https://ianimate.net/podcasts/item/interview-with-dreamworks-animator-alexis-wanneroy.html?category_id=134
Transcript:
Ric Arroyo 0:04
me to sing while we wait yeah,
Larry Vasquez 0:07
that's some of this out. I kept
Unknown Speaker 0:13
me.
Larry Vasquez 0:13
"Quand on n'a que l'amour"
This is DJ Larry loco with Ric present and this is the inside joke for all of those who listened to our last podcast, a lot of fun. This is our fourth podcast, this is actually Larry Vasquez here. And joining me of course is Rick Arroyo.
How you doing, Rick?
Ric Arroyo 0:46
I'm doing awesome as always very cool man very cool.
Larry Vasquez 0:51
One Roy. What's all right fantastic movie I just saw this weekend, loved it. The Guardians
Ric Arroyo 0:57
yeah rising guardians it seemed like it was almost like like the Avengers what but for kids. Yeah, yeah, every type of superhero all like, no, get together and so it was kind of awesome I really enjoyed it. My family enjoyed it so
Larry Vasquez 1:12
right on right on in the I have Jessica check it out with my wife, her and I went on accident A month later, but it's been celebrating our 12 year anniversary wouldn't check it out I have a wonderful wife who was willing to go check on the animated movie with me.
Ric Arroyo 1:24
Congratulations, that's awesome big, dad.
Larry Vasquez 1:27
So, what else we got going on, coming up here. Well, CG games, movies, what
Ric Arroyo 1:33
yeah there's I mean there's a lot of things going on December 7 is the Video Game Awards on Spike TV, there's gonna be a lot of cool trailers and cool games cool announcement I mean there's gonna be, of course you know David lambs. Last of Us, there's gonna be some stuff on Halo and. And for some reason I just, I just went blank there but
Larry Vasquez 1:54
what do they do with these things, it's. What is it,
Ric Arroyo 1:58
so it's an award show to congratulate the games and developers that made these great games and, and also to talk about some anticipated games that are coming up. You know this games that people are really looking, looking into. Okay, so yeah i mean it's it's really rewards about games, it's like what you get for film but but for games, so it's pretty big I mean this is the 10th year and. Wow, Samuel Jackson is usually the host and he you know he's really funny and. And yeah, it's a really pretty big deal. Oh yeah there's gonna be some huge trailers coming out. So usually, you know, a lot of games that people are waiting for it gets announced, like, now or
Unknown Speaker 2:39
before you know of course so
Larry Vasquez 2:41
I like how definitely within games there has been kind of that crossover where they've become more than just the interactivity of it, in some ways, they've been kind of become almost these novels that you kind of, you know, play through or these epic movies that you're kind of half watching half playing. And so I definitely like that crossover that games. Definitely ventured into here,
Ric Arroyo 3:02
yeah yeah I mean, honestly games have has evolved and it's still evolving I mean it's gaming industry is still very very young and the characters that that we are building now are characters that you will follow you know a few things like a James Bond that has I don't know it's like 20 movies now. Right, right, you look at these some of these characters are on like their fifth title but people are gonna follow it because they're, you know they're attached to it. Yeah, and that's something even Jamal Jamal Bradley mentioned you know that you invested into these characters and the audience enjoys it and they want to follow the right evolution of the character, so
Larry Vasquez 3:35
that's cool that's a good point that one of the things I wasn't a big fan of with movies was sequels, for a bit. But now, kind of like what you're talking about there where you're able to follow the characters, I've actually enjoyed sequels for movies now for that very reason that you're able to follow these characters a little bit longer you know than just those two and a half, you know, or maybe hour and a half a movie or something like that. So I've kind of been enjoying some of these sequels that have come out for those very reasons where you can kind of follow the character a little bit more.
Ric Arroyo 4:01
Yeah I know people say like sequels are like moneymakers but, but, you know, really I mean if you look like, I don't know, Twilight vampire movie or what Harry Potter I mean, these are like five, six movies, you get the follow the story and that's that's fun. You get to see how the characters evolving and changing and yeah that's that's part of the fun and I think Games has really been doing this really well and, and I believe they're gonna continue to even better I mean look at the Castlevania Castlevania I mean like, I played that when I was a bit. Yeah. And now I mean Castlevania now, I mean Lord of Shadows. Wow, it's like, it's it's it's so crazy I mean these games are impressive really impressive right a job to the team at creating that game so
Larry Vasquez 4:49
very cool. And they were talking about movies here in a little bit and looking forward to checking out the great oz that that would look pretty slick.
Ric Arroyo 4:56
Absolutely, that, that, that movie looks. I mean, I remember watching trailer and I was like, Wow, that looks so cool. Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 5:04
You know, the part I think was that one is that even though it's kind of a prequel, it's not something that I mean it's a prequel to a movie that was done years and years and years and years ago so there's been kind of enough time gap on that one to really kind of bring up the nostalgia without having to feel like it's just capitalizing on a movie Apple Yeah,
Ric Arroyo 5:25
I think that's, that was really smart and and I personally appreciate that. And I'm sure that they put a lot of thought and and heart into the project, you know, I mean, this just has to be this huge expectation I'm right. The Wizard of Oz is is big on classic yeah that's that's at a moderate level so. So, I would think that you know the the prequel will will have something to really you know live up to so yeah.
Larry Vasquez 5:53
So my wife, who I thought was pretty neat. I think the second trailer, it shows a silhouette of one of the witches in this in this cloud and all you see is this silhouette but it looks exactly like the Wicked Witch from the east, whatever. Yeah, I forget which one, but it looks exactly like an artist, it was just amazing to me again, what we can do. Nowadays you know with something along that lines here this movie was, you know, like I said what 4050 years ago, and they're able to do at least based upon the silhouette, an identical version and I was just blown away it just again reminds me of what we're able to do with this technology.
Ric Arroyo 6:28
Yeah, I think the technology is awesome but also the artists that that being creative with the technology is what is even more impressive. Yeah, I find, you know like, you know, we create this stuff but how we use it I mean, this is, this is the fun part and you know again to to those who are who are working on it or who have worked on it, you know, my hat my tip my hat to you guys. Absolutely just great stuff so
Larry Vasquez 6:52
yeah yeah. And then, I know hobbit is coming out, you can check that one out at all.
Ric Arroyo 6:57
Absolutely. I mean, come on. Question.
I wanted to go, go to the premiere here in in LA to check out the schedule but that's, that's like, I have to go at like one in the morning. You know,
Larry Vasquez 7:15
you're gonna get there.
Ric Arroyo 7:15
Yeah, I believe, I believe, Aaron Gilman also worked on, if I remember correctly so Aaron Gilman was one of our guest speaker, Aaron you're listening. Thank you. Thank you, Roberto and marvel of course. So I know that that movie's gonna be, you know, that movie has to be exceptional. I mean it's the Hobbit.
Unknown Speaker 7:33
Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 7:35
I remember the cartoon, back in the day so this is, this would be neat to revisit the story here. Yeah, let's see, we've got the event this weekend, you mentioned it's all filled up though, huh,
Ric Arroyo 7:49
yeah, that that I'm, I'm really excited. I know the guys are also really excited for the, for the event that's happening this weekend on the eighth 9am. The event is is already packed, which is you know it's it's thrilling to know that that's a good thing. Yeah, I really, really want more information or learn about you know the difference between games and films and, you know, the technology and our challenges, and whatnot, and we're looking forward to it. David, David bar is going to be the moderator already and then
Cameron fielding.
The camera framing Richard lico and Brett Pascal bright Pascal is one of our new instructors for workshop three for a game division. And if you look at, Brad stuff and Cameron stuff is like, you know, it's like wow these guys are mind blowing. These guys are really amazing artists so. And of course, I mean lico This is a beast so yeah it's gonna be it's gonna be, it's gonna be a great thing it's gonna be a great, great event. So,
Larry Vasquez 8:50
again, once again, who's going to be doing it.
Ric Arroyo 8:51
So David David's going to be the moderator. It'll be Brett Pascal. Cameron fielding, okay, myself and Richard lico. Awesome. So Cameron's from Valve Brett is from. And I think this burden myself here.
Unknown Speaker 9:09
I'm sorry but
Larry Vasquez 9:11
I noticed you posted though something he put on his page for the Transformers game.
Ric Arroyo 9:16
Oh no, that was Patrick. Patrick is okay got Patrick is another new instructor What's up, Pat, are you doing. Yeah. Yeah, a little shout out. Yeah, Patrick we posted some of the stuff he did with blue was Grimlock
Unknown Speaker 9:31
yeah that was slowly
Ric Arroyo 9:32
yeah yeah he's one of our new instructors.
I mean we have some great instructors, you know, we have some instructors that, you know, they haven't started yet and you know once once, once they're ready, they'll be coming on board so we got some, we got a fantastic team so let's see.
Larry Vasquez 9:50
We found Alexis. Our guest today. We're doing this podcast via Skype here which is actually pretty amazing though because we're looking at people from all over. And let's see if we can bring on our guests here.
Ric Arroyo 10:02
Oh, why'd you do that I just want to mention that the post that we posted yesterday for our podcast regards to the subjects that the students are interested or are followers interested you know we hear you. I seen Robert and match Elijah and Sam Chalice, we heard your, your request we'll, we'll try to get to as soon as possible. Absolutely.
Larry Vasquez 10:23
And hey, just to encourage you, I saw that there's like, almost, you know, 750 people who saw the post but we've got just about three who actually responded, we have an opportunity to ask these guys some questions and so definitely post away, let us know what you think of these podcasts, so far based upon the hits in the downloads from the podcast it's been very very positive and I think it's a little humbling from Rick and I, because this has been fun for us but it seems like you guys have been really appreciating it and enjoying it so I. We appreciate that. And so, Big thanks to those who are listening, but definitely give us some feedback, let us know what you're liking hear what you want to hear from our guests and stuff so big shout out to those who posted on there but definitely wanna encourage all those who were kind of stopping by definitely post us a little feedback here and let us know what you'd like to hear. So we have our guest here Alexis Wanneroy, how you doing Alexis. Good, good. Am I pronouncing your name correctly.
Alexis Wanneroy 11:19
Alexis, Alexis. Alright, Aluxe in French but yeah. I'm really bright No,
Larry Vasquez 11:25
no, you're good, you're good.
Ric Arroyo 11:27
Okay, yeah, if you look great man you know no one's gonna see you but they'll hear you, so we'll just say you look great.
Larry Vasquez 11:33
So that way we listen to the podcast and like I said good looking guy. All right. We had jessamy Rick yet
Alexis Wanneroy 11:41
yeah we know each other, actually. Oh, yeah. We did get to you sometimes together.
Ric Arroyo 11:47
Yeah, what we eat at sweet as a sushi restaurant here and in a studio city which is amazing, by the way. Okay, okay.
Larry Vasquez 11:58
Very cool. We really appreciate your time joining us today, we have both had a chance to check out Rise of the Guardians and that's one of the things we want to talk with you about today. Yeah, I loved it, man, loved it. Cool. Yeah, it's all just actually this weekend, Saturday, and really impressed. I definitely think it's probably your guys's best movie so far. And that's saying a lot because I really liked. How to Train Your Dragon which is another one you worked on the first Kung Fu Panda was one of my favorites and then also megamind never really enjoyed those ones here and I'd say this one here has probably been the best. When I was at the theater, as in the movie everybody just stood up and was clapping, you know. So yeah, I really really enjoyed a 3d, or no just standard. Okay, my wife doesn't like a 3d yet she's kind of gives her a headache, so.
Unknown Speaker 12:50
Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 12:51
And even though it looked fantastic, it looked really really good so big kudos to you and the team there. Thank you. So hopefully with these podcasts we're looking to kind of get the word out there I've heard, both from critics. Online reading those things as well as those who have attended it and watched it, it's always been positive. So yeah, if you've not checked out the movie, definitely go check it out it's very worth your time and money here so. So why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself here before we jump into there I was looking at your bio here and you've actually got quite a few features under your belt, particularly at DreamWorks there
Alexis Wanneroy 13:24
yeah so basically well I did the Gobelins school in Paris, which is about the best animation school there is in France, I think in terms of animation only. And then DreamWorks have recruiters there so when I graduated somebody from DreamWorks was there, part of the jury so at that time she said would you be interested in working for creamers and I said of course I was coming out. Okay.
Unknown Speaker 13:53
Let me think about it yeah,
Alexis Wanneroy 13:55
these issues and stuff so I went one year in London to work on Valiant he was a pigeon movie not very big success and not very good movie but it was a lot of fun to work on it was, I think it was one of the best movie I worked on in terms of fun with people and stuff.
Larry Vasquez 14:11
Very good.
