Animator at Heart

The Triumphant Space Chicken Queen (and some lesser known beings)

2011-01-12T15:28:00.001-06:00

At least that's probably how she would introduce this post. Regardless, submitted for your approval from my secret sketchbook locked away deep in the recesses of the Gecko Cave come three drawings from one of my favorite serials available on the web:

MEANWHILE IN SPACE...

by Xanto Jones
http://xantojones.wordpress.com/meanwhile-in-space-episodes/

First up is the Queen of the Space Chickens herself! All hail her almighty cluckiness! Definitely the best out of the three, I'm very happy with how she turned out design-wise, other than I think I could redo her colors one more time. She ended up looking more purple than pink due to my navy background. Next time I'll make her more pink for sure! I added some embellishments with the necklace, her crown, and a cool looking royal staff. Overall I had a fun time drawing her.

Captain Sundance Starmont of S.P.A.C.E. is up next! About the only thing I didn't include is his weaponry. I wasn't too happy with this one otherwise I would have colored it to show off his trademark hot pink shorts. It's been way too long since my last life drawing class and humans are rather hard for me to draw, especially hands. I'm hoping to fix that this year. One of my goals is to get comfy drawing and designing humans. I've improved a lot on faces, as you can tell here with Sundance. I think I might do another pass of this pose and change it to the scene in the latest chapter (as of this post) where the cult maidens are anointing him and Astralyn breaks in and tries to convince him they're going to kill him.

Last up is Lieutenant Septimus "Timmy" Falken. I was focusing mainly on designing the S.P.A.C.E. uniforms here, as you can tell by the sucky posing. However for not drawing seriously in over three years, it's amazing how quickly you can bounce back. Compare Timmy to Sundance above to see what I mean. Originally I wanted to have him with some kind of device in his hand but I had hard time enough with it that I just cleaned up the hands as best I could and went on with my life.

Moving on was worth it because next I drew the Queen! So things turned out for the best. I still wanted to post all three anyway, mostly for my sake if no one else's. Also to prove that as an artist you have good drawings and bad drawings. You just have to know when to settle and walk away. If I had kept working on Timmy, I would have never gotten to the other two and they ended up being my best work from the day.

Lesson learned: A drawing is never finished until you walk away from it.

Chuckwalla Loves His Cactus!

2010-08-30T22:17:00.004-06:00

(Otherwise known as: Joanie and her Co-workers visit the Zoo on a Lovely Sunday, but I like the shorter title better, don't you?)

So long story short, I went out with my sketchbook! Not only that, but life drawing at my local zoo, which happens to be Woodland Park Zoo. They have a new Meerkat exhibit in for the summer which was really informative and let you see the Meerkats (I think they were more interested in us!) up close.

The last time I had done this was in school with my classmates in Vancouver. I was very worried that I had lost so much skill from not using it that I wouldn't be able to remember everything Stephen taught us in Life Drawing class.

Let me surprise you with a cliche. It really was like getting on a bicycle again. The first few pages were a mess, and occasionally I gave up mid-sketch knowing it wasn't worth saving and to just start again and move on. But I'm telling you, every now and then, blam! It was like magic. Here's the best from my day at the zoo:

There's a lot more, but I figured I wouldn't bore you with page after page! My favorite (if you couldn't guess) was the Chuckwalla center there. This one was literally cuddling up to a cactus next to his friend and I couldn't help but squee at that, being a reptile lover. I adore lizards. No geckos this time, but they had so much. I enjoyed drawing the frogs as well (see my little poison dart friend in the corner). I also spent some time with the fish since I have that Fish Dragon story and everything going on every other week at my writing blog, Tales of a Nightcrafter. ;D

The Zoo Trip was originally just an outing for my co-workers. I happen to work at an amazing company, Big Fish Games, that knows how to work hard and play hard, and we were celebrating some good times at work just hanging out on a very lovely Sunday afternoon. Nothing formal, just, hey who wants to go to the Zoo? We had a blast, we got lost a few times, but we saw tons of animals and had some good laughs. What more could you want? My friend Kim brought her sketchbook too, so it was good to sit and chat and do art again.
This has been such a good process for me. I'm remembering the joy that comes from drawing and how it feels when people walk by and I hear, "Look honey, she's an artist!" and "That's really good!" It's the little things that bring you bursts of happiness.

Want to know the best part about the day? You won't believe this, but I was attempting to do some quick gesture sketches of the Golden Tamarins (cute rainforest monkeys) and one of them was staring at my sketchbook! Everyone saw this and so I lifted it up for him to see. I could see his eyes moving and looking at all of my sketches. Then he ran off. A second later he had brought a friend down! This new monkey looked at my sketches too. It was almost like he said, "C'mon, you have to see this! She's drawing us!"

That totally made my day. Here's to more fun days of drawing in the near future!

Attending a Pixar Masterclass in September!

2010-08-15T10:11:00.002-06:00

If you want to know more about the class I'll be attending it's here:
http://www.vanarts.com/events/pixar-artists-masterclass-vancouver

I saw the advert in my in-box a couple of times. Classes being taught by Pixar Artists offered through my animation school. At first I just deleted the mails outright, feeling self-pity. But it wasn't until I got the third or fourth email that something caught my eye.

In Vancouver?

Since Fall of '09 I've been living in Seattle - and for those of you who aren't sure of Pacific Northwest geography, it's only about 136 miles or so to Vancouver from where I live. I guess that could seem a lot to some but after having driven a u-Haul over 200 miles and several car trips across thousands of miles to get up to Seattle in the first place, it seems like a weekend trip.

See that word hit me. I know Vancouver. Studied there, lived there. And here I am in Seattle. So close by!

That was when I knew. I knew that I could go. The only thing holding me back was me. So I paid down the 499 Canadian online and sat back in my chair wondering if I'm the same person I used to know. I think I like this new Joanie. She takes chances and does things because she knows the end result will be amazing. I've never taken a vacation since starting in the "Real World" and this seems like it would do double duty.

Because studying something you love is never a chore. It's fun!

As of this posting I still haven't figured out how I'm getting there exactly, but I'm not too worried. I should have all of those details figured out by next week. I was waiting for my next paycheck to come through (my little 499 spending spree put a chunk in my bills I can tell you that!) before booking hostels and buses. I'm so wishing I still had my ISIC card! (Which, by the way, if you are a student studying abroad you NEED to get one. It saved me so much money over in Europe and in Canada and I got discounts on all sorts of things.)

I'll be honest, I've been knocked out of my loops (as I'm apt to say, being a hard-core Sonic the Hedgehog fan) more than a few times but I'm learning better how to stand up, brush myself off and keep running.

This opportunity seems like the perfect way to revitalize the part of me that loved to draw and create artistically. I've made a couple more sketches since my last posting, but (as to be expected) it's always harder after you stop to get going again. God give me the strength to keep going no matter life throws my way.

