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Art and Cover By: Ananya Dhandapani

Interviews with professional Animators Step-by-Step on the Journey to Becoming a K-Pop Star

A look into the Lives of Part-time Musicians

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Get a perspective on working on a Film Crew

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Film Graphic By: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/hledej.php?hleda=scratched+film+strip+background

Letter from the editor Magazine Storyboard

g on Fan Wu, editor, workin tor edi the from er the lett spread.

Photo credit: Fan Wu

g Maya (Mari) Lyles workin ts. on the table of conten Photo credit: Fan Wu

rkAnanya Dhandapani wo k bac and t fron ing on the cover.

Photo credit: Fan Wu

cut!

Prahlaad Das working on the contributor’s page.

Photo credit: Fan Wu

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Maya (Mari) Lyles celebrating finishing the magazine!

Photo credit: Fan Wu

Finished!

Courtesy Photo: vector image

Greetings Readers, A-List is a magazine that focuses on the general idea of the arts and entertainment, specifically music, animation, and film. Even though they are rookies of the magazine world, the producers of A-List, tried their best to use their love for creative expression to bring a visually appealing and interesting magazine to their readers. The staff put a lot of energy, time, effort, and passion into every page that makes up A-List. A-List is centered around a very broad topic, but each of the stories in A-List mentions at least once the hard work people put into what they’re passionate about, whether or not that hard work is apparent to other people. It is their diligence that inspired the stories of A-List. All in all, we all learned a lot from making this magazine, including how to work with each other, how to organize a magazine, how to use Adobe Creative Cloud (ACC) to create graphics, how to design spreads, and much more. We had a lot of fun making this magazine, and we all agree that none of us will ever forget this experience.

Your Editor, Fan Wu

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Contents

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Pictures from pixabay, YouTube, vimeo

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Contributors Photos and Page By: Prahlaad Das

Fan Wu

Fan, AKA “Spoiled Mushroom,� has been a fan of K-pop and C-pop for a long time. She is also in choir and enjoys ice skating and Kung Fu. At school, she is involved in Chinese club as an officer.

She also knows several languages such as Chinese, Korean, and English.

Ananya Dhandapani

Ananya is a passionate artist. She enjoys drawing and has always been interested in animation. She is also a talented musician, playing the violin. Some of her other hobbies include horseback riding and Taekwondo, a sport for which she only recently discovered her love.

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Graphic By: http://www.how-to-draw-funny-cartoons.com/vector-spotlight.html

Mari Lyles

Mari has always had a passion for music of all kinds. She is also interested in linguistics, and can speak several languages including Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and many more.

Prahlaad Das

Prahlaad loves soccer and is also interested in other sports such as basketball and cricket.

At school he is in a film making class through which he has discovered a love of film making.

Prahlaad is also interested in music. He plays guitar, and in the past he has played flute and cello.

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By: Prahlaad Das

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On the set of Homestate, David Hickey’s new movie. Photo by: David Hickey

Right: Kyle Chandler at the Los Angeles Premier of Super 8, an action sci-fi movie directed by JJ Abrahms.

Photo by Wenn. com Left: Kyle Chandler on the set of Broken City in New York, 2011. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

For many young people, a career in the film industry may seem like a field only a

lucky few can hope to succeed in. “It takes a special type of person to make a movie,” says Adoree Benke, a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin,

Texas. For some individuals, the dream is a reality. Although the world of celebrities

and movie stars might seem like a far-off dream to most, making a career in film can be

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done by anyone with a passion for the art. avid Hickey and Kyle Chandler are examples of very different success stories; one living in Hollywood and acting in TV shows for NBC and Netflix, the other a director of several feature films, including one he shot in his own house.

But both have made a life pursuing their passion for film.

David Hickey, now a director of several feature films including the award winning “Baghdad Texas,” a comedy where after the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s airplane crashes in Texas he is cared for by a few ranchers. crashes discovered his passion in a somewhat unusual way: he’s dyslexic.

“I ended up going to this boarding school, and this

some plays out and I started reading through the scripts and the spacing was easier for my eyes to track along the words because it would say the characters name, then it would say the line of action, and then it would say the dialog.”

For David Hickey, this this “I was in a play in was the beginning of a career. Kyle Chandler, college,and the first now a highly successful audience we had, it was television actor who won the 2011 Emmy for best the applause.” says Kyle dramatic actor while Chandler. “I knew right playing Coach Taylor in the TV series “Friday Night then.”

Lights,” realized what he wanted to do in a much more conventional way.

“I was in a play in college,and the first audience we had, it was the applause.” says Kyle to me Chandler. “I knew right then.” which are plays because my In order to pursue his dream of grandmother did theater,” says acting, Kyle Chandler dropped David Hickey. “And so she got lady asked me what I liked to read, and I said well the only thing I like to read is what my grandmother would read

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A man holding a film camera.

