Debris - a production blog

Debris animation is finished!

2011-12-14T09:26:00.000-08:00

Holy gods. I have climbed the mountain, and it is made of AVIs.

Yesterday morning I exported the last scene in my pile of "scenes to animate." Three and a half years of drawing, planning, dreaming, wallowing in insecurity and self-loathing, fighting off cats, fighting computers and Flash, and learning more about the film-making process than I've ever before...if not finished, then well on its way to being so.

I've got a new mountain to climb now, and it's called "Notes and Fixes." And "Editing." And "Promotion and distribution to film festivals," and "Music," which is where these next two shout-outs come in:

Edie Nugent, my favorite lady from New York, is a PR goddess who's currently in the process of pulling my countless blogs/FB pages/websites for "Debris" into something resembling a coherent whole. Edie's a powerhouse, and she's going to be helping me out a lot in the next few weeks - keep an eye out for some new and exciting stuff on the blog and the FB page!

And Dave Zumsteg/Davey Rockets, LA musician and guitarist extraordinaire, is currently working out some tunes for the film! I send him various youtube videos of random songs I like and he turns them into some amazing stuff...I am SO excited to see everything put together. Dave is in several bands, and you can check them all out on one handy webpage here.

There will also be a DEBRIS KICKSTARTER coming in the new year, to raise funds for said composer and PR rep, as well as production costs, animators, a webpage re-design, and a few other things. Keep your eyes out for a link in early 2012!

2011-10-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

Oh look look look at what I've gone and done.

An official Debris Facebook page!

I haven't gone and spammed everyone with a link yet; I'm still woozy from the vast array of spam I sent out about my gallery show this Saturday. I'll wait until next week to alert everyone in the known universe about it. But you, faithful blog readers. You get to see first!

Non-Debris related post #2

2011-10-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

I'll have some non-Debris related collages on display at Co op 28, in Los Angeles starting next weekend! Opening reception is Saturday, October 15. The reception corresponds with a neighborhood block party and "open house" of sorts. Here are all the details.

The new pieces look a lot like clown barf, although it's the good sort of clown barf, if there is such a thing.

Still steadily working on Debris. Every morning, for at least an hour. It's into the home stretch now; I'm excited.

The last big push

2011-09-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Rough inbetweening!
Back to work on Debris. I've got 20 or so scenes to go, and 4 months to do them in. That's a scene (And maybe a half scene) per week, until the new year. GAH. So close! I can dooo theeeeesss...

Spent some time working on Good Vibes, then took on a second job at Wildbrain doing storyboards for the Ricky Gervais show. Also, I'm getting married next year. Ima be this guy's wiff!

He's the one being groped by Dangle.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be an artist, and what I'm trying to say with my art/films. I go through phases like this every 5-6 years or so. I can describe myself as a person, but when I try to describe my body of work, I fail to come up with the right words. It's like trying to remember the name of a movie you love, and the name is on the tip of your tongue, but you're drawing a blank.

I feel like, more than anything else at this point, I'm making Debris for this guy:

Is that reason enough to make it? Does that give it meaning and worth? One can only hope.

In the meantime, back to ROUGH INBETWEEENING YALLLLLL.
xo

Focus Focus Focus

2011-02-15T22:42:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR. It is what, February? I am so awesome at blog updating, you guys.

It's my shiny new new years' resolution to get Debris finished by the end of the year. So, in order to do that, I have enlisted a few other artists and friends to animate some scenes. They will use their art ninja skills and make Debris look amazing!

Without further ado, please welcome my first two animators:

Arie Monroe, from Kansas City, MO. Look at her awesome sexy pinups!

Katherine Waddell, from Boston, MA. Mad design and illustration skills! KA-POW!

I am on a wave of productiveness that may or may not be fueled by chocolate, insecurity, and Thomas Newman soundtracks. I am going to ride it while the gettin's good. Here's another still!

FX Shot

2010-10-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

While my computer gasps and chokes (while waiting for its OS to be replaced) I'm working from the boyfriend's computer, and getting lots done.

Another screencap! Running, with background FX. By the end of the week, I hope to have the whole sequence finished, which will put the animation at about halfway completed!

Continuing Continuation

2010-09-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

Screencap! Animation continues to chug along. I'm curious where I'll be by the end of the year, especially since I'll be working full-time (FINALLY!!!)for the first 4 months of 2011. Time to get some scenes out of the way before things get biz-zay.

