#dreamworks artists need to be credited for their amazing work

[jeewrites]

THIS IS SO STINKING CUTE OMG!!

Found another test animation gen of Fink the fox! And also Pinktail. It's done by animator Kate Vaillant. Pedro Pascal was definitely born for the role of Fink.

Here's their Instagram link, check it out!

https://www.instagram.com/valiant_vaillant?igsh=ejA4ZmMybWo2bTdw

[kevinspaceyarchives]

Looking Closer at Kevin Spacey, Star of American Beauty

by MATT MCCORMICK, Texas A&M Battalion Staff writer | November 22, 1999

(photo not included with the original article)

Kevin Spacey established himself as one of Hollywood's most gifted actors with his Oscar-winning role in 1993's The Usual Suspects. Known for his ability to lose himself in a character, Spacey went on to star in such films as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The Negotiator.

His new film, American Beauty, has opened to widespread critical acclaim and box office success across the country and has many people saying his name and Academy Award in the same sentence again. The Battalion participated in an interview with the actor as he talked about his latest film and the character he plays, Lester.

Battalion: When you take on a character, you always have a different look. How do you prepare for a character role?

Kevin Spacey: It starts with usually a discussion. Sometimes you might have a notion of how somebody might look, just from reading it. Or, in fact, it might be described by the writer. It usually starts with a discussion with the director. How do you see this character looking? How do you see them dressing?  Do they have a particular walk or way of moving that's different? So I usually try to collaborate with the director. Then you have other people come on. You have a production designer who decides how your desk in your office is going to look and a costume designer who may bring in a huge rack of stuff. All of those things go in to make a sort of image and a picture of what someone will look like. Hopefully you do it in connection with all the other departments. You're not showing up in a jacket that, against that wallpaper, looks like hell.

In this movie, there was this transformation that Lester had to go through, and we didn't have the luxury of shooting in sequence. In the morning, we created Lester, and we had his kind of pear-shaped, defeated pasty look with slightly larger costumes and really white, horrible makeup. I slumped a great deal. And then in the afternoon, I'd be shooting the later stuff. I had to be in the best shape possible during the whole shooting of the movie. We just sort of created the earlier stuff in the movie through performance.

Battalion: When you were shooting some of the earlier stuff later in the day, would you go work out?

Kevin Spacey: It's embarrassing to admit, but we had a muscle truck. It was like a roving gym. It was a big moving van, but they made a gym out of it. I'd go in there before a particular scene -- we had target dates for particular scenes -- so we worked toward the target, I and the trainer, knowing I had to have a certain kind of build for that next two weeks. If they needed me to be a little bloated, he would let me go out and eat pizza and banana splits and all sorts of stuff.

Since there was never a moment in the screenplay when there was an epiphany, or a sudden change, we never wanted the audience to see him change. We wanted there to be an almost seamless and organic evolution of who he became.

Battalion: Mentally, what makes you draw into this Lester character?

Kevin Spacey: I just think I understood, maybe like most people do, the feeling of wanting to break out and do new things. I was on that sort of journey for the last couple of years, and this gave me the opportunity to go to a new place. I think everybody understands the feeling of wanting to shake it up and try new things. Who wouldn't want to tell their boss what they're really thinking about them?

Battalion: Lester's transformation was shaped by the music of his youth -- What kind of music shaped your youth?

Kevin Spacey: A lot of that music I loved, and Sam (Mendes, director) was very specific about music very early on about the kind of cuts he was going to try to get. The first issue in movies is "can you get the rights?" Will the songwriter or their estate let you use it? We got very lucky with a lot of cool music. You forget the '70s and the trajectory of what that music was and all the artists. We found something in common. We say "Wow, that's the kind of music I would listen to in my garage." So I listened to a lot of the similar stuff that Lester listened to. He's two years older than me.

Battalion: In the movie, the garage is Lester's personal space. Did you have a choice in the kind of props used in there?

Kevin Spacey: Sam and I started talking about the garage sort of becoming Lester's sanctuary. It clearly had been taken over by just storage, you know. It lost its...whatever a garage might have been in his life earlier. We decided to go back and find all the things Lester would have had if he was still in college. That sort of became his place. He left the cold and rather stark home inside that house and slowly moved his life out into the garage. One of my favorite images is that red car sitting in the driveway. He's just shaking it up.

Battalion: What's your stage background? What was it like having somebody like Sam directing this film?

Kevin Spacey: I've been incredibly fortunate with first-time or second-time directors. I like it a lot because there's no pattern to their way of working. They really are open to almost anything. So you find that they are willing to take more chances. They're not sort of entrenched in their own ideas.

And he kept us informed. He would always show us storyboards and how he wanted a scene to be framed -- what he wanted it to look like, how he wanted us to look in the frame. So I knew all that going in, but I could have never known going in that his use of images, his use of music, his feeling and mood cinematically was startling.

Battalion: I love the narration in the movie. Was it scripted?

Kevin Spacey: All of the narration was there [in the script]. Sam and I, one day, needed a guide track to give the editors and we went up to a small room with a recorder, like these little ones, and we recorded all of Lester’s voice-overs. And I never redid it. There was something about not knowing what those images would be that that dialogue went well with.

Battalion: Your movie shatters the vision of a utopian suburbia. If you had a message you'd like the audience to take away from this, what would it be?

Kevin Spacey: Let me play devil's advocate with the premise of your question because I don't think it reveals anything specifically about suburbia any more than it reveals anything about urban life. I think where this film takes place, the fact that these two very specific families are examined, in no way shape or form means that we're trying to say this is what life is like in suburbia. I think this is what life is like for a lot of people.

Battalion: Tell us about the catchline, "Look Closer".

Kevin Spacey: We actually give our production designer the credit for that. She cut that out of a fashion magazine. She was going through a fashion magazine deciding what should go on certain walls and she decided "look closer" should be on my bulletin board at the office. And that wasn't the campaign, but what happened was, they kept screening the movie and finally the Dreamworks marketing people said "What does that say behind his desk?" So they saved themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars in marketing meetings to find a concept because it actually turns out to be pretty accurate.

Battalion: What would you say to those who are upset that an older man is having a relationship with a teenager?

Kevin Spacey: I think that anybody that feels uneasy about it, it's uneasiness about the subject, not uneasiness with the actual relationship because there isn't one. There's a fantasy life that Lester has. There is no relationship until the very end of the film, where he makes the right decision.

Keep it in the context of the film. Those two people, what they learn from each other, I think is breathtaking. I think its the most uplifting message you could possibly have.

Battalion: The movie is about finding beauty. What things do you find beauty in?

Kevin Spacey: Sometimes the things that are presented as beautiful or the things that we think are beautiful sometimes makes us miss the things that are really truly beautiful, but appear mundane. I think that's true with people, too. People judge people on how they look or how they dress, how they behave and how they act -- I think of the two characters from the film...you first meet them and you think a certain thing about them, And as the film goes on they begin to emerge.

Battalion: You've got the Hollywood star of fame. What is involved with that?

Kevin Spacey: It started with a fan club. They recommended to the Hollywood chamber of commerce that they consider me for that. I didn't think anything happened like that until you were much older. In fact, all of my colleagues who came that day said "we don't know anybody as young as you, that's pretty cool." There's a certain part of that stuff that's a little Hollywood cheesy, but what actually made the day amazing is it actually became a pretty personal thing. I think it meant even more to all the people that have been working with me than it did for me. But I understand already that there's gum on it.

[turquoisewave]

hey sira ..... about that post with the time periods with sinbad and treasure planet and all that ..... WHAT WAS GOING ON? you said you wouldn't rant about it in the tags so i sent this ....... i need answers ..... TT_TT

Alrighty so the main way I know about it is because I learned about the decline of mainstream 2d animated films in the US so I’m gonna be covering both, partially using a copy/paste of a rant I made months back. All info under the readmore:

HOKAY SO, this isn’t all the factors and it’s not everything it’s just what I remember. I tried to fact check this mess and I think I changed any inaccuracies but I COULD BE WRONG.

So, animation in the 2000s, why it was the way it was and why a lot of films went under-appreciated. One thing you gotta remember is that while animation is a creative field, the companies in charge of them are businesses. And businesses will almost always go for low risk/high reward shit. This means, if there’s something tried and true they’ll stick with it. This is why studios often modeled works after other studios (funny talking animals, white gloves, black eyes with that lil white slit, musical shorts like Silly Symphonies, Happy Harmonies, and Merrie Melodies which yes were all by different studios), or in direct opposition of other studios (don bluth going darker with themes to contrast disney’s cuteness, bugs bunny’s trickster personality to contrast mickey’s nondescript Good personality, etc).

But there’s only so long you can do the same stuff before people get tired of it. Most animated feature length films had the same formula: a retelling of an old tale with musical numbers and cute sidekicks. And they started not doing so good.

However, animation at this time had grown in leaps and bounds. Digital coloring and compositing, merging of 3d effects, big studios run by huge companies, and a track record for being profitable as fuck. At the time the companies didn’t want them to go under so they decided to try to get Innovative. Cause that’s how they’d stayed afloat when things went bad before.

They weren’t going to stray from adapting though, too many unknown factors in original stories (which would also require more workshopping and pre-production). So, they’re still adapting old stories. However, they’re pulling from different sources, and in the case of Disney giving them a twist.

Atlantis was inspired by Journey to the Center of the Earth mixed with the myth of Atlantis, Treasure Planet was of course Treasure Island but Pirates in Space (which is one of my favorite nonsensical aesthetics), Dreamworks SKG (their 2d animation dept) went super old school with myths and legends (Sinbad, Prince of Egypt). And both studios went ham on trying to be innovative with the tech at their disposal.

There’s another reason why they went so hard, besides of course being artists. I said before that at the time companies didn’t want their 2d departments to flop, but as time progressed a new alternative began to become prevalent: 3D animation. And this became a huge threat to 2D studios.

Important to note in this regard is the advent of Pixar in the mid 1990s. 3D animation had come a long way from its clunky, surrealist roots. And with the success of movies such as Toy Story and A Bug's Life, it proved itself to be an upcoming profitable medium. It wasn't just the animation though, Pixar had amazing storytellers and directors. And this shit was new, not directly based on an old Grimm Fairy tale or something. In short their whole package was amazing. Dreamworks started being active around this time too and added fuel to the 3D animation fire. Granted Shrek was based on fairy tales, but in a way that was a subversion and became incredibly iconic for it.

At the time Pixar was independent from Disney but working in contract with them. And the success was more than welcomed. As always in capitalism, the question of profitability comes into question. Traditional 2D animation, especially at the high framerate disney was known for, is expensive af to make. Often if directors and producers are not careful, a budget can really run away from you. For example, Toy Story only cost 30 Million USD to make. Treasure Planet cost 140 Million USD. (granted that's because of the combination of 3d and 2d elements. But Lilo and Stitch was almost strictly 2D and still cost more than Toy Story at 80 million USD.) Also, Disney also kinda oversaturated their market. They released a fuckton of straight to dvd sequels (which Disney himself was avidly against) which kinda degraded the overall quality of the Disney 2d animation brand.

There was also competition from other factors. The early 2000s saw the Harry Potter boom, and Lord of the Rings came not soon after. Those of course siphoned off a lot of attention. They were part of pre-established series. The experimental stories that Disney was doing at the time, i.e. AU versions of literary classics, fell flat because the target audience was not familiar with the origin sources, and those that were weren't interested in "kids movies" They had no fucking clue how to market them, and the target audiences didn’t know to look for them.

Lilo and Stitch actually met with success, because 1) they marketed the hell out of it and capitalized on Stitch's mascot-like status and 2) it was more rooted in the kid demographic rather than that awkward kid/teen straddle the other two had. But even Lilo and Stitch couldn't save the Orlando animation studio when Disney finally decided to shut it down. They concentrated the last of their 2D animation studios in Burbank, California. Pixar's contract with Disney ended in 2004, and Disney tried to capitalize on the success of 3D with their own films, Meet the Robinsons and Chicken Little. Both were uh...the Meet the Robinsons wasn't too bad but Chicken Little was like...trying to hard to be a hacky version of a Dreamworks movie Ratatouille was released by pixar independent of Disney which is a neat thing to note. And of course met with success Meanwhile 2D kept falling behind, and whenever it flopped like with Home on the Range it was just another nail in the coffin. Disney renewed its contract with Pixar, and after the release of The Princess and The Frog they switched gears to focus solely on 3D animated feature length films, relegating their 2D staff to tv shows. Granted there's some great shows like Gravity Falls etc but, the fact that they've given up on films is disappointing. But the numbers don't lie. Tangled was its biggest success in a long time. And then Frozen came and blew it out of the water.

tl:dr - People were tired of seeing grim fairy tales stories retold with musical numbers and sometimes talking animals. - Studios tried to use different sources for adaptations and put cool spins on them and incorporate new technology.

But it didn’t end up working in their favor and 2D animation declined because:

- success of studios that were using 3D animation (though credit can also be given to their pre-production staff/writers/storyboarders) - competition from other growing franchises, in some cases Disney cannibalizing its own profits (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean) - Cost effectiveness of 3D vs 2D - Changing of fads and appeal to audience - Inability to market movies properly to target demographics - Studios actively sabotaging their 2d studios to have an excuse to tank them and focus on 3D work.

So yeah, that’s all I got. I’m definitely missing some nuances here though feel free to correct me whoever sees this.

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

Pixar Films

I dislike Disney as an entity; it is an evil corporate conglomerate that makes focus-grouped schlock to appeal to as wide an audience as possible at the detriment of story.  That said, Pixar was once the greatest animation studio on the planet.

Keep in mind, these are movies for kids, so anything negative I say will almost certainly be rebutted with “you’re just old and you don’t like Disney because it’s popular and you’re a hipster and you’re not even the target audience anyway so shut up.”  I’m just giving my two cents, whatever that’s worth.

I’m not gonna rate them on a number scale, I’ll just tell you how much I would or would not recommend watching them.  Some are must-see-cinema, others are bland and skippable affairs that you should not feel obligated to watch just because it has the Pixar brand on it.

Let’s start from the very beginning (a very good place to start)

Toy Story (1995) Groundbreaking, the first feature length 3D animated movie, spectacular cast, great story, though a little wonky by today’s standards both in the visuals (though that’s just a product of the times) and in the characterization (Woody is kinda of a jerk in this one; he was worse during pre-production, so this is the tame version).  Pixar started off on the right foot.  Would Recommend

A Bug’s Life (1998) This has some flaws, but is still a really fun movie.  Not as good as Toy Story, but infinitely better than Dreamworks’ knockoff Antz.  Great ensemble, memorable characters and set pieces, really funny.  Would Probably Recommend

Toy Story 2 (1999) An excellent sequel, they knocked it out of the park with this one.  It’s surprisingly deep, exploring concepts like the inevitability of change; nothing lasts forever, you can’t keep kicking the can down the road forever.  The journey is finite, but that doesn’t make it worthless.  Would Definitely Recommend.

Monsters, Inc. (2001) To date, their best original movie, maybe even better than Toy Story 2.  Everything about it is perfect; John Goodman and Billy Crystal have great chemistry, Steve Buscemi plays the perfect sleaze, Boo is just adorable, it’s an excellent movie.  Would Definitely Recommend.

Finding Nemo (2003) This is a beautiful movie; they had to invent new animation techniques to make it look this good, new ways for light to bounce and diffuse through the fishy medium.  Amazing story, absolutely heart wrenching at points, hilarious at others, without feeling tonally dissonant.  Would Definitely Recommend.

The Incredibles (2004) Another home run, they’re just showing off at this point.  This is a much deeper and arguably darker story than any of their previous films.  It doesn’t pull any punches and explores adult concepts like mid-life crises, extramarital affairs, death (oh, so much death; red shirt mooks and civilians alike).  This may be my favorite (definitely top 3; I’ll expand the list below).  Would Definitely Recommend.

Cars (2006) A competent movie, though by Pixar standards it’s not quite up to snuff.  Not bad, by any means, but this one is the most blatant cash grab of them all, just a commercial for hot wheels and die-cast toys.  I have a soft spot for it because this is the one I’ve seen the most; my mom would turn on this DVD to keep my baby sisters occupied, so it was literally always playing in our house.  That said, I’m not nostalgia blind; it has good parts, but it’s not great.  Would Probably Not Recommend.