Photo from: flickr.com with some changes made. Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/3994475649

want to do and there are people who don’t mind not doing what they desire. I happen to be the first one.”

Now both are successful in their pursuits of their passion. All the hard work has paid off. For Kyle Chandler, acting has allowed him to take time for the things that are important to him. As an actor, Kyle Chandler must often spend up to half a year working on a job. During this time, he may not see his family very often. This, he says, is easily the most challenging part of his job.

However, for the rest of the year, Kyle Chandler is free to spend his time as he wishes, a privilege which, for him, is definitely the most rewarding thing about his job.

“My whole career and my whole life has been based around, one, I wanted a job where I didn’t have to wear a tie, two, I always wanted to own my own time and, three, I always wanted a family.” he says. “So those three things came true. It just happened to

out of college to move to all day long, loaded, man. 12 Hollywood in Los Angeles. This hundred bucks a month.” was a very dramatic change for It might surprise some that a young man anyone would choose “I wanted a job who had spent a career with so many where I didn’t have much of his life uncertainties and in a small town to wear a tie, two, so much financial in Georgia.

I always wanted to unpredictability. Even “I’d never David Hickey knows own my own time been in a he could have made and, three, I always place with so much more money many people doing something else. wanted a family.” or so many “If I --Kyle Chandler new faces,” opened he says. “It’s a a complete different culture.”

T-shirt business In addition to this, Mr. Chandler when I was 18, faced many of the same I’d be a billionaire challenges that other people by now,” he says. looking to achieve success in “But that’s not film face, such as self doubt, what I wanted financial problems and finding to do. I thought jobs. Similarly, David Hickey 1200 bucks a didn’t have a high paying job month was good when he started out in his because I was career. getting to do “I was doing theatre when I was EXACTLY what younger and doing theatre I was I wanted to do. making 300 bucks a week and There are people A graphic representing a film camera and old fashioned film. Photo I thought I was the pope, man,” who want to do From Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/camera-film-video-recordsays David Hickey. “I was like, exactly what they ing-660090/ A-List 10

A screenshot from David Hickey’s new film “Homestate.”

Photo by: David Hickey

movie only so that I could be be acting that allowed it.” with them,” he says. “And to Spending time with family has have this experience that we’ve been a motivating factor for had together now, you know?

David Hickey as well, and his We did it!” work in the film For those looking industry has given “I can’t to pursue a him many rare career in opportunities advise it, or film, Kyle others cannot give advice to it, Chandler’s enjoy. biggest Recently, because everyone’s words of he made a film going to do what they’re advice are called going to do.” to take ownership of “Homestate” --David Hickey decisions. in which he, “Chalk up his wife Shaney the mistakes Ferrell, and his to learning and daughter Grace move ahead to the play a family whose next mistake, failure or great life is greatly affected by the success,” he says. “But allow coming of the mother’s brother, yourself to own those decisions. who gets a good look into some Dream big.” previously uncovered family David Hickey also has a few problems. For him, film had simple words of advice: Just do given him the opportunity to it! spend time with his family.

“For me, I mean I made that

“My deal was that I like to get my stories told,” he says. “That’s why I wanted to be a director.

I found it as an avenue, and, if there was no such thing as film right now and no access to it all, I’d still be doing theatre.”

He also warns individuals aspiring to make a life out of film that there are many other, more sensible career options.

“I mean honestly it’s a stupid thing to do. To make art.” says David Hickey. “I can’t advise it, or give advice to it, because everyone’s going to do what they’re going to do.”

Despite this, David Hickey knows he is doing exactly what he was meant to do “Even if it’s bad or if it’s a quote “failure” financially, or whatever, I’ve never done one film that I regretted doing,” he says. “Not one.”

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So You Want to Make a Movie?

1. Development

Idea:

Coming up with an idea can be one of the hardest parts of making a film. There are many different methods to use when looking for inspiration. Try writing ideas down in a notebook as soon as the come into your head, and set aside some time every day to brainstorm

Send it to the World:

Your film deserves to be seen and appreciated. It might be shown in theaters or released on DVD. In our modern age, the internet is also an option. The main thing is just get it out there. People want to see it!

By: Prahlaad Das

Write It!:

When you come up with an idea, go ahead and write the script. Remember to follow the specific formula for movie scripts with scene headings, action descriptions, characters, dialog, and parentheticals.

Test Screening and Sound:

Coming out of post production its important to conduct some test screenings before making final changes. Audio is also important. You may need to re-record certain sounds that weren’t captured well during the production phase. Remember, audio can make or break a film!

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Locations!

2. Pre-Production

Finance:

AD’s moment to shine:

Editing:

Shoot that Film!:

This is on the border between development an preproduction. Especially if you are making a larger film, it’s important to come up with a budget and plan the rest of production around it. It’s the job of the assistant director to make sure the film adheres to the budget.