Politically = I've been largely ignoring the 9/11 related politics as of late. Get caught up in petty rumors and arguments, and you lose sight of the gravity of what actually happened: Three thousand people ceased to be alive within the span of a few hours.

I see it as a day to be quiet a minute for those people, and maybe give my dad a call. Because I can.

One-Third Animated!

2010-06-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

To celebrate, here's a rare peek at where the magic happens. Right now it's also full of sewing notions and half-finished projects, but I left those out for effect.

May flowers

2010-05-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Debris continues to move along at a steady - if somewhat slow - pace. Here's some animation I just finished today. The main character is losing his mind! And knocking over chips! Oh em gee!

I actually have a question I'll pose here, if anyone knows the answer - eventually, when I finish "Debris," I'd like to take it around to festivals, contests, etc. I'm concerned about posting more animation online, since a lot of these organizations frown on making stuff public before it's "aired." Then again, I also like sharing my work in progress with everyone...I think it's important, and it helps to motivate me.

Anyone had any experiences with this before? Should I plan on having to take down my blog/trailer in a couple of years when the film is finished and ready to be sent out? Am I already screwed because I have a production blog? If anyone's familiar with this, please enlighten me.

Wow!

2010-04-27T22:50:00.000-07:00

Almost five months of silence on the Debris blog? It must be time for an update!

I've been busy working an assortment of freelance gigs, which is great, but I haven't had any time for Debris. Plus I was taking a storyboard class at Concept Design Academy. Plus my computer broke. Twice. EXCUSES.

Anyhow, here's a quick scene I finished this evening in about 2 hours. I feel like my drawings have improved a bit since January, so that's good.

I am Making Plans to spend a lot of time animating in May, so prepare your eyeballs for more updates! Endless updates! Yes!

Debris trailer is finished!

2010-01-25T22:30:00.001-08:00

Woohoo! Here it is!
Next big step in the promo train is a website...then back to gettin' it done, one scene at a time.

The trailer helped me jump around a little, though, which was nice. That scene with the skunk in the grass took friggin forever. Skunks. Always takin' forever.

Hi CTN People!

2009-11-23T10:03:00.001-08:00

Just a quick hello to everyone from CTN who might be stopping by for a visit!

This blog is updated sporadically...but when I do update, I promise it is full of EXCITEMENT AND WONDER. And drawings. Mostly drawings.

Enjoy this drawing - a medley of older designs for the Main Character - while I pack up and head to the Bay Area for Thanksgiving! I'm bringing my laptop and cintiq...maybe I will have something to update while I'm there? Eehh?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Trailer Time!

2009-10-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for trailers, and so I decided to put one together for Debris. Watching it makes me happy, and keeps me motivated to FINISH THE FILM AT SOME POINT.

Yes kids, this self-indulgent little romp is a work in progress. Goal for the next 3 weeks is to get the rest of these trailer scenes animated, so I'll have something to put up on the website I fully intend to build once I get a minute.

The music used is "Pepita," from Calexico's album "Feast of Wire." Haunting, lovely song; I think it works perfectly. I actually haven't given much thought to how I'm going to score Debris yet, but this track gives me a lot of inspiration.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and impressions of the bits/pieces I've strung together so far...love it? Hate it? Bored? Want to see more?

Color

2009-10-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

I was out with a friend tonight talking about our various creative projects, and my friend asked me why I chose to animate Debris in black and white. Honestly, it was mostly because color is one more (complicated) step in the production process, and I wanted to make a film I could realistically finish. I'm using color to embellish certain props, but other than that I'm sticking strictly to b/w.

Then it occurred to me - the theme of the film has become "people on autopilot." Everyone goes around a little robotic, and nothing feels real. I think of "The Wizard of Oz," where the viewer doesn't really feel like they're "in" the story until the color appears. The main character isn't connected to the world around him until the end of the film. Why not use color to represent that? Why not color the last two scenes of Debris?

Thanks, Ariel! :)

Just a Note

2009-09-11T15:49:00.000-07:00

How weird that today is the first day in a couple of weeks that I've had time to work on animation again...

I was feeling uninspired and busy with other stuff, but I took some time to re-watch the animatic (again,) and it reminded me why I wanted to make this short in the first place. It's a dark subject, but I'm drawn to it. It fascinates me, and I can only hope that I'm capturing it well, and doing it justice.

Thinking of you today, Dad. Hope you're having an okay day, the animals are behaving, and the Bay Area weather is sunny and breezy. :)

2009-08-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Lucky scene 13. A couple things I'm noticing as I'm starting to amass a pile of scenes that link together...