Which brings me to my next announcement. Half of the reason why I'm taking this class is to develop my 30 minute animated short. It was the first real story I wrote and it means so much to me to have it animated. I don't care if I have to do it myself so it'll just be me. I don't know how long it will take me, but I'm going to have as little dialogue as possible and leave it to my characters to show how they feel. I don't know if anything else will spawn out of it, but it's a story I absolutely have to tell.

Everyday I see so many people animating and I say to myself. Look at them, Joanie. They have absolutely no training and look at what they've created. It's wonderful! But look at you, you have the knowledge and talent - so what's stopping you?

I've recently come to the conclusion that I'm not doing this for money anymore. I have my paid job (some say a dream job since I'm a Game Tester) so I don't have to worry if it's marketable. I can create what I want and make what I love and make a statement.

So this is a promise to myself. I might fail, but at least I have to try. I want to tell the story of Brent and Hawthorne. I want to learn as much as I can from the masters - and then I'll go on my own and create as much as I can.

If you're struggling with your own artwork, know that you're not alone. :)

On King of Kong and recovering from rejection

2010-02-26T09:52:00.006-06:00

When life throws rotten tomatoes at you...

--You'd better duck! I should have at least braced for impact, but hindsight tells me I couldn't have known.

Every artist has these days and this week is one of mine. A "blue" period, a "dry" time, a little bit of soul searching. Ask anybody who's serious about their art and they'll tell you that you go through times of self-doubt - when you feel like all of your creative juice is spent - that there's nothing good left in you - and that all the joy you once had has left. You feel bitter, angry, depressed and lonely - as if no one else has ever felt that way (a lie if I ever heard one).

This is where I stand.

I saw this really great documentary - and if you're a fan of arcade games, or even just video games in general - or like a good story I recommend it. It's called "King of Kong" and it's about an ordinary guy trying to break an extraordinary record - the highest score on Donkey Kong.

So I don't spoil those who haven't seen it (please watch it!) or bore those who have (tell me your favorite part!) I'll say this much, Steve Wiebe was such an inspiration to me. Even in the face of ridicule, of accusations and pressures from life and his own self, he kept going for his dream. That's the kind of dedication I want to return myself to. Best of all he still knew how to have fun with it, which is the "hokey pokey" in itself really when it comes to video games.

All this to say because I got rejected again for another job I really wanted. This one I felt overqualified for (a good sign I'm recovering from past failures and regaining my confidence) but got a slap in the face telling me what I considered my strength was my "weakness" - my flash animation.

Half of me wonders if they didn't realize that my Hawthorne film was Flash! A lot of people think it's a hand-drawn when they see it. It also makes me wonder if Gennedy had days like this! I know for sure Stephen King did.

I want to be more like Stephen. When I get rejection I want to push myself to be better, to prove them wrong.

Even so, that's easier to say than it is to do. I've always wondered why it's so easy for us to build each other up - to see the potential in others - and then why it's so hard to discover we have that same potential in ourselves.

It hurts, and I think it will take some time for me to heal. At least today I'm feeling a little better.

Honestly I want to be like my friend Roger. He keeps animating and he hasn't had a single lesson. He taught himself. Yeah his "quality" is what some would consider poor but he loves doing it and his humor and talent shine through. He's always improving and pushing himself but doesn't stop when someone tells him his work sucks. God help me to be more like that - to be creating for the sake of creating.

I've only just recently rediscovered the joy of writing - I want to do the same for my animation. I want this not to be an end, but a beginning.

If there's anyone else who's feeling like this - don't give up. It's tough but it's worse to let them win and throw in the towel - especially when it's something that you truly value.

- Joanie /^>

Back to the Drawing Board

2010-01-15T08:24:00.004-06:00

It's been a long time since I've honestly done anything art-related. It's been a long process for me, but I'm finally ready to get back to what I love about animation.

On New Year's Day, my sister and I went to the touring Cartoon Network "ANIMATION!" exhibit which was at the Pacific Science Center, just a few blocks from my work at Seattle Center. I had been wanting to go because it was all hands-on and made especially for the kids. I wanted to go and see them interacting and remember what it was like when I was first learning and be inspired.

I got more than I bargained for. It was so much fun and it reminded me not just about my classes but why I did what I did. Because it's fun! I even got to do this cool bullet time jump where the camera takes about 10 photos from all angles and then spins you around. There was so much to see it's hard to describe it all. Marcie was a genius at the foley station - they had a Codename: KND clip you could make SFX to and she got to be this little dancing fly. It made everyone in the booth crack up!

There was a drawing table as well and for the first time in a long time I sat down to draw. I did a picture of Madame Foster:

I've titled it, "I've still got it!"

It made me feel so happy, just this one drawing. I think I'm ready to get back to the drawing board as they say (or at least my poor neglected drafting table!)

With that I'm happy to announce a collaboration between me and Leila of Stretching My Brain. I'm going to do a short short film based on one of her poems.

Here's hoping for something that will give us lots of joy. :)

The Princess and the Frog --- A review

2009-12-12T20:20:00.003-06:00

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Disney 2D Animation. When I was 10 I saw The Lion King and that was when I knew for sure I wanted to do animation. For the few minutes the drawings played alive on the screen I was captivated, completely enthralled in their world. I laughed, I cried, and I came out wanting more.

At the ripe age of 26, and after a year's worth of learning the secrets behind the magic, I didn't think I could feel that way ever again. I'm pleased to say I was very wrong.

The Princess and the Frog had a very high standard to hit. Ever since Home on the Range literally tipped over like a cow in theatres I think everyone thought the doors would close forever to the studio that reinvented 2D animation and brought heart to the genre. Imagine everyone's surprise when we heard not only were they opening again, but that there would be the studios first African-American Princess and it would be set in New Orleans at Mardi Gras. At the time with Hurricane Katrina's wrath we were all a little worried toes might get stepped on. But I feel they did the people and the place justice in the same way that Lilo & Stitch respected and highlighted the Hawaiian culture and also the surfing culture (a paper I wrote back in school, believe that if you will).

First off I was very lucky to see this film with a mixed audience. There were little kids and adults alike. Everyone always reacts differently so it's a treat to be able to steal a few looks left and right and down to see what they like and don't like. I was even surprised there were a few jokes just for us animation enthusiasts, including (correct me if I'm wrong) the Mesker, Clements and a third Disney "cast member" (maybe Ashman??) at the Mardi Gras parade - definitely caricatures if nothing else. Probably we'll find out for sure in the DVD. There were tons of omages, as usual and I enjoyed finding those like a little kid on a scavenger hunt. Probably too many hours spent playing hidden object games at work, though!

Not to say I didn't have crits, everyone does, but first of all I want to list the things I absolutely adored just to get them out of the way.