Ratatouille (2007) C’est Magnifique!  Patton Oswalt does a fantastic job, I identify with Linguini on a spiritual level, the human characters are all perfectly demented and the rats are equally so.  I love this moral; anyone can be successful, it’s about who you are not where you come from.  Funny and relatable, an all around feel-good movie.  Would Definitely Recommend.

WALL-E (2008) Top 3, hands down, this is a true work of art, a modern masterpiece.  A film mostly devoid of dialogue, it expresses so much emotion from how the characters carry themselves and react physically to their surroundings.  The body language, the color choices, the camera work (especially in the space dance sequence), just how RAW everything is, how grounded it feels, how fleshed out these little robots are..  I Cannot Recommend This Enough, Watch it Right Now. Now. Why Are You Still Reading This?  Now! Go Watch it Then Come Back.  Even if You’ve Already Seen it, Go Watch it Again.

Up (2009) Another near perfect installment under Pixar’s belt.  They’ve really nailed the art of opening scenes; Carl and Ellie’s love story moves me to tears, it is so beautifully portrayed.  Some of the characters can be a tad annoying and overly cutesy to sell merchandise, but the story never suffers from it.  The villain actually feels like a threat, there are stakes, and the image of a house sitting by a waterfall and the story connotations thereof are indescribably bittersweet.  Would Definitely Recommend

Toy Story 3 (2010) This is is sort of hit or miss.  It’s a very well made movie, and an excellent CONCLUSION to the Toy Story franchise (Conclusion: noun, the end or finish of an event or process).  I liked it, felt it really wrapped things up in a satisfactory way, but it’s not better than Toy Story 2 in my mind.  I feel like this was a turning point for Pixar; after this, they were never quite the same, never really bounced back.  May or May Not Recommend, I’m on the Fence

Cars 2 (2011) You don’t give the comedy relief their own movie.  That’s storytelling 101; the comic relief bit-character can rarely stand on their own and meaningfully carry a story, though corporations are laughing all the way to the bank as I say this because these types of movies keep making boatloads of money even if they suck.  Minions made bookoo bucks, the Pirates of the Caribbean series is still ongoing despite the loss of Bloom and Knightly (and bringing them back for the last one doesn’t really count because Depp is still the main character), Cars 2 is a corporate cash grab, and devoid of artistic merit; this is my first hard no.  Would NOT Recommend.

Brave (2012) This is not a Pixar film, it is a Disney film that they decided to make under Pixar’s name instead because they knew Pixar had enough good will and positive connotations to get people into seats regardless of story.  It’s not terrible, but it’s not great.  That’s the story of modern Disney; not terrible, not great, just okay because that’s all it needs to be.  People will watch it no matter what, so they put in the bare minimum amount of effort so nobody can say they suck at making movies again (because for the longest time in the early 2000s, they did suck; Dinosaurs, Home on the Range, Chicken Little).  Would Not Recommend.

Monsters University (2013)  Why did you do this, Pixar?  Why did you take one of your best movies and do this specifically to it? Nobody asked for this, nobody wanted this.  I can only applaud them for having integrity enough to NOT give people what they wanted; people wanted a sequel, and that would have bee terrible.  You can’t follow up on Monsters, Inc, it had a perfect ending, it was hopeful and heart warming and definitive.  A prequel is the only thing they could have made without messing up the ending of the original, so I’ll give them some credit for that.  It’s not good.  Would Not Recommend.

Inside Out (2015) Their best one since Toy Story 3.  Not terrible, I actually liked a lot of things about this one.  I like it when Pixar takes on more serious subject matter, and I thought they did a good job exploring how a kid would react to such a drastic lifestyle change.  The cast was good, the animation was fun (inside Riley’s head; outside was generic and samey).  Not bad Pixar, not bad at all.  Would Probably Recommend.

The Good Dinosaur (2015) It doesn’t matter what i think because this movie still made hundreds of millions of dollars.  Disney is losing no sleep over this.  Would NOT Recommend.

Finding Dory (2016) Again with the continuations!  This was better than Monsters University, but the original was still such a hard act to follow.  It had potential, and I liked how it respectably handled mental illness in a way that was easy for kids to understand without dumbing it down and underplaying its significance in the lives of those who it effects.  I think Marlin kinda regressed, having to relearn what he already learned in the first one. The hardest I laughed was during the climax, the truck chase scene, “It’s a Wonderful World,” just amazing.  Would Probably Not Recommend

Cars 3 (2017) I hope Disney was happy with this end product.  I hope the producers really enjoyed cashing their toy checks for this one.  I thought it was worse than Cars 2, but I can see why some people might like it more.  Either way, it’s worse than Cars 1, which wasn’t particularly great anyway.  Would NOT Recommend.

Coco (2017) I’m on the fence with this one.  It was beautifully made, and the songs made me cry, but it’s hard for me to look at this movie without judging it as a product made by a focus group of mostly white people.  By itself it’s a good movie, but when you know how the Disney sausage is made it feels disingenuous and calculated.  Might Recommend, But it Had Some Baggage

The Incredibles 2 (2018)  I am Boo Boo the Fool, Pixar suckered me and I fell for it.  I was legitimately enthusiastic for this one because the original is one of their best, and unlike Monsters, Inc it actually left room for a sequel.  It had so much potential, and big shoes to fill, and it did so in the most generic Disney way it could.  Like Brave it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either.  Middle of the road, some things were fun, others made little sense, it was “appealing” in that it literally appealed to as wide an audience as it could without alienating anyone by doing anything particularly risky.  I liked Voyd, I liked how Helen became the main character, I liked the villain twist; I did not like how easy it was to make superheroes legal again.  It felt like it was tacked on at the end, like he just says “and there we have it, they’re legal again, congratulations,” like he was announcing the winner of the Price is Right.  Would Probably Not Recommend

Toy Story 4 (2019) I want to be clear that I made a point not to pay money to see many of the previous films on this list.  If I thought they were going to suck, I waited until a friend bought it and saw it with them for free.  This one, though, I was forced to pay for because my mom insisted on seeing it in theaters as a family.  It wasn’t terrible.  Wasn’t great.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  It was the same villain again; Stinky Pete, Lotso, Gabby-Gabby... I can’t wait for the fifth one where the villain is an old toy who is mad because they weren’t played with.  Buzz was made much dumber for this one, and I felt they didn’t do enough with Forky.  I was excited to see how they handled the existential aspects of the series; what makes a toy? How are toys sentient? Why are toys sentient? In the first movie Woody implied that there were rules that toys were honor bound to follow, so what is stopping Forky from blowing their cover on accident?  None of these questions were answered.  I liked Keanu Reeves, I didn’t like Key and Peele.  Would Probably Not Recommend.

The mighty have fallen.  It’s just sad. 

”Onward” looks kinda dumb, like a kiddy version of the flop Will Smith movie “Bright.”  I have no faith in this production company anymore, but I’m sure it will make hundreds of millions of dollars; the cast are fan favorites, including Disney’s favorite topical pet celebrities (because let’s be honest, Disney basically owns Tom Holland at this point.  Whether they own Spider-Man or not, they own Tom Holland, he is theirs, his soul contractually belongs to them).

Speaking of souls, ”Soul” will probably go over well with critics, though I can’t help but notice that their main character of color is transformed into a non-human for most of the movie.  Again.  I’m also not a fan of this one-word naming convention Disney has fallen into in the last decade.  “Brave” was originally titled “the Bear and the Bow,” but one-word titles seem to test well with kids.  Hopefully this will pass, but I’m not holding my breath.

I’m swearing off Disney movies, firsthand.  I might catch them second hand, through friends or other means, but I refuse to give this corporate conglomerate one more penny.  They basically own Hollywood, so my money will eventually make my way into their pockets, I just want to put as much distance between them and myself as possible.  No more Pixar, no more Star Wars, no more Marvel, no more Disney.  I am one drop in the bucket, I will not be missed, and they will not be affected in the slightest by my absence, but I need to prove to myself that I have integrity enough not to keep funneling my hard earned cash into a trillion dollar snack company.

Disney movies are snacks, not meals.  And I’m going on a diet.

Anyway, here’s my top three:

Monsters, Inc

The Incredibles

WALL-E

[azeher]

On Queerbaiting, Bad Voltron Bad, and Adashi

I finally found the time and patience to bring you this post. Take it however you want. Unfollow me, love me, fall in love with Ryan Renolds... Just take your pick.

The only disclaimer I’ll make is that the Voltron crew and the marketing team of DreamWorks are very capable of queerbaiting. I’ve accused them of doing exactly that before, but I was just getting ahead of myself. I just don’t think they’re queerbaiting us after all, not on purpose (the voltron crew at least. The marketing team can go eat a spoiled banana). But at the end this is like the Schrödinger’s Cat, we won’t know until we get to see the very last episode of the final season. I mean, korrasami was queerbait until the very last seconds before the credits rolled.

BUT, the crew has made quite the mistakes along the years, and I’m gonna make a list of them:

1- Opening their mouths. Just really, they should have stayed quiet, taken the initial praising and shown gratitude and that’s it. The very first and biggest mistake they made was thinking it was a good idea to talk about the show to the fandom. Not only they never knew how to handle it, sometimes they forced themselves to lie. By creating such an narrow relationship with the fandom they allowed them to ask them for things they wanted into the show. They allowed them to ask them questions they didn’t know how to answer and sometimes they had to be purposely misleading to avoid spoilers.

2- Believing their own misleading answers. And this is how I know they’re not queerbaiting on purpose. Because they tend to get passionate when promoting the show, they’ve said things in ways that could be misinterpreted by the audience. They think they’re saying something harmless, that the small difference between what they say would happen and what actually happens will translate well, but it’s never the case.

3- Not trying to know their fandom. This isn’t entirely their fault. It’s obvious the fandom they got wasn’t the fandom they were supposed to get. I.e., the fandom should be made up of grown ups that loved the 80s Voltron and came back out of nostalgia, and of little kids looking for cool space battles, and of teens that like action and humor mixed together. Because that was their target audience. Rather they got a fandom pertaining to an entirely different genre. They got people who don’t really care for the plot (don’t even try to argue with this. The hundreds of posts I’ve seen the last three years claiming smt along the lines of “Voltron would have to pay me to watch the show for the plot” prove me right) because it bores them, and are only focused on the one thing the show openly isn’t about: Romance.

4- The writing. Legend of Korra didn’t have perfect writing. Voltron doesn’t either. This studio puts all of its effort and talent out there, you can tell, but they still have a long way to go. Still, what they do is not bad, despite what spiteful people want to make others believe. This studio has some of the most beautiful animation out there and their strengths rely on art, humor, fight sequences, music and very dramatic scenes. Those are the five things they’ve mastered. But their writing and character focus are lacking. This is not something they can’t fix. Instead of trying to drag them down and boycott these amazing and talented artists and writers who are also human beings, we could give them the support they need to improve and keep delivering stories and characters we can fall in love with. I mean, we fell in love with these characters even when the writing wasn’t perfect. This season, whether some of you want to admit it or not, had the best writing they’ve offered so far but to dissect this statement would mean making yet another long post and just no.

5- The characters’ arcs. We’ve already established they don’t know how to write characters or romance. They’re good with other sorts of relationships but romance is the thing they’re worst at. And they also suck at being constant with characters’ arcs. The biggest proof? I didn’t know the fucking protagonist of Voltron was indeed Keith until like season 4, and I only found out cuz I watched some episodes of 80’s Voltron around that time and was struck with the realization. It was impossible to tell because so far all the focus of the story had gone back and forth between Shiro and Pidge. Then Keith and eventually Allura got their own arcs. So, how about Pidge makes that math cuz it doesn’t add up? How was acceptable for them to be unclear about who the central figure in the show was? Keith was introduced as the fourth character. And they even formatted the first half of the first episode so it looked like Lance was the protagonist. The second half they were already giving up on him and turning him into a joke and Shiro finally emerged as the central figure.

6- Romance. So they completely suck at romance and they made a good decision about leaving it out. But did they really? Cuz the show says yes, but the crew’s comments and awkward writing say otherwise. And this is what takes us to the next and saddest mistake:

7- ADASHI. I know you all read this far only to get to this point. I’m gonna include Ezor and Zethrid here as well because they’re also consequence from the previous point. Shiro is an amazing character and him being gay IS indeed a big triumph. We will forever know such a great and important Asian character is canonly gay. But the writers made all the rookie mistakes they could make surrounding his sexuality, AND Ezor and Zethrid’s relationship. Don’t get me wrong, I for once don’t mind these lesbians being on the dark side because they were still pretty badass and cool even though they were villains, but they took their ambiguous villainess too far, which wouldn’t have been a bad thing wasn’t it because they were the only lesbian couple in the show. So rookie mistake number one: Picking the wrong characters to be your representation when you’re gonna be so limited with representation. They also killed them off, which, well, they kinda deserved, but again, they were the ONLY lesbian couple, so how about give them the chance to redeem themselves (and your own writers)?

They introduced Adam and established he and Shiro simply didn’t work together but then killed off Adam without allowing us to get to know him, and without allowing him and Shiro to get some kinda closure. But the crew, again, didn’t know how to handle the way to go about hyping the show, and were yet again misleading by letting us believe we’d spend some time with Adam. They genuinely thought there was nothing wrong with killing him because he was no longer part of Shiro’s life and because war’s like that. So rookie mistake number two: Not being honest about the fate of one of the two confirmed queer characters in the show. When you have so few queer characters, and you really think you had to kill one of them, don’t treat it like a spoiler, BE honest, so the public knows what to expect. Soften the blow. Maybe they could have said he wouldn’t be in the show too long, and we would have made our guesses. Rookie mistake number three: Pick him as one of the casualties. I understand the intention of this was to make Shiro lose someone because of the war, but did it really need to happen? Did Shiro really need to lose someone? I’m sure no big plot point in the story would have changed if Adam had lived. Rookie mistake number four: Kill him before we got to know him and before he talked to Shiro again. If the purpose of his death was to impact Shiro or us, it would have had a much bigger effect if they had had time to interact again.

Now, could Voltron as a whole fix all of these mistakes? Yes. Yes they could. For starters, they should start talking with the truth. That would actually help to heal the fandom a lot. At this point, being quiet won’t serve of any purpose. Now it’s their real time to talk, but honestly.

Second, it all depends on how they wrap season eight. If they’re really planning on making a healthy queer relationship canon and explicit, that could be their salvation. They’d have to do it right, and it is possible, but fairly hard, especially with romance not being their strength.

Third. Adashi. Yes. Again Adashi. Remember when I said I had complicated feelings about what they did to it? Well, aside from what I already said, there’s this extra bit. And it is that they truly could have had a good reason to kill off Adam. I know that it makes you angry, but this is a possibility. Maybe the point is to let Shiro move on, find love again. He’s healthy now, not fearing about dying anytime soon and he’s matured. He wouldn’t make the same mistakes. And there are not reasons to believe Adam won’t be featured in another future flashback that could deliver that sense of closure we and Shiro need. So, in short, the reason I’m not as angry as I should be, is because this can still be addressed in the show.

It’s easy to be pessimistic and not to trust the ending. For all we know, eighth season might be just 13 episodes of quiznak writing and the mice founding their own theme park, but until the box gets opened we won’t know if the cat is dead.

[bushybeardedbear]

VLD Pro Event Appreciation Day

This was queued for the 1st of July. Apparently editing the post and saving that edit somehow means it gets published days earlier. The pitfalls of using Tumblr with big clumsy paws I suppose... Sigh....  First off, I’d like to thank everyone who has been reading the nonsense I’ve posted. I’d like to thank the mods at the Voltron Positivity Event. I’d like to thank my followers, amazed I can use plural now! 

We should all thank the creators of Voltron, from the humblest intern to the head of Dreamworks, every voice actor, every artist, every credited name, every coffee boy, every guest star, every single writer... There are too many to name them all, just look at the IMDB, so much talent, hard work and dedication! Thanks are due to them all. I’m not sure I want to thank Playmates toys for the dent the Legendary Lions put in my wallet... Though, I’d also like to make a note of thanks to one fan in particular...

I really don't want this to come across as too notice me senpai. However, I think that may be a little unavoidable. Keep in mind though that I'm considering the term purely to mean a more experienced student to whom I look up to. A student, practically a tutor, for my favourite ship in the VLD Fandom.

