A few months ago I was hired by an independent film studio in Hollywood to work on some concept sketches for an animated feature film they are developing. They had brought in an artist to do some concept work but that artist was no longer available. I was asked to do some sketches of one of the characters (a young ostrich) and, if things worked out, I would be hired to design all of the remaining characters for the movie.

It was a fun project but unfortunately things didn’t work out. Sometimes that’s just the way it goes. The studio asked me to design a character in a similar style to what the previous artist had done, and I did my best to match that style. I also played around with other shapes and designs to explore different ways of thinking about the look and personality of the characters.

Here’s a few of those rough concept sketches I developed.

A few weeks ago I attended the Motion ‘09 animation conference in New Mexico where I gave two presentations on character design. One of the mainstays of the conference is animator Phil Nibbelink. Last year he taught at least three sessions relating to animation and this year I think he gave about a half-dozen presentations including a panel discussion with three other long-time Disney animators. Phil really knows his stuff and I’ve learned a lot from listening to him expound on various aspects of filmmaking.

Phil worked for ten years at Disney and was a directing animator on Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Then he spent another ten years working under Steven Spielberg as an animation director, working on such films as Fivel Goes West (which he directed) and Casper. In recent years Phil has turned his attention to independent filmmaking, cranking out not just one but three full-length animated features single-handedly.

Phil does a lot of freelance work these days. He’s an experienced animation pro who really knows the ins and outs of the business. Give his website a looksee.

I’ve been looking forward to this for months. The CTN Animation Expo starts Friday in Burbank, CA. To my knowledge this is the first-ever event of its kind. Artists and creatives from all over the Hollywood animation scene will be gathered under one roof for three days of inspiring seminars, workshops, and networking. Lots of artists will be exhibiting their work and some of the big studios in town will be scouting for talent. There’s going to be a lot going on and the event is generating a lot of buzz. Highlights include:

• Panels and Presentations…click here for schedule.
• A tribute to legendary Cartoonist Ronald Searle.
• Spotlight Booksignings and Exclusive Sketchbook Releases.
• Speed Talent sessions—show your portfolio, ask questions, meet a mentor.
• Screenings: “The Secret of the Kells”, “Banjo The Woodpile Cat”, and a surprise late night screening 11pm on Saturday… sshhhhhh!
• Live Demonstrations hourly by the creators of some of the highest grossing films in the history of animation.
• Exclusive Spotlight Interviews: (in alphabetical order)
  Peter de Sève
  Gary Goldman and Don Bluth
  Mike Mignola
  Paul Young and Tom Moore the makers of “The Secret of the Kells”
• CTN-X@nite Networking Parties sponsored by Animation Magazine, The Marriott Hotel and Walt Disney Studios.
• Reunions: Don Bluth Studios, Walt Disney Florida and Rowland Animation and more.
• Live Demonstrations all weekend.
• Recession Buster Raffle $1000 cash and prizes. One winner a day.
• ToonBoom:  Presentations and Software Raffle
• Z-Brush: Presentations and Software Raffle
• Corel/Wacom Artist Contest: Win a Painter and Intuos 4 tablet.

You can still get tickets, starting at just $25. Hope to see you there!

(The CTN Expo is sponsored by the Creative Talent Network.)

Last summer I was hired by PUNY Entertainment in Minneapolis to assist a team of animators working on a new website for Hasbro’s “PlaySkool” brand. The website was created by Popular Front, also out of Minneapolis. My job was to animate a few dozen clips of Tubby the Turtle, one of four new Hasbro characters. I completed my animation over a year ago but, due to the size and complexity of the project, the site has just recently gone live. I’m excited to finally be able to show my work!

I did about two-thirds of the Tubby animation, the rest was done by other animators at PUNY. To see my work you can go to the site and watch for the red storybook to appear in the lower right-hand corner. Click on it and then choose the Turtle character.

The site is designed to be highly interactive so that each character will say and do something different each time you navigate the site. There were something like 150 total clips that had to be animated for each of the four characters.

I’ve also created a montage of a few of the clips I did. Unfortunately I’m having problems exporting them to a format that I can post on this blog or even on YouTube, but you can view the clip on the animation page of my website. It’s the very first clip at the top of the list.

I want to apologize for not posting much lately. Over the last few weeks things have been busier than usual around here which is saying a lot. I’ve been juggling not one but three animation projects plus a good amount of regular freelance illustration work. For one project I hired a team of very talented freelance animators to crank out 150 clips in only three weeks! That project finally wrapped yesterday and I can’t wait to tell you more about it. In the middle of it all I took a trip to the Motion ‘09 conference where I prepared and gave two talks on character design.

