Visual Effects/Motion Graphics/Animation in Astoria

[MostlyHarmless]

What is up Astoria. I am a motion graphics artist working in midtown and I just moved out here to Astoria last weekend. I am just wondering how many other motion graphics artists live in Astoria. And if anyone would like to get together and discuss design, workflow, techniques, favorite studios, and whatnot. Let me know that I am not alone.

[daisy]

You're definitely not alone!  And really, who can afford Manhattan on an animator's salary?  I am an Animator, and have done a lot of work for preschool television throughout the years.  Most of my work is done in 2D, working traditionally, or in After Effects or Flash.  I've lived in Astoria since graduating college in '98.  Lately, I've been teaching myself more about flash actionscript and game design.

[MostlyHarmless]

Good to see another animator in the neighborhood. Although my traditional animation is pretty weak. I tend to stick to 3D software and After Effects. I checked out your reel and I was impressed. Have you been animating professionally since you graduated?

[daisy]

Thanks!  I spent 7 wonderful years working on Blues Clues right after graduation, which is very much an anomaly in animation.  I'm not sure how similar motion graphics is to character animation, but the majority of work is freelance and you're lucky if it lasts 6 months!  Animation is very much a labor of love  :)

[MostlyHarmless]

I was doing some freelance 3D work while I was in college and it was the same way. Tough to find consistant work. Also freelancing as a student I couldn't charge the rates I would have liked so I got sick of freelance work and looked for a full time job when I graduated. I found one with a company that seems like they want to keep me around for a while, which is nice. It is mainly motion graphics work but every once and a while I get to do some 3D character work which I love. I actually went to school fo 3D animation and not motion graphics but the principles trasfer over very easily and I enjoy the work.

[gud stuf]

i'll pass this along to my boyfriend- he's a 3D guy too and has been hoping to find more animators to "talk shop" with and maybe do some projects with.
right now he's gearing up to launch his website so hopefully soon i'll be able to shoot you over to him!
welcome to the hood

[MostlyHarmless]

HEY EVERYBODY!!! You should check this out. I have gone to the past 2 meetings and they have been pretty dang neat. And there is free pizza if you show up before it is gone.

After Effects User Group Meeting NY
http://www.aeny.org/meetings.html

Next meeting: Thursday, February 28, 2008

The Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

The Place:

Pratt Manhattan
144 West 14th Street (b/w 6th and 7th Ave)
Room 213

The food: Pizza and soda/water

[Debbie]

My husband is an Animator as well.  If you folks decide to get together, please let us know.

[MostlyHarmless]

HEY EVERYBODY!!! You should check this out too.

New York/New Jersey Animators Meetup Group
http://animation.meetup.com/92/

When?
Saturday, Mar 8, 2008, 12:00 PM

Where?
Luckbat Studio
135 Plymouth St. 211B
Brooklyn, NY 11201

This one I haven't been to before but I am gonna give it a shot. If any other astorians would care to join me we could play paper rock scissors on the train ride to Brooklyn.

I found this while looking for a Maya User Group Meeting. If there are any other Maya users in Astoria or people interested in Maya let me know and maybe we could start a NY Maya User Group and hold the meetings in Astoria so we don't have to travel far.

Maya
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_%28software%29

[jesrey]

*raises hand*

hey me too!

I'm a graphic designer and an After Effects noob but wouldn't mind "talking shop" and getting to know how other people make the magic happen and learn a thing or two.

[MostlyHarmless]

Another After Effects User Group meeting.

Be there or be square.

http://www.aeny.org/meetings.html

Next meeting: Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

The Place:

Pratt Manhattan
144 West 14th Street (b/w 6th and 7th Ave)
Room 213

The food: Pizza and soda/water


For those of you who know who Andrew Kramer is, www.videocopilot.net, He will be there presenting his new AE Plugin Twitch. As well as a plethora of door prizes once again.

[shimster]

Hey,
  Figured I'd stop lurking and introduce myself.  I'm not exactly an animator but I work at an animation studio as a Materials Technical Director.  I used to work in Modeling.  I work at Blue Sky Studios up in White Plains and recently finished work on Horton Hears a Who.  I went to an AE group meeting about 10 years ago.  It was pretty inspiring but I never really got into motion graphics.  I really fell in love with 3D graphics though so now I mostly write shaders... mostly.
  Well, maybe we could meet at the beer garden to talk shop when the weather warms up. I'll even try to bring a bunch of Blue Skyers.
  Anyway, it's nice to hear from fellow graphics geeks in the hood.
-Dan

[MostlyHarmless]

Hey Dan

That is awesome that you work at Blue Sky! We should definitely get together some time and talk.

What software do you write shaders for? How long have you been at Blue Sky? Do you have a portfolio website up anywhere?

I was much more of a 3d graphics guy in college. My interest was in character animation. After I graduated I ended up with a job more centered around motion graphics so I ended up learning a lot of after effects. I still get to use Maya quite a bit but the character work isn't very frequent.

-Mike

[shimster]

  We write shaders in Maya and compile them for our proprietary renderer, CGI Studio.  I've been at Blue Sky for 5 years.  I don't have a portfolio web site.  I plan to put together a show reel some time soon.
  Our studio uses Maya for just about everything that doesn't involve rendering.

[daisy]

Hey,
  Figured I'd stop lurking and introduce myself.  I'm not exactly an animator but I work at an animation studio as a Materials Technical Director.  I used to work in Modeling.  I work at Blue Sky Studios up in White Plains and recently finished work on Horton Hears a Who.  I went to an AE group meeting about 10 years ago.  It was pretty inspiring but I never really got into motion graphics.  I really fell in love with 3D graphics though so now I mostly write shaders... mostly.
  Well, maybe we could meet at the beer garden to talk shop when the weather warms up. I'll even try to bring a bunch of Blue Skyers.
  Anyway, it's nice to hear from fellow graphics geeks in the hood.
-Dan

Hey, great to see some more animation industry folks on this board!!  I have a good friend who works at Blue Sky, I wonder if you know him.  He's in the animatics dept. 

Seems like all of us run the gamut as far as our interests and concentrations.  That's really cool.  We should definitely plan a get together at the beer garden once it warms up.  That would be awesome!