Ringling College of Art & Design Demo Duel Interview
In this conversation, Mack Garrison discusses the Dash Bash Demo Duel: a unique competition designed to showcase the talents of motion design students from Ringling College of Art and Design that will now be used at the Bash to highlight the best in the industry to crown a single champion! Guests Ed Cheetham and Dante Rinaldi share insights into the evolution of motion design education, the structure and excitement of the Demo Duel, and the importance of presenting work in a supportive environment. They emphasize the value of teaching in enhancing creative skills and the positive impact of community support in the motion design industry.
Takeaways
The Demo Duel is a competitive platform for showcasing student work.
Motion design education has evolved significantly over the years.
Teaching enhances both the educator's and students' creative processes.
The Demo Duel aims to reduce the intimidation of presenting work.
Community support is crucial in the motion design industry.
The competition format is designed to be engaging and fun.
Students are encouraged to prepare their Demo reels for industry recruiters.
Memorable moments from past competitions highlight the excitement and camaraderie.
The Demo Duel is expanding beyond the college to larger events.
Participation in the Demo Duel boosts confidence and industry readiness.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Demo Duel
03:49 The Evolution of Motion Design Education
07:47 Understanding the Demo Duel
10:42 The Competition Structure
15:21 Engaging the Audience
18:11 Memorable Moments from the Demo Duel
19:47 The Future of the Demo Duel
24:11 A New Chapter
Transcript:
Mack Garrison (00:00)
Hey, what's up everyone? Mack Garrison here, co-founder and director of Content of Dash, and we're back with another Dash Bash speaker series. And I'm so excited to be talking today about the founders, essentially, of what we're going to be launching at the Dash Bash this year, which is the Demo Duel I've got with me two guests who are fantastic, got all the deets for you on what the Demo Duel is. We have Ed Cheetham. He's the chair, Department of Motion Design at Ringling College of Art and Design.
Ed Cheetham (00:00)
Hey, what's up everyone? Mack Garrison here, co-founder and director of Content of Dash. And we're back with another Dash Dash speaker series. And I'm so excited to be talking today about the founders, essentially...
We have Ed Cheetham from the chair, Department of Motion Design, and...
Mack Garrison (00:26)
And then I've also got Dante Rinaldi who is the owner of Inferno VFX and so glad to have y'all hanging with me today.
Dante J Rinaldi (00:33)
Thanks,
Max. Great to be here.
Ed Cheetham (00:34)
Thank you Mack, it's great to talk to you again
Mack Garrison (00:36)
Absolutely.
Now I know both of you, we've been chatting a lot over the past year and excited to bring what has been y'all's baby of this Demo Duel to life at the Dash Bash. But before we get into that and before we get into the Demo Duel, maybe we can take it back a little ways. And Ed, I'll start with you. How did you get involved with Ringling College of Art and Design and really this motion design industry?
Ed Cheetham (00:58)
Well, it's really interesting because when I started teaching, I found out that there was a position open that Ringling was starting a computer animation department. And so I was actually at Century 3 at Universal Studios in Orlando and a friend of mine said, you should go and apply, that you'd be great at it. And so I went and I interviewed and I was actually the first faculty hired for the computer animation department. And that was in 91.
And so we started computer animation and what we were doing was more motion design because Toy Story hadn't been even out yet. So feature length film animation wasn't an option. So we were doing animated typography and title sequences and infographics. And then when Toy Story came out, we realized that in order to get our students to that level of character animation, we had to focus only on character.
Mack Garrison (01:35)
Right.
Ed Cheetham (01:51)
So we pushed aside all the stop motion and all the typography and all the experimentation and solely focused on narrative character. And so, you know, I stayed with that department and, you know, some of my students worked on the first Toy Story. yeah, yeah, it's true. And so, you know, it grew and it grew and, you it was actually called Computer Graphics initially and then.
Mack Garrison (02:06)
Wow, is that right? That's crazy.
