We all know that shortcuts save you time when working on a project (they are called shortcuts for a reason, after all), but keeping multiple key combinations in your head for all the software you use can be a daunting task. Let me introduce you to the Adobe Shortcut App. It’s been around since August of [...]

In my last article, Know Your Camera, Part I: Shot Lengths & Angles, I began to explain how to easily make your work look more professional and dynamic by simply changing the shot length and angle of your camera. In this article, Know Your Camera, Part II: Movement, I’ll take it one step further and [...]

In my last article, 25 Great Podcasts You Should Download, I let you in on twenty five of the best podcasts you can download directly to iTunes to get tutorials, news, software and hardware reviews, discussions on movies and so much more; however, podcasts aren’t the only place to go to get all of that [...]

If you’re looking to push your knowledge of a certain subject further or are just looking for a little inspiration for your work then look no further. Here are 22 excellent podcasts containing tutorials for software including After Effects, Cinema 4D, Final Cut, Motion, Illustrator and many more; interviews with industry leaders and rising stars; [...]

In any production, whether it is a full length feature film or a small scale personal motion graphics project, it’s always wise to use everything at your disposal to help tell your story and convey your message to the audience, and one of the most often overlooked ways to do that is also one of [...]

Things are always evolving. Anyone in the motion graphics or visual effects industry knows this is the truth, and with social networks popping up left and right on the internet, the methods of promoting yourself are no exception; but what does this mean for the more traditional methods of promotion such as the business card? These days [...]

Making its debut at NAB 2010, Imagineer Systems is announcing the release of version 2.0 of mocha, their flagship planar tracking and roto station, on April 12th. Although I wasn’t lucky enough to be at NAB, I was lucky enough to get a hands on test of this reengineered system, and I can tell you, [...]

Nipping on the heels of the website Chat Roulette comes this new entry into the reel posting websites, Reel Roulette, a simple and fun way to get your reel to the masses. The brain child of Nick Campbell (GreyScaleGorilla.com, CreamyOrange.com, MakeCoolShit.com) and Trevor Turk (TrevorTurk.com, AlmostEffortless.com) and coded by Joshua Schaible (JoshuaSchaible.com), Reel Roulette follows the [...]

It doesn’t matter if you are looking for freelance work or a career in a motion graphics studio, your reel and your past work are your golden tickets to getting your foot in the door of any employer, be it a company or an individual client. They will care more that you can do the [...]

As we draw closer to the end of this year, I reflect on all the amazing works I’ve seen from creative professionals in the motion graphics industry. In this post I’ll be touching on a curated list of what I consider to be some of the most progressive, forward thinking, and well executed work from [...]

Prologue Noteworthy filmmakers have always had a healthy vision of what their film should look like. Utilizing a myriad of camera and editing techniques combined with the keen eye of the cinematographer, the filmmaker can make the most profound statements with visuals, budget notwithstanding. One of my favorite tricks up the filmmakers sleeve is the use of [...]

A STEREOSCOPIC EVENT BY: ANTIVJ & PRINCIPLES OF GEOMETRY AntiVJ is a visual label that I’ve recently come to know of and respect. Conceptualized by European-based visual artists; AntiVJ explores the uses of stereoscopy, holographic illusions, projected light and other progressive forms of visual stimuli that really push the envelope on live Audio / Visual performances. AntiVJ is [...]

Introduction As human beings, we are intrigued and somewhat obsessed with technology and the future; robots in science fiction is a reoccuring theme often used in films to depict the future, and perhaps soon enough, may become an everyday reality. When we see humanlike robots in films or even in real life, we may naturally try to [...]

Eight vampire movies worth watching. Well seven at least. One is just disgusting.

This is the third and final post in a 3-part series where we have been looking at the Principles of Animation, developed in the early years of Walt Disney animation as they were pioneering the young animation field. In Part 1, we looked at squash and stretch, anticipation, and staging. In Part 2, we looked [...]