Interview With South Park Animator Edgar Tellez
Interview With South Park Animator Edgar Tellez
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Edgar's animation work speaks volumes on his skills, but his piece of work experience is outright legendary.
Working on Due south Park since 2006, Edgar's career in the entertainment manufacture spans well over a decade with a focus on grapheme animation. And much similar other artists in the industry he's got an incredible story to share.
In this Q&A you'll learn about Edgar's early on artistic studies, how he got into animation, and what it'south like working at South Park Studios.
To larn a chip more than you can visit his website and Instagram both teeming with incredible artwork.
What's your history with art & blitheness? When did yous first start & when did yous take blitheness seriously as a career?
My dad is a painter and information technology was from him that his iv sons(I being the youngest) were influenced and exposed to art from the beginning.
After we migrated to the US from Nicaragua my oldest brother, Norland Tellez, attended Cal Arts. Through my brother I was exposed to the globe of blitheness.
In high School I attended California Summer School for the Arts at Cal Arts and fabricated my first animation brusk. From there I began to take animation seriously.
Tin can you share a little on your educational groundwork? And how much do you call up college is required present to country a job in the industry?
I went to Otis College of Art and Design for i yr and so transferred to the University of S Carolina Aiken to experience some other part of the country.
At USCA I completed my K.E classes and then transferred to California Land University Fullerton to concentrate on blitheness.
I think College definitely helps in acquiring a job and so long as the Academy has the resource, technology, and staff.
That existence said, online schools such as Animation Mentor, Schoolism, CGMA, and even Youtube have carved another route to working in animation.
So long as 1 is dedicated and passionate about blitheness so college or online will both help in that goal.
How much does a digital animator need to practice life drawing? Is information technology even useful for aspiring 3D animators to attend traditional life drawing classes?
Life drawing is an essential function of animation.
It is essential because information technology teaches us most grade, anatomy, gestures, exaggeration, line of action, and storytelling poses that all translates over to 3D animation.
At Due south Park I'm constantly looking at my poses and request if they read clearly. Is the gesture interesting and how can it be pushed?
My advice to aspiring 3D grapheme animators is to behave a sketchbook, go on observing and drawing from life because the same principles use when posing your characters in 3D.
How did you first land a gig working at South Park & what was it like working on your first season?
I practical to an online chore post and was interviewed followed by a training flow where I was offered the position.
My first season was surreal and overwhelming.
At that place was a lot to larn and assimilate such every bit the animation style, pipeline, workflow and speed of the production. It was intense simply as well fun and heady.
The kickoff episode I worked on was "Make Love, Not Warcraft." That episode won an Emmy and I went to the Comedy Primal Emmy later political party where I met William Shatner and Jon Stewart. It was and so much fun.
When the show's in product how many hours practice y'all typically work in a week? Is there any sort of schedule or is the team working about nonstop?
Nosotros do an episode a week which, you can imagine, is quite an achievement and unheard of for an blithe show.
Every section works hard.
Writing begins on Thursday and 6 days afterward the show airs on Wednesday! A lot happens in those days; the script, art and animation goes through many changes.
For example whole animated scenes could be cutting, rewritten, added, and reanimated right till the very end. Like Matt and Trey have said before, the prove is like SNL where we don't know what the episode for that calendar week will be.
I think that'south what keeps the bear witness fresh and topical.
It fifty-fifty allows for the recreation of fine art down to the last particular in incredible time.
For example, former President Obama was elected on Tuesday Nov 8, 2008. The episode "Obama Wins" aired the post-obit day and included the like for similar background of Obama'due south victory speech, right downward to the lady with flag in hair.
Details such equally these are not possible in any other prime time animated show.
I besides recommend watching "The Making of S Park: half-dozen Days to Air" on Amazon which shows what goes into making an episode. It'southward a nifty watch!
Can you share your 24-hour interval-to-day workflow when you're in the studio?
I am a character animator; I animate all solar day.
