MAAM: Wham Bam Thank You!!!!

[ddavis]

Hi Everybody!!!

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.

It's that time again (at least I hope it is) for the fun and excitement that is the Spring MAAM Meeting. They said we couldn't do it.. but this is our one year anniversary and my thanks to all of you who have made organizing the MAAM meetings a real pleasure.

And to all of you who are lurking in the shadows...

show your selves!

You'd be surprised how much you can learn from just ten minutes of sitting with other AM users and talking over any problems you may be having. I also need to add that when you get more than three AM users together in a room we are able to fly, defy time and space, shoot laser beams out of our eyes and drink our weight in coffee...what fun. OK, maybe I exaggerate a bit but these get togethers are great fun and we have a really great group of guys who are always willing to share and tackle any AM problem known to man....and some known to fish. Currently we have members who make the journey from Pennsylvania, (big deal) New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. I would love to have some New York representatives attend this meeting (hint hint)

I want to get a date when everyone can attend so let me throw this out, I was thinking that Saturday, May 21st would be a good date.

What do you think?

If not we may be able to do the Saturday the 14th. I'm also trying to get a room at my work place which is located in Center City Philadelphia but I need to work on that a bit more. No matter what we will have a decent place to meet. Once we reach a consensus on the date I can lock down the meeting place for us.

What say you all????

[Fishman]

Yippee!

I'm interested in meeting other addicts and this works well for me. Either of the dates you mentioned would work for me. Center city Philly is certainly doable. (I'm coming from the Allentown area, so about an hours drive. I'm willing to go a little farther afield if required.)

 

I'll keep watching this space.

 

Scott

[heyvern]

Either of those times fine by me!

 

Look forward to it.

 

Vernon "!" Zehr

[Hubukai]

Brilliant! I am up for Saturday the 14th. Not that is a big deal but StarWars Episode III comes out on the 19th and I am going to a StarWars party the 21st. I know we dont want to put it off to long... My votes for dates, May 7th, or May 14th, May 28th. I know I am a pain in the butt. :-)

 

I cant wait though. There is so much to go over! the new version, Cloth... Woo Hoo.

[ZachBG]

Any of the mentioned dates work, except the 7th, because it's Mother's Day weekend, and I have a mother. And a wife who's a mother. Sorry, I know I'm so difficult!

[Fishman]

Looks like some consensus is building for the 14th. I agree with avoiding Mother's Day weekend. I'm already deep in debt to the wife for letting me take my daughter to see Spamalot in NYC on Mother's Day. I think heading to Philly the day before would be a deal breaker.

 

How many of us are we? I'm new, so I have no idea whether we are a band of 5 or 50. No matter, 'm just interested in meeting fellow fanatics.

 

Scott

[ddavis]

Hey Scott,

Wow, how did you get tickets for Spamalot? You didn't make a deal with that Lou Cypher guy, did you?

As for the MAAM we usually get about 6 or so members to attend. If everyone who expressed an interest shows up we could have 8 or more. You can never tell. I think our best showing was at my house last August when we had 7. So much more relaxing when beer is involved. (we need to do that again)

Let me see what I can do about the 14th

 

BTW, has anybody seen Rich??

[Fishman]

Got them through my daughter's choral group. It's a bus trip so I don't even have to worry about my car. The hard part will be finding a place to get something to eat, since it will be Mother's Day and everyone and his mother will be eating out. I'll report out (or at least gloat) at the group meeting!

 

Spam, spam, spam, spam...

 

Looking forward to the meeting. Do we bring laptops (if we've got em) or CD's with projects and models or what? Can you tell I'm psyched? I have no one to talk animation with except my 11 year old son. I'm also pumped to meet the legendary Vernon "fill in witty phrase" Zehr!

 

Scott

[Mechadelphia]

I'll be there if I'm not working that day.

 

Right now my work schedule for that far out has not been posted yet.

 

The sooner that everyone decides on the date the better my chances will be on my request for that day off being approved.

 

I'll keep my eyes on this thread to see what the concensus is and then I'll let you know if I'll be there.

 

Thanks for keeping the MAAM active Don & Co.

[entity]

the 14th--WET!

the 21st-- DRY!! <_>

 

I'll take the 14th then as long as it's saturday... but someone that I work with has decided to have his hernia operated on and so this meeting happens to fall on a time when they will be draining me of my lifeforce at work, because I will be compensating for the sick co-worker. I will try to be there... at least in a zombie-like trance- in the back of the room, facing the ceiling, sleeping with my eyes wide open. You may have to administer some coffee to get a reaction out of me! But I will try my DARNDEST to be there.

