tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post6394028106521159903..comments2024-03-27T11:18:53.456-07:00Comments on Temple of the Seven Golden Camels: Advice for Studentsmark kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-86126919277108229272007-11-21T18:42:00.000-08:002007-11-21T18:42:00.000-08:00That was an amazing, insightful little essay. I'm ...That was an amazing, insightful little essay. I'm going to print it out and save it..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-88149735946513549842007-10-21T12:30:00.000-07:002007-10-21T12:30:00.000-07:00The full res view of Glen Keane's paper seems to n...The full res view of Glen Keane's paper seems to not download properly. Only a little bit from the top then it stops.<BR/><BR/>Could you please re-upload it? It looked interesting.Alanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07824864580502761476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-73089829364766536042007-09-19T18:40:00.000-07:002007-09-19T18:40:00.000-07:00hey Mark, just wanted to say thanks for everything...hey Mark, just wanted to say thanks for everything. not just the valuable information on this blog but for also being my story teacher 1st year at CalArts ('98). i think i must've screwed around more with my off beat comments and jokes in your class but really though your info has been helpful. i'm currently teaching 2d animation in san diego and from time to time i catch myself reinforcing ideas from my calarts teachers too. <BR/><BR/>jeff ranjo, whatsup!<BR/><BR/>-wattanaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09150899943568595303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-8311179744590458252007-09-15T10:52:00.000-07:002007-09-15T10:52:00.000-07:00Thanks for commenting everybody!von weiggart - goo...Thanks for commenting everybody!<BR/><BR/>von weiggart - good luck on your film. Hope this stuff helps.<BR/><BR/>henk - thank you!<BR/><BR/>tompope - good to hear from you. Good luck on your film!<BR/><BR/>will - thanks!<BR/><BR/>will f - I agree, these days we tend to overexplain everything, especially backstory. The quote comes from his audio commentary on the "Winchester '73" DVD.<BR/><BR/>taber - for me it was cup o' noodles and uncooked hot dogs.<BR/><BR/>jeremy- kind words, thank you!<BR/><BR/>dave- thanks! Glad it was helpful.mark kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-51192278103498397112007-09-12T21:57:00.000-07:002007-09-12T21:57:00.000-07:00ok, now you're a sage.I passed this along to my st...ok, now you're a sage.<BR/><BR/>I passed this along to my students. Couldn't have said it better myself (thanks for doing my work) .<BR/><BR/>This is a classic post .Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02162612139500138953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-27449027598000514442007-09-12T13:11:00.000-07:002007-09-12T13:11:00.000-07:00Mark,That was so well described. Thanks so much fo...Mark,<BR/><BR/>That was so well described. Thanks so much for your insight - a lot of the things you mentioned here are things I've noticed as well but couldn't really put into words myself. What you say about sincerity was especially true and really hit home. I check this blog periodically because every post is so packed with knowledge and ideas, and everytime I leave it its like I'm a new artist, with more awareness and a fresher eye than only minutes prior. Thx again.Jeremy Cantonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03896316402900464838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-34948467510145725852007-09-09T22:49:00.000-07:002007-09-09T22:49:00.000-07:00Hah! Jeff, that "ramen noodles straight from the p...Hah! Jeff, that "ramen noodles straight from the package" comment hit the bullseye with me. I've developed an aversion to the word "epic." <BR/><BR/>Anyway, thanks so much for this post Mr. Kennedy! I very much understand what you mean, and this will help me out greatly!Taberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05073138602539041215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-58122836165829211692007-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:002007-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:00Nice post Mark, although i didn't go there myself ...Nice post Mark, although i didn't go there myself and the one bilious and unsupervised attempt i made at a student film was never even seen!<BR/><BR/>i really like the Jimmy Stuart quote on your profile heading. Really true and it is significant coming from him. I love HARVEY, which alludes to all sorts of "backstory" to his character without ever explaining it. The mystery is what makes the character interesting. I often think today you couldn't make that film, everyone would be asking: "why is elwood like this if he wasn't before? we have to explain it..." <BR/><BR/>It is of course important, but strictly as subtext. I think the writer knew, and that Jimmy Stuart must have had a version in his head too, but to put it into the text of the story would ruin it. <BR/><BR/>My two cents.Will Finnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01297122976077620877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-88868156661882259672007-09-07T12:39:00.000-07:002007-09-07T12:39:00.000-07:00It's everything we all know deep down yet forget s...It's everything we all know deep down yet forget so easily. Thanks for the reminder and inspiration!<BR/><BR/>I look forward to more of your brilliant words. Thanks for helping us students along!