A 2K Day and an Evening with Paul Lee

I am very excited to tell you that we are ramping up for an amazing month of events this November. Unfortunately, that ramp was a little steep so you're getting a bit of a delayed write up from our fantastic 2K Games day on October 17th.

This summer, we were proud to have had a number of Tea Timers on a short term contract with 2K games working NBA 2K14. Lucky for us, they were happy to come back and share their experiences with the rest of us! They joined us for club, becoming the opening act for Paul Lee, their animation supervisor, who joined us for a delightful Q&A.

First, we covered file referencing. You may already be familiar with referencing assets - such as your set or rigged characters - but how about a method that makes your scene file even lighter and letting you animate despite ever-changing rigs / weights? We learned that there is a relatively easy method that isn't utilized very often! Simply separate out an additional rig to animate on. You will have 2 files to reference, one that is only the skeleton joints and the rig controls and the other is the mesh and skeleton joints. Orient constrain all the parts of the animation rig, except the hip which needs to be point constrained, to the original. This way, you, as an animator, can continue working and not have to worry about the character or animation not transferring while the art team is still developing the character, the modelers still modeling, or the riggers still creating the controls and weight paints.

Following this, we discussed animation layers; that third tab at the bottom of the Channel Box. Layers are extremely powerful. Just as in Photoshop, you can build up animation on top of each other in layers without affecting anything else underneath. You can easily take a vanilla walk cycle to a character walk cycle in almost no time. Layers are particularly amazing when having to edit a complex animation. They allow you to add on top of what was already animated or to do some minor tweaks and edit some poses just to try things out, without worrying about ruining your keys and splines. Each layer can also be toggled to be on and off, so if you don't like what you see, just disable the layer to hide the extra animation -- it will instantly revert to what it looked like before without having to go through and figuring out which keys you need to delete. Like buffer curves on a broader scale!

To wrap up the night, Paul shared some of his experiences with us. When asked about his number one piece of advice, his biggest suggestion was to always find ways to keep improving yourself. As a student or anyone interested in animation that is just starting out, learn your skills and other disciplines well enough to be self sufficient and then push yourself to doing those tasks more efficiently. While there has been fear of outsourcing and people losing their jobs, Paul has expressed not to worry about it too much. Other than issues of having to manage resources and schedules, outsourcing is just another part of the equation and there will always be a need to have key people in house. Instead of worrying about the things that are out of your control, take the time to be the better, and you'll do better stepping into the industry.

A big thank you to all those who stayed on a Friday night to enjoy the evening with Paul Lee -- we hope you found the talk helpful and informative -- and obviously all of our gratitude to Mr. Lee, himself -- and all of our 2K Tea Timers -- for sharing with us.

Happy Animating!

Don't forget to join the conversation at www.teatimeanimation.com 
Questions? Don't hesitate to get in touch with us at info@teatimeanimation.com
Twitter: @TeaTimeAnimates
Instagram: @TeaTimeAnimation

Welcome to Fall 2014!

It's official, folks: Summer is over -- and we couldn't be happier to be starting another steaming hot semester of Tea Time with all of you! 

Alicia and George by the Tea Time booth

We were absolutely delighted to meet so many of you at the Cannery this Saturday. The charming individuals you met at our booth were Andy, Jonathan Alicia, George and Kyle, and we can't wait to see more of your wonderful faces at our first official meeting on Friday, September 12th. As per usual, we will be meeting every Friday @ 3:30pm, in room 420 of the 180 New Montgomery building.

We've got a great lineup of activities planned for the semester, and hope that you're all as excited as we are: New shirts, a heart-warming aniSLAM, an action-packed Fall Festival, CTN, and already we're signing up our industry connections to come share their experiences with the likes of us. It's going to be a semester to remember.

Lots of new faces at the mixer!

Can't wait to see you all Friday, and until then -- Happy animating!