@honestlyprettychill That's not exactly a name people here will be unfamiliar with. I'm certain that a huge number of Voltron fans appreciate and admire their work. Doubly so, if like me you have thirsty Plance that needs constant watering. Even some members of the VLD cast have commented on HPC’s honestly beautiful artwork along with their other fan works.

So, I'm hardly alone in my appreciation of what HPC does, but let me share my perspective anyway. When I write, I tend to have one of a few things on in the background. These can range from ambient sounds and non invasive music or they can be more frenetic and energetic pieces depending on the mood I'm going for with whatever I'm writing at the time. Right now I can only hear the sound of the wind and the birds, just to keep my work calm and reflective. What anyone who writes anything will often tell you is how awful writer's block can be. That sudden drag to a halt of any and all creativity flowing from you. It can be very difficult to overcome. Some take long breaks, some work on other projects, some just power through. I do a combination of them, though probably need to power through more often. What I've found when writing Plance sections, the easiest way for my writer's block to be shattered is by taking a moment to watch this...

As soon as this comes on, I'm swept up emotionally into the moment. The shared happiness these two characters can offer one another, the warmth and care, the strong narrative symbolism they both evoke in the other that only ever seems to grow deeper the more you look. Plus, the tune is sweet and the animation always makes me smile, which is a bonus.

Now, I'm no animator. But according to the scribes of Google, the average animation runs slightly less than a motion picture. That for every frame of film, a drawn image is shown twice or in some cases four times. I'm also no artist, so it's tricky to tell precisely how many individual pictures per second HPC's Animatic translates to on average. So, taking a bit of a wild stab in the dark, we'll go for about 3.5 pictures per second. Given the runtime, minus a little intro and outro, that gives us about... 315 individual images in such a short time. Again, I'm not an animator, (I'm barely a writer most days.) but given my limited understanding that animation programs can create transitional frames and such, that seems entirely reasonable an estimate. Please someone feel free to prove me wrong, I'd love to know the real figure! Still though, to my point at last...

A picture is worth, they say, a thousand words. So that means that in essence, HonestlyPrettyChill has written in animation, three hundred and fifteen thousand words all devoted to Plance. The equivalent of an entire extra large novel's worth of Plance, and all contained in a such a short and sweet animatic.

How can anyone who writes not be both inspired, humbled and frankly made a teensy little bit jealous by that...?

So, when I look to those heartfelt frames, realise that I have only begun to scratch the surface of those thousands of words they evoke, I am in no small way inspired. I am sure I am not the only one. Thank you, @honestlyprettychill

[biancasiercke]

Not ready for your Story Portfolio - here are some resources

If you feel that you are not yet quite ready and would like to learn more about storyboarding, I searched for a few links for you guys. I did a quick search and Chris Oatley has a podcast where he talks about storyboard portfolios. I haven't had a chance to listen to it myself, so I don't know the kind of information he gives within the podcast but I thought it might be helpful. http://chrisoatley.com/storyboard-portfolio/ There is also Toby Shelton's blog which is amazing to look at. He's a storyboard artist that worked at Dreamwork and Disney. He showcases some of the boards he's done, so you get to see the kind of work that is being done for storyboards at feature studios. https://tobyshelton.blogspot.com/

Habib Louati is a storyboard artist in Europe. He worked on the minions movie was was a 2D animator. You find his gorgeous work on his website below http://habiblouati.blogspot.ca

Melody Wang is a board artist that worked on Dreamworks shows and is currently working at Bluesky. You can find her artwork here. http://www.mellowatt.com/p/storyboard.html

Mark Kennedy's "7 Golden Camels website" - an amazing resource for story artists. http://sevencamels.blogspot.ca/

Norm Lemay's - Griz and Norm's Tuesday Tips. Wonderful drawing tips from a storyboard artists perspective and advice about story. https://grizandnorm.squarespace.com/tuesday-tips/

Every Frame a Painting - Youtube channel that analyses film https://www.youtube.com/user/everyframeapainting

Nerdwriter1 - Youtube channel on story https://www.youtube.com/user/Nerdwriter1 Also if you are looking to learn about storyboarding. Robb Pratt has an amazing Storyboarding webinar series that you can buy for $60 I believe. They are 10 videos that are each 3 hours long. What's nice about the series is that he goes over storyboarding from the very basics, to the more advanced stuff. He talks about how to read scripts and what you need to add to make a script become a cohesive storyboard. He also analyses films like Indiana Jones and the 1978 Superman, which have amazing storyboards and cinematic flow. Some of the videos do move a little bit slowly, but the information in the videos is really great! You can find them here if you're interested.  https://www.jasonryananimation.com/teamate-training Kris Pearn also has some videos about storyboarding online. I haven’t taken this class myself so I don’t know how good it is, but Kris is a really great board artist. You can find the classes through the “Schoolism” website here https://www.schoolism.com/school.php?id=9 Lastly if you need help with your compositions, one person that it might help to look at is "Hans Bacher". He has really great tips and images to study for Composition. Hans Bacher was the Art Director on Mulan and he created a style guide book for the film, to explain to all the other artists how to make appealing compositions. This is Hans Bachers blog one1more2time3.wordpress.com/ Hans Bacher on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/238127899020036659/ Hans Bachers' book "Dream worlds" (I don't have this book and I can't remember if it mainly deals with composition or with design. I did hear that Hans Bacher has a new book coming out soon...) https://www.amazon.ca/Dream-Worlds-Production-Design-Animation/dp/0240520939 Mulan's Style guide http://chrisoatley.com/pdf/Mulan_Style_Guide.pdf Framed Ink - This book has some incredible compositions in it as well. https://www.amazon.ca/Framed-Ink-Drawing-Composition-Storytellers/dp/1933492953 Movie Screencaps: An amazing resource of live action films that have been screen captured every few seconds. Great resource to see what kind of shot flow and compositions movies use. Also a great resource if you’re not too good at perspective. You can use a layout from a film as an underlay to build your shot on-top of https://movie-screencaps.com/ Animation Screencaps: Similar website as above, but focusing on screencaps from animated films. https://animationscreencaps.com/ I hope these tips can help you guys and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. As always, a huge credit to where I am goes to the incredible mentors I had and the amazing people I worked with, that shared their knowledge and experience with me. I would love to give back to this wonderful medium in any way I can.

[keepingquietishard]

Interview with Charles Ellison

Hi Charles, it's great to have you here for this interview. Thank you!  Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? First off, I just wanted to say thank you to you for conducting this interview and to Animschool for hosting.  I hope the readers find some words of wisdom somewhere in here.  

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

My name is Charles, although family and friends call me Charlie.  I am a proud father of two little girls, whom I am raising with my wonderful wife in which I've been with for just about 20 years now - 9 married.  I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to this country at a young age, finally establishing roots in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I am one of the Heads of Modeling for DreamWorks Animation, as well as an Instructor here at Animschool for about the past 4 years or so, and I call Los Angeles home now.  I've been at DreamWorks for 10 years now and have loved every day of it. I've had the privilege to work on many wonderful animated movies, including the How to Train Your Dragon series, Kung Fu Panda series and have most recently supervised Trolls and am currently supervising Trolls 2, just to name a few.  

Snoutlot, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you tell us about your background and how you became Head of Modeling at DreamWorks?

I'll try to keep a long story short, but like many of you, the start of my journey began with a love of stories.  I recall being profoundly affected by movies as a child.  Growing up in a household as an only child, movies often served as a sibling in an odd sort of way.  I helped Elliot get E.T. back home, went on treasure hunts with the Goonies, and helped the rebellion fight the Empire in Star Wars.   Imagination is a wonderful thing when you are a child, but I have never let that magic wither away.  It's part of what propelled me into this wonderful career

Berk Docks, modeling by Charles Ellison

The path wasn't always clear and it wasn't found quickly either. I didn't discover this path in fact until I was 24 and living just across the Bay from San Francisco, where my future awaited.  I recall waking up one morning, turning on the TV, and watching a commercial for the Academy of Art University.  People used to always tell me that I was creative and could draw and I should do something with that, so I literally got dressed, hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I took a tour of the school.  After being dazzled by the campus buildings which are nested throughout the city and the tour guide giving their best sales pitch, I was pretty wow'd by what I was seeing.  Yet it wasn't until walking through the Computer Animation department (which they save for last), that I was completely in awe.  I remember walking through the computer labs with the tour saying to myself,  "Wow.  Look at them.  They are doing it.  They are really doing it.".  I was referring to the students hard at work of course, working on these massive computers that I've never seen before, but you have to understand, after I saw Jurassic Park in '93 I was pretty much convinced that the people that made these movies were geniuses - an unattainable goal.  

Bunnymund, modeling by Charles Ellison

So upon the conclusion of the tour, I found myself taking a huge leap of faith and signing my name on the dotted line of an enrollment contract.  I had no idea how I was going to pay for it all, but I was going to make it happen.  Behind the support of my family, my girlfriend (and future wife) and her family, but most importantly a belief in myself, I took that huge leap of faith.  I was intimidated, unsure and anxious, but along the way I discovered that I not only had talent and raw skill, but that I was in a prime environment to nurture this talent and develop it.  I took full advantage of the resources the school offered.  I was the first one in class, the last one out.  I surrounded myself with peers whom inspired me and therefor elevated myself.  I spent two years in fine art where I painted, drew, sculpted, and then finally the last two years were spent mostly on the computer where I focused on 3D Modeling.  I graduated in the Fall of 2004 - the first in my family in fact so it was a very proud day.  After graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles with my girlfriend (soon to be wife) where we set out to begin our lives away from family and discover our careers.  I quickly landed my first job at an Animation Studio here in LA, called Sprite Animation.  Sprite is a Japanese animation studio and I was the first American artist that they hired.  It was a tremendous learning experience and to this day I tribute them as some of the most skilled, talented and humble artist that I have ever worked with.  It was such a great place for me to begin my career because they pushed me to learn more and become a full fledged character artist.  I not only modeled, but I also textured and rigged my characters and from time to time I even animated them.  

Blacksmith shop, modeling by Charles Ellison

When it was time to leave Sprite to spread my wings, I spent a little time in the live-action VFX world and then I was at a cross roads.  I had a tough choice to make as I had a very good problem in front of me.  I had an offer from Digital Domain to be a Character TD on Benjamin Buttons or join DreamWorks as a Modeler.  It was two very different roads I could take, but my heart told me that DreamWorks was the right path.  So I chose DreamWorks.  Fast forward 10 years from that point, and I am now one of the Department Heads and have worked on amazing projects - I have no doubt in my mind that I made the best decision for myself.  

Fashionistas, modeling by Charles Ellison

That's an inspiring story!  How involved are you in the hiring process of new talent for DreamWorks? When we are in search of growing our Modeling team, I am very much a part of the process.  The way it works is myself, along with the other Department Heads, will review candidates which our fantastic Recruiting Department will filter through and offer up the best candidates that they discover either via visits to different schools, or submissions which we receive from applicants all over the world - typically comprised of students and experienced artists.  And sometimes, one of us may already have a candidate in mind whom we can propose to the group for consideration.  This is an occurrence that happens quite often if one of us knows of a great artist that is available.  I often have candid conversations with students where I explain what a unique perspective I have from my vantage point.  What I mean is, I get to be a part of the students as they are just paving the way for their growth as artist, and one day, they could find themselves interviewing with me as well.  It is a very special vantage point if you ask me, one which I don't take for granted.  I'm always on the look out for good talent, so even if students don't realize it, they could be already being noticed even if from a single class - so always put forth your best effort ;).  And when I am actively supervising a modeling team for a show, I do get to ask for specific members of the team so long as they are available and not already casted to another production.  We do our best to cast everybody to their strengths and formulate nicely balanced teams for each show. Besides the required technical skills, what do you think are main qualities a 3D artist should have to increase the chances to get hired by a large company? And do you have any tips on how to develop those skills? Besides the clear necessities as demonstrating clear technical skills as software knowledge and being able to craft nice geometry and understanding good topology practices, I can't emphasize enough the need to demonstrate a strong artistic eye.  Perhaps the best thing anyone can do on their demo reel, is provide the artwork that you started from so that I can gauge how you see shapes and how you can interpret a design.  It's an opportunity for me to see how you understand the fundamentals.  Often, I see demo reels which don't include the artwork they modeled from.  And of course be sure that when including the artwork you credit the original artist.  Another good tip is have a good variety of models - don't just be character heavy without demonstrating you can take on an environment or a nice, intricate prop.  Characters are great and doing them well is even better, but show range.  As far as developing those skills, I always suggest to be as active as you can in practicing your craft.  Don't just rely on the assignments you receive in class.  Manage your time so that you reserve as much of it as you can to go through the paces of challenging yourself and finding barriers that you can break past.  But be sure to maintain a balance with studies, work and all other things in life so that you don't burn out. 

Orange quarter, modeling by Charles Ellison

And one last bit of advice which is one of those intangible things, when you land the interview, be yourself, and show us that you are the kind of person that we want to work with.  After all, I spend more time with my colleagues at work then I do with my family sadly, so I want candidates that are genuine people.  I would rather work with the person who has talent that can be nurtured - albeit needs growth but is a nice person, versus someone whom has a super impressive portfolio but during an interview doesn't show the best attitude. Know what I mean? Absolutely!  "Don't be afraid to show your work. Failure is always part of the road to success."  What do you think about these statements and how does that apply to your own job in a professional environment?  I mean, are you allowed to improve by failure or do you have to get it right every first time? As artist, we are always subject to opinion, and this is no different in a professional or an educational environment.  The difference is I would switch the word failure with that of process.  The process to striking the vision of many different people can be a very organic and sometimes tedious process, but process non the same.  Sometimes we nail it and please everyone upon first showing, sometimes it requires many iterations, but it's never a failure so long as we end up with a great final product, within the time-frame we are given.  In a school environment, it's very similar in that you have a goal, a deadline and a client - your instructor.  I always stress the need for students to never be shy to show their work, as the goal in sharing is to find ways to improve by way of constructive feedback - very much the same way it would be in production.

Dragon Lair, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you name a few people that have inspired you, in life and as a 3D professional? Naturally I have garnered inspiration from the people whom raised me, non more so than my Grandmother.  The work ethic she modeled for me was just remarkable.  My wife is a huge reason I am even where I am today, but my children are my strongest inspiration.  Trust me when I say nothing inspires you to be your best than your children.  As for artists?  My goodness, where do I begin?  There is just so much amazing talent out there, both known and unknown.  The unknown's are just as amazing it's just they haven't made an effort to have an online presence.  My very first supervisor, Tetsuya Ishii, is such an amazing artists and is equally skilled artistically and technically.  Plus I have a soft spot that I learned so much from him.  Some other artist whom have had direct influence on me are Danny Williams (aka Point Pusher) for the years we worked together and for the knowledge he was so willing to share and who is also a good friend.  Another good friend and former colleague whom has inspired me is Shannon Thomas, whom is now over at Blizzard as a Character Supervisor.  

Bob Ross

But there is so many others over the course of my career whom I've had the pleasure to either work with directly, converse with, or just admire from a far.  I know I will miss some names, but here is a short list:  Nico Marlet, Tim Lamb, Pierre Olivier Vincent, Alena Tottle, Mike Defeo, Kendal Chronkite, Raymond Zibach, Simon Otto, Mel Milton, Kent Melton,  Glen Keane, Matt Thorup, Dylan Ekren, Bear Williams, Brian Jefcoat and of course Bob Ross - no really, watched him religiously as a kid. "Happy little trees." Are there any public tours at DreamWorks ? There are no public tours, but it is possible to have a tour through someone on the inside.  I have personally had many guests come to visit the campus, including many Animschool students.  I extend this invitation to every class I teach.  You just have to give me a heads up when you are going to be around LA and I'm happy to set it up - so long as I'm available to do so of course.

Little Dragon composite, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you give any tips to the students for their demo reel when they want to apply for a job at DreamWorks or another large studio?  Besides the information I gave earlier in the interview, I would say, know your client.  If you are applying to DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, demonstrate models that fit the style of work that they do.  Similarly I would say the same for a game company or VFX studio.  And the last thing I would suggest, always place your best model first - wow us with that first look.  Keep your reel short.  It doesn't need to be bloated.  I would rather see 3 great models over the course of a 2 minute reel, versus a 5 minute reel of stuff you threw in there thinking it needed to be there because you were worried you didn't have enough.  Quality over quantity always.  And remember, always show the art your started from.  And lastly, these days, it's not just about a demo reel, have on online platform such as a personal website, ArtStation, or something similar which showcases your many different works.  This can be a place where potential employers can see works that are maybe unfinished, but still offer insight to your process as an artist. Those are great tips, thank you!  Why did you become an Animschool teacher ?

