How To Clear Your Memory Without Restarting

If you run a windows computer you’ll know like many others than after a while your system will in doubt start running slow. Most people will restart their computer to remove and idle processes. But if there’s a simpler way, why restart every time windows decides it doesn’t like you today?

1. Right click on an empty spot on your desktop and select New - Shortcut.

2. Type %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks in the box.

3. Click Next.

4. Give your shortcut a nice name like “Clear Memory”.

5. Click Finish and you’re done.

Now whenever your computer starts running slow click this shortcut to clear out your memory and get your computer running at a normal pace again.

Becoming an Animator

SO YOU WANNA BE AN ANIMATOR?

by Shanna Smith

The term "persistence of vision" describes the optical phenomenon that makes animation possible. The human eye retains an image for a split second after the source of the image disappears, so when 24 frames per second of an animated film zip through a projector, the flow of motion on the screen looks seamless.


The same phrase could also be applied to the mind-set of a young (or not quite so young!) person who has his or her heart set on becoming a Disney animator. For generations, the debut of each Disney animated feature film has ignited in the minds of thousands of individuals the desire to be a part of the marvel they see on the screen.


What does it take to be a Disney animator? What spectrums of talent and elements of training are needed to produce these wonder-working "actors with pencils" called animators? We recently put these questions to Frank Gladstone, Manager of Animation Training for Disney, who works out of the Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World.


Gladstone begins by explaining that natural talent will come out at a young age. Every parent knows that a child with an artistic bent considers the family home a vast and inviting canvas. Such children "draw all the time... everywhere, on everything. They see Mommy and they try to draw Mommy. They see the dog and they try to draw the dog," Gladstone says.


Children go through different phases as they explore their skills. Three that Gladstone cites are: 1) The very young child who tries to render his or her own creative fantasies. Mom or Dad may not be able to recognize it as such, but according to the child, that blue scribble is a dinosaur eating an ice-cream cone! (And who is to say it isn't?) 2) The older child who is fascinated by visuals, who sees cartoons or illustrations and attempts to copy them as accurately as possible. (This "draftsman" stage may be difficult and frustrating - more on this later.) 3) The high school student who goes back to the beginning and gives free rein to the imagination, rather than adhering to straight copying.


"This is the bridge," Gladstone says. "This is when someone may be a serious artist. If they draw things they see - the real world - that is a big jump. The intent to interpret what they see in the three-dimensional world is, for me, the tell-all that somebody's interested in art in a serious way."


Getting to that "bridge," that third phase, though, requires passing through phase two - easier said than done.


Gladstone explains, "Most young people who start drawing are trying to make things as accurate as possible. They work very hard to get the eye right, and that's where a lot of people get discouraged.


"There's a certain strength in being an artist, he says "in that at some point every artist I know is trying to draw Mom or Dad and somebody will come up behind them and say `that doesn't look like that.' This is when many people's art career ends."


He continues, "The only time they'll draw again is if they can copy something exactly, which is why many people are good at drawing from a picture, but they can't do the other [draw from life]. The person who is strong enough to say `So what? It's my version of this'- that's another step."


Practice is paramount to maturing as an artist. "Go to the zoo and sketch: draw your friends," Gladstone suggests. "Drawing people and their animals, trying to capture something that's moving - this kind of thing comes with time. It's not something that many children do early on. It comes with experience."


Milton Gray, in his book Cartoon Animation: Introduction to a Career, recommends studying animated films frame by frame, using a VCR or laser videodiscs.


Gladstone agrees. "I had the opportunity to put an old-time print of "Pinocchio" on a Moviola and spent an entire night going through the scenes I like frame by frame and finding out how they created that movie.


"It won't teach you everything," he warns, but, "we still do that. We still study how [certain segments] were done - how did Frank Thomas approach this problem. It's a very good way to do things, but it's only one of the ways."


Hand-in-hand with practice is formal art training. A young person, brimming with talent though she or he may be, needs structured schooling to make animation a career.


"They're not going to get a job here when they're fifteen years old," Gladstone says. "We recommend not only high school, but additional schooling as well - hopefully a college degree."


This schooling would, of course, have art as its primary focus - not merely drawing, but other disciplines as well, such as painting and sculpting. Milton Gray recommends studying actors and books on acting, learning something of staging, choreography, and principles of music.


Beyond the fine arts, some background in history, geography, the life sciences, et al., makes for a more knowledgeable, flexible animator.


"You have to bring things to the table," Gladstone explains. "Half of doing Disney-style feature animation is the ability to draw, paint, run a computer, or whatever, but the other half is communication skill. We find that people who have some post-secondary education are more well-rounded, more adapted to the needs of our studio.


"We realize," he adds "that not everybody can go to college, but we seem to see more seasoned players if they have." Can you be an animator without being able to draw? Gladstone replies, "If a kid wants to do animation and he or she can't draw, there are ways to do that. There always have been ways to do that - stop-action, pixilation (which is stop-action using people instead of objects), things like that. Now there's another one, the computer. You don't have to learn to draw to learn how to animate on a computer."


He cautions, however, "Computer animators just have a very fancy electronic pencil. If they can draw traditionally, they're that much ahead of the game. In all the computer work that I've seen in my life, [work] that has really pushed the animation limits - not just the movement limits, there's a difference - the animators have either come from traditional areas or had good traditional skills."


These skills, be they traditional or high-tech, can be utilized in a variety of ways. An animated feature film employs the talents of a wide variety of artists. Animators make up a fairly small population of the people that create an animated film. There are also assistant animators; in-betweeners; breakdown, background and layout artists; effects animators; storyboard artists; visual development or inspirational artists; computer animators; and graphic designers - to name a few!


All these individuals work as a team (hence the importance of communication) during the long, arduous process of producing an animated film. Gladstone gives an example of how the artist (in this case the layout artist), director, and art director work together. These individuals interpret the storyboard into the various sets, backgrounds and foregrounds for each shot of an animated film.


"The layout artist has a lot to do with the lighting of the film, the scope, the way the camera moves through the sets," he explains. "The layout artist is in a very great way the cinematographer of an animated film, deciding what the camera is going to see and where the characters will be blocked in a scene."