The main part of post production is editing the footage gathered in the production phase. In hollywood productions the most popular editing software is Avid Media Composer, although others such as Adobe Premier Pro and Final Cut Pro are also widely used.

The assistant director comes up big here. They must plan out the budget, find the most efficient way to shoot the film, make lists of locations, and much more. If this phase doesn’t go well, the film could come in over budget, not be finished in time, and be a general disaster!

In this phase, the film gets shot. The director of photography works hard in this phase to get the look the director wants for his film. Make sure to use the planning from pre-production so you adhere to your budget and schedule, but also be flexible as things may change.

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K-pop’s INFLUENCE By: Fan Wu

Big Bang performing at their Alive Galaxy World Tour (2012) riding on MCM segways.

Courtesy photo: MCM

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o you ever wonder why so many people around you like Korean pop (K-pop)?

Do you notice small changes in them after they get involved in K-pop? What is K-pop?

K-pop is just a name for all types of music in the Korean language, made popular in the 90s. As K-pop grows more and more popular globally, it brings the essence of Korean culture along with it, and lots of K-pop fans are finding themselves subconsciously getting affected by the nature of Korean culture.

How do people these days get introduced to K-pop? Why do they stick with it past the aesthetics appeal, and what new habits do they notice that comes with the K-pop fandom?

Angeline Peng, posing for a picture at a park.

Courtesy photo: Alicia Peng

Angeline Peng, a Youtuber who posts videos of K-pop music video reactions, says she got into K-pop when she heard someone from her school sing a Chinese song at a talent show.

Sumin Choi posing with the newest EXO albums she bought.

Courtesy photo: Hyojin Kim

variety shows such as “Weekly Idol” and “After School Club” also allow fans to become closer to these idols and really understand their various charismatic personalities.

Overall, these idol groups really care about their fans and they show it through their ‘fan services’. I also think what I like most about K-pop is the passion that all these idols have for what they do - through hard work and training, they are able to eventually attain their goal.”

Members of K-pop groups usually spend at least two years training with other group members before making their group debut (same with idols that make solo debuts). Their grueling training includes hours of challenging singing and dancing practice everyday as

Peng said, “I fell in love with the song, which led me to search it up on YouTube...which led to me watching Kris from EXO singing it.”

EXO, one of the most popular boy bands amongst K-pop fans, used to Peng consist of 12 members, but due to some unrest said, “I fell in within the company that love with the song, signed EXO, the boy which led me to search band now consists of 10 members. EXO is divided it up on YouTube...which into subgroups: EXO-M led to me watching Kris (Mandarin) and EXO-K (Korean). The reason for from EXO singing it.” these subgroups is so that EXO can come out with albums in different languages.

There are many reasons why well as harsh, daily cuts (what people like K-pop. A few obvious defines “daily” depends on the reasons may be the generally agency). Most idols don’t have visually appealing portion of time to even visit home during K-pop groups, the vibrant outfits, the first part of the training and the crazy energy coming period. from the groups’ performances.

People that K-pop left a bad But Peng explained with deeper impression might be curious reasoning why K-pop fans are about why K-pop and Korean in it for the long run, “I think that culture is so widely accepted A-list 15

and exactly how fans feel about like Seoul and still get to K-pop and Korean culture. experience the rich history it has Sumin Choi, a freshman at to offer through the palaces and Liberal Arts and Science temples.” She adds, “In general, Academy and a Korean the music is very happy with a American K-pop fan explains, blend of electronic dance music.

“I am Korean so I have to say I think that even though many that I am affected by the Korean fans cannot understand Korean, culture, at least, a little bit every the music itself is enough for day. My parents speak a mix them to appreciate it.” Peng also of English and Korean, and my talks about one of the K-pop mom does serve me Korean groups she really liked, “I love dishes. The Korean culture watching [Bangtan Sonyeon dan [is] a huge part of my identity (Boys)] dance practice videos and has made me really proud they are able to showcase their of my heritage. [Also], K-pop talent so well. I also think that isn’t always about the singing their reality shows allow viewers or music. It [is] also about the to realize that these are all music video, which holds so normal boys with huge dreams.” much meaning and the really Marlen Avila, a freshman difficult but coordinated “One last thing K-pop has dances, done is help me become which I like to learn and friends with even more practice.” people that I never thought I Peng says, “I think would share any interests.” what makes Korean culture so popular is the unique at LASA and a fan of K-pop blend between the traditional answers, “Most people reject and contemporary. You can K-pop because it’s in a different visit a beautiful, modern city language. They think that it’s

Sumin Choi posing in front of angel wings decorated with lights at Cheonggyecheon.

