Reel FX Secures $75M

I'm so excited to share this news. We have a lot of exciting new films coming out in the next few years. I can't wait to share more.

Zootopia BoxOffice Beast!

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/box-office-report/zootopia-box-office-beast-us-china-137935.html

Looks like Zootopia is making a killing in the market. Rightfully so... it's a beautiful film with a strong message. If you haven't already... go out and see this movie. You will be so happy you did.

'Zootopia' dethrones 'Frozen' during opening weekend

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/07/strong-opening-for-zootopia-bodes-well-for-disney.html

Pretty Cool!! If you haven't seen it .... go now!

Show and tell - Charm in film

This is a wonderful short description on Charm...  It's illusive, but once you know what it takes that's half the battle!

A Brand New ‘Finding Dory’ Trailer

I can NOT wait to see this movie!

10 Tips for Creating Storyboards from Dreamworks

This is great info. If you're a story teller you'll love reading this and you'll learn a lot!

Discover the tricks to creating dynamic storyboards with these helpful tips from Dreamworks.

http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/10-tips-for-creating-storyboards-from-dreamworks/

Nimble Collective. Animation. Liberated.

The guys at Nimble and making some huge strides. I'm super excited about the potential for this company and am looking forward to possibly working with them via Stodoe Studios!

The Present

The Present from Jacob Frey on Vimeo.

Wonderful and inspiring. Great short... must watch!

"Assistant Mayor Bellwether" Clip - Disney's Zootopia

Check out this fun clip from Zootopia. I had a chance to watch the film at the wrap party a few weeks ago and I have to say. Disney is by far really kicking ass these days. They are at the top of their game and it's really refreshing and inspiring to see!

Animation "Get rich quick"

Really??? I know of zero animators who studied animation to "get rich quick" or to have "job security". 

I honestly couldn't believe what I was watching and reading in this article... so I had to share the absurdity.

Check out the article on CartoonBrew.

Self-Help Author: Robots Are Taking Over So Learn Animation Before It’s Too Late

 

News about the "Wage Fixing" in Animation.

What Is The Animation Wage-Fixing Lawsuit? An Explainer for the Community

Trolls | Dreamworks

I'm excited to see what's next! This looks like a fun trailer with potential for the Trolls franchise.

Here's a good article I came across on women and the gender inequality in our industry. I have to say, from my own experience I have noticed some inequality in the past, but I've never felt it directed at me. And in general I think these cases are less and less common these days. Here's to hoping in a short time we won't even be talking about this because it'll be a non-issue.

Crashing the Boy’s Club: Women Speak Out About Gender Inequality in Animation

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-rights/crashing-the-boys-club-women-speak-out-about-gender-inequality-in-animation-118417.html

Oscars - Animation Category

So with the Oscars approaching I read an interesting article. This one covers the Animation Category and what we should expect from these films this year.

My choice is, hands down, Inside Out. This was a creative and original story and definitely entertaining film. My little girl (who's only 3) sat through most of it... I look forward to seeing it again and again with her as she gets older.

Richard WIlliams - Prologue

 Richard Williams, one of the last great animators. He's a master! I can't wait to see his short. Congratulations on your nomination! Click below for the article and youtube short

Happy 2016!

Hi All- So much great news in the new year. I've accepted a position at ReelFX Animation Studios and have been working on their next announced feature of Scooby Doo. It's an all new fully animated feature directed by
Tony Cervone!

I'm super excited to be on the film and getting to bring these old characters back to life! More news to follow.

I'm also hard at work at CGTarian.com Our classes have been steadily growing in the past couple of years and we're beginning to really see students grow from our curriculum. Want to know more? Check out our site and the variety of FREE webinars we offer. I've even had the chance of doing a fun interview. Check that out here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_ZiZl60bx0

Zootopia Animation Crew T-shirt

As of late, I've been super busy with the creation and development of Stodoe Studios, freelance work, teaching at CGtarian and family obligations. It's been quite the year. I can't believe it's already October!! More cool posts with updates to come... in the meantime...

