Danielle 'Nellie' Albert

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Keshet

In my biweekly job/internship search, I came upon an ad for a video internship at an organization called Keshet.

Keshet is the premier provider of educational, recreational, vocational and social programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities operating according to traditional Jewish values

After receiving an email, then a phone call, followed by a meeting, I learned that this “internship” was not very much like your typical internship. Keshet was looking for a few artists to make videos and, in my case, animations to promote their organization.

I have finished the animation and can't be more happy with it!!

Keshet from Danielle 'Nellie' Albert on Vimeo.

Scroll down to see the pre-production stages of the animation!

Through my excitement I created Keshet an animated logo of their rainbow.

You can see that...right here!

I have come up with the story board to the animation. It will be done all in stop-motion with puppets and a full set with working props.

Storyboard 1

Storyboard 2

Interior set-foam core, acrylic paint, tape, wood molding, sand

Arti and Sally puppets high angle shot

Arti and Sally puppets

Keep a look out for updated images of the ongoing process...

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Fuzzball

I created these random pieces of art using my scanner and I believe a cat toy.

Maybe it was a feather. I do not remember.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

One plue Nine plus Eight plus Seven

In just a few days, Nato will be happening in the city of Chicago. I have already planned on bunkering down for the entire weekend and only leaving for extreme necessities.
There is a part of me that would enjoy seeing some smoke rising from the Chicago skyline seen from my apartment but that is a very small part of me. Mainly for the pure satisfaction that this thing has been hyped way too much and we all know nothing will really happen.

While at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I would take sculpture classes to get my mind off the tedious job of animating. In 2008, I took a hand building ceramics class that let us build anything we wanted out of clay.

For my final, I created an installation piece titled “One Plus Nine Plus Eight Plus Seven”. Adding these numbers up, it will equal twenty-five. I decided to make twenty-five ceramic boxes each representing a specific time in my life based on color. The darker the color, the harder the year was for me emotionally and spiritually. They were hung on the wall indicating my ever growing life.

And yes, I realize this art piece has absolutely NOTHING to do with Nato.

;-)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Connect Group

I created, yet again, another video for Church in the City.

This one pertains to our strive towards connecting and growing as a unified body.

Come Connect!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Butter Elbow Animation Festival

Check it out! My animation, Ballerina Man, was accepted into the Butter Elbow Animation Festival in Hyde Park! Very exciting news!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

No Way

It has been a long day at work been animating
I just want to get to my room to shower eat and sleep
This slow elevator keeps me awaiting
But I get on there eventually

Then I hear

Hold the elevator
And I yell back no way
I push the button to close the door
I’m not holding the elevator
No way

You’re a complete stranger
And I don’t want to make small talk
Nothing against you it’s just very awkward
If you don’t want to wait there’s always stairs for you to walk
But I gotta get to floor thirty third.

And I still hear

Hold the elevator
And I yell back no way
I push the button to close the door
I’m not holding the elevator
No way

Call me rude, jerk, evil, sinister, and mean
Call me nasty, unkind, sinful, or obscene
Just don’t yell
Hold the elevator
Hold the elevator

Hold the elevator
And I yell back no way
I push the button to close the door
I’m not holding the elevator

Hold the elevator
And I yell back no way
I push the button to close the door
I’m not holding the elevator
No way
No way

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Mini Nathan

SAIC had a six-week winter break. Almost all students went home for this extended time except for me. I spent the break in the dorms/apartments taking the advantage of the empty quarter-city-block size studio that I could claim all to myself. During this time, I would create random projects just for fun.

Early 2009 you could find me in the studio making puppet after puppet after set after prop. This was during my prime of when I finally found my absolute love for puppet animation. My brother jokingly asked me to make him a puppet that was his mini-self, and so I did!

Unfortunately, Mini Nathan will not be able to animatingly walk, but all his joints are movable just like a real doll.

The real Nathan

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Simpsons

I am a tad bit of a fan of The Simpsons.

Ok, I am a HUGE fan.

I own all the DVD’s that are available and have quite a few of their dolls/action figures. When I went to see The Simpsons movie, it was one of the greatest movie experiences I have ever had. The crowd was awesome and I have never heard such awesome laughter.

Have you heard the controversy though? Matt Groening revealed where Springfield was located.
Shame. This should of been a secret he took to the grave.
But I still enjoy the show. So you pass this one, Mr. Groening.