Ed Cheetham (02:15)
You know, we realized we had to focus it and we changed the name to Computer Animation. And so I left in 98 and went back into the industry and, you know, I hired the current department head, Jim McCamble. So he owes me one and I guess I owe him one because what he did was when Ringling wanted to expand the offerings, he said, you need to bring Ed back and we need to have
Dante J Rinaldi (02:29)
I'm sure.
Ed Cheetham (02:38)
at that time what was called a broadcast design department. And so we had a lot of meetings and it was like, we can't call it broadcast design. That's way too focused. It's more motion design. And at some point they let us have our way. And in some small little way, I'd love to know that the department was kind of involved in the definition of this industry. Because we were calling that back in 2005.
Mack Garrison (03:01)
Mmm.
Ed Cheetham (03:05)
And so, you know, little by little what happened was that we defined what a motion design curriculum should be. And unlike, let's say, other schools that maybe have started with fine art and they're doing a little bit of animation, or if it's a, you know, a graphic design department that's doing a little bit of movement, we started this department solely focused on getting students into a motion design studio. So I remember saying,
Mack Garrison (03:13)
Mm.
Mm, I love that so much.
Ed Cheetham (03:34)
Yeah, I remember saying to myself, if I could get some graduates at Imaginary Forces, I did my job. And so now we have tons of students that have worked with Imaginary Forces. And it's just so impressive to see where they've gone and the kind of effect they've had in the industry already.
Mack Garrison (03:39)
That's great. That's a good place to start.
Well, we've had full-time staff from Ringling. We've had interns from Ringling, y'all, produce some amazingly talented students. And I think what's really cool, Ed is just how much the college has evolved over the years as motion design has evolved. know, it's, in my opinion, one of the fastest changing industries. It's an industry of change. We're constantly adapting new technologies, new forefronts of creative and what we're trying to push. And so I love that even as you considered what the name
the the name should be as you're moving through it kind of followed the industry, which is really great. Well, let me turn it over to you, Dante. I'd love to know a little bit about your background, know, owner of Inferno VFX, maybe tell us a little bit about that and ultimately how you got connected with Ed.
Dante J Rinaldi (04:24)
Sure.
then kind of like a journeyman, I kind of went to different industries. I was in the video game, AAA video game industry for a while, doing first person shooters on consoles, stuff like that. That was a lot of fun. And then transitioned into visual effects with companies like Digital Domain, and that was actually down in Florida. And as you know, visual effects is pretty nomadic. You you're kind of all over the world. And when the studio was closing up, we were getting ready to say, okay, going to California, going to...
Canada, wherever, Nepal, who knows where the jobs are, they send you. And Ed called me up and he's like, hey, have you ever considered teaching? And I thought, this is kind of cool. I could maybe do this for a semester or a year. And I was there for 10 years, because it's just such an experience. mean, working with Ed by itself is incredible. Working at Ringling, just incredible. The students are incredible. And I found that.
Mack Garrison (05:01)
Sure.
Ed Cheetham (05:12)
Maybe.
Mack Garrison (05:13)
Wow.
Dante J Rinaldi (05:25)
the education, you because I never taught before, teaching enhances your work and then your work enhances your teaching. So it just kept, you you kept leveling up, you know, and like, you know, staying ahead of the emerging tech and say, what's going on out there? What can we do to bring this in and help the next generation of students progress and be competitive and all that? Just an incredible experience. So.
We're still, we worked real close with that and wringling and just love the experience and now we're all together here.
Ed Cheetham (05:49)
close with that and wringling and just love the experience and now we're all together.
Mack Garrison (05:54)
I love that so much and I
love what you said Dante about how when you get into teaching it makes you a better creative I can relate to that so much because it really forces you to focus on what you're doing and why Right so many times we take for granted how much what I've just done it this way and then you start to really think like okay Why am I doing this way? How did I break it down to get to this point to think through doing that and so when you can get better about describing that
Dante J Rinaldi (06:08)
Yeah. Yeah.
Ed Cheetham (06:09)
Exactly.
Dante J Rinaldi (06:18)
Yeah. Yeah.
Mack Garrison (06:22)
Not only does it make you a better creator, it makes you better for clients because you can explain the relationship. All that stuff is fantastic.
