Dreamworks -- From the Eyes of a CCMer

(From Mike Gallardo -- CCM 3D Animation Intern)

Well what can I say. I and about 20 others went to Dreamworks Animation and it was great.

I felt like a little kid and at the same time I felt I knew a lot of how it works out there. The Studio was top of the line And they had a huge pond with koi in it and they also had the Dreamworks logo made out of a bush. They also had Po from Kung Fu Panda standing about 10 feet tall in there lobby.

So it was a lot and we got to see a few things of there up coming flicks. Like Monsters Vs. Aliens, How to Train a Dragon, and Shrek Goes Forth! It was amazing! But enough of all that. Where does God fit into this all.

Well when we were at Morro Bay. I asked a few questions and that was before I knew we were going to Dreamworks. I asked: where am I going with this 3D stuff? Do I need to come out to LA? Is Dreamworks a place to go?

Those were a few. And God answered every one of them when I found out we were going to Dreamworks! And, when we were at Dreamworks, God showed me: yes 3D is for you Mike. And Animation is what you need to put your soul into. And He said yes to LA and WAY yes to Dreamworks.

And I was like how does God do that I wasn’t really looking for an answer soon but it was bam bam BAM!

One of the other CCMer's Aunt works at Dreamworks as a Layout Supervisor. And it was great what she had to share. And she was a big part of what God had to say to me. She hit many things that answered my questions and it was great to talk with a 3D person in the biz. She also hooked us up with an Animator that has worked on The Bee Movie and Monsters vs Aliens. It was great to hear from him and here about animation my biggest passion. God showed me many thing in only a few hours and I was all ears.

To say the least I think I know where I am going but I still have a lot of work to do and I still have a journey I need to take I think before I find my self in Dreamworks.

END…

Dreamworks Animation - ON THE LOT

As per usual in the world of CCM (ok, in the world of production in general)... the day did NOT end at 5pm!!

In fact... in many ways the best was yet to come!!!

About 20 of the team (restricted due to the amount of people that could fit on the journey we were about to take) headed over to Glendale.... the home of Dreamworks Animation.



In the middle of this busy L.A. suburb is a quiet and carefully crafted campus (crafted to bring out the highest degree of art, creativity, and ideas) that, along with Dreamwork's facility in Redwood City, CA, is home to many of today's biggest animated hits.



CCM's time included encounters with a Layout Supervisor (this person supervises a team of animators who are working on various scenes), and an Animator. We received great insight into work-flow, artistic development, and the Dreamworks pipeline.

CCM was specifically walked thru the entire process from concept to completion of a Dreamworks project. From a technical standpoint: we learned details about the flow of creating each scene (character development, modeling, rigging, layout, texture, finishing, etc...)

This promotional video below for HP computers gives a pretty detailed view of what we observed at Dreamworks (Sorry... we couldn't take pictures or shoot video of our time there. That said: this video does a good job of encapsulating what we were walked thru.)



NOTE: In addition to this amazing behind the scenes look at the features that Dreamworks is producing (Monsters vs. Aliens, Shrek the Fourth, Puss & Boots, How to Train Your Dragon & Kung Fu Panda 2) we were told that all future animated features from Dreamworks will be in 3D.



Put that together with what we learned at Dolby earlier in the week... and it seems like we've only seen the tip of the iceberg of 3D coming from Hollywood. (CCM in 3D?? Hmmm...)


After all this amazing insight we went into the studio's private screening theater to view IGOR.






Going in I thought this was a pre-release screening of IGOR... in fact it was not. It was being shown to make it easy for the animators at Dreamworks to see another company's work. IGOR was actually released in mid-September and flopped. After watching it I have to say the overwhelming consensus of the CCMers was that the movie was weird. Good technology. Weird picture.

One interesting note: much of the animation in IGOR was done at a studio in VIETNAM!!!
Watch out: Cheaper animators overseas on the horizon!!

Anyway... the night rounded out with insight into making portfolios, reels, and resumes specifically for the animation world.