Characters first, as my professor Charles would say and this movie was full of unique and memorable characters. First up was a huge surprise from the supporting cast, Charlotte! (Or Lottie for short) Holy cow, this is a first for Disney, a supporting "rich girl" female lead who isn't a complete snotty jerk. She reminds me a bit of the new Anastasia from the sequel and threequel of Cinderella (which is actually pretty decent if you're watching just for her and you should by the way if you haven't to throw out another tangent). I've never seen a fangirl character down so flawlessly. She's just so likeable and her design is as appealing (and resembling!) of a little porcelain doll. Her character really shines near the climax of the film when she sacrfices her dream for her friend's happiness. The only thing I probably didn't like about her was the end with Naveen's little brother, I hope she was joking about the "I can wait!" line, that was a tad creepy if you ask me. Reminded me a bit of someone I shouldn't mention.

Speaking of unnamed things I like the theme here of "sometimes what you really want isn't what you really need" - and this has been true for me personally. I also like the sub-themes of beliving in something because it's worth believing even if everyone thinks you're crazy and that hard work is part of making your dreams come true.

On a personal note, Tiana, the lead female, reminds me a lot of myself. She's the perfectionist, A-type who sacrifices fun to follow her dreams and works her ass off to do so. This movie spoke to me in that way. It was a message I needed to hear right now. Remember to take time to enjoy the things that you do have and the people that you love.

And next up, Raymond (or just Ray) the firefly. Honestly I was extremely terrified he was going to be a really badly protrayed stereotype, but HOLY COW did he ever steal the show, almost as much as Lottie!! He's in love with a star that he thinks is a firefly which he calls Evangeline. This is probably one of the best subplots I've seen and it really touched me. What a well-rounded, lovable, appealing character. He personality-wise reminds me a bit of Pepe the King Prawn (only not full of innuendoes, if you know what I mean)! He was probably my second favorite next to Lottie.

As far as the 2D itself goes, whoa, there was a lot and I mean a lot of stylization going on here, including the old splash of style for the song (a la I Just Can't Wait to Be King) only with omg, the most beautiful flat colored profile animation ever. It reminded me of the 1920s art. So gorgeous! I swear my mind was drooling over every frame and I wanted to put each one on my wall, just beautiful. I would expect no less, but that sequence blew me away.

The music's a little bit of the same old tunes (nothing really new), but man oh man, does the 2D team know how to plan out a musical number, everything from the posing to the movement, the lyrics and the beat. I wanted to dance to each one. I have a feeling a lot of these will be stuck in our heads for some time. It's a musical, so there you go! My favorite probably has to be either the love song for Evangeline or the Sometime Soon(?) when Tiana and her mother are in the empty restaurant.

Also the Villain, Shadow Man, excellent job here! I absolutely adored him. Not my favorite, but definitely a good one for the books. He was extremely well-animated (love his shadow!!) and his character was well-rounded for a villain. You sort of felt sorry for the guy in some ways. Just everything about his shop in general was a visual feast, including his tarot cards and his song. I love the bit of him at the climax with Tiana too where she makes the decision. Extremely well done.

The only thing I didn't get with Shadow Man was why he HATED Lottie's daddy so much. Did he do something to him? I wish we could have seen that, and I'm certain it was put on the cutting room floor for a reason. But I would have liked that and they certainly HEAVILY hinted he had done something to him. I mean geez, crime of passion anyone? Stabby-stab with the voodoo needle.

Louis the Gator, really, really great. He reminds me a bit of Rex from Toy Story only with a heavy dose of literally Louis Armstrong pumped into him and maybe a touch of Baloo, if that makes any sense at all, ha! Extremely likable.

Naveen, our leading man. I was sort of 50/50 on him. You know who he reminded me a bit of (and the plot in general)? Coming to America with Eddie Murphy, especially when he was going on about how he didn't know how to do anything himself (remember the opening to that movie? lol). I hate to say it but I didn't 100% buy that he falls in love with Tiana. There's the 1% that was like "well maybe?" I think they needed a bit more screentime for that. It felt a little rushed near the end (hopping into marriage a little quick wasn't he? - pun intended!). Even so, they're chemistry was well played and they made a good couple I thought. I suppose if I want to get super-critical it had to be a lot more believable than Ariel and Eric, for instance! (But that was when I was 7 so I didn't nitpick like that way back when, hahaha!) I do have to say some of the best character animation was on Frog Naveen. His eyes especially, well-played emotionally. You could just see what he was thinking. Excellent. Whoever was lead on there absolutely had to have either been under Glen Keane or close to him. Or maybe him? LOL. I didn't know if he's busy with Rapunzel (coming 2010!) at the moment. I unfortunately didn't get to stay through the credits, so I didn't get to see who the leads were. (Let me know if you know!)

I noticed a lot of well-blended 3D in here and I have to say I loved it. I was entranced by the firefly grouping and I remember vividly this one close up of some Dandelions (that one's for you Sheila!) that were just amazingly well-rendered in detail.

Mama Odi - awesome. I really like her. Reminds me of Truffles from Chowder + Rafiki?? That's a weird combo, but it works pretty well. Her message was a good one and I liked her snake and her general demeanor, lots of fun.

Here's some plot nit-picky things that made me a little disappointed. The three bayou hunters - pretty funny but they felt a little flat and then sort of fell off the map. It felt like another part to something and I was hoping they would show up again. I think things might have made a little more sense if they were in league with the Shadow Man somehow? Might be personal preference though. "Two fingers" - I wasn't sure what to make of him, half-disturbing, half-this guy is kind of cool in a creepy way, lol! And then your George and Lenny characters (that formula never fails, I swear to you) -- although this one was unhurt by violence and I liked that --- proving Disney can do funny. It was actually like a bit of Warner Brothers there for one scene, extremely well-timed and funny. I think the main thing was we already had the crocs and the evil shadows too. I would have liked to see them pick one of the three or perhaps three, one of each and expand more deeply on them. Then you end up with villain supporting leads like "Sir Hiss" And "Iago" who are just as good if not better than their villain counterparts. Let's see some more of that Disney, start being a little more picky. You keep cramming in too many characters and don't give them room to shine.

Travis -- A minor, minor character that I thought really needed some focus so far as Lottie was concerned. This suffers from the same problem that Cinderella 2 and 3 suffered from which is, unless you're the lead female you don't get a happy ending. I really really don't like that idea especially when they're promoting dreams. It sends a negative message to the girls who might not have the cute looks Tiana had. For once Disney, I'd like to see a plain girl lead. They nearly had it with Anastasia and her Baker beau! (Finally a guy who's not muscle bound and "perfect" looking - they probably are my favorite Disney pair.) Disney, you would blow me away if you could pull that off. Anyways, all that to say Travis was clearly possibly a beau for Lottie, and she was blowing him off for the prince - that could have made a nice subplot by itself, with him proving he could be just as good as any silly prince. I would have liked to see her put aside dancing with the little Prince to cut a rug with Travis instead - it could have been another great development for her as a character --- to show that she knows that's not what she "needs" but "wants" - more themeage! But at any rate, it's not Lottie's story, so I can see why anything that might have been there got cut off. C'est la vie!

If they do a sequel - and I feel they're bound to at this point -- are you listening Disney? Let's give Lottie some screentime and let her story shine a bit. You would do the fans a favor as I bet she will have some when this movie is out and about. You do that and I might consider going back to LA! HA! I totally said it.

