Day 24 / 25 / 26 - the down side to freelancing

So where have I been lately - well I landed a well paying car vis job which is the last thing I want to actually be doing, but unfortunately bills are calling and my kids want to eat food (go figure). It's coming up to the end of my second day and I have already racked up 31 hours - Assuming I start tomorrow at 8am I then have 5-6 Hours before the deadline. I am sure I will make it.

Crap thing is my client was a little shocked when I quoted him high (last minute off the rails kinda quote) where as I would have much preferred earning half my rate without the crazy deadline. I feel like a zombie miss typing everything. Back to work I guess

Day 23 - 'The List' Revisit

So have have knocked off a few things on the list (the most basic ones I might add). I cleaned up my site - added Quicktimes along with the DIVx files, added new resume, and added a "NEWS" section on the home page.

I feel the way I am presenting my work has reached the boundries and can't get any better until I add more.

ALienNation - still waiting for cash, even though I am working on it an hour here and there (man I am really setting myself up to get burnt). I really want the Green light and I will be off on my merry way creating an Alien smashing Melbourne city :)

Here's the big list for getting a job at Pixar -

1) Tweak and streamline my website - it needs some attention. - DONE

2) Rewrite another draft of 'Monty Biggs' - DONE

3) Start storyboarding Monty Biggs with Kyle (illustrator) - STARTED

4) Finish all the Hollywood Camera Works dvd's (currently watching number 3)

5) Learn to draw (hehehe) - yeah I know it's a lot bigger then a list number but I am going to put it in there anyway. Enrol in some courses (once I have some more cash) - STARTED

6) Start to write a new script about an idea I have been working through

7) Go to SIGGRAPH job fairs

8) Try to obtain US visa - or at least research it before applying for US positions.

9) Start hitting the large companies for any position that can benefit my journey to becoming a Director. A position like Layout TD would work well as I would work directly with Directors to blockout shots and create the scenes.

10) Complete full Animatic for 'Monty Biggs'. Including sounds, and voiceovers.

more to come later..............

Day 22 - New Show Reel Edit

I managed to get a new edit of my Showreel done today. I changed some shots, and altered the in and outs for various spots, but to be honest it doesn't really differ very much from my last version. There were just some things that were bugging me that I had to change.

Check it out here - Quicktime 25MB 'Showreel 2008'

Day 19 / 20 / 21 - staying focused

Well it's been a couple of days since my last post which isn't good. I told myself I originally wanted to start a running blog where I enter daily (yeah daily) steps to show dedication and passion. So I need to pick up my game from now on.

What have I been doing for the past few days - well I had that meeting with the AlienNation Director - it was a productive meeting with a very large proportion change on the mesh. I think it looks much cooler -



I still don't have any funding money (cash in Bank) in the bank so any work I do for it is currently only when I have down time. It's funny the jobs you want always seem to go away and the jobs you couldn't care less about are the ones you land baahahah - almost like being single again.

I have also been working more on the Monty Biggs script - the illustrator and I got together online (skype) briefly and started the storyboarding process. It should work well - hopefully I could have some examples of boarding to show soon. Kyle also did a sketch of Monty as a young rookie. Brilliant ! I know Kyle will go far as an illustrator his work is exceptional. I know I will prop him up whereever I can not that he needs it.



What else have I done - oh I uploaded a profile on www.CreativeHeads.net because I am looking at going to Siggraph in LA come Augest purerly for the Jobs fair. A college of mine John Van Der Zalm recommended I go to the Jobs Fair if I want a good chance at breaking into the American industry. When I went to find some information about the fair the website suggests people join CreativeHeads which is linked to Siggraph. Only time will tell if anything comes out of this step. Siggraph is quite costly as I estimated the round trip with all costs to be approximately $4K - I might have to sell some of my Minicades to fund the trip.

I have some updates regarding the 'Hollywood Camera Works' DVD's - I have been watching these DVD's every night for about 20min each time. It is really starting to sink in - I watched Pixar's 'Ratatouille' yesterday and it was quite funny that I found myself calling out the names of the shots in my head 'over the shoulder' or 'Parallel Master' heheheh - it's like a musician who has learnt without any training being taught how to read music and then writing a musical piece. I say this because now I attack scenes from a totally different approach as to what I have done for many years in the past - I now see scenes and plan many cameras with bouncing dialogue and following rules like 'obeying the line'. Here is a warning though - the DVD's are a little hard to watch - the voice over is droning and watching the same basic characters for hours would be impossible (hence the split viewing). Still I recommend it for anyone wanting to learn Camera techniques.

More updates to come soon :)

Day 18 - Pixar application 'Number 1'

So I was having a chat with a good friend of mine today about this 'iwantajobatpixar' website and my full intentions. The feedback from him was mostly positive except for one (very good) point - he kept asking why I hadn't applied already. My answers to this question was the usual I needed to get ready and apply at the right time (excuses, excuses), his instant comeback to that was I should attack Pixar from as many angles as possible and as often as possible, also in the long run it would make for a more interesting blog to read my attack offensive. Applying online seems the most direct approach, consider this like knocking on the door (admittedly it's a big door, I have a small fist and there's a million others fists banging away at the same time baahahah....boohoooo).

So I just finished the online application which was very easy to fill in and upload any related files to the application. I applied for the 'Art Directing' position which would be an absolute dream job should it happen, wish me luck.

So there it is a real step in my journey, because should it fail with this the most direct route it will just mean I am one step closer to success (hey didn't they say that dribble in "Meet the Robinson's"). So it's in effect - i'll knock on every possible door, attack Pixar from every angle I can think of until someone at Pixar is sick of me hassling and just gives me a job to shut me up.

I also redid my resume again for this occasion - you can download it here


P.S I love this image from 'The Yomp Experience'

Day 17 - challenge point

Well I have reached and early challenge point in my journey - 'Money' (or there lack of). I am trying very hard to stay focused but I find the pressure of providing for my family to be currently overwhelming. I live in Melbourne Australia and the industry here is very small with only one large production company - iloura, and a handful of smaller boutique studios. Having worked at iloura for almost 4 years the desire to go back is extremely low for many reasons. One the pay couldn't match my previous senior positions, two it would mean going back to commercials, and three the most important is would they even want me back (most likely not). In Melbourne that leaves the smaller boutique studios, I have done freelance for a few of them the they wouldn't suit either my lifestyle of desire of where I want to be. So international moves are the only real solution that would work - this brings on a bigger issue and that's the family. Last month I was offered an incredibly well paying studio manager job to head up Blackstone Studios in Dubai, but following a trip to Dubai the last thing I could do would be take the family to live there. If I was single for sure I would take the job in a second but Dubai is really not a family place especially considering the heat for most of the year. So now there's America which is going through a recession and Visas are an issue with some employees, Canada is always a good option I guess, Weta in New Zealand might also suit. All this international dreaming means nothing if my wife doesn't won't to go (happy wife happy life)so right now I am stuck in a very difficult position. Any suggestions anyone ?

Hopefully the Music video clip 'AlienNation' will get the green light which will cover me for 3 months, if not I will be out there shaking my butt trying to drum up freelance work.

Speaking of ALienNation - I have finished the poly modelling stage of the creature. Now I am waiting for some time with the director so he can instruct me on the finer details of the model.




Second thoughts obviously my career will eventually take me international it just has to suit my young family. Well if Pixar offered me a job I would consider leaving the wife.........I kid I kid !!......... they would come regardless of whether they wanted to or not :p