The in-betweener has traditionally been looked upon as the first rung on the ladder of a animation career. Although there are exceptions, Gladstone says, "Most people come up through the ranks, starting as an in-betweener and working their way up to an animator. I think that's a good way to do it. Eventually, if they become an animator, they will have had the experience of the people that follow them up. They were there before."


So, the path is charted - now, where to go for the all-important formal instruction? There are many schools that offer good fundamental art programs and consistently produce graduates with the skills necessary to become Disney animators. These schools are by no means the only choices available to the future animator.


Gladstone speaks from experience, "If you need to go to a state school - great! Find a state school that has an art program and take the best advantage of it you can. Learn how to draw well. Draw better than everybody there. If you can only go to trade school, great! Go to trade school and do it that way."


The various roads to an animation career all demand hard work, discipline, and patience. We asked Frank Gladstone what crucial advice he would give animators. He responded, "Keep trying. Don't get too frustrated. Realize your potential, be honest with yourself, and apply yourself to whatever that particular goal is you want to reach."


It takes, in a word, persistence!


For information on the Disney Animator Training Program, please write to:


Walt Disney World Casting,


P.O. Box 10,000,


Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000.

Article Link - http://www.animationarena.com/become-an-animator.html

Greetings! I'm Back

Hey,

Its been long since I have shared something. The involvement in the project made me busy. I have learned many things during this project. I would continue writing some of my experiences soon.

Currently I have just been released from the pressure of animation, however work is still going on.

During the animation period, i got no time for any other work, as devotion of our mind, was on submitting the shots.

Now all we are waiting is for its release, which is soon. I can't disclose any other information relating to the project until its release.

There are many things to be talked about, on different subjects, but for now,

Thank you for reading,

See you soon

So Long

Hey, sorry for not being active lately.

I am still having tough schedule.

I will continue writing as soon I get time.

By the way, the second lecture for 3D Character Animation will be soon up.

Thanking for all

Animation Lecture 01 - Introduction to Animation

by Aabid Dhamani

"Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive." - Walt Disney

Its been almost 2 weeks now, from the day animation course was announced. In this lecture I will provide you the basics of animation, what is important for an animator and how things will work.

First of all, who is a good animator? He is not just the animator. Beside being an animator, he is also a person with drawing, acting, observation, planning skills. Animation requires a lot of research. It is the skills which can be developed, if the person is devoted to it.

The principles of animation on which the animation is based was given in early days of Disney animation. It is not hard and fast rule, it is just the essence for the good animation.

"When we consider a new project, we really study it . . . not just the surface idea, but everything about it." - Walt Disney

The 12 basic principles of animation

Squash and Stretch
Anticipation
Staging
Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose
Follow Through and Overlapping Action
Slow in and Slow out
Arcs
Secondary Action
Timing
Exaggeration
Solid Drawing
Appeal

These principles will be explained in the next lecture separately.

Exercise 01

Your first lesson is drawing circles and squares, these will bring the flow in your drawing.

Take a totally blank paper or drawing paper of any size and start drawing circles and squares to reach the goal of making it perfect. It will take time. And one more thing - don't use eraser.

This is all for this lesson, any queries or things that is not cleared to you, you are free to ask. You can also post your work to get some help by replying to this lecture and placing the link of your work.

Have a nice day

Want to learn about 3D Character Animation?

I was thinking for a long time to arrange the course of animation online for those who have the passion for 3D Character Animation. It will carried out from the basic. Every week there will be assignments. All of these will be carried out on here.

Before the learning begins, I just wanted to know, if any of you are interested. If there is no one interested in learning 3D Character Animation, then I think, its better to drop the idea.

Waiting for your responses

A DEMO REEL PRIMER

A DEMO REEL PRIMER
Written by Zero Dean

What is a demo reel for?

A demo reel is essentially a sales tool. You are selling yourself and proving, to an extent, what sort of positive addition you will be to a company. If you can prove you've got oodles of talent and a creative way of thinking about things, your demo reel will get you noticed. If it is exceptionally good, it's your doorway into the industry.

Who is your audience?

Your audience, obviously, is comprised of those people you want to work for. The thing is, you're not alone. Many, many people want and have tried to get the same job you are applying for. These demo watchers have seen countless reels and guess what, they're tired of seeing the same things over and over again. If you think your 3 minute flying logo is going to win you a job, you better consider it very carefully before putting it on your reel. These people are not obligated to watch your entire reel. If they're dissatisfied, they will hit EJECT and move on, possibly missing your Oscar(tm) worthy animation later in the reel.

What to put on a demo reel SECTION A (general):

Only your best, most amazing work ever. This stuff has to be the best thing since pizza. If you can do it all (model, render, and animate), do it all! You'll earn points for this. Companies are looking for people who can wear many hats and accept many responsibilities. You need to capture their attention and show them you're more than up to the challenge of working in a creative (and crazy) environment like theirs. You want to not only show them you're up to it, you want to show them it'll be a breeze for you.

What to put on a demo reel SECTION B (specific):

You need to get as many strong points across to your audience visually, in as little time as possible. You need to capture their attention, draw them in, and make them forget for an instant that they are watching a demo reel. This can be quite difficult unless you a great deal of vision and a really good story to tell. Currently a lot of business are looking for excellent character animators. You need to bring an object to life, give it a voice, an attitude, "CHARACTER", and have it tell a story. Be fresh, creative, and original (I can't stress that enough). Also, there is a demand for artists who are good at creating low polygon count models. If you have specific skills you want to show off and can, such as adding actual paintings you've created in the real world into a 3d environment, then do it. You are trying to earn as many points as possible. A well rounded artist is always appreciated.

What not to put on a demo reel SECTION A:

Probably whatever you are most likely to think about putting on your demo reel first, is the sort of thing you want to stay away from at all costs. You may think you're being original, but believe it or not, everyone else thinks their name or company logo looks cool flying around the screen too. How about spaceships? They're cool, to be sure...but if you're a demo watcher and that's all you see day in and day out, you're probably dying to see something else. Also, with whatever objects you include in your animation, make sure they are decorated (textured) in the best way possible. Most things in the real world are not shiny and new. Instead they are dented, beat up, scratched, or flawed in some unusual way. Prove your texturing skills by creating your own complex custom textures and make your models even more interesting to look at.