1. Main Character seems unemotional? Make him sleepier, especially in the longer scenes. It's 2:04 AM, dude needs some heavy eyelids. (note to self - revisit That One LONG Pain in the Ass Scene I Wasn't Happy With Anyway and re-do it, with exhausted gusto.)

2. Main Character's model is morphing slightly from scene to scene. I really didn't have a model pack when I started this, I just sorta dove in with a couple sketches and a rough idea of what he looked like. Good thing? Bad thing? "Artistic" thing? (Note to self - wait until production ends, several years in the future, THEN go back and fret over old, "crappy" drawings. Cry a little, while tweaking nose size in earlier scenes.)

3. Looking at all the finished scenes I've accomplished so far is - despite the mistakes I spot - really, really, really fantastic. :)

Non-debris related post!

2009-08-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Photos by Lissa Treiman.

NON-DEBRIS-RELATED UPDATE!

I have some art on the wall at Meltdown Gallery with the GirlsDrawinGirls "Girls of Summer" show! You should check it out, along with the work of 49 other talented ladies.

Gallery is located at:
7522 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Been super busy with this, and other GDG projects, but I'm steadily chugging along with animation. Little by little, the scenes get done...proper update next week, I promise.

Story Cuts, Rough Cuts

2009-07-12T13:19:00.001-07:00

I dove back into the Debris storyline recently, and I found myself cutting again--this time, a couple of sequences that I found redundant when I looked at the whole story. I really like the feel of the film a lot more now...the line between hallucination/reality is suitably blurred, but (hopefully) not to a point that will leave the audience completely baffled. At least, not baffled in a bad way.

That's one of the great things about working on something that's not a TV production...I can do things like go back and cut entire sequences, and no one gets pissed! HA!

ALSO - in Non-Debris Related News, GirlsDrawinGirls (the art collective I am a part of) will be exhibiting at COMICON 2009 - booth 5428!! Come by and say hi and check out some sassy pinup art drawn by sassy ladies. I will not be there this year, unfortunately, as I will be careening down the Colorado River in a rubber raft, 50 miles from a paved road. Wooo!

Here's a rough cut of Sc. 8!

Animation Goodness

2009-06-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

Just chuggin away at animation! Here's Sc1...skunky goodness!

It's traditionally animated, in Flash. The animation is limited, but what movement there is, I've decided will be done the ol' fashioned way. I rough out the sequence on one layer, clean it up on another, and then use the fill tool to color. It is fun times.

6 scenes down, 109 to go!!

Animatin

2009-05-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

Some screen-captures from sc. 1...I've started animation but it's going slooooowwwwww. The nudge keys, the fill tool, and slow-out have become my best friends. It's amazing how quickly you can alter timing and drawings! I'll post some animation when I've got a scene I'm ready to share...

Int Gas Station

2009-05-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Productive day! Finishing a whole sequence of BGs in one Sunday is a wonderful feeling. Am I going to keep going and try to finish a second sequence? OH YOU KNOW IT.

Here are a couple of BGs I was pretty happy with. The down-shot with the TV is my favorite of the bunch, I think.

May?! How is it May??!

2009-05-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

I'm probably not going to have this short finished by the end of the year. Oh well. For the sake of motivaion, let's pretend that it's still possible somehow.

Car debris! So much car debris...

I'm having a pretty productive weekend! It feels like I've barely worked on the short all week, due to any number of distractions - bronchitis, shitty sinuses, friends doing fun stuff and inviting me, Facebook, Lost...but I'm back now. WITH A VENGANCE! More BGs to come tomorrow.

Dashboard Professional

2009-04-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

Hey! It's the dashboard! Of a car!!

...yeah, that's about all I got for this one.

Starting the NYC BGs next, so more exciting things to come. In the meantime, enjoy these dials and things.

Car Debris

2009-04-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

Moving on to the interior of a car. I can never draw mechanics as easily as I can draw organic stuff, but I try. OH HOW I TRY.

I'm taking a layout class right now that, while taking some time away from Debris work, is actually very helpful. I'm thinking of changing the staging on some shots later on. I am INSPIRED, yo.

Overturned car

2009-04-14T23:16:00.000-07:00

Here's another one...this one's a work in progress. Trying to draw while watching "Wristcutters: A Love Story." is not something I would recommend. I kept getting distracted by the movie (which is awesome, btw) and had to pause and rewind bits, resulting in a half-assed BG. Tsk. I'll fix it tomorrow, like the lazy bum I am.

