Bobby Beck's Blog

Eyebrows make a BIG difference

2012-01-08T10:54:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool image I saw on Twitter. It was titled "Eyebrows make a BIG difference." Looks like he just removed the eyebrows. Crazy how much of a difference this adds. I thought this was great for animation as you can clearly see the power that these crazy little lines have! Not to mention how creepy people look without them. Ha ha!

Keeping it simple

2011-12-04T10:37:00.001-08:00

Being a new dad I've been finding it hard to keep up with work, social networks, twitter AND blogging. The blog has definitely suffered due to this. I'm taking a "keep it simple" approach these days for staying up with the myriad communication channels.

I've been posting a lot on my Google+ (bobbyboombeck) page and Twitter (@bobbyboombeck) feeds. Not as much on Facebook these days, but still check it to see what's going on.

In short, I'm more inspired than ever, learning SO much about life, daddyhood, business, friendship and balance. I'm so very thankful for the life I have and I never want to take it for granted.

Coming back from CTN has given me a lot to think about in terms of where Animation Mentor is at and where I want to take it. I'm incredibly inspired with AM right now and believe in it more than EVER. I'm excited for what the new year has in store and excited by all the lessons learned each day!

-BOOM

Animation Mentor is going to CTNX

2011-11-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Animation Mentor CTNX schedule is posted here. We can't wait to hang out with everyone and share our love for animation! Hope to see you soon!

On Becoming a daddy

2011-10-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I thought about blogging. There's been a lot of other really great stuff going on in my life. Namely, my little baby girl (see pic above).

I've had so many incredible feelings and thoughts that have come over me in the last several months and I feel incredibly blessed to have such an amazing little squishy one :)

Before I became a parent, many people told me, "When you have a kid it changes your entire life." It always sounded somewhat negative. Now, after having been on this journey for just a short while, I see how it does indeed change everything. And I see that the changes have made my life so much more outstanding. Life is not just about me anymore, it's mega-multidimensional in such a cool way.

In this quick post I just wanted to share my initial thoughts on how amazing I think this step is in life and I'm sure I'll write more about it in the future, too. :)

Animation Mentor: the parent perspective

2011-07-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

This is one of the coolest videos we've done to date. Travis is such a great guy and it was so great of him to share his thoughts about how to maintain balance with family and school. Enjoy!

Alert: who's work is that anyways?

2011-07-26T17:24:00.004-07:00

This entry is in response to a few postings we’ve seen on Facebook and Vimeo over the past week or so.

Animation Mentor supports animation all around the world, and we love to see student work.

We are flattered that students of animation are choosing to emulate Animation Mentor student and graduate work in their quest to learn how to animate, and we want to offer a few guidelines to help them in their journey:

1. If you want to receive feedback on your work, or use it in a demo reel, it should be ORIGINAL work. Please do not reference another animator’s work.
2. If you do reference another animator’s work for the purpose of practice and learning, and the work is a straight copy, it is my humble opinion that this work should not be distributed on the internet and called a show reel.
3. It's also an incredible amount of work to recreate someone's short film shot-by-shot AND light/render it. We'd much rather suggest you work on original work that is uniquely yours showing the value of what your voice has to bring to the craft.

The industry is super duper small and word travels fast when work is copied or plagiarizer and we encourage those folks, I'm sure their intentions were not meant with any ill will, to rather work on new, original works instead.

And a note to Animation Mentor students and graduates: Please remember that what you post online is often public, and not easily deleted. We appreciate supporting your fellow students, and we encourage you to keep it positive, professional, and supportive. Thanks.

Getting Curious

2011-06-14T23:05:00.000-07:00

Recently we had an two day offsite for the Animation Mentor senior team. Day two we brought in an outside facilitator to help us work on improving our communication. I'd say this was one of the most insightful and humbling days I've had in a long time and I'd like to share one of the big takeaways I got from that day.

Get Curious:
We did an exercise where we took a piece of paper and folded it in half. On the right hand column we each wrote a different conversation we had recently that frustrated us. Then, on the left hand column, we wrote what was going on in our heads during particular moments in that conversation. Our facilitator noted that not a single one of us asked questions when we got frustrated. Instead we acted on what our mind/assumptions was telling us. He urged us instead to ask questions and get curious in these moments as there is almost inevitably a misunderstanding in the making.

Throughout the day he worked us through real experiential moments and we each had many opportunities to practice our new skill of getting curious. We also got feedback from our peers after each conversation -- which was extremely insightful.

