STOP-MOTION ANIMATION
My interest in stop-motion animation stems from my desire to bring my toys to life. As a lifelong fan of LEGO, I naturally started with animating LEGO minifigures. Though their articulation is limited, I find it rather charming, and the vast array of interchangeable pieces allows for the creation of any type of character.
With any medium, I take great pleasure in the painstaking process of conveying motion and emotion, frame by frame. It’s the creation of magic, really.
A Q Center Story
Portland's queer resource center experiences a lively transformation with the help of its supportive community.
A short film I produced in collaboration with the Q Center. Created as a "thank you" to a number of their sponsors and was presented as a surprise screening during their SHINE Benefit Gala in October 2016.
Sponsors included: Barefoot Wine, CHK CHK, Comcast, Daimler, Dot Design, Equity Foundation, Fournier Group, Imperial Sovereign Rose Court, Kaiser Permanente, ONE Marriott, Morel Ink, New Seasons, Nike, PFLAG, Pride Financial, Pride Foundation, Pride NW, Rainbow Tax, Shebop, Stoel Rives, The Standard, UnderU4Men, Wells Fargo.
I co-wrote the story, directed, designed, and animated the scenes, edited the final cut, and did sound design. Canon 5D Mark II, 50mm lens with extension tube, 100mm macro lens, Dragonframe, Adobe Premiere Pro.
Portland Thorns: Michelle Betos Header in LEGO
It was a great honor to produce this LEGO stop-motion animation for the Portland Thorns women’s soccer team. I recreated Michelle Betos' sensational goal from June 19, 2015, and embellished it with additional scenes of my own design. I was granted access to the actual broadcasted audio, some field audio, and supplemented with my a bit of my own recordings of the Thorns crowd cheering. As a die-hard fan, it was a joy to work on!
Watch the original clip of the event this animation is based on:
Goalkeeper Michelle Betos scores equalizer for Thorns FC vs. FC Kansas City | Match Highlight
One of my earlier animations, completed before I got into using Dragonframe or knew how to composite. Shot on iPhone 6 using iMotion HD app, 15fps, Adobe Premiere Pro.
The Firefighters
My final project from Will Vinton's 2016 Claymation Studio workshop, focusing on the importance of story in our work. Couldn't be too complex as we had to sculpt our characters and animate their story by the end of the day in class. Working with clay as a medium is challenging for me, but I'm pleased with the little story I was able to execute. Great way for me to get my feet wet using Dragonframe software. Canon 5D Mark II, 100mm macro lens, Adobe Premiere Pro.
Fox Expressions
An in-class exercise during Will Vinton's 2016 Claymation Studio workshop in which we had to sculpt a humanoid bust and animate the following facial expressions in sequence: NEUTRAL > CONCERNED > SHOCKED > ANGRY > SHEEPISH > SMILE. This was my first time working with clay, and was an early exploration of Dragonframe software. Canon 5D Mark II, 100mm macro lens, Adobe Premiere Pro.
Beacon’s Bones
Gordon is reunited with his dog, Beacon, in the afterlife, but they experience a deja vu of fate.
A stop-motion animation incorporating video compositing in Adobe After Effects. Shot on iPhone 6 at 24fps using iMotion HD app and Olloclip macro lens attachment. Edited in Adobe Premiere Pro. Music by Leila Chieko. Sound effects by Leila Chieko and freesound.org
THE MAKING OF Beacon’s Bones
I love “Making Of” videos, and I love making “Making Of” videos!
Here you can watch the original green screen animation footage of the Pose Skeletons, storyboard sketches, and creation of music alongside the final version of Beacon's Bones.