Yesterday, I got a fun surprise from my favorite animator and hubby extraordinaire!! A Zootopia Anim Crew t-shit! I'm so excited to show it off!! Check it out. Pretty cool eh?

Zootopia Anim Tshirt

CGTarian NEW Characters!

Here's the latest going on with our online school CGTarian.

http://brittanymyersart.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/cgtarian-character-design.html

Brittany Myers Artwork

Some really exciting and feature level models are coming your way! Wanna know more?? Well check out the CGTarian site or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Next semester starts in September, It's not too late to sign up.

Happy Mother's Day!

Our next short is up and JUST IN TIME for Mother's Day.
Check out this fun and a bit unexpected short from the folks at Stodoe Studios. We are also holding a contest for those interested. Record your mom watching this cartoon and send it to us. The best reaction will will a prize!

Stodoe Studios!!

Get ready for the next chapter of Stodoe Studios! We're starting off with a brand new site. We'll be bringing you many amazing opportunities to get involved in our community. Anything from becoming the next featured character in one of our shorts to WINNING your very own Stodoe Swag!

Join us and be the first to get all the exciting news before ANYONE else. Sign up for our newsletter and you'll get access to our shorts before anyone else see's it.

And if that weren't enough.. If you sign up now, you will have the chance to WIN merch of your choosing from our store. Details to follow in our very FIRST newsletter at the end of the week.

What are you waiting for?!!? Sign up now before you miss out!

http://eepurl.com/_tExL

Layoffs are coming to Dreamworks.

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/layoffs-underway-at-dreamworks-animation-1201409054/

It's really sad to see that even after the success and Globe win of Dragons, that the studio has found itself needing to cut back. I wish the best to all my friends there.

How to Train your Dragon 2

Inside Out Trailer #2 Sneak Peek (2015) Disney Pixar Movie HD

Here's a fun little teaser from the next Pixar movie. Animated by the talented Mike Stern!

Animation Round-Up by CGTarian

Hi all, check out the latest video webinar from your friends at CGTarian! We talk all about what our school is about and how you too can be a part of it. Let us know what you think!

Last day at CTN this Sunday!

We have one more day at CTN! Come by our CGTarian booth and get a reel review! Or just come by and say hi! And don't forget the DRAGON 2 poster will be raffled off at 5!

Genndy Tartakovsky's POPEYE Animation Test

This is freakin' an animators dream come true. I hope they follow through with the film, it would be amazing! Check out this animation test by my friends at SONY Imageworks. Amazing. Just Amazing.

CGTarian at CTN!!

Hey folks, come visit us at the CGTarian booth at CTN this weekend. Nov 21-23
I'll be there all day Friday Nov. 21 answering questions and meeting with anyone who'd like to chat!

CGtarian is LIVE!

Hi Everyone,

Where has the year gone. I've been super busy working on several projects. The first I'd like to mention is our online animation school at cgtarian.com We have had our doors open for the last year and enrollment has slowly grown each semester.

I've have a few semesters teaching and have found my students to be very inspiring and passionate. It's really great to have a course all my own and be able to teach the skills new students need to create a strong foundation in their animation work. I highly recommend checking out the school and taking a class! Here's our newest on line promo video. It really helps you get an idea of what the school is all about.

Take a class today!

CGTarian Animation & VFX Online School from CGTarian on Vimeo.

Happy 2014!

Hi and Happy 2014 to all.

I've been pretty busy at work. Editing and recording my online classes for CGTarian. I can't wait for the semester to start this coming March 2014. If you're interested in starting your animation career or just looking to brush up on you skills, sign up for a class with our school! If you have questions, please send me an email!

My class focuses on Body Mechanics and the very foundation of movement. I encourage potential students who are interested in becoming a professional animator to check out my class and the variety of classes that the school is providing. It's going to be super exciting to see my students grow and learn from my experience.

I've also been busy working on a few shorts as Animation Directing at Chavvo Studios. The shorts we produced for Logix Banking came out really fun and was a creative and technical learning experience.

Check out the final product!
Logix Crush
Logix Decade Dance
Logix KungFu

All the best to everyone this 2014! Let's dream big and reach for the stars!

