TEN MISTAKES YOUNG PEOPLE MAKE

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     I've been there and done that. We've all made mistakes and that isn't news. The sad part is when people make mistakes and don't realize it. They then ask why weren't they given a chance or why did they get fired. You don't have to make these mistakes just to learn and build character. I made a list of a few to help you out! Take a look at this list and learn from the mishaps that others have done before you. 50% of the fight for finding any job is how you hold up as a person, the other 50% is the quality of your work. Always keep that in mind

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1.  Acting entitled
Do you feel your work is going to revolutionize the art world? Do you feel your work is so unique that you can't see why anybody WOULDN'T want to hire you? IF so don't act like everyone should treat you like a king or queen with out proving yourself first. ALSO If it's your first day, Don't ask to leave early to get an oil change for your car. Hopefully it'll dawn on you that it's inappropriate and sabotaging to your career

2. Starting the process too late
In a perfect world, college students should start looking for meaningful internships for summer break after their freshman year. Most students assume they will get a job after they graduate with out too much effort and wait too long to begin the process.

3. Under-utilizing the alumni network
"Yea Danny, I know a friend who knows a friend that has a sister who he met once... that'll totally hook me up" Though parents and their friends can provide good contacts, the network of professionals that comes through a college or university should be one of the first places you tap.

4. Using a resume that’s sloppy and too self-centered
Resume basics: like clear, tidy layout, careful proofreading for grammar and punctuation, and use of keywords from the job description. don't make it about what you want from an employer but rather what you could do for them. For example please do not say this, “entry level position where I can use my skills, ideas and enthusiasm and I can learn a lot.” Instead, the emphasis should be on what they can contribute to the employer.

5. Writing cover letters that repeat the resume
Don't regurgitate your resume. Make it short and to the point and say something about yourself that your resume does not.

6. Doing poor research
Know who you are applying for. Read everything on their site, search for news clippings about the company, and track social media information, like Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. Get a look at their culture and vibes.

7. Failing to clean up their social media profile
"BUT DANNY! They need to know i can be fun too!" lol, All of those piss drunk, yolo pictures on Facebook should be kept on the low with privacy settings. Everyone needs a polished LinkedIn profile. We're in the future now, adapt! 

8. Not showing enough appreciation for the interviewer
Say thank you for your time! Always thank the interviewer in person, make it clear you would consider it a privilege to work at the company and ask about the next step in the process. Then follow up soon. 

9. Failing to show generational deferenceNow this one is debatable but maybe that's because I'm still in my 20's but it is important. Be respectful to how things are done and go with the flow. Its a very modern concept that all parties have a voice and that's a good thing but tread carefully. Its very natural for us younger ones to want to just go up to the boss after our summer internship is finished and say,  “Could I give you some feedback on my internship?” We are are so used to being included in conversations, we fail to grasp our position in the pecking order. PLEASE don't think I 100% agree with this note but it is a reality and you will find yourself in workplaces that love their pecking order. Choose your battles carefully.

10. Relying too heavily on listings and job fairsThis habit is an epidemic, almost on par with "the thirst." Whether its looking for a job or looking for an apartment. Spending too much time applying to online listings, and through anonymous job fairs wont cut it anymore. Remember: Most people find jobs through people they know, rather than through advertisements. People find jobs by looking up companies and searching for their 'contact us' webpage. If you see a listing for a job, try to find a personal connection to the employer and use that as your entry point.

Thanks for reading! Hope that it helps you out!

Animating a Shot: Part 3

     

     Happy first day of fall! So I'm just about over the hump of the hardest part of completing an animation piece. Yes yes, I had the beard going, blood shot eyes, the zombie stare, the anti-social anti-food anti-TIME feelings flowing freely in my mind. I was in the Zone. It doesn't look pretty from the outside (ask my girlfriend haha) but on the inside, it's wonderful, my mind was 100% on creative mode.

     If you think physical/acting animation is alone the toughest part of the whole process, you haven't animated dialogue yet. Not harder but it's almost the same level of difficulty as acting and physicality. I believe it takes the most amount of attention and concentration. Your background music, podcasts and side conversations must be put on hold when you are listening and drawing mouth shapes for dialogue. So in tradition of the first person story telling style of the last 2 posts, here I go:

THE MOUTH
     I know mentally this is the most draining part of the process. So as I prepare my desk by setting up 2 mirrors and an extra pillow on the seat of my chair, I'm mentally thinking of all the mouth shapes one see's through out the day. The funny thing I noticed is that YOU DON'T SEE mouth shapes. You kind of interpret the shape when it flashes by. And in a sentence you only see the Major sounds take shape in the mouth.

e.g: "Fuck"
-You will see the 'F' shape very clearly and is mainly the only shape you have to nail when generally animating the word. The rest is just jaw and a general 'UGH' mouth shape.