 

I would like to get Vern and Don to show me how to use the mini notebook keyboard again, too.

 

...and my human character has smaller maps and a simpler mesh.

 

John said:

Not that is a big deal but StarWars Episode III comes out on the 19th and

ME TOO!! I will be in the theater drooling over the special effects... chanting I.L.M--I.L.M---LUCUSFILM!!!!! HURRAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

 

Should I bring anything, besides my other "personality" (you know... the one that can't drink beer during daylight hours) ?

Edited April 17, 2005 by entity

[ddavis]

Hey Gang,

 

OK looks like we are on for Saturday the 14th of May

I will be posting directions and other information in the next week or two so keep checking back.

 

Scott: Yes, bring anything you want (with in reason), laptop, project files on CD, books, what ever you feel you need. I bring my laptop, I will try to have a desktop that we can use, I also have access to a projector which I can hook up to a PC. Many of the guys use Mac and I'm sure at least one of them will bring a powerbook.

Any questions, just let me know.

[Mechadelphia]

Ok Don, I'm in for the 14th of May...

 

...but only if you agree to show us some of your work this time

 

Seriously though I want to see anything you have no matter what you may think of it.

 

Is it a deal?

[ZachBG]

Many of the guys use Mac and I'm sure at least one of them will bring a powerbook.

<raises hand> And I even have the proper projector adapter this time.

[heyvern]

I can make it!

 

I won't be going to the hash bash... very sad.. damn... actually kind of pissed... but what can you do?

 

Unfortunately I really don't have anything new cooking in AM lately... I have been absolutely swamped with the real world. I find it hard to get excited about my side projects when I am consumed by deadline panic... it sort of... puts a damper on my enthusiasm.

 

I can at least bring my nearly completed David Bowman model I had planned to enter in last months image contest... I find he looks better since I added the eyebrows.

 

The weird thing is... by the time this gathering arrives... the deadlines I am currently involved with will be past... so strange... I will either be a hero... or... the villain...

 

Vernon "!" Zehr

[Fishman]

I'm pretty sure I can still make the 14th. There was some threatening to send me to Egypt for work, but that seems to be fading.

 

Looking forward to the details.

 

I'm pretty much a newb, so I'll bring some basic stuff I'm working on for lots of constructive criticism and I'll bring plenty of questions.

 

Scott

[ddavis]

Ok,

 

Mac, deal... I'll try to have something worthy to show.

 

Zach, Great that's exactly what we need, please please please bring it.

 

Vern, sorry to hear you're not going to the Hash bash but you will always be a hero to me (with occasional villain leanings). Love the new avatar. I personally wouldn't mind an explanation of your "bag O goop" from the Dandy DNA project. But just having your shining personality is worth the price of admission alone.

 

Scott, thats great, whatever you want to bring is fine. Feel free to save your questions, it makes for a better meeting.

 

I'll be posting directions next week. As always, any questions just let me know.

 

Don

[ddavis]

Sorry this took so long.

 

http://amuser.home.comcast.net/MAAM/maam.html

 

If I left anything out just let me know.

 

Thanks

[Fishman]

I will be attending!

 

As far as refreshments go, I can bring some cookies if that would be all right. Let me know if you want me to bring anything more like drinks or whatever.

 

Looking forward to this.

 

Scott

 

PS: Big thanks to Don for organizing this!

[ZachBG]

I'll bring along some cans o' Coke. And my own ugly self too.

[entity]

If you plan to attend or have any questions please respond to the posting on the Animaster list or e-mail me directly at  xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx

There is limited space so please let us know if you plan to attend.

 

"Limited space"?

Umm.... When did that problem ever occur? How many members are there, again?

 

I miss one meeting and suddenly... Well, I'll do my part to make more space- I promiss not to gain any weight!

[ddavis]

Rich,

 

Iway oughtthay Iway ouldcay etgay oremay eoplepay isthay ayway.

On'tday ewscray itway upway orfay emay.

 

hehehe, Please everybody pay no attention to Rich, he's been working too hard.

[entity]

I could be wrong about that... I'm sorry...

So People!!!

YOU BETTER HURRY UP, Because obviously we don't have much room left... If DON says we don't have enough room it's going to be too LATE.... You will have lost out on a GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!!

[Mechadelphia]

Don & Co. , thanks again for hosting the MAAM meeting.

 

I had a great time and was glad to meet you all again (and a few of you for the first time!) Everyone has very interesting projects in progress.

