MAAM Meeting - August 11, 2007

[Hubukai]

Dear MAAM Members and others close to Philadelphia,

 

MAAM Meeting - August 11, 2007 ???? Please read below.

 

It has been way to long since our last meeting and I am hopeing we can get a meeting together so I am emailing you all to see if there is interest in gettign together NEXT WEEKEND!!! and my house August 11, 2007.

It has been far to long since we have gotten together and if your interested please post here and also email me as well.

It is still summer, I have TONS of hot dogs, Buns, the grill is still working so if you are not on vacation, get your butts over for a MAAM Meeting.

Email me, post here... Let me know if you are up for a MAAM Meeting - August 11, 2007

 

If you can come i will send you directions.

[entity]

I've been waiting for this! Thanks! I'm coming for sure!

[Mechadelphia]

Hey guys,

 

More than likely I will be able to make it.

 

So I will see you all then.

 

Take care.

[heyvern]

Count me in!!!!

 

I have to say I have not opened AM since finishing that play poster. I have not done any work on any of my AM projects (Lost World, Image Contests etc). I have not done ANY animation or personal work of any kind for quite a while.

 

I recently landed a "new" client who is... shall we say... devil spawn. I so want to have a face to face meeting so I can check their scalps for the number of the beast.

 

But I also have other good news I can share with you guys next weekend. It's so good... that... it sounds too good and I might want your professional opinion on it before I sign the contract. If I sign this contract it... is like... selling my soul so to speak.

 

I am tempted as it would solve my work/money issues for quite awhile. I would even be able to rent office space and get out of my house... buy new equipment... etc.

 

-vern

[Hubukai]

Hi guys,

 

This is awesome. Mechadelphia, Vern, Rich... now all we need to do is get Don Davis and this death Star will be fully operational. I expect all of you to bombard Don Davis with e-mails requiring him to also attend this meeting.

 

Vern, I will get special coffee just for you. Full Beans freshly ground from the coffee fields of Columbia with the highest quality caffeine content available!

 

Rich, 300 on HD DVD. Enough said.

 

Mechadelphia, it will be great to see you again. Kind of like someone on the "Lost" island that made it back to civilization.

 

Don? Where's Don? Don are you out there! Don, come in, over! Eagle one to base, come in are you out there. Your presence is needed.

 

This is probably one of the more exciting weekends of us are for me getting everyone back together, cooking hotdogs, spilling chips all of the floor and showing some good animation work on the big screen.

 

Here is a link to Google map directions to my house. click here

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...c=addr&om=1

phone number: 610-436-6124

 

I say we start the meeting anywhere between 11 a.m. and 12 noon. If that works for everyone that's fine if you need to come earlier earlier that is fine as well. In the spirit of the mid Atlantic animation master meeting room I will most likely have some beer in the downstairs fridge.

 

I've notified the local police that we are having a meeting so if there is any smoke, fire, explosions were scantily clad women running out of the house with articles of close missing, they have been paid off to ignore any calls regarding these things.

 

Can't wait to see you all.

[heyvern]

Don? Where's Don? Don are you out there! Don, come in, over! Eagle one to base, come in are you out there. Your presence is needed.

 

"Come in Alpha Base. Alpha Base are you there? Come in Alpha Base this is Eagle one! Answer me Alpha Base! God Dammit Alpha Base are you there? Come in! Alpha Base I can't read you. Alpha Base please resp..."

 

"God dammit Eagle one you have to let go of the button so we can respond! And you really need to wait a few seconds to get to the dang radio already."

 

I love that show and have many on DVD but those Eagle pilots have the patience of a gnat.

 

-vern

[ddavis]

Huston, I think I have a problem...

 

Wait.....no

 

It's just my shorts riding up on me.

 

OK.. that's better, count me in. I wouldn't miss the return of Mechadelphia.

 

And John in a chef's hat and the apron that says "Kiss The Cook/Animator" And I'm looking forward to the grilling and seeing those "Buns".

 

And this Vern thing has peaked my curisity. Dealing with the devil, selling ones soul, fire, brimstone, new equipment, office space? Does the devil really look like Al Pacino? or DeNiro or Ned Flanders, or just some fat guy in a cheesey red suit? I've always wanted to know.

 

John, let me know what to bring.

[heyvern]

John in a chef's hat and the apron that says "Kiss The Cook/Animator"

 

I draw the line at kissing any men. I tell all my alternate-life-style friends... "we can hang out, have a few beers play some pool, but if you try to kiss me for any reason... I will have to slug you."