Realize that your audience has seen just about every basic transition and effect out there. These are the things that are only one click away in whatever program you're using. You need to be different and your effects need to be hard won. If it can be done from a simple pull down menu, it's probably not doing to impress them. You need to stand out from the rest of the pack.

What not to put on a demo reel SECTION B (exceptions):

Of course there are exceptions to everything in the computer graphics and animation industry. If the job you are applying for is going to require specific skills, such as flying logos or spaceship battles, then by all means gear your demo reel in that direction. However, if you are going to be applying to a wide variety of jobs, it is best to have something that will appeal and look absolutely amazing to everyone.

How do I create a good demo reel?

Sit, plan, make-up, cross out, plan some more, think, cross out, make up, and then get to work. A good method is to think about what your strengths are and then think about the most effective and entertaining way possible to get those strengths across on screen. Then sit and think about every aspect of what you want to do and storyboard it out. Understand what every scene is going to involve, how long it's going to take, what sort of resources you'll need to accomplish it, and if everything you want to do is really possible. And if it's not possible, how you're going to look that obstacle in the eyes and say "up yours, I'm doing it anyway".

What does a good demo reel look like?

Many companies have their own reels which you could probably arrange to get a hold of. Contact these places and see if they will send you one. If these are places you would like to work for, then pay close attention to the sort of things they do. Otherwise, I suggest checking out many cool animation tapes currently on the market. Look for "The Mind's Eye" series by SMV or "Computer Animation Festival" series also by SMV. Watch the tapes, be inspired, and then think about how you could have done it better...and then do something else, since what you're thinking about doing has already been done. Remember, be original. If you want to do something that's been done before, do it differently (if that makes sense).

Things to remember!

Put your best stuff first. You want to grab your audience's attention as soon as possible. Give credit where credit is due. If you didn't do something, say so. Also, specify the tools you used to create your demo reel.

Top Five Things NOT to do on your Demo Reel

By: Carlos Baena

At AnimationMentor.com, we dedicate an entire class to teaching our students how to build demo reels: What to do, what not to do, how to make a reel stand out to potential recruiters, etc. Obviously, there isn't room for all the details in a newsletter, but we've chosen five of the most important things to keep in mind to pass along to you, our subscribers. So, here you go: five things NOT to do when creating a demo reel:

1) Do NOT try to make a one-size fits all demo reel. Make your demo reel specific to the position for which you are applying -and the studio with the job. If you're applying as an animator to a big animation studio where departments are very specialized, then everything on the reel should say only "animation." It should not say "texturing" or "lighting" or "modeling." Also, if you're applying to a visual effects company that does realistic work, then it would help to have examples of that kind of work on your reel. Same thing goes for places where they do cartoon animation. Your reel should reflect the kind of work done at the company to which you're applying.

2) You should NOT include everything you've worked on throughout the years. Keep it short. If you've been working in the industry for, let's say, 10 or 20 years, and you include every single shot you've animated, your demo reel will not be a reel anymore, it'll be a feature film that people will have to sit through. So keep the reel under a minute or two, even if that means not using all of it. Chances are that people, who are reviewing your reel, are looking at another hundred, as well. So, the easier you can make it for them, the better. You don't want to bore them. Instead, they should see your strongest work (even if it's only 30 seconds). Leave them wanting to see more.

3) Make the reel original on the inside, NOT on the outside. Human resources, along with actual animators, will be looking at your reel, and they don't care about how fancy the outside package looks or what you include along with the reel and resume. From key chains to toys, I've seen people include all kinds of things with their reels that do not relate to their animation skills. Put all of your originality into the actual animation content. Make it fun and original for people to watch, but don't overdo it.

4) Do NOT include stuff that is too distracting, whether it's music or fancy titles. If you have a reel with a dialogue animation test, and the music is too loud for people to hear the line the character is saying, or you have this mega-loud techno music going on throughout the whole thing, it will conflict with the purpose of the reel, which is to show your animation skills as clearly and simply as you can. Everything else should be secondary.

5) Do NOT include stuff that other people have animated. Be very clear and honest about what you have done . The industry is very small, people go from company to company and they are very familiar with other people's work. Always include a credit list of the shots on the reel and what you animated for them. In the event that a shot is actually shared by two or more animators, you should clarify the work that you did.

http://www.animationmentor.com/newsletter/0705/feature_reelDonts.html

Drawing On Creativity: How To Trick Your Brain

By Maya Talisman Frost

Jan 15, 2004

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Can you draw?

Your answer to that question reveals a surprising amount about your brain and the way you integrate your right and left hemispheres. (In this article, the left side will be referred to as the dominant one, which is by far the most likely scenario.)

You see, the left side of the brain excels at verbal, analytical, rational and logical tasks. It's the dominant half. It takes over most of the time, using words to describe and define, figuring things out step by step, drawing conclusions based on facts and logic, and thinking in a linear way. The left side of the brain jumps right in with words and symbols, and is such a bully that it takes on even those tasks it isn't likely to perform well.

Now, the right side of the brain is completely different. It relies on nonverbal cues to process perceptions. It's good at tasks requiring the ability to see similarities, to understand how parts fit together as a whole, to make leaps of insight (those a-ha moments), and to perceive overall patterns at once. It tends to hang back a little, letting the left side take over most duties.

It's sort of like siblings. You've got a confident, verbal first child and a quiet, introspective, thoughtful second child. Who do you think wins the argument for that last dessert? Who chooses which television show to watch? Who dominates the conversation about where to go on a family vacation? The second child might have a valuable perspective, but the older one is so assertive that he tends to win most arguments and rule the roost.

If your answer to the drawing question is "No, I'm pathetic," it's likely your left brain is being a bit of a thug. Whenever you pick up a pencil and start to sketch, it's taking over with its tendency to verbalize images and analyze shapes. Meanwhile, the right side-- the perceptual, spatial part of your brain--is over in the corner, raising its hand, trying to get attention. "Oh, pick me!" it says. Too bad that the left side is already busy drawing lines and forming a strategy.

