Animators, motion graphic artists, visual effects artists, screen designers, title designers – here’s your chance to show the world your work. Each month we select two reels from the motion community to screen during the reels@motion segment on our monthly motion+connect broadcast.

It’s easy to enter:

1. Upload your 3-minute or less reel to Vimeo
2. Add the tag: reels@motion to your reel on Vimeo
3. Tweet the Vimeo link to your reel with the hashtag: #motiontv

…and then stay tuned. Winners will be notified. Good luck!

At motion, we are always inspired by the talented work we see coming from the future of our industry – students! This year we provided two unique opportunities for students to have their work seen at motion09:
– the reels@motion competition and
– our interstitials competition

Post-secondary students studying motion graphics, animation, and vfx were asked to submit their reels – 5 minutes or less. The top three winners in two categories – motion graphics and vfx, were announced at this year’s motion conference.

In the category of motion graphics, the winners were:

1st place: Tommy Strickland (Ex’pression College for Digital Arts)
2nd place: Cassandra Chisom (Ex’pression College for Digital Arts)
3rd place: Matt Aubuchon (Ex’pression College for Digital Arts)

view winning reels:

In the category of vfx, the winners were:

1st place: Anna Tonrungroj (Vancouver Film School)
2nd place: Corey Coates (Vancouver Film School)
3rd place: Peter Choi (Vancouver Film School)

view winning reels:

Congratulations to the winners of the motion09 future@motion reels competition!

Brad currently works as the lead animator and technical director of the Motion and Graphics Department at Boeing-SVS where he leads a team of animators to create fully 3D scenario based animations as well as still rendered product visualizations.

Was there anything in particular that sparked your imagination as a kid?

Most of my creative spark came from the normal influences on a late 20th century male child; cartoons, movies and video games. I used to love squiggles and art lessons in grade school because I was able to draw, color and actually make something artistic. I can remember sitting down with a friend to come up with our own Mega Man game villain designs and drawing sports logos, power rangers and ninja turtles to no end. It was a lot of fun.

For a lot of kids, they obsessively draw a particular thing over and over – from horses to robots…and everything in between. Was this true for you?

I don’t know if there was any one thing I obsessively drew like characters or environments or anything. I mostly just drew something when I felt inspired or when there was a contest among friends or classmates. I did seem to have a weird obsession for a season with football helmets. I remember drawing every team’s helmet and their logo a few times. Might have been a bit of a young graphic designer in me there.

What was your impetus for getting into 3D and motion graphics?

As a child I always loved movies and animated cartoon shows. Even more then watching them I always thought it would be the best possible job in the world to become an animator for Disney or work in visual effects for a living. I can remember defiantly staying up far to late at night to catch re-runs of Movie Magic on the Discovery Channel completely glued to the TV as they described things that happen behind the scenes. Even now I am often more excited to see the “Making of” features of a movie then the actual movie itself. The shear amount of times I have watched every appendix disc of the extended Lord of the Rings Trilogy DVD’s is embarrassing really. It was only natural that I end up finding a love for 3D and motion graphics and am lucky enough to actually be doing it for a living.

Did you have any formal training?

My first foray into the world of 3D graphics was with Bryce 3D when I was in 9th grade. A delightfully painful program that allowed me to create landscapes and reflective spheres to wet my appetite for graphics. While being a limiting program for animation and modeling it gave me a brief but exciting introduction to 3D. As a freshmen at UNM I stumbled across the CGI and Animation course they offered. At the time I did not know there were any classes like that available. I was so excited about it I instantly switched my major to computer science and enrolled in the class the next semester because I heard it was an upper division computer science course. It was in that class that I was introduced to Maya and began my 5 semesters of that course utilizing the machines and software to learn and explore the vast world of 3D. It turned out that I didn’t have to be a CS student to do the class so I switched to Studio Art in my sophomore year and finally found my grounding as an art student. I owe a lot of my training to my internship with Boeing while I was an undergrad. At the time I worked under the supervision of Jim Van Allen who currently works for Industrial Light and Magic. He is really one of the most innovative, creative and driven CG artists I know. Working with him on projects and learning the nuances of CG production whether it is 2D or 3D really propelled me beyond where I could bring myself at the time. Lastly I cannot forget the wonderful community of CG artists across the world that are so eager to share their knowledge and assistance to even the most introductory students. The amount of knowledge I have gained through online articles, forums, tutorials and critique sessions has been a priceless entity to my education. Thanks everyone! You rock!