 

This "rule" of mine came about as a result of a drunken new years eve party when I realized that one of the women who kissed me at midnight... desperately needed a shave... I was very drunk at the time...

 

... there is a photo of me holding a lava lamp and smiling stupidlly before I remembered very suddenly how those things actually work.

 

p.s. Jello shots were invented by Satan.

 

-vern

[entity]

I've notified the local police that we are having a meeting so if there is any smoke, fire, explosions were scantily clad women running out of the house with articles of close missing, they have been paid off to ignore any calls regarding these things.

 

John, If these girls don't have any "hardware" or "software" attached to them I don't think you will have to worry about me... just kidding. As for the smoke... well I'll just say I'm sorry right now.

[heyvern]

Gurrrllllssss?

 

Feck! Arse! Drink! Girls!

 

 

p.s. That money was just resting in my account.

 

 

-vern

[Hubukai]

Okay guys, I you all just calm down now. Let's use our ninja like skills to focus on the projects at hand. Animation master, rendering, computers and computer art. Don't make me switch out the coffee with decaf coffee. I'll do it, I really will!

 

With luck between now and next weekend I will have a final image to show to all. You may have seen it before but will try to keep something as a surprise. It would be good if all of us have at least something to show that its new from the last meeting, whether it be an idea, new rendering, new type of art or something of that nature.

 

It's been awhile since we've all had Mechadelphia join us and I can't wait to see what he's been working on. Please don't forget to burn all of your content, animation master project files or general video files to CD or DVD or bring on a USB stick or even bring your laptop computer and will get that information plugged into the television somehow.

 

Has anyone heard from Zach? Earth to Zach?

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone this Saturday. Arrived anytime from 11 a.m. on.

 

Here is a link to the house on Google maps. Click Here.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...c=addr&om=1

 

Talk to you all soon. [ Don't worry Vern, I was only kidding about the coffee ] :-)

 

[heyvern]

AHHHHAAHAHAHGGGGGHHGHHG!!!

 

I can't make it saturday guys. My family reunion is on the 11th. I thought it was the following weekend. WHAT ARE THE FREAKING ODDS?!?!?

 

I am obligated and... well... no offense but if a choice has to be made in this situation family wins out. Some of the people there I only get to see once every few years. And my brother and sisters might be there. That is a rare occasion when we are all in the same place at the same time.

 

I am so torn by this. I desperately want to go to both events... each has its own appeal... hanging out with right wing conservative, Christian, Bush supporting, war mongering, tea-totalers or... drinking beer with technodweeby animation aficionados.... my brain is going to explode from the agony of this choice.

 

The reunion is actually on Friday AND Saturday. I am going to check the Zehr forum to see if I would be disowned or excommunicated if I attended Friday only. Saturday is when all the real "fun" happens (we're Mennonites... fun is a relative term). If they found out what I was doing on Saturday instead... I could be in the doghouse.

 

The reunion is unfortunately located in the complete opposite direction by about 2 hours... so add on another 30 minutes to get to the MAAM meeting plus traffic... it could be a 3 hour one way drive to try and make it.

 

I have not missed one of the MAAM meetings... but this is out of my control. So sorry.

 

-vern

[Hubukai]

this may meen that i have to dring twice the amount of coffee I normally do.

If you Miss this one, we will then have to SCHEDULE on approx. 2 months from now so you dont miss out...

[entity]

NO VERN???????????????????? OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is it possible for you to clone yourself by then, Vern. If you can model a dna kit, then you can build it... and then .... oh that was just silly of me. Maybe we could just split you in two... with your permission of course? Well, Have fun at your reunion. You will be missed.

[ddavis]

Vern???

Can't make it????

But..but...but... I don't understand?

How can this happen. I specifically set up this off shoot of the real universe so that things like this wouldn't happen.

This can only mean one thing, negative Mennonite influences are at play here. This is out of my control.

And what about the selling of his soul???

How about if we all go the Zehr Family Reunion and Mid-Atlantic Animation Master User Group Picnic (ZFRMAAMUG)

It sounds like a tired sitcom plot.

Vern running between ZFR and MAAM, hiding his computer in a picnic basket, calling family members Hubukai and Entity,

IT COULD WORK!!!!

Or

What if we all pretend to be the lost Zehr family members.

John Hubiczehry

Don Dazehrvis

Rich Jackzehron

Mack Chapzehrelle

I could wear a wig if it would help.