Don't forget to join the conversation at www.teatimeanimation.com 

Questions? Don't hesitate to get in touch with us at info@teatimeanimation.com
Twitter: @TeaTimeAnimates
Instagram: @TeaTimeAnimation

Guest Speaker -- 3D Environment Artist Greg Mirles

We know that many of you must be chomping at the bit to get back into the swing of things next month, but not all summer breaks are created equal. The delightful folks over at Tea Time Pittsburgh are on quarters, not semesters, and thus they are already swinging away!

Justin Hartmen, Outreach and Academic Enrichment Coordinator for Tea Time Pittsburgh, managed to score an hour with the amazing and talented Greg Mirles, to discuss his experiences in the industry, tips to keep in mind when applying for a job, and his current project, The Mandate. Not only that, but Justin was able to get it all on tape along with the visuals from Mirles' presentation.

It's a fantastic listen, that you can find embedded below. Questions? Don't forget to join the discussion on our forums.

Happy animating!

2014 Speaker: Greg Mirles from Justin Hartman on Vimeo.

Don't forget to join the conversation at www.teatimeanimation.com

Questions? Don't hesitate to get in touch with us at info@teatimeanimation.com
Twitter: @TeaTimeAnimates
Instagram: @TeaTimeAnimation

Nickelodeon Animated Shorts Program

 

Sherley Ibarra - manager of talent outreach and development.

Jill Sanford - vice president of animation development

The past Friday, the Academy - in conjunction with Tea Time - was proud to invite Nickelodeon's own Jill Sanford (VP of Animation Development) and Sherley Ibarra (Manager of Talent Outreach and Development), to share with us what the Nick Shorts Program is all about and tell us exactly what they are looking for in 2014.

Nickelodeon's Animated Shorts Program was started back in 2012 to find and assist the development of a new generation of content creators (that's you). Now, going onto its third year, the program has seen well over a thousand pitches and produced a total of 22 shorts for Nickelodeon's website and app.

So, what are they looking for?
The Animated Shorts Program is looking for comedies that target children ages 6 to 11 with entry points for both boys and girl -- Nickelodeon feels that this demographic is right at the core of the company; they prefer to focus on making cartoons that are character driven, warm, and playful. They aim to be silly and 'smart funny', while still being immature (in the way it is to be a kid); Unique, exciting, and surprising stories with kid-relatable issues.

Nickelodeon is not:
Weird for weird's sake, excited by stories that are too traditional and safe, trendy (as it crosses over into the teen age group), or looking for stories that are oriented around gimmicks.

Interested? Here are some of the finer points:
Your pitch should be limited to two minutes, primarily in one setting, and with a total of 2 or 3 characters.  Materials to submit include:

• Concept treatment (a writeup of who the characters are, what the story is about, and where the setting is)
• Character descriptions - written/and or drawn with a preference to have both
• 2 minute rough story boards or outline/script (more info is better)
• Signed submission release form which can be found on the website

The short can be produced in any medium such as  2D, 3D, and/or stop motion. What is important is that the shorts must be comedic, character driven, and have kid appeal. You do not have to do everything yourself; the pitch submitted can be a collaborative project with people working on concept art, storyboards, character designs, etc., but ultimately, if it's your idea, you should bring the pitch yourself. There is no limit to the number of pitches that can be submitted and this program is open to everyone. Don't try to guess at what Nickelodeon wants to see. They want to hear your voice! Authenticity and uniqueness is what makes a story stand out and often times that comes from something personal. 

The deadline for submissions is March 14th, 2014. The winning pitches will be chosen approximately 2 weeks after the closing. Once the pitches are chosen, preproduction begins immediately with the goal of a  finished short by the end of the year. 

As the story creator, you will be working with Nickelodeon's production team to realize your vision and be able to give feedback and suggestions as the company seeks to support the creator. While working with Nickelodeon to produce the short, you will not necessarily be at the studio. There will be check-ins and meetings that may happen over the phone, Skype, or e-mail, but you mainly only shows up to the studio for key check-ins, such as voice recordings. While the 'gig' is paid, it is far from a livable wage. You should not consider this a full-time job; they will work around your schedule. (Of course if the short does extremely well and gets picked up for a series then you may have to reconsider your job at Starbucks.)