@reblynk

Who has a twitter account?? That's right! I do.
follow me:  @reblynk

Interview

Check out my latest online interview. It's featured on a site about women animators. We are few, but we are out there! Here's a little more about me for those interested. Rebecca's Interview

CGtarian is open for business!

I constantly get emails asking for advise about the animation industry and how to get in or what does it take to work at a big studio. The answer is: hard work and skill. Having said that, there are a few places I often recommend student go study. Well, here's the newest one! It's called CGtarian.com. I along with some really talented animation co-workers have created a curriculum for beginners - intermediate - and advanced students and professional animators.

My specific course is called "Characters in Motion: Intro to Body Mechanics" I encourage any students and/or professionals looking to polish their skills or get into the animation industry to sign up for a class. The best part about this site is that you can take any course you like at any time, there's no obligation. The courses range from very beginner like "Animation Bootcamp: Intro to Animation" to "Pushing the Limits: Cartoon Animation".

I highly recommend these courses if your interested in animation. The classes consist of a weekly tutorial/video accompanied by an assignment. These courses are all developed and taught by industry professionals. You can take any course for 12 weeks and then be done. Or continue by signing up for another topic interests you. There are no grades, just upfront and honest feedback and weekly critiques based on your assignment by a professional animator! It doesn't get any better than that!

Sign up today!

Hang Gun!

Here's another test my David created. Pretty impressive since he just learned AfterFX.
Not to worry... I wasn't really hurt in the filming of this video. It was quite fun to act out!

Facebook King song and video!

I wanted to update everyone with the latest project I'm a part of. It's called Facebook King and it's a fun whimsical song based on that person we all know who lives on facebook. It's the creation of David Stodolny (of stodoestudios.com) and Reston Williams (of BlueMan Group). They've paired up to create this hilarious song and video. I've had the pleasure of co-Producing this fun project and am very proud of the end result. I look forward to many more productions together.

Please check out their new comedy production studio Secondary Inspection. If you love the video you also have the opportunity of downloading the song for your music collection on itunes or amazon! Check out their site for more info! Here's the video!

I am Art

For those interested in what's going on lately, here's the latest animation by David Stodolny. I was so excited to be a part of it by Producing it. By all means, David did ALL the hard work, I just helped schedule him out and plan the execution of it. It was a really fun project to work on. Check it out and please share with your friends!!

Lucasarts Closed.

A sad day in the industry.

This week an industry icon closed it's doors. Lucasarts is no more.

I have to say, I spent some of my most memorable years working at that studio. Even though I haven't worked there in close to 10 years, I feel as though it will always be a part of me in a special way. I made some of my best friends there. I miss you all. And I have no doubt you will all land on your feet.

Rest in Peace LucasArts. You will always be my first love.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/lucasarts-gaming-studio-shuttered-disney-article-1.1307749

What if Money didn't matter?

What if money didn't matter? I've been pretty busy with work and life in general so I haven't had a chance to update my blog for months. For those who continue following me. Here's a little bit of wisdom brought to you by Alan Watts. They really are words to live by. Do what you love and do it often. You will be a much happier person for it. And money...that will come, but first needs to come the passion and love.

Happy Holiday's everyone!

CNN Interview with Dreamworks CEO

Here's a really great interview with our CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. He has some really great insight into what makes a company successful. Take a look.

Footage-Loose

Ever wonder what a bunch of animators do in their free time? Well... it's not exactly free time, but it's time well spent. I think most people can relate to this awesome short Directed by David Stodolny and Steve Meyer, two amazing animators and fellow co-workers at Dreamworks. I was honored to be a small part of this fun live action project. Check it out!

Panda 2 and Puss Nominated for an OSCAR

Congratulations to everyone involved in making these films amazing. It was a true honor and dream to have worked on such great films. And now to be recognized... that's just amazing.

Check out the video of all the noms.

Harrey Podder: Say the Magic Word

For all those Harry Potter fans here's a real treat. In honor of the final film coming out, my boyfriend David Stodolny has created an amazing 2d short spoofing this world. Check out the funny short and feel free to repost if you like it!



