<DAZ_mattw> Ok, so, welcome everyone to our first featured chat.
<DAZ_mattw> our special guest tonight is Adam Holmes
<DAZ_mattw> He worked out Superman Returns, and has a lot of other cools projects under his belt
<DAZ_mattw> In order to ask a question, you'll message questionbot
<DAZ_mattw> you can scroll down the list of users, and click on his name on the right bar
<DAZ_mattw> or just type /msg questionbot, YOUR QUESTION HERE
<DAZ_mattw> All the questions are queued up.
<DAZ_mattw> We may not be able to answer them all, and Adam may be unable to answer some questions due to contractual obligations, etc.
<DAZ_mattw> But go ahead and get them in now, and we'll get started momentarily.
<DAZ_mattw> For everyone just joining us
<DAZ_mattw> We're about to get started
<DAZ_mattw> If you have a question for Adam, go ahead and send it as a msg to the QuestionBot, by picking questionbot from the right hand bar, and clicking the questionbot name and typing in your question
<DAZ_mattw> or, you can use the direct command, /msg questionbot Here's your question
<DAZ_SSS> Well everyone, we'd like to get started
<DAZ_SSS> I'd like to introduce Adam Holmes
<DAZ_SSS> We're very excited that he is helping us out here at ArtZone as our very first Featured Chat
<DAZ_SSS> Adam has over 15 years of experience in computer graphics and film
<DAZ_SSS> he is mostly self-taught
<DAZ_SSS> and is a former employee of Autodesk
<DAZ_SSS> and most of all he is a great guy that has been fun to work with on this project
<DAZ_SSS> please feel free to ask questions and he will answer as he receives your questions
<adam3d> Hey all! It's great to be here, and a big thanks to the DAZ team for making a great site for artists to get together online. ArtZone is truly awesome!
<DAZ_mattw> (For those coming in, to ask a question, please click QuestionBot on the right hand column, and send him your msg as a private message)
<Turk_WLF> Adam what made you want into the Special Effect side of the movies?
<adam3d> Hey Turk, I was heavily influenced by all the great effects movies we all grew up with (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Tron, Toy Story), so it was just something I latched onto and asked myself "how the hell can I do that and get paid!?"
<adam3d> I bought my first computer when I was 11. A Commodore Vic 20, for $100, saving up from a paper route job
<adam3d> I started programming graphics and tried to make my own version of Space Invaders. haha!
<Flak> What software did you start with... right back at the beginning?
<adam3d> Hey Flak. Pre-photoshop there were graphics programs from AT&T labs, call Truvision Tips and Rio. They were hardware based. I was hooked. 3D wise, it was 3D Studio for DOS
<adam3d> I actually got a job using Tips and Rio making corporate slideshows in Chicago. Then when I went to work for Autodesk, I worked with a guy by the name of Shawn Steiner, who was on the team who invented the Targa format and the Tips and Rio software!
<Axe Swipe> What is you favorite type of media?
<DAZ_mattw> I like floppy disks, myself
<adam3d> Hey Axe. I'm still a "film guy". I love watching old films, newer art films, and how people continue to develop new languages with film
<adam3d> I love still photography, and try to incorporate aspects of that medium into 3D (composition, lighting, etc)
<etherealink> What could you recommend for someone who's looking to break into the 3d/GFX arena as a professional but who isn't in the major areas of the country (LA, NYC, London, etc.)?
<adam3d> hey ethera...Move...haha. just kidding. It used to be where you had to be in LA, NY, etc to get a job. Now independent studios are all over. Atlanta, Austin, Seattle...
<adam3d> The best thing is to get to know your local software resellers. They host events and typically know everyone in town, what they're doing, and if they're looking for talent. Go to trade shows, and see if there's a user group in your area. Don't be afraid to go where the work is, and that's where you need to know both what you want to do, and where that market is (games, film, commercials, corporate)
<Axe Swipe> What project was the most fun for you to work on?
<adam3d> That's always a tough one. Some of my goofy college projects were actually fun, since I wasn't answering to "the man". I could experiment all I wanted! But in the paid world, a fun recent project was a music video for Chris Rock (see the image in my gallery)
<DAZ_mattw> Editors note: the image is available here: http://artzone.daz3d.com/index.php?mode=photo_album&act=view&pho_id=19346&p_id=277
<adam3d> It was a spook of Outkast's "Hey Ya" for an upcoming CD he was releasing. Unfortunately, Outkast didn't approve of the lyrics and it wasn't seen. But I met the director and producer of their videos, and they loved our spoof. We shot 22 hours straight, and I got to play the announcer, just as the Outkast producer did in the original
<DAZ_Biggie> Adam, I heard you were in one of the shots for Superman as an extra in addition to being 2nd camera assistant... which one?
<DAZ_Biggie> Is there an image for that in your gallery as well?