I LOVE learning and there were so many incredible breakthroughs that day. I wanted to share this thought around getting curious when you start to feel "triggered" or upset as, chances are, there may be just a simple misunderstanding -- and building this muscle to REALLY listen is pretty incredible. But more on that later.

Animation Mentor 2011 Showcase launches!

2011-06-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

We hope you enjoy the latest addition of the Animation Mentor Student Showcase.

So much hard work goes into this from all the students. It's always so hard to choose the shots that will go into the reel. We had to trim it down to fit our standard 4 minute showcase time.

We're VERY happy with the results the students are producing. There is a passion inside the company that is bonding us all even tighter together. We're proud of AM as if it were our baby. It really is and we're so excited to see that our students are learning, growing and having their dreams come true as professional animators. The stories we hear on a regular basis light our souls up with gratitude.

Thanks for viewing and we hope you enjoy!

No Regrets - this is your one life

2011-06-06T09:30:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Becca Romeo (Animation Mentor's Career Services manager) for pointing me to this article. In the article a nurse points out the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed. WOW! Here's an opportunity to check myself and make sure I'm doing everything I can to live life to the fullest. Some great nuggets of gold in this one, particularly #5. Enjoy.

Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible

2011-05-10T15:59:00.001-07:00

Just came across this and thought it'd be worth sharing.

I just got back from Stuttgart, Germany and had a blast with all the Animation Mentor students! I learned a lot and am so happy that we went there in full effect. We definitely plan to head back again next year.

One of the biggest things I learned was how the industry is evolving, where it's headed and how exciting so much of this news is. I'll share more in a later post. So much going on, it's really exciting! :)

The Making of Animation Mentor

2011-02-22T06:43:00.000-08:00

It was an honor to be asked by CTN to talk about the creation of Animation Mentor. Carlos and I got to share some of our early stories and the passion behind why we created AM in the first place. We hope you enjoy.

Please note:
While I was at Pixar I had one of the most incredible experiences being an animator and I want to clear up some confusion.
I was never a Senior Animator at Pixar. I don't even think they have titles like that there. Please note my brain was a little fuzzy that morning due to lots of festivities happening at CTN.
When I was working on Monster's Inc. Dave Devan was internally titled "anim buddy" on Boo. Anim Buddy is a term that Pixar uses internally only. It is not a lead animator as Pixar likes to keep the hierarchy as level as possible. He got called away on shots before he was able to finish and I was tasked with working out the development of her when she is in her costume.
On Nemo I was Anim Buddy on Nemo's character. As an Anim Buddy you are tasked with making sure the rig is solid before it goes into production. You do tests with the character to establish how it could move. You create the initial shape libraries that the other animators will use for consistency.
To remove any confusion of this in the future I have decided to change my resume to read "Animator" on these films and wanted to clear up this confusion here publicly.

Reduce the "suck factor" - Step 2

2011-02-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

In my blog posted titled "STAGES OF LEARNING AND GROWTH" I talked about the 4 stages of developmental growth. At the end I said I would talk about the things I do to reduce time spent in step 2. I call this, "reducing the suck factor."

This is a very personal post to me and something that is very ME. I'm not sure this would work for everyone, but this is what I do.

I hate to "suck" at anything. I really do. I figured life is too short to suck at something for too long and the fact that we don't have to makes this point one of my drivers when learning something new.

I'm a highly motivated person and have found some key things that help me reduce the suck factor:

1. Find someone who does what you want to do, and who is outstanding at what they do, and learn from them.
This means, if you can, learn directly from that person. Once I really embraced this concept I started using it all over in my life.

I find this method good when learning a new skill that is not a "mental" skill (I'll talk about that in #4 below). This works well for things like, martial arts, musical instruments, kiteboarding, snowboarding, salsa dancing, animation (Hey, animation mentor... there's a good idea :)

2. Go in 1,000%!
Again, these things work for me and work well at reducing the suck factor, but if you dilly dally around this will only complicate time spent in step 2.

3. Find your TRUE motivation
in order to create a change in your life you really have to find the real reason WHY you want that change. If you can find a compelling reason that you want that change you WILL find the time to go at it 1,000%. If you want to learn more about how to find this motivation read, Awaken the Giant Within (not the audio version as it is VERY truncated. Read the book. It's HUGE and full of GOLD).

4. Get a coach
A life coach is great at working on personal growth. I find personal development hard to do with a mentor; they typically do not have the time for this. I find getting a good life coach has helped me a HUGE deal at learning important life growth skills.

My criteria for finding a good coach is to make sure they can push me and hold me accountable. If they give me an "assignment" to do and I don't do it and they let me slide, I get rid of that coach and fast. It's like a personal trainer for the most important skills of all.