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

When I first made the choice to begin teaching, much of my decision was based on the idea of maximizing the time that I have to provide for my family and I wanted to do so in a manner that felt rewarding beyond just compensation. Teaching was a natural fit that I could balance nicely with my full-time roll at DreamWorks and also was an opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Originally, I did not know if teaching was going to be a short or long term commitment or even if I would be any good at it.  I also did not foresee how invested I would get in the students.  I didn't foresee the relationships that I would build and how rewarding it would feel to see my students improving before my eyes.  It is such a great feeling to see your students applying what they are learning, improving upon their skills and most importantly, having fun during the process.  I make it a point to make sure the students know from day one that they are in an environment that will be fun, organic and nurturing.  I really do try to give them all I have to offer and be someone who will offer them as much insight as I can into the industry as well.  And why Animschool?   I have had many former colleagues of mine whom had ventured into the world of teaching speak very highly of Animschool and a good friend had introduced me to Dave Gallagher to speak about the prospect of teaching.  Fast forward to now, and I am very happy to be a part of the Animschool community and proud of the students that I have had the pleasure to teach.  What I feel makes Animschool a unique and special place to learn this wonderful craft, is the global aspect of it's students (nothing excites me more than to see a roster of students from all corners of the globe) and how diverse the they are.  I find Animschool students to be some of the most dedicated and focused I've come across.  And lastly, I find the talent that the school brings in to instruct their classes to be world class and whom really want to provide the best instruction they can.  Put all that together and it truly is an amazing community to be a part of.

Thank you Charles !

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[just-ateenage-dirtbag]

Interview with Charles Ellison

Hi Charles, it's great to have you here for this interview. Thank you!  Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? First off, I just wanted to say thank you to you for conducting this interview and to Animschool for hosting.  I hope the readers find some words of wisdom somewhere in here.  

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

My name is Charles, although family and friends call me Charlie.  I am a proud father of two little girls, whom I am raising with my wonderful wife in which I've been with for just about 20 years now - 9 married.  I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to this country at a young age, finally establishing roots in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I am one of the Heads of Modeling for DreamWorks Animation, as well as an Instructor here at Animschool for about the past 4 years or so, and I call Los Angeles home now.  I've been at DreamWorks for 10 years now and have loved every day of it. I've had the privilege to work on many wonderful animated movies, including the How to Train Your Dragon series, Kung Fu Panda series and have most recently supervised Trolls and am currently supervising Trolls 2, just to name a few.  

Snoutlot, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you tell us about your background and how you became Head of Modeling at DreamWorks?

I'll try to keep a long story short, but like many of you, the start of my journey began with a love of stories.  I recall being profoundly affected by movies as a child.  Growing up in a household as an only child, movies often served as a sibling in an odd sort of way.  I helped Elliot get E.T. back home, went on treasure hunts with the Goonies, and helped the rebellion fight the Empire in Star Wars.   Imagination is a wonderful thing when you are a child, but I have never let that magic wither away.  It's part of what propelled me into this wonderful career

Berk Docks, modeling by Charles Ellison

The path wasn't always clear and it wasn't found quickly either. I didn't discover this path in fact until I was 24 and living just across the Bay from San Francisco, where my future awaited.  I recall waking up one morning, turning on the TV, and watching a commercial for the Academy of Art University.  People used to always tell me that I was creative and could draw and I should do something with that, so I literally got dressed, hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I took a tour of the school.  After being dazzled by the campus buildings which are nested throughout the city and the tour guide giving their best sales pitch, I was pretty wow'd by what I was seeing.  Yet it wasn't until walking through the Computer Animation department (which they save for last), that I was completely in awe.  I remember walking through the computer labs with the tour saying to myself,  "Wow.  Look at them.  They are doing it.  They are really doing it.".  I was referring to the students hard at work of course, working on these massive computers that I've never seen before, but you have to understand, after I saw Jurassic Park in '93 I was pretty much convinced that the people that made these movies were geniuses - an unattainable goal.  

Bunnymund, modeling by Charles Ellison

So upon the conclusion of the tour, I found myself taking a huge leap of faith and signing my name on the dotted line of an enrollment contract.  I had no idea how I was going to pay for it all, but I was going to make it happen.  Behind the support of my family, my girlfriend (and future wife) and her family, but most importantly a belief in myself, I took that huge leap of faith.  I was intimidated, unsure and anxious, but along the way I discovered that I not only had talent and raw skill, but that I was in a prime environment to nurture this talent and develop it.  I took full advantage of the resources the school offered.  I was the first one in class, the last one out.  I surrounded myself with peers whom inspired me and therefor elevated myself.  I spent two years in fine art where I painted, drew, sculpted, and then finally the last two years were spent mostly on the computer where I focused on 3D Modeling.  I graduated in the Fall of 2004 - the first in my family in fact so it was a very proud day.  After graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles with my girlfriend (soon to be wife) where we set out to begin our lives away from family and discover our careers.  I quickly landed my first job at an Animation Studio here in LA, called Sprite Animation.  Sprite is a Japanese animation studio and I was the first American artist that they hired.  It was a tremendous learning experience and to this day I tribute them as some of the most skilled, talented and humble artist that I have ever worked with.  It was such a great place for me to begin my career because they pushed me to learn more and become a full fledged character artist.  I not only modeled, but I also textured and rigged my characters and from time to time I even animated them.  

Blacksmith shop, modeling by Charles Ellison

When it was time to leave Sprite to spread my wings, I spent a little time in the live-action VFX world and then I was at a cross roads.  I had a tough choice to make as I had a very good problem in front of me.  I had an offer from Digital Domain to be a Character TD on Benjamin Buttons or join DreamWorks as a Modeler.  It was two very different roads I could take, but my heart told me that DreamWorks was the right path.  So I chose DreamWorks.  Fast forward 10 years from that point, and I am now one of the Department Heads and have worked on amazing projects - I have no doubt in my mind that I made the best decision for myself.  

Fashionistas, modeling by Charles Ellison

That's an inspiring story!  How involved are you in the hiring process of new talent for DreamWorks? When we are in search of growing our Modeling team, I am very much a part of the process.  The way it works is myself, along with the other Department Heads, will review candidates which our fantastic Recruiting Department will filter through and offer up the best candidates that they discover either via visits to different schools, or submissions which we receive from applicants all over the world - typically comprised of students and experienced artists.  And sometimes, one of us may already have a candidate in mind whom we can propose to the group for consideration.  This is an occurrence that happens quite often if one of us knows of a great artist that is available.  I often have candid conversations with students where I explain what a unique perspective I have from my vantage point.  What I mean is, I get to be a part of the students as they are just paving the way for their growth as artist, and one day, they could find themselves interviewing with me as well.  It is a very special vantage point if you ask me, one which I don't take for granted.  I'm always on the look out for good talent, so even if students don't realize it, they could be already being noticed even if from a single class - so always put forth your best effort ;).  And when I am actively supervising a modeling team for a show, I do get to ask for specific members of the team so long as they are available and not already casted to another production.  We do our best to cast everybody to their strengths and formulate nicely balanced teams for each show. Besides the required technical skills, what do you think are main qualities a 3D artist should have to increase the chances to get hired by a large company? And do you have any tips on how to develop those skills? Besides the clear necessities as demonstrating clear technical skills as software knowledge and being able to craft nice geometry and understanding good topology practices, I can't emphasize enough the need to demonstrate a strong artistic eye.  Perhaps the best thing anyone can do on their demo reel, is provide the artwork that you started from so that I can gauge how you see shapes and how you can interpret a design.  It's an opportunity for me to see how you understand the fundamentals.  Often, I see demo reels which don't include the artwork they modeled from.  And of course be sure that when including the artwork you credit the original artist.  Another good tip is have a good variety of models - don't just be character heavy without demonstrating you can take on an environment or a nice, intricate prop.  Characters are great and doing them well is even better, but show range.  As far as developing those skills, I always suggest to be as active as you can in practicing your craft.  Don't just rely on the assignments you receive in class.  Manage your time so that you reserve as much of it as you can to go through the paces of challenging yourself and finding barriers that you can break past.  But be sure to maintain a balance with studies, work and all other things in life so that you don't burn out. 

Orange quarter, modeling by Charles Ellison

And one last bit of advice which is one of those intangible things, when you land the interview, be yourself, and show us that you are the kind of person that we want to work with.  After all, I spend more time with my colleagues at work then I do with my family sadly, so I want candidates that are genuine people.  I would rather work with the person who has talent that can be nurtured - albeit needs growth but is a nice person, versus someone whom has a super impressive portfolio but during an interview doesn't show the best attitude. Know what I mean? Absolutely!  "Don't be afraid to show your work. Failure is always part of the road to success."  What do you think about these statements and how does that apply to your own job in a professional environment?  I mean, are you allowed to improve by failure or do you have to get it right every first time? As artist, we are always subject to opinion, and this is no different in a professional or an educational environment.  The difference is I would switch the word failure with that of process.  The process to striking the vision of many different people can be a very organic and sometimes tedious process, but process non the same.  Sometimes we nail it and please everyone upon first showing, sometimes it requires many iterations, but it's never a failure so long as we end up with a great final product, within the time-frame we are given.  In a school environment, it's very similar in that you have a goal, a deadline and a client - your instructor.  I always stress the need for students to never be shy to show their work, as the goal in sharing is to find ways to improve by way of constructive feedback - very much the same way it would be in production.

Dragon Lair, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you name a few people that have inspired you, in life and as a 3D professional? Naturally I have garnered inspiration from the people whom raised me, non more so than my Grandmother.  The work ethic she modeled for me was just remarkable.  My wife is a huge reason I am even where I am today, but my children are my strongest inspiration.  Trust me when I say nothing inspires you to be your best than your children.  As for artists?  My goodness, where do I begin?  There is just so much amazing talent out there, both known and unknown.  The unknown's are just as amazing it's just they haven't made an effort to have an online presence.  My very first supervisor, Tetsuya Ishii, is such an amazing artists and is equally skilled artistically and technically.  Plus I have a soft spot that I learned so much from him.  Some other artist whom have had direct influence on me are Danny Williams (aka Point Pusher) for the years we worked together and for the knowledge he was so willing to share and who is also a good friend.  Another good friend and former colleague whom has inspired me is Shannon Thomas, whom is now over at Blizzard as a Character Supervisor.  

Bob Ross

But there is so many others over the course of my career whom I've had the pleasure to either work with directly, converse with, or just admire from a far.  I know I will miss some names, but here is a short list:  Nico Marlet, Tim Lamb, Pierre Olivier Vincent, Alena Tottle, Mike Defeo, Kendal Chronkite, Raymond Zibach, Simon Otto, Mel Milton, Kent Melton,  Glen Keane, Matt Thorup, Dylan Ekren, Bear Williams, Brian Jefcoat and of course Bob Ross - no really, watched him religiously as a kid. "Happy little trees." Are there any public tours at DreamWorks ? There are no public tours, but it is possible to have a tour through someone on the inside.  I have personally had many guests come to visit the campus, including many Animschool students.  I extend this invitation to every class I teach.  You just have to give me a heads up when you are going to be around LA and I'm happy to set it up - so long as I'm available to do so of course.

Little Dragon composite, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you give any tips to the students for their demo reel when they want to apply for a job at DreamWorks or another large studio?  Besides the information I gave earlier in the interview, I would say, know your client.  If you are applying to DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, demonstrate models that fit the style of work that they do.  Similarly I would say the same for a game company or VFX studio.  And the last thing I would suggest, always place your best model first - wow us with that first look.  Keep your reel short.  It doesn't need to be bloated.  I would rather see 3 great models over the course of a 2 minute reel, versus a 5 minute reel of stuff you threw in there thinking it needed to be there because you were worried you didn't have enough.  Quality over quantity always.  And remember, always show the art your started from.  And lastly, these days, it's not just about a demo reel, have on online platform such as a personal website, ArtStation, or something similar which showcases your many different works.  This can be a place where potential employers can see works that are maybe unfinished, but still offer insight to your process as an artist. Those are great tips, thank you!  Why did you become an Animschool teacher ?

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

When I first made the choice to begin teaching, much of my decision was based on the idea of maximizing the time that I have to provide for my family and I wanted to do so in a manner that felt rewarding beyond just compensation. Teaching was a natural fit that I could balance nicely with my full-time roll at DreamWorks and also was an opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Originally, I did not know if teaching was going to be a short or long term commitment or even if I would be any good at it.  I also did not foresee how invested I would get in the students.  I didn't foresee the relationships that I would build and how rewarding it would feel to see my students improving before my eyes.  It is such a great feeling to see your students applying what they are learning, improving upon their skills and most importantly, having fun during the process.  I make it a point to make sure the students know from day one that they are in an environment that will be fun, organic and nurturing.  I really do try to give them all I have to offer and be someone who will offer them as much insight as I can into the industry as well.  And why Animschool?   I have had many former colleagues of mine whom had ventured into the world of teaching speak very highly of Animschool and a good friend had introduced me to Dave Gallagher to speak about the prospect of teaching.  Fast forward to now, and I am very happy to be a part of the Animschool community and proud of the students that I have had the pleasure to teach.  What I feel makes Animschool a unique and special place to learn this wonderful craft, is the global aspect of it's students (nothing excites me more than to see a roster of students from all corners of the globe) and how diverse the they are.  I find Animschool students to be some of the most dedicated and focused I've come across.  And lastly, I find the talent that the school brings in to instruct their classes to be world class and whom really want to provide the best instruction they can.  Put all that together and it truly is an amazing community to be a part of.

Thank you Charles !

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[innermovement2]

Interview with Charles Ellison

Hi Charles, it's great to have you here for this interview. Thank you!  Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? First off, I just wanted to say thank you to you for conducting this interview and to Animschool for hosting.  I hope the readers find some words of wisdom somewhere in here.  

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

My name is Charles, although family and friends call me Charlie.  I am a proud father of two little girls, whom I am raising with my wonderful wife in which I've been with for just about 20 years now - 9 married.  I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to this country at a young age, finally establishing roots in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I am one of the Heads of Modeling for DreamWorks Animation, as well as an Instructor here at Animschool for about the past 4 years or so, and I call Los Angeles home now.  I've been at DreamWorks for 10 years now and have loved every day of it. I've had the privilege to work on many wonderful animated movies, including the How to Train Your Dragon series, Kung Fu Panda series and have most recently supervised Trolls and am currently supervising Trolls 2, just to name a few.  

Snoutlot, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you tell us about your background and how you became Head of Modeling at DreamWorks?

I'll try to keep a long story short, but like many of you, the start of my journey began with a love of stories.  I recall being profoundly affected by movies as a child.  Growing up in a household as an only child, movies often served as a sibling in an odd sort of way.  I helped Elliot get E.T. back home, went on treasure hunts with the Goonies, and helped the rebellion fight the Empire in Star Wars.   Imagination is a wonderful thing when you are a child, but I have never let that magic wither away.  It's part of what propelled me into this wonderful career

Berk Docks, modeling by Charles Ellison

The path wasn't always clear and it wasn't found quickly either. I didn't discover this path in fact until I was 24 and living just across the Bay from San Francisco, where my future awaited.  I recall waking up one morning, turning on the TV, and watching a commercial for the Academy of Art University.  People used to always tell me that I was creative and could draw and I should do something with that, so I literally got dressed, hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I took a tour of the school.  After being dazzled by the campus buildings which are nested throughout the city and the tour guide giving their best sales pitch, I was pretty wow'd by what I was seeing.  Yet it wasn't until walking through the Computer Animation department (which they save for last), that I was completely in awe.  I remember walking through the computer labs with the tour saying to myself,  "Wow.  Look at them.  They are doing it.  They are really doing it.".  I was referring to the students hard at work of course, working on these massive computers that I've never seen before, but you have to understand, after I saw Jurassic Park in '93 I was pretty much convinced that the people that made these movies were geniuses - an unattainable goal.  

