Category Archives: Blog

Reel Review ’17 Results!

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Kaboom.  That’s right, this flaming film strip is about the best and only way to describe what happened the other night at our annual Demo Reel Review – Portland.  Blew.  It. Up.

It gets better every year!  Thanks to everyone for participating this year and of course, our judges (Dan Short, Nicholas Wiegel, Michael Miller and Joel Stewart), who I’d like to thank first and foremost for taking the time out of their busy schedules and being shackled with the responsibility of picking this year’s winners.  Which was not easy.  In the same breath, thanks to MC Jarrod Allen for running the show.

reelieWithout further adieu – this year, in addition to the usual schwag and software, our winners also take home a trophy! Dubbed The Reelie.  Yes, really…  The Reelie.  Designed hastily in a furious late night, last minute session by myself, and then my mess of a model fixed and retopo’d by the one and only Felipe Mirez in the same late night session, and printed admirably at the final hour with the help of some amazing tech from the 3d printing gurus at 3DV (and you thought they only did software!) – I present to you the first in the series.  May this year’s winners don these trophies on their desks like the badge of honor that they are, and taunt losers and even previous winners of years past who can’t help but ogle at the glory that now has a physical manifestation.  We might paint the reels gold for max bling factor.  (btw- get in touch if you’re a modeler and want to design next year’s Reelie)

Now really (reelie?) without any more adieuing – our winners:

Best Motion Design reel – Adam Gill – judges liked the scope and breadth of styles and level of work, with bonus points for a fitting music track.
Award:  Red Giant’s Magic Bullet Suite + 3 months of Lynda/LinkedIn Learning
Honorable mention:  McKay Marshall (note:  last year’s MD category winner) – judges liked the sound design especially, and the smooth packaging that shows a rare versatility.

Best 3D reel – Eric Scheur – judges liked the personality that came through and the level of character animation, with all of it’s intricate subtleties, on display.
Award:  SideFX Houdini Indie License for the year + 3 months of Lynda/LinkedIn Learning
Honorable mention:  Ira Owens with an interesting look into his world of previz at Laika

Best VFX reel – Esli Becerra – presentation scored major points with the judges, as did versatility and visual impact.
Award:  A license of Blackmagic Fusion Studio + Neat Video + 3 mos. Lynda/LinkedIn Learning, and this limited edition, can’t-be-bought VFX/PDX T-Shirt –

(R.I.P. Bill Paxton!)  Honorable mention VFX:  Kimberly Lashbrook (password: holarango) gives us all something to strive for, and this decision between she and Esli gave the judges fits on so many levels.

The Audience Vote pick for best reel:  Neil Hilken
Award:  1 year of Lynda/LinkedIn Learning

Thanks everyone for coming out and (as always…) keep those reels sharp, Portland!

Annual Design Week Animation Challenge + Demo Reel Review – DRAEMS @ Ziba 4/24

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Spring is in the air, and it means it’s almost that time again!  Our annual Design Week blowout is live, and the ticket link now active.

This year’s animation challenge is yet another brainchild of Jamal Qutub – DRAEMS.   Take a closer look, think of our favorite motion design tool After Effects and I’m sure you’ll make the draemy connection.  Details on the theme or to get signed up as a participant are over at aepdx.org

This year’s demo reel review promises to be our best yet and there’s no better time to polish up your reel and enter it to be reviewed by our expert panel of judges, not only for golden feedback but also great prizes.

This year’s judges include (in no particular order):
Saira and Nicholas Weigel, power couple extraordinaire.  She the Head of Motion at W+K and he a Creative Director primarily at his company !hatKe!
Joel Stewart, Creative Director at his own Foil
Daniel Short, Compositor at large and reigning champion of last year’s Reel Review VFX category
Michael Miller, Owner/Operator/VFX Supervisor at 9iFX

This year’s MC is Motion Designer Jarrod Allen.

Prizes include:
VFX – a license of Blackmagic Design Fusion Studio + a copy of Neat Video’s denoise plugin (a must have!)
3D – a 1 year license of  SideFX Houdini Indie 16
Motion – a license of Red Giant Magic Bullet Suite
All category winners receive a 3 month subscription to Lynda/LinkedIn Learning.
1 Audience winner, voted live, will receive a 1 year subscription.
…and more to come!

To enter the demo reel review, submit your information here.  Please, only fresh reels from the last year.

This year’s reel review will be kept on a strict program schedule so we can’t guarantee all reels will be screened or commented on, but we guarantee a silent email of judge feedback on any/all reels submitted.  You must be PDX-metro based to enter.  You do not need to be present to win.

Details:
VFX/PDX + AEPDX + 3DPDX present
Animation Challenge (DRAEMS) + Reel Review 2017
Ziba Design (Auditorium)
810 NW Marshall St
Portland, OR 97209
April 24, 2017  – 6:30/doors to 9:30pm

Get your tickets now before this sells out!

Sponsored by  / Ziba / Toolfarm / Adobe / 3DV
Side FX / Blackmagic Design / Neat Video / Red Giant
(poster design by Jamal Qutub)

A Very Grimm Happy Hour (Job Mixer!) 3/20 @ CENTRL

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Monday, March 20th from 5-7pm
, at co-working space CENTRL (Eastside), VFX/PDX is hosting a VFX+CG job fair done up Portland style – with the following companies and studios in attendance:

Please, only turn into a Blutbad AFTER your interviews.

LAIKA
W+K Motion
Joint
ShadowMachine
HouseSpecial
SuperGenius
Hinge Digital
Deep Sky
Sprocketship
9iFX
Juliet Zulu
Cinco Design
Funnelbox
Bent Image Lab
…and more TBA

 

The setup is simple – upstairs:  interviews.  Individual, private meetings with the above.
Downstairs:
-networking over snacks/drinks (graciously provided by CENTRL + World Foods)
-shop talk and advice/resources on returning to freelancing by nuevo staffing platform Scopic
-tours of the CENTRL space for anyone interested in co-working opportunities and what that sort of setup might entail.  CENTRL is offering a free week of co-working time for anyone interested.

For interview purposes, please fill out the form below now to register your interest and add your info to the database shared with the companies in attendance.  Please note – although Grimm was the catalyst for this event, it is open to all and all levels are encouraged to submit their info – from Lead/Supervisor down to students nearing graduation.  In addition to Compositors, CG artists and the like – Producers, Production Coordinators, Editors, IT, support staff are also encouraged.  Note: if your browser hates this embedded form, go to it directly at this link.

If selected for an interview, the user group staff here will be in touch shortly to help coordinate your interview times between the companies who show interest.

I look forward to you all taking advantage of this rare opportunity, and at the very least let’s all step out and raise a glass to keeping this energy and momentum going!  Keep the dream alive, as they say.

Again, the pertinent details:

“A Very Grimm Happy Hour” (aka:  a Portland style VFX+CG job fair)
Monday March 20, 5-7pm
CENTRL Eastside
329 NE MLK, Portland, OR 97232
Note: that’s essentially between 3rd Ave & MLK at NE Couch
Inside The Slate Building (around the corner from Cosube)

Parking:  Street spots start to clear up around then, or consider the Eastside Exchange building (home of the Oregon Film office) across the street to the west, who’s parking lot has recently been minted with parking meters.  Not free but convenient!

If you’ve not signed up for the VFX/PDX email list, please do so now as there will be last minute updates on this event.

If you are a company that would like to participate, please get in touch.

[Full disclosure:  in addition to running the user group, I also own/operate Sprocketship and will be actively recruiting.]

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