<DAZ_mattw> Jarrod did say that he spotted him in that shot when we were there Tuesday night :)
<JamesM> How many hours did you put into Superman Returns?
<adam3d> hey James. Wow, I have no idea. a zillion I think. If I count the year I spent doing Pre-vis with the previous director, and the 4 months on-set shooting in Sydney last year... yeah, about a Zillion
<Eliza-Beth> Hi Adam, I was wondering how you found working in Aus and was working here different to the US?
<adam3d> hey Eliza...I loved Aus! The crews were so laid back, helpful, and genuine people. They weren't all union hardened (not to say everyone in Hollywood is like that), but I was pleasantly surprised. After a hard day, we'd kick it in the back of the lighting truck that was always fully stocked with beer ;)
<DAZ_Biggie> what kind? ;)
<adam3d> Becks baby!
<DAZ_Biggie> Australian for beer, mate... LOL
<DAZ_mattw> that's Foster's ;)
<adam3d> Plus everyone had so much experience from filming The Matrix, Star Wars, Last Samurai, and the stories they'd tell all day were very enlightening in the world of big budget filmmaking
<adam3d> we'd be shooting a flying scene for Superman and the camera man would go off for 10 minutes on a story about shooting with "George" just over there, lightsabers, all that shit
<Kuanbyr> What was the main software that was used in making the effects for the movie?
<adam3d> Hey Kuanbyr...well that depends on the studio doing the FX. There were several, from Sony to Frantic Films, to Australian companies. 3DS Max was used heavily from Frantic and Orphanage, Sony is a Maya shop, with proprietary software (doing the digital Superman as they did Spiderman)
<DAZ_Biggie> Who do you think did the best shots? ;)
<adam3d> best shots...I really liked Rhythm and Hues' shots of Lex's boat in the stormy ocean...and it's hard to tell Sony's digital double for the real guy...
<Flak> Which part of Special effects do you tend to be involved with, and can you give us some description of the workflow involved in that part of the overall process of getting a scene to screen?
<adam3d> Flak, I've been involved heavily in Previs for films, and that's a lot of fun, since you get to interact with directors, and VFX supervisors in all the pre-planning of the shots. I'm a cinematographer at heart, so that suits me well
<adam3d> so it starts in storyboards, to previs, and it gets massaged to death. In the shooting stages, the previs for Superman was relied on heavily. They'll use real world measurements to lay dolly track and determine speeds of camera moves, etc
<adam3d> When a VFX house gets the film, they have a hard time making any big shot work, no matter how careful it's shot, and sometimes its easier to shoot it "wrong", and fix it later in post
<DAZ_Biggie> What was it like to work with McG?
<DAZ_mattw> and who stole the other letters from his name, anyhow?
<adam3d> McG was awesome. man. He's got so much energy and good ideas. Underrated in my opinion, from the public's point of view. He's always yelling, asking you for ideas, and rallying the team
<DAZ_mattw> (For those just joining us, if you have a question you'd like to ask, please select questionbot from the list at the right side, and msg your question to questionbot; that will queue your question up)
<DAZ_mattw> So you just did superman returns. You're working on the new TMNT movie now. They're both from comics. Are you a big comic fan? If not, is it growing on you from all this exposure? :)
<adam3d> Comics were definitely part of my youth. I had these old Fantastic 4 comics with little records so you could listen along, like a book on tape, and it caught my imagination. I don't collect comics, but I appreciate the art and artists that do the amazing work. We have several comic artists on TMNT, and the director in fact, has comics he's created
<Flak> They say that "Good luck is the residue of hard work and even harder planning". How much good luck is involved at times in suddenly hitting a magical scene or shot that is better than you ever thought it would or could be?
<adam3d> It actually happens every day, when you're struggling to do a certain thing and it's not working out. Then you start daydreaming or playing Xbox and BAM it hits you. Maybe that comes out of experience, or just letting your imagination take over, rather than getting caught up in technology
<Noltar> Hi Adam, thanks for taking some time to talk with us. My question is, what would you say are some of the 'must have' areas of understanding/skills to have for getting a solid start in computer graphics?
<adam3d> hey Noltar. my pleasure. Well, a solid grounding in foundations of traditional art. Pursue what works for you, that can relate to CG. Sculpting for modeling, stop motion for animation, cinematography for pre-vis and lighting, painting for texturing...
<adam3d> that's one thing lacking from many college or fast track programs at art institutes. they don't give you that foundation, and time to develop. unless you're the top 5% from raw talent, you need time to develop your skills.
<Axe Swipe> Adam, if you could re-do the effects on any movie ever made, which one would it be?
<adam3d> hm...there are so many bad effects movies lately! haha...