And then don't forget to check out THE MAKING OF video. I don't know which I like better?!?

Turbo : Dragons : ianimate

So much has been going on in the last few weeks. I've officially wrapped up animation the Dragon's Holiday Special coming out this Christmas. Keep an eye out for it. And hopefully I'll be able to post more soon.

In the meantime, I've been cast on my next film called TURBO. Here's a link to AWN which talks a little bit more about it. AWN: Dreamworks TURBO I'm currently doing some performance and acting tests and getting to work with Head of Character Animation Dave Burgess again, which is really great. I find him and his work very inspiring. I'll have more info in the months to come.

In addition I've decided to start teaching at ianimate.net. I'm really excited to be involved with Jason Ryan again. He has started an online animation workshop called ianimate.net It's similar to animation mentor, only it's NOT a school. It's a workshop where students from around the world and any level of experience can join and refine their animation skills. There's a lot of great work being done here and I think it gives a really good alternative to those who might not be able to commit to an 18 month course at AM. Don't get me wrong Animation Mentor is a GREAT school, I went and taught there myself so I highly recommend it! However, ianimate is another option for those who are thinking of just taking a specific level workshop. Check out the site for more info! www.ianimate.net

'Kung Fu Panda 2' Featurette - "Animating Pandas"

Check out this very cool featurette on the Production Team's trip to China. They got to meet real panda's and experience their world first hand.

Puss n Boots

There's a new trailer out for the next Dreamworks movie. I didn't get a chance to work on this film but I have a few friends who did. I've also seen some sequences from the film and they are looking amazing. The animation in this film is truly breathtaking. Check out the Trailer and lemme know what you think!

Physics of Animation

Here's a cool video I found on the net profiling some great artists here at Dreamworks talking about Physics in Animation. If you're going to be a great animator you *have* to know your physics first.

Extra News - Latina animator on a roll with ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’

Extra News - Latina animator on a roll with ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’

Check out another interview with me about Panda 2. This one's in English so most of you guys can read it. Cheers and if you haven't already, go see PANDA 2!!


Latina animator Rebecca Perez on a roll with ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’
by Kiko Martínez | trad. Víctor Flores

Working as an animator for DreamWorks Animation Studios since 2009, Rebecca Pérez has been part of the creative team known for making such well-received films as “Megamind” and the Oscar-nominated fantasy adventure “How to Train Your Dragon.”

In her third animated film with DreamWorks, Pérez, who has also worked as an animator during her four-year career with Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, and Twentieth Century Fox, takes on a new challenge in “Kung Fu Panda 2,” the sequel to the highly-entertaining 2008 animation about a chubby panda bear named Po (Jack Black) who learns a prophecy has identified him as the Dragon Warrior.

In the “Panda 2,” Po must lead the Furious Five – Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross) – to defeat a villainous peacock known as Lord Shen (Gary Oldman). Along with showing off his martial arts prowess, Po is given the opportunity find out more about his family roots.

During an interview with EXTRA, Pérez, who is Cuban-American, talked about the character she grew most attached to in “Kung Fu Panda 2” and the moment in her life when she knew she wanted to be an animator.

EXTRA: What was your specific role as an animator on “Kung Fu Panda 2?”

Rebecca Pérez: I had the opportunity to work on most of the characters – Tigress and the rest of the five [main characters] as well as some of the others like the sheep.

Is it easy to get attached to these characters after working on them for so long?

You definitely get attached especially if you get to work on one particular character more than the others. I actually got attached to the sheep character, which is interesting because I don’t think she even has a name.

What was it about the character that you liked so much?

I think it was because I just got to work with her so much. The majority of her scenes were all my shots. I also felt for her because she has so much innocence. There was a lot of emotion in her character.

What kinds of cartoons did you grow up watching as a kid?

I watched all sorts of Saturday morning cartoons like “The Smurfs.” I really like the short animations that were funny and whimsical.

Did you watch cartoons like any other kid would or did you feel there was more to them on an artistic level?

