In a Tedward Direction

New John Carter trailer

2011-07-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

New trailer for the movie I'm currently working on, "John Carter." Formerly being "of Mars."

Sequence from Harry Potter

2011-07-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

The latest and last Harry Potter comes out this Friday, and I'm excited to see the finished product in it's proper place in the story.

This is part of one of the sequences I worked on. The two fire creature shots in there were animated by yours truly :)

Pub dog

2011-05-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share :)

Last day at MPC and then on to Double Negative!

2011-04-22T04:53:00.000-07:00

Hello.
So yesterday was my last day at MPC. I had a fantastic 3 months there working on Harry Potter. It wasn't easy but I'm happy with the work that I did and I really look forward to seeing it done and up on the big screen. Thanks to everyone in the animation department for making me feel like I belonged there, and I'll see you guys at the White Horse from time to time. Special thanks to Ferran for being my first supervisor and an awesome one at that, to production, Kayleigh and Sam, who kept things running super smoothly, and to Greg who helped me cross the pond. I'll see you all in a few months and I'm sure it will whiz on by.

But until then, I'll be joining the animation team at Double Negative to work on John Carter of Mars next Tuesday. I'm super excited, this movie is going to be huge; there's going to be a ton of animation in it. I'll try to post more while there, but likely it'll be at the end of the show.

So this is kind of a big deal....

2011-01-21T04:44:00.000-08:00

I just got off the plane yesterday and I am now in London! I start Monday as an animator at the Moving Picture Company. It's all very exciting, and I'm looking forward to the challenges of the new job and living in an entirely different city/country.

Spungella Contest!

2010-12-02T17:54:00.000-08:00

Spungella Animation Contest - Fall 2010 - "Flying School" from Jean-Denis Haas on Vimeo.

Guys, I won! You can see the announcement and all the entries at the link below.
Spungella Contest Winner
And Jean-Denis Haas had me do a little write up about myself which can be found here.
There was a lot of great stuff and it's definitely an honor to win. I'm really surprised that there was only one literal take on the "flying school."

Flying School

2010-11-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

This is a piece I finished last Friday for the Animation Competition over at Spungella. I like how it turned out, but I think I have some more refining to do before it goes on the reel. Enjoy!

Demo reel!

2010-11-19T18:22:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, here's my latest demo reel. It contains my latest personal works and some of the stuff I did while I working on Project Offset.

The Final Hour of Henry Cromwell

2010-11-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. Sarah and I just finished this film, we did it for Kate Janzen's senior music recital. She wrote a bit of music that had a bit of a story and we decided to make a film. It was a lot of fun and we're both rather pleased with how it turned out.

Robot Fight finished!

2010-08-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

Calling this one done.

A little bit about the tough parts:
The original rig was unable to transform, so I modeled a basic truck and cut it into pieces to enable transformation. I animated Optimus getting up from a low crouch into a run. I hand animated his pieces and the pieces of the original truck in order to get a transformation that worked from the camera.
I added other features to the Optimus rig, including toe controls, wheel controls, chest plate controls and his sword.

To give credit where credit is due, the Optimus Prime rig is by Gary Wee, the LowRobo rig is by Ila Soleimani, and the Norman rig is by Leif Jeffers, Morgan Loomis, Peter Starostin, and Neal Thibodeaux.

Here's the transformation with some sound. I think it's pretty cool.

Robot Fight

2010-08-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

Edit: Replaced the finished video with the one of blocking.

So this is something I put up on Vimeo about a week ago, but neglected to put it up here because I was getting ready for Siggraph, then I was at Siggraph, and now I'm home and able to work and post and all that fun stuff. It's in progress, but I will be overwriting this file as I finish shots.

The Continuing Adventures

2010-06-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

So I have been up to a few things since getting laid off. One of which is this dialogue piece.

The line is from Black Books. I'm very pleased with how it's turned out.

The other thing I've been doing is working on a short with one Mr. Eric Royal. The short is called "Salvaged," and it concerns two robots on a small, desolate asteroid. Eric has the finished designs for the characters up here

I've just finished modeling the Kill-O-Byte character and am in the process of rigging him.

We'll post more as we get to it.

The end

2010-03-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my last day at Offset. I was there for about 8 months, and it was a ton of fun. I'm proud to have worked with such a talented team, and I'm proud that I was able to live up to their expectations. I'm on the lookout for a new job. I'm going to be doing some personal animations until that happens, I'll try my best to post

GDC

2010-03-11T15:16:00.001-08:00

I'm sitting here waiting for my demo reel to finish rendering out so I can take it to the GDC. I'll be finding out soon when I can post it up here... hopefully.

So... it's been a while....

2010-03-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone,
I'm putting together a reel to take to the GDC next week (I won't be able to post that until then), but here's a new t. rex run to replace the old one that serves as the intro to my reel. Be prepared for more updates and hopefully more frequent posting.

