Animation Studio HouseSpecial Welcomes Two CG Artists

Kendra Phillips and Beavan Blocker

(PORTLAND, OR) Animated content production studio HouseSpecial welcomes Kendra Phillips and Beavan Blocker to its CG team. Ms. Phillips, a CG Modeler, and Mr. Blocker, a CG Animator, recently landed at HouseSpecial via Moonbot in Shreveport, Louisiana.

“We’re thrilled to have Kendra and Beavan join our studio,” said Alvaro Cubillas, Chief Operations Officer. “As a double-threat in both design and organic modeling, we look forward to Kendra continuing to make an immediate impact across all mediums. Continue reading... “Animation Studio HouseSpecial Welcomes Two CG Artists”

2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify

2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify.

Jerry Bell Jr of JBJR Productions presents the 2nd Annual Portland Indie Film Awards entitled “2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify” to be held on Friday, April 14th from 7pm until midnight.

This event acknowledges and celebrates the Portland indie film community. Last year’s theme was to “Draw A Bigger Circle” which helped lure local industry professionals out of their silos in order to collaborate, develop, and grow together. This year’s theme, “Let’s Diversify,” is a collaborative effort designed to give voice and vision to more women and minority film makers in the community. Continue reading... “2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify”

HouseSpecial: Summer Animation Internships Open

HouseSpecialJoin our animation team as a paid intern from June 12 to August 25, 2017 in Portland.

 The deadline to apply for all internships is March 31, 2017. 

We are looking for the following:

If you have completed your Junior year of college or maybe graduated within the last two years? You’re eligible.

Eligibility for International Students
You must be legally eligible to work inside the United States.  

Continue reading... “HouseSpecial: Summer Animation Internships Open”

via VFX/PDX – A VFX/CG/Post Job Fair – Coming Monday 3/20 @ CENTRL (east)

As Grimm fades to black, it’s hard not to get a little nostalgic considering the massive contribution to our local VFX scene. But this also signals a call to action and the need to pull together quickly, to keep as many of the dozens of Ex-Grimm artists here and gainfully employed as possible.  Local studios, agencies, and other companies operating in the VFX/CG/Post/Game space are on baord.

Next Monday, March 20, from 5-7pm at co-working space CENTRL (Eastside), VFX/PDX presents “A Very Grimm Happy Hour.” Continue reading... “via VFX/PDX – A VFX/CG/Post Job Fair – Coming Monday 3/20 @ CENTRL (east)”

HouseSpecial’s ‘Lamentation’ Screening at the New Hollywood Theatre @PDX

Portland animation studio HouseSpecial announces the opening screening of ­their latest short film Lamentation at The Hollywood Theatre @PDX, the new movie theatre in Portland’s airport (C Concourse), beginning on February 23, 2017 and running regularly through the Spring.

The short film is inspired by Portland’s own world-renowned Pink Martini’s rendition of the sorrowful Romanian ballad Până când nu te iubeam (Before I Fell in Love with You), with vocals by Storm Large. Director Kirk Kelley, Founding Partner/Creative Director of HouseSpecial, employed traditional stop-motion animation, in-camera VFX and CG elements combined with high-speed footage captured in practical environments. Continue reading... “HouseSpecial’s ‘Lamentation’ Screening at the New Hollywood Theatre @PDX”

HouseSpecial Expanding Production Coordinator Roster

HouseSpecial is expanding our roster of production coordinator talent for upcoming CG and stop-motion productions. To be included in our production bullpen, submit your information via housespecial.com and select Future Positions. Experience in producing animation is always helpful.

Production Coordination: Principal Duties and Responsibilities

  • Tracks all project activity from preproduction through delivery of masters across CG, Stop-Motion and Mixed Media animation projects and Live Action shoots.
  • Maintains and updates crew lists.
  • Communicates scheduling information with freelance and staff artists, including specific instructions from directors and producers.
Continue reading... “HouseSpecial Expanding Production Coordinator Roster”

LAIKA’s “Kubo And The Two Strings” Receives Two Oscar Nominations!

The 2017 Academy Award nominations are out!  Among them are two nominations for  LAIKA‘s #OregonMade “Kubo And The Two Strings” –  Animated Feature, and Visual Effects!

Kubo” joined; “Moana”, “My Life as a Zucchini”, “The Red Turtle”, “Zootopia” in the Animated Feature category, and “Deepwater Horizon”, “Doctor Strange”, “Jungle Book” and  “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” in the Visual Effects category.  Should “Kubo” win each category, Travis Knight  and Arianne Sutner would accept for Best Animated Feature, and Steve Emerson ,Oliver Jones, Brian McLean,Brad Schiff would accept for Best Visual Effects. Continue reading... “LAIKA’s “Kubo And The Two Strings” Receives Two Oscar Nominations!”

Nominations For “Kubo” (Annie Awards) and “Certain Women” (Spirit Awards)

 annie

spirit-awards

44th Annie Awards have nominated “Kubo and the Two Strings” for ten nominations this year:

  • Best Animated Feature
  • Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production
  • Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production

The winners will be announced February 4, 2017. Continue reading... “Nominations For “Kubo” (Annie Awards) and “Certain Women” (Spirit Awards)”

HouseSpecial’s Stop-Motion Short Takes ‘Best Animated Film’ At Oregon Independent Film Festival

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/154092195[/vimeo]Aaron Sorenson, a Director at Portland animation studio HouseSpecial, received the award for Best Animated Film for the stop-motion short Jailbreak during the award ceremony at The Oregon Independent Film Festival (OIFF) held on September 24, 2016 in Portland’s Clinton Street Theater.

Jailbreak, shot in black and white, follows the daring escape of a desperate prisoner fleeing his nightmarish cell in pursuit of sweet punishment.  Written and directed by Sorenson, this short is a German Expressionist-inspired design mash-up of stop motion with a 2D design sensibility … and a decidedly adult twist. Continue reading... “HouseSpecial’s Stop-Motion Short Takes ‘Best Animated Film’ At Oregon Independent Film Festival”