Graphics Research and Teaching

Toward Believable Acting for Autonomous Animated Characters (2022)

The first steps in an ongoing project to build a relatable autonomous character from the inside out, using internally motivated reinforcement learning and procedural animation. I was responsible for the procedural animation. This paper won Best Presentation at MIG 2022.

Monster Mash: A Single-View Approach to Casual 3D Modeling and Animation (2020)

A new sketch-based tool for creating soft, deformable 3D models from scratch and animating them, in minutes. Published in SIGGRAPH Asia in December 2020.

Real-Time Non-Photorealistic Animation for Immersive Storytelling in "Age of Sail" (2019)

Some new techniques for non-photorealistic rendering in VR, including MetaTexture and Edge Breakup. I developed these over the course of four years at Google Spotlight Stories, but they all came into play in the production of Age of Sail.

Non-Photorealistic Animation (1999)

A course I taught at SIGGRAPH 1999, to help filmmakers who may be interested in non-photorealistic rendering but don't know where to start.

Fluidymation: Stylizing Animations Using Natural Dynamics of Artistic Media (2021)

A project to stylize animation using not only the appearance of watercolor, but also its characteristic style of movement. I helped out on this one by providing some synthetic exemplars based on my watercolor simulation.

Computer-Generated Watercolor (SIGGRAPH 1997)

A simulation of watercolor painting, including translucent glazing effects, pigment transport through shallow fluid across textured paper, and edge darkening due to evaporation.

Loose and Sketchy Animation (SIGGRAPH Sketch 1998)

A technique for automatically rendering any 3D scene as loose ink lines with personality and style.

An Art-Directed Wrinkle System for CG Character Clothing (Eurographics 2005)

A kinematic system for creating art-directed wrinkles on costumes for CG characters. I developed the first iteration of this system while working in the rigging department on Shrek.

Capstone Animation at University of Washington

In 1997 and 1998, I taught the University of Washington's Capstone Animation class, an interdisciplinary course in computer animation production that brought together students from the Art, Music, and Computer Science departments to collaboratively create a short film.

Virtual Reality

Age of Sail (2018)

Directed by John Kahrs, Age of Sail is a multi-platform immersive story set on the north Atlantic in 1900. I developed the non-photorealistic look, and lit all shots. Age of Sail has won three Emmy Awards, a VES Award and an Annie Award, and was short-listed for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short.

Available on: Steam (Vive/Rift), Android, iOS, YouTube (2D)

Pearl (2016)

Directed by Patrick Osborne, Pearl was Google Spotlight Stories' first foray into full VR. I developed the non-photorealistic look. Pearl has won an Emmy Award, three Annie Awards, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short.

Available on: Steam (Vive/Rift), Android, iOS, YouTube 360, YouTube (2D)

Animation Industry Work

Character Animation Demo Reel

I spent twenty years learning the craft of character animation at PDI and DreamWorks. Here is a selection of my shots from some of the more recent films.

PREMO: Next Generation Animation Software

I was part of the core team of animators that created the spec and guided the development of DreamWorks' next generation PREMO animation software.

Brick-a-Brac (1995)

My first animated short film. I modeled, rigged, and animated the characters, and developed a computer-generated sloppy ink rendering style which could change with the characters' emotions.

Fishing (1999)

I developed and executed the watercolor look for David Gainey's award-winning short, Fishing.

Independent Work

Graffiti Archaeology (2002, ongoing)

A project that documents the way graffiti-covered walls change over time, using interactive timelapse collage.

The Telestereoscope (2000)

An optical sculpture that increases the distance between the viewer's eyes. Originally built for the Burning Man art event in 2000.

How to Make a Baby (2009)

A short film that explains the miracle of reproduction using stop-motion animation and a lot of hot air. Photographed over a period of nine months in our home in San Francisco.

Synaesthesia and Memory (2006)

An interactive web app designed to help neurotypical people understand what it's like to have synaesthesia, and how my own synaesthesia interacts with attention and memory.

Waterbug (2002-2014)

Some excerpts from an abstract animation using synthesized light caustics, made using an AfterEffects plugin I created in 2002, and a real-time interactive Processing sketch I wrote in 2013.

Experimental Animation (1991-1994)

Various experiments using the particle systems and image processing software I developed while at Xaos and R/Greenberg Associates.