Animation Mentor 2010 showcase
Posted on September 1, 2010
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Well it’s out! Some really really nice work from my fellow graduates and ex coworkers.
http://www.animationmentor.com/showcase2010/
Some of them have already landed top animation jobs and others will very soon.
And while we are at it, let me introduce you Bishop 2.0, the latest version of my favourite Animation Mentor rig. I haven’t had a chance to test it yet but this looks very promising and I have to mention that my friend the awesome Keith Ribbons helped out with the facial rigging.
Related post:
Dan Carey “Shower Power” short film
Mental Ray 3.8 for Max 2011
Posted on May 19, 2010
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My friend Jamie Cardoso just published an article in CGSociety regarding Mental Ray in Max 2011. Check it out
http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=5655&page=1
You can also find a bit more behind the scene on his blog
http://jamiecardoso-mentalray.blogspot.com/
Related posts:
Jamie in 3d World
Mental Ray for visualisation 2nd edition
Lee Sullivan
Posted on May 1, 2010
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An other really talented artist working on my team is Lead Artist and Senior Lighter Lee Sullivan.
Until very recently Lee had Lou Romano’s “Up” colorscript on his desktop so that should give you an idea about some of his inspirations and the kind of quality he is aiming at.

http://www.chameleoninc.co.uk/
A while ago, with Neil Parkinson, they were running a pretty cool blog. Check it out
http://wishingwellstudios.blogspot.com/
Related posts:
“Shower power” short film
Working at EA Brightlight
Posted on April 27, 2010
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I just found that old video which will introduce you to some of the cool people I work/worked with.
[update] I have been told that the original videos can’t be viewed outside UK so here is a low res Youtube version

While I am at it. What about an other video about our neighbours, Little Big Planet creators’ Media Molecule?
Related posts:
“Shower power” short film
Pako Bagur showreel
Posted on April 14, 2010
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My ex-classmate Pako Bagur just uploaded his work from “Planet 51″.
http://www.vimeo.com/9207163
He also redesigned his website which looks really cool! Check it out!

Related post:
Eduardo Martin Julve showreel
the “Motion Capture animation style”
Posted on April 5, 2010
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I have had a very healthy Facebook conversation on animation style with my friend Samy for the past few days and we were trying to define the Animation Mentor style and compare it with other style of animation.
Personally I love all animation styles, and Michael Dudok de Wit throughout his work encapsulated the whole range of styles I respond to. From the abstract “The Aroma of tea” to the over the top oscar nominated “The fish and the monk” through the delicate “Father and daughter”.
I love all animation style but one style I have a problem with is the “motion capture style”. I am definitely not a big fan of motion capture but what I want to talk about today is something a bit different.
You might have come across shots that were so well animated that they looked well … “motion captured”. Shot that were keyframed but looked so real that they looked like they were captured by computers.
The motion capture look is perfect when you work in VFX and want to blend the CG animation with “live plates” but it is not so great when you work with cartoony characters.
My friend Tomas posted a great animation on his blog sometime ago. A shot that really impressed me for someone who just graduated from Animation school but I felt that something wasn’t quite right. I wasn’t able to tell him what to improve until my ex mentor Kevin Koch, recorded a very enlightening eCritique for my friend Nedy’s February “11 second club” winning entry.
What he is suggesting Nedy to get rid of that motion capture feel is to simply push the poses and timing.
Check this out
Kevin Koch’s february 2010 ecritique
“Shower power” short film
Posted on March 30, 2010
Filed Under Animation, Animation Mentor, Friends, Video Games | 4 Comments
I just realized that I never featured my friend and (ex)coworker Dan Carrey!!!
Here is his short film. “Shower Power”
http://www.vimeo.com/9982267
You will also find Dan’s showreel on his website
http://www.bluepencil.org.uk/DanCareyShowreel09.mov
We definitely had a bunch of top animators at Rare. Here is also Peer Lemmers showreel if you didn’t know his work:
http://www.chicop-animation.com/demoreel.htm
My current animation lead, Neil Parkinson, is also a very inspiring animator/modeler/rigger/concept artist. Don’t be surprised about the crazy amount of skills, all my coworkers are Jacks of all trades at EA which can be a bit overwhelming sometimes.
Neil is currently finishing rendering his short film so in the meantime check out his reel:
http://www.neilparkinson.com/
Well while I am at it. I think I should also feature our local concept artist Burt Ross. Ross is a crazy Scottish guy who can be pretty loud when he plays Fifa at lunch. He also happens to be really talented at what he does, namely Concept art and Storyboards.
Ross is also the creator of the Astrofunk comics. Number 2 just came out by the way!
Check out his blog:
http://rossburt.blogspot.com/
Ok, that’s it for today but I will soon create a new post feature the other crazy artists surrounding me.
Lenticular hologram
Posted on February 8, 2010
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My friend Jay posted has a very fancy car but that’s not what this is about today ;-)
Jay posted a really cool video showing his “Lenticular 3d models” on Youtube.
I am not too sure how he does it exactly but that’s really cool. I wonder how this would work with animation…..

