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Post by mazfan on Mar 21, 2005 20:12:51 GMT -5
I attribute part of my success in my field to my 70's Japanese robot obsession. I remember doodling endless amount of Mazinger Z and Voltes V renditions when I was a kid in the Philippines. So where did my countless hours of robot drawings took me, career-wise? Many paths actually... I took design, multimedia and traditional cell animation courses when I was an undergrad. These courses enabled me to land a job doing special effects in Hollywood. I then went to grad school to focus on computer animation--I wanted to land my dream job at Lucasfilm and I needed SGI training (my grad department offered this). Instead of working for Lucas after grad school, I ended up teaching computer graphics in New England (the special effects field was changing for the worse at this point). I succumbed and joined the .com world after teaching a couple of years (I had money for the first time in my life at this stage of my career). And when everything crashed, I returned back to drawing. I am now a full time artist, specializing in cartoon inspired paintings. It's going really well. Thanks to Mazinger Z and Voltes V.
Did your robots help you in any way, career-wise? Thanks.
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Post by Ben-Ohki on Mar 21, 2005 22:14:26 GMT -5
I wonder if this thread should go under break-time? Anyway - I've always been tech-oriented even as a child. Super-robots to me were the ultimate culmination of technological acheivement (even if they were implausible like, say, Vehicle Teams Voltron). But it gave me a taste for understanding mechanics and computer programming (I knew there was no way Voltron could be controlled mechanically like a car, so there had to be some kind of software support). While mostly cruising aimlessly through high-school, when I reached college, I forced myself to go through a Pure Science curriculum to qualify for Computer Science at University. Although I was still being mostly aimless, I was gradually becoming what I felt I most wanted to be: a programmer. Now it's been about 7 years since I left university. I've worked for 6 years as a systems analyst (and software engineer) for the federal government in the department for distributing tax relief and support benefits... and I love my job because I know I'm making a difference for those who are in financial trouble. It's not as sexy as protecting innocent lives from robeasts with a giant mecha, but it pays the bills. ;D
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Post by Shropshire Slasher on Mar 21, 2005 23:03:14 GMT -5
Hmm, I'm interested in writing about and creating new product. I'm trying to focus on honing my creative thinking/writing skills. I have a degree in Strategic Studies and I've written a 72,000 word sci-fi novel set around the near future collapse of North Korea- I want to blend my interest in pol/mil with sci-fi, creating a new sub genre of sci-fi. I've written the story so that it could be spun off into a toy line- now I've gotta do another rewrite and work on the marketing. When I'm not doing that I'm selling toys over the net or acting in crappy Kor TV dramas that are only seen in Asia or, I'm a host on bad infomercial type stuff... I did this really bad infomercial for this drain cleaning air gun product last year- and that's all people know me for (yeah, this pic has some kind of Freudian meaning- I made it after I went out to dinner in Seoul one night and the waiter in the restaurant came up to me and started doing the pumping action of the drain cleaning gun.) You know I could go out right now and make cheap plastic toys here but it's just not worthwhile when there's no story to back it up. A storyline is more important than a toyline. You see if a company makes a toyline that is crap, nobody will buy it, nor the license for it and nobody will remember it. But if a story is good, toy companies will line up to cash in on it- and infact EVERYONE WILL LINE UP TO JUMP IN ON THE ACTION. And if a company fails with their licensed product, another company will step in to buy a license. I love these forums but, they're always focused towards the toys- don't get me wrong toys are cool and they can create a symbiotic relationship where the toy inspires, as Mazfan has said but it's what goes in ones head that is all important. And as for my career...well, I don't want to be remembered for plastic toys or plastic drain cleaners !! Alex in Seoul
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Post by Mechadevil on Mar 22, 2005 12:49:51 GMT -5
It's what started me drawing, painting, and making things in general. This led me to art school, now I am an illustrator, and conceptual designer.
Next I must finish this comic book series, and you can bet your ass it is about gigantic humanoid technorganic warmachines piloted by angst ridden madmen.
So yeah, major influence.
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