Local animation for Chicago @ OpenChime.com

Summer 2010 has been a creative and productive time for the H.MacDo Studio and I am proud to announce a brand new animated spot just completed for the launch of OpenChime.com.





Working directly with the client, the 45 second script was written and edited by the fine folks at OpenChime and then designed, illustrated and animated by me in the H.MacDo Studio using hand-drawn elements and frame-by-frame animation in Flash and AfterEffects.


OpenChime.com is a new local business directory for the Chicago area. If you live in Chicago, OpenChime connects you to local services such as wedding photographers, catering, moving services and the like. You simply tell them what you need and when you need it, OpenChime quickly collects provider's information and quotes based on your request and your appointment is just a click away! OpenChime is only available in Chicago at this time, but if it catches on, could be offered in more locations in the near future. Go to the site and let them know you want OpenChime in your city!!

Also, check out the link Chime for Charity, and learn about how OpenChime is also offering a way for local charitable organizations to run fundraisers through the OpenChime network.

Preliminary sketches for OpenChime

OpenChime rough storyboard thumbnails

"Fresh Delivery" for Plumtv.com

So this has been a really great week here at the H.macdo Studio. I've just completed a new spring promo for Plumtv.com in NYC. This was an incredibly fun project and client to work with. I'm happy to see it come into full fruition as Spring is certainly in full bloom this week! Stay tuned as I am excited to be working on several really cool new projects and commissions for later this Spring and Summer.

H.macdo Animation & Illustration Studio presents a brand new Spring 2010 motion graphics promo spot for client: Plumtv.com in New York City. All design elements, artwork, original concept development and animation created by H.macdo Animation & Illustration Studio for Plumtv.com. Original logo created by Plumtv.com

Tools used: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, AfterEffects and Flash.

Music credit: audio track is "Fresh Delivery" off the Plumtv audiosocket library. The authors are Captain Planet off the Bastard Jazz Sync Disc 2.

Plumtv

Here are some AfterEffect stills from the Plum spot I have been working on this week. Not going to post animation just yet as I am working with the client now to wrap final details and notes. I'm also trying to find the appropriate music today. I want some thing electronica with a world beat vibe and some thing that I won't have copyright issues with. It's a tough one. It's truly shaping up nicely. I can't wait to share!

Plumtv.com: Think of all the possibilities

Oh Friday and I'm all over the place. I just had to post some thing that was NOT purple! I am wrapping up a week of creating artwork for the Plum spot. While scanning artwork, cleaning up images and silhouetting, I am beginning to experiment with my ideas for animation in AfterEffects. Also starting to think about what kind of music would best suit this piece. hmmmmmm. Suggestions?

Plumtv.com Tuesday April 6

I started creating and inking the flower bloom for the very beginning of the storyboard. There are 18 of these drawings in all and I do love getting back to using India ink. I also like switching it up and being away from the computer for a while.

Just some testing in AE with the tree illustration to begin visualizing the shot that pans through the middle of the storyboard. Thinking about how many of the branches really need the detailed texture pattern.

I started to build up the tree illustration for the background. Now, I know I could have used the live trace option but it did not give me enough of the refined look I was going for. I would have spent more time cleaning it up to my liking. Also, I wanted to build the tree in specific sections for 3d layering in AfterEffects.

Plumtv.com 10 second animation spot

The challenge is to "Create a mood that brands Plum as THE on-air and online destination for an “insider’s guide” to our markets, in some of the most extraordinary and beautiful locations in the country." -Plumtv.com creative brief

That said, I want to give the viewer the idea that while these beautiful plum blossoms are blooming and splattering in paint all over the tree, a few of the flowers begin to morph into a fashion figure, people playing sports, or the silhouette of exotic destinations.

The biggest challenge for me this week is going to be tackling the production side of this piece, creating the backgrounds, the illustrator artwork, hand-drawn art and watercolor washes. I need to be diligent each day to stay on track so I am going to do my best to post my progress here each day to keep me going!

