Semester Animation

Right, as usual, here is my animation reel of what I've done this semester. I'm rather happy with the progress that I've made, but of course my shots could still use a bit more work. Though for now I am happy with them until I pick it back up again. This semester, we were tasked with putting acting and dialogue into our shots. While challenging at first, it was certainly fun all the while to learn!
128c Final Reel

Rigs:
Malcolm rig provided by AnimSchool
Kyle and Kayla rigs by Josh Sobel
Mery rig from Mery Project

Wow...just hit me that next semester I'll be in the BFA program for animation...
I can't wait!!!

Technical Failings

Sony Vegas....how could you betray me in my hour of need?
I suppose this morning was the perfect application of Murphy's Law.
Here I am, putting together my shots for my final reel for my animation class, when wouldn't you know it, Sony Vegas crashes on an Alpha PNG file. Just couldn't read it, and crashed. So I start the project up again, and the same thing happens again. Odd. It shouldn't be having this problem. I start up the project a third time. I drag the file in, save the project, and wouldn't you know it, Sony Vegas crashes once again. Only this time, it's still processing the image, so when I open the project up again, it immediately crashes. I can't open the project anymore and I have to start all over.
After much sobbing at my desk, I finally pull myself together and assemble the pieces of my final reel. I of course omit the cursed PNG file and after a bit of time I was finally done.
Sony Vegas. One of the few programs that I am completely faithful to and it failed me in my hour of need.
Oh well, it's all in the past now. I'm over it (mostly). Only one final left to go. Hurrah!
I'll be posting up my final reel and projects in a short while.

Monty Oum Passing

I really don't know where to start here...it didn't really hit home for me until I saw the post again today. The wonderful Monty Oum has passed away on Sunday at the age of 33. It's just so surreal, you know? I just wish it was just a bad dream, that I'm just going to wake up and everything is fine.

I guess what strikes me most, is that Monty was able to achieve so much in such a short amount of time. And I don't just mean in his 33 years, I mean his first animation was in 2007, and ever since then he's been creating and just doing what he loves with no sign of stopping.

In his seven years of creating, Monty became a well recognized animator both online and in fighting games, an animator on a well known internet series thereby changing the company forever, and created a brand new series that is loved by millions. He even got to see the series that he loved so much become the first American anime to be shipped over to Japan and translated in Japanese. But, I think one of the most important things that he has done, is inspire just so many people to create.

I didn't know Monty personally, but he's inspired me so much to continue with my studies of becoming an animator, and I can't thank him enough for that.
Monty once wrote, "I believe that the human spirit is indomitable. If you endeavor to achieve, it will happen given enough resolve. It may not be immediate, and often your greater dreams is something you will not achieve within your own lifetime. The effort you put forth to anything transcends yourself, for there is no futility even in death."
Thank you so, so much Monty, rest easy. We'll miss you.