800 members!

Holy schmokes -- Tea Time Animation has officially reached 800 members!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to each and every one of you for making Tea Time the bountiful and caring community that it is has become:

To those of you who have dedicated your time to share your wisdom with our group,  your guidance and your advice is invaluable.

To those of you who have supported us behind the scenes, booking meeting spaces, organizing activities, standing up for this group as leaders, and fighting to keep us alive, we most certainly couldn't be here without you.

To the club goers, you are the heart and soul of this community. The life and love and enthusiasm and camaraderie that you bring with you every week is the reason we even exist!

And last, but most certainly not least, those of you who take a little time every day to join us online - talking on facebook, reading this blog, and helping those seeking aid on the forums - we're sorry that you can't be with us in person, but your dedication to join us, regardless of distance, means so much to us all.

It is so important - now more than ever, it seems - that we have support and encouragement for each other as artists; to share and to celebrate in both the struggle and the joy of what it means to be an animator in the 21st century.

It isn't always easy out there - students and professionals alike - so thank you, everyone. Let's keep this fire burning!

Happy animating, and we'll see you Friday.

Tea Time: What are we all about?

What are we? Who are we? Why do we exist? 

Find out for yourself by listening to this recording of our online informational session here! 

ONLINE INFORMATIONAL SESSION

(Thank you, Melinda. Somehow, I only just discovered this.)

Mike Makarewicz Lecture -- Final Date Announced!

Villain's Masquerade

Hey everyone! The AAU comic club is having a sweet Super Hero themed costume carnival next weekend called the 'Villian's Masquerade'. Get all the info and RSVP here!

An Adventure to The Croods

This Friday, after some critique and a brief lecture on the composition of a demo reel, Tea Time made it's way over to the Metreon for a showing of The Croods!

Long time Tea Timer Jonathan Marshall made this beautiful video to commemorate the occasion. Enjoy!

Tea Time Movie Night from Jonathan Marshall on Vimeo.

And the Nominees Are...

Don't forget to check out all the Academy Award nominees for Best Animated Short! 

Opportunity Knocking

Prepare yourselves for the first
Townhall meeting of the Spring Semester!

Townhall meeting? What is that!

The Townhall meeting is the rare opportunity to have students, faculty and high-ups from HQ all in the same room together in order to discuss department related news and concerns.

Why should I care?

Although there are other avenues available to students to have their cries heard, this is one of the only chances we get to tackle them face-to-face with almost everyone it could possibly concern. Class sizes too big? No meeting space available? Unsatisfied with an educator? Come tell somebody about it! As much good as whining behind closed doors does (which is none), there is no reason to let your voice go unheard! So please, join us on Thursday and help your school work for you!*

Not in town? Feel free to e-mail your suggestions to us at teatimeanimationclub@gmail.com.

Is there something else I should care about?

There certainly is! Tea Time animation takes pride in giving back to our local and global community though volunteering our helpful hands at Clean Team. Please refer to the following poster for dates, and follow us on Facebook for pickup times and locations!

*Note: If you've got a problem, do try and also come up with a plausible solution to propose! Simply whining about it to teachers won't do a lot. Ideas, suggestions and critique should be brought up in a calm and professional manor. 

Spring Semester's First Meeting

Lana, Frank and Cody at the AAU Club Mixer

With a surprising amount of room to spare in our new home of room 349, the first meeting of the spring semester went off without a hitch. Although we covered a lot of the basics,we also brushed up on a few of the principles while getting to know each other a little better. (Lots more where that came from, so stay tuned.)

So what's in store for next week? That's right -- our very first guest speaker! Mike Midlock most recently finishing up some work on ILM's Pacific Rim will be joining us in club this Friday. Don't miss this opportunity to listen, take notes and get your questions answered.

Finally, in the wake of the meeting, there were a few, quick, tutorials I thought could use a bump for those who haven't been to tea time before. Check them out, and feel free to ask any questions:

Weighted Tangents and Motion Trails 
Digital Tutors
Exporting from Quicktime Pro

Spring Awakening

This Friday, the only way to spend your Tea Time is at 3:30 PM in room 349 @ 180 New Montgomery.