List of Content.

The blog is getting old and is a bit disorganised and I have not really updated it much the last few years since pretty much things that need to be said, have been said. But unfortunately the content written 5-8 years ago is still very relevant. (nothing really have changed) So I have list the important contents here so that it is easily accessible. Share to your friends or anyone that needs to know more before doing animation. I will update the posts and list when I have new stuff.

State of Industry.

Lucasfilm ILM Singapore shuts down
D Neg layoff.
Vfx Craziness.
Expectation of in a working overseas facilities.
How not to get pissed off at work.
Fixing it in post. 
Japanese Cg industry. 
Our "Dying" animation industry. 

Do you really want to step into the animation industry?
(part 1)
(part 2)
(part 3)
Planning for a a career in animation. 

Choosing a local animation school and the problems. 
(part 1)
(part 2)
Conflict of interest for animation studios to run govt certified courses.
The greed and dangers of private animation schools and how it is affecting the industry. 
Dangers of animation short courses. 

Economics of Animation 
(part 1)
(part 2)

Cost of living and salary in animation in Singapore  (pay have not changed at all the last 5 years)
The animation student. 
Teaching Animation.
"Passion" and commitment. 
The mentality of the local student.
Thoughts on the local animation industry in Singapore - For the Students
Thank you for the shitty students. 
Art Advice from Joe Mad
Dealing with Failure.

List of animation and storytelling posts here

Starting Point - Hayao Miyazaki - On Creating Animation - Nostalgia for a Lost World. (Book Breakdown and Summary)

Re-reading this book and I want to note down what I feel are significant and useful points that I feel I need help with my storytelling journey. Going through this by chapters.

On Creating Animation - Nostalgia for a Lost World

What Animation is to me

"Whatever I want to create". Something that can't be done with other medium. Build a truly unique imaginary world and creating a complete drama with characters I like.

Wanting one's own world

Young people in many ways are very oppressed. Eg. attracted to opposite sex but have to study hard.
To escape from depressing situation, they often find themselves wishing they could live in a world of their own that is truly theirs. A yearning of a lost world that is free from the constraints and to do all sorts of things.

Nostalgia is something that all of us as we get older increases in breadth/depth. It is one of the fundamental starting points for most people in creating animation.

To be born at a present instant means certain opportunities and possibilities are lost including born in other ages. The yearning for other, lost possibilities is also another major motivator.

Most people fell unfilled by something in their lives. When they attracted to heroes in a tragedy, its a surrogate emotion for something they feel they have lost. Like a surrogate girlfriend when I had none.

I think we can achieve a type of satisfaction by substituting something for this unfulfilled portion of our lives and as we age, the ways we seek it will probably change as is the normal pattern of things. .

If I were to create it...

Depict all characters, even the other characters with nuance. Animated movies won't come to life unless animators pour their heart and soul into their work. Even if we do that, in this industry we never expect commensurate rewards or treatment.

For us the ultimate dream is to create works and have as many people as possible view them.
   
At the Core, there must be a sense of realism...

In modern Society, humans have become slave to machine-so much so that machines currently hold the keys to our collective fate. But in anime by contrast, humans control and operate the machines. Yet, despite the fact that anime has been granted the ability to show things this way, most works don't really take advantage of it.

Everyone is attracted to Power and Strength. I don't like protagonist pilot machine that he couldn't create on his own, battles enemy and boosts about it after. I hate it. He should struggle to build his own machine, fix it when broken down, and have to operate it himself.

People were able to identify with heroes and enjoy imagining themselves as superheroes. But even if only one person operate a specific machine, that machine required multiple designers and mechanics to reach a point of being operational. In a world of fiction, I believe we need to depict this to give it a sense of reality. I despise shows that fail to do so.

Anime may depict fictional World But at its core, it must have a certain realism. The animator must fabricate a lie that seems to real that the audience will believe the world depicted can exist. 

Eg, Depict a world from the viewpoint of a bug cannot be seen from the perspective of a human using a magnifying glass but of a world where grass becomes a tall tree and ground,water has a completely different character that we humans normally thinks of it having.

Gags and laughter. 