[Hubukai]

Hmmm, Wait a minuite... i like the idea of Verns Family Picnic MAAM infiltration scheme...

Brovo Company... Left, Alpha Company... Flank them....

Wigs, CHECK, Menonite reading materials, CHECK... Flask with Scotch ... CHECK... CHECK

 

Rodger, Over, 10-4... Don, Rich, Cover me... im going in... if you dont hear from me, Call the President!!!

 

~~~

Although Vern will not be with us, I still believe the meeting should go on in Honor of our Fallen Commrad Verndrovinich! We shall eat hot dogs in his honor... The coffee will flow like rivers of gold!

[heyvern]

The fact that I would be drunk might be a giveaway. Mennonites know when your drunk.

 

I guess there is no chance on pushing this a week?

 

 

-vern

[entity]

I'm scared...

[Hubukai]

Hi guys,

 

According to the schedule, by some amazing, unbelievable feat of madness, the following weekend of the 18th is actually opened for a animation master meeting. I would definitely leave it up to the group if they wanted to push the meeting back one week. Rich, Don, Mechadelphia, what say you all?

 

Personally actually pushing the meeting off one more week would be good for me because it would allow me to actually get a few extra animation master things done. I don't want to miss out on getting Mechadelphia over here because he hasn't been able to be at a lot of the past meetings and we definitely want to see the things that he has been working on.

 

Anyway please let me know what you all think. I'll also be e-mailing you this post so we can get an answer to this quickly. I definitely need to get an answer to this somewhat quickly so my wife does not kill me.

 

I'll talk to you guys soon,

 

[Mechadelphia]

Hi Guys,

The 18th works well for me too so I have no problem with that.

 

I don't have a problem at all with waiting an extra week.

 

So if everyone else is OK with the 18th too then I'm still in.

 

Take care.

[heyvern]

I think... I think...

 

I think I may cry. There are tears of joy welling up in my eyes. This would be like... christmas in august if I get to go to both of my fav events.

 

I would be mopey and sad at the reunion for missing the MAAM meeting... and I would be mopey and sad at the MAAM meeting for missing the reunion. It is a no win situation.

 

If anyone else has a conflict on the 18th please do not change the date on my account. I am the one who is "calender challenged". When I run my finger across the little boxes I somehow get shifted over one spot... or I'm just looking at the wrong page.

 

I know what it was! I was looking at the date UPSIDE DOWN!

 

Another "Father Ted" reference.

 

-vern

[entity]

ok...ok... I wanted to do the meeting on my 3 day weekend (10th/11th/12th), but I am going to have to do it on the one day off I'll have that weekend(18th)... I'll be coming there, but I won't be worth much. But it's better than not having Vern there... so I'll try not to fall asleep.

John, do you have bus/train route info for getting there? If not it's okay, I'll find out sometime soon how I'm going to get my "pedestrian" butt over there.

[Hubukai]

ok...ok... I wanted to do the meeting on my 3 day weekend (10th/11th/12th), but I am going to have to do it on the one day off I'll have that weekend(18th)... I'll be coming there, but I won't be worth much. But it's better than not having Vern there... so I'll try not to fall asleep.

John, do you have bus/train route info for getting there? If not it's okay, I'll find out sometime soon how I'm going to get my "pedestrian" butt over there.

 

HI Rich I will send you info via email for train.

 

I chatted with Don briefly last night about the date move and he is looking in to it with Mrs. it WOULD be great to have All there. I also reccomend we scheduleout WINTER meeting ( late november) during this meeting ... a main date and an alternate. for me, if i put somethig in the calender, the date is Locked it !!

[Hubukai]

Rich, I am thinking you can do your cloth tutorial? and show us some great 3D painter stuff?

Mechadelphia... I am REALLY wondering whats been up your AM sleeve... i check your site every once and a while... :- )

[ddavis]

I was so looking forward to dressing up as a Zehr.

But if this is what must be...far be it from me to stand in the way.

I will be there on the 18th.

How could I even think of being anywhere else?

[ddavis]

Rich,

Check with me about transportation.

[heyvern]

I love you guys!

 

Now you will find out about my secret deal with the devil.

 

I am so disappointed but happy as well. I recently got a TON of new work which put the kibosh on any of the AM stuff I was working on... I am especially disappointed that I didn't have time to work on my Lost World project. Did I bring that last time? I will bring it anyway just in case. I will also bring my handcuff poster image. That poster got RAVE reviews by the way. I ended up doing the program cover as well.

 

I also put my name on the program. The last time they were suppose to have my info in the program and they only mentioned my name buried in the middle of the copy about the director or something. I had to search the program to even find it.

 