Offset Software

2009-09-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, all. So I've been at Offset just over a month. It's been great! Everyone there is friendly and talented and I appear to get along with them. I've been doing a lot of animation, and while there's some that I don't think are my best, I'm very proud of the work I've been doing and hopefully in the future I'll be able to share some of it with you all (if you get the game you'll definitely see :D). Posts will probably get more infrequent, but I do have a personal animation in the works. Hopefully I'll make some progress on that soon.

New job!

2009-07-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

I start Tuesday as an animator at Offset Software! Very exciting!

A Dark Matter won something!

2009-07-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

Our 48 Hour Film Project film, A Dark Matter, won "Best Use of Special Effects"! I'm very happy as I was pretty much the visual effects department. Congratulations to everyone that was a part of Racing Time Productions. Making movies is not a one man band kind of thing. Special thanks goes to Jesse Janzen, for having THE vision, and Sean Wells, who helped develop the look of the superpowers with me, helped film some of the vfx sequences, and also, did the greenscreen for the news bits. And thanks to everyone else for comments, criticisms and telling me that Drew dying looked awesome.

A Dark Matter

2009-06-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

Here's the link to our finished film. Enjoy!

New things

2009-06-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

First, we finished the 48 Hour Film Project last night, we also actually made the deadline, so our film will be judged and shown. It's an awesome superhero movie (our genre) and I was the visual effects department and director of photography.

In other news, Ted Lister doesn't get to go to Animation Mentor this term as his loans didn't get approved. He will be trying again this next term. More at 7.

48 Hour Film Project

2009-06-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

That's right, it's this weekend. 48 hours of film making fun. We now have a 5x7 greenscreen and I've reacquainted myself with our HV30. I'm ready.
In other news I'm still waiting on Sallie Mae to see whether I'll be going to Animation Mentor this term or not.
Ted out.

Animation Mentor

2009-05-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone who reads this blog (Eric, I'm looking at you). I was just accepted into the acclaimed Animation Mentor program, so long as my loan stuff goes through, I will be starting this summer. I'll post when and what I can. I'll be posting more animations once I start, but also leading up to I'll be finishing a few, such as the T. rex.

New Reel Intro

2009-04-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

So I dusted off the T. rex to put together a new intro for my demo reel. The plan is to replace all animation on my reel in the next 2 months. This is only the beginning.

Reel Intro Blocking from Ted Lister on Vimeo.

It happened again...

2009-04-16T15:38:00.001-07:00

And I'm sorry. Can you forgive me for neglecting you? I'll try harder in the future. More later.

It's been too long...

2008-08-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry, it was my fault, I got caught up with work, I started working days instead of nights, and I stopped animating, it was sad, and I neglected you. Let's catch up, I got laid off in June, I've been working on wedding stuff, like a digital painting for our invitation. Siggraph is next week and I'm going with Scott (Sarah can't go, she's busy up at LucasFilm Animation). I've been doing test animations for Insomniac Games. It took me a while to figure out a six legged creature walk, but I'm rather pleased with what I've got. Still have 3 more animations to do, and little time to do it in. Critique if you please, I'll try to fix it before I send it off.

Tablet PC!

2008-05-09T20:30:00.001-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I just received my new Gateway C-142XL tablet PC today. It's awesome. Now it only needs a good name...

Action Dive Finished!

2008-05-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Here's the finished action dive and roll. I'm still accepting critique.

Action dive!

2008-04-26T03:29:00.000-07:00

So here's what I've been working on. I took the generic Max rig off Highend3d.com and I made him Indiana Jones. The hat and whip are mine, both are actually rigged! Anyway, this is just blocking, and at the end, when he grabs his hat, he's going to adjust it, I just haven't had sufficient reference for that.

More Dragon

2008-04-07T17:01:00.001-07:00

More tweaks, I hope he's getting better. I'm also trying out Veoh for video hosting.

Note: Veoh didn't work out for posting on the blog, but I could probably start posting a link to it if you people want to see the video in a larger format.

More Dragon

2008-04-06T21:12:00.001-07:00

I've done more with his wings, and lessened his grip on the air.

Dragon animation rendered

2008-04-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

I had James Straus (of Jurassic Park and Dragonheart fame) look at my animation, and he thought he looked rather lazy, like a dragon who's just carelessly going along. So I've made him really work to have to stay in the air. Here is rendered out and comped.

Dragon Animation!

2008-04-02T05:14:00.000-07:00

Here's my dragon flying, I'm getting to be pleased with it, I'd like some feedback though, I'm very very tired. They just moved my shift, today's my first day doing it. I used to go from 5pm to 3am. Now I go from 8pm to 6am. Gah. Anyway, I'm going to render out a version tonight (I've got a 64bit machine here), if anyone makes any suggestions, I'll take them into consideration and update my animation as needs be. I really think I just want to see how fast he renders...

New Caricature

2008-03-22T02:13:00.000-07:00

For those of you that didn't know, I've been making a 3d caricature of myself.

This is the new version.

