This is the first of the four Mascot Expressions I’ll examine, because it predates the other three, and my hope was that it might contain clues for unlocking them all. To that end I’ve been buried in research for two weeks, and It’s a dense forest to say the least, but I think I’ve identified a few trees worth examining. Read more…
“Mascot:” The Four Expressions
If we want to talk mascots (and around here we do!) we’ve got to clarify some terms. The mascots I’m most interested in are sports mascots, of which there are four distinct expressions: Read more…CalArts Student Brag Session
This year I had the privilege of teaching a Film Workshop class at CalArts, and this post is my chance to brag about how great my five students were and showcase their amazing work. Read more…
The Yellow Elephant
I’m what you might call an interior design perfectionist, which is another way of saying that I’m so picky that I never decorate at all. My wife, on the other hand, believes you’re not moved in until you hang curtains. We moved to a new apartment last week and had some decorating to do. So yesterday at Ikea, I let my wife talk me into some interior design purchases, one of which was a poster of a yellow elephant. Read more…
Productivity Part 3: Shot Strategy
This week’s productivity post is specific to animated filmmaking, and deals with what I’ve found to be the best strategy for tackling the mountain of shots that need to get done on a personal short film. Read more…
UConn’s New Husky is Angular, Aggressive
A few weeks ago UConn introduced a new Nike-designed identity package, which was fascinating for several reasons. But first a review of the new Husky logo: Read more…
Talking Animals and Anthropomorphism
When most animation students begin to make a short film, a common question from faculty is often, “Why does it need to be animated?” The assumption here is that not all stories are a good fit for the medium. Animation has traditionally been used to do things that are tough to pull off in live action: dreamlike fantasy epics, otherworldly journeys, and, of course, talking animals. Read more…
Productivity Part 2
Monday was this year’s film deadline for all CalArts students – got me thinking about productivity again. I remember once I was working in a computer lab during the last week of crunch time and I thought I was alone. I was surprised when I heard an alarm go off. Then one of my classmates crawled out from under the table next to me, turned off his alarm, rubbed his eyes, and got back to work.
That story to me is Exhibit A of why productivity is important: it allows you to avoid cramming so hard you have to steal naps beneath your workstation!
So here’s part two. A bit late for the CalArts kids, but still an incredibly important tool. Read more…
Miami Dolphin Redesign
The new Miami Dolphins logo was leaked so early and so often that the owner eventually threw up his hands and admitted it was official, proving that in today’s rapid-fire media environment, it may be tougher than ever to control a logo’s debut. But what about the logo itself? Read more…
Totemism
I’d been obsessing about animal symbolism for a few years when I first encountered totemism, and my mind was immediately blown. Like most folks I was familiar with totem poles, but completely unaware that there was an entire branch of thought concerned with animal symbolism in primitive culture. Read more…