Alex Butera's Animation

Power Rangers warmup

2011-08-06T20:32:00.004-04:00

I decided to warm up for working on Baman Piderman by celebrating our completion of Power Rangers Mystic Force! Lindsay and I agree it is by far the best series of them all, with amazing cameos and the most badass outfits. Lindsay loves Chip, who has a Zapdos on his helmet. He's the lightening yellow ranger. He is awesome.

Polearm

2011-04-05T16:56:00.002-04:00

Practice

2011-01-01T19:10:00.003-05:00

Turnarounds of highly designed/clean looking characters is something I definitely struggle with. Practicing what I'm not good at isn't easy, but I know it'll make me better.

Lindsay's corrections are in red. The original drawing is hers. She erased a lot of my original black lines for the first one, it was pretty scary looking at first. The 3/4 was easier, but it's closer to just copying the original drawing.

Her design sense is incredible, and I learned a ton listening to her coach me and correct my mistakes.

I DREW THIS

2010-08-27T12:20:00.002-04:00

WE ARE GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW!

Because Art Is Fun

2010-07-10T21:31:00.003-04:00

Lindsay and I encounter a BattleToad on the train.

ENJOEY

20 minutes

2010-07-03T22:57:00.003-04:00

Watched a bunch of Avatar episodes with some buddies, and had to animate some martial arts! Love that show.

Baman Piderman 12!

2010-05-18T15:06:00.000-04:00

Check out the whole first season!

YoYoDan

2010-03-15T00:14:00.002-04:00

Lindsay works with this dude Dan Tsiakos at Converse. His weapon of choice: the Yo-Yo.

Music from 2 Stupid Dogs.

Harmony

2010-03-14T19:52:00.002-04:00

It was so fast and easy to get volume and light/shadow into this sketch, I'd love to be able to work this drawing tool into an animation program. It could create really interesting effects!

Try it o ut!

BAMAN PIDERMAN: HappyWinterFriends Pt. 2

2010-02-12T13:47:00.001-05:00

Here's the link! It's been forever, sorry about the wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L712O4dIxA

What programs do I use?

2009-12-23T11:51:00.003-05:00

I get this question a LOT, and so I'll just make a post about it.

I work in Flash CS3 exclusively for the animation. I treat it like a lightbox and paper, and animate frame-by-frame. I only use the tweening/slidey functions when I need it for a camera move, or for something like the snowflakes in the latest episode of Baman Piderman.

For Baman Piderman, I'm making all the lines with the pencil tool, set thicker than 1pt. I used the Brush tool for SuperGo.

I work on a 6x8 graphire4, and a MacPro desktop.

BAMAN PIDERMAN IN THE FLESH!!

2009-11-17T20:06:00.000-05:00

Well, this made MY night:

http://MistaKalio.deviantart.com/art/Wear-Da-Costumes-143097226

Happy Birthday Lindsay!

2009-09-16T10:38:00.002-04:00

10 mins Comfort Zone

2009-08-27T19:31:00.003-04:00

This is my comfort zone, and I'm going to try to stay away from it. After right now. 10 mins animating, about another 15 adding sound and colored pants.

This is Caroline's bunny

2009-08-22T22:50:00.004-04:00

I think this took 10 mins. not sure. Caroline says 7.

10 mins on Daft Punk

2009-08-18T22:15:00.003-04:00

More like 20ish i think, I didn't keep track. It's the whole thing plus what I added. Enjoy!

BAMAN PIDERMAN on AotS....AGAIN!

2009-08-05T10:55:00.002-04:00

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/697847/Around-The-Net-72909.html

Check it out!

10-min exercise turned into DAFT PUNK

2009-08-02T17:20:00.003-04:00

I'm a huge Daft Punk fan. This started as a warmup animation, but I spent an hour total with exporting and trimming the audio and exporting. I'll finish it at a later date.

Music belongs to Daft Punk. This was inspired by the music and by the Powerpuff Girls Z transform sequences.

10...oops 30 minute # 3

2009-07-26T18:10:00.017-04:00

Your Robot Boyfriend series by Lindsay Small enters the 4th dimension!

Click to Loop him!