Don't be shy about sharing your stories! We know that it can be intimidating to think about how many other people are submitting ideas. Don't let the "they will never pick me" mentality take over. If you think that, probably everyone thinks that, and that means there are even less people competing and even better chances that you will get picked. Think about it.

Best of luck and Happy Animating! 
We'll see you Friday.


Don't forget to join the conversation at www.teatimeanimation.com

Questions? Don't hesitate to get in touch with us at info@teatimeanimation.com
Twitter: @TeaTimeAnimates
Instagram: @TeaTimeAnimation

Tea Time Animation* and 2K Games!

Over the course of the next semesters, 2K Games will be partnering with AAU to produce animated shorts centered around the Borderlands 2 franchise -- starting with a storyboard contest!

2K will be providing just about everything besides a pen and paper; For those interested in storyboarding, there will be a selection of various story lines for you to storyboard so you don't really even need to know the current lore. They will also be supplying students with all assets -- environments, props, rigged models, etc... -- so even if you choose not to be a part of the storyboard competition, there are still opportunities for you to work with professional-grade material!

If that doesn't entice you enough, top prize for the storyboard contest (other than seeing your vision come to life with the aid of current professionals, of course) is an internship with 2K Games! (Perhaps more than one?)

Am I getting your attention yet? Well then come to the informational panel Thursday, March 7th at 7:30pm in the 79 New Montgomery theater.

Don't miss this amazing opportunity, and don't hesitate to e-mail us at teatimeanimationclub@gmail.com for more information.

*Contest limited to registered AAU students only

Guest Lecture with Jim Sidel

A Tea Time guest lecture on the importance of brevity and subtext with

Jim Sidel

540 Powell street, room 130

Tuesday, March 5 @ 7:00 pm

(with prizes)

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. 

Friday Night Speaker!

Hello ALL!


This Friday, we will receive guest speaker Kevin Chesnos

Kevin is an alumni and is currently teaching at AAU, and will talk about his experience
working on Bluesky, Disney and Pixar; as well as his student days.


Friday, November 12th, 8:00pm, room 804

Stay tuned in case there are any sudden changes.

Also, we will still meet at 5:00pm at the midpoint room. See you then!

Our First SPEAKER!

+++++ Update +++++++

Unfortunately, our guest won't be able to come this Friday!
We will re-schedule for later on.
We will still meet at 5:00 o'clock on Friday.

+++++ Update +++++++

The moment you've all been waiting for!

Our first fall 2010 speaker is...
AARON HARTLINE

Aaron has worked on several companies including Game Refuge (producing the game Rampage), Big Idea (Veggie Tales) and Blue Sky (Ice Age, Robots, Horton hears a Who) before landing at PIXAR, where he worked on UP and Toy Story 3.

click here to visit his blogs!

Aaron will talk about his career and some of his shots, including Mr. Tortilla Head!

Friday, November 5th, 8:00pm, room 804

Stay tuned in case there are any sudden changes.

Also, we will still meet at 5:00pm at the midpoint room. See you then!

Guest Speaker, Jeep Naarkom, This Friday 8:30pm in room 140B at the 180 Building.

This Friday we have Jeep Naarkom, current AAU student and previously an animator at Electronic Arts, coming to tell us a bit about himself and about animation for games.

The lecture will start at 8:30pm. Room 140B.

We're all excited for this Friday's lecture and as usual, expect this to be a well attended event. Show up early & on time to be sure you get a seat or a good standing space.

Another Great guest lecture and more on the way

Thanks for coming out to JD's lecture last Friday!

It was a great lecture and another huge turn out. There will be no guest speaker this Friday, as school is out for Spring Break this week. Watch for updates for the next guest lecture, coming soon.

AAU Coming Events: Alumni Comic Book Panel

April 1st, Morgan Auditorium 7pm!

Guest Speaker, Jean-Denis Hass, THIS Friday! 8:30pm in room 140B at the 180 Building.