I don’t think it was until later in life when I saw “The Little Mermaid” when I realized there was more to it like storytelling and performance. I knew right away I wanted to be part of that.

So, was that the moment you knew you wanted to be an animator?

Actually, the point in my life where I knew that was when I saw an animated TV commercial for Listerine that I would later find out was made by Pixar before they were know for making films. When I saw it at the time, I wasn’t even sure what I was looking at. When I saw that animated bottle of mouthwash it transformed animation into something I had never seen before. I wanted to know how they did it.

What does it feel like when you finally get to see all your hard work as a final product on the big screen?

It’s very moving especially when you have kids around you laughing. Seeing it with an audience is so refreshing. It definitely enriches the whole experience.

Jennifer Yuh Nelson breaks new ground

Jennifer Yuh Nelson breaks new ground
There aren't very many women in the field of Animation and even less who've held the title of Director. Here's a great article about Jenn Yuh Nelson our Director on Kung Fu Panda. She really has been one of the best directors I've worked with. Although gender plays it's roll in who and what we become in life, at least as far as society tells us. Jenn (as a person and individual) is a fantastic Director always taking our work and adding her insight to make it better. Thank you Jenn for letting me be a part of such a fantastic film and team.

AOL Latino.

Here's a cool little online interview for AOL Latino. For those who don't understand Spanish, the interview is about Latino's working as artists in the Animation Industry and in this case at DreamWorks on Kung Fu Panda 2.

Here's the full AOL Latino Online article

Sabía usted que Dreamworks recluta talento de creadores latinos para sus películas?
Cuando pensamos o hablamos de artistas, nos imaginamos un Picasso, Monet o talvez un Van Gogh. Pero, y que de los procreadores del Panda Kung Fu? Aunque parezca un poco divertido, este tipo de arte animado ha fundado una nueva generación de creadores de películas. Particularmente en países latinoamericanos donde los artistas talentosos son reclutados para trabajar en los estudios de Dreamworks.

Alberto Corral, Manuel Almela, Manuel Aparicio, Sean Eckols y Rebecca Pérez han sido incluidos como parte de la nueva ola de artistas latinos. Cada uno tiene su propia historia en particular, pero el tema primordial que tienen en común, es que si tienes el talento, tú lo puedes hacer.


Video producido por Carlos M. De La Vega

Aunque suene bastante simple, ustedes escucharan en el video que la perseverancia, juega un papel muy importante en el desarrollo de este talento. Especialmente, si vives en un país deficiente de escuelas especializadas a enseñar este tipo de arte.

Así que, si tu ere padre de un niño/niña que desea ser artista y crees que esto sería muy difícil de lograr, piensa de nuevo. Este sendero ya está establecido, solo se necesita un pequeño empuje para salir adelante.

Ali Villavicencio Escritor AOL Noticias

Panda 2 Premiere & Cast and Crew Party

Like the title of this post states this past weekend we had our Crew screening on Panda 2. It was incredible. The studio rented out the Gibson Amphitheater at Universal to screen the film and then immediately after we had our Wrap Party on the Universal lot. I even got to see Jeffrey and take a picture. We were also treated with a surprise visit by Jack Black who thanked us all for our hard work, which, as he said, he would take full credit for in every interview. He's a very sweet fun guy and we could tell he was genuinely proud to be part of this film, as we all are.

Now, having seen the whole film completely finished I have to say, I'm soooo proud to have been a part of it. I would even go as far as to say that I found it to be even better than the first! And I'm a HUGE fan of the first film. There are tons of laughs, action, and heartfelt moments all over this film. There's something for the whole family. I've already seen the completed film twice and I can't wait to see it again this Friday.

On a side note, in addition to all the fun events with the screening, I also got to be a part of this films press marketing. They asked me to do some phone and on camera interviews for this coming week about my experience on the film. Hopefully I'll have more to report this week and maybe some links to video's that I can post here. The whole experience was extremely fun and exciting especially when I get to talk about such an amazing film.

Congratulations to Director Jen Yuh Nelson and the whole Kung Fu Panda 2 Team.