Through out the week I will be creating all new artwork for the 10 second spot I am designing and animating. One of the things that stood out for me in the creative brief was a tie into the seasons, which right now is going to be spring. While pondering spring themes and upon further investigation, I learned a little bit about how the plum grows on small trees and actually has really beautiful blooms each season in the early spring. In keeping with ideas listed in the Plum creative, my concept quickly became all about "Blooming", "Spring" and "Spring renewal" and "living life to the fullest... bloom". In my storyboard everything is blooming: culture, the arts and out door sports.

click image to enlarge

The first frame starts with a close up of a plum flower bud blooming into a beautiful plum flower. The camera zooms back quickly to show other flowers blooming and the branches of a tree start to draw themselves onto the screen. Some of the flowers that bloom are represented by a quick splattering of paint onto the screen. The camera continues to pull back but then quickly starts to pan left to right. While the camera is panning and the flowers are blooming suddenly several of the flowers begin to morphing into different elements that represent the Plum brand, fashion, outdoor sports, and beautiful locations. As they pass by on the screen they go into full bloom showcasing each element of Plum and then morph back into smaller blooms on the tree. In the end, the blooms fly away from the tree leaving one plum that the camera quickly zooms into as it rotates to reveal the final Plumtv logo.

Spring projects are in the air!

The art of becoming, being and continuing to work as a freelance artist is an endeavor that is never to be taken lightly. It is a 7AM-7PM affair and that's just on a good day. I am often tearing myself away from the computer at the pleas of a hungry cat and a hungrier boyfriend while asking myself the same question each time, "...but have I done enough for today?" The answer is always NO! To make it work, I must always muster as much energy and excitement for finding the business, planning the business, writing proposals, scheduling time-lines and invoices as I would for creating the actual artwork itself. It is a true full-time commitment... but you know what? ...I love it!

I have a bunch of new animation, graphic design and illustration projects that I'm really excited about for these up-coming spring months so I should be pretty busy here and I want to keep updating as much as possible. I'm working my way into the 6th full month of working as a completely independent artist and learning so much as I go along. Thus far, I've had as many bouts of bad days/weeks as I've had good days, but recently after securing work with a few newer clients, I'm starting to feel a sense of "this is really happening". I've got a lot of work ahead! Time for more coffee!

New Ofleb Productions Logo Wink ;)

More fun with Karen Belfo and Ofleb Productions in Montreal. Cartoonist Karim Terouz created this original logo design for Ofelb Productions and I had a great time giving it a little life with Flash and AfterEffects.

Ofleb Productions Montreal

click to enlarge any image

I am excited to be working with the talented Ms. Karen Belfo of Ofleb Productions in Montreal again! Saladani's Enigma is a new feature length film Karen is working on for 2011. Ms. Ofleb explains about her new film,

"Saldani's imagination and perception on reality get tangled into a web of negativity and confusion. Her enigma reflects herself. Her characters are her obsession and the man next door becomes her ticket to freedom."

visit: www.saldanisenigma.com

Hmmm sounds interesting!
Karen hired me a few weeks back to start creating a unique animated intro for her new movie. So, on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, I rolled up my sleeves and put on my favorite Django Reinhardt tunes as I worked out these 4 concept illustrations for the new intro. I wanted to create a characiture for Saldani that channels the quirky character Amelie played by actress Audrey Tautou and Betty Boop! The next step will be to work this into a nice 30 second animated piece introducing the film (coming soon in April), much like "Frank's Letter" another short film I worked on with Karen Belfo a few years ago. I'm really excited about this because I look forward to an opportunity to animate in a very gritty ink and wash style again. Yeaaaah Montreal!!!

...and a few more things I've been working on

Better late than never...

I started a blog today in an effort to record my creative ideas and as a sort of artistic dump where I can quickly collect and record my animation, illustration and design projects that I develop independently and professionally over time.