I can't think/remember anything else at the moment, so I think I'll wrap this up! Overall, I adored this movie. I give it 4 out of 5 rings in a nutshell. If you haven't seen it, please see it and if you have see it, do someone a favor and drag them to see it again with you.

I can't stress hard enough that we should all be supporting this movie as fans of 2D Animation! Let's break the box office and show them we still love the artform that's been such a part of our hearts and our dreams.

In conclusion, in Disney's history they've always gone back to a Princess picture when things are looking rather bleak and sad, and it's always given it a fresh jolt (just look what Little Mermaid did for the studio!). This is exactly what they needed and what we needed as well. A little reminder of why they do what they do.

Here's looking forward to King of the Elves in 2012!! I'll see you there.

- Joanie /^>

On Stephen King's writing...

2009-01-17T13:45:00.008-06:00

I'd forgotten how nice it is to take some time off and just relax at the local public library. Two summers ago I was practically an afternoon resident at Mid-Continent. I hadn't been reading that much since I was a little kid. Rediscovering the joy of reading has been cruical in the past few years for me.

I unearthed one of my favorite books from my parent's house while visiting for Christmas: On Writing - A memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. It's one of his few non-fiction books, which is a strange hybrid of autobiography and theories on writing. It was the first thing I ever read by King, and that was back when I truly hated his guts. I was forced to read it by Dr. Egan for Expository Writing. After reading it though, my opinion completely flipped. This was before I really understood the horror genre as well, and reading his book opened a door leading to a universe that I had been so afraid to enter for nearly all of my childhood. Now as an adult, it's someplace I frequently visit.

One of the things I liked best about King's book was his honesty. In the Dark Tower series, in the final epilogue, he mentions that if you've read his books, you really have seen the window into his soul. I truly believe that. After reading this, it feels as if I've truly met him. You might doubt that, but consider this:

My animation professor, Charles, said he had once given an assignment where each student would animate a household object. As the weeks passed and he watched their resulting animations, he was shocked at how much the students had unknowingly revealed about their personality, not only through the choice of their objects, but through their movement. So strong, that he felt was violating their privacy. I believe all art of movement and acting carries this heavy meaning and literature is no exception. This is not to a say a person is a killer because they write a book about one, but rather that the greater themes that they are trying to prove to the readers through the characters and their experiences in the plot accurately reveals the author's own personality.

That was probably what lead me to King in the first place because, aside from the supernatural and horror elements, the greatest traits of his books are the hearts of his characters. There are no one-dimensional main characters here. They are motivated by needs and wants that readers can relate to, so much that my heart aches to see them meet their goals. Even the antagonists themselves are wonderfully structured, and you feel for them sometimes too, even through all that's gone on - though some only to a certain extent, of course.

It was in how King revealed his own shortcomings, his writer's blocks, his days where nothing seems to sound even remotely decent that he's written and "... when you're standing in front of author-struck fans and pretending that you don't put your pants on one leg at a time like everyone else." His book is very human, and that's what I like about it the most.

I share his opinion. Everyone can write. Not everyone can write like a Hemmingway or Twain or Tolstoy or whoever you want to put on a pedestal. But everyone can improve and learn to write better. Charles said it best. You're not aiming for perfection; rather, you're striving forever towards it. It is the vanishing point at the horizon. You will never get there, but you'll always be closer if you keep pressing towards it. For fellow perfectionists like me, this brings hope. We don't have to be perfect, we just have to keep improving as much as we can. We're only human.

Stephen King is such an inspiration to me. Sir, thank you so much for writing. Your stories have brought me joy and have also showed me the ability to cope through the hard times in life when those dark shadows really are following us home. I hope someday I can shake your hand and tell you in person, but if not, I've gotten to know you very well through your works. And because I really can't help myself, I say, "Thank you, sai. Long days and pleasant nights."

Professionalism: To Write or Not to Write?

2009-01-13T11:00:00.001-06:00

An incident happened to me on Christmas Day that's brought an old battle of mine rising to the surface of my mind.

I won't go into too much detail save to say that someone anonymously posted a handful of flames** on a fan fiction story that I posted. Normally this kind of thing wouldn't bother me, because you typically get lots of "trolls" who will come across your work and seem to get a sadistic pleasure from making you upset. But this particular person I knew, so it was surprising to say the least to see them do that.

Not wanting to cause unnecessary drama, I quickly removed the story to destroy the comments. This was done in immediate reaction to the comments posted and had I known what I know now, I wouldn't have been so quick to remove it. A friend informed me about some new features I wasn't aware of. Apparently you can get rid of anonymous reviews without deleting the story in the process. It used to be (some 5 years ago) that wasn't possible, but the site itself where I post has seen many upgrades in their technology.

Bearing that in mind, to the subject at hand.

Saying the word "fan" tends to drive up a bunch of images in a person's mind - watch the "Nerd" on Robot Chicken and you'll see what I mean. And add on the "fiction" part and you can say goodbye to any hope of gaining any shred of dignity from the average Joe on the street. Or is that really true?

Granted most stories that fans write are not very good. I don't need to explain how easy it is for fans to come together on the Internet. People usually tend to flock to others who share common interests. Based on the growing availability of the Internet, you have a mix of ages, grade levels, class status and culture. So, of course, there are going to be people who have not had the opportunity to take writing classes or for some reason or another, just aren't skilled at writing. But even Ernest Hemingway and Mark Twain had to work to become skilled in their trade and they started off with the alphabet just like everyone else.

On the other side of the coin you have people who write fan fiction that are superbly good - and who some fans would argue are just as good as what's on TV or better. Considering what makes it to TV and film these days, it's probably a correct assumption. There's also the tiny percentage of people who get paid to write what fans typically refer to as "canon" stories. I can point directly to the immensely popular Star Trek and Star Wars franchises which have many series of novels dedicated to furthering the main story lines. They must be selling well because they continue to make more. So what do you call that then? It certainly isn't the same fan fiction you see posted on the web, but it's not exactly well known either. You also have the artists and writers who (due to the retro comeback of many old movies) get to work on projects they had once enjoyed merely as fans. Then suddenly they become "official".

So probably at this point you're nodding (or shaking) your head now going, "Okay Joanie, I see what you're saying here, but what's the big deal you mentioned earlier?"

Well, bearing what I said in mind, for a person to become professional is it necessary to cut all ties to what they enjoy, which includes the creation of art and writing that is primarily of homage or in honor of something they enjoy?

At first my gut reaction was, "Heck yes! Get rid of everything! Leave no trace!" A part of me wants to pander to that kind of fear, thinking that if I try to "act professional" that people will respect me. If I get rid of everything no one will be able to point and label me as "rabid fan girl". They'll have nothing to point at.

I've discovered something though, and mainly it was while wandering around (of all places!) at Comic Con '08. Meeting artists and taking a peek at what they were drawing surprised me. I saw Marvel artists sketching D.C. characters, I saw animators doodling video game characters. I was confused. But these guys are "professionals" I said to myself. Why are they doing fan art? But that's when I figured it out.