 

Its wonderful meeting people like you who have the same kinds of interests in animation.

 

When you are all ready to meet again count me in again (Just post a few weeks notice so I can plan around it).

 

Take care...

[heyvern]

WooHoo!

 

Thanks Don for getting the space for these meetings!

 

And John? It was Don's idea to hire someone to move your car around in the parking lot when you weren't looking. He thought it would be funny. I told him it would just be annoying.

 

Thank you Scott for the cookies.... I mean, tell your wife the cookies were fantastic... I think I ate like 50... don't make so many next time... or make more... depends on your perspective.

 

Thanks to ZachBG for not beating me on the head with a stick as I added commentary to his presentation... I have a tendency to talk too much... even when I only have half a voice.

 

I discovered... I focus too much on minor details in my projects... at least on my mechanical stuff... my face models don't have tear ducts... but I put the pins through the hinges in the back no one ever sees.

 

I learned that... half a David Bowman... is caused by too many beveled edges... and Ian Mckellen didn't really have a prosthetic nose in LOTR.

 

When modeling the light for a ceiling fan... it is not necessary to model the electrons moving through the wires in the motor... of course NOW, everyone will be expecting that level of detail.

 

The stride range doesn't have to start at 0... and even if there is a problem with the arm in shaggy's rig, I am STILL an idiot.

 

To avoid harsh animation critiques in the future, animate characters using a bidet and make sure they don't eat to much bean dip before they do their scenes.

 

I may still have a low grade fever... or... that old lady did cut me off in traffic. I don't think old ladies who can swear like that should be allowed to drive.

 

p.s. If we weren't' suppose to put in that kind of detail... why does it zoom to 1600 hundred million percent? Huh? Why?

 

Vernon "Quantum Modeling" Zehr

[Fishman]

All,

Thanks for sharing so much of your work and your talent. I was inspired (and intimidated) by your work. I will definitely try to work on something to present at the next meeting.

 

I echo the thanks to Don for hosting the meeting, an interesting setting, but it worked great.

 

Zach, you need to be cloned to sit on our desktops to help us with the subtleties of animation, the stride length tidbit was worth the drive.

 

Vern, my wife says you're welcome, glad you liked the cookies. I'll bring you a take home stash the next time!

 

It was nice to meet good people with a similar interest.

 

Scott

[entity]

Thanks Don,

You always come through! Always organized! I owe you some tut time now (just let me know when, probably at any weekend you want! I'm all yourz.)... ... ALL you guys are great! Sorry I didn't stay for the rest... John and Scott I'll definitely have to see your work next time... I know I missed something and wished I could have stayed. Mech-- sorry about the shoulder thing...(I finally remembered that I used smartskin for the clavicle to move the bicep's translation)... I don't think I ever solved it for smooth shoulder upward movement. I'll I.M. you from the forum if I come up with something. Zach, I'm so glad you showed us how to create the "Post-Extrapolation Method"-(accumulate) ... Vern, I'm surprised by the detail in your models... even God would be impressed (that you appreciate all those molecules).

 

Oh... And John... I'm not going first next time, no matter what you say! Maybe there should be a rotation of first show-n-teller.

 

 

To avoid harsh animation critiques in the future, animate characters using a bidet and make sure they don't eat to much bean dip before they do their scenes.

Gee, thanks a lot Vern. I'm never going to animate AGAIN! FALSE!

Edited May 16, 2005 by entity

[ddavis]

Thanks to all of you for coming and making it a great experience.

 

Rich, thanks for coming early and helping with the set up. You owe me nothing. (but I wouldn't mind some modeling lessons sometime)

 

John, thanks for bringing your new megaspeed machine, it worked great. (you've inspired me to build my own, could you post the specs for that machine?)

 

Scott, thanks for attending and jumping right in the deep end.... oh yah and the cookies (yum)

 

Mack & Candice, thanks for being part of the experience your work was some of the coolest stuff I've seen. You should post the small clip you showed, I'm sure it would give ideas to others out there.

 

Zach, your work is spectacular, I don't know if it's the acting background or what, but you seem to have and innate ability to animate perfectly natural movement in all your work.

 

Vern, even when recovering from a bad cold you still manage to raise the energy level x10. Those on the forum who view your images don't realize the level of detail that goes into them. I'm glad we have the chance to see it and that it doesn't stay locked up in your brain/hard drive.

 

I'll let you all know when I have the audio portions edited and ready for some images. If everyone is OK with their part we can make it available to the community. Thanks again to everybody and I hope to see you all again in a few months.