Things should be slowing back down to a sane pace around here sometime next week and then I look forward to posting more regularly again. Thanks to all of you for your patience.

Some exciting news about an upcoming project I’ll be working on:

Phil Vischer, the creator of VeggieTales (the best-selling direct-to-video series of all time) and of the kids’ media website JellyTelly.com has just announced a partnership with Focus on the Family to create a 13-volume educational DVD series called “What’s In The Bible?” The DVD’s will take kids through the Bible from cover to cover using a combination of puppets, animation, and live action to teach about the Bible and the Christian faith. The DVD’s will be released through Tyndale House publishers starting this coming Spring.

Announcement on Phil’s blog.

Press release from Tyndale

The best part (for me at least) is that I get to play a small role in the project. I’ve been hired to animate three segments, and if that goes well there will likely be more to come.

The DVDs are going to echo back to the spirit of the old Disney educational films from the 1960’s but with a modern, snappy sensibility. I’m a huge fan of the early Disney and UPA-style educational films (especially the work of Ward Kimball like the classic Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom – Amazon link). For years I’ve been thinking how cool it would be to use educational animation to teach the Bible and theology. Bible literacy is on the decline in America so this series will help fill a huge need. I’m thrilled to play a small part in it. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be a very fun and quality product!

Look for the first two DVDs to be in stores in Spring of 2010. In the mean time, for samples of Phil’s latest offerings visit JellyTelly.com. Just what exactly is JellyTelly? Glad you asked.

Artwork copyright © Great River Energy. All rights reserved.

Artwork copyright © Great River Energy. All rights reserved.

A few weeks ago I was hired by a local agency to create some artwork for a new interactive website for Great River Energy, a Minnesota company that provides electricity to a large part of the state. The site is promoting their “Brighter Kid’s Club” campaign designed to help kids learn about saving energy.

I was asked to draw the exterior and interior of what the client described as “the coolest tree house ever”. They provided me with some rough thumbnails and a long list of specific items that had to be included in the artwork. The ideas was to create a fun little interactive clubhouse that could be enjoyed by both boys and girls. I created all the elements as vector art in Illustrator and then handed them over to the agency. From there there they inserted additional elements (posters on the walls, for example) and added some simple animation to make everything come alive.

It was really a tag-team effort, and in the end it turned out quite nice. You can view the actual site here.

Just a reminder that I’ll be giving a 2-part seminar on character design at the Motion ‘09 animation conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 11-14. It’s a real honor. Last year’s conference was packed with great speakers and seminars and this year the conference has even more to offer.

I’ll be part of a new “late night” session, speaking on Monday and Tuesday from 10:15pm-11:30pm. So if you attend be sure to bring your favorite caffeinated beverage!

Here’s the description of my seminar from the conference website:

Part 1: Principles, Personality, and Appeal

The job of Character Designer is one of the most sought-after – and most important positions in the animation industry.

In this session we’ll examine the fundamentals of good character design. We’ll look at some do’s and don’ts and discuss tips and tricks to help you create engaging characters with personality and appeal. We’ll walk through some helpful exercises to develop your skills as a character designer and point you towards some resources for further study.

Part 2: Putting It Into Practice

In the second part of this two part series, we’ll walk through the process of creating a character from concept to final design, including model sheets and turnarounds. We’ll also take a look at some of the industries that use freelance character designers including film, TV, advertising, video games, and toys. Get first-hand advice on breaking into those industries based on the Hohnstadt’s personal experience as a freelancer.

You can sign up for the conference at the Motion ‘09 website.

Oh, and to whet your appetite here’s a quick YouTube slideshow displaying some of my character design work:

So, you’ve read my recap of the 2009 Creative Freelancer Conference and now you’re bummed that you missed out? Don’t worry, I’m here to help!

The Free Stuff

The conference organizers have posted a ton of free downloads and resources over at their website. Check it out!

The Not-So-Free Stuff

In a few weeks the audio from the conference seminars will be available for purchase. Keep an eye on my blog for the link. In the mean time, you can still purchase .mp3’s, session handouts, and powerpoint presentations from the 2008 conference here.

