Last update of 2009? Haven't I done well!

What a shame I didn't stick to my resolution of keeping on top of my blog this year! I've been busy working and gaming and moaning and cooking I'm afraid!
More has happened this year than any other year I've spent on earth! My job in the childrens tv industry is fun, cute and challenging! I have just today got the date that the new CG preschool series that everyone is talking about will be aired on cBeebies! January 9th 2010! I'll be badgering all my friends to tune in to witness my first tv credit! (although this does depend on which episode is shown!)
I've taken a Japanese language course at Bristol University, and intend to take a creative writing course aswell!
And it's nearly Christmas an time for my first proper office Christmas parteee!! Yay!
Anyway... Here's hoping next year I actually use my blog?? I'm blogging from my new iPhone so no excuses! :P
Happy New Year!

This week...

....I are mostly be getting reacquainted with Autodesk 3DS Max.
Today I'm getting on with the modelling toolset, the hardest thing is navigating around the viewport haha. I don't know why I don't use Max more often for fun personal projects, I always use Maya simply for speed...but if it's for fun, speed isn't really an issue!
So today I'm attempting to model a character from Dragonball Z - Vegeta(I luuuuuuurve him!!) Being a bit naughty not using any reference so it's going to take a lot longer. I might post some images if it looks anywhere near half decent by this evening. So far I've got all the elements roughed in, and I mean extremely rough! I'm box modelling.
Anywho...I've assigned today and tomorrow to modelling, friday to UV unwrapping, texturing and skinning and depending on if I have time this weekend I might rig and start to animate him.



<-- Vegeta... chillaxing.

11th May...

...Is the day I start my new job :D
I'll be working for these chaps : http://www.aproductions.co.uk/
on these things: http://www.3linemedia.com/
I'm a junior animator on a pre-school series for childrens TV. Not much more can be said unsurprisingly due to NDAs but it all looks super happy kawaii! Yay!

Also I'm now on twitter too...there's a million and one ways to keep up to date with your favourite binty! http://twitter.com/bintykins

So, other than scoring a sweet-ass contract and leaving my bum job with speed, I have also been exploring Barcelona as a much needed mini-break with the fella. All has been good :D
Just have to cram like hell now as this new job requires me to get back into 3DS Max and learn mental ray.
I have a nice week of study to look forward too.

New Showreel

Including some of my commercial and personal works. The 2D stuff was for a music video for a band called The Locarnos single 'Unlucky Strike.' Right good song!
I was working on a short involving the guy in the office - he's basically just procrastinating and indicating how much he hates his bum office job. Incidentally I have a job interview this coming Thursday! Whoohoo! I'm well looking forward to it!
Anyway, spoke to my collaborator on the live action horror short project - got some homework to do for next Friday! We are looking for the best actor in the world....who is willing to do a piece for next to nothing. It's gunna be a real test seen as how the audience never sees what ghastly deeds are taking place - just the actors reactions to it. If we can pull it off it'll be really intense. But if the acting is lousy - it could cheapen the whole thing.
Also, Bronson tonight! Looking forward to that! I've watched Watchmen twice now. Been a good run of films on at the cinema recently. I also neeeed to find a Swedish horror film called Let The Right One In. I've been reading about it. I have a long list of films I need to find actually! Not enough hours in the week...

A brief update

It's been a whole year since I set this up! 1 post a year...that's not too bad!
I've had a few projects on the go since then, some fun, some on-going! And lots of things have been going on in my personal life. It's been crazy moving to Bristol and adjusting. I miss the north a lot! But I have started this year with a very strong resolve to make 2009 the one that counts.
I've got so many things to actually finish that it's quite daunting! So why am I taking on new projects as well! I must be mad.
I have a friend who I've been meaning to work with for a while. We always talk of making a film together and this time we mean it!! So one of the projects I am starting is a short live action film intended to be submitted for a short film competition that my friend has his eye on every year! I'll post my/our progress as time goes on but for now we have a script and I'm currently storyboarding.
One thing I really want to do this year as well is go over my short animated film Bernie's Backpack. This'll be the third time! But the final time. I have already planned the next one I want to do but ...this one really needs cleaning! A lot of it I am happy with (the environment, rendering and the Bernie model itself for example) but theres also a lot that still makes me cringe! Bernie desperately needs re-rigging. A mammoth task that will require a massive amount of the animation to be redone.
I am also going to apply to go back to school! I miss it greatly and I think in today's current industry climate I think investing time now in training will give me the edge when the industry finally stabilises.
Plus some fancy letters after my name will look cool.
So that's it for now! Hopefully expect some rolling updates on 'as yet untitled live action project' and lots of rigging and animation headaches on Bernie part trois and many ramblings on how I hate my bum job.