They were drawing on their free time, doing whatever they wanted. But when it came to looking at their professional portfolios and prints, it was all their original or hired work. It was separated. Even when I was working at Disney Interactive and got a peek at some of what was going on the creative side of things, I saw the same thing. A clear line of separation. But there was a difference between how they were handling it and how I had been. They weren't afraid. They were confident about both halves of their creativity.

In animation writing, you also have the "spec" script, where you submit a script written for another show already in production to showcase your skills to take existing characters and create new material for them. Wait a minute. Sounds familiar n'est-ce pas? Good fan-fiction accomplishes the same task, keeping the spirit of the show going with new adventures for the cast.

I'd like to know how other people feel about this. Because this is what I've decided:

Creation in itself is a gift. Whether it's something brand new or a new version of something already out there. If someone finds joy in it, it was worth the creation process. There is a difference between your personal work and your professional work. But that doesn't mean that because you choose to be professional that your personal tastes have to fly out the window. Neither does it mean you go parading it around or stamping your fandom on your resume. It's your personal taste.

That being said, what about posting fan art and fan-fiction? Well, I see the pros doing it constantly on their blogs and places where they interact on the internet. No they usually don't include it in their portfolios unless it's an outstanding piece of work that showcases their skills. That's the answer for you right there. Every professional has the ability to look at a piece of their work and determine if it would be a good addition to their portfolio. If not, it can still be posted somewhere if they so choose to share it.

As for me? Well I took down my DeviantArt work, though more so because I didn't care for what was on there anymore. I still have all of it on my computer so I can look back at it a few years down the line. But right now I'm back to writing full-time again. It's what I love and it's what I do given a keyboard and a blank computer screen. For a long time, I had forgotten the sheer joy that comes with writing. The ability to start with the white space of a new document and to fill it with imagination and adventure.

I will continue to post on FanFiction.net and I won't hide who I am on there, because it brings me happiness in more ways than I can describe. But I won't go advertisting it here. I'm writing a novel after all and that's what I'd really like to promote. Because this blog is special. It is professional. It is separated. And that's how it will stay.

- /^>

Footnotes:
** For those of you not familiar with writing and forums on the Internet, when someone "flames" you it basically means they posted an offensive statement about the person they were attempting to critique, focusing on personal attacks instead of objective help.

Home for the Holidays

2008-12-22T19:22:00.003-06:00

I can't believe I'm actually going to be in Kansas City this year for Christmas. It's true! Last year when I was working through Christmas at Shutters on the Beach and Casa Del Mar, I did some serious thinking about the holiday season in general. It was very different for me.

I didn't have a tree. I didn't have a family. I didn't have a feast. I had a banquet microwave dinner and my feet were exhausted from being up all day - and I had to go to bed early knowing I had to get up to work again.

I had a little ornament on my desk from Casa. I still have it here too. It's a little shopping bag with some sparkles on it. I got it for 6 dollars on half-price the last day I worked there. It's to remind me of that job. To not forget what Christmas is for.

I know, I'm starting to sound like a holiday special, but you know what? Those are some of my favorite programs. They remind me why I'm alive. What's important. You're family, your friends, having a home and a warm place to stay when the weather is nasty outside.

Love is so important. It should be cherished.

It's not about gifts. I learned that a few years back. I used to be rather miserly about Christmas, thinking it was only a "good" one if I got what I wanted. I'm not ashamed to admit that. I think it's something most young people in this country go through. You have to fight back the consumerism.

It's about being together, being thankful, and celebrating life. I still believe in God no matter what's happened to me so far. I think I always will. God has never given me a reason to believe he doesn't exist, but I still doubt just like any normal person. I just work through it. The fact that I made it through so much hardship and here I am smiling and typing with the snow is just proof of that. I think everyone has to find their own proof in what they believe, which is why I never force my opinions on someone else. Everyone is on their own journey.

I'm going through a lot of changes this year - it will be interesting to see where I am this time next year. I won't say any more of those "next year I'll be" because I never know where I will end up next.

If you had told me 5 years ago I would be living in Seattle, I would have laughed my head off at you and called you nuttier than a fruitcake. But you were right regardless because here I am. I think that's a big part of life. My theatre professor said, "you wouldn't want to know how it ends, would you?" and I agree. I'd rather be surprised. So here's hoping next year I end up somewhere just as interesting with more stories under my belt. :)

Love to everything and everyone in the universe,

- Joanie /^>

Settling Into Seattle with a Vegan Thanksgiving

2008-12-05T02:03:00.004-06:00

I have to say I had quite the adventure coming up here. I had three major events happen in succession:

1. ) Mom fell after we packed all of my stuff into White Lightning, my '98 Dodge Stratus. We had to take her to urgent care in Bakersfield while on the road. Thankfully the doctors gave her a pain shot and some "Super" Motrin (800mg, holy cow) to stop her spasms.
2.) White Lightning broke down 22 miles outside of Red Bluff on Night 2 - leaving us in the morning with no car and a $500 car bill that afternoon. Thankfully the local garage guys were awesome. Can't say the same about the Hollywood Firestone since it was their fault the new fan belt they put on four days prior snapped and killed the idler...
3. ) After arriving we discovered the new third roommate was really 16, had been drinking and smoking in the house, damaged the carpet with her hookah and was having random guys over. The mother's verdict "Joanie, if she doesn't move out, you will." So the next morning she was out by noon with threats of the Russian Mafia. The police assured us that everyone knows someone in there. I suppose I do too if Masha and Max might, hahaha. That wouldn't surprise me. My grandpa knew guys in the KC Mafia after all. Small world.

Other than that, I'm finally moved in. Alex (my friend from VanArts, CA21) is doing very well at Nintendo as a tester and we just signed on a much nicer roommate, Sabrina, who has the most well-behaved small dog I've ever seen in my life! We're excited to have her after "X" (I'm saving her face by leaving out her name.)

I'm still job hunting (my favorite past-time if you know me well - marking the Mark Twain sarcasm if you would) and hoping I will find something soon. Things are definitely much more affordable here in Seattle. I think altogether I've shaved off at least 600 of what I was paying for the same amount of insurance, rent, groceries, etc. down in North Hollywood, California.

I miss Chris and Faith and a few other friends, but they're happy I'm up here and that's what's important. Plus I'm in contact with them and letting them know how I'm doing. I'll get to see them again someday.

Also to report is that I met up with my college acquaintance, Erin, and she invited us to her friend's house for a Very Merry Vegan Thanksgiving, if you will. It was honestly super awesome. I got to try a lot of new foods, and some twists on a few favorites. The tofurkey was very interesting. The best tofu food I had, but I still prefer the real thing. You can take the girl out of the farmland, but not the farmland out of the girl, I suppose. :) Still, I love experiencing new ways to celebrate the holidays.

I have a lot to be Thankful for and the biggest of which is that I have a chance up here to start all over. Here's hoping this year is full of surprises, lessons, and love.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Moving to Seattle

2008-11-08T12:17:00.002-06:00

So many explanations and so little time.

