3D isn't my style

I've been doing video work since around 2010, and I've always enjoyed graphics and animation. Over the years I did some motion graphics videos, but I never focused on specializing in motion design. There were many reasons for this, but one of them had to do with a false perception. I held to the idea that the only way forward in animation/motion design was to get into 3D. 3D is the future and there is absolutely no place for 2D animation. Coupled with this idea was my prejudice against 3D.

My prejudice was this: 3D is crap, it's ugly. It's web 2.0 at it's worst. It's early 2000's video game graphics. It's Hoodwinked quality graphics (btw, that movie is hilarious and totally worth watching). 3D is not my style and I hate it. And the argument went like that...

All of these thoughts were based on one false idea that I held to. 3D is a style. This just isn't true, at least not anymore. 3D is not any particular style. 3D is just another tool. It's another technique. And in the right hands, it can be used in a powerful and beautiful way. I've been seeing more and more animators utilizing 3D to stunning effect (Mesh, Adobe Make It), or even to make a rather complex animation in 2D easier (CNN Colorscope: Green, Chili Dog).

I think in some ways 3D, in mograph has needed time to mature. In the past, hardware made it difficult for the average person. But now, with things like GPU acceleration and more powerful computers becoming more affordable, 3D is much more approachable.

Another point I would like to address is that 2D animation is still going strong. It encapsulates a wide range of skill sets that I will never master completely in my lifetime. And there is high quality paid 2D work being produced all the time. Cel animation is so hot right now.

This idea that 3D is just another tool is probably not very novel to a lot of people. But for me it totally changed my mindset. Once I realized I was holding on to an old prejudice I was able to get over myself and move forward. I was able to see a path for my sensibilities and the skills I wanted to pursue. So I won't say "3D ins't my style" anymore because 3D isn't a style.

Daughter in Mograph

I recently listened to this podcast interviewing a motion designer named Caitlin Cadieux. Some of the conversation was about, ironically, the name of the podcast. It's called Brograph. The founders of the website simply chose the name because they thought it was funny and that it fit. They were 2 friends talking about mograph stuff. So, Brograph... Apparently, unbeknownst to them, "brographer" is a term that's sometimes used to describe when someone is being sexist. It could be harassment, or just being treated unfairly. The poor guys who started this Brograph venture now have a bit of a PR situation. They seem to be handling it with stride, and are, for now, keeping the name.

This isn't going to be a long essay about gender equality or anything, but I do want to touch on this topic of women in the workforce. For me, it's important, because I have a responsibility to my daughter. In the interview, Caitlin comes across confident and humble. She attributes her confidence to her mother, a hard working and very determined person. This confidence has probably helped her to be successful in a male-dominated industry. Not because she can be more aggressive than the next guy or gal, but because she knows her talents and passions, and she pursues them.

I don't make the argument that we need more women in mograph for the sake of statistics. Should there be 50% men and 50% women in this industry? I honestly don't know if that matters. To me, what matters, is this confidence. I want my daughter to have confidence in herself. Not an arrogant confidence, but rather a confidence in knowing who she is and what she is capable of. She doesn't have to become a motion designer, but if she wants to I want to help her get there.

I was doing some style exploration. Then my 2yo daughter looked at it and said "dinosaur, dinosaur!" So I had to add dinosaurs and animate them.

Stickfigure Skateboarding

I would like to begin this first post with a story.

It's Friday. The year is 1999. I'm sitting at my desk and my mind is wandering. Thinking about kickflips and backside 180's, I decide to draw a stick figure of a skateboarder in my notebook. I create a flip book of a guy 360 flipping a 9 stair. I clench the pages tight and with my other hand, I flip through them. He lands it perfectly and rides away clean. Suddenly, a sheet of paper lands on top of him. It's last week's quiz. "C -" it says at the top in bright red ink. Bummer.

Didn't see the pebble.

I recently thought back to those times in school and I had an epiphany. I was doing animation in 7th grade, and it only took me 15 years to realize it and to discover that passion. Recently I decided to try my hand at frame by frame animation and recreate one of these types of animations. I stayed up way too late, but it was a joy to make.

My career has been great. I've loved doing video, photography, logo design, and more. It was incredible to go through the journey with the team at Yellow Line. Today I'm very happy to be doing what I'm doing. Motion design and animation are so fun for me. I'm working from my home. I get to see my wife Hannah, and daughter Rosalie, all the time. Rose turned 2 on March 23rd and we are expecting our son in June. My self-employment is a huge blessing for my family but it also comes with exciting new challenges. For example, I have to do my own marketing! Which brings me to this website.

I'm hoping that my frequent presence on here will help my friends and family keep up to date on my life and my work. Maybe my mom will start to understand what on earth it is I do for a living (love you mom!).

Cheers.