10 minute #2

2009-07-22T17:33:00.005-04:00

I decided to animate a little Batman silhouette after sitting in Space 242 gallery staring at all of Andy Fish's work. It was a great show, you've got 2 days to go check it out if you missed it, it also features MYAWESOMEGIRLFRIENDLindsay Small, Veronica Hebard, and Alison Bamcat. Click to loop the animation.

10 min Animation and BP4

2009-07-15T11:36:00.007-04:00

Timed myself for exactly 10 mins to see how much I could animate. Click the image to loop it.

ALSO: Check out Baman Piderman #4!!!

Baman Piderman 2 & 3

2009-06-04T10:27:00.001-04:00

Baman Piderman 2 is now on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYPkHmKg-Y0

Baman Piderman 3 is here: http://www.mondominishows.com/index.php?IdEpisode=640&episodesPage=0&series=35

Check 'em oooooouuuuuut!

You hit, down, then diagonally down AND forward, then forward, and PUNCH!

2009-06-02T23:13:00.002-04:00

ANY punch will do, just try it!

Hey good job Lindsay!

Street Fighter

2009-05-25T20:55:00.007-04:00

I've been playing SF4, and made some art. My girlfriend is giving Abel a run for his money. She colored it, too! www.smalllindsay.com

I have deduced that Abel is 12 feet tall. Lindsay is not.

BAMAN PIDERMAN 2: Hab Da Pumkin

2009-05-04T23:45:00.003-04:00

Check it out!

http://www.mondominishows.com/index.php?IdEpisode=632&episodesPage=0&series=35

Head Speed

2009-03-15T16:43:00.004-04:00

I'm currently doing work for these guys listen below in Berlin. Check out www.speedlessons.com ! I didn't do the drawing on the main page, just the shorts that are being posted. Keep checking back, I'm still animating more of them.

Entrant Company: Aimaq Rapp Stolle Werbeagentur, Berlin
(www.ars-berlin.com)
Executive Creative Director: André Aimaq
Creative Director: Christian Jakimowitsch, Marian Goetz, Jan Lucas
Copywriter: Christian Schuck, Marian Goetz
Art Director: Christian Jakimowitsch, Mario Nussbaumer
Junior Art Director: Andreas Voegel
Illustration: Alexander Butera
Animation: Alexander Butera
Producer: Hanna Stueven, Uwe Flade, Ivonne Hansel
Production Company: Shape Minds and Moving Images GmbH
Music & Audiodesign: Krane & Rabe Audiodesign (Markus Krane, Axel Rabe,
Daniel Eberle)
Accountant: Daniella Rote, Marijana Kelava
Executive Planning Director: Alexander Jordan

SuperGo!

2009-03-04T17:02:00.003-05:00

Co-created by Lindsay Small and myself.

This is my senior thesis, finally posted. Lindsay helped with the writing/design/ and overall process. It's done entirely in Flash, with a touch of After Effects. We did the boarding and writing in Feb of last year, and I animated it from March to April.

Everyone keeps asking, but I didn't rotoscope anything.

Enjoy!

Aw man, I need to take a HUGE sketchdump...

2008-12-20T11:33:00.007-05:00

AAHHhhhh. Most of this is recent.

Baman Piderman 16:9

2008-11-25T10:15:00.003-05:00

Yes! Youtube went widescreen! It's been so annoying to have all my animations squashed into SD, and now NOBODY has to. Ahhh, what a relief.

I'm currently making another Baman Piderman, and now I can make it WIDESCREEN! Sorry for the delay to everyone demanding it. It may contain a pumpkin.

Now all I'm waiting for is to be able to compose for 32:9 like that Astro Boy trailer...

NDS + ANIMANATEE = Portable Animation Sketchbook Tablet

2008-09-26T13:31:00.004-04:00

Whenever I pull out my sketchbook, I think of how amazing it would be to be able to not just draw anywhere, but animate anywhere. I've been wishing for some company like WACOM to come out with a tablet that has animation software that I can just carry around and animate wherever I want. I guess I could carry around flip-books...but in the digital age it's just not good enough.

I found out recently that there the Nintendo DS has homebrew animation apps! AGH! I can't wait to carry around a portable animation tablet. My DS had been gathering dust because my PSP just has too many good games. I enjoy it on the bus ride to Ottawa, and the occasional Professor Leighton puzzle, but this is serious business now. Doing little animation sketches or storyboards or action-scene keyframes WHENEVER the desire hits me is so wonderfully artistically freeing. I don't have to go sit down, boot up my comp, and then try to animate once the moment has passed. Now, as soon as I wonder "what that would look like animated" or "how would I animate that" or whenever animation inspiration strikes, I'll be able to rough something out.