Most gags make fun of human stupidity. But that I feel its vicious. Instead it is when someone do their absolute best but lose focus and does something out of character or outside of normal routine.  Eg. a gently, proper princess attempts to rescue her lover from bandits by kicking them. It does not ruin our impression of her. But actually unveils her humanity and makes her come alive.

I really hate gag characters (comic relief). It is when we sense the character's humanity that we begin to  laugh.

Before speaking about the techniques of animation...

The most important thing when creating an animated work is knowing what you want to say with it. In other words, you have to have a theme. People always overlook theme and overemphasize on technique. Many examples of people with a high level of technique but only a fuzzy idea of what they want to say. Viewers are often befuddled after watching these films. Yet when people who know what they want to say make films with a low level of technique, we still greatly appreciate the films because there is really something to them.

When young, nearly all of us want to be taken seriously, as soon as possible. Perhaps because of this we tend to overemphasize on technique.

One of the things about drawing is that, if you put serious effort, you will become good at it, at least to a certain extent. But that's all the more reason to study a variety of things that interest you while you have time, before you enter the professional world, in order to develop and solidify such fundamentals as your own viewpoint and way of thinking.

If you do not do this, your life will be treated as just another disposable product... In the animation biz, most people spend a long time working at the bottom.... But the opportunity to demonstrate what you can do only come once in a while.....To endure something is obviously exhausting and agonizing. But at the same time, you must also continue to hold what you regard as important close to your heart and to nurture it. Should you ever relinquish what you truly hold dear, the only path left to you will be that of a pencil-pusher-type of animator who sense of self-worth is determined by the numerical amount of his earnings, or who cycles between joy and despair over the high and low ratings his work receives.

It is essential to watch as many animation classics as possible. And it is also essential to be interested in subjects that have traditions going back hundreds of years, and to broaden your own knowledge. In exerting yourself towards this end, you will find that you develop something truly all your own.

Now is really the time to study....

To draw a flying boat in flight in a truly original fashion, you will need to have read at least one book on the history of flying and to use your imagination to augment what you have read. Not only what they have previously seen on past TV anime shows. (they do not capture the realism)

Eg.. Igor Sikorsky who is known for having dined on board his 4-engine plane that he invented and flew over Russia. When an engine failed, he grabbed on to the struts of the wing and stood up from the cockpit with wind in his face to personally check on his engine. That is how I personally think Sikorsky symbolizes the way men really fly.

From this image of someone simply yearning to fly, a illustration appears. It does not come from imitating something seen long ago on a TV anime or from a plastic model kit. Not even flying in a modern passenger plane.

Once involved in the business of creating animation, the question invariably arises:"Why am I creating animation? What am I doing this for? Is it just to make a living?" To avoid this trap, Study and read.

Preparing for animation school.

Preparing for animation school.

There seems to be a misconception that you go into animation school to learn to draw. That is not true. You go into animation school to learn to animate. Anyone else telling you otherwise is trying to make money from you without actually telling you the truth.

That means you need to have sufficient ability to draw competently in order to animate. This includes anatomy, perspective, shape and form.

A lot of aspiring animation students are unclear about what that means. So here is a breakdown of the skill sets that you should know before coming on to the course.

- Draw from observation. Aka live drawing/sketching. Drawing what is in front of you. Draw your table, your room, the people on streets. Observe the space and measurement between objects and shapes. And put it to paper. Not Ipad. Paper. This will train your proportions and perspective. And builds confidence.

- Try drawing with a PEN only. Try to do some of these sketches/drawings with only a PEN. Not pencil. This is to prevent you from erasing and drawing over. It will also force you to make decisions about what to commit down on paper. You are learning to decide what line is important enough to put down on paper. And gives you confidence later down the road. Besides its gratifying seeing your drawings in ink.

- Draw quickly. Animation isn't a fine arts course. We don't spend 10 hours or 10 days over ONE drawing/painting.We draw hundreds of drawings over the same period of time. That is why we courage you to spend 5-10 minutes on each sketch. No more.

- Draw prolifically. In animation school, you will be drawing 8-10 hours a day. So you will need to get used to that. If not you will not last very long. Keep a sketchbook and draw in it. Draw everything.

- Learn to do perspective drawing. Google "perspective drawing". make it 2nd nature.

- Learn to draw gesture drawings and human anatomy. You are creating movement with drawings. And most of these drawings are characters and their poses to tell their mood and . So learn to draw gestures and human anatomy. Just follow these for a start.

