Siggraph 2007 - Tuesday

Ah yes, the exhibit floor is open and "the geek-dom begins." I had to work the SESI booth first thing, after the staff meeting. I have a new found respect for people who do this not only at Siggraph, but as a career. This is really tough work. Luckily, I had many a friend stop by and joke with me as I was pixel monkey this year. Including my buddy Scott Holmes, who likes to poke fun...often.

Here is a link to a lil seven second demo we created in the LA office using H9.

Happy Birthday SESI Demo

It wasn't easy because we were using pre-beta software; but the interns, Calin and Ron helped me put this thing together quickly for Siggraph. Thanks to Ron for taking over as CG Sup and making sure images were up on the screen when I conducted rounds, thanks to Alvin Yap with all of his work tending to the renders, Ericka Salatiello for her hard work on the confetti, Rachel Campbell for her time with the streamers and especially Calin Casian for his help with digital assets, helping me create a pipeline, the Toon Character Rig and basically making it happen.

Here, I am demo-ing for my buddy Johnathan Gerber from DD. He taught me so much about Houdini in the few minutes he sat with me. I only had 3 months to soak in the entire package of Houdini and the new UI and he was a great help. He's touched with a bit of ADD inside that noggin, but I swear he knows this software inside and out!

Johnny Gibson from DD came by to play with the character tools...Uh...note to self, don't leave the FX Supervisors with your character, Look at what he had done! I wish I had video taped what Marty Ryan did to the toon character! let's just say the cartoon-y head was 5 feet away from the body and he was doing the squats.

I gave Jamie my camera to see what he might cover on the floor on his own. He and Lori went exploring while I stayed at the SESI booth and demo-ed the Auto Rig and Character Tools, Calin and I helped build for H9.

Of course, the first pic Jamie took was of a video game...is this e3 or Siggraph. I have no idea what this is for...anyone who attended is welcome to offer up what this is in the comments of this posting?

WARNING SHAMELESS PLUG!

My friend Lori designs jewelery. In fact, we will have a booth at the Abbott Kinney Street Fair September 30th in Venice, CA for those of you who live in LA. I make the flower clips you see in my hair in all of these photos and I put them on all the people working the SESI booth. Thanks to everyone at SESI for being a great sport. So, Jewlz and Jonesie Cake are in the house.

So, YOU SAY... WTF does this have to do with Siggraph? Well, Rhino has new software specifically created to design jewelry with. This is what Lori is discussing with the Rhino folks in this picture.

The Rhino booth was really busy. After working at a software company, I see how difficult it is to be everything to everyone as a tool and how the little companies that just focus on one facet of making computer generated images can make some really powerful products. Much like we as artist become specialized in our own skills like animator, lighter, modeler, texture artist...these specialized software companies are able to focus all of their energies on one part of the pie and make a far superior product!

The jewelery design is pretty amazing...
Check out their gallery of users work.

Moving on...Polhemus had some impressive
3d scanning technology.

The Animation Mentor Booth was very busy every single day.
Hey wait! Look! Isn't that Shahbaazzz who
won out first Book Contest?

It is!!!!!

Congrats Again Sha!

I caught Bobby Beck and Carlos Baena (Book Contributor) at breakfast the next morning. They are doing an amazing job with this school. I also spoke with Rudy Cortes who is starting a TD school called TD College. I wish Rudy all the best because this is so needed in CG, especially a school that teaches advanced scripting for CG film Production!

So, it's 3 pm now and time for the book signing. We are only doing one hour this year, but it was a very productive one hour. I forgot to take pictures of every single person who bought a book and there were no clown noses to pass out, but!!! if you have a picture of yourself with the book you bought at Siggraph...mail it my way and I will be sure to post it!

This couple was so cute discussing finances on whether or not to buy the book, and I could tell he really wanted to buy it. Guys, I totally remember being a student and know how hard it is to come up with the scratch to buy a book. This is why Jamie and I worked hard to make this book what we wish we had had in our backpack when we first started out. We hope its worth the money you slapped down...thanks for the support!

Jamie decided to start drawing on the announcement of our book signing since it wasn't going to do any good now, since we were already there. He passed them out at book marks.

This girl totally reminded me of myself when I first started animating. Her name is Jesse and she is working with many of my former colleagues from my Oddworld days at High Moon Studios in Carlsbad. Her copy of the book was dog eared and highlighted to no end and we were deeply touched.

My good friend and favorite producer Matt Winkel came by to buy a copy for his studio - Motion Theory. Matt was so important to helping me make the Disney 50th Anniversary spots look great while we worked at DD. There was much madness (and pie on "pie day") and he rolled with it all. I hope we get to work together again real soon! Matt, call me before I am booked again!

And, my homegirl Lopsie came by to say hello!
Wowsie Wow!!! I hadn't seen her since my time at R & H in 2003.
She looks fabulous as always!

It was now time to return poolside for a
cocktail and to get off our aching feet!

I have never been so happy to sit down...
notice the "Houdini Orange" Toe Nail polish?

Jamie's friend Ollie joins us and Jamie begins to
offer advice about women.
It definitely made me giggle.

It was time to get ready for din din. We were meeting a bunch of Disney folks at a restaurant called Dakota and then it was off to the Houdini part at Aubergine. I took no pix at dinner, sorry...I guess I was tired. But Leyla did give me some pix to post of the Houdini User Group that happened before the party, enjoy!

The Houdini User Group was packed...

Jamie and I entered the Houdini party before there was even a line, probably around 9 - ish, same time we hit the Autodesk party the night before. There is something to having a small venue with a normal amount of people in it. There were no problems getting a drinks or talking to anyone there.

We sat down with my friend George Meastri for a while and there were these "Hello My Name is..." stickers that were not being used. Well, Jamie put them to good use. He put silly sayings like "I don't take baths," "Ineed to get some color," "I have never been with a woman," "I am up here big boy!" or "I love William Shatner." and passed them out. Soon everyone wanted a personalized name tags from Jamie. I wish I had taken some pictures because one guy had six on his person.

So, the party began...

David Robert Spinning (SF Production Consultant)
...all of the DJ's were Houdini employees!


Ohhhh yes and I brought my buddy Samir -

now dubbed "baby bird" because
we have to keep a watchful eye on him.

Jamie, "Moma Bird" Leyla and "Baby Bird" Samir.



DJ Greg Hermanovic



DJ Monika

Daniel Makit, another Smartie Mc-smartie...
he saved my butt with many a tool he built while I worked at DD.


I think I scared Daniel with the flash.
Or, maybe it was this guy?

The Boys...and...

Dan Lynch is getting down with his bad self.

Ah my little Tramie is all growed up now!
And me, before Tequila...there were no more pictures taken after...right Darrin?

Remember Monika from my trip to Toronto?
Well she was Dj that night! Her, Calin and her hubby Erin.

And, here is some video of the show Greg Hermanovic and everyone at the get.hip party and his company Derivative dazzling with live Touch visuals and psychedelic eye candy...With Tram Le modeling the visuals in the dark!

Time to go night night...