Isn't that how life goes sometimes? One minute you're here, the next minute you're there. It's something I've come to expect out of life now that I'm better understanding the world. Everything changes. And when it comes right down to it:

You have to bend with the wind.

So I hit my 1-year anniversary here in Hollywood, California, and basically I was confronted with the horrors of my existential contemplating. I have been here for a year and I still don't have that fabled "entry level" job into the industry. I've been working so hard for so long and it still hasn't come. I got hurt by numerous people and I suffered severe emotional and spiritual hardships.

That and I thought about what I really wanted out of life. Why do I love animation? Why did I want to pitch a show? I wanted to give myself back to the people who made me happy, who gave me hope and happiness when I was fresh out. Who made me laugh and cry and think about what life is all about. Who taught me what friendship was and how much family and home mean to me. To inspire the new kids who are going through the same things I did, be it in another form and in a different time. Some things change but many things are always the same.

I wanted some things for the wrong reasons. When you see the people you admire not being happy - what's there to gain by following their paths? If the end result is unhappiness, count me out. I don't care anymore if I make a name for myself. That's not what I wanted. I just want to create and share.

I've rediscovered the power of the Internet. I don't need a studio to do my shows, I can make my own. I may not make any money, but why the hell not? Besides I wasn't in here to make money anyway. The only reason I wanted to get in the studios was to see how they did it. And I think I know now. I've seen more than I probably wanted to, but it was a good thing. My eyes are wide open and I was able to grab myself before tumbling into a pit of despair and mediocrity. The world is at my fingertips and all I have to do is create.

Change is coming. I don't know in what form, but I know that the Internet will be part of that new change. It's already started and as the old generations fall apart and the young people take charge, we will see another technology boom. Count on it.

I don't want this all to be doom and gloom though, lol. Sheesh, Joanie, don't get all preachy on us, right?

To sum things up, there's opportunity in Seattle for lower cost of living (in more than just apartment rates) better weather and possible jobs. I'm excited! I know things won't be easy. If LA is any indicator though, I'm a true Freedom Fighter - I'm a survivor.

No matter what happens, I'm sticking to my guns and going for what I want. I'm going to keep writing my young adult novel and dabble in my art as I like and as I explore my new world I'm about to create. Whatever happens, I know that God is with me. He's made me to be my own unique person and to find happiness here along my journey of life. I'm working hard to create a better world and I know that no matter what it was worth everything I've put down.

Dear Reader, if you have something that you want more than anything else, than go for it! Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. But also, don't be afraid to do it in a creative way. New cartoons are springing up on the net like wildflowers. You can too. Just do it! Who cares if no one likes but you, do it anyway! Do it!

I've been at the lowest low. At one time I suffered from severe depression and I thought "why bother"? But I know why now.

You see, it's not only "Yes We Can!" But "YES I CAN!" You have the power to make your own happiness and to share it with the world. No one can ever take that happiness away from you, because you made it and it's in your heart.

Love to all,

- Joanie /^>

Working for Disney!? No way! Yes way.

2008-01-29T11:36:00.001-06:00

Even though I’ve only been here for a few months, I think the most amazing things have happened to me in that short time. Here’s a quick recap:

1.) Got my first real studio job doing Storyboarding at Yu+Co - thanks to my dear friend, Ron Noble! (shameless plug for Ron: http://www.nobletown.com)

2.) Met and worked alongside one of my favorite animators, Pendleton Ward, creator of Adventure Time! Here’s hoping Adventure Time continues, Pendleton! I wasn’t kidding when I said I was a huge fan!
:)

(I’m such a fangirl sometimes, but I can’t help it, I love animation.)

3.) Joined ASIFA (finally!) and I got to vote for the 2008 Annie Awards. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be on a committee like that. I know I’m just one voter, but to me it means the world to be able to vote and show my appreciation to all the nominees. It’s a big honor to me and I hope to continue to do it and hopefully volunteer as much as I can.

4.) Started my own web business! That’s right, if you need a website, just come see me at: LAWEBCHICK.com I’m also offering to tutor in Flash for either animation or websites if you are interested. Just drop me an email at: joaniegecko at gmail.com.

5.) Met some great friends, including my newest friend, Shondalia White, who I met through WIA. It’s so nice to have a girlfriend my age in town! I miss all of my usual gal pals back in KC, so it’s refreshing to have someone to run around with. Shondalia works at Nick as a Production Assistant on Tak and she loves it!

6.) And last but definitely at the top of my list: I just signed on for an entry-level job at Disney Interactive in their QA department! Many of you who know me know that I’m a huge gaming fan and that a few of my favorite titles have come from DI - including Kingdom Hearts - and that although Animation is my first love, I can’t deny my Gaming side - SONIC FOREVER! *laughs* Which is just as strong. I’m really excited to start work. I know it will be hard and long hours and it won’t always be pixie dust and rainbows, but heck, it’s working for DISNEY! If you would have told my 10 year old self that she would have died of some kind of happiness heart attack.
:)

She was funny like that.

That’s the thing too, I never seem to know what’s coming up around the bend. Ron’s been trying to get me on at his studio too (very excited about that!) and I’m working with a couple other people on possible animation jobs. I went from nothing to do to having to choose between projects, which is something I never forsaw for myself.

Looking back, I’ve really matured the past few months that I’ve been here, and I feel like Hollywood is my home now. I even know how to drive well on the highways without getting lost and that’s saying something in itself! My first time alone on the 134 I had a death grip on the steering wheel and the look of a hamster stuck in a toaster, lol.

Here’s hoping 2008, the year of the Rat, is just as good, if not better, than the last.
:)

Love to all, especially to my new friends: Indy & Tasha, Ron, Georgette, and Shondalia!

- Joanie /^>

Animation Events worth waiting for!

2007-11-06T11:39:00.000-06:00

This past week has been a blur of events! And each one I’ve walked away with more wisdom, knowledge and of course business cards than I’ve ever gotten. If you’re new like me and you haven’t gotten involved in a group

Full house for the WIA Short Film Panel!

like Women in Animation, Animation Army, or a gathering like the WIA Writer’s Round Table, I strongly suggest you do so, no matter where you are.

You can check out the WIA Blog for info about the Short Film panel here: http://wia.animationblogspot.com. As you can see from the photo, many people attended from all ages and ranks, from industry veterans to students and people everywhere in-between!

Animation Army (check out their website here) had their monthly meeting last Sunday at the Bigfoot Lodge in Glendale. Animation Army basically is a social networking group for animation artists of all kinds where we meet together to talk about opportunities, to find project help and to make some new friends. Our guest speaker was Rusty Mills of MyToons.com (a producer of Animaniacs and Pinky and The Brain to name just a few of his credits) and he spoke about pitching series ideas to studios. We also got to view his work and he even brought along some of his pitching material, giving advice on creative things to do - and equally what not to do.