Dante J Rinaldi (06:27)
yeah, to
know something you have to explain it and if you can't explain it you really don't know it. And your students are going to be like, hey, where am I? How did this happen? You got to know a lot. So it's great and it's a challenge and it's just a ton of fun.
Ed Cheetham (06:41)
the things that is really important that Dante's bringing up is that, like, one of the misconceptions that people have is like, go into teaching and I'm stepping out of the industry. And that is completely wrong. You're actually stepping right in the middle of the industry because, one, you do have to keep up on everything. And so now you're responsible to...
make sure all your students know as much as they possibly can so it's your job to go out into the industry learn more make more connections get better at what you do and then once again teach so you know it I find it interesting it's like oh yeah I'll retire it's like no no we don't want people who are retiring here we want people that want to do more in the industry so you know
Dante J Rinaldi (07:19)
No, it's the opposite.
Mack Garrison (07:21)
Hahaha
Dante J Rinaldi (07:23)
if i had known it was that
much work, i probably would've ch- no, i'm kidding, but...
Ed Cheetham (07:29)
It's different skill set though.
Dante J Rinaldi (07:30)
It is,
it is.
Mack Garrison (07:31)
No, I love it so much. That's fantastic. Well, let's let's pivot a little bit and let's get into what this podcast is about today, which is the Demo Duel and what the heck is it? So maybe at a high level, I get one of you at or Dante just to run us through what is the Demo.
Dante J Rinaldi (07:47)
Well, it's Ed's baby, why don't you do it,
Ed Cheetham (07:49)
Well, the way it started here is that we wanted to make sure that the students, when they left, were fully prepared to enter into the industry. That's why we do everything. That's why we have the courses that we have. That's why we have the experiences that we have. That's why we have the faculty that have the experience that can prepare these students. gosh, I don't know, is it 2000?
2008 maybe? No, no, no. We started in 2009. So 2011, 12. What we wanted to do was to make sure that the students had their work presentable for their interviews and all the recruiters that were coming to Ringling because we have amazing career services and they have recruiters coming to the campus all the time. And I found that there were a number of students that didn't have their Demo reels ready.
Mack Garrison (08:40)
You're like, what are you doing? Come on, let's get it. They're all coming here. What are you doing?
Ed Cheetham (08:40)
And in fact, they were a little... Exactly.
But they were shy and they think, I can't do it. I can't do it. And so in the senior year, we have a class called Production Studio in which we really give the students the experience of what it looks like and what it's like working in a production studio. So they have like five projects that they have to complete in 15 weeks. So that's three weeks of project. They get to choose from like 50 different briefs and...
You know, we've tried to prepare them so they're ready when they go out into the industry. And so we made this as part of our requirements, is that you have to have a Demo reel ready. So when the recruiters come, you're prepared. And so it's scary. It's really intimidating showing your work in front of people. It's not an easy situation to...
to kind of reveal your work and have people look at it. Exactly. And so I will say this department is very supportive and the students really do look out for each other and support each other and encourage each other. And so I felt it was safe enough to create this kind of competition where everybody has to have a Demo reel by a certain time. And so that's part of future proof.
Mack Garrison (09:33)
course especially to the people that are the ones that are gonna be hiring you the people that you've looked up to for all this time
Ed Cheetham (09:59)
was that we had to have our Demo reels done before that because we're having recruiters here. And so, we thought, well, how can we make it fun? And that's part of our goal is because take away the scariness, make it fun. And so we kind of put this framework in and it was like, how do we show all the reels together and kind of celebrate everybody's successes? Because I'll tell you, even,
Even the ones that get voted out in the first round, they're very impressive. They're really good. And so it's great for the students to show their work and you have all the audience clapping and cheering them on.
Mack Garrison (10:36)
I love that
you mentioned the rounds maybe explain so you know there's rounds there's competitions what's it kind of look like?
