Web Advert

During one of my web surf sessions I noticed this ad for the Walking Dead. It caught my attention because I noticed that it definitely utilized the puppet pin tool we learned about in class. In the ad, the screen flashes with images of zombies to scare the viewer and grab their attention. Once the flashing stops, the main character displayed in the image, Rick, fires his weapon. To animate the still image, the ad designers pulled his elbow down and his forearm back, which warped the image ever so slightly, revealing the use of the puppet pin tool. To add to the effect, the end of the gun flashes in sync with the arms reaction. To finish off the feeling that the still image was alive, the makers of the ad put a flock of birds in the background, just as we did in that early project. With all of these different elements in place the still image really came to life, and pulled the viewer in. It felt really good to know that I could recreate all of the elements of such a professional product as this. I wish I could find a working .gif of the ad to post but unfortunately I don't think it would work! I can try again in class next week to find it if people are interested.

Hillman Curtis

After searching for a different topic -- not green screen and not time-specific animation stuff -- I found this designer, who recently passed away; Hillman Curtis.

Although Curtis was not so much a digital animator, he created various types of graphic and moving design images: web, Flash, art for short films, and other non-animation design. He won a few design awards from various national and international organizations for his work. He has worked for big name companies as a web designer: Yahoo, Adobe, Paramount, Fox Searchlight Pictures, and others; as a filmmaker and motion design producer, he created material for Adobe, Spring, Rolling Stone, Blackberry, BMW, and more.

I first found the article about his work, through a posting on his death from this website:
http://motionographer.com/2012/04/20/rest-in-peace-hillman-curtis/

The interview shown in that post explores his concept on design and reasoning for the style of his work. He wanted to keep his work short, simple, and to the point -- and always online, to allow immediate and cheap exposure. For the one

This link is an example of his art design for the moving camera. Designing and painting and positioning artwork, in this example, on the body to look good for the camera:
http://hillmancurtis.com/commercials/abrams-books-james-victore/

To see more of his work and read about him, as a person and designer; this is his website

"Be prepared to re-invent yourself and be prepared to go out on a limb and be prepared to do the things that you feel strongly about"-- Hillman Curtis


RIP David Hillman Curtis 1961-2012