Bunnymund, modeling by Charles Ellison

So upon the conclusion of the tour, I found myself taking a huge leap of faith and signing my name on the dotted line of an enrollment contract.  I had no idea how I was going to pay for it all, but I was going to make it happen.  Behind the support of my family, my girlfriend (and future wife) and her family, but most importantly a belief in myself, I took that huge leap of faith.  I was intimidated, unsure and anxious, but along the way I discovered that I not only had talent and raw skill, but that I was in a prime environment to nurture this talent and develop it.  I took full advantage of the resources the school offered.  I was the first one in class, the last one out.  I surrounded myself with peers whom inspired me and therefor elevated myself.  I spent two years in fine art where I painted, drew, sculpted, and then finally the last two years were spent mostly on the computer where I focused on 3D Modeling.  I graduated in the Fall of 2004 - the first in my family in fact so it was a very proud day.  After graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles with my girlfriend (soon to be wife) where we set out to begin our lives away from family and discover our careers.  I quickly landed my first job at an Animation Studio here in LA, called Sprite Animation.  Sprite is a Japanese animation studio and I was the first American artist that they hired.  It was a tremendous learning experience and to this day I tribute them as some of the most skilled, talented and humble artist that I have ever worked with.  It was such a great place for me to begin my career because they pushed me to learn more and become a full fledged character artist.  I not only modeled, but I also textured and rigged my characters and from time to time I even animated them.  

Blacksmith shop, modeling by Charles Ellison

When it was time to leave Sprite to spread my wings, I spent a little time in the live-action VFX world and then I was at a cross roads.  I had a tough choice to make as I had a very good problem in front of me.  I had an offer from Digital Domain to be a Character TD on Benjamin Buttons or join DreamWorks as a Modeler.  It was two very different roads I could take, but my heart told me that DreamWorks was the right path.  So I chose DreamWorks.  Fast forward 10 years from that point, and I am now one of the Department Heads and have worked on amazing projects - I have no doubt in my mind that I made the best decision for myself.  

Fashionistas, modeling by Charles Ellison

That's an inspiring story!  How involved are you in the hiring process of new talent for DreamWorks? When we are in search of growing our Modeling team, I am very much a part of the process.  The way it works is myself, along with the other Department Heads, will review candidates which our fantastic Recruiting Department will filter through and offer up the best candidates that they discover either via visits to different schools, or submissions which we receive from applicants all over the world - typically comprised of students and experienced artists.  And sometimes, one of us may already have a candidate in mind whom we can propose to the group for consideration.  This is an occurrence that happens quite often if one of us knows of a great artist that is available.  I often have candid conversations with students where I explain what a unique perspective I have from my vantage point.  What I mean is, I get to be a part of the students as they are just paving the way for their growth as artist, and one day, they could find themselves interviewing with me as well.  It is a very special vantage point if you ask me, one which I don't take for granted.  I'm always on the look out for good talent, so even if students don't realize it, they could be already being noticed even if from a single class - so always put forth your best effort ;).  And when I am actively supervising a modeling team for a show, I do get to ask for specific members of the team so long as they are available and not already casted to another production.  We do our best to cast everybody to their strengths and formulate nicely balanced teams for each show. Besides the required technical skills, what do you think are main qualities a 3D artist should have to increase the chances to get hired by a large company? And do you have any tips on how to develop those skills? Besides the clear necessities as demonstrating clear technical skills as software knowledge and being able to craft nice geometry and understanding good topology practices, I can't emphasize enough the need to demonstrate a strong artistic eye.  Perhaps the best thing anyone can do on their demo reel, is provide the artwork that you started from so that I can gauge how you see shapes and how you can interpret a design.  It's an opportunity for me to see how you understand the fundamentals.  Often, I see demo reels which don't include the artwork they modeled from.  And of course be sure that when including the artwork you credit the original artist.  Another good tip is have a good variety of models - don't just be character heavy without demonstrating you can take on an environment or a nice, intricate prop.  Characters are great and doing them well is even better, but show range.  As far as developing those skills, I always suggest to be as active as you can in practicing your craft.  Don't just rely on the assignments you receive in class.  Manage your time so that you reserve as much of it as you can to go through the paces of challenging yourself and finding barriers that you can break past.  But be sure to maintain a balance with studies, work and all other things in life so that you don't burn out. 

Orange quarter, modeling by Charles Ellison

And one last bit of advice which is one of those intangible things, when you land the interview, be yourself, and show us that you are the kind of person that we want to work with.  After all, I spend more time with my colleagues at work then I do with my family sadly, so I want candidates that are genuine people.  I would rather work with the person who has talent that can be nurtured - albeit needs growth but is a nice person, versus someone whom has a super impressive portfolio but during an interview doesn't show the best attitude. Know what I mean? Absolutely!  "Don't be afraid to show your work. Failure is always part of the road to success."  What do you think about these statements and how does that apply to your own job in a professional environment?  I mean, are you allowed to improve by failure or do you have to get it right every first time? As artist, we are always subject to opinion, and this is no different in a professional or an educational environment.  The difference is I would switch the word failure with that of process.  The process to striking the vision of many different people can be a very organic and sometimes tedious process, but process non the same.  Sometimes we nail it and please everyone upon first showing, sometimes it requires many iterations, but it's never a failure so long as we end up with a great final product, within the time-frame we are given.  In a school environment, it's very similar in that you have a goal, a deadline and a client - your instructor.  I always stress the need for students to never be shy to show their work, as the goal in sharing is to find ways to improve by way of constructive feedback - very much the same way it would be in production.

Dragon Lair, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you name a few people that have inspired you, in life and as a 3D professional? Naturally I have garnered inspiration from the people whom raised me, non more so than my Grandmother.  The work ethic she modeled for me was just remarkable.  My wife is a huge reason I am even where I am today, but my children are my strongest inspiration.  Trust me when I say nothing inspires you to be your best than your children.  As for artists?  My goodness, where do I begin?  There is just so much amazing talent out there, both known and unknown.  The unknown's are just as amazing it's just they haven't made an effort to have an online presence.  My very first supervisor, Tetsuya Ishii, is such an amazing artists and is equally skilled artistically and technically.  Plus I have a soft spot that I learned so much from him.  Some other artist whom have had direct influence on me are Danny Williams (aka Point Pusher) for the years we worked together and for the knowledge he was so willing to share and who is also a good friend.  Another good friend and former colleague whom has inspired me is Shannon Thomas, whom is now over at Blizzard as a Character Supervisor.  

Bob Ross

But there is so many others over the course of my career whom I've had the pleasure to either work with directly, converse with, or just admire from a far.  I know I will miss some names, but here is a short list:  Nico Marlet, Tim Lamb, Pierre Olivier Vincent, Alena Tottle, Mike Defeo, Kendal Chronkite, Raymond Zibach, Simon Otto, Mel Milton, Kent Melton,  Glen Keane, Matt Thorup, Dylan Ekren, Bear Williams, Brian Jefcoat and of course Bob Ross - no really, watched him religiously as a kid. "Happy little trees." Are there any public tours at DreamWorks ? There are no public tours, but it is possible to have a tour through someone on the inside.  I have personally had many guests come to visit the campus, including many Animschool students.  I extend this invitation to every class I teach.  You just have to give me a heads up when you are going to be around LA and I'm happy to set it up - so long as I'm available to do so of course.

Little Dragon composite, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you give any tips to the students for their demo reel when they want to apply for a job at DreamWorks or another large studio?  Besides the information I gave earlier in the interview, I would say, know your client.  If you are applying to DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, demonstrate models that fit the style of work that they do.  Similarly I would say the same for a game company or VFX studio.  And the last thing I would suggest, always place your best model first - wow us with that first look.  Keep your reel short.  It doesn't need to be bloated.  I would rather see 3 great models over the course of a 2 minute reel, versus a 5 minute reel of stuff you threw in there thinking it needed to be there because you were worried you didn't have enough.  Quality over quantity always.  And remember, always show the art your started from.  And lastly, these days, it's not just about a demo reel, have on online platform such as a personal website, ArtStation, or something similar which showcases your many different works.  This can be a place where potential employers can see works that are maybe unfinished, but still offer insight to your process as an artist. Those are great tips, thank you!  Why did you become an Animschool teacher ?

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

When I first made the choice to begin teaching, much of my decision was based on the idea of maximizing the time that I have to provide for my family and I wanted to do so in a manner that felt rewarding beyond just compensation. Teaching was a natural fit that I could balance nicely with my full-time roll at DreamWorks and also was an opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Originally, I did not know if teaching was going to be a short or long term commitment or even if I would be any good at it.  I also did not foresee how invested I would get in the students.  I didn't foresee the relationships that I would build and how rewarding it would feel to see my students improving before my eyes.  It is such a great feeling to see your students applying what they are learning, improving upon their skills and most importantly, having fun during the process.  I make it a point to make sure the students know from day one that they are in an environment that will be fun, organic and nurturing.  I really do try to give them all I have to offer and be someone who will offer them as much insight as I can into the industry as well.  And why Animschool?   I have had many former colleagues of mine whom had ventured into the world of teaching speak very highly of Animschool and a good friend had introduced me to Dave Gallagher to speak about the prospect of teaching.  Fast forward to now, and I am very happy to be a part of the Animschool community and proud of the students that I have had the pleasure to teach.  What I feel makes Animschool a unique and special place to learn this wonderful craft, is the global aspect of it's students (nothing excites me more than to see a roster of students from all corners of the globe) and how diverse the they are.  I find Animschool students to be some of the most dedicated and focused I've come across.  And lastly, I find the talent that the school brings in to instruct their classes to be world class and whom really want to provide the best instruction they can.  Put all that together and it truly is an amazing community to be a part of.

Thank you Charles !

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[averageinternetsurfer]

Man. Puss In Boots The Last Wish has some amazing background art. With a few content aware fill edits, it can be anyone's wallpaper.

This one is honestly my favourite among the rest I got. Everything is so cozy, warm and beautiful.

[mezereum]

Interview with Charles Ellison

Hi Charles, it's great to have you here for this interview. Thank you!  Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? First off, I just wanted to say thank you to you for conducting this interview and to Animschool for hosting.  I hope the readers find some words of wisdom somewhere in here.  

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

My name is Charles, although family and friends call me Charlie.  I am a proud father of two little girls, whom I am raising with my wonderful wife in which I've been with for just about 20 years now - 9 married.  I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to this country at a young age, finally establishing roots in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I am one of the Heads of Modeling for DreamWorks Animation, as well as an Instructor here at Animschool for about the past 4 years or so, and I call Los Angeles home now.  I've been at DreamWorks for 10 years now and have loved every day of it. I've had the privilege to work on many wonderful animated movies, including the How to Train Your Dragon series, Kung Fu Panda series and have most recently supervised Trolls and am currently supervising Trolls 2, just to name a few.  

Snoutlot, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you tell us about your background and how you became Head of Modeling at DreamWorks?

I'll try to keep a long story short, but like many of you, the start of my journey began with a love of stories.  I recall being profoundly affected by movies as a child.  Growing up in a household as an only child, movies often served as a sibling in an odd sort of way.  I helped Elliot get E.T. back home, went on treasure hunts with the Goonies, and helped the rebellion fight the Empire in Star Wars.   Imagination is a wonderful thing when you are a child, but I have never let that magic wither away.  It's part of what propelled me into this wonderful career

Berk Docks, modeling by Charles Ellison

The path wasn't always clear and it wasn't found quickly either. I didn't discover this path in fact until I was 24 and living just across the Bay from San Francisco, where my future awaited.  I recall waking up one morning, turning on the TV, and watching a commercial for the Academy of Art University.  People used to always tell me that I was creative and could draw and I should do something with that, so I literally got dressed, hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I took a tour of the school.  After being dazzled by the campus buildings which are nested throughout the city and the tour guide giving their best sales pitch, I was pretty wow'd by what I was seeing.  Yet it wasn't until walking through the Computer Animation department (which they save for last), that I was completely in awe.  I remember walking through the computer labs with the tour saying to myself,  "Wow.  Look at them.  They are doing it.  They are really doing it.".  I was referring to the students hard at work of course, working on these massive computers that I've never seen before, but you have to understand, after I saw Jurassic Park in '93 I was pretty much convinced that the people that made these movies were geniuses - an unattainable goal.  

Bunnymund, modeling by Charles Ellison

So upon the conclusion of the tour, I found myself taking a huge leap of faith and signing my name on the dotted line of an enrollment contract.  I had no idea how I was going to pay for it all, but I was going to make it happen.  Behind the support of my family, my girlfriend (and future wife) and her family, but most importantly a belief in myself, I took that huge leap of faith.  I was intimidated, unsure and anxious, but along the way I discovered that I not only had talent and raw skill, but that I was in a prime environment to nurture this talent and develop it.  I took full advantage of the resources the school offered.  I was the first one in class, the last one out.  I surrounded myself with peers whom inspired me and therefor elevated myself.  I spent two years in fine art where I painted, drew, sculpted, and then finally the last two years were spent mostly on the computer where I focused on 3D Modeling.  I graduated in the Fall of 2004 - the first in my family in fact so it was a very proud day.  After graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles with my girlfriend (soon to be wife) where we set out to begin our lives away from family and discover our careers.  I quickly landed my first job at an Animation Studio here in LA, called Sprite Animation.  Sprite is a Japanese animation studio and I was the first American artist that they hired.  It was a tremendous learning experience and to this day I tribute them as some of the most skilled, talented and humble artist that I have ever worked with.  It was such a great place for me to begin my career because they pushed me to learn more and become a full fledged character artist.  I not only modeled, but I also textured and rigged my characters and from time to time I even animated them.  

Blacksmith shop, modeling by Charles Ellison

When it was time to leave Sprite to spread my wings, I spent a little time in the live-action VFX world and then I was at a cross roads.  I had a tough choice to make as I had a very good problem in front of me.  I had an offer from Digital Domain to be a Character TD on Benjamin Buttons or join DreamWorks as a Modeler.  It was two very different roads I could take, but my heart told me that DreamWorks was the right path.  So I chose DreamWorks.  Fast forward 10 years from that point, and I am now one of the Department Heads and have worked on amazing projects - I have no doubt in my mind that I made the best decision for myself.  

Fashionistas, modeling by Charles Ellison

That's an inspiring story!  How involved are you in the hiring process of new talent for DreamWorks? When we are in search of growing our Modeling team, I am very much a part of the process.  The way it works is myself, along with the other Department Heads, will review candidates which our fantastic Recruiting Department will filter through and offer up the best candidates that they discover either via visits to different schools, or submissions which we receive from applicants all over the world - typically comprised of students and experienced artists.  And sometimes, one of us may already have a candidate in mind whom we can propose to the group for consideration.  This is an occurrence that happens quite often if one of us knows of a great artist that is available.  I often have candid conversations with students where I explain what a unique perspective I have from my vantage point.  What I mean is, I get to be a part of the students as they are just paving the way for their growth as artist, and one day, they could find themselves interviewing with me as well.  It is a very special vantage point if you ask me, one which I don't take for granted.  I'm always on the look out for good talent, so even if students don't realize it, they could be already being noticed even if from a single class - so always put forth your best effort ;).  And when I am actively supervising a modeling team for a show, I do get to ask for specific members of the team so long as they are available and not already casted to another production.  We do our best to cast everybody to their strengths and formulate nicely balanced teams for each show. Besides the required technical skills, what do you think are main qualities a 3D artist should have to increase the chances to get hired by a large company? And do you have any tips on how to develop those skills? Besides the clear necessities as demonstrating clear technical skills as software knowledge and being able to craft nice geometry and understanding good topology practices, I can't emphasize enough the need to demonstrate a strong artistic eye.  Perhaps the best thing anyone can do on their demo reel, is provide the artwork that you started from so that I can gauge how you see shapes and how you can interpret a design.  It's an opportunity for me to see how you understand the fundamentals.  Often, I see demo reels which don't include the artwork they modeled from.  And of course be sure that when including the artwork you credit the original artist.  Another good tip is have a good variety of models - don't just be character heavy without demonstrating you can take on an environment or a nice, intricate prop.  Characters are great and doing them well is even better, but show range.  As far as developing those skills, I always suggest to be as active as you can in practicing your craft.  Don't just rely on the assignments you receive in class.  Manage your time so that you reserve as much of it as you can to go through the paces of challenging yourself and finding barriers that you can break past.  But be sure to maintain a balance with studies, work and all other things in life so that you don't burn out. 