And another angle.

Eventually I'll make one of Sarah. Our plan is to do a 3d print and have our caricatures be our wedding topper. It'll be awesome! We're also going to have them star in a short of our own devising. Then there's the merchandising (just kidding.... maybe). Stay tuned as I get things done.

:(

2008-03-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

The mystery company was Blizzard, I didn't get the job. They wanted someone with more polish. I did get a job though at CafeFX as a night time render wrangler. Thanks to everyone who critiqued my work.

Finished!

2008-03-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

I did some final tweaks on the death sequence and set off an avi and the Maya files. They said I should hear back from them on Monday. Here's to hoping. I figured now I'd upload all of the finished animations I did, cuz I can.

The Walk

The Run

The Attack

And lastly, the Death.

Thanks to Pete at ILM, Danny at Lucasfilm Animation, and Sarah (also at Lucasfilm, but I felt saying that was a little strange concerning my fiance.) for looking over my animations, critiquing and making them better.

Done to Death

2008-03-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well, here's the finished (I hope) death scene.

He's dead! Hooray!

2008-03-14T03:45:00.000-07:00

I've pretty much finished the death scene, I just need to do his loin cloth and I'm set. Just so you all can appreciate this, for the most part, I hand animated the mace back into place. May not sound like much but it was a pain, considering I couldn't detach it.

And then he died...

2008-03-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here is the blocking for the death part. I'm rather pleased with how it came out, especially the impact at the end.

Finished Walk (I hope)

2008-03-13T13:49:00.001-07:00

I did more things to it, evened out some things, smoothed some things out, watched my arcs, I led the arm movement with his clavicle , then I animated his shoulder, then his elbow, then wrist. Doing most of the movement in the clavicle meant no screwy arcs

Walk the Walk

2008-03-13T01:39:00.000-07:00

Alright, I did quite a bit to the walk. Most importantly I changed his arm swinging, it has more of an arc (something Pete pointed out, I forgot about the shoulders taking the arc out of FK), and i've been trying really hard not make it snap at either end. I would also like to say I was reminded of the Create Motion Sweep tool, it really helped me see my arcs and to fix the acceleration and deceleration of the objects.

Marathon

2008-03-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

Here's an updated run. Hopefully the mace feels heavier.

Attack Mark 4

2008-03-12T00:53:00.000-07:00

Made a few more changes, but I'm calling it done for now until someone points out a way to make it better.

I'm running out of attack post names

2008-03-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

At the suggestion of professional animator, Pete Kelly, I've made some changes. Most significantly his right foot stays still for the most part, and his left foot lifts to accentuate the impact.
Discuss.

When People Attack

2008-03-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

The animation on this guy was feeling very evenly timed, and it was getting to me. I acted out the scene again, and realized that my right foot moved as a reaction to the mace's impact (I don't really have a mace, it's a cardboard tube.... and yes I know it doesn't have the correct weight). So I added that in, adjusted the existing animation, and I think it breaks up evenness of the different actions. Feel free to critique.

Attack Part 2

2008-03-11T01:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's another pass, I decided I didn't like the way he hefted the mace, it technically broke his wrists, so I changed it.

The Attack

2008-03-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's a pass at the attack. Woo.

Also, I tried to make it loop twice in Maya, doing the whole Post Infinity Cycle thing, strange thing is that some parts don't want to do it right... makes no sense to me. Unfortunately that means you only get one play, but trust me, it loops. Well, maybe not the best loop, but it does.

New animations! Part 3

2008-03-10T00:30:00.001-07:00

Here's an attack animation. Bam.
It's only in the blocking stage so be kind please.

Also, technically, it loops, but I didn't post a looping version here.

New animations! cont'd

2008-03-09T01:58:00.000-08:00

I edited the post below to contain a looping version of the animation. It is, as you may have guessed, a walk cycle. Today I'm just about done with the run cycle.
Check it out!

New animations!

2008-03-08T00:51:00.001-08:00

My dialogue sequence is on hold. A well-known and successful game company has asked me to do 4 animations as a test. I got the e-mail and rig today, and here's my first. Critique away!

I'm not going to say which company it is until I either get it or don't. So wish me luck in order to satisfy your curiosity!

Hurtful Remarks Blocking

2008-03-05T20:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, here's the blocking for one character in a dialogue sequence I'm doing (personal project). It's a line from Black Books, a British television program from the mind of Dylan Moran. It's wonderful. I've only blocked in the one character so far, as I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to have the other character do until the end when his lines come up. I mean, I have some ideas, but I need to do some thumbnails to really nail down the my nebulous ideas.

Welcome

2008-03-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone (whoever you may be), and welcome. I plan on using this, ahem, blog to post my in progress animations for critique. It helps me improve and it also let's people that come by my site, Stylized Reality, to see what I'm currently working on, and if they're curious, how I work.
That being said I'm finishing up some blocking on a dialogue sequence and I hope to have the video for that up today or tomorrow.