How I Draw Anatomy Playlist.


- History of Art. It can be dry. But its very useful to learn about the history of arts. Of its evolution from medieval to modern times. And you will expand your visual library. I always find it interesting that before the 13th century, the concept of perspective was not even present in paintings. That is why all those paintings of the time looks flat. Food for thought.

- Take photographs. Not selfies. But photos of your environment and of people. It helps with composition and framing.

- Research. Your are doing animation. Devour all you can about the art form and the business of the industry. Be aware of what you are getting yourself into as a career and see if you really want to get into it. 

- Keep a sketchbook. Duh.

- Watch TV and movies. Keep your pop culture currency relevant.

 Used THIS as a bible.

- DRAW DRAW DRAW

Layoffs and the zero sum game we play.

UPDATE : 23/03/2016 - Double Negative Singapore to officially close. All crew will be let go over the next 1-2 months.

So.. after 7 months since the last lay off... D Neg Sg is no more... no roto, no match move, no stereo conversion.

NOTE : Update with info from VFXSoldier and InsideVFX.

Last week, it was announced that Double Negative Singapore  are laying off people. Not just a few, but a few dozen up to 80. And then Double Negative in the UK is laying off 40-50. Amongst them are friends and ex-colleagues. The senior and experienced ones are offered to other branches in the other side of the world. But the rest if they are lucky move back to doing grunt work or just leave.

Nothing is official or verifiable yet.  But you can read a pretty good reasoning and analyse. But still it is still hearsay and rumors.

I have been trying to stay positive and see a silver lining but the outlook is pretty bleak. 

You work hard on shots that go through many iterations depending in the decisiveness of the supe/producer/director just so that it will look invisible and seamlessly on screen. And your company is opening branches in cheaper climate training your replacements.

That day have finally come.

Do you really want to step into the animation industry? Part 3.

Continuing from my previous post....

Update : Double Negative Sg just laid off 80 people. Insight of the closure, I have realised that this article written 5 years ago.. is even more relevant today. And it is still a downward spiral.

recently in the Straits times, there were articles about the closure of a few "big" animation companies in Singapore. Big being relatively in size compared to the rest of the cg/media/animation company in Singapore.

One part of the article "Egg Story closes down" stood out for me. Which is that "while Egg Story Creative Production closed down, Egg Story Digital Art School is not affected by the closure."

The fact that the education industry for animation is actually doing relatively well while the actual animation industry in Singapore isn't, for me is a very worrying sign.

I think that the reality of the situation here is actually pretty dire. The market is getting crowded with a lot of graduates jostling for a shrinking pie.

the struggle to management your own expectation. aka how not to get pissed off at work.

I often am caught in a dilemma of deciding when is enough and when should I put all my best.

I suppose after years in the industry dealing with situations where people cannot make up their mind and stuff, it becomes hard to give my best to everything. That does not shoddy work. It just means work to the letter.

It seems when it comes to doing my own work, that seems to happen. Part of me just want to go.. "whatever"... but the other part refuses to just give in. It seems to enjoy pain.

But you do it because you are paid to. You are pissed off because your sense of self worth lies in your ability deliver it effectively. But the goal posts keep moving hence frustrations mount.

That is natural.

What I am saying is recognise the reasoning behind it
And do not take it personally
You are helping them realise a vision, and its part of the job description.
If they cannot make up their mind, they cannot make up their mind...

 It is also understanding that end result isn't just the goal. You are working with a group of people. And everyone are trying to do their jobs.

Adjust your mindset that allows you to take that role so that they trust you to do the job. The real prize is that you build a reputation of a dependable and pleasant person to work with.
Its an opportunity to build your reputation and reputation goes a long way in any industry.

Maybe its a different perspective, but in 2 years, you will look back at this and laugh at the stupidity.

Try to do the job with a perspective that you are helping someone make their jobs easier and helping them make a decision.

When u help someone, you feel good as well, whether they are aware of it or not. ask yourself how can u help make their decisons easier.

More importantly, do it for your mental well being. you do not want to go home kicking the cat..
And honestly, most of the time,
after all options are explored, its not only how good you can draw or paint.. but just to
assure that you are helping them make a decision. That you are on their side. It triggers a postive response from them. rather then a defensive one.