Whew!!!

This was jammed packed day.

Writing Seminar

Screenwriting "how-to" dominated the afternoon.

Writing for Movies and writing for Animation.

Hours flew by... Wisdom was soaked up.

On the Studio Lot

Monday morning debuted for CCM on the Paramount Studios lot.

Honestly being on the lot, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of real production going on... comes with a "rush" all of it's own.

Sets are being loaded into the sound stages.
Costumes are being sewn.
Lights are being hung.
Scenes are being shot.
History is being made.

I have always loved being in the middle of the creative process that goes on the at the networks and studios.

Today the CCM Team got a dose of what REAL production looks like.

Check out this wrap poster from the movie "Tropic Thunder." Read it carefully:



Production at CCM is intense. For real. It is REAL.
I point this poster out to show... that practicing REAL is extremely important!!
You need to be prepared.

The morning also included getting on the sets of "Privileged," "Kath and Kim," and "Tru Jackson."

The set of "Privileged" was mind-boggling. The attention to detail astounding!! The set was large, opulent and amazing. I don't know if the series will be a hit... but the set was absolutely amazing. Cost: $1M





The NY Backlot provided a behind the scenes look at what is on the other side of the "look real" buildings and streets.




NYC Buildings


But walk into the doors:






Yes... we walked around the old RKO & Desilu Studios (part of Paramount).
Yes... we saw the water tank used for dozens of movies including "The Truman Show."



BUT... what was really important was seeing Production being done, the spontaneous conversation with a 1st AD, the sets fully loaded in, the lighting grids, and the history.

All that came before lunch...

To Morro(w)

Morro Bay, California

The end of the beginning

The start of tomorrow

"The call of God is like the call of the sea. No one hears it except he who has the sea in him."

These are the words of a very wise man, and they are the only words that I know of that can accurately describe the mystery that shrouds the life of one who is following the King of more than just the sea.



In my moments of reflection yesterday when we went to Morro, something about this calling struck me. I was perched atop jutting stone staring into the surf of the Pacific Ocean as it met the rocky shore. The waves crashed into white pinnacles of foam and exploded in watery fireworks just below me.



To my left and my right were scattered dozens of CCMers, all entranced by the power of the ocean and their God, quieted by their own thoughts. I turned from the Pacific to gaze past the jetty protecting the mouth to the harbor and past the peninsula into Morro Bay. And then God whispered to me.




What God said painted a picture for me, and it applies to each of his sons and daughters no matter their occupation or dreams. For now, though, I would like to express it as if it were a story intended for a CCMer, whose name will be Billy.

When Billy was a child, he dreamed great dreams for his life. There was no restraint and no boundaries. His parents believed wholeheartedly in him. Every day they told him that he would change the world someday, that he would be the sort of man that others strive so hard to be. Now Billy loved to play on the beach. The sand castles and swimming and tide pools and boating were enough to entertain him for days. With every passing year, Billy grew more fond of the ocean. He knew there had to be more to it than what he could see, and indeed, his older brothers would often leave him behind to go out beyond the peninsula to jet ski and fish. They would come back with fantastical tales of jellyfish and tides and huge waves and devastating undertows, and Billy could not wait to be allowed out of the bay and into more wonderful things. Sometimes he would forget to play on the beach and would watch for hours as yachts, sailboats, and fishing trawlers silently slipped past him for the opening of the bay and would disappear around the point of the peninsula. Billy knew that one day he would sail on a boat out of the harbor.

When Billy turned thirteen, and more people were starting to call him Will, his brothers began his rigorous training in order to take him with them on their trips into the ocean. They made him swim in deeper water without a life jacket. They made him tread water every day until he could do it for half an hour. They taught him how to hold his breath longer than he ever thought he could. He practiced snorkeling with them and learned what to do if water got in his snorkel. He was tempted to think that all their efforts were a little extreme and that instead of all the swimming lessons, some practice on his brothers' jet skis may be more exciting and effective. "Only experts can handle the fury of the ocean," they told him as they laughed confidently. Will did not complain. He only hoped his brothers were not wasting his time. The day finally came when Will's brothers bought him a wet suit and put him on the back of one of their jet skiis.