Check out the mouse walk cycle http://www.area-56.de/chapter56/2008/01/ds-animanatee-is-fun.html

Can't wait to post all my little animation sketches here!

Baman Piderman

2008-07-31T10:49:00.003-04:00

Baman Piderman was described as "postmodern superhero deconstruction." It has sparked a debate about Catholicism and theology on youtube. People were discussing the concept of genius in the comments as well. People have demanded more, and people have demanded NO more. I've been approached by a few individuals and companies to develop it further.

Who'da thunk?

Guess I gotta make some more...

12:30 Comic

2008-07-11T00:32:00.002-04:00

It's past my bedtime, and so the comic I was making for my girlfriend didn't come out as romantic as I was trying for.

I really hope the town of Dover doesn't pull this for a third time this month...

Weighing options

2008-07-09T23:38:00.002-04:00

So I've heard, over the last few years, about animators graduating and either getting a job, or not getting a job. Ohh...deep stuff, I know, but it got me thinking. Is it just as valuable to work a "normal" job, anywhere, and use the education you paid for to make all your art on the side, independently, as opposed to working in a studio or freelance, and having far less time and energy to work on independent projects?

I was weighing the options myself, and yes, making connections and knowing and effecting what is going on in the industry is a really great feeling, but at the same time, I have all this pent-up PERSONAL work that I'm not getting to, because let's face it, it's hard to animate all day, and then come home and animate more...

That all being said, I'm starting work on my next personal project, which is going to be entirely music-driven. I'm investigating the idea of a "festival license," something that will prevent me from making money off of copyrighted songs, and prevent the record label in question from suing me.
In searching for the kind of music I want, I found the coolest internet radio service, super free and super comprehensive, at www.pandora.com. It's worth your time, I promise.

Baked Clams for Alex

2008-06-12T12:28:00.003-04:00

So I got a job at Clambake Animation, gonna be there for two months unless they have more work for me. I'm enjoying it so far...after..two days. Whoo! I'm currently makin' some boards animate.

BAMAN PIDERMAN

2008-05-28T13:23:00.000-04:00

I finished up the coloring and put some nice foley on this piece I made a year ago. It seems to be an audience favorite:

Finally done completely forever

2008-05-26T21:35:00.003-04:00

I was sooo eager to graduate, and I'm so glad it's all over. Time to get things ready for festivals and send off my DVDs to studios. I've got an "informational interview" with Clambake on Wednesday, I've sent my stuff off to Harmonix (been catching up on my Guitar Hero just in case), and Soup2Nuts sent me an animation test of Word Girl. Homework's not over, but I'm sure glad classes are.

My god...I may ACTUALLY be able to animate for FUN sometime this week! ::GASP::

Progress

2008-05-05T18:54:00.002-04:00

I'm onto the last minute of animation, and since I found the deadline is now Thursday (thank you to his holiness Dan Rowe) I saw Iron Man last night. Whether that was the best decision for my film, we'll see, but it was really awesome. So I've got to animate and add some more backgrounds, along with finishing the color on the intro and adding the credits images.

Best of all, I get to compose the music for the ballad "Super Go!" which is what I've titled my Degree Project. My friend Max wrote and sang it, channeling 80s ballads and a healthy splash of Eurobeat lyrics, and I'm making the track to go with it tomorrow.

I gassa make dis aminations movin for tahmorrow

2008-05-02T01:08:00.004-04:00

Elliot Vecchia once said that he "has lost the ability to be serious." It is a good feeling to share

Ok, so I gotta animate 2 minsutes or so tonight and tomorrow morning in order to deliver it to Leland by noon tomorrow. I made this motivational poster for motivation. I hope it works. I'm listening to that wonderful crack-for-your-ears genre of music called EUROBEAT all night. I may not have ears at all come noon tomorrow, but at least the DP has a chance of being all animated.

In other news, I had my senior review with Steven Subotnick. It was great in that he laughed at all the right parts, and gave me very helpful career advice as well as brutal and welcome editing critique on the DP as a whole. It's 8 minutes right now, and will boil down to be that when I chop a couple shots down and add the credits.

