Yesterday I went to the websites of Stop Motion Pro and Digimator to find out more about them as they are both supposed to be programs used for producing stop motion animations.
I had heard of Stop Motion Pro before quite a few times and checked out the site before but I'd never seen Digimator. Both of these companies had stalls at MIFA in Annecy.
I found the Digimator website very uninformative. I couldn't seem to find a clear and simple explination of what it was. From what I gathered it seemed that it was a special camera combined with animation software. There were a lot of technical specifications which I didn't understand and a page boasting about how wonderful Cosgrove Hall Films thinks the program is. There were no prices on the website anywhere but there were two email addresses to contact if you were interested. This lead me to believe that this program is primarily for large animation companies.
Stop Motion Pro on the other hand was a wonderful website. They have given it a major update since the last time I visited. All of the information I found was clear and easy to understand. I know that Stop Motion Pro is a computer program for animating which you connect your own external camera to. It is compatible with digital camcorders, digital stills cameras and webcams. It comes in four versions with Junior being the cheapest and most basic with HD Professional being the most advanced and expensive but even this price is good for what you get.
After looking at the examples of work that have been produced with Stop Motion Pro I am seriously considering purchasing it. I already own a camcorder and fire wire cable and can easily purchase a fire wire port for my laptop for under £20.
So, if I do go through with purchasing it (which I expect I will) all I will need then is an editing program...
Wednesday, 26 September 2007
Thursday, 30 August 2007
Chris Bowden's Reply! (At Last)
Finally today I recieved a reply from Chris Bowden (after further contact) answering the questions I emailed him just over a month ago. Here is what it said:
Dear Alastair,
Sorry your note has been neglected but things here have been rather busy with evening and weekends both taken up with our shows. I’ve answered as best I can below.
Chris
1. Have you got any advice for any future work I do?
Focus on what you want a piece of work to do for you. if you want to show that you’re an animator, make sure the character animation is great. If you want to be a director, show that the pace style, composition and ideas are solid. Usually simple well told stories are best.
2. What do you look for in showreels?
In animation reels we look for thought. Thought about the character and the what’s going on its head. Often we don’t look for smooth slick animation (though that’s bonus) because in most cases that comes with day in day out practice.
3.What job opertunities are there at Cosgrove Hall?
It depends how busy the studios are. We have periodically run training courses to get animators new to a standard where they can begin work in the studio but at present there are quite a few animators around and we have no need to train new ones at present. Of course that could all change very quickly if a new project comes in.
4. Do you have any briefs/mock briefs that I could work on as part of my final year?
Not really. I have been asked this before and we don’t really have anything that could constitute a meaningful brief for a project.
I feel the answers to questions 1 and 2 will be quite useful to know.
Dear Alastair,
Sorry your note has been neglected but things here have been rather busy with evening and weekends both taken up with our shows. I’ve answered as best I can below.
Chris
1. Have you got any advice for any future work I do?
Focus on what you want a piece of work to do for you. if you want to show that you’re an animator, make sure the character animation is great. If you want to be a director, show that the pace style, composition and ideas are solid. Usually simple well told stories are best.
2. What do you look for in showreels?
In animation reels we look for thought. Thought about the character and the what’s going on its head. Often we don’t look for smooth slick animation (though that’s bonus) because in most cases that comes with day in day out practice.
3.What job opertunities are there at Cosgrove Hall?
It depends how busy the studios are. We have periodically run training courses to get animators new to a standard where they can begin work in the studio but at present there are quite a few animators around and we have no need to train new ones at present. Of course that could all change very quickly if a new project comes in.
4. Do you have any briefs/mock briefs that I could work on as part of my final year?
Not really. I have been asked this before and we don’t really have anything that could constitute a meaningful brief for a project.
I feel the answers to questions 1 and 2 will be quite useful to know.
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
eDward - Result
Well I recieved another email from the eDward Young Filmmaker's Award today. Unfortunately I haven't made it through the selection process. Below is what the email had to say:
"Dear eDward-Participant,
thank you very much for your submission to eDward 2007.
We want to inform you that the pre-jury already held a meeting during which they elected the finalists of eDward 2007. Having so many works made by very creative and talented film makers made it very difficult to select only the best.
Unfortunately, we have to inform you, that your contribution has not come into the narrower choice of the finalists. Nonetheless, we thank you for your engagement and wish you all the best for your further film productions .
We thank you very much for your commitment and hope you will participate once again next year.
Kind regards "
I shall have to wait and see what the theme is next year as well as if I will have the time to enter.
I might not have got through but at least I tried.
"Dear eDward-Participant,
thank you very much for your submission to eDward 2007.
We want to inform you that the pre-jury already held a meeting during which they elected the finalists of eDward 2007. Having so many works made by very creative and talented film makers made it very difficult to select only the best.
Unfortunately, we have to inform you, that your contribution has not come into the narrower choice of the finalists. Nonetheless, we thank you for your engagement and wish you all the best for your further film productions .
We thank you very much for your commitment and hope you will participate once again next year.
Kind regards "
I shall have to wait and see what the theme is next year as well as if I will have the time to enter.
I might not have got through but at least I tried.