Several books were also available for purchase at the conference. Here’s the Amazon.com links:

The Designer’s Guide To Marketing And Pricing by Ilise Benun and Peleg Top

The Anti 9-to-5 Guide by Michelle Goodman

My So-Called Freelance Life by Michelle Goodman

Self-employed Tax Solutions by June Walker

Finally, while you are waiting for next year’s conference be sure to follow the CFC blog. And don’t forget to sign up for future updates on the 2010 conference.

Last week I attended the second annual Creative Freelancer Conference in San Diego. The goal of the conference is to help creative freelancers (i.e. illustrators, designers, writers, photographers, etc.) to improve their business skills, get better clients, and increase their income.

We artsy types aren’t exactly known for our business saavy. One thing you definitely won’t learn in art school is how to market yourself. Or write a proposal. Or network, talk to clients about money, etc. This conference fills a huge need. Each time I’ve attended I’ve walked away inspired and ready to take my career to the next level.

It was also great just to spend a few days with other people who get what it is that I do for a living. Who have the same experiences, the same problems, and we can talk shop without the other person’s eyes glazing over. Freelancing can be lonely at times so I really relish any chance I get to hobnob with my fellow freelancers.

The conference was held in the Omni Hotel, which is located directly across the street from the San Diego Convention Center (where Comic-Con happens every year). I finally got to see what the Gas Light District looks like when the streets and shops aren’t being overrun with thousands of pop culture fans. It was actually quite cozy.

Wednesday

The conference kicked off with Ilise Benun (marketing-mentor.com) sharing some networking tips to help us make the most of each conversation as we slapped business cards into each other’s hands. She also encouraged us to try forming “tribes”—groups of other freelancers with whom we can share ideas, advice, and encouragement throughout the year.

Next freelance writer Petrula Vrontikis gave an inspiring presentation called “What Will Your Freelance Business Be When It Grows Up?”. She talked about the pros and cons of freelancing, shared some common mistakes freelancers make, and commented on some recent trends in the industry that freelancers can take advantage of. For example, in a normal job employees are often discouraged from speaking their minds or rocking the boat. Freelancers, however, are often encouraged to do the opposite. The are sometimes hired precisely to bring and outside voice and a fresh perspective.

Petrula gave a terrific presentation. My favorite quote was an analogy from hockey: “The most successful freelancers study the trends in their industry and then skate where the puck is going.”

The session closed with a sneak peak at an upcoming documentary on freelancers called “Shine”. You can read more about the film here.

The evening wrapped up with a poolside dinner on the hotel roof. Everyone got a chance to put their networking skills into practice while enjoying some terrific food and drink.

Thursday

The morning kicked off with a 6:00am “netwalking” event. A few hearty souls went for an hour-long walk, taking in the sights and talking shop. I wasn’t able to lug myself out of bed quite that early but I did make it to the breakfast roundtables. Various topics were discussed over coffee and yogurt including “How To Generate PR For Your Creative Business” and “Self-Confidence or a Thriving Business: Which Comes First?” There were also tables set up by discipline (writers, illustrators, etc.) where people of like minds and skills could gather.

Financial Consultant June Walker kicked off the morning with a session on tax advice for freelancers. She made a very boring topic seem interesting, detailing some of the ways freelancers can save money at tax time and pointing out some common mistakes freelancers make that can cost them big bucks.

Next up Peleg Top, my favorite speaker from last year’s conference, talked about how to write a proposal that will help you land a new client or a big job. Peleg ran an award-winning design firm for many years and he shared a lot of lessons he learned the hard way when it comes to closing the deal. His advice was basically, “Always meet the client face to face, learn how to sell your skills and abilities, and learn how to talk to clients about money [Peleg gave a few pointers on each]. Don’t waste time writing a proposal until you’ve already closed the deal with a handshake.” His presentation was meaty and his advice was inspiring.

Darryl Salerno then gave one of my favorite presentations. He talked about, well, how to give a presentation. He went beyond just the basic do’s and don’ts of public speaking and talked about using stories and humor to help hold your audience’s attention and really sell your ideas. He also described the four main types of people who will be in your audience—the thinker (someone who looks at everything logically), the feeler (someone who is all about relationships and human connection), the intuitor (visionaries), and the sensor (task-oriented perfectionists who get things done but leave bodies in their wake). Then he gave tips on how to include elements in your presentation that will persuade all four personality types. Fascinating stuff!