Dreamworks on The TODAY Show

The TODAY Show launches a new segment called "Give Me The Keys TODAY" And the goal is to pull back the curtain and see the behind the scenes in how different people and companies work. Today their segment is all about Dreamworks and what goes on in our studio. It's a pretty cool video, I recommend checking it out! A few of my coworkers and friends made it in the video even my foosball nemesis Adam Strick made it on camera (he's the one playing foos... lol) Congratulations to all the hard working folks who made the cut including my good friend Steve Meyer who animated the last couple of "Puss" shots in this clip.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Welcome Back to ReBlog!

First and foremost I'd like to let everyone know that I'll be updating this blog in the next month or so. So please be patient and you happen to come across some broken links, please let me know.

In the meantime I just want to update folks on the latest news and happenings with me. I just wrapped up animation on Kung Fu Panda 2 and the film has come out beautifully. If you loved the first, like I did, then you'll be more than happy with the sequel. I had a chance to animate Po as well as the furious 5 on a sequence called "A city without Kung Fu". I'll give more details once the film has come out.

Until then check this awesome little treat video on the how we make all this magic happen at one of the worlds top 10 companies Dreamworks Animation!

ReHaul!

New update coming soon!

Dragon's

Hi ... wow it's been a while since I've updated my Blog. I guess I've been pretty busy lately. I just wanted to post a link and update folks on my latest happenings. Ever since wrapping up on Cloudy last year I began working at DreamWorks. It's been pretty incredible and this is by far the best studio I've worked at. I just wrapped up animation on How to Train your Dragon which comes out in two week! Please go see it!

Here's a link to the latest amazing trailer. Keep coming by cause I'm gonna get back on this blog and try and update at least once a week with updates. For those of you who still come by thank you, and those who may be knew I hope you pass by again real soon. Cheers! And happy Dragon training!

CLOUDY!

Go see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs TODAY!!

New Gig!

Hi all... it's been a while since I've updated my blog. So much news to catch up on. I wrapped up animation on Cloudy a couple of months ago and took a well needed vacation home to spend some time with the folks and close friends. I'm now well rested and ready to begin my next adventure!

This week I started at DreamWorks Animation Studios. This place is amazing! So many GREAT artists and friends are here I feel like I'm at home! Once my training is complete I'll begin animating on How to Train Your Dragon... in Theaters in Spring 2010. Here's a pic and link to more info on the film.

Cloudy Trailer

Check out the latest on the film I'm working on, called Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Stay tuned for more coming this Fall!

Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

Today we had a rare chance of screening Nick Park's latest short Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death. I love seeing those characters and this new short brings with it some more fun British humor and slap stick.

Check out this small clip:


If you want to get more info go to the Wallace & Gromit website!

Bolt nominated for an OSCAR!!!

Round 2!! How exciting! Bolt was just nominated for the OSCAR of Best Animated Feature Film!
Thanks to everyone for your emails and posts! Also, congratulations to Panda and Wall-e for their nominations as well!

The Dawn of a New Day

Congratulations to our new President Barack Obama and his family Michelle, Malia, and Sasha. Here's to a future of Hope here in the US and around the world!

Golden Globes - Presenting Best Animated Feature Film

I thought I'd share a small bit of cool news... Even though Bolt didn't win the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film... They showed a clip of each nominee and my shot was included in the presentation clip! It's the one of Mittens (the cat) saying "Aaaand stick your tongue out." I can't tell you how shocked and excited I was!! Check out the clip below.

A First Look at Cloudy

Here's a first look at the new film I'm working on. It's Sony Animations next Animated Feature Film Co-Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Best known for their work on "How I met your Mother" and creators of TV Cartoon "Clone High".


So far the film's been a dream to work on. Very funny and animated! Can't wait to be able to share more in the coming months. Click on the image for a detailed article.

Bolt Nominated for GOLDEN GLOBE!

How exciting! Bolt was just nominated for Best Animated Feature Film!

Congratulations to Panda and Wall-e for their nominations as well!

For a full list of nominees click on the image

Disney's BOLT - OPENS TODAY!!!