Thursday, 23 August 2007
eDward Email
Upon checking my email account today I have found an email from eDward sent on the 20th, letting me know that they have recieved my entry to the contest and that after they have recieved all entries they will then contact me again with further details.
Thursday, 9 August 2007
HOT Animation and eDward
Yesterday I contacted HOT Animation again to see about visiting the studios for a day to look around and show my second year animation. I was told, unfortunately, that it wouldn't be possible as the company is currently undergoing changes and that if I am still interested then I should try again at the end of the year when they should know more about their situation.
As for the eDward competition, I completed the registration forms and posted off my entry yesterday as well so that should hopefully arrive at the destination in plenty of time.
As for the eDward competition, I completed the registration forms and posted off my entry yesterday as well so that should hopefully arrive at the destination in plenty of time.
Monday, 30 July 2007
eDward
Filming on my short animation entry is now complete so all that is left to do is to create or find some music to use and then edit it all together. Hopefully that wont take too long.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
edWard - Young Filmmaker's Award and Cosgrove Hall.
Earlier this month I made the decision to enter the edWard young filmmaker's award competition. The brief is to produce a piece that lasts no longer than 30 seconds on the theme of love.
I've started filming now and I'm making it using cut-out. The deadline that entries must be received by is 21st August. I don't think I have a winning entry but I thought it would be good to enter anyway just to see how these things go.
I have written an offline report on my day at Cosgrove Hall. I unfortunately didn't ask all of the questions I should have while I was there. I have emailed Chris with some questions but I haven't received a reply and that was over a week ago now. I think I shall have to email him again to give him a nudge.
I've started filming now and I'm making it using cut-out. The deadline that entries must be received by is 21st August. I don't think I have a winning entry but I thought it would be good to enter anyway just to see how these things go.
I have written an offline report on my day at Cosgrove Hall. I unfortunately didn't ask all of the questions I should have while I was there. I have emailed Chris with some questions but I haven't received a reply and that was over a week ago now. I think I shall have to email him again to give him a nudge.
Friday, 22 June 2007
Cosgrove Hall Visit
It would seem that my visit to Cosgrove Hall is now all planned!
I shall be heading down to the studios to meet with Chris Bowden shortly after 12:00pm on 17th July.
I shall need to catch the 10:07am train from Wrexham, change over at Chester at 10:58 and I shall arrive in Manchester at approximately 12:00pm. I will then catch a taxi to the Cosgrove Hall studios which, according to Chris, will take about 15 minutes.
Whilst I am there the plan is to be shown around the studios and for me to show Chris my second year animation. I'll be taking my laptop down which has my animation stored on it. If I can find a safe way to do so then I will also attempt to take my models with me so that I can show them off in the 'flesh', so to speak.
I shall be heading down to the studios to meet with Chris Bowden shortly after 12:00pm on 17th July.
I shall need to catch the 10:07am train from Wrexham, change over at Chester at 10:58 and I shall arrive in Manchester at approximately 12:00pm. I will then catch a taxi to the Cosgrove Hall studios which, according to Chris, will take about 15 minutes.
Whilst I am there the plan is to be shown around the studios and for me to show Chris my second year animation. I'll be taking my laptop down which has my animation stored on it. If I can find a safe way to do so then I will also attempt to take my models with me so that I can show them off in the 'flesh', so to speak.
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Annecy
The university visit to Annecy has now been and gone. It took place from Saturday the 9th until Sunday the 17th of June. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile visit dispite the hot temperatures.
The first animation I saw at the festival was a French stop-motion film entitled Max & Co. The models had been created by English company Mackinnon and Saunders. The film has stuck in my mind ever since I saw it. I would highly recommend it to anybody.
I saw 2 films everyday of the event apart from Thursday when I went down to MIFA and viewed the stalls of software vendors and the business stalls of animation companies. It felt a little bit surreal seeing all of the companies trying to sell their animations.
Ryan and myself were called over to one stall where we were told about a scheme in France where they will provide up to 45,000 Euros to produce a stop-motion or CGI animation. Both Ryan and myself exchanged details with the man. Unfortunately I don't have the details at hand to say who it was but I shall be writing a full account of the events that took place in Annecy at a later date.
This fuller account wont appear here on this electronic PDP though as I plan it to be a physical work on paper.
The first animation I saw at the festival was a French stop-motion film entitled Max & Co. The models had been created by English company Mackinnon and Saunders. The film has stuck in my mind ever since I saw it. I would highly recommend it to anybody.
I saw 2 films everyday of the event apart from Thursday when I went down to MIFA and viewed the stalls of software vendors and the business stalls of animation companies. It felt a little bit surreal seeing all of the companies trying to sell their animations.
Ryan and myself were called over to one stall where we were told about a scheme in France where they will provide up to 45,000 Euros to produce a stop-motion or CGI animation. Both Ryan and myself exchanged details with the man. Unfortunately I don't have the details at hand to say who it was but I shall be writing a full account of the events that took place in Annecy at a later date.
This fuller account wont appear here on this electronic PDP though as I plan it to be a physical work on paper.
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Hot Animation
I've phoned Hot Animation again today and managed to speak to Lianne this time round. Unfortunately it seems that although I will be able to visit, it wont be until later on in the year. Probably around September or October. I have to phone them back at the end of July to discuss it further.
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