The coolest job I ever had! || Stop-Motion Movies Studio
What I know about myself is - I like changes. Stagnation sickens me. I have to rearrange the furniture in the rooms from time to time, I have to often drastically change my hairstyle, I have to change jobs. Yes, I have to. The longest I stayed in one place was 3 years, and in retrospect I can say that it was at least a year too long.
I'm usually pretty good at pretending to be a relatively normal, well-balanced person, but when my days at work begin to morph into a shapeless amalgam of pointless meetings, similar phone calls, projects so uninteresting that I forget about them the next day - then it's time for me to run!
This trait of my character caused that my resume not only does not fit on one page of A4, but it looks like a biography of a person with a split personality disorder.
But it is what it is!
However, this one time fate was kind to me, because in a neighbouring city opened a Stop-Motion Movie Studio It was a new side project for a large Polish company known primarily for its jigsaws . The Trefl company, like many of its kind, buys copyrights to characters, images, etc. from giants like Disney in order to be able to use the characters on their toys, jigsaws. 'Trefl', in order to become independent, decided to create its own lore - series with characters for children, which will then serve as material to use in the form of jigsaws, mascots, so on, so on.
I knew about stop-motion puppet making as much as I managed to google. I graduated art academy with degree in sculpture, so I knew how to, draw, sculpt, cast, make molds, duplicate them and so on - but I knew it wasn't quite the same thing. So with one's heart in one's mouth, I knocked on the door which were pointed out to me as a 'Puppet Department'.
From behind the door I heard:
-What is it again? Are you crazy? What the hell are you knocking for!
-Good morning, I've come for a job.
The door was opened by a fiercely red-haired, very short figure with big round eyes the color of steel.
-Came for what?
-I'm looking for a job. I am a sculptor. I heard you were looking for people here.
I held out my hand with my resume and portfolio toward her,
-What do you give me here?
-My resume and portfolio.
-And what do I need it for? Do you have capable hands?
-I think so. I've finished my major – in medal making and that requires high level of precision.
-All right, we'll see. C'mon, sit here.
-It's a non-toxic resin, it doesn't evaporate, but you'd better not touch it with your bare hands, because it's impossible to get rid of it. The resin need to be weighed 1:1, it sets up to 30 seconds, so you have to work very fast. Pour me 20 eyes and come show me in a moment, I will be in the next room over there.
I started to work. I put on gloves, washed the silicone molds with alcohol very carefully. I measured resin ingredients in separate containers, stirred and very carefully poured into the molds.
-WROOOOOONG!
The boy sitting next to me was suddenly next to my ear.
-What on earth you are doing here?! You need to tap the cup few times to get rid of the air from the resin and pour in a thin stream, and necessarily at an angle. Use a stick to better distribute the resin.
Sadly he was right. When the resin solidified, I pulled the resin 'eyes' out of the molds - and they were full of holes and uneven.
-Throw this away and do it again, I won't say anything!
The Smiling Blonde turned to me directly:
-Listen to Maciek, he is the very best!
-This is normal, they never all come out well.
Suddenly I felt that I belong here somehow - I really wanted to work there!
-Just don't admit that we helped you!
The rooms were only a few steps apart, doors were open, so I knocked on the door frame.
-Why are you knocking again??? - she shouted.
-I finished casting, will take a you look?
-Well, show me what you did there.
-Go to the secretary's office, say that we take you on puppets, they will give you a contract.
-Thank you very much! When can I start?
-Do you have time now? You can stay, and keep casting those eyes, I need way, way more...
I will post more about how to make stop-motion dolls very soon:)
How about your 'new job story'?? Would you care to share with me?
I wish you all lovely week!
Yours,
Strega Azure
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My day job, I'm a data analyst. The first "Real" job I had after university was working at the museum's art lab, doing macro photography of their insect collection for archival purposes so they wouldn't need to send their specimens to other institutions for further study / comparison.
It was good fun.
Probably just as tedious as this stop motion stuff. We'd take 15-30 exposures at different focus levels to get an image that had each and every part of the insect in focus, using a stepper motor, and a table bolted to both the floor and wall to ensure no vibrations.
I wrote a few Photoshop actions to automate the post processing of the images, while the focus-stacker hardware had software to stitch all the focal ranges together.
