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I'm Back!

2011-06-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

After a year and a half of neglecting this blog, I've decided to get back on it. What have I been up to? Well, sir, how kind of you to ask. I've been freelancing like crazy - doing design, animation and illustration.

I recently animated the end title sequence for Mr. Popper's Penguins (starring Jim Carrey) at Picture Mill. I'm now represented by Creative Circle for freelance animation/illustration gigs. Since late 2010, I've been repped by The Masses for directing music videos. (Trivia: The Masses started as a collective co-founded by the late Heath Ledger.) Here are two music videos below that I've recently directed:

I co-wrote and co-produced a children's puppet TV show called Imaginus Zoo. We made a 22 minute pilot, then Panasonic sponsored us to make a 3D skit. Panasonic is currently in negotiations to broadcast the show in Japan. I'll share some clips when I can, for now look at these cute characters:

Since my last post, I made a new portfolio, which you can see on my website. Here's a taste: an illustration job I did for the show Damages (starring Glenn Close):

My friend Barney and I started a belligerent brand of drunk cartoons called Hammered Company. Feel free to like it on Facebook and/or follow on Twitter. Here's a poster we made featuring 2 of our characters:

I'm making comics now and posting them on Tumblr. I'm tweeting, and still eating burritos. Bleh! That was quite a backed-up blog dump. Now back to your regularly scheduled program!

Pucker Up

2009-11-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

I'm redesigning the forest in Midsummer Night's Dream for my portfolio. Here's a sneak peak of the mischievous little fella, Puck.

Deep in the Photoshop Forest

2009-11-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

I messed around with shape layers in Photoshop to make this forest.

Some variations on the lighting:

www.IfNotNow-When.com

2009-11-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

I made a website for my thesis film:

Click this link to check out the site

I also just put the trailer online. Watch it on YouTube.

On another note, for Hallow's Eve this year, I dressed up as Prometheus from my film.

I really enjoyed discovering fire. That kinda made my weekend.

Nightmares & Love Affairs - Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

2009-10-13T22:29:00.000-07:00

Upon the eve of Sunday October 18th, you shall be haunted by Nightmares & Love Affairs.

Here's the flyer I made for ze show:

And below is an alternate flier using Heather Hoxsey's photo texture for the background:

I'm selling some prints and original illustrations, recession prices for you and yours along with some talented friends.

Come on down to the opening and check out this creepy collection of work, just in time for Halloween.

Opening's 7-10. @ Sirens - 657 N Spaulding LA 90036...

Other Artists in the show:

Chris Wilson

Heather Hoxsey

Amber Wilson

Foreplay

2009-10-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Countess

2009-09-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

To The Greatest Mentor I Will Ever Know

2009-09-06T12:07:00.001-07:00

E. Michael Mitchell, a brilliant artist and beloved teacher at CalArts, passed away early this morning. Mike was an incredible inspiration to so many of us. I first met Mike when I was still in the Fine Art department at CalArts in 2005. I was unhappy and wanted to leave CalArts. I took a few classes in the Character Animation program. One of them was Mike's Life Drawing class. After 5 minutes of drawing in his class, I knew I had to transfer into the Animation department and study under Mike. A couple years later, I became Mike's TA. I drove him home after class and I became close with this mysterious man in the eyepatch, who I used to see in the CalArts hallways. Mike gave me the confidence I needed to claim my artistic voice and refine my skills. He always challenged me to break through my own personal boundaries and continue to push myself. I used to love sitting with him after class to discuss art, animation and the film industry; or just listen to him tell his captivating stories. A piece of advice Mike gave me once stands out in my memory. I was showing him storyboards for my 2008 film "The Pearl Necklace", and he said to me "Don't illustrate words, capture thoughts." Mike left CalArts after the Fall 2008 semester. Luckily my friend Chris Wilson (a fellow CalArtian) and I were able to visit Mike in his Santa Barbara home a few months ago. Mike was still just as sharp as ever and could remember very specific details in his old age. Mike was in pain and struggling for quite some time, until he finally found peace around 3:30 this morning at the age of 89. Mike was a great mentor to so many and he will never be forgotten. Although I only knew Mike for a few years, he has made a remarkable impact on my life, as he has done with so many others. I wanted to post some of his art here as a form of therapy. From conceptualizing Ferngully to countless other credits in animation and live action (half of which aren't listed on his IMDb), Mike Mitchell is a legend and his legacy will live on forever.