Once you understand this concept, it is easier not to be pissed off.

Animation and computer graphics for online media. Aka monetize your content.

With so many schools out there churning out students in software knowledge, animation principles, Teaching maya or animation skillsets have become just the bare necessity for students to be proficient. But then, the next step would be think of themselves as them as creators and even entrepreneurs.

I would even say its a need..

I used to think there is a certain bravado in being able to raise above the competition to secure a job in a decent studio. But obviously that cannot be the end game. Especially when the irony is that online digital content is fighting for an audience's time and eyeballs.

Training students to be animators and artists so that they can be good enough to be hired to work long hours in animation and vfx studios in a ever increasing market place can be rather..... sobering. IF you view it in that context.


“You will always have disgruntled people who feel they have to work long hours, but quite honestly, they should get out of it. We don’t make up the schedules and the budgets for the projects. We live within a commercial environment.”

I agree.. and while other people will advocate unionising or protest.. that is not the purpose of this post.

You need to draw eyeballs to you as an individual or your product/creation.

Why?

Vfx artists all over both side of the pond squabble over a misrepresentation of some vfx misquote. Meanwhile the world goes on.

  Over at VFXSoldier, this article caused quite a ruckus online. His following  this article kinda explains the situation quite clearly.

  It is amusing but not in a positive manner to see it from this side of the world.

My realisation is that basically vfx industry is just like any other industry. In that if they can make it cheaper somewhere else, they will. That is just basic economics. And the bottom line. If the studios can find a way to make decent vfx from the sweat shops that made nike shoes. You can bet they will go for it.

Back in the 90s, the remake of the Lost in Space movie was supposed to be the showcase of British VFX wizardry of several different houses. They were relatively inexperienced compared to the big studios in America, but it was supposed to be a kickstart for the industry there. Some projects went after but it soon slowed to a crawl until the subsidies kicked in.
Simialr deal that happened to the Irish 2D animation industry in the 80. But the subsidy they didn't sustain and so ends the animation there.

Its similar scenarios that happened in Europe with Disney Europe and smaller 2D studios.

And you know what, nobody gave a fuck. Nobody here represents the consumer who buys. They don't care as long as there is vfx, who the heck cares where is it done.

That is the reality. That is why I find this whole kerfuffle of "Whoever is hungrier or blah blah" to be is irrelevantly sad. Expected but still sad. And a good example to never believe fully about stuff in articles. The writers all have an agenda to stir up some controversy so that more people will read their articles. And everyone got trolled. Cunts.

If you really want to make a difference, the consumers are the one YOU need to have on your side. To be sympathetic with for the guys in the industry. But again.... they don't care. Why should they? As long as people get their iphones, they don't care or know about about the plight of the thousand of Fox-Conn employees. Of what they have to do to get that iphone into their hands. The challenge then is to get\generate\create publicity and awareness?

And what artists all around the world need to realise is the ever changing landscape of the industry. TV, movies in the traditional sense are going the way of the dodo in the next 20-30 years. Once creators (i do not mean the studios) managed to find a way to monetize their creation.And with high speed internet with cinema projectors, the purpose for seeing ever more expansive movies in the cinema is going to be hard to justify. They should find ways and means to get there.

When everyone is jostling for a bite of a ever shrinking pie, its every man, woman, child for themselves....

And I have not even get to China.....

This is depressing... I need to go on facebook to numb my brain....

Sad state of the Visual Effects Industry and VFX in Los Angeles – 100 hour weeks & homeless

This post below from Scott Squires makes for sobering read of the state of the industry over in the States.

"For profit schools are multiplying at an incredible rate and being funded by money machines such as Goldman Sachs to sell dreams to people, young and old. The problem is those dream don't exist. These schools are churning out thousands of graduates to an industry without jobs. The only selection process at these types of schools is can you pay or can you sign this student loan from the government.  Your aptitude and your potential talent is never evaluated. Guidance counselors never reveal the reality of the industry you're getting into or your odds. In most cases these diploma mill types of schools teach very little of value and even those that do now have cranked out so many others it doesn't matter. It's hard to stand out and even when you do it's hard to get a job. When you do get a job you will likely be working long hours and then have to move to find your next project.

