Whoa! What happened here?

We interrupt the Feature Favorites posts to bring you this important announcement:

Today my little storyboard blog turns one year old. Yay!

So it got a make-over and a face-lift. (It will soon buy a Porche and start dating younger men.)

Now things aren’t perfect. I’ve already found some stuff I need to tweak, so it’s still a work in progress. (In other words…Gaa! I don’t know how to fix it!!!)

Like as I write this, the whole site has shrunk from my test version, so the type (and everything!) is smaller than it should be. I don’t know what that’s all about. *pulls on hair* (Update: OK, that’s fixed. I was just a techno-idiot. Many thanks to Nathan. )

But I’ll give you a few highlights to show you around.

As you can see, the banner at the top is basically the same (and click-able). I didn’t want to totally disorient you. But the page navigation is under the banner and there are a few sub headers as well. Do a little hovering and you’ll see them.

One big change is that the sidebar links now are in the Resources page. It’s got cool tabs and I’ll be adding to them as time goes on. You can contact me for any link suggestions. I welcome it!

And one of the biggest changes is the Work With Karen page. I am offering storyboard mentoring and visual story consulting services now. Wee! I just have some primary information right now, but rates and much more information about the services are coming very soon. >>continue reading>>

Remember ‘Hell Week‘?

That was when I was up to my ears with storyboard work and barely had time to breath.

Ahh, the memories.

I would post some links to some other cool stuff because I had no time to write. It’s good to spread some link love once in a while (that’s from Blogging 101) so I think I’m due.

I’m still an unemployed bum at the moment, so there is no ‘Hell Week’. I am busy doing stuff for myself, not for money. In due time, in due time.

But read this first. >>continue reading>>

Well, it has become evident to me that writing posts about storyboard labeling does not incite much dialogue in the comment department.

See? Told you it was boring stuff.

Good thing that’s over with.

So I shall move on to what I do best, though not often enough: sarcasm.

During my stint as an animation student and as an instructor, I came across many interesting characters. And some I came across more than once. Call it a ‘type’. Call it a fluke. Whatever.

This is not a complete list, but here’s a summary of some of the various types of colorful animation students I have seen over the years. If you are in animation school now, see if you recognize any of them.

See if you *are* one of them.

And if you’re a former student of mine and think I’m talking about you…don’t flatter yourself. Guaranteed there was more than one of you over the years.

But…yeah, I might be talking about you.  So enjoy the limelight!

THE FAN-BOY

Much like ‘the keener’ below, they are super excited to be there because they love animation so damn much. They know all the shows, movies and games and are always asking you if you’ve “seen this one…” (uh, no I haven’t). They paste up tons of posters and have the biggest toy collection of anyone else in class.

And they probably can’t draw.

They don’t quite know the difference between being a fan and doing the job. They soon find out that the job isn’t quite as fun as being a fan. They may quit the program. Or they stick it out and never do anything with their education.

And end up working in a comic book shop.

THE KNOW-IT-ALL

These people probably have a lot of talent. With the ego to match.

And are irritating as all hell. >>continue reading>>

UPDATE: This offer is now off the table. Many thanks to those who took me up on it.

I threw up that little banner on the side a few days ago and it led to a page with some info on it. I don’t think too many people checked it out because, well…it kinda looked like a nasty *ad* or something.

I was going to change it and then I got some major computer hullaballoo over the weekend (don’t even ask…but my external hard drive just paid for itself). So I’m changing it now and making it a real post.

But first, a technical notice: It has come to my attention (during my computer hullaballoo) that my blog is looking pretty wonky in Internet Explorer 6 (and maybe earlier). The right sidebar has decided to disappear to the very bottom of the blog and is being quite naughty.

All is well and good in Firefox and Internet Explorer 7 (at least for me). So if my blog looks screwy to you, what are you waiting for? Get Firefox already! It’s better, it’s free and has some really cool add-ons. And if you don’t want that, then update to Internet Explorer 7. Or stick with the wonky version. I’d go to the trouble of fixing it, but frankly I’m afraid of making it worse.