Orange quarter, modeling by Charles Ellison

And one last bit of advice which is one of those intangible things, when you land the interview, be yourself, and show us that you are the kind of person that we want to work with.  After all, I spend more time with my colleagues at work then I do with my family sadly, so I want candidates that are genuine people.  I would rather work with the person who has talent that can be nurtured - albeit needs growth but is a nice person, versus someone whom has a super impressive portfolio but during an interview doesn't show the best attitude. Know what I mean? Absolutely!  "Don't be afraid to show your work. Failure is always part of the road to success."  What do you think about these statements and how does that apply to your own job in a professional environment?  I mean, are you allowed to improve by failure or do you have to get it right every first time? As artist, we are always subject to opinion, and this is no different in a professional or an educational environment.  The difference is I would switch the word failure with that of process.  The process to striking the vision of many different people can be a very organic and sometimes tedious process, but process non the same.  Sometimes we nail it and please everyone upon first showing, sometimes it requires many iterations, but it's never a failure so long as we end up with a great final product, within the time-frame we are given.  In a school environment, it's very similar in that you have a goal, a deadline and a client - your instructor.  I always stress the need for students to never be shy to show their work, as the goal in sharing is to find ways to improve by way of constructive feedback - very much the same way it would be in production.

Dragon Lair, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you name a few people that have inspired you, in life and as a 3D professional? Naturally I have garnered inspiration from the people whom raised me, non more so than my Grandmother.  The work ethic she modeled for me was just remarkable.  My wife is a huge reason I am even where I am today, but my children are my strongest inspiration.  Trust me when I say nothing inspires you to be your best than your children.  As for artists?  My goodness, where do I begin?  There is just so much amazing talent out there, both known and unknown.  The unknown's are just as amazing it's just they haven't made an effort to have an online presence.  My very first supervisor, Tetsuya Ishii, is such an amazing artists and is equally skilled artistically and technically.  Plus I have a soft spot that I learned so much from him.  Some other artist whom have had direct influence on me are Danny Williams (aka Point Pusher) for the years we worked together and for the knowledge he was so willing to share and who is also a good friend.  Another good friend and former colleague whom has inspired me is Shannon Thomas, whom is now over at Blizzard as a Character Supervisor.  

Bob Ross

But there is so many others over the course of my career whom I've had the pleasure to either work with directly, converse with, or just admire from a far.  I know I will miss some names, but here is a short list:  Nico Marlet, Tim Lamb, Pierre Olivier Vincent, Alena Tottle, Mike Defeo, Kendal Chronkite, Raymond Zibach, Simon Otto, Mel Milton, Kent Melton,  Glen Keane, Matt Thorup, Dylan Ekren, Bear Williams, Brian Jefcoat and of course Bob Ross - no really, watched him religiously as a kid. "Happy little trees." Are there any public tours at DreamWorks ? There are no public tours, but it is possible to have a tour through someone on the inside.  I have personally had many guests come to visit the campus, including many Animschool students.  I extend this invitation to every class I teach.  You just have to give me a heads up when you are going to be around LA and I'm happy to set it up - so long as I'm available to do so of course.

Little Dragon composite, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you give any tips to the students for their demo reel when they want to apply for a job at DreamWorks or another large studio?  Besides the information I gave earlier in the interview, I would say, know your client.  If you are applying to DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, demonstrate models that fit the style of work that they do.  Similarly I would say the same for a game company or VFX studio.  And the last thing I would suggest, always place your best model first - wow us with that first look.  Keep your reel short.  It doesn't need to be bloated.  I would rather see 3 great models over the course of a 2 minute reel, versus a 5 minute reel of stuff you threw in there thinking it needed to be there because you were worried you didn't have enough.  Quality over quantity always.  And remember, always show the art your started from.  And lastly, these days, it's not just about a demo reel, have on online platform such as a personal website, ArtStation, or something similar which showcases your many different works.  This can be a place where potential employers can see works that are maybe unfinished, but still offer insight to your process as an artist. Those are great tips, thank you!  Why did you become an Animschool teacher ?

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

When I first made the choice to begin teaching, much of my decision was based on the idea of maximizing the time that I have to provide for my family and I wanted to do so in a manner that felt rewarding beyond just compensation. Teaching was a natural fit that I could balance nicely with my full-time roll at DreamWorks and also was an opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Originally, I did not know if teaching was going to be a short or long term commitment or even if I would be any good at it.  I also did not foresee how invested I would get in the students.  I didn't foresee the relationships that I would build and how rewarding it would feel to see my students improving before my eyes.  It is such a great feeling to see your students applying what they are learning, improving upon their skills and most importantly, having fun during the process.  I make it a point to make sure the students know from day one that they are in an environment that will be fun, organic and nurturing.  I really do try to give them all I have to offer and be someone who will offer them as much insight as I can into the industry as well.  And why Animschool?   I have had many former colleagues of mine whom had ventured into the world of teaching speak very highly of Animschool and a good friend had introduced me to Dave Gallagher to speak about the prospect of teaching.  Fast forward to now, and I am very happy to be a part of the Animschool community and proud of the students that I have had the pleasure to teach.  What I feel makes Animschool a unique and special place to learn this wonderful craft, is the global aspect of it's students (nothing excites me more than to see a roster of students from all corners of the globe) and how diverse the they are.  I find Animschool students to be some of the most dedicated and focused I've come across.  And lastly, I find the talent that the school brings in to instruct their classes to be world class and whom really want to provide the best instruction they can.  Put all that together and it truly is an amazing community to be a part of.

Thank you Charles !

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[so-awkwardd]

Interview with Charles Ellison

Hi Charles, it's great to have you here for this interview. Thank you!  Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? First off, I just wanted to say thank you to you for conducting this interview and to Animschool for hosting.  I hope the readers find some words of wisdom somewhere in here.  

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

My name is Charles, although family and friends call me Charlie.  I am a proud father of two little girls, whom I am raising with my wonderful wife in which I've been with for just about 20 years now - 9 married.  I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to this country at a young age, finally establishing roots in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I am one of the Heads of Modeling for DreamWorks Animation, as well as an Instructor here at Animschool for about the past 4 years or so, and I call Los Angeles home now.  I've been at DreamWorks for 10 years now and have loved every day of it. I've had the privilege to work on many wonderful animated movies, including the How to Train Your Dragon series, Kung Fu Panda series and have most recently supervised Trolls and am currently supervising Trolls 2, just to name a few.  

Snoutlot, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you tell us about your background and how you became Head of Modeling at DreamWorks?

I'll try to keep a long story short, but like many of you, the start of my journey began with a love of stories.  I recall being profoundly affected by movies as a child.  Growing up in a household as an only child, movies often served as a sibling in an odd sort of way.  I helped Elliot get E.T. back home, went on treasure hunts with the Goonies, and helped the rebellion fight the Empire in Star Wars.   Imagination is a wonderful thing when you are a child, but I have never let that magic wither away.  It's part of what propelled me into this wonderful career

Berk Docks, modeling by Charles Ellison

The path wasn't always clear and it wasn't found quickly either. I didn't discover this path in fact until I was 24 and living just across the Bay from San Francisco, where my future awaited.  I recall waking up one morning, turning on the TV, and watching a commercial for the Academy of Art University.  People used to always tell me that I was creative and could draw and I should do something with that, so I literally got dressed, hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I took a tour of the school.  After being dazzled by the campus buildings which are nested throughout the city and the tour guide giving their best sales pitch, I was pretty wow'd by what I was seeing.  Yet it wasn't until walking through the Computer Animation department (which they save for last), that I was completely in awe.  I remember walking through the computer labs with the tour saying to myself,  "Wow.  Look at them.  They are doing it.  They are really doing it.".  I was referring to the students hard at work of course, working on these massive computers that I've never seen before, but you have to understand, after I saw Jurassic Park in '93 I was pretty much convinced that the people that made these movies were geniuses - an unattainable goal.  

Bunnymund, modeling by Charles Ellison

So upon the conclusion of the tour, I found myself taking a huge leap of faith and signing my name on the dotted line of an enrollment contract.  I had no idea how I was going to pay for it all, but I was going to make it happen.  Behind the support of my family, my girlfriend (and future wife) and her family, but most importantly a belief in myself, I took that huge leap of faith.  I was intimidated, unsure and anxious, but along the way I discovered that I not only had talent and raw skill, but that I was in a prime environment to nurture this talent and develop it.  I took full advantage of the resources the school offered.  I was the first one in class, the last one out.  I surrounded myself with peers whom inspired me and therefor elevated myself.  I spent two years in fine art where I painted, drew, sculpted, and then finally the last two years were spent mostly on the computer where I focused on 3D Modeling.  I graduated in the Fall of 2004 - the first in my family in fact so it was a very proud day.  After graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles with my girlfriend (soon to be wife) where we set out to begin our lives away from family and discover our careers.  I quickly landed my first job at an Animation Studio here in LA, called Sprite Animation.  Sprite is a Japanese animation studio and I was the first American artist that they hired.  It was a tremendous learning experience and to this day I tribute them as some of the most skilled, talented and humble artist that I have ever worked with.  It was such a great place for me to begin my career because they pushed me to learn more and become a full fledged character artist.  I not only modeled, but I also textured and rigged my characters and from time to time I even animated them.  

Blacksmith shop, modeling by Charles Ellison

When it was time to leave Sprite to spread my wings, I spent a little time in the live-action VFX world and then I was at a cross roads.  I had a tough choice to make as I had a very good problem in front of me.  I had an offer from Digital Domain to be a Character TD on Benjamin Buttons or join DreamWorks as a Modeler.  It was two very different roads I could take, but my heart told me that DreamWorks was the right path.  So I chose DreamWorks.  Fast forward 10 years from that point, and I am now one of the Department Heads and have worked on amazing projects - I have no doubt in my mind that I made the best decision for myself.  

Fashionistas, modeling by Charles Ellison

That's an inspiring story!  How involved are you in the hiring process of new talent for DreamWorks? When we are in search of growing our Modeling team, I am very much a part of the process.  The way it works is myself, along with the other Department Heads, will review candidates which our fantastic Recruiting Department will filter through and offer up the best candidates that they discover either via visits to different schools, or submissions which we receive from applicants all over the world - typically comprised of students and experienced artists.  And sometimes, one of us may already have a candidate in mind whom we can propose to the group for consideration.  This is an occurrence that happens quite often if one of us knows of a great artist that is available.  I often have candid conversations with students where I explain what a unique perspective I have from my vantage point.  What I mean is, I get to be a part of the students as they are just paving the way for their growth as artist, and one day, they could find themselves interviewing with me as well.  It is a very special vantage point if you ask me, one which I don't take for granted.  I'm always on the look out for good talent, so even if students don't realize it, they could be already being noticed even if from a single class - so always put forth your best effort ;).  And when I am actively supervising a modeling team for a show, I do get to ask for specific members of the team so long as they are available and not already casted to another production.  We do our best to cast everybody to their strengths and formulate nicely balanced teams for each show. Besides the required technical skills, what do you think are main qualities a 3D artist should have to increase the chances to get hired by a large company? And do you have any tips on how to develop those skills? Besides the clear necessities as demonstrating clear technical skills as software knowledge and being able to craft nice geometry and understanding good topology practices, I can't emphasize enough the need to demonstrate a strong artistic eye.  Perhaps the best thing anyone can do on their demo reel, is provide the artwork that you started from so that I can gauge how you see shapes and how you can interpret a design.  It's an opportunity for me to see how you understand the fundamentals.  Often, I see demo reels which don't include the artwork they modeled from.  And of course be sure that when including the artwork you credit the original artist.  Another good tip is have a good variety of models - don't just be character heavy without demonstrating you can take on an environment or a nice, intricate prop.  Characters are great and doing them well is even better, but show range.  As far as developing those skills, I always suggest to be as active as you can in practicing your craft.  Don't just rely on the assignments you receive in class.  Manage your time so that you reserve as much of it as you can to go through the paces of challenging yourself and finding barriers that you can break past.  But be sure to maintain a balance with studies, work and all other things in life so that you don't burn out. 

Orange quarter, modeling by Charles Ellison

And one last bit of advice which is one of those intangible things, when you land the interview, be yourself, and show us that you are the kind of person that we want to work with.  After all, I spend more time with my colleagues at work then I do with my family sadly, so I want candidates that are genuine people.  I would rather work with the person who has talent that can be nurtured - albeit needs growth but is a nice person, versus someone whom has a super impressive portfolio but during an interview doesn't show the best attitude. Know what I mean? Absolutely!  "Don't be afraid to show your work. Failure is always part of the road to success."  What do you think about these statements and how does that apply to your own job in a professional environment?  I mean, are you allowed to improve by failure or do you have to get it right every first time? As artist, we are always subject to opinion, and this is no different in a professional or an educational environment.  The difference is I would switch the word failure with that of process.  The process to striking the vision of many different people can be a very organic and sometimes tedious process, but process non the same.  Sometimes we nail it and please everyone upon first showing, sometimes it requires many iterations, but it's never a failure so long as we end up with a great final product, within the time-frame we are given.  In a school environment, it's very similar in that you have a goal, a deadline and a client - your instructor.  I always stress the need for students to never be shy to show their work, as the goal in sharing is to find ways to improve by way of constructive feedback - very much the same way it would be in production.

Dragon Lair, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you name a few people that have inspired you, in life and as a 3D professional? Naturally I have garnered inspiration from the people whom raised me, non more so than my Grandmother.  The work ethic she modeled for me was just remarkable.  My wife is a huge reason I am even where I am today, but my children are my strongest inspiration.  Trust me when I say nothing inspires you to be your best than your children.  As for artists?  My goodness, where do I begin?  There is just so much amazing talent out there, both known and unknown.  The unknown's are just as amazing it's just they haven't made an effort to have an online presence.  My very first supervisor, Tetsuya Ishii, is such an amazing artists and is equally skilled artistically and technically.  Plus I have a soft spot that I learned so much from him.  Some other artist whom have had direct influence on me are Danny Williams (aka Point Pusher) for the years we worked together and for the knowledge he was so willing to share and who is also a good friend.  Another good friend and former colleague whom has inspired me is Shannon Thomas, whom is now over at Blizzard as a Character Supervisor.  

Bob Ross

But there is so many others over the course of my career whom I've had the pleasure to either work with directly, converse with, or just admire from a far.  I know I will miss some names, but here is a short list:  Nico Marlet, Tim Lamb, Pierre Olivier Vincent, Alena Tottle, Mike Defeo, Kendal Chronkite, Raymond Zibach, Simon Otto, Mel Milton, Kent Melton,  Glen Keane, Matt Thorup, Dylan Ekren, Bear Williams, Brian Jefcoat and of course Bob Ross - no really, watched him religiously as a kid. "Happy little trees." Are there any public tours at DreamWorks ? There are no public tours, but it is possible to have a tour through someone on the inside.  I have personally had many guests come to visit the campus, including many Animschool students.  I extend this invitation to every class I teach.  You just have to give me a heads up when you are going to be around LA and I'm happy to set it up - so long as I'm available to do so of course.

Little Dragon composite, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you give any tips to the students for their demo reel when they want to apply for a job at DreamWorks or another large studio?  Besides the information I gave earlier in the interview, I would say, know your client.  If you are applying to DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, demonstrate models that fit the style of work that they do.  Similarly I would say the same for a game company or VFX studio.  And the last thing I would suggest, always place your best model first - wow us with that first look.  Keep your reel short.  It doesn't need to be bloated.  I would rather see 3 great models over the course of a 2 minute reel, versus a 5 minute reel of stuff you threw in there thinking it needed to be there because you were worried you didn't have enough.  Quality over quantity always.  And remember, always show the art your started from.  And lastly, these days, it's not just about a demo reel, have on online platform such as a personal website, ArtStation, or something similar which showcases your many different works.  This can be a place where potential employers can see works that are maybe unfinished, but still offer insight to your process as an artist. Those are great tips, thank you!  Why did you become an Animschool teacher ?