<adam3d> recently, Ultraviolet. man that sucked
<DAZ_mattw> Jeff is now griping at me because I dragged him to ultraviolet to suffer with me
<DAZ_mattw> With movies using more software, and software being more graphically vivid and cinematic, do you see a lot of people jumping from video games to films or vice versa, professionally?
<DAZ_mattw> (one last time, for latecomers: if you have a question to ask, click QuestionBot on your 'People In Chat' list, and message your question to it, and that will queue it up)
<adam3d> Oh yes, definitely! I worked last year on some cinematic shots for Electronic Arts, for a new James Bond game. the Supervisor was a big film guy who EA hired to lead the cinematics.
<adam3d> Game studios want people with this experience, and eye for film styles as the 2 mediums converge. (I've seen some god awful cinematics, that some basic camera work would do wonders to help), and conversely, Film can learn tons from Game methods, and technology.
<adam3d> Film people are inherently snobbish and slow to adopt tools. It's like "I have more polygons, I must be better"..haha, what a load of crap
<DWMitchell> Hi, Adam. What would be a few of your favorite software programs to work with at this point in the game?
<adam3d> Hey DW. Well, I've used 3ds Max for so long, it's like putting on my favorite pair of flip-flops. It does anything and can be pushed by a single user or a large team. I like Endorphin, from Natural motion. It was used on Poseidon for virtual stuntmen, and can do amazing things. I'm using Maya on TMNT, but it's not like I need to know it all, though for what I typically do for Previs, Max is better
<adam3d> it's not the software either, it's the artist. I have a favorite saying "All software sucks"..and it's true in one way or another. You're all actually beta testers, and didn't know it. A good conspiracy!
<DAZ_mattw> Just so everyone knows, the official part of this featured chat ends at 7:00pm (PDT), but you can always friend Adam on ArtZone; hopefully he'll have time to check back in once in a while
<DAZ_SSS> We have time for one more question
<PickersAngel> What do you find to be your greatest challenge as a 3D artist?
<adam3d> trying not to be distracted by imbored.com, or youtube! haha
<adam3d> JK...really to be different in what I do, and define a look that's mine. My goal was to bring traditional filmmaking aspects to 3d work I did, so that's where I started to feel that difference, and honed it on project after project. Not just knowing where the buttons were, but how it all felt in the end product
<adam3d> also trying to compete with all the kids coming out of schools, that are good, talented and hungry for work, willing to put out in 100 hour weeks to prove themselves. Sometimes I do crazy hours, but only if the deadline needs me to.
<DAZ_mattw> (Also, in case anyone missed part of the chat, we will have a log of our Featured Chat available on ArtZone tomorrow.)
<DAZ_SSS> Well we'd like to thank everyone here for participating and especially Adam for sharing his knowledge with us
<DAZ_SSS> Adam is such a great guy, be sure to look for his name in all of your favorite movies
<DAZ_SSS> and I hear he's even an extra now and then
<DAZ_mattw> Thanks for joining us, Adam, and everyone, for our first featured chat.
<DAZ_mattw> moderation is now off
<ronknights> thank you all
<DAZ_SSS> Adam has a meeting he needs to get to
<Axe Swipe> Thank you Adam! **Grand Applause**
<etherealink> thanks for the chat adam
<Flak> thanks adam
<adam3d> Thank you all for chatting and to the DAZ gang for hosting. (yeah, I had my 15 pixels of fame in the "crowd looking up shot" at the end of S-man... ;) thanks! cya'll later
<ImmortalImaging> Thank You Adam
<ronknights> take care adam
<yenot_raccoon> thanks for coming Adam
<Kuanbyr> Thanks, that was great
<DAZ_Kevin> Thanks Adam.
<DAZ_SSS> but thanks again from everyone at ArtZone
<MysticBlueRaven> Thank you Adam
<DAZ_Biggie> thx Adam... :)
<Ffej> Thanks Adam for the info you shared with us today
<Eliza-Beth> Indeed, thanks very informative :)
<yenot_raccoon> and thanks to Daz and Artzone for pulling it together
<DAZ_mattw> apologies for those who had questions we didn't make it to
<Dodger> Merci
<janetcat> Thank you
<DAZ_mattw> I'm working on coding up a time machine so we can all use the same hour over and over ;)
<adam3d> Oh, and keep your eyes out for Comic-Con in San Diego. There might be some awsome TMNT stuff going on
<Flak> that'd be handy, matt lol
<westonmi> Thanks Adam! :D
<DAZ_mattw> cool :)
<Dodger> Matt I think I can do that in Perl
<PickersAngel> thanks, adam
<DAZ_mattw> yes, perl can do anything
<DAZ_mattw> use Time::TimeMachine;
<Risika75> thanks adam :)
<JamesM> Thanks adam!!
<Dodger> use strict; use Time::Machine; my $hour = Time::Machine->new(hour => 18, date => scalar localtime);
<etherealink> thanks adam, good to know
<etherealink> wb brenda
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