The Jake Blog

Apl.De.Ap + MotionSickness Crew = Fun Night

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:43:00 -0500

So last week myself and the MotionSickness crew finally got to see our efforts on Apl.De.Ap’s latest music video put to good use. The video premiered at Ecco in Hollywood during Apl.De.Ap’s Jeepney Music launch, on the video screens throughout the club. It was an amazing experience, and if I didn’t personally brag about it to you yet, yes, I took the liberty to hit on Fergie. Surprisingly I got a check out and a casual “Heyyyy” back before an abrupt end to my dreams. We had an awesome night, and several hundred dollars worth of drinks later, we left a happy bunch. Not to mention our boy Keith hooked up a great connection to the other company that did an Apl video, ROYALE! No way!

Though a terrible picture, yes, that is my shot behind Apl! Unfortunately for Mr. Apl.De.Ap, the sound system soon after this photo took an incredible turn for the worse. Imagine a club full of people with fingers in their ears. Yep it happened.

So what’s new you ask? (You’re probably not asking...

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:02:52 -0500

So what’s new you ask? (You’re probably not asking though). Well the answer is simple. Everything. I’m working as a motion designer at a production company just a block away from where I used to work. It’s great! I’ve been able to work on a lot more tv packages, and the variety has been a real relief from the whole daytime talk demo. Anywho, all is good, life is good, looking forward for my family to come back and visit and Bischtore to come in Sep. Should be loads of fun. Oh and check this cute pic of Sopie. Lookin fresh!

So, finally got around to downloading the tumblr iPhone app....

Sun, 24 May 2009 17:20:36 -0500

So, finally got around to downloading the tumblr iPhone app. It’s got a pretty hot UI. As far as an update goes, I’m on hiatus from Dr. Phil working with the MotionSickness crew on the latest Black Eyes Peas video. Still pumped to be here, and even moreso that my boys Nick Santore and Brad Bischoff are coming into town today. Oh and the picture is of Sophie, my roommates alcoholic puppy.

Disco Nights...

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:10:00 -0500

Had some time in between renders tonight, and I found out a little cool trick in C4D. If you take a basic sphere, make SUUURE it’s low poly, and apply the deform explosion to it, with little amount, say .4, it’s a disco ball! I used an HDR of an alleyway, gave it a black pole and WHAM I’m disco in no time. So I decided to make a little quick spot with my new discovery.

Take a look…

My Pilot Liscense

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:38:39 -0600

Got around to posting this title I did (first week I moved to CA). It’s a spec title for an up and coming pilot. I used some of the MoGraph tools in C4D; which are amazingly powerful.

Check it!

Phenomena Tech Spot.

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:43:00 -0600

Fun little Phenomena Tech Spot using what other than a little particular magic. Also thanks to a colleague of mine, John Lopez, I realized that particular’s bounce settings are an ever-intriguing set of magical buttons. You can have particular bounce off of any 3d layer, and that is just amazing if you ask me.

Check the Phenomena Spot

Diffused Lighting in AE actually rocks.

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:26:00 -0600

So during a render at work I played with some diffused lighting in AE. Huge fan. Also, in this little exercise I used the plug-in Lux to give light depth. I didn’t really have any sfx on me, so the soundtrack was done in garageband with a pen and a tape dispenser, oh and a little Calvin Harris riff.

Check out what I did!

Echospace? space? space?

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:36:57 -0600

So, echospace is the trapcode plug in I’ve been too timid to ever try; until now. I finally started playing with it and I think I found a clever use in after effects text. Now, I do enjoy creating 3D text in 4D or max, but there’s always the issue of interaction in after effects. Layering pre-rendered footage can only go so far.

With echospace I can create a whole legion of text planes and control them with just one null (something you can inaccurately with a lot of time, but can do in a minute with this plug in). I use about 20 plane repetitions, with about 2 px of space in between and it gives me a moderately solid text object. This is by no means perfection, nor is it comparable to 3D text in an actual 3D program, but it is a fun way to cheat post-cards into illusion.

Check the spot I did using it.

Quick update....