And finally last night was the first new meeting of the recently reinstated Women in Animation Writer’s Round Table! Our speaker was animation writer Craig Miller who has been in the business for a long time (whose credits include a lot of the shows I grew up with in the 80s like The Real Ghostbusters and G.I. Joe) and had a lot of good advice on what makes a story great. (The answer by the way, is the characters!) Craig also answered questions about how to pitch yourself to a studio as a writer and how pitch a good series bible to a studio as well. Friendly and humorous, he was a great speaker and we all enjoyed talking with him. For me, it was a wonderful opportunity to finally come face-to-face with a real animation writer and to hear what it’s like.

If you want to attend the next Round Table and will be in the LA area sometime early December send an email to wiawritersrt@gmail.com. You don’t have to be a WIA member to come and we’d love to have you! Our next speaker will be one of my personal favorite animation writers, Jeffrey Scott, author of the book “How to Write for Animation.“

Drop me a line to if you want to know about any of these events at joaniegecko at gmail.com.

Officially a Californian Girl

2007-10-26T11:42:00.002-06:00

Everything fit into my car! Magic!

It’s been a few days since I moved in to Altadena and things have been happening so fast I hardly have time to keep up with them. But today was especially sweet because today I finally received my Californian driver’s license in the mail. Huzzah! So it’s official now, I’m Californian and here to stay.

Unfortunately, there’s been nothing new on the job front yet. I’m still applying to jobs and waiting to hear back from one. I’m really hoping to get a chance to interview with Nick for a Production Assistant job. I know I’d do a great job with it!

Of course, as everyone knows (and if you’re new like me, listen closely) it’s really hard to break in and get that fabled “First Real Job”! (Can you hear the heavenly choir when you read that?)

Speaking of which, since I’m knew to the neighborhood, I’m looking to meet some friends in the industry! Any hungry animation artists out there? I’d be more than happy to buy you some lunch. Just send me an email.

Look at all the studios! I’m almost there.

On a very happy note, tonight is the semi-annual General Meeting for the Women in Animation guild in Glendale - and this will be my very first meeting in person. I’ve been involved with WIA since 2005 and they helped me find a good school and now I’m volunteering on their website (which, if you haven’t seen it yet, then you must)! I’m hoping to make some friends and possibly make some networking connections. I will type up a report, but for now I have to get ready.

- Joanie /^>

California, Here I Come! 38 Days and Counting!

2007-09-07T11:44:00.000-06:00

38 days to go and my current thoughts are clogged to the brim with suitcases and moving boxes. October 15th is my official moving day and not an hour goes by that I wish it wasn’t tomorrow.

That’s right! After a summer of building up my bank account - I’m finally ready to set off for Los Angeles. I still have a few weeks left of my summer job, but I’ve cut my full-time down to part-time so I can get my stuff together and work on my portfolio and demo reel.

Words can’t express how ready I am to finally make the big move out west. For the moment I’ve turned my sights from Canada (at least until I can gather up enough points to qualify for Permanent Residency) and turning around to California. I’ll be moving to Altadena indefinitely so we’ll see what I happens! I’m gonna cram everything into White Lightning (my beloved Dodge Stratus) and do a cross-country drive. It’ll be my first time going that far by myself, and I find it very ironic and exciting to be following in the footsteps of Disney out of Kansas City, Missouri and into my future, whatever it might be.

Thanks to everyone for their support during my time of transition, especially to my college mentor, Mike Mallory and Jean Wright, my first good friend in Women In Animation and to Chara Campagnella for giving me the opportunity to help with the WIA Blog, and to my talented and passionate college professors: Charles, Jerry, Jonathan, Gerrard, Paul, Jason and Stephen from Van Arts and to Dr. Sokol from Drury University. Thanks you guys for helping me grow and encouraging me to follow my dreams even when I didn’t believe in myself. I’ve become a stronger person because of you and I’ve never felt more alive.

That’s all for now! I’m looking forward to watching my living room fill up with moving boxes and to feel the wind in my hair as I roll down the windows of White Lightning on my drive out West!

- Joanie /^>

Move to Animation Blogspot Complete!

2007-07-09T20:05:00.000-06:00

http://joanierich.animationblogspot.com

Yep, you read the headline right! With the opening of the new Animation Blogspot, I've moved over the blog to the new site above. Now I'm a part of one of the newest Animation Communities online. I'm also a contributor to the new Women in Animation Guild Website at this address:

http://wia.animationblogspot.com

Blogspot was great and it's even better that they've made this special new subdomain just for the animation industry! Blogging is such a great way to connect to other artists and share new work with instant feedback.

If you haven't surfed around Animation Blogspot, I highly recommend checking it out!

- Joanie /^>

Rats + Robots = 3D Eye Candy

2007-07-09T11:47:00.001-06:00

RATATOUILLE - A review

Brad Bird’s done it again! But what can you really expect from Pixar these days other than superior animation and an engaging cast of characters set amongst a backdrop that (quite literally this time) makes your mouth water? Need I say more?

To avoid spoliers stop reading now and go see the movie! This is definitely a film you can’t miss this summer.

Of course, more definitely needs to be said about the movie. I can’t say enough good about it. I felt they treated the food industry as a whole in a sincere light - in the same way they did for Racing with Cars and Super Heroes with Incredibles. We see the characters as real people (and animals too) with passionate spirits willing to do anything to achieve their dreams. One of the major themes is: Anyone Can Do it!

As a young animator trying to break in to the Industry, you can only imagine how loudly this film spoke to me. It was something I needed to hear. Call me a forever optimist, but it was like they were saying to me - if this is what you want, you gotta go out and get it, and don’t give up, no matter what anyone tells you. I connected with Remy truly in that I feel the same way about Animation. It’s a passion. It’s a way to communicate. And it’s an art - a beautiful art, that many people see but only relatively few appreciate — just like a good meal hand-prepared out of love versus a microwave frozen burrito. (By the way, all the bits with his “imaginary” chef mentor were so refreshing… It’s nice to see someone else who has characters in their head. ;D) “Why am I talking to you!? You’re just a figment of my imagination!”

Did you stay until the _very_ end of the credits? (If not, shame on you!) For there was something worth staying for. At the end is a graphic a la 50’s diner menu style with a guy giving a thumbs up and a statement that clearly sums up how they viewed last year’s Oscar choice (in a pretty amusing way): “This film made with 100% Pure Animation. No Mo-Cap Here!” I laughed so loud and grinned. How very fitting.

And it’s easy to tell too- You just can’t mo-cap rats shimmying up poles like that. All my friends and I commented on how truly rodent-like everything about Remy and his clan was and yet how human they still behaved. It reminded me of the same treatment in Cars. Sometimes you forgot they were rats. And Linguini! What a likeable guy! (Great voice by their art director - that guy’s got a wonderfully pleasant voice!) He had really great animators working on him too. He was so real and his gestures so natural. A total underdog that you just wanted to win so badly.

The end brilliantly colored 2D end credits were just as fun (and surprising) to watch as the movie itself. I just love the scratchy limited style they were caricatured in. And the 3D Camera moves were just so perfectly timed.