Alexis Wanneroy 14:12
And then, and then DreamWorks. No, actually, and then I started my own company and DreamWorks called me and said you want to come and work for us now, and I said, Okay, let's do it. So I came, I came here and now seven years later, here I am still working. So, so first movie was Flushed away. That was, that was fun to work on, saying it didn't turn out the best as it could but it was a fun movie to work on.
Larry Vasquez 14:39
I like that one. I thought it was a lot of fun I like some of those quirky humor movies, you know, we're just kind of that silly doesn't take itself too serious, you know,
Alexis Wanneroy 14:48
but in 3d, having the ability to do stop motion faces a bit was really nice so we had the same principle where we put plug those shapes you know like the BP or Oh, that there and you would plug them so they would pop, as a stop motion do. So it was cool. And then I worked on the Bee movie which was really hard to work on, I didn't like it that much. And then I went on to Kung Fu Panda which was one of the, one of the best movie at DreamWorks that I've worked on after. And then I went to a Dragon's. This was very good because of the directors, Chris and Dean are really really good. They made the experience really good for everybody. They made a lot of feedback and stuff.
Larry Vasquez 15:37
And when
Alexis Wanneroy 15:37
guardians guardians this time they spend the most on a movie he was almost three years on it, since day one, doing all the character development and
Larry Vasquez 15:48
there was a lot of fun. So when you say character development can you for those that are kind of new to that, listen to the podcast Can you give us a description of what you'd be doing for that
Alexis Wanneroy 15:57
character development is basically you get a character that has never moved, and you get to make him a person was certain acting certain movements certain behaviors, so all that you can invent, so that's the best part to me is you have a character that somebody has an idea about it but then you have to make it your own way to, to give that ID, you know, let's say the character is very shaky and he's not sure about himself so how you're going to portray that so that's the fun part. And of course after that the characters involved in the movie and throughout the years interest becomes something else but
Larry Vasquez 16:36
we want to help establish that though, moving forward. So, yeah,
Ric Arroyo 16:41
I'm sorry I was gonna ask you like where do you start when I mean you received the model you know you have the first look of the model but where do you start with anything like do you start with like a walk, you start with
Alexis Wanneroy 16:51
just, we did on garden was boards, there were we had huge boards where we would pin images of guys so for example for jack frost would have guys and it was like this. And just down and skaters and guys would our course. So we pinned all that and then from there we said oh we're going to do a test with the hoodie down. I mean, who do you have we're going to do a test where the guy do some hardcore because they wanted some, they wanted a character that was light, and could fly almost they weren't sure about that, but they can react react to wind, and from that we went to use and you guys saw.
Larry Vasquez 17:28
That's gonna be kind of fun just iteration process of, kind of, kind of almost like a sculptor where you're kind of chiseling away finding stuff you know mining for these little nuggets that you're now kind of using a sparks for new creation of it, you know.
Alexis Wanneroy 17:44
Yeah, I mean to me this is, this is one of the best thing of Guardians is how all the characters are different, so all the little exploration we can do like the tooth fairy was the hummingbird stuff that was really nice to explore, or the Sandman was the floaty floaty fear was different gravity when he was falling, those type of things were really nice to explore even more so the way he would do on all those tests, was the best part, though.
Ric Arroyo 18:10
Yeah. And, and how long like are you guys working on the character development part. Like you spent a lot of time before animating like just doing the research like I don't know, a month, two months, three months, then you start animating.
Alexis Wanneroy 18:24
That's like a year. Most of the time we try to have at least a year of production. Where I know I'm on a movie, I mean that's been stubborn. mm trolls for DreamWorks and they have like a year production on that. And same on guardians they had a year, a year and a half, almost and it's gonna be the same on trolls here
Ric Arroyo 18:44
a year and a half. So, and like how many guys are you like do you work just on one character Are you developing only one character separately from the other guys, are you guys working all together at the same time
Alexis Wanneroy 18:55
for 32. We're just the hook me for that year before some people arrived on it so then we did all the characters. We spent like, let's say three weeks per characters. One week for a little action shot one week four different movements stuff that we could say in one week reacting with everything was really really blocking stuff, we never finalized any shot it was really to give ideas give ideas give ideas, though. I think it's a really fun way to do it, because you don't go deep into your shot or little synopsis is not there, I mean it's not important that the beginning is just to find it so,
Larry Vasquez 19:36
yeah. Now I that's one area. I know some people don't care for the blocking stage, because it's kind of difficult to get the ball rolling. For me, I love that stage because it's just now kind of getting what's in my head. At least something out on there for you What is that process for you like the blocking stage.
Alexis Wanneroy 19:55
Yeah, I love the blocking stage, I mean I try to give as much as I can on this. And then the final thing is just polishing stuff is just the curve aspect and the bit of the timing and but, yeah, to meet a blocking establishing all the IDs and all the actions beats, I want to go on a portrait a song. So yeah, this is basically the most important part. After all the polishing I love it but it takes takes a lot of time for the little amount of things that are changing to me but
Larry Vasquez 20:23
yeah I think my two favorite parts are the blocking in the polishing the stuff in the middle, I find it.
Ric Arroyo 20:29
It's, it's difficult. It's difficult, you know, trying to nail down that timing and, and. So yeah, those are my two favorite parts. And you said your your your blocking in the preparation Do you have like a go to process or like, like you know a way that you Oh, you work, you know oftenly.
Alexis Wanneroy 20:48
Yeah, so I mean it's the students that try that for the body mechanics of it's just to see how that was working. Some people like it some depends on what you want to animate but for guardians or for realistic stuff. I think if you use a method that basically kind of a straight ahead where you go every three frame to key, all your stuff on your body. From there you get a very realistic animation, but at the end, you've got something that also looks right. and that feels organic and all that some on guidance we used a lot of that, where we would copy reference on three frames, and then we would actually push stuff out of that. The problem was that as your animation gets very realistic, and you don't get a lot of timing changes. So in that case, then I use a set method, and somebody. And then some somebody layers on top of that, that usually works but for gardens, most of the time I would use the very realistic approach and because we were the director wanted really subtle team the, the mouse, the nose and when things were moving we didn't want to go too far. So it was a very good method. And then this is basically I work in later where I track my eyes see what they're doing then track my lips and then track my brows. And then I mean on top, but this is, again, this is an approach for very realistic animation like on gardens, and we're working on a troll on the troll movie which is going to be very realistic as well so
Larry Vasquez 22:18
one of the things I enjoyed with rice the guardians though, and I was in Teddy's class when he was working on rice The Guardian so you know we kind of hear a little bit about what's going on. I know that it was obviously taking more of a naturalistic feel to it, but it did not feel at all like it was more kept you get some of the movies and you know Rick and I were talking the other day, or me and somebody else I'm sorry, we're talking about the other day with. What's that movie with Tom Hanks in the Polar Express. And you know it's an entertaining movie, but you can feel that mo cap in there with Rise of the Guardians it did not feel that way at all. It felt it was very it was still very stylized it still felt very natural for each character to.
Alexis Wanneroy 23:02
It's basically to me the difference between tinson Polar Express versus avatar or guardians, or those types of names. It's not the same avatar guardians but I'm saying more realistic stuff is basically it's been animated on top. Yeah, you need, even if you do like what I was saying when I do my tree frame stuff it looks realistic it would be almost as the same as getting some mocap stuff but at least you interpret it, but after that you have to push a lot of things to make it appealing to make it feel like it's moving because when eyes are not moving too much and faces not moving, as much as it needs to be. Then it feels not real and that's why Polar Express in this movie I think they're not working as much. Okay. Okay.
Larry Vasquez 23:48
One of the questions I had is using reference, and maybe you know we're touching up on that right now. Being an eye animate, I really, that was I was introduced to using reference and I really like it and the idea of it. But one of the struggles I had was being able to be free enough to move away from it, you know, so to to basically get your idea. The acting the movement enough from the reference but without feeling like I was stuck to it because I'd often find that I have to reblock a lot because you know one part here wasn't working now because I, you know, reblocked that towards my reference and so feeling free enough to move away from it can you buy maybe more on your process on that where you're using your reference but now, feeling free enough to move away from it.
Alexis Wanneroy 24:33
Well my reference I only use for my blocking and then I take it away. Okay, so it's just basically for this first, let's say I have a shot and it's done in three weeks for the first week I would use my reference just on my blogging just to have something that moves realistically and again this is for guardians it's not for him but and. And then from there, I would take off my reference and push things to make it more animation and even put some overlaps on stuff sometimes and. So that's it for the first blocking part.
Ric Arroyo 25:03
So, pretty much you're saying that you use a reference as as your base foundation. Yeah, but you're not you're not building everything from it, you just using as, as the core message or the core.
Larry Vasquez 25:15
And then after that, that's when you just start now animating, yeah.
Alexis Wanneroy 25:19
It's a really, I mean, to me that's the hardest part is actually to animate after that and to make things feel some flow and feel animation like like apply of the principle of animation in there.
Larry Vasquez 25:32
Yeah. Now for Rise Of The Guardian sale you were saying that you're kind of blocking more on threes. Is that right, yeah. So how
Alexis Wanneroy 25:40
does that change. And if you have very sharp movement like this, and then a block on twos you know like the hand gestures or heads and stuff, sometimes on twos, but for most of the other step of Bloc countries. And then from that I clean my curves and then I inmates.
Larry Vasquez 25:56
Start shift around timing.
Alexis Wanneroy 25:57
I want to I want to be on a cartoony movie and then they put me on something realistic.
Some, some fun stuff.
Larry Vasquez 26:05
Yeah, because you've probably come back to back now with Junior dragon than now. Where is the Guardian so kind of more both naturalistic
Alexis Wanneroy 26:14
yeah actually have three new dragon is it's a, it's, it's a bit less than than den guardians but it's still more than the first one I think, Okay. How To Train Your Dragon.
Larry Vasquez 26:25
The second one here. Yeah. Okay. I was working with Peter Ramsay,
Alexis Wanneroy 26:32
really nice guy.
Yeah, he had very specific ideas on what he wanted in terms of acting in terms of of the characters How much did you want it to be pushed or nods. So, I think for that animators maybe sometime could feel a bit frustrated because you want to push things you want to want to try to put the movie in the tone was different. So, So it depends of of the tone turned to me you your animation has to be on the same level as the whole movie so I think it worked out pretty well to me in terms of that but
Larry Vasquez 27:09
yeah. Now, there was a recent roundtable with him and some of the other directors on some of the other movies from the other studios and he said like a really good guy and he
Alexis Wanneroy 27:21
honestly dude as a guy and as a person was amazing, really open guy he would come and drink beers after dailies with us and really open about everything. Sorry.
I'm gonna knock on my door then my weapon bro.
Unknown Speaker 27:37
That's true redo that one.
Larry Vasquez 27:41
We're keeping these things pretty loose so it's quite all right. Now what were some of the characters that you worked on primarily for the movie. Did you touch all of them or do you work on something that
Alexis Wanneroy 27:56
I worked on was very I was the the character lead for tooth fairy. Okay, it's the had like a team of you, can you hear the the women who are not a little bit. Let me move into another room actually
Larry Vasquez 28:17
see this is a podcast on the go.
Ric Arroyo 28:22
guerilla style.
Larry Vasquez 28:27
Awesome. Thank you.
Alexis Wanneroy 28:30
So I worked. I worked on Sparrow is the calculate for her. Since I did all the early test. And the hook I liked what I did with her and he wanted me to try and. And I said no I want to do pitch, like yeah you need to try to spherical okay. So basically I ended up doing just very for the whole movie was a Chima set of five six guys that were coming on. Were doing shots with me on her. It was, it was cool, very cool experience.
Larry Vasquez 28:59
Now this is kind of a new, more of a new thing with DreamWorks right where you're kind of having leads of character right where, where you kind of a word, essentially everyone about on the under movie.
Alexis Wanneroy 29:10
For example, when there's a lot of characters. Definitely there's gonna be character leads. When there's only two characters in the movie you have to have sequences in other words, maybe you're going to have character experts but still character experts, meaning that those guys are going to do the same character throughout the movie. So they really know it really well and then they know what what's happening in that. So,
Ric Arroyo 29:32
let me ask you about two fairy I mean,
one I thought she was done, I mean, she was done a strong she was just brilliant I really enjoyed her character I really, I really believed in her as as as a person and when asked you. Do you find it like
Unknown Speaker 29:48
harder animating, like a human character or, like, what were the challenges.
Alexis Wanneroy 29:54
Yeah, definitely. Well, again, terms of reference was hard but I had one of the Russian supervisor was a girl that was very active and she looked just like her so I would
say it was, it was really nice that I had her so um.
Ric Arroyo 30:13
Did you do any reference of yourself acting like the tooth fairy which you can share.
Unknown Speaker 30:25
So, everything.
Alexis Wanneroy 30:29
A female character to me has to be a bit.