     So I'm going over all I know mentally before I start. When I start animating, I initially want to exaggerate EVERY LITTLE SYLLABLE. But a quick trick where you put your hand under your jaw, and say the line of dialogue and take note how many times your hand dips. The points when it dips/or opens wide, are the points to exaggerate the jaw opening. This keeps me from animating my characters mouth opening on every syllable. So I first draw in the key poses when the jaw opens in my animation. I time those poses out to match the dialogue perfectly. Then I move on to other major mouth shapes such as the M's B's F's P's V's. I make those shapes very clear so that they can be read at a moments glance.

IN-BETWEEN THE LINES
      While animating the mouth you always have to be aware of a very important thing. That the mouth is connected to the face. If you are just animating the mouth and not moving the head, nose, or jaw; your mouth would look like it is floating on the surface of the face. So all it takes is a small stretch of the nose, or a blink on a hard accent, or countless other tricks to make your mouth feel connected to your face. Also (to those 2D animators out there) always check the distance from the top lip to the nose and bottom lip to the chin and try to stay consistant. Many times I found my mouth drifting closer and closer to my characters chin with out my knowledge.. Lots of erasing... lots of finger cramps..

Here is a video of the dialogue (90% finalized)

FINISHING UP
     If dialogue was the biggest mental drainer, then finishing up and 'inking' of a piece is physically draining. As i finished up doing my dialogue I was OVER my piece. I wanted it does, I wanted to be done, I was ready to start on something new. It's a very trying time. I took two days off my work. Went outside and got some sun, I went to Santa Cruz and visited my brother, caused some trouble and just messed around. I was not eager to start the process of drawing wrinkles in clothing over and over again for 150 frames straight. I was not eager to draw an oval of a head 500 times and keep it consistent, I was not eager to sit 10 hours at a time and kill my hand tracing and erasing and tracing over and over again...
      But I went online, read a book (King Lear), watched a movie (The INSIDER) and went on a campaign to inspire myself again. And that's all it took, at eleven at night after watching a movie with my lady, the surge and energy of inspiration hit me and I immediately took advantage of it because i know in the morning the inspiration it would be gone. 'Aren't you coming to bed?" she would ask, "No, I feel like [I gotta work] work, I have to get it out of me."

     When I animate and I'm nearly done, I POLISH as I INK. which means as I am outlining my animation with black, I take notes on what can be pushed or tweaked. But I don't always fix them as I come across the mistakes for fear of ruining the momentum I have at the time. If I was to stop to solve the problem I have found, it drains the clock and it also drains my motivation. One hour and finishing a scene of 5 seconds? or spending an hour fixing 4 frames (5 percent of a second)? What makes you feel like your being more productive?

SO here is me while I am finishing up, hopefully I have time to really polish the hell out of it. It's the last push so I'm going hard: more hours, harder concentration, and keeping constant pace.  I do still see mistakes in my animation but I'll try to finish first then go back and fix them.

How I feel right now: tired, motivated, and a urge to push until I break which comes from insperation

Cars 2 Drawings

     


     So the Film is done, the press is out and about, Festive air in the studio, it's a wild time to be at Pixar right now! It probably being the last time John Lasseter ever directs a film, it was a real treat to see him in action this past year.

     I thought I'd share some sketches that I've accumulated over the years and since all these characters have been either in trailers or posters, so I think I have the green light to reveal my drawings. I usually draw in dailies while JL is giving notes to animators or while in meetings. It's a good way for me to stay concentrated and not have to settle for going and getting coffee.

     This is Francesco, Italian Race car. Cocky as hell. my kinda car.. Even though cars are limited in their movement you still have to try to give them angles and line of actions. Otherwise all you have is a box with eyes....

     Like Fillmore, a simple characteristic such as the eyelids is enough to give this care it's distinct personality.. 

     My favourite car would have to be Finn. Not just because it's Michael Caine as his voice actor... well yea maybe that's why. Finns dialogue was especially hard to animate because the mouth shapes had to be "English Accent" mouth shapes rather than American mouth shapes. (Yes there are differences)

     Zunndap, or professor Z. close second for my favourite character... There character designer was clever enough to make the racks on the top of the vehicle also be some sort of 'comb over" for the car. All the character designs and the set designs are amazing in this Film, especially once they are rendered out.

     Sometimes you say more with fewer lines. When you have 2 seconds and a marker, you have to be efficient!

      One time I saw mater driving pass me towards the bathroom.. I had to sketch him quick....  nothing but quick lines and trying not to lift your pencil will increase your chances of getting interesting line work in your work!


      Below, are pictures from my sketchbook. You never know what you're going to draw next so I always like how the compositions end up. Here you'll see some other cars that will be in the film. I was really horrible at drawing any sort of car when I first came onto the film, I hated drawing cars (mainly because I sucked), but that's no excuse to not to try to learn.

     Last but not least: here are two Mater drawings I did.

      Even when you find yourself really busy still try to find time to draw and sketch. Believe me when I say for every semi interesting drawing I have here there are 10 bad drawings banished in a corner somewhere. Cars2 comes out June 24th I believe, and I hope all of you go to see it and enjoy the playful, fun, action paced film. Once more here is the trailer.