For lunch I was one of a lucky few who was managed to land a spot at a special table with my favorite presenter from the conference, Peleg Top (pictured, at the head of the table). There were ten of us who made the list and we bombarded him with all sorts of questions which he graciously answered. One great piece of advice he had for freelancers: “You are not selling a service, you are selling the benefits that your services offer. Kodak doesn’t sell film, they sell memories. Learn to think that way when talking to potential clients. If you can show them how you can solve their biggest problems they will love you forever and pay you every penny of what you are worth.”

(Thanks to Ivette Cortes for the photo. In case you’re wondering, I’m the guy on the far right.)

After lunch Michelle Goodman gave some advice on dealing with nightmare clients. She listed several types of clients that freelancers dread and talked about ways to deal with each. But her best advice was this: If you are regularly dealing with nightmare clients the problem isn’t really with them, its with you. If you learn to set firm boundaries and rock the boat when you need to, most of your problem clients will either straighten up or disappear.

Next up, Colleen Wainwright shared some strategies and tips on making social media work for you. If there was any issue that raised controversy during the conference this was it. Some of the presenters and attendees had nothing but glowing things to say about the ways Twitter and Facebook have helped them grow their business. Others maintained that social media is one of the most inefficient and time-consuming ways to land clients, convinced that you are better off spending your time and marketing dollars elsewhere. I thought Colleen stuck a nice balance with the issue. She maintained that social networking can and does work IF you use it correctly. Unfortunately too many are going about it the wrong way and not seeing any fruit as a result.

Personally I think sites like Twitter and Facebook are powerful tools, but not really for drumming up business. They can be a great way to connect with other artists and fight off the loneliness and isolation that comes with freelancing. But they can also be huge time wasters, and I have yet to land a client as a result of any social networking. Social networking has some value but if your goal is to land new clients there are much better and more efficient ways to go about it.

By the end of the evening my brain was full and I was experiencing the same happy exhaustion a kid gets after spending the day at a theme park. I flopped into my hotel room and vegged in front of the TV for a few minutes just to decompress. Then I tackled a pile of emails and wrote an estimate for a rush project that materialized earlier in the day. No rest for the weary.

Friday

Friday morning I overslept and missed the “netwalking” and the breakfast roundtables. I arrived just in time for a Freelancing Panel. Three freelancers, each at different points in their careers, answered questions from a moderator and the audience. All sorts of topics were covered including cold calling, pricing, getting referrals, subcontracting, and finding a work/life balance.

Todd Henry of Accidental Creative (I hear he has a killer podcast) spoke next about the creative process but I decided to skip his presentation so that I could have a nice, leisurely chat with my wife and kids over the phone. I’m sure Todd’s talk was a good one but I needed to shift out of business mode for a bit. Besides, I’ll be ordering the .mp3’s from the conference later this fall and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it then.

As the main conference drew to a close we were each given a blank greeting card and an envelope. We were told to write our names and addresses on the envelope and then use the card to write a note to ourselves summarizing some of the action steps we plan to take after the conference. Six months from now the conference organizers will mail out the cards as a way to hold us accountable and to encourage us to keep at it. Here’s what I wrote on mine:

At this point the main conference ended. Those of us who paid a little extra were allowed to stick around for two hands-on workshops:

First, Ilise Benun gave a terrific seminar on marketing and self-promotion. She walked us through the nuts and bolts of finding a target market and establishing yourself in a profitable niche. Then we each spent some time developing a solid, practical marketing plan. It gave me a lot to think about. I realized that even though I’m already doing a lot of things right I could be doing a lot more. My marketing efforts aren’t nearly as focused as they should be.

Next, Peleg Top and Lee Silber closed out the conference with a fun and informative seminar on pricing called “The Price Is Right”. Lee actually put on Drew Carrey glasses and brought some volunteers on stage just like the game show. (Sorry for the blurry photo, my iPhone doesn’t take the best pictures in low light). Various real-life freelance projects were displayed on the screen and contestants took turns guessing how much the client actually paid for each project.

For one of the projects (an annual report for a non-profit) Peleg walked around the room with a microphone asking audience members to shout out what they would charge to do the project. I heard people yell out numbers ranging from $2,000 to $18,000! It was a fun and eye-opening way to start a discussion about the good and bad methods freelancers sometimes use to price their services.

Overall the conference was terrific, even better than last year. My head is still spinning from everything I learned. I can’t wait for next year.

If you weren’t able to attend, have no fear. The sessions were recorded and in a few weeks the audio will be available for purchase. Keep an eye on my blog and I’ll post the link when it’s available.

If you can’t wait that long, on Monday I’ll be posting links to some free and not-so-free resources that came out of the conference.

Hope to see you there next year!