GO SEE BOLT ... It opens today!! November 21st!

A few of of my friends and family have asked what shots I animated in the film, so I decided to post a list of my contributions. It was a blast working on Bolt and by far, it's the film I'm most proud of to date. I think Disney's got a hit on their hands. If you get a chance, please go check it out!!

BOLT - My Shot List

-I animated the section of the moving train when Bolts leash gets caught and he's starts tugging and pulling. Mittens yells "Bolt" and Rhino yells "let go you monster!" Then Bolt's collar snaps.

- The two shots right after the escape from the Pet Shelter where they come up to the edge of the highway. The shot with all 3 characters where Rhino says " Ohhh... i've got a BIG one!"

- In the traveling house when Mittens is teaching Bolt how to be a dog. At the end of the sequence the 2 shots of Mittens saying. "Aaaand stick your tongue out." And then the next shot where she's licking her paw and says: "Nah... it's more of a dog thing."

- At the end of the movie during the fire sequence when we see Penny on the floor look up at Bolt and he takes the leash and starts dragging her. That whole section up to (but not including) the part where she falls down on the floor gasping for air.

Cheers,
~reb

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!

I'm all full of updates lately. After wrapping up on Bolt and taking a much needed break from work. I'm now more refreshed than ever and ready to start back up animating! Along with Mentoring at AM, I've started work at Sony... I'm animating on "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"!

I can't even begin to express how inspiring this film looks... it's not for everyone, but I for one LOVE the style and look of the characters and animation! It's completely a dream project for me and I'm so happy to be working on it! Check out the latest word in this online article.

Coming Soon... Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Cheers and Happy Halloween all!

got AM Mentor?

I have some great news! I'm back at Animation Mentor.com!!! However this time, I'll be a mentor. I'm so excited to get back into the amazing culture which has brought such passion to the animation community and to my own work.

If your interested in becoming an animator... i HIGHLY recommend this school! Click on the image to check out the site for more info:

Madrid and new friends!

Mando much saludo's a mi amigos en Madrid! Gracias por todo, David y Patricia!!

Hi folks! Here's a pic of my friend David Alvarez and his "mujer" Patricia. They were kind enough to meet up and show us a great time around Madrid. I couldn't have asked for a better tour guide of the city and local scene.

By the end of the night we'd had quite a bit to drink but I still remember what a great night we had catching up!

... more pictures and posts to come when I find time ...

BOLT ANIMATION IS A WRAP!!!

BOLT is COMPLETE!

Well.... at least animation is! What a production, full of amazing work and incredible people. Every moment on Bolt has been an adventure...stressful and exhausting at times.... but awesome nonetheless.

So what now you ask?!?! A much needed vacation! I'll be traveling for the next couple of months.... catching up with old friends and exploring Spain and Italy!! (If anyone reading has any recommendations or advise shoot'em my way, I'd love to hear'em.)

I started my long overdue vacation with a brisk walk around the Hollywood Hills with my baby Rocco! Here's a cute picture I managed to snap while we were taking a breather.



I have friends and family who visit the blog so I'll certainly be updating it with a few pictures and details from my adventure. Keep an eye out!

Who is Rocket Johnson?

Last week we had a book signing party for "WHO IS ROCKET JOHNSON?" a graphic novel that the Disney Story Artists put together. It's a pretty amazing book, illustrated and designed by the top artists in the industry. I managed to snap a cool pic with my best friend (and amazing story artist/character designer) Tron Mai and Director of the up coming film RAPUNZEL (not to mention legendary animator of Tarzan) Glen Keane!

Overall a great event... thanks to all the Disney artist that help put this together!

Princess & the Frog

Here's a treat for all you 2D animation fans! It's the latest teaser trailer for the upcoming Princess and the Frog film.... very cool stuff.

Here's a film called "Yellow Sticky Notes" by Jeff Chiba Stearns. I came across this short film here at work and found it profoundly moving. We all focus intensely on our day to day lives often loosing sight of the bigger picture and larger world events. Check it out... what have you missed?

Where in the world is Matt?

This just made me smile... so i hadta share. Enojy!!