The first time they rounded the point of that peninsula and the ocean became visible, Will was astounded by her beauty. The beaches were so much larger on this side of the peninsula, the waves were five times the size of any he had ever seen, and his brothers were heroes to him as they demonstrated the ease with which they handled the wildness of the sea. He was confused, though, for as he clung to his eldest brother on the back of the racing watercraft, he noticed that they were still surrounded by walls of rocks—a breakwater. There was a small opening, but no one was heading for it. Will glanced around and saw that there was plenty of room and plenty of adventure to be had on this side of the peninsula, but it was not the ocean he had thought it would be.

"Let's go out there!" he yelled into his brother's ear and motioning toward the gap in the rock.

"Are you kidding me?!" his brother yelled back. "We never go out there!"

"But the ocean's out there!"

"What?"

"This isn't the ocean at all! It's out there!"

But Will's brother either did not hear him or did not respond, and Will did not make his suggestion again.

Will quickly left his little beaches and kayaks behind and joined his brothers in the jetty every day. It took two years before he brought up the subject going out on the ocean, and they only laughed and said few did because hardly anyone had the money or training or expertise to survive the open water. But Will knew he would never be satisfied as long as he remained inside the breakwater. He could hear the roar of the surf pounding relentlessly at the rock barrier though he could not see them. He could still see the boats and ships coming and going, and his desire to see where they went deepened.

When Will turned eighteen, and more people were starting to call him William, he went to the fishermen and sea captains and asked them to mentor him, to prepare him for a life on the ocean. Like them, he knew that he could not resist the lure of the sea, he knew he had to do more than his brothers were doing, and he was willing to work harder than his brothers had to prove himself capable of it. His mentors told him stories of the sea and her danger and charm and freedom and eternity. They taught him navigational skills and survival tricks and many such things only real seamen could know. He even bought a dingy in order to garner his sailing skills within the walls of the breakwater.

William's brothers laughed at his work and said it wasn't worth it, that he should just settle down as they had. But William did not want to live in the little town and work as a carpenter for the rest of his life. He did not want to guide visitors on canoe tours of the bay. He did not want to live life just because he had to. William knew that since he had been given a chance to change the world that that was not only what he had to do, but that was what he wanted to do. The call of the surf upon the rocks on the seaward side of the jetty only filled him with determination to be that man his parents had said so many times that he would be.

For three years William studied and trained diligently under the tutelage of his mentors. The morning of his twenty-first birthday a tall ship such as he had never seen before sailed into the bay. She was a beautiful schooner named Tomorrow with three masts and a crew that prided themselves of their care for her. She was tasked with educating the younger generation about an era gone by, a respect for the sea, and bringing history to life. One of William's mentors immediately arranged for him to crew for the Tomorrow. His brothers begged to go, but they were not allowed, for life at sea would be too demanding for them. While the ship laid in the harbor, William was very quickly introduced to the crew and the ship, and he was instructed as to the duties of his position. He had been working so hard at learning the ropes of his little dingy and paying such good attention to his mentors that both William and the captain of the Tomorrow knew that he would do his job well. William's anticipation for his first voyage on the ocean increased so much that it was almost unbearable.

And then the day came.

William waved goodbye to his brothers and friends from the ratlines of the Tomorrow as she trolled past the point of the peninsula and into the breakwater. The town disappeared and with it went those who were satisfied with the beach and the bay. The jetty welcomed them, and from behind the rock walls, William heard the old familiar call of the sea. Now he was answering it. Now he was ready. He scrambled higher up the rigging, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ocean he was about to sojourn upon. But just as he had climbed to a better level, the ship reached the opening of the jetty, and the order was given to make sail. The crew unfurled the sails, and the Tomorrow eagerly pushed forward. The breakwater disappeared beyond its own walls and with it went those who were satisfied with believing the jetty was as good as the ocean. His job done, William rose to stand on the spar and wrap his arm about the top of the mainmast. And they had left the jetty.