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

When I first made the choice to begin teaching, much of my decision was based on the idea of maximizing the time that I have to provide for my family and I wanted to do so in a manner that felt rewarding beyond just compensation. Teaching was a natural fit that I could balance nicely with my full-time roll at DreamWorks and also was an opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Originally, I did not know if teaching was going to be a short or long term commitment or even if I would be any good at it.  I also did not foresee how invested I would get in the students.  I didn't foresee the relationships that I would build and how rewarding it would feel to see my students improving before my eyes.  It is such a great feeling to see your students applying what they are learning, improving upon their skills and most importantly, having fun during the process.  I make it a point to make sure the students know from day one that they are in an environment that will be fun, organic and nurturing.  I really do try to give them all I have to offer and be someone who will offer them as much insight as I can into the industry as well.  And why Animschool?   I have had many former colleagues of mine whom had ventured into the world of teaching speak very highly of Animschool and a good friend had introduced me to Dave Gallagher to speak about the prospect of teaching.  Fast forward to now, and I am very happy to be a part of the Animschool community and proud of the students that I have had the pleasure to teach.  What I feel makes Animschool a unique and special place to learn this wonderful craft, is the global aspect of it's students (nothing excites me more than to see a roster of students from all corners of the globe) and how diverse the they are.  I find Animschool students to be some of the most dedicated and focused I've come across.  And lastly, I find the talent that the school brings in to instruct their classes to be world class and whom really want to provide the best instruction they can.  Put all that together and it truly is an amazing community to be a part of.

Thank you Charles !

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[tortuga-aak]

How the screenwriter of 'American Sniper' convinced Steven Spielberg he was ready to direct

Alberto Rodriguez/Getty

Jason Hall, director of the upcoming movie "Thank You for Your Service," first got into the business as an actor in the late 1990s.

After a stint in rehab and his own personal "welcome to Hollywood" moment, he turned to screenwriting.

Hall convinced Steven Spielberg to give him a chance at directing after earning an Oscar nomination for writing "American Sniper."

  The way things were playing out for Jason Hall at the start of his career, the combination of hard luck and personal demons could have led to him being just another rising star who faded out too quickly.

Coming out to Hollywood as an actor in the 1990s after studying film at USC, Hall had the tools to make it. He had chiseled looks and studied acting with some of the best teachers after going through a two-year Meisner acting course. That quickly landed him work on a few TV shows, including a recurring role as Devon MacLeish on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

He had also caught the eye of James Toback. The Oscar-nominated screenwriter behind “Bugsy” and director of movies like “Fingers” and “The Pick-up Artist” was trying to get “Harvard Man” off the ground, a movie about a Harvard basketball player who throws a game for the mob and then tries to fend off both them and the FBI while on a bad LSD trip.

The time James Toback was going to make him a movie star

A female friend of Hall’s had met Toback at an airport and the director wanted to audition her for the movie, Hall recalled. He said his friend thought Toback was “a little bit strange” but she took the script and, after realizing she wasn’t right for the movie, passed on it, instead telling Toback to consider Hall for the male lead. (Toback has recently been accused by over 30 women of sexual harassment.)

“I had been to prep school and I had done some of the experimentation that the character in the movie had and he was like, ‘You're the guy! I've sat down with everybody in Hollywood and you’re the guy,’” Hall told Business Insider over the phone earlier this month (before the Toback sexual harassment story broke). 

But nothing in Hollywood goes according to plan, and “Harvard Man” was Hall’s first lesson in that.

As Toback tried to get financing, Hall said the two would often work together on scenes from the script but also do a lot of things that had nothing to do with the movie. One time, Hall picked up Toback from a Los Angeles airport and drove him to a Beverly Hills bank, where Toback withdrew cash so he could then race off to Las Vegas to gamble.

“It was a strange relationship,” Hall said, looking back.

But what came out of it was the first important decision of Hall’s career: He went to rehab for substance abuse and got himself clean. When he got out, Toback was ready to make “Harvard Man,” but not with Hall.

“I came back and he said, ‘You changed!’” Hall recalled. “And I’m like, ‘I stopped doing all that nonsense so I can do the work,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, but now you’re not the guy. I don’t see it anymore.’” (Business Insider contacted Toback for comment but did not get a response.) “Entourage” star Adrian Grenier eventually landed the lead role in the movie, which was released in 2001.

That led to the second most important decision of Hall’s career: writing his first screenplay.

From struggling actor to Oscar-nominated screenwriter

“I was like, am I going to be James Toback’s guy on acid or am I going to live a clean life and try to pursue a career in the arts and not die by the time I’m 35,” Hall said. “So I started writing scripts for myself.”

He thought the plan was foolproof. Feeling he could come up with better material than the scripts he was auditioning for, he decided to write himself into his own scripts and make the deals for them contingent on him acting in them (a la what Sylvester Stallone did with “Rocky” or Matt Damon and Ben Affleck with “Good Will Hunting”).

But it didn’t go according to plan. Hall found interest for the scripts but no one wanted him to act in them. He finally relinquished his dreams of being a movie star and decided to move forward as a screenwriter. The first script he sold was the 2009 movie “Spread,” starring Ashton Kutcher. He also got a writing credit on the 2013 Liam Hemsworth thriller, “Paranoia.”

Then he hit pay dirt around 2011 when he got his hands on the yet unpublished memoir of the deadliest marksman in US military history, Chris Kyle. Hall spent time with Kyle and his friends, earned their trust, wrote the screenplay, and got Bradley Cooper involved, but nothing happened until two months after Kyle’s murder at the hands of a former Marine suffering from PTSD in February 2013. Steven Spielberg read the script for “American Sniper” and bought it for his company, DreamWorks, with an eye to direct it.

Keith Bernstein/Warner Bros.Clint Eastwood would end up directing, and with Cooper starring as Kyle, “American Sniper” went go on to become one of the surprise hits of 2014, earning over $350 million domestically of its $547.4 million worldwide total (the movie was made for $58.8 million) and getting six Oscar nominations, including one for Hall. The film would end up winning an Oscar for best sound editing.

But that wasn’t the last gift Spielberg gave Hall. While writing drafts of the “American Sniper” script for Spielberg, the legendary director said he had something else he thought Hall would be good to work on.

“I think we were working for two months on ‘American Sniper’ and he came in and dropped a book on the table,” Hall said. “He said he wanted to do more for the veterans.”

Convincing Spielberg he can direct — and almost getting kicked off a plane in the process

The book was “Thank You for Your Service,” written by journalist David Finkel, and it examined the recent string of soldiers coming home and struggling to adjust to civilian life.

“Spielberg and I both loved that aspect of the story, what the coming home was like,” Hall said. “And Spielberg posed the question after reading the book, ‘You don't think this and ‘American Sniper’ are too similar?’ I said there are similar aspects but only in as much as one is the story of Achilles and other is the story of Odysseus. ‘Thank You for Your Service’ can be the homecoming.”

Like “American Sniper,” Hall could tell that, with Spielberg’s work load, he probably wouldn’t get around to directing “Thank You for Your Service,” so while writing the script he threw his hat in the ring.

Following a pitch call — which Hall said occurred while he was in the middle of boarding an airplane and the flight attendants were close to kicking him off because he wouldn’t hang up the phone — Hall scored a formal meeting with Spielberg to interview for the directing job. His persistence paid off, and he got the gig in June of 2015.

“Thank You for Your Service” follows a group of soldiers (among them Miles Teller) returning from Iraq who struggle to integrate back into civilian life with their families. Dealing with both physical and mental wounds, the men's search for normalcy often brings them back to each other to find strength to continue on.

“I felt like this was a way to bring all these guys all the way home,” Hall said of the cloak of PTSD that hangs over the movie. It's a struggle he said he’d seen with countless veterans, including Kyle, whom he felt had turned a corner when they spoke over the phone for what turned out to be the final time two days before his murder.

“I felt the guy was making it home,” Hall said of Kyle. “I heard him laugh and be at ease in a way that I hadn’t before.”

DreamWorks“There’s a whole other battle to fight once a solider comes to the decision to seek help,” Hall continued. “I definitely relate to that, realizing I needed help and being in a place of struggling but knowing I needed help.”

But Hall says he knows his struggle with substance abuse pales in comparison to what most veterans deal with, simply because of the overworked and chaotic US Department of Veterans Affairs they have to deal with to get help. The frustrations veterans have with the VA is something that Hall prominently puts in his movie after numerous visits he took to the VA in Los Angeles before shooting.

“It’s a circus down there,” he said. “They are out there all day to get help and the place sometimes just cut it off and say, ‘We’re done, come back tomorrow.’ It’s hard enough for these guys to admit some kind of vulnerability, so when they are able to take that courageous step to ask for help the help should be there for them.”

Hall has found his niche in Hollywood by telling stories about American heroes coping with life beyond the battlefield. And if it’s up to him, his most epic look at the topic will come next.

He’s got a script in the drawer titled “The Virginian” he’s trying to get into production about a conflicted young George Washington who tries to conquer a French fort. Getting the project off the ground won’t come easy, but if it’s one thing Hall knows, it never is.

“Thank You for Your Service” opens in theaters on Friday.

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NOW WATCH: The full 'Black Panther' trailer is here — and it's amazing

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[keepingquietishard]

Interview with Charles Ellison

Hi Charles, it's great to have you here for this interview. Thank you!  Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? First off, I just wanted to say thank you to you for conducting this interview and to Animschool for hosting.  I hope the readers find some words of wisdom somewhere in here.  

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

My name is Charles, although family and friends call me Charlie.  I am a proud father of two little girls, whom I am raising with my wonderful wife in which I've been with for just about 20 years now - 9 married.  I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to this country at a young age, finally establishing roots in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I am one of the Heads of Modeling for DreamWorks Animation, as well as an Instructor here at Animschool for about the past 4 years or so, and I call Los Angeles home now.  I've been at DreamWorks for 10 years now and have loved every day of it. I've had the privilege to work on many wonderful animated movies, including the How to Train Your Dragon series, Kung Fu Panda series and have most recently supervised Trolls and am currently supervising Trolls 2, just to name a few.  

Snoutlot, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you tell us about your background and how you became Head of Modeling at DreamWorks?

I'll try to keep a long story short, but like many of you, the start of my journey began with a love of stories.  I recall being profoundly affected by movies as a child.  Growing up in a household as an only child, movies often served as a sibling in an odd sort of way.  I helped Elliot get E.T. back home, went on treasure hunts with the Goonies, and helped the rebellion fight the Empire in Star Wars.   Imagination is a wonderful thing when you are a child, but I have never let that magic wither away.  It's part of what propelled me into this wonderful career

Berk Docks, modeling by Charles Ellison

The path wasn't always clear and it wasn't found quickly either. I didn't discover this path in fact until I was 24 and living just across the Bay from San Francisco, where my future awaited.  I recall waking up one morning, turning on the TV, and watching a commercial for the Academy of Art University.  People used to always tell me that I was creative and could draw and I should do something with that, so I literally got dressed, hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I took a tour of the school.  After being dazzled by the campus buildings which are nested throughout the city and the tour guide giving their best sales pitch, I was pretty wow'd by what I was seeing.  Yet it wasn't until walking through the Computer Animation department (which they save for last), that I was completely in awe.  I remember walking through the computer labs with the tour saying to myself,  "Wow.  Look at them.  They are doing it.  They are really doing it.".  I was referring to the students hard at work of course, working on these massive computers that I've never seen before, but you have to understand, after I saw Jurassic Park in '93 I was pretty much convinced that the people that made these movies were geniuses - an unattainable goal.  

Bunnymund, modeling by Charles Ellison

So upon the conclusion of the tour, I found myself taking a huge leap of faith and signing my name on the dotted line of an enrollment contract.  I had no idea how I was going to pay for it all, but I was going to make it happen.  Behind the support of my family, my girlfriend (and future wife) and her family, but most importantly a belief in myself, I took that huge leap of faith.  I was intimidated, unsure and anxious, but along the way I discovered that I not only had talent and raw skill, but that I was in a prime environment to nurture this talent and develop it.  I took full advantage of the resources the school offered.  I was the first one in class, the last one out.  I surrounded myself with peers whom inspired me and therefor elevated myself.  I spent two years in fine art where I painted, drew, sculpted, and then finally the last two years were spent mostly on the computer where I focused on 3D Modeling.  I graduated in the Fall of 2004 - the first in my family in fact so it was a very proud day.  After graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles with my girlfriend (soon to be wife) where we set out to begin our lives away from family and discover our careers.  I quickly landed my first job at an Animation Studio here in LA, called Sprite Animation.  Sprite is a Japanese animation studio and I was the first American artist that they hired.  It was a tremendous learning experience and to this day I tribute them as some of the most skilled, talented and humble artist that I have ever worked with.  It was such a great place for me to begin my career because they pushed me to learn more and become a full fledged character artist.  I not only modeled, but I also textured and rigged my characters and from time to time I even animated them.  

Blacksmith shop, modeling by Charles Ellison

When it was time to leave Sprite to spread my wings, I spent a little time in the live-action VFX world and then I was at a cross roads.  I had a tough choice to make as I had a very good problem in front of me.  I had an offer from Digital Domain to be a Character TD on Benjamin Buttons or join DreamWorks as a Modeler.  It was two very different roads I could take, but my heart told me that DreamWorks was the right path.  So I chose DreamWorks.  Fast forward 10 years from that point, and I am now one of the Department Heads and have worked on amazing projects - I have no doubt in my mind that I made the best decision for myself.  

Fashionistas, modeling by Charles Ellison

That's an inspiring story!  How involved are you in the hiring process of new talent for DreamWorks? When we are in search of growing our Modeling team, I am very much a part of the process.  The way it works is myself, along with the other Department Heads, will review candidates which our fantastic Recruiting Department will filter through and offer up the best candidates that they discover either via visits to different schools, or submissions which we receive from applicants all over the world - typically comprised of students and experienced artists.  And sometimes, one of us may already have a candidate in mind whom we can propose to the group for consideration.  This is an occurrence that happens quite often if one of us knows of a great artist that is available.  I often have candid conversations with students where I explain what a unique perspective I have from my vantage point.  What I mean is, I get to be a part of the students as they are just paving the way for their growth as artist, and one day, they could find themselves interviewing with me as well.  It is a very special vantage point if you ask me, one which I don't take for granted.  I'm always on the look out for good talent, so even if students don't realize it, they could be already being noticed even if from a single class - so always put forth your best effort ;).  And when I am actively supervising a modeling team for a show, I do get to ask for specific members of the team so long as they are available and not already casted to another production.  We do our best to cast everybody to their strengths and formulate nicely balanced teams for each show. Besides the required technical skills, what do you think are main qualities a 3D artist should have to increase the chances to get hired by a large company? And do you have any tips on how to develop those skills? Besides the clear necessities as demonstrating clear technical skills as software knowledge and being able to craft nice geometry and understanding good topology practices, I can't emphasize enough the need to demonstrate a strong artistic eye.  Perhaps the best thing anyone can do on their demo reel, is provide the artwork that you started from so that I can gauge how you see shapes and how you can interpret a design.  It's an opportunity for me to see how you understand the fundamentals.  Often, I see demo reels which don't include the artwork they modeled from.  And of course be sure that when including the artwork you credit the original artist.  Another good tip is have a good variety of models - don't just be character heavy without demonstrating you can take on an environment or a nice, intricate prop.  Characters are great and doing them well is even better, but show range.  As far as developing those skills, I always suggest to be as active as you can in practicing your craft.  Don't just rely on the assignments you receive in class.  Manage your time so that you reserve as much of it as you can to go through the paces of challenging yourself and finding barriers that you can break past.  But be sure to maintain a balance with studies, work and all other things in life so that you don't burn out. 

Orange quarter, modeling by Charles Ellison

And one last bit of advice which is one of those intangible things, when you land the interview, be yourself, and show us that you are the kind of person that we want to work with.  After all, I spend more time with my colleagues at work then I do with my family sadly, so I want candidates that are genuine people.  I would rather work with the person who has talent that can be nurtured - albeit needs growth but is a nice person, versus someone whom has a super impressive portfolio but during an interview doesn't show the best attitude. Know what I mean? Absolutely!  "Don't be afraid to show your work. Failure is always part of the road to success."  What do you think about these statements and how does that apply to your own job in a professional environment?  I mean, are you allowed to improve by failure or do you have to get it right every first time? As artist, we are always subject to opinion, and this is no different in a professional or an educational environment.  The difference is I would switch the word failure with that of process.  The process to striking the vision of many different people can be a very organic and sometimes tedious process, but process non the same.  Sometimes we nail it and please everyone upon first showing, sometimes it requires many iterations, but it's never a failure so long as we end up with a great final product, within the time-frame we are given.  In a school environment, it's very similar in that you have a goal, a deadline and a client - your instructor.  I always stress the need for students to never be shy to show their work, as the goal in sharing is to find ways to improve by way of constructive feedback - very much the same way it would be in production.

