Ghostbusters: The Video Game released this week!

The game is out, and being favorably reviewed at Kotaku and other sites, which is always nice. I enjoyed working on Ghostbusters, it is a franchise with a long history and a ton of fans and recognition world-wide, not too often you can work on a property like that.

I will try to post some more thoughts on it soon.

Ghostbusters Game Footage

Here's a compilation of new footage from the game. (video)

It's all coming together, we are working long hours, but the end is near!

The Natural History of Cars

I love the whole thought behind this post, how he is creeped out by living cars, why do then need carseats? I'll have to send this to some friends over at Pixar and get their thoughts on it.

The Natural History of Cars

A disturbing question from my son: “Daddy, is Lightning McQueen a robot?”

I’ve had actual nightmares about the automobile-populated world of Cars. Thinking in terms of evolution, imagine some kind of micromechanical start to life. Instead of clay hosting self-reproducing crystals of increasing complexity (or however earth-based biology got bootstrapped), imagine gear-and-spring level origins, with currents of water or wind supplying wind-up energy; later refinements might have involved burning fuel, taking advantage of solar power or natural radioactive sources, and cannibalizing the power sources of other mechanicals.

Obviously there are plants in Carsworld. Parallel development of a DNA-based biosphere solves the problem of the source of the mechanical’s fossil fuels (they get it out of the ground like we do) and where their oxygen comes from (plants make it).

But separate-but-equal evolution doesn’t solve the anthropomorphic issues. Why do cars have windows and seats and locks on doors? It’s like the people stepped out just before the film was made. It’s spooky.

So I don’t think that Cars evolved on their own. It’s just too much coincidence. We made ‘em, that’s obvious."

(link to rest of post)

Tips for Students - The House of Curves

Saw this link in an Ed Hooks email today, some great advice.

In September 2008, Imagine Magazine released our 2 sided poster, aimed at giving animation students a helping hand with their studies and some advice whilst they prepare for their careers within the industry.

We’re delighted to announce that the full pdf document is now finished and available for downloading.
The full resolution posters are also available.

We’d like to thank FRANK GRIMSHAW editor of Imagine Magazine, for making us follow this through, as well as JAKOB SCHUH of Studio Soi for the amazing illustrations.

SUGGESTIONS / FEEDBACK
If you think we’ve left out a CRUCIAL tip that should be added to version 2.0 of our pdf OR if you have any feedback OR spot any typo’s we’d love to hear from you. Please let us know at tips@thehouseofcurves.com

Film/Animation/Effects potential jobs listing

A friend of mine, Alex Fleisig, posted a ton of potential job links on a list the ex-DNA folks inhabit, thought I'd share it. Times are definitely tightening in the animation industry, so passing info along and networking is really important.

FILM/ANIMATION/EFFECTS

- American Zoetrope <http://www.zoetrope.com/> | Film | San Francisco
Unknown
- *GONE*ESC <http://www.escfx.com/> | Digital Effects | Alameda
http://www.escfx.com/jobs/jobs_main.php
- Giant Killer Robots <http://www.giantkillerrobots.com/> | Visual
Effects | San Francisco
Click on "JOBS" <http://www.giantkillerrobots.com/>
- ILM <http://www.ilm.com/> | Visual Effects | San Rafael
http://www.ldlhr.com/jobs.html
- Lucasfilm <http://www.lucasfilm.com/> | Film | San Rafael
http://www.lucasarts.com/company/job/
- Matte World Digital <http://www.matteworld.com/> | Visual Effects |
Novato
http://www.matteworld.com/hr/index.html
- Palma VFX <http://www.palmavfx.com/> | Animation and Visual Effects |
San Francisco
Unknown
- Phoenix Edit, Effects, & Design | Editing and Visual Effects | San
Francisco
Unknown
- The Orphanage <http://www.theorphanage.com/> | Animation and Effects |
San Francisco
http://www.theorphanage.com/jobs/
- PDI/Dreamworks <http://www.pdi.com/> | Digital Animation/Effects | Palo
Alto
http://www.dreamworks.com/jobs/index2.html
- Pixar <http://www.pixar.com/> | Digital Animation | Emeryville
http://www.pixar.com/companyinfo/jobs/index.html
- Sony Pictures Imageworks <http://www.sonypictures.com/imageworks/> |
Digital Effects and Animation | Novato (Culver City)
http://imageworks.com/hr/index.html
- Skywalker Sound <http://www.skysound.com/> | Sound/Post-production |
San Rafael
http://www.ilm.com/jobs.html#sound
- *UPDATED* Tippett Studios <http://www.tippett.com/> | Visual Effects |
Berkeley
Current Openings <http://www.tippett.com/index.php?pt=3&bc=120&tt=12>
- *UPDATED*W!LDBRAIN <http://www.wildbrain.com/> | Animation | San
Francisco
http://www.wildbrain.com/careers.html
- Zealot Pictures <http://www.zealotpictures.com/> | Film | San Francisco
Posts on craigslist.org<http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/jjj?query=%22Zealot+Pictures%22>