Jamie in “3d World” issue 126
Posted on January 16, 2010
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Following the release of his new book “Realistic Architectural visualization with 3ds max and mental ray”, my friend Jamie Cardoso was asked to write an article about Mental Ray for the january edition of “3d world” (issue 126).
I didn’t get a chance to read it yet but knowing Jamie, this is probably a very thorough article demonstrating the abilities of Mental Ray when used in Visualization.
http://www.3dworldmag.com/page/3dworld?entry=3d_world_126_now_on
Related post:
Mental Ray for visualisation second edition
“Rhapsody with James” short film
Posted on December 8, 2009
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My ex-classmate Rok Andic posted his great shortfilm online. It is quite refreshing to see an AM shortfilm done with a custom rig and a customized soundtrack. The idea is very original which makes it delightful to watch.
Check it out!
Modern Martin has a blog!
Posted on October 6, 2009
Filed Under Animation, Character design, Friends | Leave a Comment
hehe, Modern Martin now has a blog so you can see some of the preparation work that went into the making of that great short film
“Modern Martin” is very Modern!
“Saint Louis” video clip
Posted on September 18, 2009
Filed Under Animation, Friends, Graphic design | Leave a Comment
My friend “Vincil from ummo” just released his new album “Betty Drums” and a really really cool video in collaboration with Motion graphic designer Dittongraph and graphic designer Supakitch for his track “Saint Louis”, a really nice mix of hip hop and jazz supported by gorgeous graphics.
Double-click on the video to get the full version
http://www.vimeo.com/5996932
You can purchase his album through Itunes:
Itunes
or directly from the artist using the links at the bottom (Paypal, Sterling and euros cheques)
http://www.vincil-from-ummo.net/listenBettyDrums.html
[...] Read more
Modern Martin by Naomi Zahl and Matt Morris
Posted on September 11, 2009
Filed Under Animation, Friends | 1 Comment
My friend CG artist/AM alumni Matt Morris and stop motion feature animator Naomi Zahl just completed a short film for a competition organized by the english Health System organisation, NHS.
If you like quirky and stylistic animation (think Studio AKA), rush to see that really cool short film and give your vote!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmvOCCOMKlw
Give this man a job!
Posted on September 3, 2009
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This is just crazy, my friend Ales Mav still hasn’t found a job after nearly one year looking for work in London! I just don’t get this!
For a start Ales is one of those very nice and humble chaps you seldom meet. Ales and I were classmates at AM and he had been one of those rare A+ student from class1 to 6.  Several of his shots got featured on the animation mentor showreel, his short film “Daphne’s new broom” got selected and awarded at several festivals, he keeps adding great new shots to his showreel month after month, he won last month 11 seconds club competition and he even started a new shortfilm “Turf Planet” , quitely, by himself.
Please! Give this man a job!!!!!!
Mental Ray for visualisation new book
Posted on June 24, 2009
Filed Under Friends, Miscellaneous | 1 Comment
After the phenomenal success of his first book, my friend Jamie Cardoso is about to release a second book about “Realistic Architectural Visualisation with 3dsmax and mental ray”. If you are into visualisation this should be your next buy!
Vincil has a blog / Vincil a un blog!
Posted on May 29, 2009
Filed Under Friends | 2 Comments
[...] Read more
“Pinpin et les Estragon balls”
Posted on May 25, 2009
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Some time ago my friend Sebastien created a 66 pages comic Tintin/Dragons Balls spoof titled “Pinpin et les Estragons balls”. Unfortunately it is only in french but even if you don’t understand the language you might still be seduced by the action and the funny drawings. Here are the first 4 pages
[...] Read more
Seb a un blog/Seb has a blog!
Posted on May 18, 2009
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My buddy Sebastien Lasserre has a blog! I still can’t believe it! ;-)
You can expect to see plenty of his work and surely his Pinpin comic strip!
Here is the link
Animations en stock pour Sydney
Seb will also be featured at Annecy in the programme CMHC1 which will be screened Monday at the “Petite salle” 18h00 and at Decavision on Wednesday 18:00 for his Stop motion short film “Christmas time”
Hichem Arfaoui short film
Posted on December 7, 2008
Filed Under Animation Mentor, Friends | 1 Comment
My friend Hichem just posted his short film on internet. If you haven’t seen it yet on the Animation Mentor showreel, have a look!
It’s funny and managed to get few laughs from top Pixar animators during Annecy this year.
Blandine Dubos
Posted on January 18, 2008
Filed Under Friends, Portfolio | Leave a Comment
My friend Blandine Dubos is the creator of wall light Louis 5D and the more recent Josephine 5D both edited by Ligne Roset
We have known each other for a long time and regularly work together in order to produce visualisations for her products.
Here is some of her work and some visualisations I did for her.





