I mean, she has to be appealing and she has to be cute. But all that sometimes a bit hard because you want to have another tone to the, to the character where she wouldn't be aware you're aware, she would be. Notice pretty but but so so they wanted a princess but also Queen but also a warrior but also was hard for for this type of things I think the female characters but,
Larry Vasquez 30:57
well, this goes into one of the questions that someone was posted on our Facebook here and they, the question was, how to get into character, you know you're saying here that you've got a gal or a character. That's a queen, and she's a leader here but yet she's also a warrior, how do you as an animator, get into character, get into this character or by the attitude of your shots.
Alexis Wanneroy 31:17
Well, what do you have to do is, well, first of all, again, Peter Ramsay here was a lot of he really knew what he wanted on this. So, so he knew that he wanted her as a warrior so he had shots like that in the movie where she would come and fly and kick some, some wars and stuff like that. So that was a warrior part and then from that. There was also the sweet part and the motherly part when she's on top of the kids bed and, and she offers and all that so so he knew those moments and so we talked about this and then what he wanted out of her and then from there I would go to the Girl That's My prod soup and ask her to do this or that. The thing. The thing that you have to think about is the way you're going to ask your people to shoot reference if you do it for them. And what I think is very important when you should reference is to not try to act it, you can think about it. So, what can I have it's a simple shot where, where she find a twist has been broken and she goes like to the guy like, no, he knows, and she knows that he broke the tooth, you know, and she's like, I don't know how that happened. Oh, is this t 's and for this I just told her to remember one day I put some bacon pieces on her door knob, because I'm a very funny guy. And I thought, what would you just say after that to me like so. So then she started acting like this whole those bits and pieces on door I wonder how that happens. And just by that it was a simple thing, you know, so that that was the line that I wanted to have happen. So that's the type of thing you have to to try to think of when you when you should reference all the folders moments different ones than you think about. Okay,
Larry Vasquez 33:01
very good.
Ric Arroyo 33:02
I think this reference topic is amazing topic I think we should continue on this. So, so I'm just gonna say this and then you could correct me. So, do you think, are you are you putting reference shooting reference to two different ways so sometimes you should reference yourself and you're trying to project what you have in your mind on onto the screen and extract from that but but also when you shoot in reference with someone, you're pretty much directing them and either you're directing them, give them with a strict guidelines or you're trying to extract something raw, and this is what you're trying to get at. Yeah.
Alexis Wanneroy 33:38
Yeah, I think, because, okay, honestly, the level of acting from movies is impossible to get in animation to me we can't really get that because we're. We tried to. I mean animation and acting to me is two different things and actors, especially when you animate you have to reproduce all the principles and the fact that it has to move nicely, and it's hard to get all the subtleties that actors can get in shots. It's really, really hard so you have to push things always. And for that reference, if you make it right and then you push it just a little bit. I think most of the time it works and for that you need to direct the guys the way you want it, but it's never going to be as good as what an actor can give you in terms of acting so that's where you need to push it a bit I think that the way to approach I mean honestly, to me that's the hardest part is to have reference that works because most of my best shot is because the reference was really good. And that's that's a shame to me a bit because you rely a lot on that, especially for for this kind of movie but but to get the subtlety of things you almost needed outside.
Ric Arroyo 34:47
And in getting your best references you find you get your best reference example You said you were dealing with with your friend who was acting out the tooth fairy. Did you find you got the best reference when you did not act it out in front of her and you try to extract it naturally or did you find it was easier for her to understand, you just give me a really small example,
Alexis Wanneroy 35:08
it was for it wasn't naturally but I know another girl that did some test for shadows. And she had the line and she did exactly the line. He repeated a lot a lot a lot and then she did exactly the same way that she, the other girl did. And she acted it was working really well like this. So I think it depends on also is the people if you're working with real actors, honestly there's just just as them to to act out the line, if you're working with, with friends from work and stuff that the, or if there's actors at work, tell them to like the line but but that's the thing you know most of the time real actors is a different thing.
Larry Vasquez 35:45
Do you find that you like your reference that you typically do or do you feel like
Alexis Wanneroy 35:49
you have to use I use I use people a lot Tell that to me because I'm not really good at.
Ric Arroyo 35:57
Great animator but but you don't find that you're the best actor,
Alexis Wanneroy 36:04
which means very different things. You can be the best animator and I've been great. I mean like no call for example is not the best actor but just the fact that his drawings are so beautiful and the way things move is just, just stunning. So,
Larry Vasquez 36:18
yeah, yeah, it's what matters what's up on the screen right by the end.
Ric Arroyo 36:22
Yeah, I just want to say this comment i and i think you know anyone can come. I know often we see animators or actors, but we can also say animators or more directors, trying to extract the best performance possible. Yeah, and we're not necessarily the one who's acting or just extracting the information from you know from reference or, or you know from a drawing or a thumbnail or whatnot so I thought, I think that, you know, some animators can be both, you know, a great director and a great animator but some, you know, a lot of animators are probably better just
Larry Vasquez 36:53
you know actors or actors Oh, yeah. That's a good point. And that's one of the things that's kind of fun. I think that's why people are liking, stuff like these these interviews where they can glean little pieces like that or they resonate with someone like you were going oh no I don't like my reference that I shoot, but I feel like this is the area that I really excelled in at a
Ric Arroyo 37:12
cause talk about a little bit, you know, what were like the challenges compared to our movie like Kung Fu Panda I mean Kung Fu Panda was like one of my, I love Kung Fu Panda one because I just love Kung Fu, and I love pandas I think they're cute so you know yeah great combo so what was like what was like the different challenges, and what character Did you animate uncompromised
Alexis Wanneroy 37:34
by pretty much animated everybody know that title on, I wish I could have any title on at least one. All the characters. All the wrestlers Shifu. The five way. But I wasn't too long on it, because I was on the movie for most of it and so I had to animate I think like six months on it, maybe. But it was a lot of fun. I mean I love that movie for the team the team's period on that movie was great,
Ric Arroyo 38:03
find it challenging. So switching to the movie so quickly. It was.
Alexis Wanneroy 38:09
To me it was kind of similar in terms of style it was cartoony a bit pushed. I mean nothing to compare in terms of animation and character and feeling but. But in terms of animation to me was, it was, it was using my same technique as I had back then. So, which I was just. Initially, I was doing stuff instead just right out the box was just little drawings no reference at all. But, you know, it was a lot of fun and all the kung fu fight stuff was done by Ronald Gilman, and then most of the time he would do all the 2d, and he would give you those movies of the 2d and then you would animate with that so that was a lot easier. The guy was super talented.
Ric Arroyo 38:54
Mmm it's a great guy, awesome guy.
Larry Vasquez 38:57
Now, I kind of hidden back on reference here but particularly like what Rick was talking about regards to Kung Fu Panda where you have so many different types of characters different body styles and stuff. How do you adapt the reference that you shoot or you get someone else's shoot to fit with that rig.
Alexis Wanneroy 39:14
Well so begged him that he didn't use reference I don't know.
Larry Vasquez 39:17
Okay. I don't even like okay I guess you
Alexis Wanneroy 39:20
were on tooth butter Yeah, I can tell you from from kids. Because people use referendum case that it actually worked and they just feel a bit too human sometimes, I think.
Larry Vasquez 39:34
But you know, good for you and your, your work. I think,
Alexis Wanneroy 39:38
po is okay, but maybe some of the some of the world for some of those things could have been maybe a bit more. But I think it's also part of the rig that was not really nice and I mean, it's just, I don't know, I think, I think when you work with different characters, than most. They act like humans so they're still you're going to be able to be okay. Okay, you know tigress is standing up for Viper it's a bit different than for this you just animated this right out of the box was just that stuff.
Larry Vasquez 40:08
Okay, because they know, sometimes dealing with, you know, with skyscraper our hero rig. Yeah, he's got obviously a lot broader shoulders and bigger torso than maybe most animators and stuff. So how do you adapt your reference that you'd either shoot with this gal here for tooth fairy, or just any other rigs that you're looking at you're going okay here I have some good solid piece of reference, how do I adapt that to this character now.
Alexis Wanneroy 40:32
Just because for tooth fairy. I would just when when she was moving a lot in the beginning, I was using just a hummingbird type of motion, I was trying to get that same feeling. And then on top of that, then I would take my reference and shoot my acting. The other way I would do it around is if I had an item that I really liked I would use the acting and then I would have the thing after so it depends. Okay, okay. But that's one way of doing it for her for example I think for skyscraper it's okay you just you just could draw it the same way any way they're going to grow up the same way, no matter what
Larry Vasquez 41:09
do you use trying to get the essence of what you have in the rig, or the reference in a app that.
Alexis Wanneroy 41:14
Yeah, I mean that's the difference between mocap and copying references you know I used to get the essence and not every every single character you have to clean. At the end is going to give you the same results is just a different way of doing it. Yeah,
Larry Vasquez 41:26
yeah. The voice. No go in there I'll let you go, I'll come back to it. Okay. The voice acting for this movie I thought was really fitting for the characters as well. Yeah. How'd you feel you know when you're hearing this, I forget the girl's name who played Tooth Fairy
Alexis Wanneroy 41:45
Fisher. Yeah, I love, love Fisher and because she's cute. Nerd was, you know, in Wedding Crashers, that character that's crazy and unborn moment she does one line where she goes cuckoo and what the kids say and stuff and then we did that, the beginning was the hook. Actually, I gave a hoarder so did that in the test of her saying that line and they loved it because she was doing some faces and then she was sparkly so so from there they went and they pushed a bit of that side. And, and so they wanted to let you do that
Larry Vasquez 42:26
too for an animator how key is getting the right voice for it.
Alexis Wanneroy 42:30
Okay, it's, it's important. If the voice is not right your shot is not going to work. It's not gonna work no matter what's gonna struggle. Yeah. This is so important.
Ric Arroyo 42:40
Yeah, so while you were doing your character development, did you have any you know voice clips or any temp voice actors while you were creating the character.
Alexis Wanneroy 42:49
Yeah, there was some. They call it. Let me call it cam something. And basically, we had those. Would that we could look at and actually use as a reference but most of the time when actors they read. It's not really working, I think, you know, they don't act it out but just here reading it and trying to get into nations but sometimes you get little gestures, depends on who is recording their voice but most of the time they, you won't see them move as much and
Ric Arroyo 43:20
act as much so. So do you just use the you know the recording the video recording just to look at their lip sync or anything or
Alexis Wanneroy 43:29
actually for lip sync What would I do for lip sync also sometimes I shoot my lips, and then I try to see how it moves, or may not try to mimic that's events, or just do my shapes like the i o It depends, but it was mainly to see for the little kid, it worked out really well because he was was trying to act it a bit more. So we reference for the kids in the gardens and efficient not so much but she because most of the time she didn't want to do it, because she was pregnant. So,
Larry Vasquez 44:06
how is your workflow changed throughout the years working on these movies.
Unknown Speaker 44:13
More reference law references
Alexis Wanneroy 44:17
are flushed away I use any movie any company no dragons, just started, and then gardens and became an addicted and addiction.
Larry Vasquez 44:30
Do you like it,
Alexis Wanneroy 44:31
and we have one cartoony movie.
Yeah, I really like it. I think it's getting good results for a lot of people, so
Larry Vasquez 44:41
you don't feel like it's taking away the freedom of that creativity because you're just using it more for you're blocking the stage right
Alexis Wanneroy 44:48
yeah and actually when I don't need it I won't use it, it's really more for the editing stuff. If I want some ideas like the Sandman the character you know the little walk and when he falls and stuff, all those things when when we did back then was just animated no reference so it really depends on the shots also and what I wanted. What I want to do in there and just encourage students to use it because I think you learn a lot from the reference in how your character moves and why does it move like this and the way your body shift and in your weight in what your body really does to me it's it's more important for them than anything else at the beginning after I want to use reference really for my acting, just to have some credibility in there, because he be able to access things on everything and I'm thing moving for the sake of moving I want I want some, some acting in there that's that's sincere so.
Larry Vasquez 45:42
So what are some of your favorite shots to work on. Do you like more of this sincere stuff like you just mentioned there or some of the cartoony
Alexis Wanneroy 45:50
stuff. Okay,
Larry Vasquez 45:51
because that's what you said you mentioned you want to work on pitch.
Alexis Wanneroy 45:54
Really good character. I mean I really liked him but I know some
Larry Vasquez 45:58
of them but I thought he was really really good. I thought he was really good, I think, Jude law's voice worked really well with it
Alexis Wanneroy 46:04
at the beginning that we hadn't we had some time to do some shots and I did want to pitch that comes, let's let's let's say this is a boy here and comes next to it and just say something is here and it was really creepy and I had a lot of fun with the producer and they were like, you almost offended how it was.
