00:00
00:00
chluaid
Adam Phillips @chluaid

Age 94, Male

Knifeman

Hard Knocks

Bitey Castle, top floor

Joined on 3/26/04

Level:
5
Exp Points:
203 / 280
Exp Rank:
> 100,000
Vote Power:
4.20 votes
Rank:
Civilian
Global Rank:
> 100,000
Blams:
10
Saves:
21
B/P Bonus:
0%
Whistle:
Normal
Trophies:
39
Medals:
38
Supporter:
9y 2m 6d

Tank thanks

Posted by chluaid - June 1st, 2008


I feel honoured, blown away, light-headed, nauseous and proud to have taken the first NG tank for Waterlollies. If it weren't for Newgrounds I've no doubt I'd still be working in a studio churning out crap.

Everyone who has congratulated, commented and shown their support for the win, I truly appreciate it and this has inspired me to make more Brackenwood shorts in Flash (I had previously said that Waterlollies was the last Flash Brackenwood).

Ever since I submitted hitchHiker there has been a feeling in certain people that, having professional experience in animation, I should somehow be disqualified from the site. This seems to intensify whenever I win a daily, monthly and now annual.

In the beginning of my time here on NG, I was mortified that a handful of people felt this way so I spoke with Tom about retiring some of my movies. He convinced me that the community benefits from having high quality submissions (whether from professional or maverick) as it helps everyone lift their game a notch or two.

I don't think I've ever responded to the people who think I shouldn't be here, but here's what I have to say:

---

Short Version: I developed my skills in my own time. Disney hired me because of this.

---

Long version: My skills weren't handed to me on a plate at some elite studio. I only have a high school education which meant I worked in kitchens, factories and farms. In my free time though (every day after work and entire weekends), I worked my arse off to improve my drawing skill. I had big dreams of becoming a famous comic book artist, just like many people here have their own big dreams of becoming highly skilled animators.

I was employed by Disney only because I had worked hard to improve. If I had never worked on my skills on my own time, I never would have been employed by Disney, it's that simple.

When I was at the studio, I was an inbetweener (the starting point for a career in animation). I desperately wanted to become a character animator.. I did loads of tests to prove myself but they were rejected and I wasn't accepted. Meaning? I had to improve first.

I had also done some tests for effects animation and the FX supervisor was impressed with my test. So once accepted, I worked hard in order to graduate from the 3 month probationary training period.

Much of this work was in my own time. Whenever I was on holiday or just a day trip to the mountains or something, everyone else would be enjoying the sights while I'd be taking photos and video of water, wind, fire or smoke. My hard work paid off and I graduated from training. Once out of training though, every drawing, every scene and every day was a battle to prove that I was improving. Stagnation means you're out.

Finally, I WANT to be here and the numbers (and awards) tell me that most people want me here. Numbers aside, it's the best thing in the world for me to see someone else's work who has been inspired by my own and any of my characters making cameos in other people's films. I love helping people improve and offering advice (which admittedly is almost impossible to do 1-on-1 nowadays) and I will always be completely willing to help people get up to and beyond their goal standard.

You cannot fail if you can commit your life to your craft. I haven't stopped drawing or thinking about drawing for most of my life and as a result I landed a dream job where I was paid, not to sit back and go 'aaaah', but paid to improve.

You can do that too.

---

-Phillips

As a final thought, I was never a professional background artist, storyboard artist, layout artist or character animator. These are also skills I taught myself and am still working on improving.


Comments

Congratulations on winning Tank Awards 2008!!!

You sure are dedicated to making amazing animations!
I sometimes wonder if you ever worked on any animated movies professionally...if so...would you be offended if I asked which ones you've made, directed, or helped animate?

once again! Great Job!

-JBK

you'll find my name on almost any Disney direct-to-DVD sequel released between 1993 and 2005. Anything with a 2 or 3 in the title :P
(you'll find me in the Special Effects credits)

i aspire to be you
by the way are you a bladesmith
Pm me if you are

I'm not a bladesmith, but I'd kill for a workshop with a forge ;)

what utter dumbass would say that if your good, you should get off newgrounds. there is alot of good artists on ng. the person problbably sucked and was jelous that your so good

*sniff* *sniff* I sense a hater in this post. Lol.
I guess when you're the winner of the first NG Tank Flash movie award they really can't bother you.
You're really on a whole new level with this flash thing.
Again..Damn you really deserved this award.