-vern

[entity]

Don...okay...will contakt you on Friday 10th. MSN IM in the morning as usual or anytime over my three days off that I might see you in MSN Mess.

Vern: I think we saw your Lost World project last time, but I wanna see it again. Are the books in there yet? I don't remember the handcuffs... I always want to see your new and old work... sometimes everything goes by pretty quick and a second look is always woth it.

[Hubukai]

Hi guys,

 

I'm glad everyone is going to be able to make it to this meeting. With luck we might be given a chance to sample some of Mrs. Hubickey use great baking talents.

 

This extra week may actually give me enough time to get some final design elements finished for the dark skull productions poster. Unfortunately I myself have taken on one or two new Web clients which will put a hindrance on some of my animation master project time but you know me, I always squeeze time in somewhere.

 

Mechadelphia, any new animations? Just as information for all, burn your animation projects, animations or whatever files you have or need to DVD or bring them on a USB stick or bring them all on top and will get them connected to the television for viewing during the meeting.

 

Vern, I'm interested to hear about all the new work you've got.

 

If anybody has any questions or thoughts, e-mail them around and post them here. Looking forward to the meeting!

 

Will also schedule our winter meeting during this meeting. I've always felt that a late November or early December animation master meeting should be a must because the holiday spirit and animation master rendering go hand-in-hand.

 

[Mechadelphia]

Hi John and Co.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any new animations that are really exhibition worthy.

 

Just some tests... nothing really interesting at this point (seriously). I'll try to find something interesting to bring.

 

In fact I've been pretty burned out with modeling and animation so I've taken a very long break from it.

 

During my time off from that I finally got around to designing and posting my web site. I have also been learning about video editing and all of the other stuff I'll need to know how to do to bring my animation together.

 

Right now I am working on rigging tutorials to post on my site. I'll bring by what I've done with them so far for the crew's feedback. When I'm finished with those tutorials then I'll be getting back into my project 100% (Because I'm really feeling the itch again).

 

I'm really interested in seeing what you guys have been up to.

 

Anyway... do you need us to bring any food or drinks?

 

Let us know.

 

Thanks.

[Hubukai]

Hi John and Co.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any new animations that are really exhibition worthy.

 

Just some tests... nothing really interesting at this point (seriously). I'll try to find something interesting to bring.

 

In fact I've been pretty burned out with modeling and animation so I've taken a very long break from it.

 

During my time off from that I finally got around to designing and posting my web site. I have also been learning about video editing and all of the other stuff I'll need to know how to do to bring my animation together.

 

Right now I am working on rigging tutorials to post on my site. I'll bring by what I've done with them so far for the crew's feedback. When I'm finished with those tutorials then I'll be getting back into my project 100% (Because I'm really feeling the itch again).

 

I'm really interested in seeing what you guys have been up to.

 

Anyway... do you need us to bring any food or drinks?

 

Let us know.

 

Thanks.

 

i can give you some video editing and encoding lessons.

it is up to you if you want to bring anything. a bog-o chips, pretzles... or just your self... it isint necessary...

ill have dogs, chips , salsa... COFFFEEE, soda... and stuff. :- )

[Hubukai]

Reminder.

 

Meeting Saturday... any time after 11 am.

 

Good News: we'll all be here... ill provide hot dogs, chips, COFFFFFEEEEE, sme other snakies...

 

Bad News: No Beer.. :-( sorry, BYOBAM is ok if you like... if we are stull hungry, $4.99 pizza specials right down the street.

 

Good-er News. Stuff to show... :- )

 

Link to map, houes number and phone number on first page of this thread. Starting time 11 amis on... noon is actual start time but a little earlier is fine.

[heyvern]

No beer?

 

Good grief! That sounds like a Zehr family reunion! Are you turning into a Mennonite?

 

I will be bringing beer if that's okay. I need the beer. I haven't had a beer in... 4 weeks, at my high school reunion (this is turning into a summer of reunions for me).

 

I will probably only drink 3... ish (have to work sunday. Can't be hung over) so if I bring a 6 pack... or two... I can share.

 

I want to bring along something cool I have been working on that is... er... not AM related. Has lots of that boring scripting code you guys hate... but I won't show you that.

 