What if you could outsmart the bully on the left? What if you could somehow give that right side of your brain its chance to shine?

According to Dr. Betty Edwards, a respected art educator and author of the best-selling book, Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain, you can actually make a mental shift from what she refers to as the "L- mode"--the verbal, dominant form of thinking--to the "R-mode," which relies on visual cues. It's possible to get the right side to kick in and take over the task of drawing.

How? Well, we need to get tricky.

The left side takes over tasks UNLESS it finds a particular job undesirable. If a certain task takes too much time, is too detailed or slow or simply too difficult, then the left side gives up. So, the trick is presenting the task--in this case, drawing--in such a way that the right side is allowed to jump in.

This happens a lot with words. When we try to describe something verbally and find it too difficult, what do we do? We rely on gestures. Just try to describe a spiral staircase without using your hands.

Dr. Edwards teaches people to draw by presenting them with images that are upside down. This puts the left brain in a state of confusion so that it can't easily decipher shapes, assign a top and bottom, attach labels and categorize them to match stored memories.

The key to integrating your right side lies in looking for opportunities to allow it to become dominant. When presented with a confusing image, your left side gives up. We should literally turn things upside down in an effort to thwart the left brain's control and let the R- mode take over.

This same idea works in creative problem solving. Sometimes the best way to deal with a challenging issue is to sleep on it. When the left brain is exhausted, the intuitive, subjective, holistic right side has a chance to sneak in and come up with a solution that seems to have come "from nowhere". See? We don't even give our right brains credit for creative insights!

It's exciting to think that there are ways to outsmart our brains. By intentionally putting ourselves in a state of mental conflict, we can enhance our creativity.

Look for ways to plunge yourself into that discomfort zone. Whether we're tackling a picture or a problem, the key to jumpstarting our right brain lies in shifting our perspective.

Grab a pencil, turn the picture upside down, and start drawing! Somewhere inside you, that frustrated artist will be grinning from ear to ear.

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 70 countries. She serves up a unique blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief in her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage. To subscribe, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.

Astral Projection: You Can Do It Too

Astral Projection: You Can Do It Too

Everyone can have an out-of-body experience, says expert Jerry Gross - in fact, you probably have. In this interview, Gross explains OBEs, what happens and how to begin your adventure

When noted out-of-body teacher and practitioner Jerry Gross wants to travel long distances, he doesn't bother with the time and expense of catching a plane. He just uses a different kind of plane, and travels there astrally - unless, of course, he is teaching one of his many classes and workshops on astral projection, also known as OBE or out-of-body experience.

According to Gross, the ability to leave the body has been with him since childhood. Yet, rather than regarding this as a special gift, he believes that this is an inherent ability that can be developed by anyone. In the following article, Gross discusses the out-of-body experience with freelance writer and former workshop participant Sandy Jones.

Jones: What is astral projection? How would you describe it?

Gross: Astral projection is the ability to leave your body. Everyone leaves their body at night, but before they do leave, they have to put the physical mind to sleep. Most people don't remember this, but when the physical mind is asleep, the subconscious takes over, and this is usually when you do your astral projection. In other words, everybody does it, but they just don't remember doing it.

Jones: What is your earliest recollection of doing this? What was it like?

Gross: I can remember doing this clear back to when I was about four years old. I never lost the ability to astral project, and kept it throughout my whole life now. Everyone is born with this ability. If you think back, you can probably recall having dreams of being somewhere, but as you got older, you lost the ability. What I'm trying to teach is that you can do this at will.

Jones: In those days, astral projection was almost unheard of. Did you ever tell anyone about it? How did they react?

Gross: It was strange for me because at that age, I thought everybody did it. I used to talk about it, until it kind of got out of hand, and when I started getting into trouble with it, I went to my grandmother, who could do it too. She told me not everyone could do it, so it would be best not to talk about it, and to come to here if I wanted to talk about it. So throughout all my life, most of my experiences with astral projection were kept a secret, except for her.

Jones: These days, with the many publications on near-death experience and related topics, the concept is not so unusual. Is this experience the same as what is described in the near-death experiences?

Gross: It's not quite the same, because when you astral project, you don't have to go through the white light, or a tunnel. When you project, you usually go right where you would like to go, right away. Remember this, when you're out of the body, there is no time or no distance. Everything is right here, now. Astral projecting is a little different than the death experience, because in the death experience, you are getting ready to leave the body for the last time. During the death experience, a person sees the white light, and there is usually someone there that you know, waiting for you. When you astral project, you decide where you want to go.

Jones: When you leave your body, what happens to the physical body?

Gross: When your physical body sleeps and the astral body leaves, the physical body just rests. No harm can come to you through this.

Jones: What do you do when you leave the body?

Gross: I go to the astral plane and communicate with my teachers, I visit other places and other dimensions, and I visit my loved ones who have left the earth plane. There are many things you can do once you develop this skill.

Jones: It has been said that there is a silver cord attached to the body, and that this cord could be severed when you astrally project, thereby making it impossible to come back to your body. Is there a danger of this happening?

Gross: Absolutely not. The silver cord is connected to you when you enter the physical body for the first time, and it is not cut again until you leave for the last time. If this were possible, that you couldn't get back to the body, it would happen to you at night when you do leave the body. There is no danger in this; it is a gift given to us to learn how to use.

Jones: Are there any dangers people should be aware of?

Gross: When you do this consciously, there is no danger in it. One thing I'll say, you must develop your thinking skills, and know what you want and where you want to go. The only dangerous part of it, is if you practice it while you are taking in drugs or alcohol. Remember back in the sixties when people were taking the drug called LSD, and they had some bad trips? They ended up in the lower astral. I'm trying to teach that you can have full control of what you are doing. I would suggest if you like to drink or take drugs that you not try it.

Jones: What else can you do when you leave the body?

Gross: That is entirely up to you. You must know where you are going. You cannot just leave your body and have no destination, because you'll bounce around like a rubber ball. Remember, you are controlling yourself with your thoughts, so if you think of California, you'll be there. One of the most important things I like to teach people in my workshops is how to use their minds to astral project. The best thing I can say is to learn to control yourself, so you'll go where you wanted to go. When you first start out this might happen for awhile, but after you get full control of it, you'll realize someone else is watching you, a teacher or guide. They'll contact you then and let you know it's time for you go on, and learn.