Plus I want to change the look of the blog soon, so I think it can wait.

Hope that’s cool.

On with my neat little offer!

Well at least I think it’s a neat offer.

For just the month of August, I am offering *free* visual story consulting to a certain number of people. (I just haven’t figured out quite how many that will be). I first want to see what kind of response I get.

If any.

Why? Why would I do that? >>continue reading>>

Well, I’m back. Did ya miss me?

Montreal was great. A little family, a little friends, a little poutine (note to self: eat more veggies).

Here are the tidbits:

While I was gone, the good folks at the VFS Blog posted an interview about me and the storyboard blog. Check it out and poke around the site if you’re thinking about attending film school.

Or to reminisce if you already attended film school. Ahh, those long all-nighters…then sleeping under your desk the next day while I was trying to TEACH, dammit!

*throws imaginary boot*

This could get ranty.

On to tidbit number two.

While in Montreal, I had the opportunity to visit some other lovely folks at Toon Boom. I got a first-hand demonstration of Toon Boom Storyboard Pro which was very cool. I’m not going to write a full review until I actually fiddle around with it myself. Which I plan on doing soon.

But I will say that I was impressed. It looks like a real storyboard artist-friendly piece of software. And it could very well increase your productivity, so you could actually have a life while storyboarding. What a concept.

So stay tuned for that one.

Done with the tidbits, on to the review:

I mentioned in my last post that I would be attending the ‘South Park Live‘ show at the ‘Just for Laughs’ festival. There were only two shows on the Wednesday night, a 7pm and a 9:30pm (I went to the 7pm). I was quite stoked for it and I paid about $55 per ticket.

So was it worth it? >>continue reading>>

Yes, I love AC/DC.

And that photo. I took it for goodness sakes!

OK, this post will be a short one. I’m still figuring out what I want to write about next.

Consider this the ‘vacation wrap-up’.

But I wanted to show that I’m back and haven’t moved into a surf shack. Not yet anyway. And that I haven’t abandoned my blog. No way man!

I mentioned that I might post while on vacation but that I also might not be using my brain much while away.

I wasn’t.

So I didn’t.

And it felt wonderful. >>continue reading>>

I am in the midst of my *final* Hell Week. Then I get a vacation.

Yipee for me!

So since I’m going to be quite strapped for time and content, you get a little potpourri of things in this post.

First off, if you read the comments you may have seen one from Toronto storyboard artist Dan Milligan. Go to his site and look at his stuff (for you geeks, he worked on the movie ‘300′).

Very cool indeed.

He also added a link to an interview he did on the site CG Channel. Some good reading from a pro in the film and advertising industry, so check it out here:

http://www.cgchannel.com/news/viewfeature.jsp?newsid=5733&pageid=0

(UPDATE: That link doesn’t work anymore. Sorry!)

_____________________________________

Next, I plan on doing some posts about dealing with dialogue. I just don’t have the time right now and probably won’t for a few weeks (that vacation thing). But I did come across a post on Carlos Baena’s blog that touched on this.

He’s an animator at Pixar and one of the founders of Animation Mentor (I don’t know him and he certainly doesn’t know me). He gives some great insights and tips for animators on his site.

I can’t seem to link to just that post, but check out the June 1st entry entitled ‘Internal/External Dialogue‘. It shouldn’t be too far from the top. Poke around that site if you’re an animator. He’s got a good book resource section too.

UPDATE: If you go to his site you might very well see a post about this blog! I’ve told him privately and now I’ll tell him publicly: Thank you Carlos…you rock!

_____________________________________

And finally just for fun, here’s the superb video “Take On Me” by A-Ha.

Why not? It’s one of the best videos ever and starts off all ’storyboard-ish’. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love it.

Ahh, the eighties…(hey, I told you I’m old). Enjoy and I’ll see ya before the big ‘vacances’.

Read the Storyboard Blog by RSS Feed or by email for more blasts from the past.