That's quite a little. Yeah. Push it a bit
think it was really nice. The way he did have his
Unknown Speaker 46:35
pitches useful in terms of recognition really. Yeah,
Ric Arroyo 46:39
I was gonna ask earlier. In regards to the reference. I know DreamWorks has a mocap studio and then if I remember correctly, percent boost they use a lot of the mocap for the dancing part which they would give to the animators and did. If I remember correctly the animators just repeated they didn't they pretty much copied the the mocap made and pushed it into more. I'm not completely sure
Alexis Wanneroy 47:05
because I didn't work on it but i think i mean the mocap room is for rough layouts, which in previous it's before you animate, so there's always character that moves in your scene. When for guardians we would use it a lot, actually animators would put their suit on, they would win the mocap room, and then we would shoot the whole sequence. So, meaning that we would move in certain areas we would talk there and then we move there and then there was all this fight happening so it was to set up the characters and the cameras, so that they would feel right and they will do what they were needed to do. Because when you have a layout artist that makes a guy walk like this and you're not sure he's actually going to be able to go to the end of the room. It's a good way to actually know how many steps he's going to do and how many we need time for all that. So, so we use it for that. And I think person was was the same. It was just this and then the animate is the same because they, they, they had real dancers coming and doing that so we wanted to use all their little movements and stuff but I don't know if they had the data or not to be I actually don't know about that.
Larry Vasquez 48:15
I think Jason mentioned in one of the weekly demos that it was just for the rough layout like he mentioned there, they don't use any of it after that, they just see it in the rough
Ric Arroyo 48:22
layout. Because I, you know, I always tell everyone. I always tell everyone that, you know, I think mocap is a great tool it's a fantastic tool and there's a great place for it in our industry, regardless if it's film games or television, and even commercials, which is a question how you use it and how you be creative with it and man, you know, students and animators shouldn't be scared of. of motion capture I mean, I mean look at whether the stuff they do with
Unknown Speaker 48:50
motion capture belongs to the kid Yeah,
Alexis Wanneroy 48:53
I would love to love work on the movie and I have a guy who works with imagine deal was an avatar on age no Stephens indeed loved it I mean, he wanted to change because he wanted to have more cartoony and he came on guardians but
Larry Vasquez 49:09
he was
Alexis Wanneroy 49:12
like, Okay, here you own guidance.
I mean to me the stuff that you get out of monkeys is really really good. I mean, depending on again on the movie and the tone of your movies it's only about that and what tools
Larry Vasquez 49:26
is best after using kind of more of that as a blocking stage. Yeah,
Alexis Wanneroy 49:33
right. Other dreamers are working on Peabody and Sherman, and it looks stunning is just for once I'm so happy with how dream works. The appealing of it.
Larry Vasquez 49:44
I just see the one poster with Peabody and Sherman on there. Okay. Yeah, looks really cool appealing.
Alexis Wanneroy 49:50
Yeah, it's got no textures, but once once Yeah, it's got no textures for once you know the face and we know this kind of thing.
Larry Vasquez 50:01
Now, working with the rigs on Rise of the Guardians where they are shooting more for that. Higher believability or higher detail. How is that working with the rigs there is that more stuff that they deal with afterwards or is that stuff that you're used to.
Alexis Wanneroy 50:17
So we were when since I was. At the beginning we had to create all the rigs and see how they were going to work and the specific specific stuff. So, so we added a few controls just to make it more realistic like the lipstick It was probably was one where knowing your open your lip, kind of stick together, there's just the inner part that stick is not the outer so it's not like a seal. Before that we do the control and make it like when we open and the same for this cowl and same for the little movements here that we usually we usually don't have agreement so we asked for those and we try, we try to push it a bit in that way.
Larry Vasquez 50:55
He's harder working with rigs like that they were a little bit more
Alexis Wanneroy 50:58
detail a bit more tenuous, I think so. You knew what you were doing you were going really fast and really appealing stuff and very quickly so.
Larry Vasquez 51:07
Okay, so you got just kind of like anything else you get used to a good news today. I really liked the level of detail on this movie not just with the characters but with the environments as well, you know, bring him to vary in her. I want to call out a stage like it's a video game but her place is just beautiful just amazing. And I'm thinking, here's just you know this shots that are here for just, you know, however long, but yet it just it looked gorgeous the lighting the surfacing everything. It just this movie seemed like it was really just that I caliber all the way around.
Alexis Wanneroy 51:42
It's when I ask you if you've seen it in 3d or not because to me and the only problem that I had was Gardens is almost everything is to clear everywhere. Like you you when I've seen it in 2d I've see everything everywhere all the time, they don't have a lot of depth and and when you see it in 3d actually in the head that dips with the 3d and it's a bit better for that.
I don't like 3d movies I have to say.
Better was better in 3d So, but i agree i mean they, they have a lot. They had a lot done in all those places. Yes,
Larry Vasquez 52:19
it is better or you know for those who haven't seen it yet but even his Labyrinth or whatever you'd call that thing, it was just really neat looking
Ric Arroyo 52:27
in I think it was it was creepy man was scary. Yeah.
Good job guys. I'm scared to see like my nightlight
Unknown Speaker 52:39
sleep with a flashlight now. Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 52:43
How much of the detail of the scenes are in there when you guys are working as the animators.
Alexis Wanneroy 52:52
Not much actually we try to hide as much as we can because then it gets super slow but that was the old software we use the greenworks now we have a new one and it's really good I'm really happy because I can see where
Larry Vasquez 53:01
a lot of having a lot of that in there.
Alexis Wanneroy 53:04
Yeah, it kind of helps with our mood guardians was really hard for that because whenever you had too much detail everywhere it was just super slow super slow super slow.
Larry Vasquez 53:13
Okay. Okay, so this is on the previous previous software.
Alexis Wanneroy 53:17
Yeah, so now everything is real time. Right on. We have before we couldn't even scrolling the scene that was not possible. It was just, you had to recalc and it was just in your camera view, it was not even updating your 3d knew or. Okay.
Unknown Speaker 53:33
Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 53:34
It was all
Alexis Wanneroy 53:37
real time it's good,
Larry Vasquez 53:38
it's I think a little bit more amazing than what you guys are able to accomplish them and
Alexis Wanneroy 53:43
it's done much morning is your thing big studios have the best I can tell you games have the best stuff.
Ric Arroyo 53:50
You like them so
Alexis Wanneroy 53:51
good news that's so so smart, like, years, years behind
Ric Arroyo 54:00
the Vantage game has is that you know we have all these great engines that lets us you know two things pretty much real time you know we can throw an environment. And we have animations we can put it in, if we need to change vironment, it won't. It won't be destructive on animations for the most part on depending on a scripted event or not. So I think there's a lot of things I mean even when I don't know if they use a game engine, or one of the plugins but did that shot of iron man when he gets. Yes, he's fighting for in the forest and he you know he punches gets hit on the tree. They use, they did that dynamically, you know the generated him flying into the tree giant dynamically just to get the physics out of it and then they then they use that as as a reference.
I just think that that idea i think you know that we use in games is
Alexis Wanneroy 54:54
is very practical.
Larry Vasquez 54:56
But you know even have some of this stuff here within the studios now they're using more of these cameras now. We're calling
Alexis Wanneroy 55:05
courtroom cameras are
Larry Vasquez 55:07
yeah we're there.
Alexis Wanneroy 55:08
That's good. I'm so happy we have.
Ric Arroyo 55:12
For those who don't know, Alex also does our. We do our live interviews he oftens is one of our camera guys so he's really good with the camera so man of many talents.
Alexis Wanneroy 55:24
Absolutely. To me at DreamWorks that camera is always a bit
underlooked. It's not another, I mean Pixar movies cameras are always like, like Ratatouille was spot on in terms of cameras just nuts buttons breadboard symbols incredible machines just the nuts. And you can tell that sometimes you know, I think guardians was okay is just think could have. I think it's okay it's just it feels too big, all the time too, too much I think in some places so
Larry Vasquez 55:57
there was. I'm sorry, go ahead. I'm just
Alexis Wanneroy 56:01
better camera like three years ago and when I always love looking at movies in the house things are composed and I think it's when the DSLR started making cameras, I mean movies that look that great and just jumped on it and tried to do
Larry Vasquez 56:18
this kind of segue so the question I had I think last time with one of our interviewers. What is something else that you enjoy doing outside of animation that you kind of feel like pushes you like I mentioned some of our instructors, you know do music or martial arts or whatever it might be. When
Alexis Wanneroy 56:35
I do little short movies or documentaries or stuff like this,
Larry Vasquez 56:40
I saw that one I think was in Hawaii, you and your family.
Alexis Wanneroy 56:43
No slaves me so so it's like family movie or. I did one documentary on Alberto Iago is a painter. That does all the Tron TV series he did all those and he also the Beatles rock band commercials. All those these really really amazing artists so there's one shine also on all the DreamWorks artists that created that book, so I filmed a few of them and I edited that documentary on those guides so those things like that it's fun to do just just on my spare time
Larry Vasquez 57:18
So, do you ever see yourself getting into the more of the directing level or
Alexis Wanneroy 57:22
I don't know it's I think it's hard to live. I mean, to live with it, you have to be really good. I don't think so.
Larry Vasquez 57:33
Do you have either you had a question Rick I cut you off
Ric Arroyo 57:34
on man. All thanks appreciate it let me talk about the other side of the spider. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 57:42
totally. I totally forgot what the question was, but
Unknown Speaker 57:47
I forgot my question. All right,
Larry Vasquez 57:50
every box will teach you how to animate wonder this your first block. Yeah. Okay, so what do you think so far have you enjoyed it. Yeah, I love it. Excellent.
Alexis Wanneroy 57:59
That to me you know you had a spare time when you do well now I teach, just I don't have anyone to direct anything we're just
Unknown Speaker 58:08
like everything
Alexis Wanneroy 58:09
like that. Think about all the classes, I'm gonna say, and it was a bit more of a thing like almost a week per week and it was, it was hard. It was really hard. I love it though. Because I remember being a students and some some teacher, the way they would teach I was expecting more and I know I'm always like I hope I'm not like this, it's pushing a bit the challenges and it made me also we think of the way animated before and what I was getting out of that because when I arrived on the class I was telling them yet. The three frame thing, try it. And the more asked them to do that the more and move older animation was very realistic. So I asked them well try another method try the step one and then actually most of them wanted to try something else because they felt bad so I think for this type of thing. It was really good for me to to realize those things and to look back at that so
Larry Vasquez 59:04
good deal. Good deal. We enjoyed seeing the doozy azim with the students is that been said it's kind of pushed you.
Alexis Wanneroy 59:10
Yeah. Like last but they liked it for once. Because I. The thing is I didn't know how to do it as much as I wanted you to like how you present your class what do you use or not and basically last week. I found out the best way to do it in terms of video and images and my and all this. Okay.
Larry Vasquez 59:36
Do you feel like the way we've done the live sessions, has been beneficial for you and how you want to teach. Like the live reviews and things of that nature. Have you felt like that's been that accommodates how you want to be able to teach and give me that.
Alexis Wanneroy 59:53
It's really good. I just need to look at the progress in progress religious
light to my students actually. All right.
Larry Vasquez 1:00:03
If we're approaching the last week or last week or so of our blog and for those that don't know, basically what we do here is we don't do grades. We basically have a progress rule and submitted here, where your instructor and Jason kind of evaluate whether or not you've progressed enough to move on to the next workshop and, and if not, it's not, you know, a fail, it's just a matter of going take a block off work on the assignments again that you've done this last block and then resubmit it for the next one and so this is kind of allowed us to get our students where they're, they're fitted for the next workshop I saw just passing someone along they're definitely progressing enough to where they can tackle the next workshop.
Alexis Wanneroy 1:00:45
It was really good class it's a really really nice student really nice, nice animation in there
Larry Vasquez 1:00:51
anything else you want to share with this while we got john. We'll see Rise of the Guardians
Alexis Wanneroy 1:00:55
Yes, absolutely. Go see it. I mean honestly it was, it was a lot of fun to work on it, it was very challenging, but it was, it was fun at the end it was the team was really really connected, especially. Yeah, especially if a few of those guys we would always go together and Nice, nice.
Unknown Speaker 1:01:14
Rick you got anything Aleksey.
Ric Arroyo 1:01:17
No thank you, thank you very much for for doing this and sharing, you know your experience and your and all house and it was cool workflow yeah absolutely we got to have you come again. When you finish your next feature or, you know, and Larry, like David Barr said you have a wonderful voice so
Larry Vasquez 1:01:39
thank you very much. Well, we really appreciate your time, very much in English it Yeah, been a part of my animate it's been cool. Cool. All right, Guys,
Alexis Wanneroy 1:01:48
thank you very much for having me. I really don't know the
Unknown Speaker 1:01:59
whole issue.