Debris aplenty

2009-04-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

Finishing up the country road BGs...moving on to the actual debris sequence, which is pretty abstract. Not much going on, but I think this one's kinda neat. It's an upshot; there's a big chunk of concrete that falls in a dramatic and frightening fashion. I hope. There's probably going to be a layer of smoke and dust animation overlaid on all of these. Is that a word? Overlaid? Looks weird.

More to come...

Sunrise

2009-04-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

More BGs. These are all for the first and last thirds of the film...a lot of "ext. country road night" business. I'm working pretty quickly, and they're not completely perfect, but I'm happy with them so far. I'm going for a more organic feel, and I like the scribbly bits, cause I'm crazy that way.

Gas Station BGS

2009-04-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

More BGs. While I was working on these, I came to the realization that I have no idea what a gas pump looks like without looking at pictures. The things I learn making cartoons...

More BGs

2009-03-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Destroyed NYC BG. Going for a slightly different look to reflect the change of mood. I was inspired by the backgrounds from "Persepolis." They do a lot of really interesting things with chalk and paper texture.

Tweaking the NYC BG again. I think I like it better now...

NYC BG

2009-03-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

More BGs! I'm liking the way these are coming. It's a mix of Mike Mignola, my coworker Sean's comic "Ahab," and a scratchboard. At least, that's what I'm going for IN MY MIND.

Yup, makin' a 9/11 film...

More BGs coming later in the week.

BG Key - #1

2009-03-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

BG Key...trying a different look. I'm pretty happy with it so far. More BG keys to come later next week.

Doh

2009-03-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

I suck at keeping this updated. The last couple of weeks have been really busy with GDG stuff. I'm working on developing a style for the short, and I've been looking at a lot of Bruce Timm and Mike Mignola. (And Steve Silver still.)

Here are some sketches of skunks that still look like cats and squirrels. Someday, I will get it right.

I will post some BG concept sketches later this week. I promise. O_O

Heads

2009-01-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

Some sketches for a main character design...don't think I've nailed him down yet. The original design seems generic and I would like to give him more personality. I've been looking at a lot of Steven Silver drawings for inspiration.

Finally cut the animatic to a length I'm happy with...for now, at least. The whole thing turned out to be 10 minutes, not 8--eek. Now it's down to a svelt 6:30 or so. Muuuuch better. The challenge is to cut it to time, but to not have it feel rushed. (Or drag endlessly.)

Cutting

2009-01-11T22:21:00.001-08:00

Last summer, I had a few weeks off, and I storyboarded Debris in something like 3 weeks. I really didn't think a lot as I did it, other than just to get out what was in my head. Right now, the animatic I boarded out is about 8 minutes long. That's waa-a-y too long. Endless. Interminable. Originally, I couldn't see cutting anything from the animatic, but that was four months ago. Watching it again (and again, and again), I see a lot of places where it could be tightened and clarified.

My goal this week (and the next 3-4 weeks) is to cut at least 3 minutes from the animatic.

While I do that, here are some more rough designs. Skunks...mystic skunks....

The story so far

2008-12-14T17:41:00.001-08:00

So -

Back in 2001, my father, C.D., worked for Sun Microsystems, Inc, as a sales representative. In September of that year, he was sent to Manhattan on what was supposed to have been a routine business trip. Before setting out on the trip, he attempted to get a ticket to attend the Risk Waters conference - what could have been a valuable networking opportunity with potential clients. He was told the event was full, but if he was willing to pay a few thousand dollars out of pocket, it might be possible for him to attend. He thought about it, but declined, citing the cost as his reason.

The Risk Waters conference was held the morning of September 11th, 2001, on the 106th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center.

My father's colleagues who attended the conference perished. My father, who had instead gone to work at the Sun Microsystems field offices on the 25th floor of the south tower, survived. The only piece of debris to hit him as he fled the towers was a broken diskette, labeled "security."

This is a story of tragedy, redemption, and a broken diskette. This is a story about debris.

First Post

2008-12-14T17:17:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone - this is a production blog for a (pretentious little) short I've been meaning to make for a long time. It's very different from anything I've worked on before, so I'm very excited about it. I'll be posting more artwork in the coming days. My goal is to have the whole shebang animated by January, 2010. Yeah!

Here are some character sketches...I have a lot of incidental characters. Incidentally.