New Demo Reel & Graduation

**Well it looks like a new Demo Reel is up!**

And just in time for my trip out to San Francisco/Los Angeles for Animation Mentor Graduation!!! I'm soooo excited to finally travel out to California, see the AM Headquarters, maybe a couple studios and of course celebrate with the Animation Mentor family! There's so much to do and I don't even know where to start.... probably finish packing would be a good idea  :P

Can't wait to see everyone and hope you enjoy my new reel! Take it easy!  :)

Spreading the Reels :)

Forgot to post this a few weeks ago :P

A very nice post that mentions some of my AM classmates as well as my reel! Thanks a bunch for the compliments Alonso! And keep up the amazing work you guys!

http://monotremedreams.blogspot.ca/2012/05/kind-of-depressing-to-find-strong-reels.html

Latest Demo Reel, Goodbye AM

Hey Everybody! I've finally gotten the time to put my latest reel together, rendered and all! Please take into consideration that I am by no means a professional lighter, but I do think it helps finalize and add a bit more appeal to the shots. Now on to bigger and better shots and with a little luck maybe I'll be able to jump start my animation career :)

I am really going to miss my time as a student at Animation Mentor but I will be back in just a couple more weeks as a Peer Buddy leaving feedback on everyone's assignments! I really appreciate the support and feedback from the AM community, you guys have been so awesome and I know I couldn't have improved or developed my skills as much without you. Thanks to the students, staff, mentors and of course founders for putting together such an amazing school. I wish you all the best in the future :)

Take it easy!

"But It Was Real" Final

Hey there everybody! Week #11 and this is my last assignment turn in for Animation Mentor! Finished up my new shot and complied my Demo Reel (no renders until later). Next week will just be minor tweaks and an upload of my progress reel to AM. Time at AM has really flown by but I am thankful to everyone who has made this such an awesome experience! Congrats to all those in Class 23 - I wish you all great success in the future!!!!

"But It Was Real" Week 10

Well here we are again! Week 10 and getting one step closer to finishing my shot- just some polish stuff left on it and maybe a couple little adjustments! Also worked on my DVD case, insert and disc this week as well as a new temp demo reel. It's using my current nearly final version of the latest shot and all playblasted (non-rendered) versions of the others. I plan on rendering all of them the week after AM is finished and having the reel totally finished then. Until next week, take it easy!

"But It Was Real" Week 9

Well here we are ladies and gents- Week 9! Only 2.5 left to final this shot and move on to life after AM... scary right?! Anyways, here is the latest on my shot- tried to make as much progress as possible on things and overall  I think things are working much better. Still need to add the good ol' polishy details on the face and some finger stuff, but that's for next week :) Until next time...

Take it easy!

"But It Was Real" Refining

Hey Hey Everyone!!!! Week 8 (holy cow!!!) and here's the latest- fixed a bunch of body mechanics issues with this shot and refined a few other areas. I included a no texture/ no facial version too, so it's a bit easier to focus on the body mech adjustments. The lip sync and expressions still need work and then it needs a coat or two of polish but it's getting there ;) Only 3 (maybe 4) more weeks!!!

Take it easy!

"But It Was Real" Spline

Hey Everyone!!! Here is the latest version of my shot, just got it into spline this week and am making sure everything translates well from my blocking. Things are super challenging with this shot, but I think I am learning a lot. You know what they say, "if you're not falling, your not trying". Next week will be 1st pass polish and then this bad boy will be all wrapped up in a few more weeks!!! Also is just the last minor changes from the "looking for hope" shot.

Take it easy!!!
Zach

"But It Was Real" Blocking Plus

Well here we are again guys! It's week 6 with only 6 left in my final class at AM. Time sure does fly.... So this week I brought my shot to the blocking plus stage- nearly ready for splinning. Some of the details like hand shakes and the lip sync of course will need to worked out more once I get out of stepped. Looking forward to making things shine next week! I've also got a couple last minute adjustments to some of the older shots and an updated demo reel (on the demo reel page and of course on my website!) The pantomime shot needs some polish attention, but I'll get to that in the next few weeks since this new shot it priority right now :)

Take it easy everyone!