Bunch of computer nerds bored by code... how odd.

 

p.s. I got an Apple t-shirt from my cousin who won that Apple teaching award. She said they brought out iPod Nanos in different colors stacked on serving trays for all the award winners... I didn't get one dagnabbit. She gave hers to her mother... like she's going to use it... probably has it filled with Barry Manilow by now.

 

 

-vern

[entity]

Had a great time guys.

 

Thanks, John, for hosting...

 

Don thanks for getting me there and home (there was so much going on, I forgot to make a font for my handwritting- I promise not to discuss politics along with vintage sci-fi.)...

 

Vern, if you chose to work for the "devil" does that make you a "demon"? Good luck on your new venture...

 

Mack, I'm blown away by how your rigging has come along. I learned much! Do you get any sleep?

 

...

I think I'm really becoming a Sith Lord. Darth Entity!

[heyvern]

aarrrrggghhh....

 

my head. Too much rich food and beer... I only had 3...

 

Fun day! Thanks John for hosting it! I am really really sorry I kept falling asleep during your video compression tutorial. I did however absorb the information subconsciously and learned a lot of great stuff.

 

Change of plan. If I do that "animation" to the "audio" at some point... I will probably have to bite the bullet and download a huge video file... so... there you go. I have some incentive now.

 

 

Last night I dreamed of big round red null bones attacking me from the future and trying to download my brain onto a big disk (you had to be there to understand).

 

--------

 

I bought "The 300" on the way home and watched it last night.

I seriously doubt those flimsy shields would stop arrows raining down like that. And I have never heard of a trained rhinoceros. I don't think they can be tamed to that extent. And Xerxes seemed awfully tall to me. I've heard of poetic license but that is pretty extreme. Was it that warm in Sparta? Would they really dress like that or did this take place during an especially hot summer?

 

By the way... I discovered that silly 2gb file size limit on Fat32. Kept trying to copy a 12gb DV file over the network and having it stop constantly. Silly me... I broke the video up into smaller chunks... before... finding out how simple it is to switch to NTFS... . NTFS has a 4gb limit correct? Or is that something else?

 

I take it back... the Nero DVD creation software isn't that great. I couldn't make sub menus.

 

-vern

[NancyGormezano]

And I have never heard of a trained rhinoceros. I don't think they can be tamed to that extent.

This is me circa 1983? in Kenya training a White rhino to be nice. I am not making this up - it really is me touching a White (Weit?) Rhino.

 

It takes just the right tenderly caress of their butts. I wouldn't try it with the Black Rhino tho, those are the dangerous ones who will charge. Very touchy guys.

 

Sadly I have found out that the herd of White Rhino in Tsavo have since then been poached. No more Rhino butt fondling, for those who are so inclined.

[Mechadelphia]

Hey Guys,

 

John, thank you for hosting the meeting this time around. You are a great host!

 

Thanks again for the video compression tutorial.. it was great and it really solved a lot of riddles for me.

 

(EDIT: Thanks for the pictures)

 

Rich, thanks again for the video tutorials. I'll definitely be checking them out this week.

 

(I'm still chuckling at that adding the spherical contraints to the camera joke )

 

I'll also send you that program very soon to you to help with the threading issues.

 

Don, it was great seeing you again and thank for introducing me to that program that you were working on. I'm going to take a look at it and see what I can do with it.

 

Let us know if you are successful with your video tutorials.

 

Vern, Wow! you have an incredible amount of talent in a lot of diverse areas! I would have had no way of knowing that what you are doing was achievable if I had not seen it with my own eyes. Keep up the great work and innovative problem solving.

 

Guys,

 

I had a great time and I'm glad that I was able to attend. I got a badly needed dose of animation motivation from seeing you guys again. I'll have something new for you all for the next meeting and I hope to utilize my newfound video compression knowledge to make a great presentation with it.

 

Take care.

[Hubukai]

Photos from the Animation Master Users Group meeting:

Rich, Vern, Don, John, Mack.

We had a great time, Hotdogs, AM, Food! Oh My.

Next Meeting scheduled for December 1st, 2007

 

[url="http://picasaweb.google.com/hubukai/20070818_Animation_Master_Meeting/photo#5100748141503819010"][img=http://lh3.google.com/hubukai/Rsl_aOcRrQI/AAAAAAAAG_s/bEanDnyp-d8/s144/P1030515.JPG][/url]

It was a great meeting.

[heyvern]

Seeing as the official MAAM group photo has been posted here now... I can post my "captioned" photos:

 

 

 

 

-vern

[Hubukai]

I am going to start a new thread for the next meeting scheduled Deceber 1st.