easy to fix snafoo

There has been a little snag in the original plans. Apparently, something has been knocking around the night vision cameras after everyone has gone home for the day. We did get some pictures, but most of them are blurred from the motion. So I've written a little image cleaning algorithm and hijacked a small percentage of the render farm at studio to process the photos we've got. With a little luck in 40-60 hours we'll have some pictures of the snack-eating culprits!

Movies:
Reds *** - historical epic
Dave *** - yeah, it's stupid, but I like it... sister act style.

let's get to the core of it all

I was just busy at work reorganizing my Netflix queue and submitting a few star ratings for movies when something struck me hard. Maybe it's silly, but for some reason I got all crazy when looking at all the different reviews people gave to the same movie. It blew my mind how one person could give a film like "Lady in the Water" 5 stars and another person would give it only 1. Is there a universal good? Can you create a film that is loved by all? I dunno. It was just about this time that I was putting in my rating for "The Core" And Roger Ebert's review caught my eye.

I have such an unreasonable affection for this movie, indeed, that it is only by slapping myself alongside the head and drinking black coffee that I can restrain myself from recommending it. It is only a notch down from "Congo," "Anaconda," "Lara Croft, Tomb Raider" and other films which those with too little taste think they have too much taste to enjoy.

Now, it doesn't happen very often that I agree with good ol' Rog' but this time I found myself nodding and chuckling to myself. But unlike the other films mentioned in his review, The Core's got a fair amount of "wha... holy sh*t! What's gonna happen next?!" to keep you watching on. Don't get me wrong, I'd never go so far as to say it's a great film. But there's something fun here if you can get past the crappiness.

Kind of like James Whale's 1930 horror flics "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein", Jon Amiel and his crew have made a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously. I know what you're saying. "Scuttlebutt's comparing Frankenstein to The Core?!!! What is he stupid or something?!" Well, yeah, it's probably a pretty big stretch. Perhaps this analogy would be more suited to comparing Frankenstein to Starship Troopers (another one of those films that makes you go hmm...crap? or crap!) But it was "The Core" that got me thinkin' so that's what I'm stickin' with.

Anyway, this post is getting a little to heady for it's own good so let's end it here. But I ask you to just keep in mind that movies are made for you to enjoy. If you don't like a flic, that's fine. But there are many levels to watch movies on.

a few more for the flickerin':
Innerspace **** - 80's movies are just so cool! The don't make them like this anymore.
The Departed *** - Good, but Scorsese got the Oscar for history's sake, not this little flic.
Babel **** - better than 21 grams, less heart than Amoros Perros.
Lady in the Water * - M.Knight's full of himself!
Happy Feet *** - Expected a LOT less from this, It's still crap but it's trying.
Monster House *** - Dark and edgy. The future of Animated films?

squeak hunt

Okay, reports have been coming in from all over the animation department that something's been rummaging through our drawers at night, biting holes through our candy bags, and leaving little turd presents for us. Well, Scuttlebutt has to investigate on this a little more so I'm going in to Ford Fairlaine mode. First step is to find the culprit(s) in action so I'm setting up a few night vision cameras equipped with motion sensors on the floor near the heaviest snack eating animators cubes and in a week we'll see if anything shows up!

Distractions on the side lately:
The Abyss **** - special edition, of course!
Gods and Monsters **** - wonderfully crossing between fact and fiction.
Art School Confidential ** - anti-establishmentarianism crap.
Final Destination *** - you know, just fun and gore.

i blink and six hours have gone by

Ungh. I've almost forgotten how to animate! Or, if you ask my directors, they'd probably say I already have forgotten. My first shot in a year and inspiration is coming along slower than molasses. It's really not that difficult a shot, but getting back in to things and learning the character's mannerisms is taking it's toll on me right now.

Many a day was spent last week buckling down after lunch adjusting poses and timing and not realizing that the sky (hidden by the parking lot underpass outside my window) had gotten dark. Needless to say, in situations like that where lunch debris floating around between the gums and teeth start to fester and rot, a good strong mint becomes your best friend. DON'T FORGET THAT all you college animation students!

You watched WHAT?!!!
Girl 6 ***- definitely not one of spike lee's better attempts
Cars ** - worst one for pixar yet. Oscar UN-worthy
Evil Dead *** - if you're in the mood for blood n guts humor
Contact **** - i'm a sucker for sci-fi... and jodie
Jurassic Park III * - don't ask.

slow going

My apologies for the lack of posts this past week. Starting back up animating after a year of rig testing and character developing is taking it's toll on me. I've had to dust off the ol' training wheels and start getting back in to the practice of it all. And it's taking up most of my blogging time! Ungh Sometimes work can be such a job!

So I came across one of the Segway security guards in the mall again. Haven't seen many around lately. Maybe too many of them have been falling down the escalators or perhaps all their backup batteries died. Who knows, but I'm glad to see they're still around. Speedily whizzing up and down the catwalks at a blazing 8 mph and making all of us suburban shoppers feel a little safer from the roving gangs of teenage girls with their rhinestone cell phones dangling from their wrists.

Movies in the background:
Adaptation **** - ages like a good wine...
Proof ***
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story **** - Chink Power!
SinCity *** - Three stars for trying something new.

bebop dog

My Grandfather's best friends' mechanic, Mitch used to always say "if you don't have something nice to say then shut the f**k up." Well, I've been a little on the grumpy side since I finished my first film here but that's going to change. Or at least, you won't hear any more of that grumpy Mr. Scuttlebutt on this blog no more. Shoo! Be gone with you! Away! Away!

So, here's Bebop Dog. He's my pal. Bebop Dog was drawn by Joseph. Bebop Dog is Cool. He doesn't like aliens, but they like him. Bebop Dog hangs in my cube, in front of the Pixar Cars calendar and makes me smile when I am down. He doesn't need to be walked, eats very little, and only requires a little conversation every now and again.


Movies that flicker past...
2046** - Crap. Crap. Crap. Boring.
Brick*** - What a brainy piece of theater.
War Games****
L.I.E. ? - My netflix disc was scratched so I'm waiting to see the end.

i'll enjoy every minute making this film... up my butt

Well, it's a breakthrough day for me... kind of. I've been assigned my first shot of our new movie today... in a way. Well, actually, the shot might go through a few changes before going in to the finished movie... the beginning of production is always a little backwards. Because of time constraints, we end up chasing our own tail for a few months. Let me explain... what the frack is going on here. There's been a shuffling around in the higher up's and all the peeps here are scrambling to get the film up on reels to show the new management.... at least, what we've got so far. This doesn't effect the animation department a whole lot, but it does mean that one sequence of shots are being rushed through the primary blocking stage so it will make more sense when it's screened... but it still won't help out all the story and character potholes that are in serious need of repair, or all the other crap that's not quite working at the moment. Basically, we're putting in main poses and movement to convey the emotions of the characters for a fairly pivotal scene... that I have a feeling will end up completely changing before the film is released. And if not, well I guess we're crankin' out another whopper of a crap-classic here. With a little luck, the blocking will go smoothly and we'll be bringing these shots to spline and clean them up for use in the film at the end!... except, of course, for the fact that the characters are not finished yet and a lot of the poses and animation will probably have to be re-done after the fact. It's great to finally start up on production... up my butt!

Okay, some of my frustration might have come out in this post, but as the most wonderfully enlightened rock band Slayer so beautifully say in their song "Exile" off their critically acclaimed 2001 "God Hates us All" album;

Even though some things are better left unsaid
There's a few things I need to get off my chest
I need to vent - let me tell you why...

Movies Blasted through yesterday:
Death and the Maiden***
Blood Simple***
Inside Man****