10 Quick With Jason Taylor

If you don't mind, allow me to gush a bit about the artist that we're conducting the 10 Quick with this week. His name is Jason Taylor, and he happens to have been one of the key members of the team that helped to create my favorite animation of probably the past 5 years, if not the past 10, Gopher Broke. This film has such a wonderful spirit to it, and the facial expressions alone are worth the price of admission... which happens to be free in this case. As I said, Jason was a big part of it, so I was really excited when he agreed to answer some questions.

Enough of the fanboy stuff though, let's hear from Jason!


1. Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you break into the business?

I'm a Vermonster! (one who originates for the state of Vermont) I guess that means nothing other than the fact that I love cheese, snow, and maple syrup. Growing up on a dirt road in the middle of the woods has it's charm, but not much in the way of computer animation. After high school, I packed up and moved to Philadelphia where I went to art school and lived the life of the urban skateboarder. Figure drawing
class then a 50/50 grind down a long ten stair handrail. Ah the life!

In the last year of college, I really got into 3D animation and mustered up enough crude work to score a job at a small local production house called... "The Production House Inc." There I actually got paid (very little) to make CG animation. I started doing all aspects of production and eventually found myself gravitating towards character animation. At TPH Inc, we made everything from commercials, games, and even a 42 minute DVD title.

During this time I was animating my own stuff at night. One piece being the short film "Cookie Blues," which I made back before Shrek came out (to set the record straight.) It's pretty bad animation wise, but still a fun little piece. Some other animations were entries to the 10 Second Club. (www.10secondclub.com) To my surprise a few of those learning exercises actual won. After 4 years at TPH Inc, I was ready
to move on.



I slapped together a small home office and started to do freelance character animation remotely. I got to work with some talented people from various studios during that time, but unfortunately they were half way across the country. That's the thing with remote freelance work... it's isolating and lonely. After almost a year of IMing most of my daily conversations, I took a character animation position at Blur Studio.

For the last 3 years I've been working at Blur. So many talented guys/gals work here. Everyday I'm amazed at the work I see on any given monitor in the studio. If you check out my links page on my site, (www.captainkeyframe.com) you'll see what talent I'm talking about.

2. Which of your work are you most proud of?

Much like Mr. Burke, I'm never happy with my animation either. When I look back at a piece all I can see are the flaws. So I guess I'm most proud of the pieces where I get to be creative... have some role in sculpting out the performance. It's the process that's fun for me. Get in there and do it. Thumbnail, act it out, try different ideas. That's the goods! Here's a little montage of me shooting video reference for various animations over the years.

Warning: Contents are a bit on the silly side.

Video Reference Montage

3. What are the main tools and/or programs you use to create your work?

I've used almost every package at some point in my career. Currently I'm using XSI alot. It's got alot of great tools. The price is right too!



4. What's a typical day in your life like?

Pure joy! ;OP

5. Who or what are some of your artistic influences?

I'm not sure I have many conscious influences. Living life in this day and age we are constantly bombarded with images and ideas. They have a way of just seeping in.

6. Would you say that you're a 3D artist who dabbles in 2D from time to time, or a 2D artist who happens to work in 3D?

Well I've been drawing since I was a wee tot, but I've neglected those skills lately. So I guess I'm the artist formally known as 2D. I've been known to doodle little characters now and then. I love to turn them in to CG characters when I have time. Here's one of my more recent characters (1 year old), Rosco.





7. What are 3 of the best things about your job, and what are 3 of the worst?

Best: Being creative, having talented co-workers, and a chill environment.

Worst: Working so close the beach and having to work inside all day, dealing with mocap from time to time, and getting shot in the face with a rocket during mid-afternoon Quake3 games.

8. I have to turn into a fanboy a bit here and tell you that "Gopher Broke" is my favorite animation of any kind to come out in a long long time. What was your involvement with that short? Is there any truth to the rumor that we may be seeing a full-length movie based on "Gopher" sometime in the future?

Well first off, Jeff Fowler deserves all the praise for Gopher. He wrote and directed it... t'was his vision. I had a few different roles on the project. I animated something like 13 shots, rigged a few of the characters, and with the help of the talented Remi McGill, developed a new facial animation system. We used this to really push the facial on this short and other projects since.

Ah yes... the Gopher feature topic. Nothing is final, but a Gopher feature is in development. Not much more to say... stay tuned!



9. How has it been working for an up-and-coming studio like Blur?

Blur is a great studio. There are alot of opportunities at Blur that no other studio would ever let you have. Every year there is a script contest. Any employee can submit a short film idea. Supervisors vote and one is picked. Blur then produces and enters that short film in to festivals. That's how Jeff got Gopher Broke made and it was nominated for an Oscar. Pretty cool deal I say.

10. Professional skateboarder, professional musician, or professional animator. If you could only do one, which would it be?

Hmmm... how about professional icecream taster? :O)

A big thank you to "Captain Keyframe," Mr. Jason Taylor for answering these questions for us. Make sure you stop by his site and check out all of his wonderful creations.

Thanks again, Jason!