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:06:00 -0600

Got a bunch of freelance clients, so check for a reel update in a week or so (Most notably a Bandit Productions music video for the group Hey Champ). I recently got a job on the CBS Paramount lot working as one of only three artists on show graphics for Dr. Phil. I just moved into a new place on Melrose (just a few blocks away from Paramount) it’s been a great California transition and I love calling home to hear about the heavy snow. Keep in touch, and I’ll update everything “internet” soon.

Internets here I come.

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:37:30 -0600

Finally, after forever, I put up my portfolio site, jakemotion.com. Check it, respec’ it. Also note that until I update everything on this blog to the new site, the videos will not link. Yup!

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! Ahhh, well in this sequence more like...

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:14:00 -0600

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! Ahhh, well in this sequence more like kid. But enjoy it all the same, I hated the ending of my old version, so I decided to put in a mailbox! Check it out and leave me something. Thanks!

Check the Titles in HD

So, there’s been talk of this project for some time; and I...

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:12:00 -0600

So, there’s been talk of this project for some time; and I finally polished it off today! Check the high res right here!

The Artimation 9 Digital Arts Festival was yesterday, and I...

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:54:00 -0500

The Artimation 9 Digital Arts Festival was yesterday, and I managed to take home an award for best motion typography (for the Puberty Box piece mentioned in the last post). The event was a blast, and I even got a chance to work with the compositing wizard Nick Greenlee on the intro. Check it out in HD!

So, this last quarter just started and I can already feel that...

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:44:25 -0500

So, this last quarter just started and I can already feel that it’s gonna pass by in an instant. The internship is going well and I’m really pumped that I’m finally working on my portfolio, and demo reel (If you know me you know that I’ve had countless portfolio sites/demo reels and man did they suck). Also I’m wrapping up the intro for Artimation, and was pleased to discover that I made it in, hopefully the piece above got in, it’s a screenshot from the type piece I did, “Puberty Box”.

Five Star Dining, a (new) American tradition.

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:14:27 -0500

So, over the course of my internship at DK, I’m spending my city nights at Mig and Jason’s swanky pad. They’ve turned me onto the fact that their home away from home is “Five Star”. This bar has some pretty sweet burgers (and that’s all I’ve had) and apparently when I have to pee next I will be impressed.

Can’t wait to post up some of the new projects I’ve got going, expect some stuff up next week!

Well, thanks to the insistent personality of my...

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:19:00 -0500

Well, thanks to the insistent personality of my good Wisconsinite friend BEATS, these videos are finally up. He wanted me to post that VH1 spot I did a while back, on YouTube so he could link to the sweet Calvin Harris track that accompanies it on his blog. I figured since I rendered them out; might as well post them up here.

Check out the “City Spot” in HD

Wait AND See...

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:56:00 -0500

This school quarter is wrapping up and excitement is definitely peaking. The Artimation intros we’re working on are being shot tomorrow and expect some serious sickness come the actual show.

Mr. Nick Greenlee hooked up a sick demo reel for his final quarter and I think I got my beautiful face in it for a few frames, hopefully he posts it to his site soon.

I’m working on a few side projects, most notably and awaited is my “co-llab” with Nick Santore that we’re still working on and are actually pulling some techniques we hadn’t planned on, there’s even a little motion tracking.

Lastly I’ve been sifting through a lot of my work lately to see what’s worth updating and what needs to be shelved; needless to say there’s a folder called “Old Crap” on a hard drive of mine that I filled up. Either way these next weeks will be loads of fun and a great way for me to grow, and as always I’m looking forward to DK!

So recently for my Motion Graphics class I had to create a...

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:52:03 -0500

So recently for my Motion Graphics class I had to create a countdown. My goal was to follow the class guidelines but divert from the traditional leader, so I came up with this crazy nonsense starring my buddy Mr. Nick Santore. Check out the high def version of the video here.

Another shot from the “Chicago Fashion Awards”...

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:38:38 -0500

Another shot from the “Chicago Fashion Awards” campaign, this is from the second build, viewing an interior photo shoot. Can’t wait for the final render.

DK no way!

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:33:42 -0500

So plain and simple, talked to my friend Jason Esser, got an interview for an internship position at DK, with the help of Mig Reyes made it there on time, interviewed, and got it a week later. I’m very excited to learn and execute, I can’t wait to collaborate and build on my skills. Sickness will ensue.