of Bill Cosby's quote:

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

In someway a rejection helps point you in the right direction. "I need to work on my reel," "My film needs more work or better pre pro," or my favorite: "I should try it a different way."

I'm not really sure what a recruiter or producer thinks when they see your work. What leads them to that decision and how you can somehow convince you are better than what they've seen. If anything in this process is clear to me it's you should put your best food forward. And if they don't like it still, but you've done your best, then you've lost nothing. In fact, you've gained a ton.

:dA:

Kelly and the Bush

2011-05-24T00:34:00.000-04:00

Kelly told me: "oh man, the bush was epic, it ate my hat"
And this came out...

How many elephants does it take to spin Jessie?

2011-05-23T00:51:00.001-04:00

Disneyland was a fun experience. Somewhere during the excitement I asked her this question. The reason why is still unclear to me, but it does seem like a logical question. Jessie's answer made it even better (the lack of opposable thumbs...)

Donut Holes

2011-05-15T12:38:00.001-04:00

Honestly this was my first thought...

Location:25th Pl,,United States

Jessie's Shoes

2011-05-14T17:39:00.001-04:00

I can't figure it out either.

:dA:

Location:Eastern Canal Ct,,United States

Can I do this?

2011-05-13T17:49:00.001-04:00

Just a test...

Oh no

2005-03-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

Not another blog!