Ric Arroyo 0:04
me to sing while we wait yeah,
Larry Vasquez 0:07
that's some of this out. I kept
Unknown Speaker 0:13
me.
Larry Vasquez 0:13
"Quand on n'a que l'amour"
This is DJ Larry loco with Ric present and this is the inside joke for all of those who listened to our last podcast, a lot of fun. This is our fourth podcast, this is actually Larry Vasquez here. And joining me of course is Rick Arroyo.
How you doing, Rick?
Ric Arroyo 0:46
I'm doing awesome as always very cool man very cool.
Larry Vasquez 0:51
One Roy. What's all right fantastic movie I just saw this weekend, loved it. The Guardians
Ric Arroyo 0:57
yeah rising guardians it seemed like it was almost like like the Avengers what but for kids. Yeah, yeah, every type of superhero all like, no, get together and so it was kind of awesome I really enjoyed it. My family enjoyed it so
Larry Vasquez 1:12
right on right on in the I have Jessica check it out with my wife, her and I went on accident A month later, but it's been celebrating our 12 year anniversary wouldn't check it out I have a wonderful wife who was willing to go check on the animated movie with me.
Ric Arroyo 1:24
Congratulations, that's awesome big, dad.
Larry Vasquez 1:27
So, what else we got going on, coming up here. Well, CG games, movies, what
Ric Arroyo 1:33
yeah there's I mean there's a lot of things going on December 7 is the Video Game Awards on Spike TV, there's gonna be a lot of cool trailers and cool games cool announcement I mean there's gonna be, of course you know David lambs. Last of Us, there's gonna be some stuff on Halo and. And for some reason I just, I just went blank there but
Larry Vasquez 1:54
what do they do with these things, it's. What is it,
Ric Arroyo 1:58
so it's an award show to congratulate the games and developers that made these great games and, and also to talk about some anticipated games that are coming up. You know this games that people are really looking, looking into. Okay, so yeah i mean it's it's really rewards about games, it's like what you get for film but but for games, so it's pretty big I mean this is the 10th year and. Wow, Samuel Jackson is usually the host and he you know he's really funny and. And yeah, it's a really pretty big deal. Oh yeah there's gonna be some huge trailers coming out. So usually, you know, a lot of games that people are waiting for it gets announced, like, now or
Unknown Speaker 2:39
before you know of course so
Larry Vasquez 2:41
I like how definitely within games there has been kind of that crossover where they've become more than just the interactivity of it, in some ways, they've been kind of become almost these novels that you kind of, you know, play through or these epic movies that you're kind of half watching half playing. And so I definitely like that crossover that games. Definitely ventured into here,
Ric Arroyo 3:02
yeah yeah I mean, honestly games have has evolved and it's still evolving I mean it's gaming industry is still very very young and the characters that that we are building now are characters that you will follow you know a few things like a James Bond that has I don't know it's like 20 movies now. Right, right, you look at these some of these characters are on like their fifth title but people are gonna follow it because they're, you know they're attached to it. Yeah, and that's something even Jamal Jamal Bradley mentioned you know that you invested into these characters and the audience enjoys it and they want to follow the right evolution of the character, so
Larry Vasquez 3:35
that's cool that's a good point that one of the things I wasn't a big fan of with movies was sequels, for a bit. But now, kind of like what you're talking about there where you're able to follow the characters, I've actually enjoyed sequels for movies now for that very reason that you're able to follow these characters a little bit longer you know than just those two and a half, you know, or maybe hour and a half a movie or something like that. So I've kind of been enjoying some of these sequels that have come out for those very reasons where you can kind of follow the character a little bit more.
Ric Arroyo 4:01
Yeah I know people say like sequels are like moneymakers but, but, you know, really I mean if you look like, I don't know, Twilight vampire movie or what Harry Potter I mean, these are like five, six movies, you get the follow the story and that's that's fun. You get to see how the characters evolving and changing and yeah that's that's part of the fun and I think Games has really been doing this really well and, and I believe they're gonna continue to even better I mean look at the Castlevania Castlevania I mean like, I played that when I was a bit. Yeah. And now I mean Castlevania now, I mean Lord of Shadows. Wow, it's like, it's it's it's so crazy I mean these games are impressive really impressive right a job to the team at creating that game so
Larry Vasquez 4:49
very cool. And they were talking about movies here in a little bit and looking forward to checking out the great oz that that would look pretty slick.
Ric Arroyo 4:56
Absolutely, that, that, that movie looks. I mean, I remember watching trailer and I was like, Wow, that looks so cool. Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 5:04
You know, the part I think was that one is that even though it's kind of a prequel, it's not something that I mean it's a prequel to a movie that was done years and years and years and years ago so there's been kind of enough time gap on that one to really kind of bring up the nostalgia without having to feel like it's just capitalizing on a movie Apple Yeah,
Ric Arroyo 5:25
I think that's, that was really smart and and I personally appreciate that. And I'm sure that they put a lot of thought and and heart into the project, you know, I mean, this just has to be this huge expectation I'm right. The Wizard of Oz is is big on classic yeah that's that's at a moderate level so. So, I would think that you know the the prequel will will have something to really you know live up to so yeah.
Larry Vasquez 5:53
So my wife, who I thought was pretty neat. I think the second trailer, it shows a silhouette of one of the witches in this in this cloud and all you see is this silhouette but it looks exactly like the Wicked Witch from the east, whatever. Yeah, I forget which one, but it looks exactly like an artist, it was just amazing to me again, what we can do. Nowadays you know with something along that lines here this movie was, you know, like I said what 4050 years ago, and they're able to do at least based upon the silhouette, an identical version and I was just blown away it just again reminds me of what we're able to do with this technology.
Ric Arroyo 6:28
Yeah, I think the technology is awesome but also the artists that that being creative with the technology is what is even more impressive. Yeah, I find, you know like, you know, we create this stuff but how we use it I mean, this is, this is the fun part and you know again to to those who are who are working on it or who have worked on it, you know, my hat my tip my hat to you guys. Absolutely just great stuff so
Larry Vasquez 6:52
yeah yeah. And then, I know hobbit is coming out, you can check that one out at all.
Ric Arroyo 6:57
Absolutely. I mean, come on. Question.
I wanted to go, go to the premiere here in in LA to check out the schedule but that's, that's like, I have to go at like one in the morning. You know,
Larry Vasquez 7:15
you're gonna get there.
Ric Arroyo 7:15
Yeah, I believe, I believe, Aaron Gilman also worked on, if I remember correctly so Aaron Gilman was one of our guest speaker, Aaron you're listening. Thank you. Thank you, Roberto and marvel of course. So I know that that movie's gonna be, you know, that movie has to be exceptional. I mean it's the Hobbit.
Unknown Speaker 7:33
Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 7:35
I remember the cartoon, back in the day so this is, this would be neat to revisit the story here. Yeah, let's see, we've got the event this weekend, you mentioned it's all filled up though, huh,
Ric Arroyo 7:49
yeah, that that I'm, I'm really excited. I know the guys are also really excited for the, for the event that's happening this weekend on the eighth 9am. The event is is already packed, which is you know it's it's thrilling to know that that's a good thing. Yeah, I really, really want more information or learn about you know the difference between games and films and, you know, the technology and our challenges, and whatnot, and we're looking forward to it. David, David bar is going to be the moderator already and then
Cameron fielding.
The camera framing Richard lico and Brett Pascal bright Pascal is one of our new instructors for workshop three for a game division. And if you look at, Brad stuff and Cameron stuff is like, you know, it's like wow these guys are mind blowing. These guys are really amazing artists so. And of course, I mean lico This is a beast so yeah it's gonna be it's gonna be, it's gonna be a great thing it's gonna be a great, great event. So,
Larry Vasquez 8:50
again, once again, who's going to be doing it.
Ric Arroyo 8:51
So David David's going to be the moderator. It'll be Brett Pascal. Cameron fielding, okay, myself and Richard lico. Awesome. So Cameron's from Valve Brett is from. And I think this burden myself here.
Unknown Speaker 9:09
I'm sorry but
Larry Vasquez 9:11
I noticed you posted though something he put on his page for the Transformers game.
Ric Arroyo 9:16
Oh no, that was Patrick. Patrick is okay got Patrick is another new instructor What's up, Pat, are you doing. Yeah. Yeah, a little shout out. Yeah, Patrick we posted some of the stuff he did with blue was Grimlock
Unknown Speaker 9:31
yeah that was slowly
Ric Arroyo 9:32
yeah yeah he's one of our new instructors.
I mean we have some great instructors, you know, we have some instructors that, you know, they haven't started yet and you know once once, once they're ready, they'll be coming on board so we got some, we got a fantastic team so let's see.
Larry Vasquez 9:50
We found Alexis. Our guest today. We're doing this podcast via Skype here which is actually pretty amazing though because we're looking at people from all over. And let's see if we can bring on our guests here.
Ric Arroyo 10:02
Oh, why'd you do that I just want to mention that the post that we posted yesterday for our podcast regards to the subjects that the students are interested or are followers interested you know we hear you. I seen Robert and match Elijah and Sam Chalice, we heard your, your request we'll, we'll try to get to as soon as possible. Absolutely.
Larry Vasquez 10:23
And hey, just to encourage you, I saw that there's like, almost, you know, 750 people who saw the post but we've got just about three who actually responded, we have an opportunity to ask these guys some questions and so definitely post away, let us know what you think of these podcasts, so far based upon the hits in the downloads from the podcast it's been very very positive and I think it's a little humbling from Rick and I, because this has been fun for us but it seems like you guys have been really appreciating it and enjoying it so I. We appreciate that. And so, Big thanks to those who are listening, but definitely give us some feedback, let us know what you're liking hear what you want to hear from our guests and stuff so big shout out to those who posted on there but definitely wanna encourage all those who were kind of stopping by definitely post us a little feedback here and let us know what you'd like to hear. So we have our guest here Alexis Wanneroy, how you doing Alexis. Good, good. Am I pronouncing your name correctly.
Alexis Wanneroy 11:19
Alexis, Alexis. Alright, Aluxe in French but yeah. I'm really bright No,
Larry Vasquez 11:25
no, you're good, you're good.
Ric Arroyo 11:27
Okay, yeah, if you look great man you know no one's gonna see you but they'll hear you, so we'll just say you look great.
Larry Vasquez 11:33
So that way we listen to the podcast and like I said good looking guy. All right. We had jessamy Rick yet
Alexis Wanneroy 11:41
yeah we know each other, actually. Oh, yeah. We did get to you sometimes together.
Ric Arroyo 11:47
Yeah, what we eat at sweet as a sushi restaurant here and in a studio city which is amazing, by the way. Okay, okay.
Larry Vasquez 11:58
Very cool. We really appreciate your time joining us today, we have both had a chance to check out Rise of the Guardians and that's one of the things we want to talk with you about today. Yeah, I loved it, man, loved it. Cool. Yeah, it's all just actually this weekend, Saturday, and really impressed. I definitely think it's probably your guys's best movie so far. And that's saying a lot because I really liked. How to Train Your Dragon which is another one you worked on the first Kung Fu Panda was one of my favorites and then also megamind never really enjoyed those ones here and I'd say this one here has probably been the best. When I was at the theater, as in the movie everybody just stood up and was clapping, you know. So yeah, I really really enjoyed a 3d, or no just standard. Okay, my wife doesn't like a 3d yet she's kind of gives her a headache, so.
Unknown Speaker 12:50
Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 12:51
And even though it looked fantastic, it looked really really good so big kudos to you and the team there. Thank you. So hopefully with these podcasts we're looking to kind of get the word out there I've heard, both from critics. Online reading those things as well as those who have attended it and watched it, it's always been positive. So yeah, if you've not checked out the movie, definitely go check it out it's very worth your time and money here so. So why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself here before we jump into there I was looking at your bio here and you've actually got quite a few features under your belt, particularly at DreamWorks there
Alexis Wanneroy 13:24
yeah so basically well I did the Gobelins school in Paris, which is about the best animation school there is in France, I think in terms of animation only. And then DreamWorks have recruiters there so when I graduated somebody from DreamWorks was there, part of the jury so at that time she said would you be interested in working for creamers and I said of course I was coming out. Okay.
Unknown Speaker 13:53
Let me think about it yeah,
Alexis Wanneroy 13:55
these issues and stuff so I went one year in London to work on Valiant he was a pigeon movie not very big success and not very good movie but it was a lot of fun to work on it was, I think it was one of the best movie I worked on in terms of fun with people and stuff.
Larry Vasquez 14:11
Very good.
Alexis Wanneroy 14:12
And then, and then DreamWorks. No, actually, and then I started my own company and DreamWorks called me and said you want to come and work for us now, and I said, Okay, let's do it. So I came, I came here and now seven years later, here I am still working. So, so first movie was Flushed away. That was, that was fun to work on, saying it didn't turn out the best as it could but it was a fun movie to work on.
