Scott MacDonald :: News ::

This blog has moved

2010-03-24T11:34:00.001Z

This blog is now located at http://obraxis.blogspot.com/.
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Happy New Year! (Also, updates!)

2010-01-16T22:59:00.002Z

Happy New Year everyone, thanks for visiting!

No, I haven't been lost, I've just been so busy in the last few months I've not been able to update much.

NEW(ish) SHOWREEL!

Yes, I updated my showreel not long ago. You can see it by clicking on the 'showreel' button to your left.

Also, I'm currently working at Hi-Sim in Bristol (literally just round the corner from Aardman) as a Maya Character Animator on a Commercial. It's really great, really epic, and I'm soaking up knowledge from animators like Campbell McAllister , Scott Pleydell-Pearce & Ben Mars. They're awesome guys. This is by far the best work I've produced and as soon as I get the go-ahead I'll be sharing it with the world.

I'm looking for more animation work after January, so if you like my work contact me and we'll talk. See you all soon!

Third Time's a Charm!

2009-02-19T19:27:00.003Z

So I just learned that the third animated short I've worked on for the AiR Scheme at the University of Wales, Newport, has won (for the third year in a row) a Depict Award! :)

I worked with Rebecca Manley and Luca Paulli on their short 'Breaking the Mould' (2008) completed as part of the University of Wales Newport’s Animator in Residence scheme. I worked as a character animator and helped Luca animate some of the main character as well as a little rigging. My congratulations to them and the whole team!

You can view the short film in it's entirety below:

This is the third year in a row that I've worked on an animated short that has won a Depict award. I'm very proud of this achievement.

In other work related news, I recently finished some freelance work with Calon (Cardiff), who I have worked for in the past. Although I cannot share the work due to NDA, I was a Maya/Character Artists and gained yet more studio experience.

I am now available once again for freelance or full-time employment. Please contact me at obraxis(at)cgbox(dot)com!

Available for work! New Showreel!

2008-07-28T10:07:00.004Z

It's been a while since I last posted. That's mainly because I've been working solidly on an animated short film (which has now been completed). While I can't post the short online just yet, I have included some scenes in my new showreel which you can see by clicking over on the left menu on Showreel. It's currently available online or via post on DVD.

So now that my short film is completed, I'm currently available for full-time work and/or relocation anywhere as an Animator. I'm actively looking for a place of work that is fun, exciting and engaging whether that be in the Games Industry or VFX/Animation Industries.

I'm looking forward to animating and being creative for a living!
(P.S will animate for Pepsi)

Operator wins DepicT!

2007-11-26T13:47:00.000Z

Operator, the short film I worked on before the Summer has just won DepicT! ‘07 - my greatest congrats to Matthew Walker & for the opportunity to work on such a great project with him. I'm very proud to have worked on a second award winning animated short film.

You can now view a slightly shorter version of Operator here (through the Depict Website):

Operator - DepicT!

Enjoy. I'll be updating my blog soon with various other work.

Operator...

2007-07-15T19:14:00.000Z

Allo all. Not updated in a while so thought I would land an update on you :)

I have been working my arse off recently - basicly since January I havn't had a day off! The group project got done, then I moved onto this:

It is a short film Written, Directed and Animated by Matthew Walker. I was a background artist and shadow animator. Was great fun and a hell of a lot of work to do in only 4 weeks! We managed and got it to deadline (but not without being up for almost 3 days straight! That's dedication for you!). Animation was done in Flash and backgrounds was a Maya/Photoshop job. Shadows were animated in After Effects.

I can't post the film online as of yet but rest assured it is fantastic.

More work incoming also, as I've just recently completed another project with Matthew working on a few TV Adverts for Arthur Cox Animation as part of work experience and also some freelance work for them. They're great guys!

Cya soon people.

Sound Project: Character Animation

2007-03-30T23:01:00.000Z

Hello all. Since my last blog, I've finally found the time to render out my last character animation piece. This was produced in a VERY insane short amount of time and animated in only 24 hours as I had a lot of things to do that week. The animation is rough and could easily be polished more which I will do once I get this group project out of the way.

You'll need Quicktime!

Grab the animation via the Pic above or HERE: http://www.cgbox.com/newport/finalsound.mov

Hope you enjoy it. I had a quick stab @ rendering and lighting it all for you despite the insanly quick deadline. And yes, that's supposed to be me....naked. ;-)

Till next time!

PS: Anyone (if any) want's to offer me work experience animating over summer, please get in touch!

Updates....and they are?

2007-02-25T00:19:00.000Z

Since my last update I've completed another character animation, which I'll be uploading soon. I'm also half-way through the largest animation project I've ever worked on, a group project, on which I am project manager and animator. We are trying the tricky thing of combining traditional 2D animation with CG animation. If we pull it off I will post it up for people to see :-) If not......the trashcan awaits.

That's all Folks.

I won an award! (Sort of)

2006-11-28T10:26:00.000Z

The film I worked on as an Animator and Sound Editor before summer, yesterday won the 'DepicT!/Animation Award' at the Encounters Short Film Festival for "Fighty" by Leigh Hodgkinson.

I'm proud to have worked on my first Animated short to have won an award. Hopefully this is the shape of things to come. Woot!

Update: Here's a link to a version. You will need Xvid.

http://www.cgbox.com/newport/flightyweb.avi

10 meg :)

C'est Fini....finally!!!

2006-11-06T11:01:00.000Z

Allo peeps.

This is a slightly shorter version of what was originally planned. I'll go back to this when I have time and add the additional shots that were missing, but the basic core story is there.

Overall I'm very happy with it though there are a few barely noticeable small problems.

I hope you enjoy!

Click HERE to Download! - Requires Xvid codec & WinRAR to unpack - 4Meg.