I found this picture I made back in 2000 in one of my photo albums. The reason I love the Midwest is because of its clouds. I took a picture of these clouds and immediately thought of the opening of The Simpsons. So perfect!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Faith in the Land of Make-Believe

This is an excerpt from a book I just finished called "Faith in the Land of Make-Believe" by Lee Stanley. Lee Stanley is a film director who tells of his story of helping the criminal and jailed youth through the love of Jesus Christ. I know this book and excerpt is geared toward a filmmaker, but I think it speaks truth to all artists. Highly recommend it for the Christian who happens to be an artist. I also recommend it for the artist who happens to be just an artist.

Why is it that when we work under the banner of “Christian,” we are often forced to dilute the truth and power of the pen or the camera by creating characters who do not exist in real life?

Christian films have the unbridled reputation of being artificial, manipulative, and predictable, with watered-down, one-dimensional characters and unbelievable (notice I did not say supernatural) story lines. We preach; we point; we judge, and we prance around our blatant theme to suspecting audiences for what purpose--to lead them to Christ.

Too often we are doing more earthly damage than kingdom good.

What are we afraid of?

I believe it is our responsibility as artists to create characters, circumstances, and settings as they really are--as long as those incidents are justifiable and are not used for shock value alone or as a short-circuiting of the creative process.

If we set up watered-down, artificial, phony characters in the beginning of our films or books, audiences will not believe, or even come to realize, the magnitude of their transformation or experience God’s power, forgiveness, and unconditional love.

Christians who watch our films know in their guts that the filmmaker is a born-again Christian.

Nonbelievers consistently ask, “What is it about your productions that are so different, so life changing?”

I always give the same answer. “You experienced the love and presence of Jesus Christ. Imagine what he can do in your life, if you only let him.”

I was once introduced on a television talk show as a “Christian filmmaker.” I respectfully corrected the host and said, “I am a Christian who happens to be a filmmaker.”

Christ made that very clear to me the first time I picked up a camera after becoming born again.

“I died for everyone,” He reminded me. “Your work needs to be for everyone I died for.”

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Scarlet Death

She watches from the window

Pain floods her body

She watches from the window

on the outside in

She watches from the windowpane.

She wonders how this happened

a girl stripped of her life

as she sees from the eye of the girl with the knife

Her hands start to tremble

as the tears start to flood

Her knees hit the concrete as she lies in her blood

She watches from the window

Pain floods her body

She watches from the window

on the outside in

She watches from the windowpane.

Scarlet death

Say goodbye to your life.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

I like trees...part 6.

I feel that trees are representative of the miracle of life and growth. I read this story once about a man who was starting to disbelieve in God. He started to get frustrated with Him because there weren’t any miracles that this man could see. So God took the man to an empty field in the middle of nowhere. As the man traveled for a long time, he finally came to a huge tree in the middle of this field. God stopped him and said to the man, “This is one of my favorite miracles.”

Trees are just one of God’s miracles.

That is why I use trees in my artwork.

That is why I like trees.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

I like trees...part 5.

I do not like trees because they are phallic.

Everyone thinks that.

Perverts.

Monday, March 5, 2012

I like trees...part 4.

I use trees in my artwork as well. The trees in my artwork usually have no leaves. I am not a very big fan of leaves. I extremely love the way branches twist and turn. Maybe I do not use leaves on my artwork trees because I am a Tim Burton fan. Or maybe because they are a butt to animate. I used to just make tree stumps in my artwork because I find those cool too. But I have been branching out! Hahah! Classic.

Friday, March 2, 2012

I like trees...part 3.

I also like Redwood trees. Yet I have never seen them in person. My goal before I die is to visit the Redwood forest out west. That is on my bucket list.

Monday, February 27, 2012

I like trees...part 2.

I have another favorite tree.
It lives right outside my hometown house.
It is an Elm tree.
It is huge.
In the fall it turns the prettiest shades of orange, yellow, and red.
When my older siblings and I were little, we would take family pictures around this tree.
Then we would use those photos for our annual Christmas cards.
I do not know why my parents thought it would be a good idea to take pictures by this tree.
But who cares.
I still love that tree.
I will cry the day they have to cut it down.

(It was cut down Christmas 2010. I did cry.)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

I like trees...part 1.

I like trees.
I like trees a lot.
My favorite tree is the Japanese Maple.
It is this nice shade of blood red which just so happens to be my favorite color.
I hope to own a house where I can plant a billion of those trees.
Ok maybe not literally a billion....

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Happy Birthday Steve!

My pastor's 40th birthday hit this year!

I was asked to create a funny little video to celebrate his 40 years young...

I also created a blooper reel!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Three Frame Comic

I created these comics that were featured in Xerox Candy Bar Magazine, an independent newspaper created at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.