William had imagined this moment so many times, but he still could not believe he was actually seeing it. The ocean spread out before him like a vast invitation to play, to learn, to grow, to enjoy life. The water sparkled with all different shades of blue and turquoise and green, tipped with frothy foam. The mighty waves that had urged him for so many years to come to them with their quiet thunder splashed up against the walls of the jetty behind him. Behind him! William was past all the restraints and stipulations. William was free. The sea stretched to meet the horizon. The power of the ocean sent thrills through William's body. The unending blue delighted him. The possibilities were endless. The ship leaned into the wind and began cutting through the waves at a swift pace.

William looked at the crew around him and was glad to be one of them. When he had been nine, he had so often wished he was his brothers. When he had been fifteen, he had so often wished he was a sailor. But he had not expected this. This was better than anything, and the opportunity had come only because he had prepared himself for it. There were so few who actually made it here and so many who tried. There were so many who gave up and settled for the bay, for the jetty, for things they thought were good enough to be the ocean. But as William felt the wind rushing through his hair and the gentle motion of the ship upon the waves, he knew that he had been right all along, and that all his extra work and dedication had been worth this.

William quickly climbed the ranks of the Tomorrow, and within several years, he was her captain, sailing the ship up and down coasts and across oceans to bring knowledge to men, women, and children who had not had the chance to visit a sailing ship in real life. He told his story to anyone who asked, filling them with the hope that they too could live out their dreams. And William remembered, and William continued to dream. But more importantly William lived.



And that, my dear readers, is what God spoke to me as I sat looking in awe at the ocean that could be our calling. We strive for that calling in all respects. There are people who will forget what they dreamed, and there are people who will never dream that big. But there are people, and I think many of them were with me on those rocks yesterday, who will refuse to give in, give up, or forget. They know what is at stake and what will be demanded of them. They know that there will be many sacrifices and a lot of difficult work, but they also know that they are chasing heaven's dreams and that the God who placed these passions in them had no intention of letting them go wasted.

We will be dream livers and history makers and world shakers, and though it take decades of patience and persistence, we will see our visions fulfilled.

This is what I went to Morro Bay to learn. This is what I came away with. And I can only guess at when my Tomorrow will come to harbor and what she will hold for me.

--Gwenith M. Vehlow

A Time to Breath & A Time to Connect with God

Production is non-stop and never really ends.

The good news is it's FUN.
It may be very hard work, and it may be unpredictable... but it is fun.
And frankly... those of us in production COULD be doing something else.
Instead we're blessed to do what we do.

That said... sometimes we need to breath!
We need to exhale and regroup our thoughts.
We need to adjust our focus.

For the budding professional HOW to do that can be challenging to understand.

During the Professional Encounter we are taking time to break down what a BALANCED LIFE really looks like when living a production lifestyle.




Sometimes taking a breather from the busy-ness of production means getting GEOGRAPHICALLY AWAY.





Sometimes the breather make come in the form of getting MENTALLY AWAY.





For sure there has be time out of the studio, edit bay or office. But there are ways to grab "time away" with out ever leaving, if those are the circumstances. This weekend we have discussed those things.

And... CCM has been pursuing God in the deep meaningful quest of knowing His will for each and every step that each of us are being called to take.

Time in the word.
Time with God.
Time Physically Away.
Time Mentally Away.
Time Away.

Balance.

CCM at Dolby Studios

The EYES have it!

Each facet of production is vital. The eye of even the casual observer can pick up on inconsistencies or dis-continuity.

Exacting attention must be paid to each detail.

Another day of the CCM Professional Encounter began with that attention being paid to Make-Up!

Specific hands-on instruction and evaluation was given to the entire CCM Producion Team and specialized training was given to those in CCM who are leaning toward make-up as their chosen field of strength.