It was a job I got on account of the fact that I didn't drink coffee and had steady hands to handle the specimens (which in animal classification) are called holotypes (the first example used to classify the species).
Not where I got my username from, though!
That's really interesting! And for the first job, that sounds great!
Those pictures must have been marvellous - to be able to count each hair on the leg! I bet it was laborious, but sill - sounds fun!
Yeah, I have steady hands more or less, but not enough to be an animator. Not sure if it is actually coffee is the problem. One of the best animators we had(and he was in teams who won Oscars for animations) was... an alcoholic. Between work he would sleep in stuff room with his mouth open, or laying in random places. But when it has been time to shoot - he was like a statue. Was absolutely incredible:)
People function in strange ways :)
I got to say I was feeling bad for him everyday and in the same time I was admiring his work. He was not the fastest animator ever but all his shots required minimum postproduction. Sometimes they just had to remove the rigs, and that was it. He was actually the master of it:)
I've never met anyone who I could describe in that way in any workplace I've been involved in. Perhaps I have been working in the wrong places. :D
There were many strange characters there. I felt there nearly translucent next those colourful individuals:) Every single day was an adventure :D
I look forward to reading more about this job and it's work.
Thank you for visiting me! Oh, yeah, I will definitely continue. Still plenty of pictures to share:)
very interesting line of work , if i ever need a glass eye i know who to call 😁
It was great, not gonna lie. Frustrating at times, but really cool:)
That was a great job interview and you handled it very well. My first job was working for my father doing some industrial cleaning work. The hours were long at 12hours per day and we worked 7 days a week. We were also working away from home, so it was also out of my comfort zone but a great life learning experience looking back now, although it was very boring and soul destroying at the time.
I have picked this post on behalf of the @OurPick project which will be highlighted in the next post!
Thank you!
I was really odd, I have to say. When I left the studio I couldn't remember any details of the meeting, I felt it wasn't real or something. But there was the next day, and next:)
Industrial cleaning it is hard work @mypathtofire! Although I find extremely satisfying using pressure washer, I imagine is not that fun to do this as regular job. But I bet you've learn plenty! Plus to push yourself beyond the limits is very important. You can see how capable your mind and body is, how resilient it can be. It help gain self-confidence:) How long did you work there?
Yes it was a good start and way to earn some money. I was there on and off for a few years. 🙂
So it couldn't be that bad! And on the top of it - you've had a chance to hang out with your Dad:) That's propably most important thing!
It was not really working with my Dad, more for him in his company. If there was work to be done, he would escape pretty sharpish!
He had the best man on the job, that's why! 🤣
Yay! 🤗
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Hey, awesome independent project!
It was, yeah:)
They did good few seasons, so I can imagine, they did quite well. I was working till end of season 2.
The dolls are looking very cute and I loved all of them. If I were there I might bring some with me. You are really good at that work. It seems your destiny designed everything for you means you got a suitable job for you.
!PIZZA
It has been fun for a while, not gonna lie:) I've met cool people, and learn a bunch! But time came - and I had to go to find something new. Nevertheless - it was worth all this stress, that's for sure.
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@intishar(3/5) tipped @strega.azure
Whoa!!! That's so interesting. I thought i was the only one who slowly detatched from being in place for too long.
And now I see just how good you are at this thing. It's sooo freaking good! I loved it. So much. You rock!
#Dreemer4life
It has been an adventure, that's for sure!
And I made friends there, met the strangest people, and seen few cool stuff!
I've learn a bunch too. Plus I could utilize my creativity a bit, and that's always a plus!
I am glad you liked my article!
❤️❤️❤️
You had me hooked with this one haha, what a colourful cast of colleagues you found yourself with, I can imagine there being more fun stories to tell about the time there.
Please do write some more about creating the figures, I've always been interested in it. I watched a great documentary about Ray Harryhausen before, who pretty much inspired every stop motion animator since, especially Phil Tippet.
I use polymer clay to make models, not with the intention of animating them, but just to create aliens and creatures for the stories I write. I find it easier to create them that way, rather than trying to imagine them and describing them from my minds eye.
Welcome to my blog!
I will put up few more posts about my time in the studio, including how we would make the dolls:)
We were using polymer clay, plasticine, self-hardening resin, self - expanding foam, silicone... and many many more, all depend of the stage of work and what part was made with it(different parts were made differently). We were using 3D printers too:)
Ray Harryhausen was a king, that's for sure. I was making stuff that was more suitable for teeny -tiny kids, although there was a character - witch-aunt, she was quite scary looking :D
I keep discovering new things about you each time and that's amazing.
