For the last 6months I've been fighting an arduous battle in my mind regarding what I should focus on in my graduating year. Do I go all out on my film? Do I go all out on my portfolio? Do I make a film to tell a story? Or a film that purely shows off what I want a job in? So many questions - no single answer. Enough to make one go crazy. But yesterday I finally made some hard decisions. I am going concept.
I realized 2 years ago that I was in the wrong program. I'm sorry animation, I'm sorry it didn't turn out the way we planned, but you're not for me. The initial reasons for wanting you have long gone and have matured into something else. Somewhere along the way I figured out the magic trick and now I can't appreciate the illusion the way I used to.
My plan, then, is to focus primarily on my concept artwork - which means I have a lot of ground to cover. I've spent a lot of time doing something that I wasn't passionate about. Unfortunately I've picked up some bad habits from "animation style" drawing, which I plan to shake. I always knew it too. While I love looking at professional cartoony drawings, it's not how I draw naturally. And it finally occured to me, why? Why should I fight how I want to draw? There is so much more to art than straights and curves and caricatures.
In short, there is still a filmmaker inside of me but he's going to have to take a backseat this year. I can't live with the thought that opportunities like Ubisoft Toronto will be coming up next year and all I would have to show was a 60 second 2D film. That won't cut it. I couldn't help but feel that I was the ONLY person at school trying to get a degree (which is the only thing keeping me at Sheridan), while everyone else was working towards a job. I couldn't live with the thought that I would spend yet another year waiting to do my thing.
I have to be true to myself.
7 Thoughts:
One tends to agree with your feelings but not so much with your decision...I mean I'm sure there is some kind of middle ground you could try to find..
good luck tho!
Guess this means I'll have scratch your name off of my top 5 films I was looking forward to seeing this year.
-King
I think I agree with King in a way. I completely understand the part where when you finally look behind that curtain, all the magic is gone and it was just a person the entire time. But doing a film doesn't mean that you have to be stuck doing what others believe you should. I think it should always be what you want it to be, especially given the fact that we have complete control. At the end of the day, make sure you have made yourself happy, and do yourself proud. You have a great direction for the film you pitched, and it is your style and it definitely showcases your talent. It's heavy background, limited animation and the characters will look amazing. I think we all have faith in you Jeremy.
Thanks for the comments guys.
I totally respect what you're saying. I did try for a middle ground but I think in order to be excellent I need to devote my efforts to one.
I wasn't really concerned by what other people thought I should do with my film either, I always knew I was going to do whatever I wanted.
More than anything I think it was just a mindset I was deciding on - in the end I will probably end up doing both but when push comes to shove I'll chose portfolio first.
But don't despair, I've recently changed my film and I'm taking it in a new direction. I think despite my choice you'll be surprised by what comes of it :)
You could always take the approach Garret took with his film last year 8)
this makes sense. lots of sense. you're doing what many of us wouldnt have the guts to do. good luck with your film and especially your folio.
Good luck Jeremy.
If this is the route your going to take though, I think you should break outside of the strictly digital realm, and do concepts in more traditional mediums. (oils, watercolour, markers, etc) Not only will it make you a better artist in general, but a way better digital painter.
I think versatility (and I was discussing this earlier today with Adam and Ben) is what a master concept artist does best, and knowing the more animated side of things doesn't hinder you in any way. You'll be thanking yourself in the future when your concepts have more personality and atmosphere than the strictly realist guys who only know how to render and don't know jack shit about personality in characters.
Once again, good luck in the future man, I hope to see you rise high and go far.
Hey Braden,
Thanks so much for the words dude. I agree, the best guys wield traditional like pen and marker with absolute mastery - definetly an area I'm working at especially because a) yea I noticed my dependence on digital as well and b) I can't draw as well with a tablet. You're right too about animation not being a hindrance, but I guess I just feel I've wasted a lot of time doing this shit without wanting to.
Since this post though I've kind of had to make a 180 change... and put 'concept' or whatever on the side. I still have to do a film to pass and I found splitting in two was not going well at all - was getting neither thing done properly.
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