I've had HUGE good luck at finding great life coaches from The Coach Connection. They meet with you once a week (or more, or less, if needed) over the phone and work with you. I've found that more than once a week is too much and that less than once a week makes me lazy; i.e. no momentum.

These are just a few of the BIG things I do to reduce time spent in step 2. I hope you find these helpful!

Dreamworks takes care of the peeps: according to Fortune.

2011-01-25T07:57:00.000-08:00

Just came across this and was excited to see DreamWorks animation listed as #10 in the top 100 companies to work for in 2010! I have no doubt about that. They take great care of their peeps.

What I was also excited to see was that they, who knows how this is calculated or if it is accurate, that, of those 100 companies, DreamWorks animators are the best paid hourly employees. Nice to see credit given where credit is due. Great work from a fantastic company!

Animation Mentor announces Animals & Creatures: Master Class!

2011-01-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

It's been two years in the making. Working directly with the studios to build a curriculum for the VFX world of animation. It's finally here and we're so stoked on the love and passion that's gone into every aspect. The same love and passion that's gone into our 18-month core program is the heart behind how these classes have been created. The industry wants them, people want them and we took the time to design them with the highest standards in mind.

If you want to know more about Animation Mentor's new Animals & Creatures: Master Class you can find full information here. We hope you enjoy!

Here's an article posted up by Animation Magazine. Cool!

Stages of learning and growth

2010-12-21T15:22:00.001-08:00

I've always loved this model for learning. This model has worked really well for me in all areas of learning and growth.

The model has four steps:

Step 1: Unconscious Incompetence: In this stage we have no clue that we do "X" or want to chance "Y". Once we learn, either from someone giving us important feedback (X), or reading a book and wanting to make a new change (Y), that there is something we want to change, we immediately move to step 2.

Step 2: Conscious Incompetence: In this stage we still break the habit, and/or do the very thing we are trying to change. The difference here is that, most often right after we've done it, we realize, "whoops, I just did that 'thing' again." This step can continue forever or as long as it takes before the proper motivation comes to really embrace the change.

Step 3: Conscious Competence: Once you can act out the new habit or behavior it often feels forced or contrived. Anything new typically does feel this way. Once you live in this space long enough the conscious part begins to become unconscious and we move to the final step.

Step 4: Unconscious Competence: In this stage we are the wise Buddhas who live the very thing we sought out to accomplish. Or, in other words, act the new habit or behavior from an inner, sincere place.

Getting to unconscious competence IS possible and, once the model is embraced, I've found that it gets easier and faster to do. The model itself perpetuates learning!

I share this model because it serves as a foundation for how I approach learning. I get asked a lot how I learn things so quickly and I've come to develop my own philosophy that stems from this model. That is "reduce the suck factor" or, how to reduce the amount of time spent in "step 2". I'll let this first bit set in here and will post another day about things I do to reduce time spent in "step 2." Until then, I'd love to hear your thoughts about this model for learning. I hope you enjoy!

Always assume positive intent

2010-12-20T16:09:00.001-08:00

As the year ramps down I've been reflecting on what an incredible year it's been. I've learned more this year about myself, life, leadership, being a husband and the importance of listening that I feel like a new me.

I had to opportunity to learn about a powerful concept that is still seeping into my inner being that is a little nugget to pass on for those in the pursuit of a more fulfilled life. Here we go...

I posted before about the impact True Colors has had on my life. This set of knowledge has truly been one of the most powerful pieces for me in many years. It serves as the foundation for how to better understand people and understand and enjoy the differences that exist.

In addition to True Colors, I was introduced to a concept that has strengthed my communication with people and this concept is profound in its simplicity. This concept is:

Always assume positive intent.

Simply put, it means to take down your defenses and listen clearly before you react to people. Living in the present moment and not inside of your head.

A few examples are say, when someone says something that I could view as offensive (this could vary based on your personal "offended" meter) that I don't read a story into what they've said; that I not read anything into the expression or tone they may be relating. I first begin to notice my body starting to feel a small boil beginning. At this moment I stop focusing on what is in my head (all sorts of stories going on) and I simply listen. I listen to the words that they are saying. What are they really asking for? Do I need to be getting offended (no)? Do I need to retort to sound smart or defend my position (I could, it feels good, right? - but is it getting me closer to understanding the situation or connecting better with them? Most of the time, no).

99% of the time I've been finding that when I stay present and really listen that if I were to react on my "story" I could have halted or damaged communication. This one concept of "always assume positive intent" has made me rethink the way I think about conflict. Be in conflict in someone cutting me off in the car (maybe they are racing to get somewhere important?), conflict in the workplace (in a meeting someone says something that makes me feel like I did something wrong for doing a task that I missed a step or two on) or, most importantly, conflict in your relationships.