My first impression is that the lady was a tough boss to works with but as far as you did what she wanted you to do, then you were good to go
It's either this or she was in a bad mood the first day you went to seek for a joy.
I like that they didn't go through the whole "let me read your CV. Come back next week" procedure. Applied art industry is one very fun place to be, especially if you have the passion for it.
I still have few surprises up my sleeve:)
Oh yeah, Sylvia(that was my boss-lady name) was indeed very tough person. She daily would be super chatty person, moody on occasion maybe, but if it was about the work - she was firm, cold and professional. I liked this quality about her. Becouse you always knew where you stand with her - if that make sense.
Yeah, that wasn't much of a interview :D but to be fair - I hate those, especially if it managed by HR team, not a specialist. 'Tell me where you see yourself in 5 years?' @If you were a animal, what kind of animal that would be'... What a sore nonsense :D
Sylvia has a nice personality then.
😂😂😂😂
Or maybe "tell me where you see the company in three years😅.
She was good boss, but I never felt I actually know her very well personally.
Bad HR team can actually destroy good name of the company with this pseudo-sociology stupid questions :D
It's a good thing you gathered the experience from there too.
Oh gosh. This is incredible. I love how they look and thank God you listened and re-election made the.
It was nice to get help from my future co-workers, I don't think I would get a job without them:)
Glad to see you here @balikis95
Well, it is a good thing you've got them, mate. Keep them😁.
Nice reading from you too.
This was amazing to read!
You have a pretty interesting life. I thought that when you went to apply for the new place, you were going to be interested in drawing their characters. I didn't know you also knew how to sculpt.
I guess not being able to settle sown somewhere for a long time, paid off well for you.
The casted characters look so real and neatly done. It reminds me of this one show I used to watch some years ago where participants, who were costume designers and sculptors, would make a scary character, and they would judge who was the best. It was a long time ago.
Your co-workers were quite friendly after all, even though they looked not so jovial😅.
I would love to hear more of your adventures!
Well done🌹
I honestly feel I was lucky this one time. Normally I never am. I am this person who is tripping over her own feet 😀 This one time universe was kind to me:)
I was simply happy to be able to do molds and sculpt, that's all I wanted to do after graduation. But right after academy I couldn't get a job in my field so I was working in many horrible places, just to pay mu bills. For a short while I was selling insurances even. I think that was as far I could go from I really wanted. that was really depressing.
But! Job is job. Pays rent, pays bills, and that was all what mattered to me.
I am glad you like to stop-motion characters, it is hard work to make the 'clean' for shooting. Uneven surface, small dust - are unacceptable. So that was pain sometimes, but still - it was really cool to be part of it:)
True. And they continue to have my back later on. They were kind and helpful all the way:)
I will do some more articles about this, no worries:)
Amazing and cool dolls by the way. Came in via @dreemport
Thank you for popping by @sam999966!
I am really grateful to be part of the team making this movie, not gonna lie:)
I liked characters too. I will post more about it soon:)
You welcome, Looking forward to it
When I was in school, we made some 8mm and some 16 mm stop motion movies. So fun!
LOVE the shots you shared.
Found from #PYPT on #dreemport
Thank you very much! Wow that's sound interesting! 8mm and 16mm, that must have been stressful. With digital camera if you spoil the shot, you can just erase it on the spot and do take two. With 8mm you cannot even reuse it:)
This is fantastic! What a cool little company to work for! And what an interesting job interview hehe... Sounds like a tight-knit team - they clearly liked you from the start - so lovely to see people being human and making an effort to lend a stranger a helping hand when they recognise qualities in that person that they want to invite into their space to stay 🤗 !LUV I bet you've had nightmare though with all those eyes staring at you the whole time !LOLZ
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It was bizarre, stressful and great in the same time! Yeah, i think I got trust credit from the very beginning:) I was so grateful for this:)
But man, that was mad, mad place :D Mostly in good way though!
I will do few more post about it, that's for sure:)
😂😂😂
Awesome, good to hear... I look forward to reading them!
Thank you very much @innerblocks and thank you @thekittygirl !