There were a lot of eyes opened to development of new skills, and great validation of what we are already doing



Next stop: DOLBY STUDIOS

DOLBY was definitely a high-point! The amazing folks there opened up their facility to us, including a $1M theater that sits maybe 60 people.




DOLBY is best known, and has won several awards for noise-reduction technology and multi-speaker audio systems (surround sound would be a correct way of putting it, but that term really doesn't do it justice). They still specialize in these things... in fact they showed much of the team some of the physical process of mixing and placing the final audio track onto the film print.

We also met some folks at Dolby who specialize in Quality Assurance! (Yes CCM... for all of you who are on the QC Team or who have served in its ranks... There ARE people in Hollywood who make a living making sure the final film product that gets sent to theaters (physical or digital) is flaw free!!

But the real highlight was being introduced to the latest Dolby field of conquest: 3D Movies! Yep... they're no longer just about sound. (In fact, they have been specializing in digital cinema distribution for awhile now)



DOLBY is behind a new 3D movie system that doesn't use RED/GREEN, RED/BLUE or POLARIZED glasses. In fact they have developed a system that uses glasses that allow the audience to experience the 3D in FULL COLOR!!

For all you tech-geeks here's the low-down:

Dolby 3D utilizes standard white screens, so exhibitors don't have the added cost or the quality compromise associated with the use of silver screens, delivering a consummate 3D experience from every seat in the house. Additionally, Dolby Laboratories provides cost-effective and environmentally friendly passive reusable 3D glasses. Dolby's 3D solution uses a unique full-spectrum color-filter technology licensed from Infitec that provides realistic color reproduction and extremely sharp images.



The Dolby 3D technology has only been in theaters since Oct 2007. And from what we saw the technology is AMAZING!

Our eyes took in: Scenes from STAR WARS re-processed to include 3D (That's right... take a 30 year old 2D movie and turn it into 3D!!) Scenes from the animated move FLY ME TO THE MOON



And... then we saw JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH in a much more flattering way than the movie appeared in the theaters this past summer. After that... we saw clips of U23D. So if you saw that... you likely saw it in Dolby 3D.

In short it was great day!!!

And we capped it off with the real, true official California Cuisine:



Next: Spiritual Focus and re-junvenation!

The Glamor Fog Clears

Our journey began standing on a hill, over looking what we could see of Hollywood through the smog. We stood as one body, one generation answering the call that had been placed on our lives. There really was a fog between us and the industry we’ve been called to be a light in, the fog of doubt, confusion or fear of failure. But, God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

Our first day was spent absorbing and probing professional cinematographers for all the information and advice we could get regarding what it takes to climb the industry’s ladder, and the qualities and the skills it takes to keep you there.

I’ve been warned many times about the darkness and evils of Hollywood, but after just a single day of soaking in the people and the environment of this “dark“ center, I’m beginning to realize how untrue that really is. The people who run this industry speak of servant hood, hard work and the perseverance we should advocate; all the qualities Christ teaches we should posses.

These men opened themselves up to their future competition and poured out skills, tips, rules of thumb on what to and what not to do when working on a set. They shared the lessons they learned from their personal mistakes, the common mistakes “newbies” make, and how to avoid pigeon holes which the business so easily tends to trap you in.

Tell me now, what group of young people in this country get a full frontal encounter with this kind of learning experience. All of a sudden these distant dreams from our imaginations begin to come into focus. The fog and blinding glare of “show biz glamour” begins to clear away, and we start learning the magic of story telling from the men behind the curtain. This lifestyle and the impact we can make is not a dream, but real and attainable.

-- Selah Starhsen

Cinematography & Lighting Seminar -- RIGHT NOW!

It's 1115am in L.A.

And right now the team is deep in the midst of a Cinematography & Lighting Seminar.

Lighting is Soooo key to making any shot look good.

All the CCMers are either learning what they need to do or honing already developed skills.

All under the direction of real-world Hollywood pros who know how to respond and perform under the restrictions of time and money.

What is in these pros is being poured directly into the CCMers.