Courtesy photo: Philip Choi

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weird that someone can be a fan of music where they can’t even understand the words,” Avila says. “It’s really not that

Sumin with her paternal grandma at Cheonggyecheon.

Courtesy photo: Philip Choi

complicated. You listen to that specific genre of music because it sounds good. I wouldn’t be a K-pop fan if K-pop didn’t sound great.”

When someone brings K-pop up, a lot of people may automatically think “oh, those bands that can sing and dance at the same time? Oh yeah, that’s really cool”.

But can K-pop serve a different

This is a cover by K-pop fans of 4MINUTE’s most recent comeback title song.

Courtesy photo: STAY Crew

purpose than just enjoyment and entertainment?

Choi says, “I can’t really speak the Korean language, but constantly listening to K-pop and singing K-pop songs on the karaoke machine have really helped me master the pronunciation and pick up various words or phrases. Also, it has given me another purpose to really reconnect back to my culture and connect more with

This is Sumin with her paternal grandparents at Cheonggyecheon during the winter.

Courtesy photo: Philip Choi

my cousins that live in Korea.”

She added, “One last thing K-pop has done is help me become friends with even more people that I never thought I would share any interests.”

Korean culture is heavily incorporated in K-pop, and agencies expect all the artists they sign to reflect what the Korean culture teaches. As a result, many fans in the K-pop fandom can find themselves impacted by basic Korean teachings such as imminent respect and politeness to the elder (shown by using

honorifics), bowing slightly to an older person, and behave with manners no matter where you are.

Avila said after getting into K-pop, she and some of her K-pop fan friends became closer because of this connection.

She also explained how Korean culture affected her life at home, “[K-pop and Korean culture] made me reflect on how many bad habits I have, and I began to become more conscious of how I respond to elders and my manners around others [due to watching how K-pop idols behaved on music shows, etc.].” Avila added, “I wouldn’t be a K-pop fan if K-pop didn’t sound great. I also love how each member has a distinct personality and [their own] hobbies. It’s always fun knowing who’s the maknae [the youngest], leader [usually the eldest], biggest eater, lead dancer [best dancer], or the “Mom” of the group. I know some fans that are only fans because the members are hot and the fanservice that they have. But if you are to listen to K-pop without having seen the members, then most likely you will fall in love because the vocal ranges are quite impressive and practically every K-pop song is catchy.”

Accepting another culture can be hard, and getting used to the way it impacts your daily lifestyle can be uncomfortable. K-pop fans however, seem to think positively about this in many different ways.

Choi says, “A lot of Korean Americans want to reconnect with their home country in some way being so far from it.

This is Choi posing for a picture at Cheonggyecheon during the winter.

Courtesy photo: Philip Choi

Incorporating Korean culture into everyday lives helps Korean Americans feel they still have ties with Korea and that they still have their cultural identity.”

Peng also says, “I definitely feel like Korean culture and K-pop have influenced my life positively. At first, my friends thought it was really odd.

However, I think that they have become more open-minded and accepting of this culture. Music connects people from all over the world together because it is a universal language, and I think that my friends and I have become closer through this.”

Not everyone likes K-pop because of the looks and the colors. A lot of K-pop fans love the catchy music, dancing skills anyone would be jealous of, the hard work the idols put into all their performances, their appreciation for their fans, their unique personalities, and their funny and humane moments. To K-pop fans, learning more about Korean culture is just icing on the cake.

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The K-Pop Dream Quest Story and Artwork by: Fan Wu

Your K-Pop Glossary Street-casted: you coincidentally meet an agent from an entertainment company in an informal setting and they ask you to come audition because they’re either very impressed with your looks or your talent in singing, dancing, etc.

Leader: each K-pop idol group has their leader, who is usually the oldest in the group. Most leaders are also the most familiar with studio recording equipment.

Lead rapper: the “leader” of the rappers in a K-pop idol group. This title is given to the one who is best at rapping. There can be more than one lead rapper. *hint: it is the same concept with lead vocalists and vocalists and lead dancers and dancer Motionless Min: this is a nickname for Suga, a BTS group member. Suga does not like moving around when he doesn’t have to, so in his free time, he’s usually either laying down or sleeping. Fans have given him the nickname motionless Min.

Start: get into an entertainment company by auditioning or getting street-casted

To the right is a picture of Tao, a Chinese EXO member (who left the group in 2015 due to various reasons), as a trainee, celebrating his birthday with his fellow trainees because he did not have time to visit his parents while preparing for his debut.

Courtesy photo: Tumblr

The trainee period AKA the K-pop quest Hell: rigorous vocal/rap and dance practice, very limited allowance for food, living in crowded dorms with other trainees, and not having time to go home very often.