Larry Vasquez 14:39
I like that one. I thought it was a lot of fun I like some of those quirky humor movies, you know, we're just kind of that silly doesn't take itself too serious, you know,
Alexis Wanneroy 14:48
but in 3d, having the ability to do stop motion faces a bit was really nice so we had the same principle where we put plug those shapes you know like the BP or Oh, that there and you would plug them so they would pop, as a stop motion do. So it was cool. And then I worked on the Bee movie which was really hard to work on, I didn't like it that much. And then I went on to Kung Fu Panda which was one of the, one of the best movie at DreamWorks that I've worked on after. And then I went to a Dragon's. This was very good because of the directors, Chris and Dean are really really good. They made the experience really good for everybody. They made a lot of feedback and stuff.
Larry Vasquez 15:37
And when
Alexis Wanneroy 15:37
guardians guardians this time they spend the most on a movie he was almost three years on it, since day one, doing all the character development and
Larry Vasquez 15:48
there was a lot of fun. So when you say character development can you for those that are kind of new to that, listen to the podcast Can you give us a description of what you'd be doing for that
Alexis Wanneroy 15:57
character development is basically you get a character that has never moved, and you get to make him a person was certain acting certain movements certain behaviors, so all that you can invent, so that's the best part to me is you have a character that somebody has an idea about it but then you have to make it your own way to, to give that ID, you know, let's say the character is very shaky and he's not sure about himself so how you're going to portray that so that's the fun part. And of course after that the characters involved in the movie and throughout the years interest becomes something else but
Larry Vasquez 16:36
we want to help establish that though, moving forward. So, yeah,
Ric Arroyo 16:41
I'm sorry I was gonna ask you like where do you start when I mean you received the model you know you have the first look of the model but where do you start with anything like do you start with like a walk, you start with
Alexis Wanneroy 16:51
just, we did on garden was boards, there were we had huge boards where we would pin images of guys so for example for jack frost would have guys and it was like this. And just down and skaters and guys would our course. So we pinned all that and then from there we said oh we're going to do a test with the hoodie down. I mean, who do you have we're going to do a test where the guy do some hardcore because they wanted some, they wanted a character that was light, and could fly almost they weren't sure about that, but they can react react to wind, and from that we went to use and you guys saw.
Larry Vasquez 17:28
That's gonna be kind of fun just iteration process of, kind of, kind of almost like a sculptor where you're kind of chiseling away finding stuff you know mining for these little nuggets that you're now kind of using a sparks for new creation of it, you know.
Alexis Wanneroy 17:44
Yeah, I mean to me this is, this is one of the best thing of Guardians is how all the characters are different, so all the little exploration we can do like the tooth fairy was the hummingbird stuff that was really nice to explore, or the Sandman was the floaty floaty fear was different gravity when he was falling, those type of things were really nice to explore even more so the way he would do on all those tests, was the best part, though.
Ric Arroyo 18:10
Yeah. And, and how long like are you guys working on the character development part. Like you spent a lot of time before animating like just doing the research like I don't know, a month, two months, three months, then you start animating.
Alexis Wanneroy 18:24
That's like a year. Most of the time we try to have at least a year of production. Where I know I'm on a movie, I mean that's been stubborn. mm trolls for DreamWorks and they have like a year production on that. And same on guardians they had a year, a year and a half, almost and it's gonna be the same on trolls here
Ric Arroyo 18:44
a year and a half. So, and like how many guys are you like do you work just on one character Are you developing only one character separately from the other guys, are you guys working all together at the same time
Alexis Wanneroy 18:55
for 32. We're just the hook me for that year before some people arrived on it so then we did all the characters. We spent like, let's say three weeks per characters. One week for a little action shot one week four different movements stuff that we could say in one week reacting with everything was really really blocking stuff, we never finalized any shot it was really to give ideas give ideas give ideas, though. I think it's a really fun way to do it, because you don't go deep into your shot or little synopsis is not there, I mean it's not important that the beginning is just to find it so,
Larry Vasquez 19:36
yeah. Now I that's one area. I know some people don't care for the blocking stage, because it's kind of difficult to get the ball rolling. For me, I love that stage because it's just now kind of getting what's in my head. At least something out on there for you What is that process for you like the blocking stage.
Alexis Wanneroy 19:55
Yeah, I love the blocking stage, I mean I try to give as much as I can on this. And then the final thing is just polishing stuff is just the curve aspect and the bit of the timing and but, yeah, to meet a blocking establishing all the IDs and all the actions beats, I want to go on a portrait a song. So yeah, this is basically the most important part. After all the polishing I love it but it takes takes a lot of time for the little amount of things that are changing to me but
Larry Vasquez 20:23
yeah I think my two favorite parts are the blocking in the polishing the stuff in the middle, I find it.
Ric Arroyo 20:29
It's, it's difficult. It's difficult, you know, trying to nail down that timing and, and. So yeah, those are my two favorite parts. And you said your your your blocking in the preparation Do you have like a go to process or like, like you know a way that you Oh, you work, you know oftenly.
Alexis Wanneroy 20:48
Yeah, so I mean it's the students that try that for the body mechanics of it's just to see how that was working. Some people like it some depends on what you want to animate but for guardians or for realistic stuff. I think if you use a method that basically kind of a straight ahead where you go every three frame to key, all your stuff on your body. From there you get a very realistic animation, but at the end, you've got something that also looks right. and that feels organic and all that some on guidance we used a lot of that, where we would copy reference on three frames, and then we would actually push stuff out of that. The problem was that as your animation gets very realistic, and you don't get a lot of timing changes. So in that case, then I use a set method, and somebody. And then some somebody layers on top of that, that usually works but for gardens, most of the time I would use the very realistic approach and because we were the director wanted really subtle team the, the mouse, the nose and when things were moving we didn't want to go too far. So it was a very good method. And then this is basically I work in later where I track my eyes see what they're doing then track my lips and then track my brows. And then I mean on top, but this is, again, this is an approach for very realistic animation like on gardens, and we're working on a troll on the troll movie which is going to be very realistic as well so
Larry Vasquez 22:18
one of the things I enjoyed with rice the guardians though, and I was in Teddy's class when he was working on rice The Guardian so you know we kind of hear a little bit about what's going on. I know that it was obviously taking more of a naturalistic feel to it, but it did not feel at all like it was more kept you get some of the movies and you know Rick and I were talking the other day, or me and somebody else I'm sorry, we're talking about the other day with. What's that movie with Tom Hanks in the Polar Express. And you know it's an entertaining movie, but you can feel that mo cap in there with Rise of the Guardians it did not feel that way at all. It felt it was very it was still very stylized it still felt very natural for each character to.
Alexis Wanneroy 23:02
It's basically to me the difference between tinson Polar Express versus avatar or guardians, or those types of names. It's not the same avatar guardians but I'm saying more realistic stuff is basically it's been animated on top. Yeah, you need, even if you do like what I was saying when I do my tree frame stuff it looks realistic it would be almost as the same as getting some mocap stuff but at least you interpret it, but after that you have to push a lot of things to make it appealing to make it feel like it's moving because when eyes are not moving too much and faces not moving, as much as it needs to be. Then it feels not real and that's why Polar Express in this movie I think they're not working as much. Okay. Okay.
Larry Vasquez 23:48
One of the questions I had is using reference, and maybe you know we're touching up on that right now. Being an eye animate, I really, that was I was introduced to using reference and I really like it and the idea of it. But one of the struggles I had was being able to be free enough to move away from it, you know, so to to basically get your idea. The acting the movement enough from the reference but without feeling like I was stuck to it because I'd often find that I have to reblock a lot because you know one part here wasn't working now because I, you know, reblocked that towards my reference and so feeling free enough to move away from it can you buy maybe more on your process on that where you're using your reference but now, feeling free enough to move away from it.
Alexis Wanneroy 24:33
Well my reference I only use for my blocking and then I take it away. Okay, so it's just basically for this first, let's say I have a shot and it's done in three weeks for the first week I would use my reference just on my blogging just to have something that moves realistically and again this is for guardians it's not for him but and. And then from there, I would take off my reference and push things to make it more animation and even put some overlaps on stuff sometimes and. So that's it for the first blocking part.
Ric Arroyo 25:03
So, pretty much you're saying that you use a reference as as your base foundation. Yeah, but you're not you're not building everything from it, you just using as, as the core message or the core.
Larry Vasquez 25:15
And then after that, that's when you just start now animating, yeah.
Alexis Wanneroy 25:19
It's a really, I mean, to me that's the hardest part is actually to animate after that and to make things feel some flow and feel animation like like apply of the principle of animation in there.
Larry Vasquez 25:32
Yeah. Now for Rise Of The Guardian sale you were saying that you're kind of blocking more on threes. Is that right, yeah. So how
Alexis Wanneroy 25:40
does that change. And if you have very sharp movement like this, and then a block on twos you know like the hand gestures or heads and stuff, sometimes on twos, but for most of the other step of Bloc countries. And then from that I clean my curves and then I inmates.
Larry Vasquez 25:56
Start shift around timing.
Alexis Wanneroy 25:57
I want to I want to be on a cartoony movie and then they put me on something realistic.
Some, some fun stuff.
Larry Vasquez 26:05
Yeah, because you've probably come back to back now with Junior dragon than now. Where is the Guardian so kind of more both naturalistic
Alexis Wanneroy 26:14
yeah actually have three new dragon is it's a, it's, it's a bit less than than den guardians but it's still more than the first one I think, Okay. How To Train Your Dragon.
Larry Vasquez 26:25
The second one here. Yeah. Okay. I was working with Peter Ramsay,
Alexis Wanneroy 26:32
really nice guy.
Yeah, he had very specific ideas on what he wanted in terms of acting in terms of of the characters How much did you want it to be pushed or nods. So, I think for that animators maybe sometime could feel a bit frustrated because you want to push things you want to want to try to put the movie in the tone was different. So, So it depends of of the tone turned to me you your animation has to be on the same level as the whole movie so I think it worked out pretty well to me in terms of that but
Larry Vasquez 27:09
yeah. Now, there was a recent roundtable with him and some of the other directors on some of the other movies from the other studios and he said like a really good guy and he
Alexis Wanneroy 27:21
honestly dude as a guy and as a person was amazing, really open guy he would come and drink beers after dailies with us and really open about everything. Sorry.
I'm gonna knock on my door then my weapon bro.
Unknown Speaker 27:37
That's true redo that one.
Larry Vasquez 27:41
We're keeping these things pretty loose so it's quite all right. Now what were some of the characters that you worked on primarily for the movie. Did you touch all of them or do you work on something that
Alexis Wanneroy 27:56
I worked on was very I was the the character lead for tooth fairy. Okay, it's the had like a team of you, can you hear the the women who are not a little bit. Let me move into another room actually
Larry Vasquez 28:17
see this is a podcast on the go.
Ric Arroyo 28:22
guerilla style.
Larry Vasquez 28:27
Awesome. Thank you.
Alexis Wanneroy 28:30
So I worked. I worked on Sparrow is the calculate for her. Since I did all the early test. And the hook I liked what I did with her and he wanted me to try and. And I said no I want to do pitch, like yeah you need to try to spherical okay. So basically I ended up doing just very for the whole movie was a Chima set of five six guys that were coming on. Were doing shots with me on her. It was, it was cool, very cool experience.
Larry Vasquez 28:59
Now this is kind of a new, more of a new thing with DreamWorks right where you're kind of having leads of character right where, where you kind of a word, essentially everyone about on the under movie.
Alexis Wanneroy 29:10
For example, when there's a lot of characters. Definitely there's gonna be character leads. When there's only two characters in the movie you have to have sequences in other words, maybe you're going to have character experts but still character experts, meaning that those guys are going to do the same character throughout the movie. So they really know it really well and then they know what what's happening in that. So,
Ric Arroyo 29:32
let me ask you about two fairy I mean,
one I thought she was done, I mean, she was done a strong she was just brilliant I really enjoyed her character I really, I really believed in her as as as a person and when asked you. Do you find it like
Unknown Speaker 29:48
harder animating, like a human character or, like, what were the challenges.
Alexis Wanneroy 29:54
Yeah, definitely. Well, again, terms of reference was hard but I had one of the Russian supervisor was a girl that was very active and she looked just like her so I would
say it was, it was really nice that I had her so um.
Ric Arroyo 30:13
Did you do any reference of yourself acting like the tooth fairy which you can share.
Unknown Speaker 30:25
So, everything.
Alexis Wanneroy 30:29
A female character to me has to be a bit.