VIDEO GAMES/COMPUTER GAMES

- Activision <http://activision.com/> | Games | Novato, San Francisco
(Santa Monica)
Careers @ Activision<http://activision.com/en_US/corporate/hr_jobs_frames.jsp>*
Also has listings for Shaba, Toys for Bob, and Vicarious Visions
- AiLive <http://www.ailive.net/> | Artifical Intelligence | Palo Alto
http://www.ailive.net/careers.html
- Atari <http://www.atari.com/> | Games | Sunnyvale (New York, France)
http://corporate.infogrames.com/corp_hrmain.php?action=showjobs&locat...

- Bay Area Sound <http://www.basound.com/pages/home.html> | Sound/Voice
Acting | San Francisco
Unknown
- Blue Shift <http://www.blueshiftgames.com/> | Games | Palo Alto
Unknown
- Capcom <http://www.capcom.com/> | Games | Sunnyvale (Japan)
http://www.capcom.com/jobs/
- Cryptic Studios <http://crypticstudios.com/> | Games | Los Gatos
Current Openings<http://crypticstudios.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=sectional...>
- Double Fine <http://www.doublefine.com/> | Games | San Francisco
http://www.doublefine.com/jobs.htm (bonus points for funny)
- Electronic Arts/Maxis <http://www.ea.com/> | Games | Redwood City
http://jobs.ea.com/<http://jobs.ea.com/pljb/global_jsp/applicant/SearchAgentMgr/SearchPro...>
- Eidos <http://www.eidosinteractive.com/> | Games | San Francisco, Menlo
Park
http://www.eidosinteractive.com/corporate/jobs.html
- Factor5 <http://www.factor5.com/> | Games | San Rafael
http://careers.factor5.com/<http://careers.factor5.com/layout1.asp?Page_id=6867&published=1>
- *UPDATED* Flagship Studios <http://www.flagshipstudios.com/> | Games |
San Francisco
http://www.flagshipstudios.com/jobs_main.html
- Global VR <http://globalvr.com/> | Arcade Games | San Jose
http://globalvr.com/company_career_opportunities.html
- Hyperpia <http://www.hyperpia.com/> | Games/Platforms | Fremont
http://www.hyperpia.com/jobs.html
- Konami <http://www.konami.com/> | Games | Redwood City (Japan)
http://www.konami.com/gs/jobs.shtml
- KRU <http://www.kru.com/> | Games | Santa Clara
Unknown
- LindenLab <http://lindenlab.com/> | MMOG | San Francisco
http://lindenlab.com/employment
- *NEW* Lamplighter Studios <http://lamplighterstudios.com/> | 3D
Models/Animations/Enviros for Games | San Francisco
Posts on craigslist.org
- LucasArts <http://www.lucasarts.com/> | Games | San Rafael
http://www.lucasarts.com/jobs/
- Namco Bandai <http://www.namco.com/> | Games | San Francisco (Japan)
http://www.namco.com/pane_single.php?res=careers
- *NEW* NCSoft <http://www.plaync.com/> | Games | Mountain View (Korea)
http://www.plaync.com/us/jobs/jobs_norcal.php
- Nihilistic <http://www.nihilistic.com/> | Games | Novato
http://www.nihilistic.com/careers.php
- Nintendo <http://www.nintendo.com/> | Games/Hardware | San Francisco
(Japan)
Taleo.net Job
List<https://nintendo.taleo.net/servlets/CareerSection?art_ip_action=FlowD...>
- Page 44 <http://www.page44.com/> | Games | San Francisco
http://www.page44.com/employment.html
- Perpetual <http://www.perpetual.com/> | MMORPGs | San Francisco
http://www.perpetual.com/jobs/
- Planet Moon Studios <http://www.planetmoon.com/> | Games | San
Francisco
http://www.planetmoon.com/contact_2.html
- PopCap <http://www.popcap.com/> | Games | San Francisco (Seattle)
PopCap Games -
Careers<http://hostedjobs.openhire.com/epostings/jobs/submit.cfm?company_id=1...>
- Pronto Games <http://www.prontogames.com/> | Games | Emeryville
Jobs<http://www.prontogames.com/developer/index.php?option=com_content&tas...>
- ROBLOX <http://roblox.com/> | Games | Menlo Park
http://roblox.com/info/Jobs.aspx
- Secret Level <http://www.secretlevel.com/> | Games | San Francisco