Do you find that your training as a studio artist influences your work?

I have to admit, there were times I was frustrated taking studio art and art history courses during my undergrad because all I wanted to do was play in Maya. However, my drive to earn a degree and understanding that even though I didn’t see a direct connection between courses like “Early 20th Century African American Art” and visual effects, it’s influence on me and my experiences would be an overall benefit to my career. Looking back on my education now I am really thankful for all of the courses I took in traditional art creation and art history. They have helped me to see more possibilities of depth and meaning in art today and have elevated the quality of my work more than anything else could. There is so much more to film making, animation, motion graphics and graphic design than simply hitting the record button on the camera or slapping some shaders on a model and rendering it. I consider myself a life-long learner and find that I have more of an interest in learning traditional methods and history even now that I am working in the industry.

Are there any individuals or companies that influence your work?

That is a very hard question to answer in too specific a manner as I consider everything I see and hear as something that influences my work. I have always been inspired by the genius storytellers and production teams at Pixar. The way they meticulously dissect every minute detail in order to ensure that nothing is done without purpose really inspires me to do the same for myself. In terms of visual effects I love to see the innovation that comes out of ILM, Weta, Sony, Digital Domain, Framestore, etc. I am always fascinated to see how they do the things they do. Some of my favorite commercial spots have been created or assisted by The MILL and the Digital Kitchen. I am also highly inspired by great film directors and DPs like Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg, M. Knight Shyamalan. As you can see I find inspiration in a lot of places which I think is the way to do it because there is so much creativity to be found all over the place. You simply have to look and listen to find it.

You do both 3D and motion graphics. Do you prefer one over the other?

I have a bit of ADD going on when it comes to graphics. I definitely have a strong tendency toward 3D, but I find a lot of enjoyment and passion from extending myself to the motion graphics, graphic design and web design arenas. I find if I spend too much time on one specific thing I have a strong pull to learn something new, or work on something completely different. My interest in motion graphics really stems as an extension of my 3D knowledge rather than it as something different. It started as I became more comfortable with the concept of compositing using After Effects. The more I learned After Effects, the more I saw it as an extension of 3D. Some of the most inspiring 3D pieces I have seen involve a great amount of motion graphics and almost all of the motion graphics I enjoy involves 3D or at least 2.5D. I find that my knowledge in all of these fields in computer graphics expands my envelope in the others. This includes computer programming and computer networking.

You currently work for Boeing. What’s it like working on military scenario work?

Much of the work I do on the scenario based animations is not that different than any other 3D production. It still involves a planning of the story and mood as well as the usual modeling, animation, lighting rendering, editing processes. One of the interesting things about some of the work I do for Boeing is that at times a piece of hardware or an engineer’s design becomes the “star” of the show rather than a character. I have found it really extends my understanding of cinematography, timing and framing to create shots that are interesting even though there is no character mood or development to back it. Another thing that is interesting is that I often work with and for people that are more technically minded then artistically. While this creates some problems and challenges I have found that it makes me really understand exactly what it is that I am doing in order to explain it very clearly and concisely. Throughout that process I not only learn far more about what’s going on, but I have a much greater understanding of how to control what I do in order to get the exact look and effect I am going for.

Do you find that you are able to push yourself creatively in that environment?

Most of the direction of how to tell the story we are trying to tell is given to me. While this seems like the biggest blank canvas one could be offered, the projects tend to have some repetitive limitations. Since each project’s story can be told much like the others it is a creative challenge to present similar ideas in completely different ways. Much like a painter will depict the same person in different poses, environments and lighting to change the result of the piece. An interesting affect of working in aerospace is that my customers and audience often do not have a clue as to what or how I do what I do. As such the only thing they have to compare the work I do to is the productions they see on TV and at the movies. As you can imagine this puts some pressure on our small group to produce work that is on par with the top studios in the world within budgets and timelines that are even less realistic for us. A lot of the creativity for our productions is in creating processes, workflows and solutions that are fast and quick to implement, but still produce results that are competitive.

What kind of creative projects do you work on outside of work?

