Letter of Intention

Letter of Intention

 www.fredscoolblog.blogspot.dk/

My name is Frederik Overgaard Jeppesen i am 23 years old and applying for the bachelor degree in Computer Graphic Arts.

I have always been fascinated by good stories set in imaginative worlds composed in a strong visual language, whether it being comics, games or films. I am interested in art direction and how the choices made, affect and strengthen the story.

Im a gamer, movie buff and I love to read comics. I draw inspiration from various artist such as Syd Mead, Scott Robertson, Aaron Beck, Moebius, Adam Adamowicz, Ian McQue, lou Romano and James gurney. All of these are not only great designers and draftsmen but also great storytellers. 

I’ve especially found James Gurney’s book Imaginative Realism and Colour and Light extremely helpful while I was creating the drawings for my portfolio. 

My favorite games are The Last of us, Grand theft Auto 5, Skyrim, fallout 3, Portal (1 and 2) and of course the half-life series. These games all have strong visuals, great level design and an interesting narrative.

I love Neill Blomkamps movies district 9 and Elysium, for their great stories and strong CG and VFX. I have found a great inspiration in the films made by Ridley Scott, due to the strong pure film language and the atmospheres he creates, whether its deep space alien encounter or ancient egyptian society. Gravity, Children of Men, Avatar, Black Hawk Down and Interstellar are also amongst many of my favorite films.

Comic books I enjoy reading are basically all Jordorowsky stories especially The Metabarons, but also Alan Moores Watchmen and Frank millers The Sin City series.

I heard about The Animation Workshop in Viborg, about 2 years ago, and realized this would be a great environment for me to develop the skills required to live out my professional ambition.

In march 2013 I moved to Viborg from Copenhagen, after a three-month travel through Australia, and applied for CGA. I was invited to the test and interview, in my first attempt to enter the Bachelor programme. This really motivated me to put my back into learning the basics of drawing, which I had just started to develop at the drawing academy, under the guidance of the passionate teachers Artem and Aljoscha.

It was a true pleasure and an overall gratifying experience learning from these guys. I felt an almost instant change in my understanding of drawing and observation while meeting cool new likeminded friends.

After the first failed attempt to enter the CGA course, I saw an opportunity to spent the time well, improving my drawing skills further with another semester with Artem as my only teacher. The fall semester was a far more intense and focused experience than the spring semester. I have never been pushed this hard, drawing wise, in my life. It was a roller coaster ride of frustration and joy. It was an overall great learning experience. An experience I recommend to everyone applying to the degree programmes to participate in.

After the Drawing Academy i attended the media school where i got a basic introduction in Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere and Flash. I also learned how to use cameras and a green screen, something that i have a feeling will come in handy somewhere in the future. The course also included a thorough five week programme of porte folio counselling.This was another great experience for me, moving from the analogue classical techniques into the technical world.

I felt way more prepared for entering the bachelor course than last time, and it was devastating to me, finding myself not even invited to the test this time round. So in my darkest hour, i turned to Tim and Per, who was kind enough to take me in, shivering, freezing, hungry and desperate.

This is where i am now. At The Open Workshop. This last half year has been a great experience for me and an opportunity to apply all the techniques I’ve learned when expressing my own ideas. Also it has brought me to a realisation of how much time, effort and dedicated work it requires to actually “make it”.

Thomas Winther has been a great guy and given me various janitor related jobs during the mornings. This has not only given me a small income, to cover my living expences, but also a great chance to get to know people from staff and around the school. For this i am truly grateful. 

At the open workshop i have gotten new super talented friends from all around the world, a network that i consider most valuable now and for the future. 

I have been involved with several professional and semi-professional productions throughout the last half a year.

A music video for The Artems, produced with Jeanette Nørgaard, where I got to use the after effects knowledge i acquired at the media school. 

Concept art for a story by (one of my big heroes) Jordorowsky, under the supervision of Morten Lassen. 

Spaceship designs for Peter Lopes second year Filmschool film “Drome”. 

First background design for the app-game “Blendimals” by Dennis Nielsen.

Upcoming projects include a comic book collaboration with Jeanette Nørgaard, and a motorcycle design for an episode of Precious Metals’ “In ten thousand years maybe”. Both to be executed in the spring/summer of 2015.

During 2014 I have attended Odense Film Festival and Viborg Animations Festival’s game expo (on the last mentioned I also helped Emil Kjæhr with pratical work). This together with the jobs listed above, has given me a first glimpse into the professional business, and I am exited.

I have just applied for an extension at the open workshop from 1. of april to 1. of  august to learn Maya and Zbrush. I feel eager starting to create 3D works based on my 2D concepts. Something that i have slowly begun experimenting with whilst creating sculpts in clay.

My stay at Open Workshop has proved to me, that people take me serious as an artist, and has thereby been the perfect push for me; now i know, that this is exactly what i want to do for the rest of my life.

My ambition, dream and goal is to create a studio servicing clients in the need of concept art, vfx and props for animated/live action films or games. My clients would be independent upcoming filmmakers and game developers, who has a great idea and need assistance for visual development. 

And what better place to start realizing this, than in the nice environment of Viborg and the Animation Workshop, where the first step is to get the CGA Bachelor degree, to up my skills and expand my network even further.

I’ve grown to love the Animation Workshop, the people and environment around it.

Im looking forward to hear from you.

Sincerely

Frederik Overgaard Jeppesen.

PS. I plan to finance the education by SU, and savings.

PPS. I feel very, very ready to get in this year!

Software knowledge:

Photoshop: Good working knowledge

Premiere: Good working knowledge

After Effects: Moderate knowledge

Flash: Moderate knowledge