Whoa! What happened here?

We interrupt the Feature Favorites posts to bring you this important announcement:

Today my little storyboard blog turns one year old. Yay!

So it got a make-over and a face-lift. (It will soon buy a Porche and start dating younger men.)

Now things aren’t perfect. I’ve already found some stuff I need to tweak, so it’s still a work in progress. (In other words…Gaa! I don’t know how to fix it!!!)

Like as I write this, the whole site has shrunk from my test version, so the type (and everything!) is smaller than it should be. I don’t know what that’s all about. *pulls on hair* (Update: OK, that’s fixed. I was just a techno-idiot. Many thanks to Nathan. )

But I’ll give you a few highlights to show you around.

As you can see, the banner at the top is basically the same (and click-able). I didn’t want to totally disorient you. But the page navigation is under the banner and there are a few sub headers as well. Do a little hovering and you’ll see them.

One big change is that the sidebar links now are in the Resources page. It’s got cool tabs and I’ll be adding to them as time goes on. You can contact me for any link suggestions. I welcome it!

And one of the biggest changes is the Work With Karen page. I am offering storyboard mentoring and visual story consulting services now. Wee! I just have some primary information right now, but rates and much more information about the services are coming very soon. >>continue reading>>

Remember ‘Hell Week‘?

That was when I was up to my ears with storyboard work and barely had time to breath.

Ahh, the memories.

I would post some links to some other cool stuff because I had no time to write. It’s good to spread some link love once in a while (that’s from Blogging 101) so I think I’m due.

I’m still an unemployed bum at the moment, so there is no ‘Hell Week’. I am busy doing stuff for myself, not for money. In due time, in due time.

But read this first. >>continue reading>>

Well, it has become evident to me that writing posts about storyboard labeling does not incite much dialogue in the comment department.

See? Told you it was boring stuff.

Good thing that’s over with.

So I shall move on to what I do best, though not often enough: sarcasm.

During my stint as an animation student and as an instructor, I came across many interesting characters. And some I came across more than once. Call it a ‘type’. Call it a fluke. Whatever.

This is not a complete list, but here’s a summary of some of the various types of colorful animation students I have seen over the years. If you are in animation school now, see if you recognize any of them.

See if you *are* one of them.

And if you’re a former student of mine and think I’m talking about you…don’t flatter yourself. Guaranteed there was more than one of you over the years.

But…yeah, I might be talking about you.  So enjoy the limelight!

THE FAN-BOY

Much like ‘the keener’ below, they are super excited to be there because they love animation so damn much. They know all the shows, movies and games and are always asking you if you’ve “seen this one…” (uh, no I haven’t). They paste up tons of posters and have the biggest toy collection of anyone else in class.

And they probably can’t draw.

They don’t quite know the difference between being a fan and doing the job. They soon find out that the job isn’t quite as fun as being a fan. They may quit the program. Or they stick it out and never do anything with their education.

And end up working in a comic book shop.

THE KNOW-IT-ALL

These people probably have a lot of talent. With the ego to match.

And are irritating as all hell. >>continue reading>>

UPDATE: This offer is now off the table. Many thanks to those who took me up on it.

I threw up that little banner on the side a few days ago and it led to a page with some info on it. I don’t think too many people checked it out because, well…it kinda looked like a nasty *ad* or something.

I was going to change it and then I got some major computer hullaballoo over the weekend (don’t even ask…but my external hard drive just paid for itself). So I’m changing it now and making it a real post.

But first, a technical notice: It has come to my attention (during my computer hullaballoo) that my blog is looking pretty wonky in Internet Explorer 6 (and maybe earlier). The right sidebar has decided to disappear to the very bottom of the blog and is being quite naughty.

All is well and good in Firefox and Internet Explorer 7 (at least for me). So if my blog looks screwy to you, what are you waiting for? Get Firefox already! It’s better, it’s free and has some really cool add-ons. And if you don’t want that, then update to Internet Explorer 7. Or stick with the wonky version. I’d go to the trouble of fixing it, but frankly I’m afraid of making it worse.