All of these students are eager to go into tens of thousands of debt. They are eager to work for free or close to free. They are eager to be exploited, to lower their value and the value of everyone else in the future, to the detriment of their real future."

 

and connected to that story by Jeff Hauser

 

"Victor has been unable to find other work because he’s often working so many hours, frequently reaching 80 to 100 hours a week. The stress is so intense that he feels it is affecting his mental health and mild dyslexia is getting worse. He worries about legal remedies or going public because he needs to work and fears the company he works at the most would be put out of business. Victor concludes, “There would be a scandal if it was ever found out that the worlds largest recording artists used a sweat shop/borderline slave labor in Los Angeles for their own personal gain in digital cosmetics/beauty.”"
"Are the schools doing enough to prepare graduates for the real world? How can artists deal with abuses and labor law violations? How can we fix an industry where a sort of Stockholm Syndrome exists where artists love the work so much that don’t seek available remedies because they worry the company they work for would go out of business if they had to pay properly or on time as required by law?
All I can try to do here in terms of wrapping up this story is to reiterate some common labor issues. These issues are common to all crafts  - visual effects, previs, games, motion graphics… and cross all borders."


These sad state of affairs is coming to be the norm in the industry. And with so many private schools world wide popping up feeding the dreams of the young people. If you are reading this and or know someone who is thinking of entering into the visual effects industry or related fields, please get them to read about the scams that these art for profit schools pull. Do not get into debt trying to get into the industry. Especially to get student loans to get into VFX. Animation is still something doable because it is flexible enough to branch out but even then, you got to have some artistic talent.

"When the external validation of success replaces our spiritual sense of purpose, things get messy." - Chris Oatley.

I have just finished reading this bloody well written article below by the amazing Chris Oatley.

http://chrisoatley.com/jobs-in-animation-industry/

I really encourage animation students and working animators to go read it fully.  This particular part below is so so true to me personally. And I want to put it here to remind myself.

"Are you an artist? …a visual storyteller?

…then keep drawing and telling stories.

You can’t let fluctuations in the industry and/or economy kill your creativity.

…and you don’t need a job in the animation industry to validate your calling.

The world needs visual stories. Humanity thrives on visual stories.

I think you should draw or tell the stories inside of you even when you aren’t getting paid.

…especially when you aren’t getting paid.

We must distinguish the truth of our internal calling as creative people from all external forces."

Conflict of interest for animation studios to run govt certified courses.

 Locally, there are several companies offering WDA certified animation courses. All of these courses are partially funded by the WDA. I applaude the willingness of the govt to spend the money to help the industry. But I feel that this is actually doing more harm then good.

The key issue for me is that the revenue of these schools come from the subsidies given to the students. So say a  course fee of $10,000, a local students just needs to pay $1,000.00 with the remaining being paid for by the WDA. You can quickly see a dilemma when the company will lose revenue for failing a student. Therefore I question the worth of that certificate given at the end of the course.
Currently there are already 4 polytechnics, a couple of private schools that are churning out hundreds of animation students a year. Such courses are adding to very crowded market.

In addition, recently one of schools which also happens to run a animation studio let go of almost this entire production crew while at the same time, still are offering courses in animation. i am sure you can appreciate the irony and hypocrisy of the situation.

On top of that, Lucasarts Singapore just let.go of its entire games dept.

We have a huge pool of cg artists jostling for a smaller pool of jobs. While these schools chase the govt dollar.

disclosure : I teach animation at a private art school  in.Singapore. I often am torn by the dilemma of.the situation. But I believe that we are offering the students a better chance at succeeding in the industry.

Keep Calm and Keep on animating.

Few months back, I was sitting behind my class of 3D animation students during studio time when I read about Dreamworks letting go of up to 500 artists. This was a day after Rhythm and Hues are rumored to be bought over by Primal Focus.

And that was when I felt the hair raising behind my neck. The accumulated silent frustration that these students in front of me are going into an industry that is facing cross roads. Some of them I honestly believe can go far in their careers. If there is a industry to get into.

But I do not know what future holds for them. I initially thought to be optimistic. That they will find jobs. 

Then later, R&H files for bankruptancy and Pixmondo is going to close their Detriot and London Studios followed by Shanghai.

Then Lucas Arts Closed. With plans announcing that ILM might be affected too.

