Simon Allen rocks

Thanks, Simon, for sharing so many gems. I'm sure I'll be learning from these 2 days for quite some time yet. Here are some gems that I picked up, that I hope will inspire others to attend your workshops.

Try to capture the essence of life.
Show one idea at a time.
Get an office with a bar.
To get more work done, workout!

For me the 2 days of workshops cemented ideas that had been sifting in from various other places. For others I know it was simply enough to sit and listen, and soak up the goodness. I, on the other hand, recorded as much as I could. I feel so little and young compared to the ancient giants of animation, and like I need to absorb as much as I possibly can.

But now, there are no more notes to edit. I've read and re-read ( and will re-read more again). But there is simply nothing left for it but to put my head down, butt up and draw, draw, draw.

Simon Allen of Pixar talks to Wanimate.

Simon spoke easily, practicedly perhaps. Nevertheless the jokes queued the laughs and everyone was enjoying the presentation this engaging fellow from Pixar (from Perth) had to offer.
Key points for me were:
Pixar invest heavily in having high morale - because directly it affects the fiscal return.
That a group like Pixar values ideas as well as being awesome at animating, or editing, or lighting.
That being fit in body and having a fit mind are importantly related.
That the Pixar's art department work the longest on a movie of all departments.
That a lucky break can be enough to get you into the big time.
That top students are pulling 80-90 hr weeks.
That Perth is deemed as good a place as anywhere to set up. If Weta can do it in Wellington, why not in Perth?
That online learning, in particular Animation Mentor, is valued highly in the States as a cheaper but viable (even prefferable) method to learn animation deeply. And you can train anywhere because of that. Some Pixar staff also mentor and teach for Animation Mentor.
That constant learning is highly valued.
There were others, but in a nutshell it was an entertaining talk. I'm looking forward big-time to the emerging animator and masterclass days next week!!

Screenwriting Workshop 101

The weekend was one big long screenwriting workshop, presented by Ben Young. And it was great.
I suprised myself by taking comprehensive notes and recording as much as I could (with a somewhat unreliable iPhone recorder) and then spent most of Monday compiling them.
I am grateful to FTI for making positions available on the course to the Diploma students currently enrolled. In the end there were 3 Diploma students and 7 participants.
Screenwriting is a remarkably concise, predictable art. Beginning, middle and an end, conflict, twists, comedy and tragedy, the lows and the highs are all formulaic. So the structure is more like maths than art. The effectiveness of the writing? That is the art.
All in all I found it very informative, and an excellent investment of my time.
I'm looking forward to having a crack.

Caveman clock test.