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Harry and Michele at the Chicago Motion Graphics Festival

Harry and I both taught Master's Classes at the Chicago Motion Graphics Festival. This photo was taken at Bridges Media Group at the mixer last Friday night. It's a great facility and Bridges puts out some really sweet motion graphics work. We met a lot of very cool people, many from a surprisingly long distance from Chicago.

The Festival was a lot of fun. I taught a Master's Class in After Effects where we dove deep into masking, keying and expressions and also spent some time with 3D, cameras and lights. Harry taught a Maya class. We also attended a couple of screenings of professional and student work, which were really good. I've added one sample to Toolfarm's Inspirations section and I'll be adding more as I find them. There was one called "Duct tape and Run" that I can't find anywhere. It was done by a student at Columbia College in Chicago. If you know where I can find it, please drop me an email.

On Sunday, we attended an educational panel. I especially enjoyed the panel on motion graphics, which discussed workflow, attaining clients, networking and so on. There were panelists from post houses, gaming firms, freelancers, Feedburner. Adobe had a speaker come in the afternoon, which I unfortunately missed because I had to catch my train. Eric, my former student stayed and said it was a terrific presentation. I won a book and DVD in the raffle and so did Harry, and the same former student Eric won After Effects 7.0! Congratulations to Eric!

I'd like to thank Mason Dixon and the Chicago Motion Graphics Festival for having us. The festival is so well organized and has so many different elements to it. You MUST go in 2008!

Labels: Chicago Motion Graphics Festival

posted by Michele Yamazaki @ 1/31/2007 09:02:00 AM | 0 comments links to this post

Chicago Motion Graphics Festival

Tomorrow I'm teaching the After Effects Master's class at the Chicago Motion Graphics Festival. If you were able to get a seat, see you in the morning. If not, sorry! I am planning to reformat some of my training seminar and put it online at Toolfarm.

Harry is teaching a Maya class on Saturday. I believe there is still a seat available in his class.

Friday evening is also the Motion Graphics Interactive Mixer and Studio Tour in Chicago. I went last year and it was a truly great time. I met so many nice people and talented artists and Bridges is a neat place. It's 8pm - 12am, Bridges Media Group, 100 W Kinzie St. $20 presales, $25 at the door. It's catered with an open bar, and several interactive motion graphics installations.

On Sunday, I'm on the panel of the CMGF07 Educational Conference. It's from 10am - 6pm, SAIC Auditorium, 280 S. Columbus Drive (the rear entrance to the the Art Institute on Michigan Ave). It's $39 presales, $49 at the door, (free with CMGF07 Festival Badge). Panel discussions, short workshops and lecture topics include: how to be a successful freelancer, After Effects studio techniques, hacking motion graphics, how the web is changing film & video, more.

I'll be the one in the Toolfarm t-shirt.