Golden maknae: maknae means the youngest. Golden maknae is a nickname given to Jung Kook of BTS by their fans because he does well at everything (dancing, dancing to girl group songs, singing, rapping, drawing, acting, and imitating other celebrities) The trainee period AKA the K-pop quest Hell: rigorous vocal/rap and dance practice, very limited allowance for food, living in crowded dorms with other trainees, and not having time to go home very often.

Debut: the moment all trainees have been waiting for. From this moment on, the only thing you will be worrying about is getting constant new choreography, recording new songs, and whether you’re going to get popular or not.

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Debut: the moment all trainees have been waiting for. From this moment on, the only thing you will be worrying about is getting constant new choreography, recording new songs, and whether you’re going to get popular or not.

This is Miss A posing for photos at their debut press conference. Their names are, from left to right, Jia, Min, Fei, and Suzy.

Courtesy photo: Wikipedia

Some requirements for debut: having talents (being able to dance really well, sing really well, imitate noises really well, act really well, have a really good looking face), having a TV personality (having humor, sarcasm, wittiness), and knowing how to act like a K-pop idol.

Learn how to act like a K-pop idol

Debuting is not exactly the end...

Charisma

Manliness

Cuteness

Looks

Courtesy photo: Wikipedia

Courtesy photo: Kpop Music

Courtesy photo: Wikipedia

Courtesy photo: Kpop Music

Moves

Vocals

Swag

Pose

Courtesy photo: Wikipedia

Courtesy photo: Kpop

Courtesy photo: Wikipedia

Courtesy photo: Youtube

First Look at Bangtan Boys (BTS): Successors of the K-pop Quest

Stage name: Suga Position: rapper Fun facts: nickname is motionless Min, writes his own songs for BTS albums Courtesy photo: Kpop Color Coded Lyrics

Stage name: J-Hope Position: rapper, dancer Fun facts: originally an underground dancer, appeared in music videos as a trainee Courtesy photo: Kpop Color Coded Lyrics

Stage name: Jung Kook Position: lead vocalist, lead dancer Fun facts: completed dance training at The Movement Lifestyle in Hollywood, LA, “Golden Maknae” Courtesy photo: Kpop Color Coded Lyrics

Stage name: Jin Position: vocalist Fun facts: “mom” of the group, originally was going to major in acting, is fluent in Mandarin Courtesy photo: Kpop Color Coded Lyrics

Stage name: V Position: vocalist Fun facts: received an award at a saxophonist competition, is fluent in Japanese Courtesy photo: Kpop Color Coded Lyrics

Stage name: Jimin Position: lead vocalist and dancer Fun facts: went to Busan High of Arts majoring in the modern dance department Courtesy photo: Kpop Color Coded Lyrics

Stage name: Rap Monster Position: lead rapper, leader Fun facts: has an IQ of 148, was in the top 1.3% of the nation in the preparatory university entrance exams, taught himself English in middle school, took the TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) in middle school and got 900 out of 990 Courtesy photo: Kpop Color Coded Lyrics

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The Music Merge

By: Mari Lyles

Hank Howell playing guitar with the Atomic Large Band at the Moody Gardens. Photo credit: Steve Curtis.

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P

ick an industry.

Computer engineering, education, oil, dental, you name it. What do these all have in common?

An obvious answer is that all of the people in the industry are working jobs. No one is an engineer or dentist in his spare time. No one is a teacher or a drilling consultant in his spare time. But what about the music industry?

These days, more and more working people are participating in music as a part-time job, or even as a hobby.

This phenomenon is only becoming more and more common, but why?

Where does it start, and why does it continue?

“My professional career as an engineer takes precedence because it is how I’ve chosen to earn a living, and because of the nature of the work,” says Nick Kisler. He works as a computer engineer on a team that designs processors for mobile devices. However, much of his time outside of work is spent on music.

“I don’t really consider my music a career… I have never tried, and never intend to try, making a living from my music,” he says.

“I’m not really in it to make a name for myself or to make money… Recently I had to turn down a mastering project due to too tight of a deadline in conjunction with my work deadline.”

He’s not alone in this thinking. Hank Howell has spent the past 18 years working as a computer engineer, and currently plays with a band formed with other employees at his company and has played venues such as Antone’s and the Moody Gardens.

However, when asked what he does, he says, “I design and build the circuits that go into the computer chips. I do more of the physical stuff, like I’ll put the logic gates and the wires where they’re supposed to go.”

He doesn’t mention the music.

“I do not plan on making music a career; even though I’ve been in it since high school.” Chad Zimmerman is a missionary in Fukuoka, Japan and is partnered part time with YouTube as a content creator and translator as well as a volunteer media director with his local church. He knows how to play twelve instruments and “sings a bit”, but he has no intention of going into the industry. “With the way the music industry is today, unless I was in a country with very strict piracy laws, it wouldn’t allow me to work any other jobs period. The sheer number of hours in various fields of the industry someone would have to part-take in (performing, promotion, recording,

“We can’t just not create. It’s in our bones regarless of if it’s profitable or not.”

merchandising, touring, managing, and still having time to actually create things) just to have money in a savings account wouldn’t even allow for a part time job, honestly.