Learn to control yourself, so you'll go where you wanted to go. When you first start out this might happen for awhile, but after you get full control of it, you'll realize someone else is watching you, a teacher or guide. They'll contact you then and let you know it's time for you go on, and learn.

Jones: How would the average person know if this is for real? Is there a way to prove it, and have you ever been asked to prove it?

Gross: In my workshops, I teach you to astral project by having you sit in a chair and go out and turn around and look at yourself. If you are lying in bed, you can rise up, turn around and look at yourself lying on the bed. You'll have proof enough when you are able to look at your physical body, from outside of it. I've been asked to prove this many times, in radio shows, and at the Whole Life Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center where I traveled astrally from St. Paul, Minnesota to Los Angeles and moved a box they had set up on the stage for me. Once you learn how to do this you'll have proved this to yourself, and that's why I call my little group, Search and Prove. I want you to prove this to yourself for that's the ultimate proof. Don't take my word for it, prove it to yourself.

Jones: Are certain kinds of people more inclined to develop this ability than others?

Gross: I would say some learn faster than others. I had one lady who took two years before she finally succeeded. The most important thing is to keep a positive mind and know you can do this, because as soon as doubt comes into your mind, you won't be able to do it. The negative is taking over then. So it's important to keep an open, positive mind that you can do this. It might take a little time, but it will happen. I like to think about people going on a diet. They get real enthused about it at first, when they've lost a couple of pounds. All of a sudden it gets hard to lose, and they give up. It's the same way with astral projection. If things don't happen right away, some people give up.

Jones: Does daily lifestyle make a difference in being able to project?

Gross: No. If you have a normal lifestyle, you shouldn't have any problem.

Jones: If people have the inherent ability to do this, why is it that so few can actually do it?

Gross: As I said earlier, they lost it when they were young. They must learn how to bring the ability back again, because everyone can do this. We all do it when the physical is asleep. So you must learn to do it while you are sitting in a chair, awake or lying on a bed. You must learn to allow the subconscious to take over, and not let the physical mind control you.

Jones: Some people have dreams of flying. Where they actually out of their bodies? How can you tell the difference between dreaming and actually being out of the body?

Gross: Usually when people dream of flying they are out of the body, because this is the way you get around. If you ever wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning with a jolt, this is the astral body returning to the physical. Usually your dreams are in the beginning of your sleep cycle at night, and those dreams are nothing more than an accumulation of your thoughts during the day. If you wake up in the morning and remember your dream real well, it is usually an astral body experience; so keep track of these clear dreams, for they are lessons for you. It might not make much sense at first, but later on down the road, it will all come together for you.

Jones: If you could give one piece of advice to people who are astral projecting, what would it be?

Gross: The main thing is to start remembering your dreams and have a pencil and paper next to your bed, or a tape recorder. Another piece of advice I'll give you is, right before you go to sleep at night, say to yourself three times, I will remember, I will remember, I will remember. From that point on, within about two to three weeks, you are going to start remembering everything that happens to you while the physical is sleeping. Actually, the best piece of advice I could give, is to come to a workshop, because we really do have a lot of people who have good experiences at them. The workshop is the best way I know to teach anyone to do this, because I am able to spend a lot of time with the participants. We practice different techniques from 9:00 in the morning until sometimes 11:00 at night. By the end, they have good experiences, and I find this with all my workshops.

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Jerry Gross holds workshops on astral projection in the United States and abroad. For further information on his work, visit his website at www.searchandprove.com. You may also call 612-436-8505; write Search and Prove, Box 311, St. Paul Park, MN 55071; or send e-mail to Rgross6162@aol.com.

Taken from: http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa110501a.htm
http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa110501b.htm

Converting Images to Cut-Out Characters

We get a lot of questions about how to convert clip art into a cut-out character, or how to create proper cut-out joints, so for this article that’s exactly what we’ve done. Using these techniques, it is possible to cut up one still image and make it into a cut-out character, or use your skills to create a brand new character from scratch.

The example that we will use is Marina. Marina comes with Toon Boom Studio v3.5, but she isn’t a cut-out character. Her template consists of just one image. We’ll show you how we divided her pieces, and give you some pointers on how to use the Z depth to help set up your character.

Cutting up a Drawing

To begin with, you’ll have one image that you want to cut up. You’ll always want to have one intact and unedited copy of this image. Use this element to copy and paste sections of it into new elements to start building up the cut-out pieces of your character. You’ll most likely have to do a bit of drawing when converting a still image to a cut-out character, mainly to enable the rotation of joints, but also to “finish” any part of the drawing that was incomplete or covered by another body part. The static light table is a very good tool to use when cutting up your pieces. Put the original on the static light table and use it as a reference for which parts to add or remove. Work on one joint at a time and you’ll have all your pieces separate in no time. The real test will be when you set pivot points and test rotation. There’s always the possibility you’ll have to make corrections as you go, but the more characters you set up, the more tricks you’ll learn to help to do it faster, and make less mistakes. (See image of Marina Pieces)

Z-Depth

Remember you can move elements back and forth along the Z-axis to place certain elements on top of others, even if they are under them in the timeline. This trick is indispensable when dealing with cut-out characters. For example, if you look at the finished Marina template you‘ll notice that we’ve put her head and hair on separate elements, and redrew the neck so that it would be more suited to cut-out rotation. For Marina our challenge was to keep her hair behind everything, but we also wanted her face on top. This is where the Z-depth really comes in handy. We’ve made the head a parent of the back of Marina’s hair, so when we move the head the hair will follow. But then we played with the Z depth of these elements and made the hair go behind the neck, and her head on top. This is a neat little trick that works well for hats, sleeves, and just about anything you can think of. Also, with the neck and head drawn and layered this way, you can easily get a very full range of rotation.