When it comes to 3D, a lot of my personal work usually involves R&D tests for things I would like to learn to enhance my work or some effect that will be needed for the next project. I like to create mock scenarios where I would need to produce some effect or look and then work to solve that problem so that when it becomes required it will be a lot easier to implement. Through my company, Swardson Studios, I also do a number of contract based projects. Whether they are in graphic design, web design, motion graphics or 3D animation really just depends on what comes up. I enjoy working in all of these fields and find that the knowledge and time I put into one will often push my abilities in the others just the same. Could be called the DaVinci effect I guess.

You also teach 3D animation at the University of New Mexico. What is the number one thing you teach your students to prepare for the ‘real world’?

If I could instill one thing in my students to prepare them for the real world is to NEVER STOP LEARNING. In this industry constant learning is something that is not only advantageous but is required to stay competitive and employable. Faster computers are constantly being developed and software is being designed to utilize those computers to the limit almost as fast. With this new software and their processes and abilities comes an ever increasing learning curve that fresh young minds are picking up faster and earlier than ever. If I were to be able to instill two things, the second would be to NEVER SETTLE. You may not get to where you want to be immediately but persistence and drive is the key to get there. Always push yourself farther than you think is possible, faster than you think is needed and more than you think is required.

Do you have plans for where you want to take your creative skills in the future?

I have been working a lot more with traditional filming techniques recently and think it would be great to try and push my abilities within this medium to produce some live action short films. There is a simple beauty to shooting something in real life and not having to worry about the technical hurdles of 3D animation. Working in both production and education simultaneously has given me the unique insight into the inseparable link between the two. Finding new and innovative ways to bring education to production artists and production experience to students is something I hope to explore and implement over the coming years.

speaking at motion09
Brad Swardson will be one of the ‘rock stars’ at motion09

10.11 – 10.14 2009 | abq | nm
motion | experience inspiration

………………………………..
author: Elaine Montoya
motion.tv
………………………………..
copyright: © 2008 – 09
motion.tv

We’re pleased to announce registration for motion09 is now open. Visit motion09 details.

motion09 is an event that inspires. Once a year, animators, motion graphics artists, title designers, visual effects (VFX) artists and broadcast designers come together to share their skills, work, and professional insights. Joined by 360 industry professionals and students, four days are spent together in a non-traditional conference atmosphere – an atmosphere designed to inspire.

Our attendees value the intimacy of motion. Registration is limited to 360 participants – creating a full-circle of inspiration. Maintaining this standard of quality provides participants the opportunity to personally meet the rock stars of the industry, network with industry leaders and peers, and develop life-long connections. motion is about creating a community that inspires. We invite you to be part of the motion community.

10.11 – 10.14 2009 | abq | nm
motion | experience inspiration

Mark Coleran’s visual, screen and interface designs appear in The Bourne Ultimatum, Children of Men, Mission Impossible 3, The Island, The Bourne Identity, Tomb Raider, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

how did you transition from graphic design to visual design for film?

Working with people in video got me interested in it. This was long before desktop motion graphics took off. I taught myself by doing a couple of initial test items, then did a second project that was a real job. It was learning by doing.

once you’re hired on a film, what happens next? what are some of the main considerations?

Video and graphics in movies are handled by a video supervisor. Generally, they’ll have their own companies and I subcontract to them. Once I’m involved, we’ll meet with the production designer and talk about the style, setting and feel of the film. The script can dictate everything. If it’s very realistic, you’ll want to keep the look of it realistic—although that doesn’t mean 100% real, because as you know, your computer screen doesn’t do very much when you sit in front of it. From a story point of view, and visually on film, that’s not particularly engaging, so we jazz it up a bit, make it work to tell the story. The animation is actually a tiny part of it. Most of the work goes into design and production in Illustrator and Photoshop. Only the last 5 to 10 percent involves animation.

how much is done on set and how much in post?

Most of it, 99 percent of it, is done live on set. If it’s on set you can get it all in a single take, everything works and looks right, and the actors have something to respond to. Later scenes can be shot first and might include video or screen imagery from scenes that haven’t been shot yet, so we’ll put something in to just hold it in place, or give the actors something to work with, or we’ll blue screen—though it’s very rare that we do blue screen, and if we do, it’s usually more to do with a technical limit of what can be played back.

from the first meeting to delivery, how long does it take to do what you do?