The guitarist of the band Aspens playing at the Shelter. Photo by Kiami King.

It would be a full time, full life commitment. And even then, very rarely does it work out for more than a few years without fully falling into the backdoor of the industry instead of the front of the stage,” he says.

If people like these three are more focused on their work than their music, then why do they do music to begin with?

“Generally, I just want my music related work to be fulfilling intellectually,” says Kisler. “For me, that doesn’t happen unless I have a finished end product, a track or album. I’m not really in it to make a name for myself or to make money.

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out of listening to my music, that’s great as well, but it’s not primarily what drives me.”

“It was fun,” says Howell. “I don’t think I ever really got good at the guitar, it was sort of just playing with people in general… I was in college for 6 years, and it was in my fifth year that I started playing in the band, and I was super insanely busy actually because I was doing computer engineering in college and I was in a Presbyterian group

The singer of the band Sound the Ruin playing at the Shelter.

Photo by: Kiami King.

that I’d been doing the sing-alongs for. Of course, I didn’t sing at that time, so I just played guitar. We typically practiced once or twice a week in college to try to work up songs because you’re new to it…

It was really busy in college. It was profitable or not,” says Zimmerman.

“Unless America cracks down on piracy, professional musicians as we know it will all but be built by major A-List 22

companies as revenue machines, shipped to the masses and retired in commercial jingles. The rest will simply be hobby enthusiasts such as myself, working only to fund our creation habit.” He’s not wrong. Only about 1.1% of musicians make it big, and of the remaining musicians, there are plenty out there like Mr. Kisler, who makes original music but without the intention of creating for listeners, like Mr. Howell, who plays with a band but only recreationally, and like Mr. Zimmerman, who only plays as a hobby for his own entertainment. But just because music isn’t their first priority doesn’t mean that they don’t take it very seriously.

“I take any musical endeavor just as seriously as I would a project at work, in the sense that I will put in the time and effort to make sure everything is just right,” says Kisler.

“Being a musician takes a certain amount of creative focus. Sometimes ideas occur spontaneously, but most of the time it requires attention.

And even though I might not be practicing an instrument in the classical sense, there is an element of needing to be constantly expressing myself musically,

Chad Zimmerman with his friend Timmy from band Pullman Standard whom he knows from his work at the Shelter.

Photo by:

started off as a set of exercises where I gave myself some artificial limitations, to clear my head from a much more complicated music project. Eventually I realized I had a bunch of compelling, relatively short, minimal tracks, so I continued to write more in the same vein.

Whereas some albums or pieces are a form of musical journey, In Fragments is more of a collection of ideas to lose yourself in.”

“There is kind of a synergy for me between engineering and music.”

developing or learning new techniques, experimenting or improvising.” And serious and focused he is. When asked about his album In Fragments, he says, “In Fragments

The focus and attention paid to music in this case is surprising.

After all, these aren’t people for whom music is a full time job. They aren’t making their livings off of music. One would think it difficult to pour so much time and

energy into something completely different from what they’re used to doing. But is music totally unrelated to other fields?

“There is kind of a synergy for me between engineering and music, and I believe that each one has strengthened my abilities in the other due to the technical and creative processes involved,” says Kisler. “There are aspects of the way that I compose music that involve programming, which would not have been possible without the knowledge and experience I gained as an engineer. And I believe that my work as a musician has helped me become a more creative problem solver as an engineer… The most direct impact from my engineering career is my programming ability.” Kisler continues, “This has allowed me to code tools to aid in composing, program synthesizers, and process audio signals. Being able to develop these tools makes my musical process more personal in a sense, because it gives me more control.

I also think that being an engineer enforces organization of thought,

which can also help greatly in a creative field such as music, where it is easy to become unfocused due to having an almost infinite variety of possible directions to take.” Similarly, there are a variety of possible directions to take in terms of future careers. Where do these musicians see their careers going in the future?

International Airport translating and interpreting for Japanese customs for very, very good money. I’m going to use this money to allow me to build other opportunities like a nonprofit venue I’ve been doing since I was 17 called “The Shelter” where all proceeds go to bands, and it’s collectively volunteer run so we can cut overhead and support career

“I’ve considered a lot of options in the past, but I feel like I’ve hit a good balance.”

“Currently I’m about to finish up Japanese school to become a full time translator,” says Zimmerman. “When I finish my JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Tests), I have a job waiting for me at Denver

musicians.

