#R2 ?
Murph,
Never been to a SIG show, would love to make one sometime, but since my
business is so new I haven't the time or money to attend yet. I may make the
one in Florida, dunno fer sure, kinda depends on the next quarter. Yeah, I
think it would be a gas to meet some of the folks on the forum. Hell I think it
would be a trip just to shoot the S&*% with someone that new what they were
talking about besides talking to myself all the bloody time.
The divorce is neither confirmed nor final. been married 8 years. Not too
bummed about loosing a woman that doesn't love me anymore, but I have a 20
month old son that I don't think I can handle not raising or loving on a daily
basis. He LOVES animation and midi. man if he don't see two monitors happening
and hear stereo at the same time he thinks the computer is broken. heh, what a
guy. Can't say for sure what she is gonna do. I guess it is up to her cuz I
ain't signing nothin'. I am willing to live with miss misery until my son is
grown or old enough to know whats going on. I think I am getting burned here,
some kind of legal kidnapping crap. Talk about abuse. Oh, well, enough of that.
Hundreds of dollars in demo tapes is ALOT just for the tapes. I have never
dupped and sent out the AUTODESK SIG tape. I almost did once but chickened out
because my luck the client would want something like the singing mouse on the
piano and well, my work isn't PYROS or STEIN like YET so I have just been
sending out my little demo of 3 miniutes.
Sounds like you have a heck of a package to send out. I think if you talk
to a potential client over the phone and they are interested in the info pack,
just make certain that they know they have to pay the shipping, (which would
almost cover your costs right?) You can't pay for everything, I mean we aren't
IBM or somebody that needs the 10,000,000 dollar a year write off.
Yeah, the broadcasting stations are hard to work with. There is a "fear"
factor involved, as well as arrogant ego. Pretty hard to show someone (who is
suppose to know the field) a piece of work that blows away anything their own
production crew can do and for less dollars when they have to answer to someone
else in particular. I imagine most of the production managers have hidden the
tapes I sent them so their boss don't see it for fear of their boss saying
"Well, why can't you come up with that!" I happen to have came across the
address of one of the local station OWNERS and and thinking of sending them a
demo just to check out the reaction.
Another local station turned me down because they said they have a TOASTER.
Well, I have watched that station and about all they use the TOASTER for is
titling and page turning, and they JUST started doing that, HEHHEHHEH, they had
the TOASTER for over a year and a half. Man that guy is a slowwwwwwww learner.
Not that I have ever used a TOASTER but if I had one you can rest for sure I'd
be doing a hell of alot more than just titling and page turning. I just
recently gained access to a TOASTER but had'nt had the chance to play with it
yet. I only wanna use it because it is tied in with an A/B roll system and I
have editing I need to do. The guy that owns it isn't an animator either, he is
a photographer, so we are gonna swap out work. He also has better cameras than
I have.
What you say is so true about the A/B/Cs. I too ran into B. Nobody knows what
they want untill you give them something then the sparks fly and you have to do
re-work. Sure wish I could generate those ideas in a client with out doing a
bunch of work first. I have been easy going so far because I am still getting
established, but there will come a time mind you, that I will crack and say,
NOPE, not without another check!
You know, funny thing about this 3DS stuff, seems alot of these forum folks are
and or were technical people and musicians whom have migrated and combined
talents to do this animation thing. Interesting. Of course it does take a
multitude of talent to do quality animation. I have seen a few guys on here
that run 3DS and don't really know DOS or the machine. Whew! I bet that is
tough!
So ya play the ol Harp eh? Great, that was my first instrument prior to the
flute, I probably play the harp best, mostly blues and boogie stuff, then
flute, (all in the Tull sense) and guitar lastly. Haven't played flute in a
while and has been even longer for guitar but I still grab my harp now an then.
Sony Boy Williamson stuff on the harp and John Lee Hooker stuff on the guitar.
The flute is great, Tull Style is the only style of flute I can play. Can't
play real classical flute, (must be the mustache). Have you tried digitizing
any harp? I tried it once, got carried away jammin' and blowin' and I ran out
of hard drive space. Ain't tried it since, had to reformat the drive.
You are correct in stating that this conversation is a bit cynacal regarding
3DS work. But you know, man it's all really related. I certainly hope if
someone is following the thread that they butt in and give some marketing
advice, Man I can't sell the stuff. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna give it
away. I need all the marketing pointers I can get. If marketing ain't part of
this forum then it should be. If ya can't market it, ya are not making any
money, and if you are'nt making any money, then you are'nt buying IPAS or
upgrades, etc, etc. Marketing animations and graphics has GOT to be nearly as
important as USING 3DS. Yeah, I could stand to hear and follow some threads
from some pros regarding marketing of this stuff. This is a fantastic forum,
and everyone is REAL open about style and technique and I love that. Talk about
freeflow, its here! But there is a definate lack of marketing talk. Makes me
wonder if there really is enough work out there to go around.
ASCAP? I bet you could write those guys and get that info. I know that stuff
expires. I tried to use a flute piece from an old TRAFFIC song on a commercial
and the the station cautioned me, they let me do it cuz they were paying ASCAP
fees, but it had'nt expired yet. I here more and more stuff in commercials.
There is an outfit called WOLF or something like that who do royalty free
sound, it's on a CD and cost about 70 bucks, if interested I'll try to find it
somewhere in my too organized office.
Murph, I think the underground biker video would really be a go! Then again, I
am rich and wealthy and full of S%$# too! I have had good marketable ideas only
to see them happen for someone else because I lack the knowledge of marketing
or the funds to do the marketing. I wanna do an "underground" video. Have
wanted to do that for sometime. The biker stratagy is GREAT! There is a CD-ROM
of meshes that has a scooter on it for about $200 bucks. I have considered
buying it for the scooter, hell you can make a hundred scooters from the basic
scooter they have on the CD-ROM. Chop it out anyway ya wanna. Stretch a fork
here, add all kinds of neat scooter stuff, The TATTOO guy is GREAT. Man yeah!
have video clips of real tattoos on big fat bob type arms (and of course dainte
ankles and butt cheeks) that come to LIFE via animation. YES! Digitize some
biker art on fat-bob tanks and animate those. Not sure how to start Murph, I
guess I need to pick up a copy of Easy Rider, (I long ago traded my rider rag
for Radio Electronics) perhaps pick up a few ideas. I'll attend some local
ABATE meetings and browse around. Probably storyboard AND available meshes. The
people is going to be the hard part, (for me anyway). I think we will need to
tie in as much recorded video as we can, lots of effects, and slip of into a
virtual biker haven somewhere, then just go off with our imaginations. Need
some good scooter sounds. and of course some bar sounds, (hate to get caught
with a tape recorder in a biker bar) I know some good bands in the area that
would give me permission to use a few clips of them (and their music) that play
in biker bars. It would take alot of work but I think it could happen. In the
meantime, lets start think'n of some sort of storyline to basically follow,
will need a character or two. maybe 2-D characters in a 3-D virtual biker
reality integrated with some real people clips (heavy video posted stuff).
yeah! Ever follow the cartoon in the Last Whole Earth Catalog? Got any ol Zap
Comics? Furry Freak Brothers? Read some of that maybe to help jar up a
storyline. It would be nice if we could keep it clean enough so that if it is
real successful it can go to market. Naw, I am looking for immediate cash.
Catch ya later,,,,,,,,,
Merlin G. Farmer
Crystal Cave Animagix