Girls Part I

I finally have my scanner back so I can start scanning and posting some stuff from the sketchbooks I've been doodling in. The first one is inspired by Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's dress.

Resurrecting this Blog

My new year's resolution is to keep this blog going. So for starters here are some 3d models I did in the past year. I have also been drawing lately so I'll start posting those soon.

THE QUEEN

Here's my short film from Sheridan's classical animation program. A lot of people didn't get it so I just want to say this. The chess piece at the centre of attention in this film which the player ultimately loses (in more ways than one) is a QUEEN. I guess the title didn't make it clear enough. Anyways, it was meant to be over the top in fun. I also want to say what a great job in audio/ music Alex Macdonald did on this. I deliberately asked him to make the "cheeziest 80's music" he could for the end credits. He also did the music for Demonchilde which I think he did an even better job.

DEMONCHILDE, THE FILM

Well here it is, my short film done in collaboration with Sumit Suri (3d), Alex Macdonald (Composer) and Alex Rizvi who did the voices. It was my original idea, story, script, character designs, storyboards/ editing and of course a lot of 3D work.

My Character Animations

I hesitate to post this because this is my "old" reel of my character animation work.

Some Concepts

I actually did this a while ago but never got to publish it because it was done for a client. Just a couple of concepts, which was cleared for the internet by the client btw.

Caricatures

This is a group caricature I found of my old 3d class at Sheridan college. I used to draw them during lectures and then I comp'd them all together. Luckily, I scanned it before the original mysteriously disappeared.

My 3d Film

I'm going to "Tube" my 3d movie, titled "Demonchilde", one of these days. In the mean time you can check out this fun layout which could be a pseudo-movie poster for it.

Billy Crystal discusses Toronto in L.A.

I got to see a live taping of Jay Leno at the NBC studios. Billy Crystal and Dame Edna were the guests. At one point during the show I was taken down to sit in the second row right in front. When the person came back, I had to go back to my seat. Billy Crystal also mentioned Toronto a couple of times but I resisted hooping and hollering like people usually do when their home city is mentioned.

Rem Koolhaus, the Fast Pass and a Stormtrooper

THE PRADA EPICENTER
In Rodeo Drive there is a Prada store designed by Rem Koolhaus that immediately caught my attention. I was not aware of these Prada "Epicenters", apparently there is another one in New York (also designed by Koolhaus). There is no signage and the store groundfloor is completely open space with a huge aluminum box hovering above. LeNorm and I were so enchanted by this store we had to enter and were both completely blown away by the design. There was a main twenty foot stairway flanked by glass panels that subtly flickered from transparent to opaque! We also went to a Rodeo Drive art gallery where we chatted with some very nice ladies about Chagalls and Warhols they were selling. We bluffed our way out of the store and laughed as we could not believe they took us seriously.


DISNEYLAND
We learned about the "Fast Pass" and it paid off big time. We never waited in the notoriously long Disney lines except once and we had an amazing time. We caught the traditional fireworks show which is extra special this year because it's Disney's 50th anniversary.


HOLLYWOOD BLVD.
Ok, I'm a nerd, but I couldn't resist. L.A. is bringing out the child in me and I am one of those original Star Wars children (I saw a 1977 screening in the theatre as a child and grew up with the toys). Yes, it's cheezy tourist stuff but when in Rome, right?

Del Mar, Java Junkies and Louis Kahn

OK, I've been pretty lazy about updating my blog. So here's a bunch of stuff I've been up to the last while.

SAN DIEGO
I have fallen in love and my lady's name is California. I've lived on the Cote d'Azur and have been to Waikiki. However, I saw my most beautiful sunset at Del Mar in San Diego. There were surfers even though it is still March. With its exotic fauna and palm trees, I could easily believe I was in Fiji.


UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Most of the rides at the Universal Theme park are "virtual" but are still an amazing and fun experience. I had seen the Shrek4D short on DVD but it is nothing compared to the actual ride with it's spraying of water and hydraulic seats.

THE WB STUDIOS TOUR
Here's leNorm and I sitting on the actual Friends' tv show couch. We saw Charlie Sheen and Lauren Graham taking breaks from their shows.


THE GETTY MUSEUM
This building started construction while I was still in architecture school and at the time there was a lot of buzz in the architecture world. Finally experiencing it in person, I was amazed by the attention to details considering the sheer size of this project. I was never really a Richard Meier fan but he did a truly amazing job. It brought me back to Europe with its marble open courtyards.


THE SALK INSTITUTE
This is considered one of the most sacred buildings in the pantheon of modern architecture. I saw this building in pictures so many times during architecture school but of course there's nothing like being there. It truly is an amazing place that inspires serenity and quiet.

How Far Does the Rabbit Hole Go?

Well, I took the plunge and went to Los Angeles in search of the holy grail. Here I am in the San Fernando Valley to prove that I am here. The mountains and palm trees really hit it home that I wasn't in Kansas anymore. My first week I was actually cold much of the time! In Canada one is always dressed for the cold (sweaters, etc) and blasts the furnace but here one feels foolish if they wear more than a t-shirt and jeans. Other things of interest include: not being able to drink water from the tap, and seeing many guys that look/ dress just like the Big Liebowski. I've also never seen so many Hispanics before, not that there's anything wrong with that.

One of the first places I went was Santa Monica where I started to notice a pattern. Huge line-ups to bathrooms, to get a coffee, to try on clothes and just about every thing else in L.A. Another thing I noticed were the many outdoor heat lamps, which I thought was a great idea. Ironic that they would have them in sunny California but not in freezing cold Toronto.

For animators and Hollywood types, Burbank is the mythical place where it all happens. [correction: this is actually Glendale but they are in close proximity to each other]

I haven't found any pictures of the Disney sequel studios so I decided to post my own in case anyone is curious of its development. They are two huge buildings literally across the street from their rival, Dreamworks.[note: since I took this photo, news broke that the Circle 7 Sequel division was shelved and that 3d feature animation would move from the hat building to these buildings once they are completed]

The "free" lunch at Dreamworks is legendary but not what it once was. Although people who work there complain about the food, I was still pretty impressed.

I didn't know anyone at Disney so I couldn't get a tour of the studio but I did get to see Sony Imageworks.

Here's a few expat Canajun friends of mine taking in a balmy February day.

Kristen thinking about Steve at a gorgeous Santa Monica beach sunset.