<BR/><BR/>Will HoagAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-82715196807312183292007-09-07T11:18:00.000-07:002007-09-07T11:18:00.000-07:00Mark- What a timely post. I'm in the middle of mak...Mark- What a timely post. I'm in the middle of making my first film since CalArts. All I can say to anybody reading, student or 40-ish (!!!) old timer, is be true to yourself and enjoy the process. Making a film is a hard and seemingly endless task, but if you can relish the simple day-to-day of it, you'll be amazed by what unfolds in front of you.<BR/>Hope you are well. Nice posts.<BR/>TomTom Popehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04789963356138399927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-49442097137439476892007-09-07T01:27:00.000-07:002007-09-07T01:27:00.000-07:00Great post once again Mark, thanks a lot! Its post...Great post once again Mark, thanks a lot! Its posts like these that put things back in perspective and simplify the challengeHenkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003334733965958038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-305723833958281532007-09-05T21:42:00.000-07:002007-09-05T21:42:00.000-07:00Hi Mark, I just wanted to say thanks for the post....Hi Mark, I just wanted to say thanks for the post. I'm in school and in production on my own little animated short. It's pretty stressful and the time really flies, so I'm pretty glad to see you post about it and put it in perspective.Vaughan Weigerthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10300775045983510290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-25933248099660652002007-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:002007-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:00Thanks for the kind words Jenny.Thanks again rande...Thanks for the kind words Jenny.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again randeep.<BR/><BR/>Jeff- very good advice that nobody ever tells you at CalArts. Good point. Thanks for posting!!!mark kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-33465071932317604132007-09-04T15:34:00.000-07:002007-09-04T15:34:00.000-07:00I think that part of the problem (at CalArts) is t...I think that part of the problem (at CalArts) is that there are no milestones that you need to hit. Like back in the day you had to have a final mix before you could start animating. Now it's done on the fly thanks to computers. You need think about the producing aspect and not just the directing. Set goals and meet them. Idea by October, boarded by November, layouts and characters designed before Christmas break, record dialog, and cut during Christmas break (thanks computers!), start animating by the new year. When I was teaching there, I made it a rule that you wouldn't pass the class until you settled on an idea and pitched it to me. It was like pulling teeth!!! Some people never made the deadline or pitched a half-assed idea and guess what. They never finished their films. I went through the "Second Year" epic syndrome too. You want to show people what you could do and you plan your masterpiece!! But seriously, you're in school with a limited budget and time, and you're eating ramen noodles straight from the package. The reality is you need to come up with an idea that only YOU can realistically produce. So what I'm trying to say is plan ahead and don't wait until the last second. Bleh.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07985132183438922332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-83616521436025629502007-09-03T22:21:00.000-07:002007-09-03T22:21:00.000-07:00Exactly. As Jenny said, it's great reading your i...Exactly. As Jenny said, it's great reading your insights as they're all expressed so thoroughly and clearly. Keep it up, love seeing new posts from you.<BR/>-R.Randeep Katarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02513054840931685761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-67668093074196937532007-09-03T19:24:00.000-07:002007-09-03T19:24:00.000-07:00I don't know, Mark--I think you put it all perfect...I don't know, Mark--I think you put it all perfectly(really). Great post!<BR/><BR/>It makes total sense. You really express yourself well, mister.Jenny Lerewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06668171465801333811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-56804278879715330842007-09-03T15:15:00.000-07:002007-09-03T15:15:00.000-07:00Randeep - thanks for letting me know it's helpful....Randeep - thanks for letting me know it's helpful...I wasn't sure so I'm really glad it made sense!mark kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11953166248647413142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23438334.post-73766638018525355352007-09-03T09:58:00.000-07:002007-09-03T09:58:00.000-07:00Hey Mr. Kennedy.I am speechless. Honestly, as I w...Hey Mr. Kennedy.<BR/>I am speechless. Honestly, as I was going through my blogs, I was thinking of asking you to maybe do a post of advice to people going into school to do their "final film" or something similar (here, we have only one year where we do an independent short). This advice is amazing, and greatly appreciated - it's definitely going above my desk. So many people believe that in order to have a "good" student film it has to be beautiful and epic, while few know what you stress, simplicity and relatability is what makes a short student film successful. Thanks for this post, I'll put a link to it on my blog.<BR/>Hope all is well.<BR/>-R.Randeep Katarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02513054840931685761noreply@blogger.com