Coffee is an Animator's best friend.... Jitter

2006-10-31T10:07:00.000Z

Quick update. Very tired. Need more coffee. Nearly complete a short version of an animated short I'm working on. Length of short between 1-3 mins.

Deadline T minus 24 hours and counting. Will post up once complete.

Need more coffee.

The Year Ends, new Projects Cometh...

2006-05-13T10:37:00.000Z

Long time no post eh?

Yes, the academic year has ended. All my work has been handed in and thus begins my road to Year 2.

What have I learned this year? How much I should appreciate what the traditional animators of Disney films did over the years. You can't really appreciate their work until you actually try some traditional character animation on paper. It really is much more difficult than doing animation on a computer there is much more to consider when drawing the actions.

I'm currently animating and lip-syncing for a short film due to be completed in the next 2 or 3 weeks. It is 2D with a 3D feel in Flash & After Effects. I'm finding it fun yet challenging as some of the mouth shapes I have to work with are not exactly the best for each sound - especially the vowls. The film will hopefully be shown on TV (maybe Channel 4 or S4C) so 'hopefully' this COULD be my first animation work to grace the small screen.

I'm finding Newport to be great for animation - it's loction so close to Cardiff and London makes it really great. I love being able to take day-trips to London, as I recently went to the Pixar Exhibition and the Maya User Group meeting which was a blast :) Cheers Autodesk for the free beer and food!

Catch you all on the flip side. I'll post up some more of my work soon.

Congrats to Peder and Ulrika!!!

2006-02-26T01:00:00.000Z

My deepest congratulations to my good friends, Peder and Ulrika who had a baby girl 'Lovisa' on Friday at 4:01 AM.

I wish you all the best for the future. All my love xxx

So when is animation.....not animation?

2006-02-03T23:33:00.000Z

Ok, so I was talking to this guy at Badminton today who I'd never met before. I explined to him I was studying animation and what I was doing and stuff. And he said the strangest thing to me when I explained that I was drawing animation.

"You can do animation...without computers?" Seriously. Has it got to that point, where all aniamtion at least seems to be CG, and people dont think about 2D anymore as animation?

Very strange...

The Blue Pool is done!

2006-02-01T23:49:00.000Z

Hey, long time no updates. Here is something me and Aimee Hibberd did in about 2 weeks. Totaly hand drawn, hand coloured in photoshop and hand animated. We did 16 hour days for a week, and 20 hour days int he last few. Unfortunatly some parts could not be animated in time, due to one group member not doing the work, and him leaving the course late on. But overall, I'm pleased with it :)

Here it is:

Work: 4 meg WMV - click me to download me!

Hope you like!

I like to pull it pull it....I like to...PULL IT!

2005-11-26T02:19:00.000Z

Hey y'all. Been a few weeks since my last update. More will come thick and thin soon as deadlines near. Thought u'd like to see some of my latest work...

Pulling of a rope by my character, then a fall. All hand-animated with pencil and paper which again is helping my shed-loads with my 3D work. ALL 3D Animators should take a course of 2D.

Work: Rope Pull AVI 600k - download me!

Hope you enjoy, any crit or feedback is appreciated in the comments section!

Cheers guys!

C'est Fini!

2005-10-13T01:27:00.000Z

Yes, the Metamorphosis project is finaled and handed in.

Your can view the amazing 36-hour-no-sleep work here:

Here

Enjoy! I'm off for some food and slee....zzzZzZzZzZz

Happy Happy Joy Joy

2005-10-11T21:58:00.000Z

Well, things have been put on hold for a while. I've FINALLY moved out of crappy Cumbria and am now in what I affectionatly call 'Gelf Land'. AKA Wales. Here I be going to Film School studying and improving my animation skills.

So far, the course has been REALLY good. I'm really quite enjoying doing 2D animation on pencil and paper. I've even built my own Light-Box!!! :D

And on a plus note, I get to meet Richard Williams next week. You know, the dude who animated Roger Rabbit and wrote the Uber cool book 'The Animator's Survival Kit'. Oh man, what an honour!

Best get back to work. Deadline for my 10 second 2D aniation is tomorrow. I'll post it up for all to see once it's done.

Laters peeps!

Doing Keith Lango ;-)

2005-07-06T11:05:00.000Z

Ok, so Animation Mentor sounds GREAT. But lets be honest here. I'm not a rich guy. Nor do I see myself becoming rich in the near future. Therefore when it comes to Animation Mentor, it's only ever going to be up there along with that dream of working at that animation company that starts with the letter 'P' (unless I suddenly hit the lottery without even playing).

Therefore, I've come to the conclusion that Mr. Lango's Monthly video tutorials will feed my hunger for furthering my animation skills. And to be honest - they're bloody great! :D For my measly £7.50 a month I've been able to get some dam nice tips on stuff. It basicly pays for itself, not that I've cut out 2 McDonalds trips a month or anything.....ahem...

Teaching yourself can be rewarding, but can often take longer. Personaly I prefer being taught something by someone. Keith's video tutorials are great and talk you through without making you feel small. I also like the personal touch you get when he himself gets infront of the camera and talks to you. Go Keith! Visit Keith Lango's Website!!!

Well, lets see what I can muster up this month. There is this month's 10second Club, CGTalk's latest Animation Session and that dam Obsticle Course animation I've been working on (for what seems like an eternity). Let's see which one makes it out the door first.....

Laters peeps!

Welcome to my World!

2005-05-18T01:08:00.000Z

Hi there, and Welcome to my new Website. You'll notice that the main front page is now powered by Blogger. This is to help simplify updating the site from wherever I am. A MUCH needed thing!

Anyhoo, welcome to my new site. Have a look around and if you like what you see, please feel free to hire me! :-D

Cheers!