Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1313527
10 KEYFRAME O N T H E J O B BEFORE AN OBJECT OR CHARACTER CAN BE ANIMATED IT HAS TO BE BUILT IN A COMPUTER-GENERATED ENVIRONMENT. THAT TASK IS DONE BY MODELERS, WHO TRANSLATE 2D CONCEPT ART INTO A 3D SPACE. SHAPES CAN BE SIMPLE TO COMPLEX, AND MOST ARTISTS DESCRIBE THE PROCESS AS DIGITAL SCULPTING. HERE, WE HEAR FROM THREE ARTISTS WORKING AT DIFFERENT STUDIOS. OMAR SMITH 3D VISUAL DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER MODELER AT SONY ANIMATION TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF? I've always been obsessed with character design and development in animation. I spent most of my time studying, drawing, and sculpting characters, but it wasn't until I went to art school that a clear career path in animation presented itself. In 1998, after studying illustration at ArtCenter College of Design, I landed a job in television on Comedy Central's South Park, where I had my very first production experience in 3D animation. In 2002, I went to Sony Pictures Imageworks and worked on visual effects for feature films, then in 2006 I transitioned into visual development at Sony Pictures Animation, which is where I've been ever since! HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOB? I like to describe character modeling in visual development as a purely conceptual sculpting phase, just digitally these days instead of with clay. Our role is solely focused on the design aspects of the characters, and less about the technical demands and standards of a production pipeline. Once a character design is approved in both 2D and 3D, the artwork is then delivered to our awesome modeling department, where artists will go on to produce the final asset to be utilized by the entire production. I spend most of my time working with designers and directors translating 2D character designs into a dimensional 3D space, which means tons of iterating and problem- solving before a character design is even approved. It's sort of an initial proving ground where the goal is to nail a three-dimensional blueprint for the rest of production to use as a visual guide. WHAT ARE THE BEST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? Hands down, the people. I've been so lucky to have worked with some of the most kind, talented, and brilliant people in the industry. Every project I've worked on has been a new chapter of growth for me, both professionally and personally. I truly cherish the knowledge and friendships which have been shared with me over the years. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES? Staying flexible and nimble. Throughout any given year, I'll bounce around on multiple projects, all of which have different design styles, different development processes, and different personalities. Keeping an open mind and embracing change can be tough at times, but it's what keeps the job so exciting and stimulating! I love jumping on to a project and trying my best to figure out a solution to a new problem. Those moments are reminders that this is an art form and we should always be willing to break new ground before defaulting to our comfort zones. HOW DO YOU STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY OR TOOLS? I actually only use a couple of programs to get the job done, however, my tinkering side loves experimenting and I'm always on the hunt to streamline my process. Therefore, I try to dedicate an hour or so each day to developing my own personal tools and evaluating new software. Luckily, these days there are so many amazing "off the shelf" tools that are surprisingly affordable, or even free. It wasn't long ago that access to "high end" technology meant you needed to work at a professional studio, because the tools were either expensive or the software was proprietary. Thankfully, that's not the case today—there's literally nothing holding anyone back from wanting to create 3D content; the tools [Blender, ZBrushCoreMini, Substance Painter and Designer] and training are accessible to all! MODEL SOLUTION