Working Like Mad

Hello all. I just got a job as an animator over in Santa Monica. We work in Flash and our first project should be up on the web soon. I'd love to reveal the details, but you'll just have to wait until the link is up here (which should be soon hopefully).

Flash is a great animation tool and I enjoy using it plenty. I wouldn't just rely on Flash as an animator though. I think it's important that to be considered a cartoon animator you can draw. I'm sick of these computer clans claiming to be artists. They just mastered the art of hacking, only instead of getting into people's bank accounts, they got into the animation world. Now that's not to say computer animation sucks, there's some great computer stuff out there and it has opened up a new world of animation and spawned great talents. These people I address use the computer as a means to cut corners, important ones. They go so far to cut corners that soon after they aren't artists anymore, it's too far gone from art when you cut corners on a computer. No animator I ever respected just filled in the right numbers in an empty box or knew what boxes to check mark for that matter. It's easier for these folk to impress crowds as well because computers can hand off some pretty dynamic looking things very easily. Pay attention to who is showing you this crap though. These computer hack personas are easy to spot and here's how you'll know:

#1 They will annoy you. They tend to get too hyper active when talking about all the amazing things computers can do. That's because it will help them to cheat more and look better when they actually suck.

#2 They at least like to watch cartoons, sure. Try to ask them anything about animation history though and they won't really know much. Try to discuss it, they won't care.

#3 Have them try to teach you something they do on the computer. They can't explain their process very well. They mumble. They also move very fast with the cursor and click too much. They are simply magicians, who if assigned to teach a magic class, can only wind up putting on a magic show.

#4 If they went to art school ask what classes they took. You think they'd say anatomy and figure drawing at least. Most don't. Tell them to go jump in the lake. They may also spout out to you classes that qualify them more for a job at Best Buy than in animation.

So beware the computer animation hacks. Oh and here's #5:

Ask to see their storyboards. They'll either not have any, or they will, but bird shit on your shoulder will become more inspiring.

Here's a drawing I did the other night before bed.



-Mad Taylor