T minus 2 weeks and counting

2008-04-16T17:49:00.003-04:00

Last I checked, my degree project (still untitled) is up to 9 mins, 15 seconds. I have to get it all ready to watch by the 2nd for the Massart animation show, and I do very well believe I can do it. I've cut things down since the last export, and it's just a steady grind in Flash till I start coloring and compositing and making backgrounds and mixing and peeing and sleeping and eating and starting and stopping and making a cartoon and watching it. Yes. I'll post screenshots and clips as I go.

2008-03-31T18:02:00.002-04:00

I felt like doing some fanart the other day, and Atomic Robo's main character...Robo...is a cool dude worthy of a rub cycle. The art is by the illustrious Scott Wegener, and you should check out the comic.

Anime Boston 08

2008-03-25T18:55:00.007-04:00

Last weekend, instead of working on my Degree Project, the deadline of which is fast approaching, I attended Anime Boston in costume.

This is me.

I was rockin out to whatever was playing off my face. I had my iPod hooked up and was playingvarious anime/videogame music. It was awesome, we were total celebrities.

On the left is Max, he's the electronic engineer sculptor who got everything to work and fit our heads. Max put the most time, energy, and funding into the project, and got the laptop screen into the TV with DDR playing up it. The TV head concept was thought up by Dante, middle, and the speakers were my idea. We were finding various people in costume and playing music from their game or show, so we were sort of like a portable soundtrack.

So the FAQ:

Yes we can all see
It was fairly comfortable
No it didn't blow our ears out

I was dancin with my awesome girlfriend for a bit of it too, to Daft Punk of course. Probably Robot Rock.

Degree Project Progress

2008-03-04T02:09:00.002-05:00

So I've finished the cleanups for the intro scene of my Degree Project, and I'm psyched because of how it came out. Imagine a high energy ska style track with a quick tempo in the background. I'll post more as I go. I recorded all my audio for the voices last week, and it all came out awesome. Coordinating 6 schedules of busy students wasn't fun, but the recording session was a blast. there's a little snippet of dialogue at the end of this clip.

Interview With Dali

2008-02-28T14:23:00.002-05:00

Per request, here is Interview with Dali. I took an interview I found online and chopped it up, rearranged it, and coupled it with the weirdest music I could find. Hope you like it!

There's always room for a montage

2008-02-26T02:13:00.002-05:00

Evan Sussman came into my portfolio class this week; he's an after effects guru from Soup 2 Nuts. His work was really tight, and he's someone I can go to for all the after effects tips and troubleshooting I'll need to do for my degree project.

This is minute-30 second spattering of my best looking stuff. I love editing tightly to music, so this was a lot of fun. I composed the audio myself. I'm a few steps closer to completing my portfolio. Apparently the youtube player is better than the blogger player? You be the judge.

Degree Project

2008-02-12T01:31:00.000-05:00

I changed my degree project story again right before this semester started, it's boarded/scripted, and now I'm on to the rough animation. Here's a clip of the intro scene. I'm composing the music myself, so picture some sort of beat-driven high-energy track with horn stabs.

Everyone asks how long animation takes me, and this took about 5 hours of actually animating, minus breaks and spacing out.

My reason for changing my story was partly because my writing skills have improved greatly after working with my girlfriend and professors on the previous concepts, and also because I wanted to write something completely on my own. It feels great to have gotten the help I needed to be able to write a cohesive story and incorporate all the elements I want. It feels very "me."

Style Pieces

2007-12-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

For my Animation 4 class, I have to make 3, 10 sec. style pieces mimicking some animation style I've seen. This first one is in the style of Jeff Scher.

This next one is imitating all the After Effects sliding animations, all joined frames with a character slapped over them. I don't really like the result, but it was very quick to animate and the process was enjoyable.

This last piece was a lot of fun. Ashley Wood, comic artist, worked with Konami and made the Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novels. I tried imitating this style, and it was a lot of fun to make, very instantly gratifying.

Painter Coloring

2007-11-29T17:20:00.001-05:00

I'm doing my finishes (the coloring in) for my degree project in PAINTER because I LOVE it. Here's a compiled version of all the coloring tests I've done so far.

2007-11-29T17:17:00.000-05:00

I just discovered the wonders of Corel Painter. Here's a sketch of one of the characters from my Degree Project, "Ithaca."