Dude Challenge 2009

Here are some of the dudes I work with.

D.C.

Manhattan

Training mentor

To familiarize new hires with the studio's tools , each animator is assigned a mentor to help with training, answer any questions, and walk us through the studio's pipeline.  Here is mine.

Ladies and gentlemen, Stewart Shaw.  A real American hero.

Blue Sky Studios Beard Challenge

First week...

...In the bag!  The week flew by really.  I spent my time learning the animation tools, familiarizing myself with the film's characters, sitting in reviews with the director, being blown away by several animation tests, and meeting the members of the animation team little by little.  I sorta have a knack for remembering names, so I think I've got 'em all.   

Next week I should be starting on my first animation test!  I spent all day today prepping for it.  Listening to dialogue clips, jotting notes, scribbling ideas, thumbnailing poses.  Monday I'll begin to shoot some video ref. It's like I'm at Animation Mentor all over again! 

Just a few misc. pics from my first week.  This is White Plains from my morning coffee stop.

Fridays are filled with Donuts.

 

Scott Farrell's Tiki Cube.

Lunchtime basketball tournament.

Dude I'm scared

I just came out of my first animation review meeting today with the director and the rest of the animation team. 

The tests were just flat-out amazing.  Its crazy to see how far these already talented animators are pushing the limits of what they can do.  It's inspiring but very, VERY intimidating.

 I'm gonna go ball up into a corner and cry now see ya later!

First Day

Beautiful day to start a new job!

 

 

I cant say much, but the team here is awesome and I'm extremely excited about the project!!

Road Trip

Here are a couple of pics from the trip over.  Due to weather conditions we ended up taking a more southern route than the one posted below.  I ended up driving from Bremerton, down to Portland, through Idaho, Utah,Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and finally New York.  We left sunday evening and got to NY thursday night.

Somewhere in Utah

Pitstop in Nebraska

HAD to stop by Chicago...

...for Art and Pizza!

 

 

Approaching NY....

Finally here!

 

My apartment in White Plains.

 

Goodbye WA

Sayin goodbye to the kids.

How I got in

I've had a few peers ask to see the demo reel that got my foot in the door. So here's a link to my reel that I sent to Blue Sky.

Bobby Pontillas Demo Reel 2009 from Bobby Pontillas on Vimeo.

I followed it up immediately with my short film:

Better Off Undead ! from Bobby Pontillas on Vimeo.

2 Things !

First, although I did eventually get the gig, the feedback wasn't all praise! =)  While they liked my ideas, the biggest comment was that I needed to work on my polish.  Really working out in finer detail the mechanics and bringing things to a more refined level.  Also that I needed to work on my acting.  Haha, so I've still got a long way to go. 

Second, I think it's worth mentioning that this wasn't a one-shot deal.  That is, I've been sending away demo reels to film studios for years now.  And I've been turned down by them ALL at some point or another!  You name 'em, I've been passed by them.  Shoot, some of them several times in a year!

Anyway, I guess my (hopefully non-preachy) point is, if you're really trying to break into the biz, be it games, film, etc.  Keep at it, man.  You'll start to feel discouraged for sure, and thats fine.  Embrace it.  Spend a day or two being bummed out or whatever. But soon you'll get sick of feeling like crap, so pick yourself back up and try again. I've seen/ heard of folks straight out of school break into a studio, but sh*t that wasn't me.  I was rejected lots and lots and lots of times before I even got my foot into my first gig in games,  and then went through it again when I was trying to break into films.  The only reason I kept going was because I became obsessed.

En route

This sunday I'll be making my way over to White Plains.  Google Maps says 2,920 miles!

Where I'll be living

My apartment will be in White Plains , NY.  Blue Sky Studios is just a few miles away in Greenwich, CT .  A few Blue Sky folks that live in NYC tell me that the studio is only about a 40-minute commute from the city!

I kind-of , arbitrarily picked White Plains because I stayed there for the interview, but I'd like to experience living in the city at some point.  So I opted for just a 6-month lease.

Where I Work

On November 16th, I'll be starting as an animator at Blue Sky Studios, working on their next film, Rio. 

Rio will be my first feature film!  Right now it's slated to release April 8, 2011.  Make sure to check it out!

The only visual of it I've seen online is at the bottom of this Ice Age 3 banner, which was in an issue of Variety.