• Remember that if you put something on a separate element, you’ll have to remove it from the original in order for the rotation to work
• Use the keyboard shortcuts [Alt] + [up and down arrow keys] in Camera view to bump your elements back and forth on the Z-Axis
• Make sure you have the Select tool active so that you aren’t setting keyframes on your elements.
• Keep in mind that when you move an element in Z-space that it will appear larger (or smaller) in relation to the other elements. You may have to make adjustments
• Notice the Z-value change in the drawing tab of the Properties window.

Patches

The idea of a patch is similar to the example of Marina’s head, where the head controls the back section of Marina’s hair. A patch, however, is a separate element that is created solely to cover up overlapping lines, and make a very simple, fool proof joint for your cut-out character. There are several of these patches in the Marina cut-out character, but as an example we’ll look quickly at Marina’s right arm. Her arm consists of three pieces; the shoulder, the arm and the hand. These pieces have been drawn and layered in a particular way so that when we add a patch the rotation will be easy. First, we set up the hierarchy and pivot points for the pieces of the arm. Then we copied only the fill section of Marina’s right arm, and pasted it into a brand new element. We’ve added this piece to the arm hierarchy so that whenever the arm moves, that patch will move along with it. Then we bumped the patch just ahead of the other pieces of the arm in Z space, so that it hides some of the lines on the joints of the arm. Take a look at the other patches in the Marina character and play around to test the rotation.

• You should lock the patches you create so that you are unable to select them via the Camera View as you animate. Make sure to remember to lock the patches of your character when you start animating, as this information will not be saved from scene to scene.
• When adding drawings to an element, such as more hands, make sure that the new one is in the same spot as the old one so that you can use the cell substitution window without having to worry about your pivot points.
• Don’t worry about making the joints perfect. Look at what is a realistic rotation of a joint, and make sure the joint looks good for that.
• When setting the rotation pivots for your cut-out character, use the Rotate tool so that your pivot will be kept.

Try experimenting with these techniques and see how it can help you create cut-out characters easily in Toon Boom Studio.

Downloads

• Sample Material (ZIP)

From TOONBOOM: http://www.toonboom.com/products/eLearning/articles/cut_out.php?WT.mc_id=e_ea_004_0126

Animation Festival Watch

Toon Boom News & Events

Source : http://www.toonboom.com/company/news/festivals.php?WT.mc_id=e_nw_11

Animation Festival Watch

	Anime ton univers francophone 2007
Collège Boréal and the National Film Board of Canada, Ontario and West offices, are launching an animation contest for French-speaking artists in Ontario. The contest is open to all French-speaking Canadian citizens residing in Ontario who have already finalized at least one animated film, whether professional or not. February 1st, 2007: final date to submit a project February 22, 2007: winners are announced More details can be found at: www.onf.ca/animetonuniversfrancophone2007

	5th International Festival of Animation Films “BIMINI”
In Latvian cinema’s culture, Bimini is the only festival of its kind that provides worldwide animation sight range and reviews of last years' films, including also Latvian animators achievements, which in the last years have deserved approval from international famous professionals and animation films festivals. The program of the Festival includes the films participating in competition and out of competition films reviews, as well as the review of retrospective and informative films. In 2006, there have been demonstrated 229 films from 34 countries in total. The International Festival of Animation Films “Bimini” has taken place thanks to financial support of State Cultural Capital Foundation, Ministry of Culture of Latvia and Latvian National Cinematography Centre, as well as of sponsors. Dates: March 16-22, 2007 For more information go to: www.bimini.lv.

	San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2007
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is now celebrating its 13th year and has grown to attract celebrities and filmmakers from all over North America. San Luis Obispo is located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on California’s beautiful Central Coast, famous for its excellent vineyards, great beaches, outdoor sports and perfect climate. From March 1-11, 2007, San Luis Obispo’s downtown will be a meeting place for visiting filmmakers and film lovers as they enjoy screenings of films from the past and present with many special guests. SLOIFF’s exciting program includes cutting edge films from around the world as part of the George Sidney Independent Film Competition; world-class celebrity tributes; outdoor sports films; a classic film in a different genre each evening; winning films from two student film/video contests; filmmaking panels and workshops and much more. Each weekend features a Gala celebrity event, with a special awards presentation on Saturday, March 10, when the King Vidor Career Achievement award is presented to an outstanding recipient (last year’s award went to Morgan Freeman) and the Independent Film Competition winners are announced. For more information about the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, please go to www.slofilmfest.org. Great scenes…great scenery!

	Storyboard Competition 2007
WIN Three Months FREE professional 2D (Drawn) or 3D (Stop frame model/clay) animation training at the Bristol School of Animation Bristol School of Animation is pleased to announce its annual storyboarding competition for 2007, in conjunction with Aardman Animations Ltd and with support from MEDIA. They are looking for talented individuals to produce an original and creative storyboard for a TV or film advertisement. This could be used to promote the European animation industry to a worldwide market at international film fairs and business conferences. The aim of the advertisement is to increase international circulation of European animation, for film, television and new media industries, emphasising the cultural diversity that Europe has to offer. The competition judges will be looking for skills in the development and communication of a strong concept likely to influence international businesses. A storyboard visually conveys the plot and action of a scene, shot, or a whole film / commercial. The Prize The first prize of this competition is a free place to study either 2D drawn, 3D puppet or 3D CGI (Maya) animation. This prize also includes the payment of accommodation costs for the duration of the eleven week period. The first prize winner will also receive a free copy of Toon Boom Storyboard. There will also be runners-up prizes on offer. Competition Entry Guidelines The deadline for all entries is 9th March 2007 The competition is open to all UK and EU / EEA residents over 18 years of age. Storyboards must be completed within the specified format using the template provided (you can make as many copies of the template as you like). Please keep copies of your entries, as we are unable to return the originals. The judges decision is final Download an application and templates from the Website: www.uwe.ac.uk/amd For more information please contact us on: Tel: +44 (0) 117 32 84810 Email: amd.shortcourses@uwe.ac.uk Please send all entries to: Storyboarding Competition 2007 Bristol School of Animation, University of the West of England, Bower Ashton Campus, Kennel Lodge Road, Bristol, BS3 2JT, UK

