Andrew Stanton: The clues to a great story (talk on TED) transcript

This is one of the best video I have heard about storytelling. The man talking in the video is of course Andrew Stanton.

Below is a transcript of the key points that he made on the video for personal use. 

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.

conversation with a Student 2 about Visual Discipline

Short version of visual discipline after another conversation. Big ass long post coming up in the next few days.


hilscreate says:
 visual discipline
i was asking why learn to draw if you can model it in 3D.
 my boss told me today
 its visual discipline 

zs★ says:
 Can elaborate?

hilscreate says:
 Drawing is Interpreting a shape's form with lines and curves
 I.E Looking at a subject matter and Analysing it (Analysing is the key word here)
 After which you make a informed and educated decision by putting it down as a line. Whether you meant it or not, that line that you put down on paper, is a commitment to the decision that you are making. 
 
zs★ says:
 The way I see it is that it`s a kind of practice for your eyes to work
 seeing one thing and understanding what you see is two different things

hilscreate says:
Yes. The ability to analyse what you see, i.e shape, form, perspective and extrapolate from it.

My one and only post about unions in Singapore.

Anonymous says:
 yo
hilscreate says:
 sup Anonymous
Anonymous says:
 what are your thoughts of starting an animation industry union in singapore?
hilscreate says:
 u been reading vfxsoldier ?
Anonymous says:
 hahaha
 that too
hilscreate says:
 nvr ever going to happen
Anonymous says:
 you think so too
 ?
hilscreate says:
 govt will nvr allow it and they are da law.
Anonymous says:
 it might hurt our image of cheap labor too eh?

conversation w a student 1

zs★ says:
 Hey
hilscreate says:
 sup
zs★ says:
 I ask you ah
 Are employers very discerning about like
 hiring people who have proper training
 like people who have proper design and art training
 as compared to software monkeys who can churn stuff out?
 I`m thinking, would a company pay, say 2.5k or 3k to hire a uni grad in animation[like me, if I graduate], compared to a software monkey who learned how to animate
 and can do all sorts of tricks, and is only asking like 2k?
hilscreate says:
 u say leh ?