Dragon Lair, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you name a few people that have inspired you, in life and as a 3D professional? Naturally I have garnered inspiration from the people whom raised me, non more so than my Grandmother.  The work ethic she modeled for me was just remarkable.  My wife is a huge reason I am even where I am today, but my children are my strongest inspiration.  Trust me when I say nothing inspires you to be your best than your children.  As for artists?  My goodness, where do I begin?  There is just so much amazing talent out there, both known and unknown.  The unknown's are just as amazing it's just they haven't made an effort to have an online presence.  My very first supervisor, Tetsuya Ishii, is such an amazing artists and is equally skilled artistically and technically.  Plus I have a soft spot that I learned so much from him.  Some other artist whom have had direct influence on me are Danny Williams (aka Point Pusher) for the years we worked together and for the knowledge he was so willing to share and who is also a good friend.  Another good friend and former colleague whom has inspired me is Shannon Thomas, whom is now over at Blizzard as a Character Supervisor.  

Bob Ross

But there is so many others over the course of my career whom I've had the pleasure to either work with directly, converse with, or just admire from a far.  I know I will miss some names, but here is a short list:  Nico Marlet, Tim Lamb, Pierre Olivier Vincent, Alena Tottle, Mike Defeo, Kendal Chronkite, Raymond Zibach, Simon Otto, Mel Milton, Kent Melton,  Glen Keane, Matt Thorup, Dylan Ekren, Bear Williams, Brian Jefcoat and of course Bob Ross - no really, watched him religiously as a kid. "Happy little trees." Are there any public tours at DreamWorks ? There are no public tours, but it is possible to have a tour through someone on the inside.  I have personally had many guests come to visit the campus, including many Animschool students.  I extend this invitation to every class I teach.  You just have to give me a heads up when you are going to be around LA and I'm happy to set it up - so long as I'm available to do so of course.

Little Dragon composite, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you give any tips to the students for their demo reel when they want to apply for a job at DreamWorks or another large studio?  Besides the information I gave earlier in the interview, I would say, know your client.  If you are applying to DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, demonstrate models that fit the style of work that they do.  Similarly I would say the same for a game company or VFX studio.  And the last thing I would suggest, always place your best model first - wow us with that first look.  Keep your reel short.  It doesn't need to be bloated.  I would rather see 3 great models over the course of a 2 minute reel, versus a 5 minute reel of stuff you threw in there thinking it needed to be there because you were worried you didn't have enough.  Quality over quantity always.  And remember, always show the art your started from.  And lastly, these days, it's not just about a demo reel, have on online platform such as a personal website, ArtStation, or something similar which showcases your many different works.  This can be a place where potential employers can see works that are maybe unfinished, but still offer insight to your process as an artist. Those are great tips, thank you!  Why did you become an Animschool teacher ?

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

When I first made the choice to begin teaching, much of my decision was based on the idea of maximizing the time that I have to provide for my family and I wanted to do so in a manner that felt rewarding beyond just compensation. Teaching was a natural fit that I could balance nicely with my full-time roll at DreamWorks and also was an opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Originally, I did not know if teaching was going to be a short or long term commitment or even if I would be any good at it.  I also did not foresee how invested I would get in the students.  I didn't foresee the relationships that I would build and how rewarding it would feel to see my students improving before my eyes.  It is such a great feeling to see your students applying what they are learning, improving upon their skills and most importantly, having fun during the process.  I make it a point to make sure the students know from day one that they are in an environment that will be fun, organic and nurturing.  I really do try to give them all I have to offer and be someone who will offer them as much insight as I can into the industry as well.  And why Animschool?   I have had many former colleagues of mine whom had ventured into the world of teaching speak very highly of Animschool and a good friend had introduced me to Dave Gallagher to speak about the prospect of teaching.  Fast forward to now, and I am very happy to be a part of the Animschool community and proud of the students that I have had the pleasure to teach.  What I feel makes Animschool a unique and special place to learn this wonderful craft, is the global aspect of it's students (nothing excites me more than to see a roster of students from all corners of the globe) and how diverse the they are.  I find Animschool students to be some of the most dedicated and focused I've come across.  And lastly, I find the talent that the school brings in to instruct their classes to be world class and whom really want to provide the best instruction they can.  Put all that together and it truly is an amazing community to be a part of.

Thank you Charles !

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[just-ateenage-dirtbag]

Interview with Charles Ellison

Hi Charles, it's great to have you here for this interview. Thank you!  Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? First off, I just wanted to say thank you to you for conducting this interview and to Animschool for hosting.  I hope the readers find some words of wisdom somewhere in here.  

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

My name is Charles, although family and friends call me Charlie.  I am a proud father of two little girls, whom I am raising with my wonderful wife in which I've been with for just about 20 years now - 9 married.  I was born in Venezuela, and migrated to this country at a young age, finally establishing roots in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I am one of the Heads of Modeling for DreamWorks Animation, as well as an Instructor here at Animschool for about the past 4 years or so, and I call Los Angeles home now.  I've been at DreamWorks for 10 years now and have loved every day of it. I've had the privilege to work on many wonderful animated movies, including the How to Train Your Dragon series, Kung Fu Panda series and have most recently supervised Trolls and am currently supervising Trolls 2, just to name a few.  

Snoutlot, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you tell us about your background and how you became Head of Modeling at DreamWorks?

I'll try to keep a long story short, but like many of you, the start of my journey began with a love of stories.  I recall being profoundly affected by movies as a child.  Growing up in a household as an only child, movies often served as a sibling in an odd sort of way.  I helped Elliot get E.T. back home, went on treasure hunts with the Goonies, and helped the rebellion fight the Empire in Star Wars.   Imagination is a wonderful thing when you are a child, but I have never let that magic wither away.  It's part of what propelled me into this wonderful career

Berk Docks, modeling by Charles Ellison

The path wasn't always clear and it wasn't found quickly either. I didn't discover this path in fact until I was 24 and living just across the Bay from San Francisco, where my future awaited.  I recall waking up one morning, turning on the TV, and watching a commercial for the Academy of Art University.  People used to always tell me that I was creative and could draw and I should do something with that, so I literally got dressed, hopped on a bus and headed into the city where I took a tour of the school.  After being dazzled by the campus buildings which are nested throughout the city and the tour guide giving their best sales pitch, I was pretty wow'd by what I was seeing.  Yet it wasn't until walking through the Computer Animation department (which they save for last), that I was completely in awe.  I remember walking through the computer labs with the tour saying to myself,  "Wow.  Look at them.  They are doing it.  They are really doing it.".  I was referring to the students hard at work of course, working on these massive computers that I've never seen before, but you have to understand, after I saw Jurassic Park in '93 I was pretty much convinced that the people that made these movies were geniuses - an unattainable goal.  

Bunnymund, modeling by Charles Ellison

So upon the conclusion of the tour, I found myself taking a huge leap of faith and signing my name on the dotted line of an enrollment contract.  I had no idea how I was going to pay for it all, but I was going to make it happen.  Behind the support of my family, my girlfriend (and future wife) and her family, but most importantly a belief in myself, I took that huge leap of faith.  I was intimidated, unsure and anxious, but along the way I discovered that I not only had talent and raw skill, but that I was in a prime environment to nurture this talent and develop it.  I took full advantage of the resources the school offered.  I was the first one in class, the last one out.  I surrounded myself with peers whom inspired me and therefor elevated myself.  I spent two years in fine art where I painted, drew, sculpted, and then finally the last two years were spent mostly on the computer where I focused on 3D Modeling.  I graduated in the Fall of 2004 - the first in my family in fact so it was a very proud day.  After graduation, I relocated to Los Angeles with my girlfriend (soon to be wife) where we set out to begin our lives away from family and discover our careers.  I quickly landed my first job at an Animation Studio here in LA, called Sprite Animation.  Sprite is a Japanese animation studio and I was the first American artist that they hired.  It was a tremendous learning experience and to this day I tribute them as some of the most skilled, talented and humble artist that I have ever worked with.  It was such a great place for me to begin my career because they pushed me to learn more and become a full fledged character artist.  I not only modeled, but I also textured and rigged my characters and from time to time I even animated them.  

Blacksmith shop, modeling by Charles Ellison

When it was time to leave Sprite to spread my wings, I spent a little time in the live-action VFX world and then I was at a cross roads.  I had a tough choice to make as I had a very good problem in front of me.  I had an offer from Digital Domain to be a Character TD on Benjamin Buttons or join DreamWorks as a Modeler.  It was two very different roads I could take, but my heart told me that DreamWorks was the right path.  So I chose DreamWorks.  Fast forward 10 years from that point, and I am now one of the Department Heads and have worked on amazing projects - I have no doubt in my mind that I made the best decision for myself.  

Fashionistas, modeling by Charles Ellison

That's an inspiring story!  How involved are you in the hiring process of new talent for DreamWorks? When we are in search of growing our Modeling team, I am very much a part of the process.  The way it works is myself, along with the other Department Heads, will review candidates which our fantastic Recruiting Department will filter through and offer up the best candidates that they discover either via visits to different schools, or submissions which we receive from applicants all over the world - typically comprised of students and experienced artists.  And sometimes, one of us may already have a candidate in mind whom we can propose to the group for consideration.  This is an occurrence that happens quite often if one of us knows of a great artist that is available.  I often have candid conversations with students where I explain what a unique perspective I have from my vantage point.  What I mean is, I get to be a part of the students as they are just paving the way for their growth as artist, and one day, they could find themselves interviewing with me as well.  It is a very special vantage point if you ask me, one which I don't take for granted.  I'm always on the look out for good talent, so even if students don't realize it, they could be already being noticed even if from a single class - so always put forth your best effort ;).  And when I am actively supervising a modeling team for a show, I do get to ask for specific members of the team so long as they are available and not already casted to another production.  We do our best to cast everybody to their strengths and formulate nicely balanced teams for each show. Besides the required technical skills, what do you think are main qualities a 3D artist should have to increase the chances to get hired by a large company? And do you have any tips on how to develop those skills? Besides the clear necessities as demonstrating clear technical skills as software knowledge and being able to craft nice geometry and understanding good topology practices, I can't emphasize enough the need to demonstrate a strong artistic eye.  Perhaps the best thing anyone can do on their demo reel, is provide the artwork that you started from so that I can gauge how you see shapes and how you can interpret a design.  It's an opportunity for me to see how you understand the fundamentals.  Often, I see demo reels which don't include the artwork they modeled from.  And of course be sure that when including the artwork you credit the original artist.  Another good tip is have a good variety of models - don't just be character heavy without demonstrating you can take on an environment or a nice, intricate prop.  Characters are great and doing them well is even better, but show range.  As far as developing those skills, I always suggest to be as active as you can in practicing your craft.  Don't just rely on the assignments you receive in class.  Manage your time so that you reserve as much of it as you can to go through the paces of challenging yourself and finding barriers that you can break past.  But be sure to maintain a balance with studies, work and all other things in life so that you don't burn out. 

Orange quarter, modeling by Charles Ellison

And one last bit of advice which is one of those intangible things, when you land the interview, be yourself, and show us that you are the kind of person that we want to work with.  After all, I spend more time with my colleagues at work then I do with my family sadly, so I want candidates that are genuine people.  I would rather work with the person who has talent that can be nurtured - albeit needs growth but is a nice person, versus someone whom has a super impressive portfolio but during an interview doesn't show the best attitude. Know what I mean? Absolutely!  "Don't be afraid to show your work. Failure is always part of the road to success."  What do you think about these statements and how does that apply to your own job in a professional environment?  I mean, are you allowed to improve by failure or do you have to get it right every first time? As artist, we are always subject to opinion, and this is no different in a professional or an educational environment.  The difference is I would switch the word failure with that of process.  The process to striking the vision of many different people can be a very organic and sometimes tedious process, but process non the same.  Sometimes we nail it and please everyone upon first showing, sometimes it requires many iterations, but it's never a failure so long as we end up with a great final product, within the time-frame we are given.  In a school environment, it's very similar in that you have a goal, a deadline and a client - your instructor.  I always stress the need for students to never be shy to show their work, as the goal in sharing is to find ways to improve by way of constructive feedback - very much the same way it would be in production.

Dragon Lair, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you name a few people that have inspired you, in life and as a 3D professional? Naturally I have garnered inspiration from the people whom raised me, non more so than my Grandmother.  The work ethic she modeled for me was just remarkable.  My wife is a huge reason I am even where I am today, but my children are my strongest inspiration.  Trust me when I say nothing inspires you to be your best than your children.  As for artists?  My goodness, where do I begin?  There is just so much amazing talent out there, both known and unknown.  The unknown's are just as amazing it's just they haven't made an effort to have an online presence.  My very first supervisor, Tetsuya Ishii, is such an amazing artists and is equally skilled artistically and technically.  Plus I have a soft spot that I learned so much from him.  Some other artist whom have had direct influence on me are Danny Williams (aka Point Pusher) for the years we worked together and for the knowledge he was so willing to share and who is also a good friend.  Another good friend and former colleague whom has inspired me is Shannon Thomas, whom is now over at Blizzard as a Character Supervisor.  

Bob Ross

But there is so many others over the course of my career whom I've had the pleasure to either work with directly, converse with, or just admire from a far.  I know I will miss some names, but here is a short list:  Nico Marlet, Tim Lamb, Pierre Olivier Vincent, Alena Tottle, Mike Defeo, Kendal Chronkite, Raymond Zibach, Simon Otto, Mel Milton, Kent Melton,  Glen Keane, Matt Thorup, Dylan Ekren, Bear Williams, Brian Jefcoat and of course Bob Ross - no really, watched him religiously as a kid. "Happy little trees." Are there any public tours at DreamWorks ? There are no public tours, but it is possible to have a tour through someone on the inside.  I have personally had many guests come to visit the campus, including many Animschool students.  I extend this invitation to every class I teach.  You just have to give me a heads up when you are going to be around LA and I'm happy to set it up - so long as I'm available to do so of course.

Little Dragon composite, modeling by Charles Ellison

Can you give any tips to the students for their demo reel when they want to apply for a job at DreamWorks or another large studio?  Besides the information I gave earlier in the interview, I would say, know your client.  If you are applying to DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, demonstrate models that fit the style of work that they do.  Similarly I would say the same for a game company or VFX studio.  And the last thing I would suggest, always place your best model first - wow us with that first look.  Keep your reel short.  It doesn't need to be bloated.  I would rather see 3 great models over the course of a 2 minute reel, versus a 5 minute reel of stuff you threw in there thinking it needed to be there because you were worried you didn't have enough.  Quality over quantity always.  And remember, always show the art your started from.  And lastly, these days, it's not just about a demo reel, have on online platform such as a personal website, ArtStation, or something similar which showcases your many different works.  This can be a place where potential employers can see works that are maybe unfinished, but still offer insight to your process as an artist. Those are great tips, thank you!  Why did you become an Animschool teacher ?

Charles Ellison, Head of Modeling at DreamWorks

When I first made the choice to begin teaching, much of my decision was based on the idea of maximizing the time that I have to provide for my family and I wanted to do so in a manner that felt rewarding beyond just compensation. Teaching was a natural fit that I could balance nicely with my full-time roll at DreamWorks and also was an opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Originally, I did not know if teaching was going to be a short or long term commitment or even if I would be any good at it.  I also did not foresee how invested I would get in the students.  I didn't foresee the relationships that I would build and how rewarding it would feel to see my students improving before my eyes.  It is such a great feeling to see your students applying what they are learning, improving upon their skills and most importantly, having fun during the process.  I make it a point to make sure the students know from day one that they are in an environment that will be fun, organic and nurturing.  I really do try to give them all I have to offer and be someone who will offer them as much insight as I can into the industry as well.  And why Animschool?   I have had many former colleagues of mine whom had ventured into the world of teaching speak very highly of Animschool and a good friend had introduced me to Dave Gallagher to speak about the prospect of teaching.  Fast forward to now, and I am very happy to be a part of the Animschool community and proud of the students that I have had the pleasure to teach.  What I feel makes Animschool a unique and special place to learn this wonderful craft, is the global aspect of it's students (nothing excites me more than to see a roster of students from all corners of the globe) and how diverse the they are.  I find Animschool students to be some of the most dedicated and focused I've come across.  And lastly, I find the talent that the school brings in to instruct their classes to be world class and whom really want to provide the best instruction they can.  Put all that together and it truly is an amazing community to be a part of.

Thank you Charles !

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