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Animation Industry Stalwart Bill Kroyer

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“If you are in the entertainment business, you had better spend as much time thinking about art and story as you do about technology”

The greatest pleasure of interviewing industry stalwarts is that the views which they share with you are always distilled and refined.

Recently Animation ‘xpress Editor Anand Gurnani had the previlege of interviewing Award winning director of animation and CG films Bill Kroyer who is currently at Rhythm & Hues Studios (Los Angeles) as Sr Animation Director.

In his long and sterling career, Kroyer who was the “computer image choreographer’ on Tron, has directed theatrical features such as , FernGully, The Last Rainforest, for 20th Century Fox (which has to date earned over $100,000,000 in combined U.S. theatrical gross and retail video sales) Academy Nominee animated shorts like Technological Threat, and scores of hi end animated commercials for brands like Intel, Cheez-its, Alpha Bits Cereal, the Coca Cola Polar Bears, AT&T, Novel, and the animated character of Digital Max for Cox Communications.

One of the world’s leading authorities on computer graphics, Kroyer lectures frequently on the subject. He was Chairman of the course on computer animation at the SIGGRAPH Conference in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992. He currently serves on the Board of the Visual Effects Society, on the Science & Technology Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and the Executive Board of the Academy’s Animation Branch. In 2005 he co-wrote and co-hosted two major public programs for the Academy about the impact of new technology on filmmaking.

Kroyer is scheduled to visit the Indian facility of Rhythm & Hues in May for a 2 week intensive workshop with the Indian artists. He will also be conducting a special workshop as part of the monthly CG Meetup@R&H that is a free workshop open for artists from all over.

Excerpts from the interview…

Please share with us about your wonderful journey in the world of Animation and VFX?
I began as a self-taught 2D animator doing educational films in Chicago, Illinois. There was no animation industry there, but I had discovered the artform somewhat by accident and just fell in love with the idea of drawing movement. Luckily for me, the famous Warner Bros. legend CHUCK JONES visited Chicago for a lecture and saw my film and recommended I go to L.A. to learn the right way. So I went.

After a few years of doing commercials I was fortunate to get into the incomparable Disney training program. This was in the 70’s when the old men were still at the studio. There will never be a more perfect environment than we had then to learn the classical secrets of Disney character animation.

I loved 2D, but when the movie TRON came along in 1982, I found I had a knack for computers. The CG industry was brand new, and it was impossible to resist the excitement of doing things no one had ever done before. I ended up being one of the few classical trained animators in CG, so I ended up combining by 2D skills with my 3D skills by doing films like TECHNOLOGICAL THREAT.

Since then I have stayed mostly in 3D and enjoyed it – although it is still the ART OF MOVEMENT and performance that captivates me more than technology.

A few insights into the latest cutting edge graphics technology research? What?s being pursued by the leading researchers?
For me, the elusive goal of being able to caricature the image, like an artist does freely with a pencil, is still the most perplexing challenge in 3D. The leading researchers are really not doing this – it’s just the biggest challenge (to me)!

A little info about the VES?
The VES is a relatively new organization that has quickly become an important community for those of us creating CG animation and visual effects. We recognize and honor achievements, but we are also working to improve the networking of our fellows and working conditions in the business.

About your role at R&H?
I have always been an Animation Director, with the role of not only providing directorial guidance on features and commercials but of helping younger animators to learn while doing. The level of artistry at R&H has skyrocketed since I came eight years ago. The new kids don’t need any technical help fro me anymore, but I still hope to provide that experience in the art of animation.

You are expected to visit India and conduct a special workshop? Do tell us about it?
I am visiting India to provide an intensive 2 week workshop for our animation staff at R&H India that will focus on many of the fundamentals of animation that never change no matter how the tools evolve. Since I will be in Mumbai, I was also requested to present an Animation workshop at the next CGMeetup, which as usual is open to everyone in the community. The presentation will be rather broad in scope and I hope to touch on many subjects, from the basics of CG technology to the complex production methods of feature films to the elusive secrets of creating an animated performance.

How is animation being affected by technology?
The simple answer is that it makes images more complex and realistic. That, however, has nothing to do with making them more entertaining or involving. When KING KONG was nominated for the Oscar, one of the supervisors said they had finally achieved an animated character that could make people cry. We looked at each other and said, “Hasn’t he seen DUMBO?”

In our own studio, I have seen the rendering expertise, especially in fur and skin texture, become incredibly realistic. Our rigs ar far more complex, with more controls for the animator than ever before. So technology gets heavier, and the danger is having it obscure the good ideas.

What do you foresee in terms of styles, technology, storytelling, global animation production and global markets?
The good news is that technology tends to make things faster and cheaper, and in the film industry, that means we can make better films, and a greater variety of imagery, on budgets that can be funded. I think we have seen most of the big breakthroughs in CG imagery. I think the techniques will constantly be improved.

The challenge now is to do two things: to conceive of wonderful stories that exploit our new visual capabilities, and find a way to get them financed and distributed. Don’t underestimate the importance of those last two activities to the future of motion pictures.

Lastly, some advice to animation professionals, students and enthusiasts?
Know your tools, but never forget that the tools are only tools. It will always be the idea that connects with the audience and makes the difference between great and not great. If you are in the entertainment business, you had better spend as much time thinking about art and story as you do about technology – if you want be an idea generator.

Following is the Brief outline for the cgmeetup on animation by Bill Kroyer scheduled to be held in the first half of May

1. Introduction: What is animation?
A discussion of the fundamental elements of the art of animation, how they came to be, and how (or if) they are being affected by technology.

2. Classic 2D animation; a Case Study.
FernGully, The Last Rainforest, one of the last American animated feature films to be hand-painted, was created using traditional techniques, but also incorporated some of the first digital innovations, such as 3D animated objects and some digital ink & paint.

3. The computer enters animation;
a Case Study. Disney’s 1982 feature film TRON, considered the pioneer effort of CG on the big screen, had computer animation as well as laborious visual effects.

4. Three short presentations on animation and the computer:

– Tools of the Trade, a comparison between the working tools of the classic 2D animator and the computer animator.

– The Basics of 3D animation, a quick look at the complete evolution of the technology that makes 3D animation possible.

– Talking Animals, a brief primer on the technique of making live-action animals speak.

5. Creating animated CG characters.
Three extensive presentations on the many steps involved in creating three well-known computer-animated characters: Scooby Doo, Garfield, and Digital Max. The steps include concept art, research & development, design, modeling, rigging, animating, lighting, and rendering, as well as the process of planning and shooting the original live-action background footage.

6. Tips of the trade.
Some useful tips, trade secrets, and final thoughts about where animation is going.

Venue to be announced, keep checking Animation ‘xpress, CG Tantra and asifaindia.com for the same.

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