	Sabaoth International Film Festival
The 2006 Sabaoth International Film Festival in Milan , Italy is proud to partner with Toon Boom to award excellence in independent film production. This year, Sabaoth Festival presents 39 films and animations from all five continents from November 16-18 in Milan's historic Brera district. The festival's prestigious Adam Award will be presented in eight categories, including a special animation prize presented by Toon Boom, on November 18th at the Festival gala with nearly 4,000 in attendance. Information on the festival can be found at www.SabaothFestival.com

	Red Stick International Animation Festival 2007
The Red Stick International Animation Festival is a community event that converges the worlds of technology, art, entertainment and exploration. The festival brings together artists and technologists to explore new methods, tools and ways of telling stories. Artists draw and paint with computers, and scientists convey their complex theories in color and motion. The 2007 Red Stick International Animation Festival highlights this convergence celebrating art, motion, and exploration in downtown Baton Rouge April 17-22, 2007. The Red Stick Festival is hosted by the Laboratory for Creative Arts & Technologies (LCAT), an integral research facility within LSU's Center for Computation & Technology, or CCT. The central functions of the lab's efforts converge on a single purpose: to articulate discovery through the intersections of creativity, technology, and human expression. Discovery is not limited to scientific pursuits; it also is the language of art, music, and human interaction. The Red Stick Festival is designed to convey this by highlighting one of the most technically driven art forms available to everyone: animation. The film submission deadline is December 15, 2006 and the deadline for storyboards is February 1, 2007.

	I Castelli Animati 2006
The best of world animation in one great event: I Castelli Animati represents Italy in the circuit of excellence of the eight European festivals for the Forum Cartoon, the European manifestation organized by the E.U. to select new production projects to be carried out with European subsidy, and to award the Cartoon D'or, the European Oscar for short animated films. During I Castelli Animati, the top names in animation go to make up the Juries which will award the prizes to the films in the prestigious International Competition, Italian Competition and Web Competition. From November 16 to 29, the films in the Web Competition are also accessible for viewing at www.castellianimati.it where they can be voted for the assignment of the Audience Prize.

	Animation Block Party
NYC based Animation Block Party is dedicated to exhibiting the world's best independent, professional and student animation. In January 2007, ABP will reopen for submissions to their excellent summer festival, a three-day film Brooklyn event, full of indoor/outdoor screenings, juried prizes, cool sponsored stuff, good music, cold drinks and the world's best animated shorts. In the past two years, ABP has received over 1200 animation submissions from all ends of the earth. International entries have arrived from Greece, France, The Netherlands, Israel, Australia, Brazil, Canada and the United Kingdom. Animation submissions from the United States include California, Texas, Rhode Island, Ohio, Chicago, Boston, New York City, etc. More than 2500 fans and filmmakers have attended Animation Block Party festivals. More info available at www.animationblock.com.

	The Greatest Story Never Told Competition IV
Hailed as the biggest Flash storytelling competition ever, TGSNT seeks to recognize and reward independent storytellers worldwide who use software that exports to the swf format as a storytelling medium to produce original stories for the web, DVD, TV, film and wireless entertainment. This year, participating storytellers will be able to submit their original stories in 2 categories: Flash Movies/Shorts Flash Comic Books The official Call for Entries for TGSNT IV begins September 16, 2006. TGSNT IV competition is open to 2D and 3D animators, comic book artists, filmmakers, independent storytellers and students worldwide. This year’s entry fee is $30; $15 per student entry. Submission deadline is January 15, 2007! Each category will have (4) winners for a total of 8 winners: 1 Grand Prize Winner (Movies and Comic Books) 2 Runner ups (Movies and Comic Books) 1 People’s Choice Winner Dates: CALL FOR ENTRIES: September 15, 2006 SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE: January 15, 2007 PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTING: February 1, 2007 WINNERS ANNOUNCED: March 30, 2007

	Norwich International Animation Festival
Norwich International Animation Festival is a unique art-focused event which features a white-hot programme of seminars, debates, retrospectives and special film programmes, alongside the very best new animation from across the world. Its progressive format and commitment to special self- and guest-curated programmes, debates and symposia mark the festival as unique in the UK, and one of Europe¹s fastest-growing new voices on the festival circuit. The festival relaunched in 2005, recording over 6,800 admissions and screening more than 170 films over four days, many of which were UK or European premières ­ in addition to welcoming many of the industry¹s finest names to Norwich, including Caroline Leaf, Marv Newland, Jerzy Kucia, Michaela Pavlátová, JJ Villard, Gil Alkabetz and Tim Macmillan. The festival is currently open for submissions. The competition is free to enter, and is open to films of any length, from filmmakers in any country. For more information visit www.niaf.org.uk

	FlashMove 5th Anniversary Contest
For the contest, FlashMove is running a 3d quiz game. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit http://flashmove.com/anniversary/ Prize details and conditions are as follows: Winning entries will need to provide personal particulars in order to collect the prizes. Players found cheating will be disqualified. rizes are subjected to change should stock be unavailable with another item of equivalent value. Closing date is on 25 September. Draw date is on 30 September. Winners will be notified via email. So please make sure your email address is valid and your user account is activated.

	International Animation Celebration
As part of the 2006 Animation Celebration, the French Animation Association (Afca) and Toon Boom are launching an animation contest for the Web, open to creative minds worldwide. The suggested theme is An Unusual Encounter. Technical Criteria: QuickTime (MOV) or Flash (SWF) movies of less than 2 minutes, with a file size not to exceed 5 MB, with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Registration: Between June 15 and September 20, 2006, the registration form and regulations will be available at www.toonboom.com/afca/. Vote: The selected movies will be posted on Toon Boom’s web site and visitors will be able to vote from October 18 to 25, 2006. Winners: The three movies that receive the highest number of votes will be announced on October 26 and screened on October 28, during International Animation Day, both in Paris and Montreal, as well as will be showcased on the Toon Boom and AFCA sites. Prizes:Toon Boom Solo and more!

