Explosion Test 2011

Explosion Maya 2011 test from destruct007 on Vimeo.

Messing around on a project, and figuring the ins and outs of Maya 2011

Cover Letter Example:

To Whom it may Concern

Hello. My name is David E. Schoneveld. My profession is creating magic in the hearts and minds of people around the world! You may know this profession as your company hires artist similar to myself all the time to do that very thing. My interest is in this very aspect of your company, the hiring part. 

While the last 7 years I've been travelling around the world as a big game hunter, it saddened me as I killed the last endangers African Elephant Lion, the largest and most dangerous animal on dry land.  Saddened because I knew then I had reached as far as the road would take me in big game hunting. I use the same drive and focus on creating special FX, so you can imagine even though I have little to no training in computer animation I still am deadly when it comes to finalling shots! Oh believe you me, when you see my work, and you will see my work... just that. Dot dot dot.

Call me. 

Or email me. Yeah maybe email is better, because I might be in a movie or busy and can't get my phone or something. I won't leave my phone number in case you stopped reading and tried to call me right away. 

David E. Schoneveld

Specialties in specialties

I've been thinking about cg artist as RPG characters. Where people are at a level, and can level up with time or study. Each artist gets good at what they are mostly asked to do. Creature modelers get better at creatures, Lighters get better/level up with the renderer they use day to day.
In FX its interesting. There are specialties within the specialty of FX. I think of it as a mage character. You get to a certain point in the game and you can choose a more specific specialty. Dark, Light, Fire, Ice Mage whatever, something. FX is kinda like that. There are Particle specialist, Shader specialist, Fluid, Fire, Liquid, Deformation, Destruction etc. FX artist will learn in these and other categories. From time to time be further into one than another. Not that we can't do them all but people's experience make some a better fit for some jobs than others, "Specialists". Maybe its more like a thief character where we keep adding to our ability %'s.
I think about how you can keep pushing in one area but your improvement slows, like each level is double the current exp points. I think that is fairly accurate from games to real life "levels". hah NERD ALERT!!!

Fire test 1

Fire Test from destruct007 on Vimeo.

Test fire render. Just messing around, trying some things. This has no fluid texturing, and not even the best settings for the fluid sim. What seems to be working is that the fire looks good/sharp & soft w/o turning into smoke. Its got a good speed for film, not too fast but fast enough to feel more "real". Fire is also not that hard when its on a static object. I'm able to focus my resolution to only where its needed (300x200x80) and maximize its use.
Anyway I'm going to move away from the techniques I used to make this so I thought I'd share it as it stands now. I want to push the sim to be better, and. add more detail with adding texture coordinates... we'll see.

The compression really hurts it, lose a lot of the details. I tried this and another version to keep the detail. The glow looks like crap when compressed, I'll see if I can figure out a better way. Anyway here it us for now.

New demo reel!

demo reel, spring 2010 from destruct007 on Vimeo.

Its in HD so you can full screen it!

Extended Break Down (simple one is on the Vimeo)
2012: Josh Hatton & I did the Fluid sims, Chris Haney - Particles
Transformers 2: I dev the Meteors Apirak Kamjan and I implemented, Tank explosion was me & Talented Mark Renton in Comp.
Pirates 3: Maelstrom Lead Joakim Arnesson, Water Lead Paul Sharpe. I was under Paul, helped R&D  and render shots. I helped R&D the fog. On the first shot I did the fog.
Wolverine: Eye Lasers me & Comp, probably made 75 versions of that. Destruction Josh Hatton, Zack Judson, & I Shatter/Debris Fluid sims, Kevin Brown Particle Volumetrics, Chris Haney made everything work.
Fast & Furious: Car is real and CG so added sparks, dust, debris, and CG car destruction.
The Covenant: "Assention" Magic was me & Chris Bradley, Comped by H Haden Hammond. The power ball was developed by me and passed on to H Haden Hammond & Dave Fedel.
Sky Captain: Plumes and explosions me & Comp, Rocket trails were developed by me passed on to Sean Applegate.
Nike Commercial: Tornado was me and Comped by Justin Johnson. Clouds are live action.