Here are some self portraits Mike did:

Here I am with Mike and Chris Wilson, when we visited him a couple months ago:

I will always cherish the fond memories I have of you, Mike. Thank you for changing my life.

"If Not Now When" will this film be released?

2009-09-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

My thesis film from CalArts, "If Not Now When", is a surreal fusion of Stop Motion, Puppetry and Live Action. I had originally just wanted the film to be the imagery and the music. I screened that cut a couple times. But after finishing that version of the film, I decided sound effects would really add another dimension to the experience. So over summer, my friend has been designing the soundscape for the film. The sound design should be done fairly soon and then the final final cut will see the light of day. I will post a trailer online when it is complete, but for now here are some screen shots:

A Look Back at ComicCon 09

2009-08-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

First time I have ever attended the madness known as ComicCon was this year. My buddyDillon's film got into the film festival at the Con, so we got a bunch of free passes... which was awesome. I didn't want to wait in line for any of the prime time events, so I mainly went to panels and walked around the exhibition floor. Here are some of the people I saw... (the craziest people weren't standing still enough to draw... so here are some semi crazies)

There was a great booth with old movie posters from films no one's ever heard of. I covertly snapped pictures of them, because I didn't think the guy selling the posters would appreciate it.

Attended some good panels, some not so good. Saw some amazing artists. All in all, I say it was a grand old time. (except for the claustrophobia... no that wasn't so grand.)

The New Yorkers

2009-08-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting the Newest of Yorks. What better way to remember a trip than by sketching everything you see? And what better thing to do with those sketches than to put them up here on me blog?

I messed around with pans... haven't quite got the stitch assist down... but fun nonetheless

Hotel Doodle

2009-07-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

I've been cleaning out my studio and found this little doodle I did while at my hotel in Toronto.

Space Walk

2009-07-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th

"The Pearl Necklace" trailer is finally here!

2009-06-30T20:02:00.001-07:00

After I finished "The Pearl Necklace" (2008), I wanted to make a classic Film Noir trailer with text wipes, voice over and the whole 9 yards. Now that I have some downtime, I finally got around to it.

The Imagi-Stache + Sight Bites

2009-06-28T00:41:00.000-07:00

Ever picture yourself with a mustache? Ladies and Gents, I present to you a radical new invention. "The Imagi-Stache" in CalArts Main Gallery (Jan. 09).

Below: The Main Gallery after some of the art had already been deinstalled.

Just for fun, here are pictures of that same wall exactly one year earlier. For this show, a group of us in Mike Mitchell's class did visual development for a new Dracula. Mike called the show "Dracula Sight Bites" (Jan 09). Many talented artists contributed work (Nic Sweet, Yasmin Joyner, Eliza Ivanova, Jason Boesch, Su Wong, Josh Dotson, Benton Connor, Misty Marsden, Heidi Smith, Jon Gomez and I).

Here is my section of the wall (which just happened to be the exact same spot I had for the" Imagi-Stache"). I did the Gothic lettering as well indeed indeed indeed.

A Great Day on the Porch

2009-06-24T16:32:00.001-07:00

An Oldie but Goodie

Neurofibromatosis

2009-06-15T16:51:00.001-07:00

He's a beaut, aint he?

Tea Time

2009-06-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

That'll be the day tea cups learn to fly...

Mechanized Mojo

2009-06-12T20:46:00.001-07:00

Red Hots

2009-06-12T18:40:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it feels good to get all loosey goosey with the pen

Squid Juice

2009-06-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

Gypsies

2009-06-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hippy Gypsy

Donna Sue

Doo doo doodles pt. 2

2009-06-04T17:56:00.001-07:00

Unsuspecting students and teachers in class

Doo doo doodles

2009-06-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

It doesn't look too good for the barbarians!