I mean, she has to be appealing and she has to be cute. But all that sometimes a bit hard because you want to have another tone to the, to the character where she wouldn't be aware you're aware, she would be. Notice pretty but but so so they wanted a princess but also Queen but also a warrior but also was hard for for this type of things I think the female characters but,
Larry Vasquez 30:57
well, this goes into one of the questions that someone was posted on our Facebook here and they, the question was, how to get into character, you know you're saying here that you've got a gal or a character. That's a queen, and she's a leader here but yet she's also a warrior, how do you as an animator, get into character, get into this character or by the attitude of your shots.
Alexis Wanneroy 31:17
Well, what do you have to do is, well, first of all, again, Peter Ramsay here was a lot of he really knew what he wanted on this. So, so he knew that he wanted her as a warrior so he had shots like that in the movie where she would come and fly and kick some, some wars and stuff like that. So that was a warrior part and then from that. There was also the sweet part and the motherly part when she's on top of the kids bed and, and she offers and all that so so he knew those moments and so we talked about this and then what he wanted out of her and then from there I would go to the Girl That's My prod soup and ask her to do this or that. The thing. The thing that you have to think about is the way you're going to ask your people to shoot reference if you do it for them. And what I think is very important when you should reference is to not try to act it, you can think about it. So, what can I have it's a simple shot where, where she find a twist has been broken and she goes like to the guy like, no, he knows, and she knows that he broke the tooth, you know, and she's like, I don't know how that happened. Oh, is this t 's and for this I just told her to remember one day I put some bacon pieces on her door knob, because I'm a very funny guy. And I thought, what would you just say after that to me like so. So then she started acting like this whole those bits and pieces on door I wonder how that happens. And just by that it was a simple thing, you know, so that that was the line that I wanted to have happen. So that's the type of thing you have to to try to think of when you when you should reference all the folders moments different ones than you think about. Okay,
Larry Vasquez 33:01
very good.
Ric Arroyo 33:02
I think this reference topic is amazing topic I think we should continue on this. So, so I'm just gonna say this and then you could correct me. So, do you think, are you are you putting reference shooting reference to two different ways so sometimes you should reference yourself and you're trying to project what you have in your mind on onto the screen and extract from that but but also when you shoot in reference with someone, you're pretty much directing them and either you're directing them, give them with a strict guidelines or you're trying to extract something raw, and this is what you're trying to get at. Yeah.
Alexis Wanneroy 33:38
Yeah, I think, because, okay, honestly, the level of acting from movies is impossible to get in animation to me we can't really get that because we're. We tried to. I mean animation and acting to me is two different things and actors, especially when you animate you have to reproduce all the principles and the fact that it has to move nicely, and it's hard to get all the subtleties that actors can get in shots. It's really, really hard so you have to push things always. And for that reference, if you make it right and then you push it just a little bit. I think most of the time it works and for that you need to direct the guys the way you want it, but it's never going to be as good as what an actor can give you in terms of acting so that's where you need to push it a bit I think that the way to approach I mean honestly, to me that's the hardest part is to have reference that works because most of my best shot is because the reference was really good. And that's that's a shame to me a bit because you rely a lot on that, especially for for this kind of movie but but to get the subtlety of things you almost needed outside.
Ric Arroyo 34:47
And in getting your best references you find you get your best reference example You said you were dealing with with your friend who was acting out the tooth fairy. Did you find you got the best reference when you did not act it out in front of her and you try to extract it naturally or did you find it was easier for her to understand, you just give me a really small example,
Alexis Wanneroy 35:08
it was for it wasn't naturally but I know another girl that did some test for shadows. And she had the line and she did exactly the line. He repeated a lot a lot a lot and then she did exactly the same way that she, the other girl did. And she acted it was working really well like this. So I think it depends on also is the people if you're working with real actors, honestly there's just just as them to to act out the line, if you're working with, with friends from work and stuff that the, or if there's actors at work, tell them to like the line but but that's the thing you know most of the time real actors is a different thing.
Larry Vasquez 35:45
Do you find that you like your reference that you typically do or do you feel like
Alexis Wanneroy 35:49
you have to use I use I use people a lot Tell that to me because I'm not really good at.
Ric Arroyo 35:57
Great animator but but you don't find that you're the best actor,
Alexis Wanneroy 36:04
which means very different things. You can be the best animator and I've been great. I mean like no call for example is not the best actor but just the fact that his drawings are so beautiful and the way things move is just, just stunning. So,
Larry Vasquez 36:18
yeah, yeah, it's what matters what's up on the screen right by the end.
Ric Arroyo 36:22
Yeah, I just want to say this comment i and i think you know anyone can come. I know often we see animators or actors, but we can also say animators or more directors, trying to extract the best performance possible. Yeah, and we're not necessarily the one who's acting or just extracting the information from you know from reference or, or you know from a drawing or a thumbnail or whatnot so I thought, I think that, you know, some animators can be both, you know, a great director and a great animator but some, you know, a lot of animators are probably better just
Larry Vasquez 36:53
you know actors or actors Oh, yeah. That's a good point. And that's one of the things that's kind of fun. I think that's why people are liking, stuff like these these interviews where they can glean little pieces like that or they resonate with someone like you were going oh no I don't like my reference that I shoot, but I feel like this is the area that I really excelled in at a
Ric Arroyo 37:12
cause talk about a little bit, you know, what were like the challenges compared to our movie like Kung Fu Panda I mean Kung Fu Panda was like one of my, I love Kung Fu Panda one because I just love Kung Fu, and I love pandas I think they're cute so you know yeah great combo so what was like what was like the different challenges, and what character Did you animate uncompromised
Alexis Wanneroy 37:34
by pretty much animated everybody know that title on, I wish I could have any title on at least one. All the characters. All the wrestlers Shifu. The five way. But I wasn't too long on it, because I was on the movie for most of it and so I had to animate I think like six months on it, maybe. But it was a lot of fun. I mean I love that movie for the team the team's period on that movie was great,
Ric Arroyo 38:03
find it challenging. So switching to the movie so quickly. It was.
Alexis Wanneroy 38:09
To me it was kind of similar in terms of style it was cartoony a bit pushed. I mean nothing to compare in terms of animation and character and feeling but. But in terms of animation to me was, it was, it was using my same technique as I had back then. So, which I was just. Initially, I was doing stuff instead just right out the box was just little drawings no reference at all. But, you know, it was a lot of fun and all the kung fu fight stuff was done by Ronald Gilman, and then most of the time he would do all the 2d, and he would give you those movies of the 2d and then you would animate with that so that was a lot easier. The guy was super talented.
Ric Arroyo 38:54
Mmm it's a great guy, awesome guy.
Larry Vasquez 38:57
Now, I kind of hidden back on reference here but particularly like what Rick was talking about regards to Kung Fu Panda where you have so many different types of characters different body styles and stuff. How do you adapt the reference that you shoot or you get someone else's shoot to fit with that rig.
Alexis Wanneroy 39:14
Well so begged him that he didn't use reference I don't know.
Larry Vasquez 39:17
Okay. I don't even like okay I guess you
Alexis Wanneroy 39:20
were on tooth butter Yeah, I can tell you from from kids. Because people use referendum case that it actually worked and they just feel a bit too human sometimes, I think.
Larry Vasquez 39:34
But you know, good for you and your, your work. I think,
Alexis Wanneroy 39:38
po is okay, but maybe some of the some of the world for some of those things could have been maybe a bit more. But I think it's also part of the rig that was not really nice and I mean, it's just, I don't know, I think, I think when you work with different characters, than most. They act like humans so they're still you're going to be able to be okay. Okay, you know tigress is standing up for Viper it's a bit different than for this you just animated this right out of the box was just that stuff.
Larry Vasquez 40:08
Okay, because they know, sometimes dealing with, you know, with skyscraper our hero rig. Yeah, he's got obviously a lot broader shoulders and bigger torso than maybe most animators and stuff. So how do you adapt your reference that you'd either shoot with this gal here for tooth fairy, or just any other rigs that you're looking at you're going okay here I have some good solid piece of reference, how do I adapt that to this character now.
Alexis Wanneroy 40:32
Just because for tooth fairy. I would just when when she was moving a lot in the beginning, I was using just a hummingbird type of motion, I was trying to get that same feeling. And then on top of that, then I would take my reference and shoot my acting. The other way I would do it around is if I had an item that I really liked I would use the acting and then I would have the thing after so it depends. Okay, okay. But that's one way of doing it for her for example I think for skyscraper it's okay you just you just could draw it the same way any way they're going to grow up the same way, no matter what
Larry Vasquez 41:09
do you use trying to get the essence of what you have in the rig, or the reference in a app that.
Alexis Wanneroy 41:14
Yeah, I mean that's the difference between mocap and copying references you know I used to get the essence and not every every single character you have to clean. At the end is going to give you the same results is just a different way of doing it. Yeah,
Larry Vasquez 41:26
yeah. The voice. No go in there I'll let you go, I'll come back to it. Okay. The voice acting for this movie I thought was really fitting for the characters as well. Yeah. How'd you feel you know when you're hearing this, I forget the girl's name who played Tooth Fairy
Alexis Wanneroy 41:45
Fisher. Yeah, I love, love Fisher and because she's cute. Nerd was, you know, in Wedding Crashers, that character that's crazy and unborn moment she does one line where she goes cuckoo and what the kids say and stuff and then we did that, the beginning was the hook. Actually, I gave a hoarder so did that in the test of her saying that line and they loved it because she was doing some faces and then she was sparkly so so from there they went and they pushed a bit of that side. And, and so they wanted to let you do that
Larry Vasquez 42:26
too for an animator how key is getting the right voice for it.
Alexis Wanneroy 42:30
Okay, it's, it's important. If the voice is not right your shot is not going to work. It's not gonna work no matter what's gonna struggle. Yeah. This is so important.
Ric Arroyo 42:40
Yeah, so while you were doing your character development, did you have any you know voice clips or any temp voice actors while you were creating the character.
Alexis Wanneroy 42:49
Yeah, there was some. They call it. Let me call it cam something. And basically, we had those. Would that we could look at and actually use as a reference but most of the time when actors they read. It's not really working, I think, you know, they don't act it out but just here reading it and trying to get into nations but sometimes you get little gestures, depends on who is recording their voice but most of the time they, you won't see them move as much and
Ric Arroyo 43:20
act as much so. So do you just use the you know the recording the video recording just to look at their lip sync or anything or
Alexis Wanneroy 43:29
actually for lip sync What would I do for lip sync also sometimes I shoot my lips, and then I try to see how it moves, or may not try to mimic that's events, or just do my shapes like the i o It depends, but it was mainly to see for the little kid, it worked out really well because he was was trying to act it a bit more. So we reference for the kids in the gardens and efficient not so much but she because most of the time she didn't want to do it, because she was pregnant. So,
Larry Vasquez 44:06
how is your workflow changed throughout the years working on these movies.
Unknown Speaker 44:13
More reference law references
Alexis Wanneroy 44:17
are flushed away I use any movie any company no dragons, just started, and then gardens and became an addicted and addiction.
Larry Vasquez 44:30
Do you like it,
Alexis Wanneroy 44:31
and we have one cartoony movie.
Yeah, I really like it. I think it's getting good results for a lot of people, so
Larry Vasquez 44:41
you don't feel like it's taking away the freedom of that creativity because you're just using it more for you're blocking the stage right
Alexis Wanneroy 44:48
yeah and actually when I don't need it I won't use it, it's really more for the editing stuff. If I want some ideas like the Sandman the character you know the little walk and when he falls and stuff, all those things when when we did back then was just animated no reference so it really depends on the shots also and what I wanted. What I want to do in there and just encourage students to use it because I think you learn a lot from the reference in how your character moves and why does it move like this and the way your body shift and in your weight in what your body really does to me it's it's more important for them than anything else at the beginning after I want to use reference really for my acting, just to have some credibility in there, because he be able to access things on everything and I'm thing moving for the sake of moving I want I want some, some acting in there that's that's sincere so.
Larry Vasquez 45:42
So what are some of your favorite shots to work on. Do you like more of this sincere stuff like you just mentioned there or some of the cartoony
Alexis Wanneroy 45:50
stuff. Okay,
Larry Vasquez 45:51
because that's what you said you mentioned you want to work on pitch.
Alexis Wanneroy 45:54
Really good character. I mean I really liked him but I know some
Larry Vasquez 45:58
of them but I thought he was really really good. I thought he was really good, I think, Jude law's voice worked really well with it
Alexis Wanneroy 46:04
at the beginning that we hadn't we had some time to do some shots and I did want to pitch that comes, let's let's let's say this is a boy here and comes next to it and just say something is here and it was really creepy and I had a lot of fun with the producer and they were like, you almost offended how it was.