Wall-E + BOLT trailer!

Here's a great little treat... THE NEW BOLT TRAILER! It'll be playing in front of WallE, but here's a sneak peek in case you can't wait ;) I saw WallE last weekend in a special work screening and I thought it was amazing. Another job well done from the guys at Pixar. Keep up the inspiring work!

Presto Teaser

Here's a clip from Pixar's latest short film... due to come out in front of wall-E this weekend! Pretty cool... very... Tex Avery ... Chuck Jones ... style. Check it out!

The Animators Survival Kit - VIDEOS

Check it out... this is pretty sweet! I had the chance to take Richard Williams lecture class before he wrote his book and I found it to be amazing. Full of insightful wisdom and enthusiasm. I thought, "damn... every animator should get a chance to see this for themselves!" Of course his book came out and it pretty much says everything his lecture did... but without the added live aspect and entertainment that only a face to face lecture could give you.

So here's the next best thing!! ONLINE videos!! I live for this stuff!

Click on the image.

Dale Baer

We had a company meeting a few days ago and I was lucky enough to sit next to the legendary animator (and good friend) Dale Baer.... I took this fun little camera phone pic to capture the moment!

...if you haven't already done so... go check out his online/podcast interview at the Animation Podcast by Clay Kaytis! (Click on the image for link)

Real or Fake Smile?

Can you tell a real smile from a fake one? A fellow animator here at work sent out this link. It's fascinating to see if you can tell the difference. How many can you get right?

It's by author, Paul Ekman, who wrote the excellent book "Telling Lies."

Here's a pretty insightful article on BOLT as well as details on the next features coming out of both studios... Rapunzel, The Princess and the Frog, UP, Newt, The Bear and the Bow, Cars 2, and King of the Elves!

the 9th old man

A heartfelt goodbye to the last of the nine old men... Ollie Johnston passed away yesterday. He was 95. I had the pleasure of meeting Ollie a couple of years ago at his Birthday Party here at Disney Animation.

He will be dearly missed.

Disney Pixar Line up....

In case a few of you might not know... here's the latest line up of films coming out of Disney/Pixar! Some really cool projects!!

Zen - Doggy

I came across this pic and thought it was so moving I hadta share.

Horton Hears a Who!

Go see it!

The movie came out great... animation, visual development, and story are all amazing! It was amazing to be a part of such an amazing crew, yet again. I'll post my contributions to the film at a later date. 'Til then... enjoy the film!

Golden Compass WON!!

Wow... what a trip! Golden Compass WON the OSCAR for Best Visual FX!! It goes without saying, but every film is a "team" effort. Congratulations to all involved... it is a true honor to have been a small part of it.

Oscar Nominated

I found this really funny and kinda cool. A fellow animator congratulated me today on being an "Oscar Nominated Animator". I said... what? He said well Golden Compass has been nominated for a "Best Visual Effects" OSCAR... and since I worked on it... it inadvertently makes me... an "Oscar Nominated Animator".

It's a stretch... I know.... but still pretty cool I think!

Best of luck to all the Nominees!

Happy 2008!

I've been seriously neglecting my site for the past few months. I'll try an be better about updates.

After a few months in New York animating on Horton, I'm now back at Disney Animating on BOLT their latest animated feature coming out Winter 2008. I'm super excited to be back in the halls of the mouse house and working on such an incredible film. I can't wait for everyone to check out all the great work going on here.

In the meantime... keep an eye out for Horton Hears a Who ... coming to theater's in the US in March!! My experience at Bluesky was absolutely amazing. I really learned a lot about animation made some great friends and experienced the Big Apple like I never imagined I would. Thanks to everyone who made my experience there a good one!

Cheers!

Wow. It's been quite a while since my last post. Well lots going on.
Since my last post I wrapped up animation at Rhythm & Hues and now
I'm working on Horton Hears a Who? at Bluesky.

Learning tons! This place is amazing and the film incredible.

Glen Keane

I came across a really great site with very inspirational work from Glen Keane. Most folks may have already seen this, but for those who haven't... check it out!