2009-06-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

A doodle done in Sande Cohen's Nietsche class

Board Runner

2009-06-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Some studies from the scene where Deckard gives Rachael the Voight-Kampf test (Blade Runner).

The Young Squire

2009-06-04T16:50:00.001-07:00

Some oldies...

Dracula 2.0

2009-06-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

Visual Development for a new Dracula. How will the old Count survive in this technological age? Find out in Dracula 2.0!

Bad Campaign

2009-06-04T15:48:00.001-07:00

Been sorting through some ancient work, and I thought I would post this. A series of illustrations I did in '06 & '07. "Big Fat Delicious", "Always", "Stick Together" and "Just Do It!". These have been in some gallery shows including the 'If Artists Ran The Media' show in Chicago.

Calling Disney Imagineering, "Satellite Sinai" is in orbit

2009-05-25T02:15:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of playing "Mr. Perfect" in a multimedia puppet show called "Satellite Sinai". Mr. Perfect is an obnoxious young robot with an English accent (no relation to C3PO). Not only was I a puppeteer, but I improvised all of my lines each show. The piece was originally JR Smith's graduation project at Cal Arts in December 09. Marty Sklar, the former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, attended the show and had a good time. So he invited us to perform it at the Imagineering warehouse on Tujunga. I had a great time with a wonderful group of Cal Artians. Check out the Satellite Sinai website! But in case you want instant satisfaction, here are a few pics from the show we did at Disney.

The last pic is of Marty Sklar introducing the show.

Interview with a Madman

2009-05-25T01:49:00.000-07:00

About a year and a half's worth of moons ago, I was featured on webisodes of this show called "Angelo Dali". As the title may suggest, the show was about artists. Since I am just a mortal man and no superstar, I thought it would be funny to act pompous while smoking a cigar during the interview. Here are a couple clips... I hope we can still be friends after you watch them.

click here for more videos like this

(sorry the video's cut off. the site don't offer no ding dang smaller size to embed)

Blueberry Octopie

2009-03-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

Felt like smacking some inky poos down... these and more on the old spider website

IMDbeeeeeeeeeeeee

2009-03-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

The Pearl Necklace now has a nice pretty IMDb page. Check it out booboo!

My Reel (without the Big Fish)

2009-03-17T01:41:00.000-07:00

Wanna see it bigger? www.spencerockwell.com

I am now a website

2009-03-17T00:23:00.000-07:00

In today's news...

A 30-foot neon www.spencerockwell.com sits atop the waterfront building that houses the www.spencerockwell.com. But even as the paper shutters its print edition, the www.spencerockwell.com will spin on.

The $165 million payout does sting, but the government may want to keep the www.spencerockwell.com right where the www.spencerockwell.com is.

In other news, getting attacked by a dog with rabies is still painful.

Back to the Blog

2009-01-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hey kitty kats,

I've decided to snuggle back up on the old blogspot to ramble about tap dancing baboons and anything else that comes to mind.

What's happened since I dipped my toe into the blogspot waters? Hmm... I finished The Pearl Necklace.

It has started traveling the festival circuit, I was just out in Toronto. It's a beeeyaautiful place, folks. Though I do understand why we make fun of Canada now. The film is not online yet, but in the meantime... check out the poster!

Pip pip cheerio

2008-03-10T03:17:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents.

I've decided to take this blog thing for a spin.

But I am extremely busy with post production on "The Pearl Necklace"... so it may be a while before I actually use it.

In the meanwhile, email me:

spencer.ockwell@gmail.com

Or add me as a friend on Myspace and/or Facebook...

Or view some of my films on You Tube...

Or you can check out an interview with me on Angelo Dali...

THANKS YOUS

-Spencer Ockwell

SpenceRockwell Pictures