I also will be planting a church in Oita Prefecture, Japan probably in 2018 if everything goes according to plan, and running a Japanese Manga importing business on the side for some extra money. More or less, I see myself being occupied with work, surrounded by things I enjoy doing and that helping other people.”

“I’ll definitely always play music,” says Howell. “I’ll definitely retire from computer engineering as soon as I can financially, which won’t be any time that soon. I would say I’ll definitely always do something with music for sure.”

Chad Zimmerman with friend Dan Smith from band Listener and members of Red Sweater Lullaby outside a Shelter venue buildent.

Photo by: Chad Zimmerman.

Even though there are many ways for careers to develop, sometimes employees are already living their dreams. Like Kisler says, “I’ve considered a lot of options in the past, but I feel like I’ve hit a good balance.”

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The Flow of

MUSIC

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Pictures courtesy of YouTube, pixabay, and wikipedia.

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Below: Art by Myriam Fourati

Behind the Screens By: Ananya Dhandapani

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A

ll animation used to require each individual frame to be hand drawn. This changed however with the introduction of digital animation, the advance software allowed animators to explore new possibilities and create things never seen before in the world of film. However, the process of creating a digitally animated film is not easier than a traditionally animated one, and in some ways, it is more complex.

to visualize an idea in a way like no other. There are generally as many artists working on traditional media to do things like storyboard, character modeling, and rough concept art, as there are animators working with technology. Everything from facial expressions to background design to soundtracks are created individually and pulled together to create later films like “Big Hero Six” (2014), “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010), and “Up” (2009).

“Toy Story” was the first feature length fully digitally animated film, making its debut in 1995 and opening a new world of possibilities to the industry, which is still expanding and exploring new routes never seen before. The process of creating a digitally animated film involves many complex steps, whether it be short or a feature. It is an art form that puts together the talents of many people, sometimes hundreds,

All of these films started somewhere, with a single undeveloped idea. To begin the implementation of an idea, it first has to be pitched. Creativity, originality, and an intriguing set of visual and plot ideas are key to acquiring its acceptance. Cordell Anderson currently teaches animation and digital media at Murchison MIddle School.

“If you don’t have those connections and it doesn’t make sense and you can’t

communicate artistically then it doesn’t matter how much experience you have with the tech, you’re going to have to find somebody that’s creative,” says Cordell.

The designing of settings and characters work to create the whole mood of the film and bring out certain aspects of the initial idea. Artists who work on character and background design tend to work more with traditional media instead of digital. They do rough sketches,and build three dimensional clay models of characters and/or settings which are actually scanned into the software. Character artists can create hundreds of rough and detailed drawings of a character before they are satisfied with its design. It is in this stage that artists have the most freedom in how they develop certain aspects of the film.

Below: Storyboard by Juliana Chen for her sort film “Stay”

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“A lot of it is I like the initial pieces and how they’re going to take these ideas and contrast them to the digital form.” says Cordell Anderson “there are no rules about anything, you can do anything you want. So you take that idea and make it better.”

Three dimensional models of characters can also be created directly on the computer.

(MICA). She is a semi-freelance animator, and working a full-time job in the field as well.

Once character models are put into the software, avars are added onto them.

Avars are essentially hinges placed on a character allowing for certain movements and making the character into something like a digital puppet,

Before the actual which animators will then animating begins artists need manipulate to gain the desired to create a storyboard depicting effects; animated humans can the plot of the entire film. have over one hundred avars on Storyboards are not animation their face alone. but rather drawings that help the

“Animating is also an art animators know the particular that can be greatly dependent motions and expressions of a on the animator’s artistic sense. character in a certain scene, How a character moves, making them necessary to the little subtleties of every “I love digital animation because the filmmaking process. Over motion, every expression...it that’s what I evolved into, and four thousand storyboards will requires some kind of artistry usually be drawn for a feature along with the technique.” it offers so much room for length film. In this early stage, says Myriam. experimentation and styles,” key animations are also The process is far from - Juliana Chen created, key animation is simple as animators have

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rough traditional animation that normally depicts only one short scene, often when there is lots of movement and animators need additional reference. Myriam Fourati has worked both as a storyboarder from Dreamworks and a key animator for Cartoon Network.

“The part of the animating process that I enjoy the most is rough key animation. You can have a global vision of your animation during this process, [and] you can see your decisions taking shape tangibly,” says Myriam.

Juliana Chen is a digital animator and graduate from the Maryland Institute College of Art

Character Design Concepts by Myriam Fouati for her graduation film “Nebula”

to make each motion extremely precise, as well as add lighting, texture and shade to give the scene a lifelike appearance.

“Our job as animators is to make each movement first and foremost look believable, so it doesn’t take the audience out of the world they’re wat ching.” says Juliana.

Animators use their creative visions along with technical skill to create the animation. They work closely with each other and the directors to ensure that each aspect is perfect, this sometimes involves redoing a single frame hundreds of times before it receives approval.