Plus I want to change the look of the blog soon, so I think it can wait.

Hope that’s cool.

On with my neat little offer!

Well at least I think it’s a neat offer.

For just the month of August, I am offering *free* visual story consulting to a certain number of people. (I just haven’t figured out quite how many that will be). I first want to see what kind of response I get.

If any.

Why? Why would I do that? >>continue reading>>

Well, I’m back. Did ya miss me?

Montreal was great. A little family, a little friends, a little poutine (note to self: eat more veggies).

Here are the tidbits:

While I was gone, the good folks at the VFS Blog posted an interview about me and the storyboard blog. Check it out and poke around the site if you’re thinking about attending film school.

Or to reminisce if you already attended film school. Ahh, those long all-nighters…then sleeping under your desk the next day while I was trying to TEACH, dammit!

*throws imaginary boot*

This could get ranty.

On to tidbit number two.

While in Montreal, I had the opportunity to visit some other lovely folks at Toon Boom. I got a first-hand demonstration of Toon Boom Storyboard Pro which was very cool. I’m not going to write a full review until I actually fiddle around with it myself. Which I plan on doing soon.

But I will say that I was impressed. It looks like a real storyboard artist-friendly piece of software. And it could very well increase your productivity, so you could actually have a life while storyboarding. What a concept.

So stay tuned for that one.

Done with the tidbits, on to the review:

I mentioned in my last post that I would be attending the ‘South Park Live‘ show at the ‘Just for Laughs’ festival. There were only two shows on the Wednesday night, a 7pm and a 9:30pm (I went to the 7pm). I was quite stoked for it and I paid about $55 per ticket.

So was it worth it? >>continue reading>>

Yes, I love AC/DC.

And that photo. I took it for goodness sakes!

OK, this post will be a short one. I’m still figuring out what I want to write about next.

Consider this the ‘vacation wrap-up’.

But I wanted to show that I’m back and haven’t moved into a surf shack. Not yet anyway. And that I haven’t abandoned my blog. No way man!

I mentioned that I might post while on vacation but that I also might not be using my brain much while away.

I wasn’t.

So I didn’t.

And it felt wonderful. >>continue reading>>

I am in the midst of my *final* Hell Week. Then I get a vacation.

Yipee for me!

So since I’m going to be quite strapped for time and content, you get a little potpourri of things in this post.

First off, if you read the comments you may have seen one from Toronto storyboard artist Dan Milligan. Go to his site and look at his stuff (for you geeks, he worked on the movie ‘300′).

Very cool indeed.

He also added a link to an interview he did on the site CG Channel. Some good reading from a pro in the film and advertising industry, so check it out here:

http://www.cgchannel.com/news/viewfeature.jsp?newsid=5733&pageid=0

(UPDATE: That link doesn’t work anymore. Sorry!)

_____________________________________

Next, I plan on doing some posts about dealing with dialogue. I just don’t have the time right now and probably won’t for a few weeks (that vacation thing). But I did come across a post on Carlos Baena’s blog that touched on this.

He’s an animator at Pixar and one of the founders of Animation Mentor (I don’t know him and he certainly doesn’t know me). He gives some great insights and tips for animators on his site.

I can’t seem to link to just that post, but check out the June 1st entry entitled ‘Internal/External Dialogue‘. It shouldn’t be too far from the top. Poke around that site if you’re an animator. He’s got a good book resource section too.

UPDATE: If you go to his site you might very well see a post about this blog! I’ve told him privately and now I’ll tell him publicly: Thank you Carlos…you rock!

_____________________________________

And finally just for fun, here’s the superb video “Take On Me” by A-Ha.

Why not? It’s one of the best videos ever and starts off all ’storyboard-ish’. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love it.

Ahh, the eighties…(hey, I told you I’m old). Enjoy and I’ll see ya before the big ‘vacances’.

Read the Storyboard Blog by RSS Feed or by email for more blasts from the past.