It varies massively. For Children of Men, I had 2 weeks to deliver everything. For The Island, we had 3-4 weeks pre-development, and 3 months to get it done and on set. It’s usually about 4-5 weeks for pre-production. After you get the initial look and feel of it done, production of the elements happens in stages, so you’re working on upcoming scenes all the way through the film.

do you do any of the programming, or is that someone else’s job?

That’s someone else’s job, though software for playback exists, which makes it very easy for the artist to do. Some of the playback is done using custom-built QuickTime players and it is sometimes programmed in Director. So, we’ll be on set and do the control ourselves because we know the animation and we know the sequence. But we’re generally on set anyway, in case changes are made and we have to rework the screens to get them ready for the next shot.

does your work vary a lot, or does it tend to be the same on every project?

Elements within a film can be very different, but for the most part, the work is very similar from film to film, even if it’s a completely different style. We spend the most time on the hero screens, which are larger, or have elements specific to the film or a particular sequence. We put the most effort into them, making sure they stand out—you do have to allocate your time and budget proportionately. When I started, you might do 20-40 screens for a film, but now you can do over 200, it’s grown a lot. But at the same time, budgets are lower.

are you able to find more economical ways of doing things, or is it a matter of minding budgets and being careful?

It’s a bit of both. I spotted this happening quite a long time ago. It’s like a lot of design over the years in one field or another, it becomes fairly commoditized and people tend to pay per item rather than for a creative service. So you need to be very efficient. I’ve found ways to re-use my previous work, making it into templates that can be easily adapted, changed or re-tasked.

that’s very smart

It’s good to recycle—as long as nobody knows it. I can save out layer styles in Photoshop, apply them to previous layouts, and have a new look very quickly. I’ve used one little animation—a map of the earth with some satellite lines and blinks—in 7 films. But the whole look and framing of it is changed, so it looks very different. With the sheer volume you have to deliver, you can’t always create from scratch anymore.

do you ever get bored with it?

Sometimes. It is like a great many tasks and repetition can set in, although there are great moments and a lot of satisfaction to be had from seeing the final product. I guess I should say yes, really, because I have actually moved on from doing the films, looking for a new challenge.

what are you doing now, something different?

Absolutely different. Well, kind of absolutely different—I’m now working in software design. Instead of designing for the script and to a brief, I’m designing for a real product that works, so the audience is slightly different. But there are similarities with the film work, and I can use many of the same techniques I’d developed.

as a designer, what inspires you?

It’s ironic, but part of the reason I got into user interface design isn’t from a like of the subject, but from dislike—so much of what I see around me is so awful. Being involved in changing that is a wonderful opportunity.

I draw inspiration from all kinds of sources. A lot of it away from my machine, but a lot of it from work being done with motion graphics and information visualization—everything from airport signage to maps. I also love drawing and photography.

have you read edward tufte’s books?

Yes, I’ve read them all, I do like his work. It’s very, very nice stuff. It’s inspiring to see someone articulate why things work in information design—and why they don’t. He’s almost created an industry out of it.

in the context of working on a project, how do design ideas come to you?

I develop an overview first, so I have an idea of how I’m going to present something. That’s quite a quick thing, initially. To hammer it out and make it a reality, I start with broad strokes, then build it in layers. It’s almost like painting—you develop the form, shape and color, and then add the detail.

speaking at motion09
Mark Coleran will be one of the ‘rock stars’ at motion09

10.11 – 10.14 2009 | abq | nm
motion | experience inspiration

………………………………..
author: Lilian Dregalla
Working Story Creative
………………………………..
copyright: © 2008 – 09
motion.tv

Creatives are fueled by a mysterious force that inspires great ideas, new ways of seeing the world, and the courage to do things differently. All too often, this creative force is zapped by the demands of the industry. Revitalizing creative talents provides a renewed sense of being.

motion09 is an event that inspires. Once a year, animators, motion graphics artists, title designers, visual effects (VFX) artists and broadcast designers come together to share their skills, work, and professional insights. Joined by 360 industry professionals and students, four days are spent together in a non-traditional conference atmosphere – an atmosphere designed to inspire.

10.11 – 10.14 2009 | abq | nm
motion | experience inspiration