In full general my procedure consists of;
1) receiving and checking the storyboards/animatics and notes on my assigned shots and scenes.
2) Double checking with my lead animator and listening to his feedback/direction of what Trey is looking for(how it tin can be funny, what to exaggerate, graphic symbol motivation, nuances, sub text).
three) I review my blitheness, submit and await the retake notes.
four) If my shot has a retake, I follow the notes to adjust/alter/scrap or combination of all and resubmit.
5) If more retakes follow and so I repeat steps 2-4 until the shot is approved. Information technology really depends on the complexity/particularity of the shot, sometimes the shot is approved on the first take, other times information technology goes through several retakes.
In add-on I'one thousand working with other animators on different scenes and we exchange notes on continuity to brand sure our shots match and cut right.
This is washed especially when we take massive crowd shots where characters are partying/rioting/cheering/fighting or when there is a food scene where we have to continue track of the food they have or have not eaten.
You also helped with the South Park video games which are awesome. How does your workflow alter for video game animation vs working on the bear witness?
Luckily my workflow didn't alter.
I primarily worked on the cinematic cut scenes which were washed in-business firm whereas the game play was done at Ubisoft San Francisco. It was just similar working on the prove.
The brilliance of Matt and Trey is that they wrote the video game to feel like an actual S Park episode.
For the first fourth dimension you tin can become a character within the Southward Park universe. They have raised the bar over again because I don't think any other Television set bear witness to video game crossover has ever gotten that right.
On the showtime video game "South Park: Stick of Truth" I had to animate Randy being anally probed on board an alien ship.
The player has to play a mini game to free Randy but each time the role player did something wrong Randy would get shafted, it's hilarious.
Whatever funny stories or anecdotes you tin share about working with Matt, Trey & the crew?
The studio is really a fun identify to work. Sometimes you get star struck when the odd glory comes in to do voice work like Elon Musk for "Members Merely" or Josh Gad for "Hummels and Heroin."
Seeing Bill Hader in the studio is also a boot because he's only and then funny.
When the "Volume Of Mormon" bandage came to visit and hung out with usa was another memorable time.
Every mean solar day is filled with surprises!
In your stance, how crucial is information technology to know the right people to state animation jobs in Hollywood? Is it generally dumb luck or do you really need to connect with the right people?
Knowing people definitely helps because they can connect you lot to the right channels.
Nonetheless, if your work isn't solid then it will not thing.
When South Park hired me I didn't know anyone at the studio, but in that location was something in my work that they liked. I think first and foremost it's the work that actually matters, but you can't sit and wait for people to call you.
One has to be proactive and network. Attend Siggraph, CTN, and other similar events and get to know the people in the industry.
It's a hustle and y'all have to hustle to be seen and heard.
The blitheness community is pocket-sized and y'all will run across people again in the future and they will retrieve you. That's why you take to stay humble, positive, and continue to strive and work towards your goals.
Learning to accept and listen to criticism is of import because this field is filled with talented artists who volition inspire and humble you. Timing also plays a primal factor because eventually the opportunities will nowadays themselves; your portfolio has to be ready.
What gives the South Park squad such a good "flow"? What allows the team to produce high-quality content going on 20+ years? Is it about the right group of people, or is information technology the right showrunners or the surroundings?
It'south definitely a combination of all that and more, a special something.
The crew is fantastic and works like a well-oiled motorcar with a good mixture of veterans and emerging creative person.
Together we grade the iron giant of South Park that keeps audiences entertained. All this would non be possible without the imagination, sense of humour and luminescence of Matt and Trey who accept made South Park a office of animation history.
I'd similar to requite a very big "thank yous" to Edgar for all of his fourth dimension. Information technology really is such a great story!
Hopefully you observe it as inspiring equally I practice.
And if you want to continue upward with Edgar online you tin can follow him on Tumblr or keep up with his Instagram posts @regadzie.
Source: https://conceptartempire.com/edgar-tellez-interview/
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