That's quite a little. Yeah. Push it a bit
think it was really nice. The way he did have his
Unknown Speaker 46:35
pitches useful in terms of recognition really. Yeah,
Ric Arroyo 46:39
I was gonna ask earlier. In regards to the reference. I know DreamWorks has a mocap studio and then if I remember correctly, percent boost they use a lot of the mocap for the dancing part which they would give to the animators and did. If I remember correctly the animators just repeated they didn't they pretty much copied the the mocap made and pushed it into more. I'm not completely sure
Alexis Wanneroy 47:05
because I didn't work on it but i think i mean the mocap room is for rough layouts, which in previous it's before you animate, so there's always character that moves in your scene. When for guardians we would use it a lot, actually animators would put their suit on, they would win the mocap room, and then we would shoot the whole sequence. So, meaning that we would move in certain areas we would talk there and then we move there and then there was all this fight happening so it was to set up the characters and the cameras, so that they would feel right and they will do what they were needed to do. Because when you have a layout artist that makes a guy walk like this and you're not sure he's actually going to be able to go to the end of the room. It's a good way to actually know how many steps he's going to do and how many we need time for all that. So, so we use it for that. And I think person was was the same. It was just this and then the animate is the same because they, they, they had real dancers coming and doing that so we wanted to use all their little movements and stuff but I don't know if they had the data or not to be I actually don't know about that.
Larry Vasquez 48:15
I think Jason mentioned in one of the weekly demos that it was just for the rough layout like he mentioned there, they don't use any of it after that, they just see it in the rough
Ric Arroyo 48:22
layout. Because I, you know, I always tell everyone. I always tell everyone that, you know, I think mocap is a great tool it's a fantastic tool and there's a great place for it in our industry, regardless if it's film games or television, and even commercials, which is a question how you use it and how you be creative with it and man, you know, students and animators shouldn't be scared of. of motion capture I mean, I mean look at whether the stuff they do with
Unknown Speaker 48:50
motion capture belongs to the kid Yeah,
Alexis Wanneroy 48:53
I would love to love work on the movie and I have a guy who works with imagine deal was an avatar on age no Stephens indeed loved it I mean, he wanted to change because he wanted to have more cartoony and he came on guardians but
Larry Vasquez 49:09
he was
Alexis Wanneroy 49:12
like, Okay, here you own guidance.
I mean to me the stuff that you get out of monkeys is really really good. I mean, depending on again on the movie and the tone of your movies it's only about that and what tools
Larry Vasquez 49:26
is best after using kind of more of that as a blocking stage. Yeah,
Alexis Wanneroy 49:33
right. Other dreamers are working on Peabody and Sherman, and it looks stunning is just for once I'm so happy with how dream works. The appealing of it.
Larry Vasquez 49:44
I just see the one poster with Peabody and Sherman on there. Okay. Yeah, looks really cool appealing.
Alexis Wanneroy 49:50
Yeah, it's got no textures, but once once Yeah, it's got no textures for once you know the face and we know this kind of thing.
Larry Vasquez 50:01
Now, working with the rigs on Rise of the Guardians where they are shooting more for that. Higher believability or higher detail. How is that working with the rigs there is that more stuff that they deal with afterwards or is that stuff that you're used to.
Alexis Wanneroy 50:17
So we were when since I was. At the beginning we had to create all the rigs and see how they were going to work and the specific specific stuff. So, so we added a few controls just to make it more realistic like the lipstick It was probably was one where knowing your open your lip, kind of stick together, there's just the inner part that stick is not the outer so it's not like a seal. Before that we do the control and make it like when we open and the same for this cowl and same for the little movements here that we usually we usually don't have agreement so we asked for those and we try, we try to push it a bit in that way.
Larry Vasquez 50:55
He's harder working with rigs like that they were a little bit more
Alexis Wanneroy 50:58
detail a bit more tenuous, I think so. You knew what you were doing you were going really fast and really appealing stuff and very quickly so.
Larry Vasquez 51:07
Okay, so you got just kind of like anything else you get used to a good news today. I really liked the level of detail on this movie not just with the characters but with the environments as well, you know, bring him to vary in her. I want to call out a stage like it's a video game but her place is just beautiful just amazing. And I'm thinking, here's just you know this shots that are here for just, you know, however long, but yet it just it looked gorgeous the lighting the surfacing everything. It just this movie seemed like it was really just that I caliber all the way around.
Alexis Wanneroy 51:42
It's when I ask you if you've seen it in 3d or not because to me and the only problem that I had was Gardens is almost everything is to clear everywhere. Like you you when I've seen it in 2d I've see everything everywhere all the time, they don't have a lot of depth and and when you see it in 3d actually in the head that dips with the 3d and it's a bit better for that.
I don't like 3d movies I have to say.
Better was better in 3d So, but i agree i mean they, they have a lot. They had a lot done in all those places. Yes,
Larry Vasquez 52:19
it is better or you know for those who haven't seen it yet but even his Labyrinth or whatever you'd call that thing, it was just really neat looking
Ric Arroyo 52:27
in I think it was it was creepy man was scary. Yeah.
Good job guys. I'm scared to see like my nightlight
Unknown Speaker 52:39
sleep with a flashlight now. Yeah.
Larry Vasquez 52:43
How much of the detail of the scenes are in there when you guys are working as the animators.
Alexis Wanneroy 52:52
Not much actually we try to hide as much as we can because then it gets super slow but that was the old software we use the greenworks now we have a new one and it's really good I'm really happy because I can see where
Larry Vasquez 53:01
a lot of having a lot of that in there.
Alexis Wanneroy 53:04
Yeah, it kind of helps with our mood guardians was really hard for that because whenever you had too much detail everywhere it was just super slow super slow super slow.
Larry Vasquez 53:13
Okay. Okay, so this is on the previous previous software.
Alexis Wanneroy 53:17
Yeah, so now everything is real time. Right on. We have before we couldn't even scrolling the scene that was not possible. It was just, you had to recalc and it was just in your camera view, it was not even updating your 3d knew or. Okay.
Unknown Speaker 53:33
Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 53:34
It was all
Alexis Wanneroy 53:37
real time it's good,
Larry Vasquez 53:38
it's I think a little bit more amazing than what you guys are able to accomplish them and
Alexis Wanneroy 53:43
it's done much morning is your thing big studios have the best I can tell you games have the best stuff.
Ric Arroyo 53:50
You like them so
Alexis Wanneroy 53:51
good news that's so so smart, like, years, years behind
Ric Arroyo 54:00
the Vantage game has is that you know we have all these great engines that lets us you know two things pretty much real time you know we can throw an environment. And we have animations we can put it in, if we need to change vironment, it won't. It won't be destructive on animations for the most part on depending on a scripted event or not. So I think there's a lot of things I mean even when I don't know if they use a game engine, or one of the plugins but did that shot of iron man when he gets. Yes, he's fighting for in the forest and he you know he punches gets hit on the tree. They use, they did that dynamically, you know the generated him flying into the tree giant dynamically just to get the physics out of it and then they then they use that as as a reference.
I just think that that idea i think you know that we use in games is
Alexis Wanneroy 54:54
is very practical.
Larry Vasquez 54:56
But you know even have some of this stuff here within the studios now they're using more of these cameras now. We're calling
Alexis Wanneroy 55:05
courtroom cameras are
Larry Vasquez 55:07
yeah we're there.
Alexis Wanneroy 55:08
That's good. I'm so happy we have.
Ric Arroyo 55:12
For those who don't know, Alex also does our. We do our live interviews he oftens is one of our camera guys so he's really good with the camera so man of many talents.
Alexis Wanneroy 55:24
Absolutely. To me at DreamWorks that camera is always a bit
underlooked. It's not another, I mean Pixar movies cameras are always like, like Ratatouille was spot on in terms of cameras just nuts buttons breadboard symbols incredible machines just the nuts. And you can tell that sometimes you know, I think guardians was okay is just think could have. I think it's okay it's just it feels too big, all the time too, too much I think in some places so
Larry Vasquez 55:57
there was. I'm sorry, go ahead. I'm just
Alexis Wanneroy 56:01
better camera like three years ago and when I always love looking at movies in the house things are composed and I think it's when the DSLR started making cameras, I mean movies that look that great and just jumped on it and tried to do
Larry Vasquez 56:18
this kind of segue so the question I had I think last time with one of our interviewers. What is something else that you enjoy doing outside of animation that you kind of feel like pushes you like I mentioned some of our instructors, you know do music or martial arts or whatever it might be. When
Alexis Wanneroy 56:35
I do little short movies or documentaries or stuff like this,
Larry Vasquez 56:40
I saw that one I think was in Hawaii, you and your family.
Alexis Wanneroy 56:43
No slaves me so so it's like family movie or. I did one documentary on Alberto Iago is a painter. That does all the Tron TV series he did all those and he also the Beatles rock band commercials. All those these really really amazing artists so there's one shine also on all the DreamWorks artists that created that book, so I filmed a few of them and I edited that documentary on those guides so those things like that it's fun to do just just on my spare time
Larry Vasquez 57:18
So, do you ever see yourself getting into the more of the directing level or
Alexis Wanneroy 57:22
I don't know it's I think it's hard to live. I mean, to live with it, you have to be really good. I don't think so.
Larry Vasquez 57:33
Do you have either you had a question Rick I cut you off
Ric Arroyo 57:34
on man. All thanks appreciate it let me talk about the other side of the spider. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 57:42
totally. I totally forgot what the question was, but
Unknown Speaker 57:47
I forgot my question. All right,
Larry Vasquez 57:50
every box will teach you how to animate wonder this your first block. Yeah. Okay, so what do you think so far have you enjoyed it. Yeah, I love it. Excellent.
Alexis Wanneroy 57:59
That to me you know you had a spare time when you do well now I teach, just I don't have anyone to direct anything we're just
Unknown Speaker 58:08
like everything
Alexis Wanneroy 58:09
like that. Think about all the classes, I'm gonna say, and it was a bit more of a thing like almost a week per week and it was, it was hard. It was really hard. I love it though. Because I remember being a students and some some teacher, the way they would teach I was expecting more and I know I'm always like I hope I'm not like this, it's pushing a bit the challenges and it made me also we think of the way animated before and what I was getting out of that because when I arrived on the class I was telling them yet. The three frame thing, try it. And the more asked them to do that the more and move older animation was very realistic. So I asked them well try another method try the step one and then actually most of them wanted to try something else because they felt bad so I think for this type of thing. It was really good for me to to realize those things and to look back at that so
Larry Vasquez 59:04
good deal. Good deal. We enjoyed seeing the doozy azim with the students is that been said it's kind of pushed you.
Alexis Wanneroy 59:10
Yeah. Like last but they liked it for once. Because I. The thing is I didn't know how to do it as much as I wanted you to like how you present your class what do you use or not and basically last week. I found out the best way to do it in terms of video and images and my and all this. Okay.
Larry Vasquez 59:36
Do you feel like the way we've done the live sessions, has been beneficial for you and how you want to teach. Like the live reviews and things of that nature. Have you felt like that's been that accommodates how you want to be able to teach and give me that.
Alexis Wanneroy 59:53
It's really good. I just need to look at the progress in progress religious
light to my students actually. All right.
Larry Vasquez 1:00:03
If we're approaching the last week or last week or so of our blog and for those that don't know, basically what we do here is we don't do grades. We basically have a progress rule and submitted here, where your instructor and Jason kind of evaluate whether or not you've progressed enough to move on to the next workshop and, and if not, it's not, you know, a fail, it's just a matter of going take a block off work on the assignments again that you've done this last block and then resubmit it for the next one and so this is kind of allowed us to get our students where they're, they're fitted for the next workshop I saw just passing someone along they're definitely progressing enough to where they can tackle the next workshop.
Alexis Wanneroy 1:00:45
It was really good class it's a really really nice student really nice, nice animation in there
Larry Vasquez 1:00:51
anything else you want to share with this while we got john. We'll see Rise of the Guardians
Alexis Wanneroy 1:00:55
Yes, absolutely. Go see it. I mean honestly it was, it was a lot of fun to work on it, it was very challenging, but it was, it was fun at the end it was the team was really really connected, especially. Yeah, especially if a few of those guys we would always go together and Nice, nice.
Unknown Speaker 1:01:14
Rick you got anything Aleksey.
Ric Arroyo 1:01:17
No thank you, thank you very much for for doing this and sharing, you know your experience and your and all house and it was cool workflow yeah absolutely we got to have you come again. When you finish your next feature or, you know, and Larry, like David Barr said you have a wonderful voice so
Larry Vasquez 1:01:39
thank you very much. Well, we really appreciate your time, very much in English it Yeah, been a part of my animate it's been cool. Cool. All right, Guys,
Alexis Wanneroy 1:01:48
thank you very much for having me. I really don't know the
Unknown Speaker 1:01:59
whole issue.
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