New Shot Blocking & Some Polish

Hey Hey Guys!!! Just an update of of my new shot and some more polish this week! The new shot is in the blocking stage right now, making sure everything is really working before adding a bunch more keys next week.  As for the other shots they should be about final now, with only 1 more "old" shot to polish up in the next few weeks :)

Take it easy everyone!

New Shot Layout and Reference

Hey Guys and Gals! So this week I polished up and finaled a few of my older shots and started a new one! For the new shot (named for now: "but it was real") I was able to get a bunch of reference shot this weekend as well as put together a rough layout pass. For more planning (x sheets, dialogue breakdowns, and character descriptions) hit the link below:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/738545/AM/Class%2006/Planning.zip

That's all for now, take it east guys :)

Dialogue Shot Polish and Planning

Hey Guys!!! This week I was able to put the final notes from my critique and a couple more polish notes on my 2 dialogue shots. Should be able to move on to polishing a few spots on my AnimJam and Pantomime next :)

Also I have a few rough animatics/pencil tests trying to play with ideas for my next shot. So far I like the audio for #1 the best, but find it a little harder to work the bigger, broad movements and mechanics in that Sean (my mentor) wants to see. For a little bit more description of each shot I have included the idea breakdown. 

Take it easy!

Polish Updates

Hey Guys! Long time no post ;)  This week I spent a lot of time looking for new audio clips for my new shot (I'll post them up next week) and polishing up a couple of my previous shots. Hopefully my mentor will have some great notes so that I can truly final these bad boys and get started on the new shot next week!

Take it easy!

New Animation Reel

Hey Everyone! My latest reel is up on my website and blog - a special thanks to my Class 5 mentor, Brent Homman, as well as a big thank you to all my other mentors and friends who have helped me learn so much at Animation Mentor! Now on to Class 6 to really polish this thing up :)

Take it easy!

"Looking For Hope" Final

Alright everyone, it's that time again! The very last assignment for Class 5!!! Can't believe how fast time at AM has gone, only one more class left... crazy. Anyways, this is the "final" although I'll be making what ever changes my mentor has next week before putting it on a new reel. Then it'll be really final... well until I have to open it back up for Class 6 Polishing and Portfolio :)

Take it easy!

"Looking For Hope" Polish

Hey Guys, here's the weekly update! The shot is just about finished now- only a couple small polish things to go over next week to final it up! Take it easy! :)

"Looking For Hope" Update

Hey Guys!!!! Long time no post :) CTN was sooo amazing, it's tough to even pick out my favorite moment. Might have been seeing Andreas Deja and Richard Sherman in a back to back panel... could'a been getting killer feedback from the folks at Disney, Dreamworks, Reel FX and Digital Domain. Maybe it was getting invited to Disney Studio's to catch a super sneak screening of the new Prep and Landing and then scoring the rare plush figures of Lanny, Wayne and McGee!!! Topping the trip off by going to Disneyland was crazy too,  but one things for sure: I'm totally goin back next year! Thanks to everyone who put time and effort into making CTN so awesome this year- you guys rock and I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next year :)

As for my shot- I'm obviously playing catch-up from last week/this week so I am kinda at a 1st pass polishing stage on the body stuff, but need a few more passes on the facial animation. Pretty sure I'll be back on my game next week with much progress, so stay tuned!

Thanks again and take it easy everyone! :)

Dialogue Shot Blocking Plus

Hey there everybody! The latest on my new dialogue shot is up- I decided to stay in stepped just to make sure things are working before going into spline. Next week I will move into spline and take another pass at the face- but it's gonna be crazy since I will only have a couple days to work before CTN-X 2011!!!! See you there!!!! :)

Dialogue Shot Blocking Plus

Hey Guys!!!! Week 2 in Maya for the newest shot. I've got some rough facial stuff laid out and a pretty solid blocking plus going. Next week should be more refinements and going into spline! Other than that, another face pose for this week- I choose that lovable panda.

Take it easy!

Dialogue Shot Planning

Hey guys! Here is the latest planning for my new shot- just a layout pass (blocking will be next week) some sketches and reference! Take it easy!