“You will have to work with others and you will face a lot of pressure together as well no matter what production you end up working for.” says Myriam.

A feature length film will sometimes have over one hundred animators working on it, all producing thousands of pictures which run normally around twenty four frames per second, which is 1440 frames each minute.

“If your gonna create it your going to want your audience to get something from it” says Cordell Anderson.

Once all the animation is finished, sound effects are added, and final editing is completed. The process for creating a feature length digitally animated film can take four to five years; however the results are remembered for much longer.

Above: Creature Design concepts by Myriam Fourati for her graduation film “Nebula”

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A Journey through

P I X A R

Toy Story (1995)

In the first digitally animated feature ever made, Pixar tells the story of a group of toys who come to life when their owner is absent. It focuses around the theme of identity, and while it is thought provoking and moving, it retains a sense of lighthearted entertainment through humor and music.

Rataoullie (2007)

In this hilarious and moving story that won for Best Animated Feature, Pixar defines what it means to follow your dreams. The protagonist is a spacey rat named Remy.

His passion for cooking leads him to Paris where he learns how important it is to not only pursue your dreams, but to also stay true to who you are.

art and Story By: ananya Dhandapani Wall-E (2008)

Featuring some of Pixar’s most charming characters, “Wall-E” is a love story and an environmental message. Winning Best Animated Feature, it tells the story of an eco robot left on a wasted Earth while humanity escaped into space. He meets an advanced probe named EVE, and together they discover what it means to exist.

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

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In this time line, dinosaurs never went extinct, and instead began to develop advanced society. When Arlo is separated from his family, he befriends an early human on his journey to get back home. The animation is absolutely stunning, bordering photorealistic, showing just how far digital animation has come in the last 20 years.

A Bug’s Life (1998)

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Monsters,Inc. (2001)

Cars (2006)

Incredibles (2004)

Finding Nemo (2003)

Up (2009)

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Cars 2 (2011)

Inside Out (2015)

Monsters University (2013)

Brave (2012)

Here Pixar tells the story of an advanced ant colony and its struggle for survival. Its protagonist is a young ant who is frustrated with the routine of everyday life.

Taking on yet another unique perspective, this creative story deals with change and originality.

In a world where cars love to race as much as humans do, a young rookie race car damages the pavement on a road and is sentenced to repave it, meeting new friends along the way. The only film in Pixar besides “A Bugs Life” to have a completely non-human cast “Cars” includes both action and depth.

Winning Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score, “Up” is the story of Carl, a old man who takes his house to South America in order to fulfill the shared dream of him and his dead wife. Along the way he meets and befriends several characters while learning that the future is just as important as the past.

What if emotions.. had emotion? Easily one of Pixar’s most creative movies (and that’s saying a lot), this story takes viewers inside the head of a young girl named Riley, and to the emotions that exist within her. Winning Best Animated Feature “Inside Out'” is about the struggles of identity and coming of age.

The toys are brought back in a stunning sequel that surpassed its predecessor.

When the owner of the toys are away, one of them is stolen and the quest to get him back begins. Pixar continues its trend of amazing characters and a stunning sound track.

Featuring Pixar’s first nuclear family, this movie answers the question of what happens when superheros finally settle down.

The answer is, they don’t. This creative action film is full of unique and complex characters, each searching for something different in their life. It won Best animated Feature and Best Sound Editing.

In the long awaited final installment to the Toy Story trilogy that won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, the Toy’s are donated to a day care as their owner leaves for college. Unable to comprehend this, they attempt to escape. This is a story about coming to terms with change, as well as being willing to move forward.

This is a prequel to “Monsters, Inc.” which aired on 2001. It focuses on the backstory of the main characters Mike and Sully, as they go through college. It shows that even if everything doesn’t go as planned, as long as you keep trying, you’ll ultimately be happy with where you end up.

Every child has a monster in their closet, but who are they really? This movie provides an insight into the world of monsters who scare children as an occupation.

However the routine is disrupted hen a human escapes into their world and befriends a monster, telling a touching story of friendship and acceptance.

The first Pixar film to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar award, “Finding Nemo” is a story about a single fish father raising his only surviving son. After a chain of events causes their separation, the father goes on an epic journey to find his son, while both characters learn important lessons about love and independence.

This sequel to cars takes place in Tokyo, where a huge race is disrupted by criminal activity in Europe. The conflicts are very real and reflect global issues while still maintaining appeal to its young audience.

Featuring Pixar’s first female protagonist on a quest to change her fate, “Brave” is the story of a reckless Scottish princess willing to dabble in dark magic to avoid marriage. It won Best Animated Feature and deals with the theme of what it means to shape destiny.

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Back cover by: Ananya Dhandapani