Look for a video-blog highlighting some of what happened today... a bit later on.

Seeking Hollywood and Answering a CALLING

Driving through the So. Calif. Desert is not glamorous.
Beautiful maybe… but, definitely NOT glamorous.
And the cold hard fact about Hollywood is… It’s not glamorous either.
It IS fun. It is the home to the business I have been called to. It IS the home to amazing story tellers.

This week… The Center for Creative Media is descending upon Hollywood with a hunger to see how Hollywood works… with a thirst to discover what the people who make a living there do.

Like many who come to Tinsletown with hopes and dreams… the CCMers are full of vision. They want to “make it.” They are dedicated to find out where their strengths will lie. And, in their case, they are answering a calling that God has placed on their lives.

From their mouths:

Ron:
Says he wants to learn about the lifestyle of living in Hollywood. How do you balance normal daily living with the demands of production. He wants to be a director.

Alex:
Wants to compare what we do at CCM with how production gets done in Hollywood. He want to learn from people who are making a living at what he dreams to do himself.

Keshia:
Wants to know where all the studios and networks are and, how to get around town. She also wants to know what it looks like to live and work in Hollywood. A specific goal: to observe a professional and how they function. To soak up their essence… how they maintain their career and how they got to become an expert.

Samuel:
Right now Hollywood is a black hole. It is a mystery. He wants to know how it works… know how to exist day to day. He’s determined to be an actor who succeeds without getting sucked into the system, wants to learn from actors who are doing it well right now.

Caitlin:
Wants to go into make-up. I would like to know if I need a degree in cosmetology. What do I need to learn. I need to learn to create a portfolio. I need to know what the difference the difference between make for TV and Film is.

Brandon:
Wants to be sure to have a firm foundation before he gets to L.A. for good. He also wants to figure out what living a life of balance (Spiritual Life/Production Life/Home Life) needs to look like in L.A.

These are deep thoughts and lofty aspirations.

So Who am I? and Who are We?
I am the Executive Director of the Center for Creative Media

www.centerforcreativemedia.com

We have nearly 100 people in "CCM." And, we all desire to make great film, television, and new media. We are Christians. But, it is NOT our goal to make great Christian film, television, and new media. We want to make great FILM, TELEVISION, and NEW MEDIA!

Good Christian
Good Mainstream
Good
Good, period.

It is our prayer that God would use us to create stories... pictures... films... tv... webisodes... from our studio... and that we would do it with EXCELLENCE.

The vision of making GOOD film television as a Christian is indeed LARGE and daunting. (But, with God, all things are possible, eh???) Let's assess the playing field:

Mainstream often thinks that:
Christians are in favor of censorship.
Christians want to limit ideas to only what the Religious Right thinks is acceptable.
Christians haven't lived enough life to tell a REAL story... one with texture and truth that most people could connect with.
Christians are narrow minded and NOT tolerant

Christians often think that:
Hollywood is too dangerous of a place to send their brothers to work (Interestingly sending fellow believers to be missionaries where they could martyred for their faith is honored... but heaven forbid we send them to Tinsletown)
Hollywood is so foul and wicked "we" need to form "our" own industry
Hollywood is controlled by the "Left" and would never let "our" stories be told
Film & Television can be made on a wing and a prayer without the budgets afforded to the mainstream market.

Like the world of politics these days... these two camps typically are dramatically polarized.

But... there is hope.
A Hit is a Hit.
Success negates all misgivings.

And... it is my contention that believers can be active, effective and artistically relevant participants in the mainstream marketplace. (it has been my privilege to work alongside many of these professionals who already are in "Hollywood." It just seems that there should many, many more of us)

So to make more than an occasional dent in the status quo... we need to raise up qualified, trained, competent, TALENTED professionals who can compete in their fields.

Thus the journey of The Center for Creative Media is underway...

The Adventure Begins

Hollywood - Dec 2008

The next Professional Encounter begins December 1, 2008.

Check back here for regular updates from the road... and insight from Behind the Scenes