 My original intention of teaching was to have time to make my own short and that I used to enjoy teaching. Especially young eager minds. But  I suddenly felt small. That the value of my self -worth is judged by myself on the success of these students. I felt disgusted at how pitiful I am. But at the same time, that is what drives me to push them harder and to make them better in hope that some of them can make it into one of the big boys and/or create their own companies/ideas. The hope that the success of these students will entice even better quality to join the course in a ever improving  circle.

Then I came across this article below.

http://nebezial.deviantart.com/journal/so-you-want-to-be-a-professional-XD-363842751

"now listen, there is nothing wrong about treating this as a hobby, it is a wonderful satisfying hobby to have. but if you want to be a professional, be it a comic artist a game artist a n animator a designer... you will have to put in the time, you will have to pay your dues.

life is a bitch, it will do you no favors. all you can get out of it is what you are willing to fight for. it is a hard battle, but it is worth it.

see, at a certain point it truly is about this. what is it that you want to do in life, do you want to spend your life being slowly killed on the inside  by the job you hate while dreaming of your could haves, or will you fight for your dreams."

That quote above struck me and it just brought me back to when I was in school stuck doing something that I didn't like to do. After growing up and having to worry about bills, jobs mortage, getting fucked over by bosses etc.. especially in this pressure cooker of a country..But I understand that in spite of the shit that is going down, this is still what I want to do. And i have to be good enough at it to make a living creating ideas, stories with these tools. Be it a pencil or a software package. It is still a tool to tell a story. Stories that will bring people to a different world or to escape reality for that few minutes. Or to relive their childhood memories... Or simply just to feel.

VFX industry craziness

This is about 2 months late.... but Wwith all the angry and frustrations over the Oscars snub for R&H guys who won best VFX, it confirmed my long held suspicion that they treat us as the smart class geek at the back of the class doing their home work for them, the cool guys... the jocks, the studs that they think they are. And we loved it. Trying so hard to be accepted, to be invited to the party.... I do not need to add more to the situation. there is a whole lot of info at the links below.

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/03/oscars-vfx-protest/
http://thinkinganimationbook.blogspot.sg/2013/02/a-piece-of-pi.html
http://www.fxguide.com/fxpodcasts/fxpodcast-245-vfx-roundtable/?fb_action_ids=10200237614316885&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582
http://vfxsoldier.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/ves-advocates-for-more-vfx-subsidies/#more-3400

Except there are a whole world for Nerds/geeks out there that want to bend over and be their whipping boys.

Here is my take of it. From the other side of the world, from the supposedly side that is taking work away from US.

A union isn't going to work. PERIOD. Not on a global scale. Someone posted on VFX Solitary Int.

"AGAIN...HOLD ON HERE! Let me jump in and ask one VERY SIMPLE question: What happens when another market in the world offers an even greater Tax Subsidy Incentive to the Studios that they can't afford not to Leave New Zealand? Then what happens to the New Zealand market?"
Here and here are the answers.


No Govt will come together for a agreement so that a bunch of (in their eyes) animators want fairer pay. That is like asking for World Peace.

I feel that it is a global issue. Artists from China, India, , South Korea, japan, South East Asia etc... are being subjected to same stress, job uncertainty as those in California because even here, there is even more crazy pressure to make things cheaper and faster. The race to the bottom will not help anyone except the studios and the money men....

And there are different viewpoints. Some rejoice that the jobs are coming to Asia. that finally they get a piece of the pie. but that is just stupid. Some over in Us are angry that the jobs are going to Asia.

But the problem is still, the people who wins are the money men.

The problem is compounded by unscrupulous individuals offering courses in vfx, animation etc.. flooding the market with utterly inadequate "artistes".

Ending with pissed off people spending so much money and govt on subsidies on animation courses supposedly to help get them non-existence jobs.

http://www.facebook.com/ajax/sharer/?s=99&appid=2309869772&p%5B0%5D=714432030&p%5B1%5D=105400906301584
Solution?

They view the subsidies and funding by the different governments world widde creating a unfair playing field as a problem.

How many companies here closed down despite of the govt funding and subsidies. How many of the local animators are working as permanent freelancers etc...

