How much of your money makes it onto the screen? Got a leaky pipeline? Is your workflow trickling? Does your team approach their work like a film, or like a science project? Are you paying your brain surgeons to dig ditches? Can you roll with last-minute story changes? What economies of scale do you employ? Are you satisfied with your production environment in terms of relationships, communication, adaptation and high-quality delivery?
The global animation industry is as competitive as ever, with merciless markets, unforgiving audiences and increasingly lean profit margins. Yet independent and major productions alike seem content to burn through money (and people) as though they have resources to spare. This sort of waste is so pervasive in our industry that it is routinely accepted with a winking "you-know-how-production-is" resignation. Yet, this is not only irresponsible… it is unsustainable. It is also easily addressed through insightful, considered assessment, and decisive action.
"CG Production Principles & Practices: Keeping Your Money On The Screen & Off The Floor" squarely examines common production motivations and pitfalls. The seminar first studies the human factors and organizational considerations that are the foundation of all production (dys)function. It then proceeds to cover workflow considerations and strategies, the establishment (and erosion) of balance, common heuristic assumptions & errors, and the importance of clarity and adaptation within the studio environment. A series of golden rules for production lead into the characteristics of a balanced pipeline, an overview of a flexible and robust non-linear production pipeline, and specific departmental examples. Finally, asset management is reviewed with an eye towards organization, flexibility and transparency. The presentation concludes with a micro/macro view on the production paradigm, and the synergistic orchestration of these parts into a transcendent whole. And if that weren't enough, it also includes a special guest appearance by David Hasselhoff.
You will never look at your pipeline, your workflow or your studio the same way again. You have options.