This Friday we have Jean-Denis Hass, "JD" coming to talk to tell us a bit about himself and about animation. JD is a former AAU student, instructor and is an Animator at ILM. The lecture will start at 8:30pm. Room 140B.

We're all excited for this Friday's lecture and expect this to be a well attended event. Show up early & on time to be sure you get a seat or a good standing space.

JD Lecture Postponed, Robert Steele talk this Friday!

Sorry guys, due to some family concerns JD can't make it out this Friday. We will be rescheduling with JD, likely for next week. Just stay tuned for the update.

However we're in luck, our very own Robert Steele has graciously offered to drop in and give us a talking to. Join the Club for an eye opening talk this Friday at 8:30pm in the 79 Theater.

Bob Steele is a current full time faculty at the Academy and a great guy to ask questions to about story, storyboarding, layout, camera, preproduction and portfolio concerns, among other things. Come with questions and a sense of humor. He'll give you some straight answers and very likely some good stories.

Robert Steele's professional background includes: Working as Art Director and Computer Animator for various video game companies such as Sega Technical Institute, Captivation Digital Laboratories, Full-On Amusement Company Blizzard Entertainment, and Virgin Entertainment.

Project credits include Diablo 2, Diehard Arcade, ComicZone, Robocop vs. Terminator, and Disney’s The Jungle Book video games.

He also produced Commercial Animatics and Storyboards at Jim Keeshen Studios in Los Angeles, California and was a Storyboard Artist for the Widget and Mr. Bogus animated television series for Calico Creations.

He was Producer on animated short, “Monkey Love " at Jim Keeshen Studios which was a Nominee for Animated Short Film ASIFA 1996 and recipient of the Golden Gate Award, San Francisco Independent Film Festival, 1997.

UPDATE: Gest Lecture NEXT Friday, the 12th.

Hey Club,

We will be doing the next guest speaker event NEXT Friday instead of this Friday. Update your calendars!

Next Friday we will have Jean-Denis Hass, "JD" coming to talk to tell us a bit about himself and about animation. JD is a former AAU student, instructor and is an Animator at ILM. The lecture will start at 8:30pm. Room 140B.

Thanks again go out to Brian Shirmer in the Anim & VFX dept for securing the room!

And thanks to you guys and gals in the club for tuning in to the blog posts and turning out for the speakers. We're looking forward to next Friday's event.

Guest Speaker, Michal Makarewicz Friday 8:30pm in room 140B at the 180 building

Hi Club,

Our second guest speaking event is confirmed for this Friday 8:30pm in ROOM 140B, at the 180 Building. Thanks to Brian in the Animation & VFX office for helping us get the space!

This room is through the door directly across from the main entrance of the 180 building. We will post signs and don't anticipate people having any trouble finding the room.

To avoid interruptions in the presentation, we'll be shutting the door to the room at 8:45pm.

Look forward to an insightful talk from Michal Makarewicz, Pixar animator and awesome guy.

We expect this to be a well attended event, so show up early & on time to be sure you get a seat or a good standing space.

Guest Speaker this Friday 8:30pm, Michal Makarewicz.

Our second guest speaker of the year, Michal Makarewicz. He is an AAU grad and Animator at Pixar.

Michal will be coming to the Academy to talk to the Animation Club about his experience at school and Pixar. He will also be talking about some shots he's worked on as well as doing a short demo of his workflow approach, using an exercise like a head turn, or short dialogue clip.

The club will be meeting for this guest speaker event this Friday at 8:30pm. Room TBA shortly.

We're going to try to have this event in the 79 theater, but if not, it will be at the 180 building in a large classroom.

Watch for updates and join us for another great talk on Friday!

Animation Club Guest Speaker this Friday 8:30pm at 180

Our first guest speaker of the new year, Terry Song. He is a recent AAU grad and is currently working at Pixar as a Fix Animator.

Terry will be coming to the Academy to talk to some of the members of the Animation Club about his experience at school and at Pixar.

The club will be meeting for this guest speaker event on Friday at 8:30pm in one of the 3rd floor classrooms at 180.

Room TBA shortly! Watch for updates and join us for a great talk on Friday!