You are very inspiring, you're my idol :D

Great work! You really deserve the award. I'm really looking forward to some more Brackenwood products. The first time I saw those forests and waterfalls I gasped. All that beautiful enviroment took away my breath.That is why I would really like to see some diffirent enviroment. Just to experience that moment when you hold your breath again. I can only imagine how some underground caverns or underwater world or outer space would look. Good luck with anything that you do. Whatever it is it will be the best.

Congrats on winning the Tank award!!

Wow man your blog was pretty inspiring.

GREAT WORK! You deserve everything you get man. You really are an amazing insperation to us all. Keep it up please, I cant wait for your new shorts!

hey, i want to say, that its worthy to have the award. dont let
anyone to tell you other stuff, about your worth.

because in the final time, only you knwo how much your worth.grats on the award

Congratulations Adam, you really deserved it.
I hope to see more Brackenwood in the future and this "Featured Film" of yours.

-SupahHank

P.S. What gave you the idea to start Brackenwood?

Brackenwood evolved from a short story I was writing waaaay way back. There's no one thing that gave me the idea, as such. Thanks for the comment :)

After seeing your previous Brackenwood flashes, I thought to myself "How could a flash be any better?" Then, after anxiously awaiting the release of Waterlollies, I finally got the chance to watch it. The very first scene I was shocked. Your previously-clean flashes were no where near as excellent as of now. As for the "haters", shame on them. They just can't handle the fact that your work is better so they come up with an excuse as to why you should be disqualified. Personally, I feel that because you ARE an ex-Disney animator that anyone here could eventually become something of the sort if only they work hard enough. Anyways, after rambling on sentence after sentence, I congratulate you on your Tank Award. You deserved it!
xRedblood

i cant wait to see what you come up with next and its so cool that you made it in the NG tank awards!

Tom's right. I think watching your animations has had a tremendous effect on my own flash work. I was fortunate enough to find a sample file for a V-cam tutorial from Prowlies by the river and got to take a closer look at how you do water. I hadn't really looked at water (in terms of drawing it) as a clear substance with reflections on it's surface... which makes a lot more sense than just using opaque blue. If you haven't already, it would be really sweet to see a few little tutorials (or even just sample files) on other effects. Congratulations on the award, you definitely deserve it.

yep i'm working on a Special Effects Animation tutorial DVD. You can get updates on my site's blog at brackenwood.net
Thanks for the comment and good to hear you got something out of the Prowlies file :D

your the Best NG Flash maker XD

Congratulations on winning the NG Tank Awards. I wish you the best luck in your career.

It doesn't matter whether you're professional or not. You deserved the award. Something would be missing from Newgrounds without you.

Fucking A! That rocks man, I had no, NO idea what crap you went through. Honostly you just changed my opinion about you because I thought you just had the right connections and then you improved. I didn't know you gritted your teeth that much and that, THAT inspires me.

awesome, thanks man :D

You are trully one of my favorite artists, I would love to see another Bitey coming out!!!!!!

Congrats Adam.

You are definitely my favorite flash animator, and you are a huge inspiration. I love all your animations and basically all your work.

Let me just cut to the chase...

Will you have my babies?
- - -
I kid, lol.

You know what you should do more of, recoding yourself animating, I love to watch others strut their stuff and with you being the best animator in the world, you should definitely do it.

oh yeah I got some screen capture stuff on my YouTube channel (youtube/user/chluaid) but there's more coming on my FX tutorial DVDs in the near future.

What was your inspiration for Bitey?

He's such a rude, cruel, and yet...intriguing character.

His speed amazes me.

And his compassion for others is so cruel its almost funny.

I wonder what's to come in Bitey's adventure...

I simply can't wait ^^

-JBK

More Results