Something that has really helped me strengthen this concept is around some coaching I've been getting over the last 6 months in Crucial Conversations. Crucial Conversations is an amazing resource for dealing with conflict and tough conversations. They happen, or, may not happen, more often than I once had thought. The crucial conversations material is deep and is the perfect compliment with True Colors.

Crucial Conversations has helped me further my understanding of "always assume positive intent" in a huge way. I've learned that it is my responsibility to not take the "suckers choice" and get defensive or react inappropriately. It is my responsibility to restore safety when it is lost in a conversation and this, in time, shows people by example how to communicate more effectively. This requires a lot of self discipline and it works. Once you do it once it becomes addicting! It's been working in all areas of my life.

What I've learned is still taking shape and will continue to do so. My life has become more pleasurable, more fun and my friendships are more outstanding as a result of it. It's a concept that I encourage you to play with. I'd love to hear your thoughts and results in trying it out. Enjoy and have an incredible holiday!

Pixar says celebrate who you are, no matter who you are!

2010-11-22T14:53:00.000-08:00

Awesome!!! and completely inspiring!

The Rescuers: Pencil Test

2010-11-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

"The Rescuers" is still my all time favorite animated film of all times. It's so dark, rough around the edges, sweet and adventurous all in one blow. A film like this just does not get made these days because it tackles a lot of issues that are not "safe." Most films today play the "safe" role. They are successful for sure, yet missing where we can go with our art form.

Thanks to Alexiss for passing this awesome dose of inspiration in pencil test form both from Milt Kahl (Medusa) and Ollie Johnston (Penny). OMG, this is golden. This film still gives me the chills to this day. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Carlos Baena Interview

2010-11-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

Just saw this interview with Carlos Baena. Totally worth checking out! Crazy, silly, wacky and super duper! Go Carlitos!!!

If you want to see more. Check this one out, too.

Animation Mentor in Oakland Magazine

2010-10-29T11:28:00.001-07:00

I had a blast doing this interview with Oakland magazine. I moved to Oakland about 6 months ago and love it. Despite the wrap it gets, it's a pretty incredible place. BIG thanks to Karen Hartline!

Ps. I wanted to add that the "I wanted to go to the first wedding no matter if I was invited or not" comment was in reference to that being one of the BIG dreams Shawn, Carlos and I hoped for in Animation Mentor. That people would make REAL friends and, if we were lucky, people may even find their dream partner! With that being said we wanted to go to the first wedding no matter where it was in the world because it symbolized a MAJOR dream for us. :)

Shawn Kelly master class in Malaysia!

2010-10-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

December 13th and 14th
Discounted registration before October 29
More details can be found here.

Animation Mentor's Shawn Kelly (and my best buddy on the planet!) is giving a 2 day master class in Malaysia! If you're in that part of the world be sure to check it out!

======================================
2-Day Animation Master Class: Notes from Shawn

The first day, will tackle body mechanics, and the second day will be all about performance and acting. I've made sure the class will be great for beginners, but it's mostly geared towards current animation students and professional animators. We'll hit on all the basics, but will be spending most of the time with advanced concepts and focusing on tips and techniques to help people bring their performances (and their demo reel!) up to the level that the major studios are looking for.

December 13th and 14th
Discounted registration before October 29

The website with all the details registration info and is: http://www.toaevents.com/

Animation Mentor meets up with alumni who worked on How to train you dragon

2010-10-15T10:04:00.001-07:00

Sheena, Meghan and Lindsay met up with some of the animators from how to train your dragon and did an informal round table with them! So cool. This was their idea and I'm proud that the took the initiative to make it happen! Hope you guys enjoy!

Daily Post-it

2010-10-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

One of our mentors and super drawing ninja, Aaron Hartline, has a great blog called The Daily Post-it. Great idea! I love it and the drawings are awesome!!! If you're looking for a little dose of daily inspiration, check it out.

Animation Mentor Lightsaber awesomeness!

2010-09-14T16:42:00.001-07:00

Mikey Sabalvaro, Animation Mentor alumni, just posted up an awesome video I thought you’d all enjoy. He decided to make a lightsaber, and then see how it integrated into some previous shots he had done at AM. So fun! Enjoy.

Animation Mentor meets with Blender Nation

2010-09-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

I was able to meet up with Tim from Blender Nation at Siggraph. Twas fun. At this point I still had a bit of my voice left. ha ha! :)