As you well know, we also have problems like this locally. Its a worldwide problem Animators in Batam are paid how much ? U compare them to local animators. for the quality vs the price which will you chose? And I am sorry to say this, the quality of work locally isn't near what is needed to compete with the big boys.

At the end of the day, its basic maths. There is too much supply, not enough demand.

my honest opinion is the the local big boys will move towards the cheaper countries when the quality vs wages level off and when the subsidy is over.

 If you want to be pissed off, be pissed off at the companies and schools that offer govt subsidised short courses and letting hundreds of ill equpped "artists" with unrealistic expectations of industry while making themselves rich. Those are the assholes you should be pissed off by.

Be the Jock? No.... Be the smart Geek that the Jock cannot live without. Not the jerk in the corner trying to get you hook on smack.

How ? I do not know. Yet. But I am sure as hell trying to find out.

the economics of animation industry. part 2

 Its been a while since this post or even any posts..... But the industry have been changing very rapidly in the last 6 months

Dreamworks is opening in China, Rhythm and Hues opening a couple in Taiwan.

Rumors abound of more US/UK companies setting up shop all around Asia. Yes sire.. exciting times ahead for these countries.

Cheaper eager workers, no union laws, pro business environment. Higher skilled and better quality workers compared to 5 years ago. You can understand the sentiment of the companies to re-locate or move some of the operations to Asia.

Mentality.

I was over the weekend at the Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention helping out at the booth rented by the school where I am currently teaching.

I had a lot of chances to talk to a lot of different people. Students, professionals in other industries thinking of changing lines, and socially awkward teenagers and delusional nut cases.

And it was a shock for me, listening to a lot of people's misconception understanding of what is needed to succeed. A few came and expected to be able to just learn maya and able to make their own movies. Others want to working in VFX but not interested in knowing how it works.

There was another one who said, animation looks fun but she hates drawing and computers. well then.... But there were also fresh students in their 1st year in the different schools. And the enthusiasm a young fresh mind brings. I did consciously try to dissuade them  to get out while they still can and go into something more profitable. (I was half joking just to see their reaction).

It dawned on me that the most important thing that a person can bring to the table doing animation is isn't talent. It is mentality. It really is. More accurately, it is the HUNGER. The hunger to want to learn, to find out more. TO. IMPROVE.

And I think this is the defining quality that I think, will try differentiate those who talk and those who succeed. 

the economics of animation industry. part 1

I blogged about a very informative post from David Stripinis about the evolution of the VFX business and the current state of the industry.

I thought I investigate about the simple economics of the animation industry.1st, some background.....

We all know the most simple and basic economic model is based on supply and demand. There is a demand therefore there is a need to supply that demand. But also more importantly "they are merely 2sides of the same coin".

Supply creates demand because at the bottom, it IS demand. - Henry Hazlitt

And for this industry, this is the rule. The supply of the things we create/skills (shots, lighting, animation, coding etc..) are all that we have in offer for exchange for things that we want. (promotion, more money, etc.)

Similarly for studios it is reputation/money in exchange for shots and to be done for the vfx, cartoon, commercial, video games industries etc.....

And for the movie studios and games publishing companies, its bottomline is money for entertainment.

Of course the issue if you will is that we are working on a movie by movie basis or season by season for tv shows. Sometimes, several movies on top of one another if the going is good. The work may not be consistent depending on if your studio gets the project. And if the shows keep coming, the shots need to get delivered. Often with the release date already locked in.

The shows' release dates are locked in because they are competing against other movies to secure those seats in the cinemas. The cinema owners are assured that there are shows to fill the seats. And they all want hopefully the best selling movies to make the money.

For the movie studios, the more cinemas they get, the more chances they have to sell the tickets. Again provided the movie can sell. Hence the marketing budget for big budget movies are often huge in order to protect their investment. So for the artistes, once the release dates are set, they are often never moved.

This is the nature of the business

At the end, we are creating elements and vfx for the studios that are selling entertainment at $10 a pop to the guy of the street, his neighbour, etc. 

Similarly, animation studios pitch and create animation series. Sometimes with funding secured by the tv stations or networks. Sometimes with private investors. Toy makers etc... 

Unfortunately there are a finite number of hours programming on the TV station, finite number of cinemas and dates that the shows can run.
And there are ever increasing numbers of shows being pitched, in producing, trying to get sold etc.... all trying to compete for a finite number of options.