TRANSFORMERS - A review

Okay, okay, so the plot was just about what most of us (Fans and Critics alike) expected it to be - a bit of pandering to the fans (but not quite enough according to the true hardcore fans) some low brow humor (Really now was Bumblebee “lubricating” on the Government Agent really necessary?) for the kiddies and the rest is fight scene after glorious building busting, explosion blasting, human tossing fight scene.

However, you have to admit, the Character Designs were really well thought out and the transforming sequences themselves were just as mind-boggling and droolworthy as the animation in Ratatouille. Having watched the Transformers growing up as a child of the 80s, you can imagine my delight in seeing it done (and done well) on the big screen.

I could have done with about 50% less army scenes and more Transformers. The bit of backstory/Cybertron that we did see was awesome! If only there could have been some flashback or something… I think all the fans were hoping for something like that. I was also wishing that Megatron and Starscream could have had larger roles. I was hoping to see a bit of classic usurping on Starscream’s part, but at least they included most of the classic characters (though again they did make a bunch of changes).

In a way, it almost felt like three movies converging. One about the Transformers themselves, one about the Army and a third about Sam and his history. I thought they all tied in pretty well, but the second and third act felt VERY rushed. I thought they needed another half hour or so to spread out the pacing some (though it was plenty long already).

Shia did an awesome job as Sam, by the way. I was hoping he wouldn’t be a “harry stu” and I was glad to see that he had some good character flaws and was somewhat of a jerk to begin with. You felt kind of sorry for him cause he really didn’t mean to be. As you can see, I connected with him pretty well. I’m not sure how I felt about his girlfriend since she seemed to be a bit of a “Mary Sue” - everyone likes her, she can do anything, has an angsty background — you know the type. Though it was nice to see a girl with some mechanical abilities. (Gadget from Rescue Rangers anyone?) There are some of us girls obsessed with cars too, you know!

I agree with the fans that some of the acting was OOC (out-of-character) - but considering they made themselves a new plot, you kind of had to look at it in the context of the movie.

If this movies was going to be the intro to a show about these characters, would I watch it? Yeah, probably… Never miss it? Less likely. Be sorry I tuned in? Not at all.

If you’re a Transformers Fan, you definitely have to do your patriotic duty and go see it. If you’re not, well just don’t expect to understand it fully and just sit back and enjoy the eye candy. I took my Dad and he was totally overwhelmed by the plot, but even he conceded that the animation was pretty amazing.

Until next time!

- Joanie /^>

New WiA Website Launched!

2007-06-20T11:46:00.000-06:00

In case you haven’t seen the banner popping up around Animation Blogspot yet, let me be the first to show you the Women in Animation guild’s brand spanking new website!

WIA’s New Website!

I am currently on the volunteer staff for the site and am currently in charge of uploading the Blog Roll links for all the WIA members. So if you’re a current WIA member and see this, please drop me an email with your webpage link and I will add it to the list. I’m very excited to be volunteering with my guild since at the moment I’m not able to attend all of our great events.

Please take a look! Chara Campanella is just staring to get the new site up and running so you can bet there will be lots to see as new features are added. There’s talk of maybe a bulletin board and/or a chat room, which would be a great way for members to interact.
- /^>

Animation Demo Reel

2007-02-17T20:13:00.001-06:00

To watch the video please click on the triangular "play icon" in the middle to start the movie. If the movie above doesn't load properly after clicking the play icon, click anywhere else to view it straight on YouTube.com. Sometimes the server is busy.

Layout Demo Reel

2007-02-17T19:59:00.000-06:00

Flash Short Film - "Turkey Day Turmoil"

2007-02-17T19:51:00.000-06:00

Layouts

2007-02-17T18:44:00.000-06:00

Two animation layouts drawn traditionally on panning animation paper, colored in Adobe Photoshop and finally assembled and rendered with movement in ToonBoom's Opus software. They can be see in motion on my Layout Reel (Vertical Pan) and Animation Reel (Horizontal Pan).

Character Design

2007-02-17T18:36:00.000-06:00

A selection of my original character designs, both colored and in sketchy blue lines.

These three characters above are my own character ideas designed in specific show styles that are currently on the air. From left to right, Danny Phantom style, Xiaolin Showdown style and Fairly Oddparents style.

Life Drawing

2007-02-17T17:58:00.000-06:00

Here are three pages of work from my current Life Drawing Portfolio:

Character Model Sheets

2007-02-16T23:38:00.000-06:00

A partial turnaround of my character Hawthorne the Griffin from my Flash Short Film, "Turkey Day Turmoil". You can view it here at my blog and a few clips are in my Animation Reel.

A Full Turnaround Model sheet for my character Terrance the Ferret, also featured in my demo reel animation.A page of expressions for Terrance the Ferret.

A page of action poses for Terrance the Ferret.

What's This Site About?

2007-02-16T11:19:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Online Portfolio of Joanie Michelle Rich, professional animation artist.

Herein lie my creative works including my demo reel, life drawing, character designs, and anything else I'm sketching at the moment that I want to share with the world.

Use the menu at the left to navigate around and if you see a piece you like or have any questions, email me at:

joaniegecko@gmail.com

Enjoy and thanks for visiting! You can also visit my personal Flash website here 8th Wonder Animation.

About Joanie

2007-02-15T11:57:00.000-06:00

About the Artist

Anything and everything animated - that’s my passion!

Who am I? I’m Joanie Rich, a rookie animator making her way into the industry. During my childhood, my favorite characters shaped me into who I am today.
No matter how bad a day I had at school, no matter how stressed out or upset I felt, all I had to do was sneak into my room, curl up on my bed, and switch on my favorite shows and instantly I escaped into my own brilliant unreality. By seeing into their lives and sharing their laughter and their sorrow, I learned to see my life differently.

Sometimes I would sit on the floor with a sketchbook in my lap just inches from my old TV screen and excitedly advanced forward and backward by a couple frames by hurriedly tapping the FF and PAUSE buttons on the VCR to study the characters’ movements and copy it onto my paper. Then I would hold up the sketches and flip them in imitation of the Disney animators I had seen on TV during the “Behind the Scenes” segments.

The seeds of animation had surely been planted in my heart.

As I grew older, I rediscovered Animation as a stunning way to express ideas, dreams and emotions. I studied it first as a hobby and that quickly ignited into a passionate profession, as I migrated North and earned my diploma in Classical 2D Animation from the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. I’ve found friends all over the globe, including my best friend April, who is also pursing an animation job.
Currently I’m a fresh-faced Rookie trying to break into the Animation business. I will be journaling about my experiences and displaying my creative works including my demo reel, life drawing, character designs, and anything else I’m sketching at the moment that I want to share with the world.

Use the menu at the left to navigate around and if you see a piece you like or have any questions, email me at: joaniegecko at gmail.com.

Enjoy and thanks for visiting! You can also visit my personal Flash website here 8th Wonder Animation.

And remember to STAY TOONED! It’s the only way to live.

- Joanie Michelle Rich /^>