	Potenza International Animation Film Festival
Date: October 25 to 28 2006 Entry Deadline: September 15th 2006 Organized by the cultural association Cortitalia, the Potenza International Animation Film Festival (P.I.A.F.F.) will be held in Potenza on October 25 to 28, 2006. P.I.A.F.F. offers five categories in which you can submit your animated short: Italian animated shorts International animated shorts from 1 to 4 minutes International animated shorts from 4 to 20 minutes Animated shorts in Flash format Musical videos More info available at www.piaff.it

	Animex 2007
October 1, 2006: Film submission deadline February 2007: Winners announced As the Principle Sponsor for the 2D Computer Animation Award, Toon Boom will supply animation software to the winner and two runners up at the 2007 Animex Festival. The deadline date for the Animex Awards 2007 is October 1, 2006. The Animex International Festival of Animation takes place every year in Middlesbrough in the North East of England. The festival has its roots firmly planted in the creative side of the animation business and acts to provide animators, directors, students, artists, designers, writers and educators with a forum in which they can share their knowledge and skills and promote the art of animation. Toon Boom will also be giving a workshop titled How to Produce Cost Effective Digital Animations on Wednesday, February 8th, 2006. See you there!

	AniFest ’07
Organized by the Center for Graphics Research at Western Connecticut State University, AniFest 07 has launched a call for entries for its Student Computer Animation Competition. AniFest 07 will take place on April 24-26, 2007. All students from college and university level worldwide are invited to participate. For more information visit http://cs.wcsu.edu/cgr/festival07.

	2D OR NOT 2D?
The Animaticus Foundation… author/animator Tony White’s non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, teaching and evolving the art of traditional 2D animation is establishing its first "2D OR NOT 2D Animation Festival" this November 17th thru 19th at the Historic Everett Theatre in Washington State. The festival will offer competitive Golden Pencil (and Toon Boom Studio software) awards for animators of all persuasions, although it will place special emphasis on new and innovative traditionally-animated work (cel-based or digital). Keynote speakers will be Roy E. Disney (presenting a retrospective of Disney short films, from Steamboat Willie through to Lorenzo), cartoonist Tom Wilson (presenting the Emmy award-winning TV Special Ziggy’s Gift, directed by Richard Williams), and Tony himself (presenting for the first time in public his film Endangered Species, as well as sign copies of his new book Animation from Pencils to Pixels). Further details can be found at www.2dornot2d.org.

	Anima 2007
Brussels, February 16 - 25, 2007. Anima provides a key showcase for the entire range of quality animation, right in the heart of Europe. More than hundred films in the international competition, original retrospectives, exhibitions, film lectures and workshops, events such as "La nuit animée", the professional forum Futuranima, and representative guests make Brussels a major international meeting-place for thousands of local people and overseas visitors. For the latter it's also an opportunity to discover Belgian animation production and to meet students and up-and-coming young professionals. Anima also nominates, from the European selection, its candidates for the "Cartoon d'Or". Deadlines Entry forms: Nov. 1, 2006 Arrival of prints: Jan. 22, 2007 Further details can be found at folioscope.awn.com.

	RateMyDrawings.com online drawing competition
Halloween drawing competition Toon Boom Animation Inc. is proudly sponsoring this month’s Halloween drawing competition at RateMyDrawings.com giving users the chance to win one of three copies of Toon Boom Studio Express. RateMyDrawings.com allows you to use your mouse or drawing tablet to creating drawings online. Once you’ve created a drawing, users can see your drawing being redrawn stroke by stroke and can rate your drawing. Not only it is lots of fun, but a great way to watch other people draw and learn from the masters. For more information visit www.ratemydrawings.com.

16 Animated Movies In Oscar

Posted: Fri., Nov. 3, 2006, 1:49pm PT

Acad toons in to 16 pix
'Flushed,' 'Scanner,' 'Cars' among titles eligible for animated feature Oscar

By JUSTIN CHANG
This story was updated at 5:59 p.m.

'Flushed Away' is one of the 16 pix eligible for this year's Animated Feature Oscar.

Sixteen toons are expected to compete for this year's animated feature Oscar, which will likely boast five nominees for the first time in four years.

The pics deemed eligible by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences are "The Ant Bully," "Arthur and the Invisibles," "Barnyard," "Cars," "Curious George," "Everyone's Hero," "Flushed Away," "Happy Feet," "Ice Age: The Meltdown," "Monster House," "Open Season," "Over the Hedge," "Paprika," "Renaissance," "A Scanner Darkly" and "The Wild."

In recent years, the animated feature race has fallen short of the 16 films required to trigger a five-nominee slate. The last time the category maxed out was 2002, when a record 17 pics were eligible. The Oscar went to Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away."

Three of this year's contenders have not yet had their required Los Angeles releases, though they are scheduled to do so before the end of the year: Warner Bros.' "Happy Feet" hits theaters Nov. 17; Sony Pictures Classics will unspool "Paprika" for an Oscar-qualifying run on Nov. 20; and The Weinstein Co. will release "Arthur and the Invisibles" on Dec. 15.

In the unlikely event that one or more of the three pics fails to open, the category would shrink to three nominees.

While most of the contenders are CG-animated kidpics, some are unusual media hybrids.

"Paprika," the latest anime from "Tokyo Godfathers" helmer Satoshi Kon, blends hand-drawn animation with computer enhancements; "Arthur and the Invisibles," director Luc Besson's adaptation of his own children's book, combines live-action and CGI; and "A Scanner Darkly," Richard Linklater's dystopic adaptation of the Philip K. Dick novel, was shot in live-action and then rotoscoped.

Two of the pics deploy motion-capture technology: "Monster House," produced by "The Polar Express" director Robert Zemeckis; and Miramax's French-language "Renaissance," a black-and-white futuristic noir.

"Flushed Away," from DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Features, uses CG to reproduce the claymation look of Aardman's "Wallace & Gromit" pics.

Universal's "Curious George" is the lone pic to feature traditional 2-D animation.

Paramount distribbed DreamWorks productions "Flushed Away" and "Over the Hedge," as well as "Barnyard." Sony boasts "Monster House" and "Open Season," the first offering from its fledgling animation division, in addition to Sony Classics' "Paprika"; Warner is behind "The Ant Bully" and "Happy Feet" as well as Warner Independent's "A Scanner Darkly."

Disney is repped by "The Wild" and Pixar's "Cars," while 20th Century Fox has "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and baseball adventure "Everyone's Hero."

Nominees will be announced on Jan. 23.