http://www.secretlevel.com/main.php?page_type=item_pages&page=jobs_li...
- SEGA <http://www.sega.com/> | Games | San Francisco (Japan)
http://www.sega.com/corporate/corporate.php?item=corporate_jobs
- Slipgate Ironworks <http://www.slipg8.com/> | Games | San Mateo
http://www.slipg8.com/
- THQ <http://www.thq.com/> | Games | Santa Clara (Agoura Hills)
http://careers.thq.com/thq/cc/Home.ss
- Three Rings <http://www.threerings.net/> | Games | San Francisco
http://www.threerings.net/jobs/
- TikGames <http://www.tikgames.com/> | Games | San Mateo
http://www.tikgames.com/Jobs/tabid/60/Default.aspx
- Totally Games <http://www.totallygames.com/> | Games | Novato
http://www.totallygames.com/jobs/
- UbiSoft <http://www.ubi.com/> | Games | San Francisco
http://jobs.ubi.com/

and here's a list of animation studios up here
http://www.wickedsunshine.com/Animation/AnimationLinks-SanFranciscoSt...

YouTube Doubler | Worf, Theory of the Mobius | Star Trek

YouTube Doubler

“Mykonos” Video by Sean Pecknold | Cartoonbrew.com

Mykonos from Grandchildren on Vimeo.

Full video credits, along with a ‘making of’ short can be viewed here.
(full post at cartoonbrew.com)

C'mon Sea Legs by Immaculate Machine. Animation using printed photos

Nice effect, I like how some of the cut-out images still have white areas around strands of hair where they didn't cut it out, just adds to the handcrafted feel of the video.

http://www.immaculatemachine.com
Official music video for C'mon Sea Legs by Immaculate Machine. A stop motion animation using photographs printed on paper. A collaboration between Kimberli Persley, Geoffrey Tomlin-Hood and many others.

Calvin and Hobbes animation | wallyanimations

Saw this while cruising around YouTube, made me laugh. Calvin is up to mischief, but at least he isn't peeing on a logo, the auto industry has it tough enough as it is.

"Click here for a bit of the pencil test: http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs23/f/200...

Made this in my third year of my animation studies, here in Belgium.
Based on the characters and story of the comic 'Calvin and Hobbes'.
Copyright Bill Watterson.

This is just an animationexercice. I don't claim to make the 'perfect Calvin and Hobbes film'. I know the voice isn't very suitable, but i am a Belgian animationstudent. I did what was in my capabilities.

These are about 300 drawings handdrawn with pencil and all inked by hand. All scanned one by one and made the sound."