You would think that with ever increasing number of choices, the quality of shows out there will increase to better the competition. But as we know the inverse is true. The movie studios, the animation companies hedge their money on safe bets. Sequels, recognized names etc. It is the nature of humans to want to be safe. And this at the end of the day becomes the demand. When there is over supply, they will have to meet the demands of the networks, the movie studios etc. Which are all safe bets.

Of course on the other side is the technology of the business. The latest gizmo/CG techniques that are suppose to be on the cutting edge. Stuff that get published in siggraph papers. All these sell to the movie studios, the ability of the vfx studios and of course attempt to sell movies and games. "Come see the amazing ability to age a man digitally in reverse!" "Come see a whole planet done in the computer inhibited by blue cat like people" "See how we make a hollywood hunk turn into a 70 pound weaking." "Photoreal Realtime renders of trees and water, with everything destroyable!"

Reminds you of the circus. And it is quite a spectacle. I do not mean it in a negative connotation but more of the wonderment when u see it for the 1st time. And I think the technology plays a part in attempting to capture that feeling.Of course the quality of the game/movie is something completely separate.

The major differences between the different types of industry that you are in of course results in different demands and requirements.

And now the competition as well as career opportunities are worldwide.

Part 2 Coming soon.

Fixing it in Post (from david stripinis)

This is a really informative post by David Stripinis about the evolution of the VFX business in general to its current state. Please go over to his post to read the whole thing.

Some excerpts.
"But the real key moment was their second project as the new ILM - Raiders of the Lost Ark. Both Star Wars and Empire were done for 20th Century Fox under the auspices of Lucasfilm. Raiders was still a Lucasfilm production, but for Paramount. They made a few more films for Paramount, before MGM and Universal and suddenly the VFX Vendor System was how we worked. This system is the fundamental flaw to visual effects as a business, though it did not become apparent for many years."

Observation on the Jap Cg industry.

Just back from Japan and had a conversation with the an ex colleague over there about the state of affairs in animation. He just had a talk with a couple of schools and the students the night I arrived in Tokyo.

It seems like everywhere in the world, there is a severe lack of competent cg people out there. And not only competent, even just people with the mindset with the proper mindset to survive in this industry.

*Ahem* "Our dying Animation industry"

I came across this recent post recently about our *ahem* dying animation industry.

One of the paragraph below.

4 years ago, I, like many other animator- wannabes, joined the bandwagon of a series of upcoming courses that promised us a lot of things. They promised us that if we take their diplomas, their certificates, we will join the ranks of animators around the world. With honeyed words, advertisements and more, me and my cohorts were misled and fell into a trap, a conspiracy."

 He is bitter that what was promised to him didn't appear after he followed the prescribed steps. And he start blaming the school. And what is most funny and insulting at the same time is the phrase "Unlike most polytechnic students, I and my like-minded friends saw animation not as a fan-boy obsession but a true career."

 If this dude was serious about animation, he wouldn't have need to be convinced by *ahem* honeyed words and advertisement. And at the same time, he just dissed his own classmates by saying they treat animation as a fan boy obsession.

Visual discipline and training the critical eye. AKA I hate drawing! Why do I need to do it if I am doing 3D? Part 2

Continuing from this post

  The distinctive disadvantage that the average student in the local primary and secondary schools is that art is placed very low in priority in the curriculum compared to mathematic, science etc... And even drawing is also a repeated process of copying their favorite cartoon or comic characters. It is not a gripe but more of a reality check. The really driven ones will push themselves to educate themselves.

  The good and positive news is that I have seen that once they understand why and how they are drawing, most student's skills will dramatically improve over a few months. But it will take a few years of building up their visual instinct.

Visual Discipline

  No one is born to draw, even the most talented artists. They may pick things up faster then others, or their defination of form and structure is stronger then others. But it still takes time and dedication. You can only get better by doing it again and again.
 
  The word discipline is used is because you have shown discipline in committing to that line. The drawing u produced is the final result of a series of conscious decisions made by you the artiste. By creating that image, that picture, you have shown your ability and more importantly, your perseverance and willingness to dedicate yourself to accomplish it. And to the art director, to the potential employee, it says so much about you as an developed artiste. Rather then just a software user.