Ed Cheetham (10:42)
Yeah, it's kind of like a bracketed competition. tennis competitions where they have multiple brackets. So the first round is head-to-head competition of two students. And so we have about 30 students or 32 students. So there's 16 initial competitions. So we have one against two. We play number one, then we play number two, and then we give the audience like 20 seconds to vote online on their phone, whether they want
that whether they think number one or number two should go on. It's all happening live. And so they have their phone and they choose which one and then we show the results and that winner moves to the next round. So we see all the Demo reels in the first round. And then we, the next round instead of 16 competition, now there are eight. So we go through those eight again and then it's four and then we go through those four then it's two. Then we go through those two.
Mack Garrison (11:12)
So it's all happening live, right? People are watching this, okay.
Mmm.
Ed Cheetham (11:37)
And then we start to narrow down to those last two, and those last two define the winner and the runner-up for the Demo Duel.
Mack Garrison (11:44)
my
gosh, it's so exciting. And I will say I have been to a future proof. have seen this live and it is amazing competition. The cheering that goes on is unmatched. It's really cool. Let's see Dante. Maybe, maybe you can pull up a little visual and kind of walk us through some of the bracket and what some of the technical stuff starts to look like.
Dante J Rinaldi (12:00)
Absolutely.
All right. So yeah, so the big thing is, how do you, when we first did this game, it's like, how do you actually vote? Do you raise hands? That could be chaos and anarchy. So we got together and we said, well, maybe we could try and figure out how to do this online. So I went ahead and this was a great opportunity to kind of learn some coding and some scripting and some back end stuff.
So I'm just gonna sign in to the Demo Duel. Now we call it Demo Duel for this one, but we call the product, the overall product video Duel with online voting. And we could make this available later on. But let me just jump in and just to give you an indication of what we're looking at. So if I sign in, it's gonna say, oh, here we go. Here is one of our brackets. Now this is a work in progress, so the screens are final.
Ed Cheetham (12:47)
Oh, here we go. Here is one of our brackets. Now this is a work in progress. So the screens are final.
Dante J Rinaldi (12:53)
But this talks about DemoDuel 2024. This is kind of like what we were playing last year. 30 players and you could do anything you want to. And if we launch it, you're going to see a bunch of pirates and people are like, what the heck's with the pirates? This is an important note that Ed failed to mention. He dresses in full costume for every one of these
Mack Garrison (12:53)
Sure.
Ed Cheetham (12:53)
It talks about Demo Duel 2024. This is kind of like what we were playing last year. 30 players and you can do anything you want to. And if we launch it, you're to see a bunch of pirates. are like, what the heck's with the pirates? This is an important note that Ed failed to mention. It says in full costume for everyone in
Mack Garrison (13:05)
haha
Dante J Rinaldi (13:10)
events. you know, last year he was a pirate and the theme was pirates and people had to come as pirates and really enjoy it and have a lot of fun doing that. And I think he lost his voice with all the R's that he was yelling out.
Mack Garrison (13:11)
There we go.
Dante J Rinaldi (13:22)
you know and throwing candy so that was just uh... but on the point yeah kind of fun
Ed Cheetham (13:24)
Come on Dante!
Mack Garrison (13:26)
There we go, Ed, now we're talking.
I love that people are just as excited for the Demo Duel as we are for Ed's costume change and wardrobe change.
Dante J Rinaldi (13:31)
Yes, it's one of the highlights
Ed Cheetham (13:32)
Well,
Dante J Rinaldi (13:33)
of future proofed. Absolutely.
Ed Cheetham (13:35)
it's got to be funny though. It's got to be fun because it's so intimidating having your work being evaluated. So if we make it a party kind of environment, everyone kind of assumes that this is going to be fun and happy and joyful. And that's why there's candy being thrown. There's clapping and make it fun. And I think the students really appreciate that.
Dante J Rinaldi (13:52)
Yeah, absolutely.
Mack Garrison (13:54)
I love it.
Dante J Rinaldi (13:56)
So this is what they see when they walk in, whether the theme is pirates or musketeers, and we've done a bunch of things. They see this on the big humongous screen. I know, Mack, you're gonna have a huge screen when this is happening. Yes! Love it! Yes! So I mean, just seeing your work on a wall like that is just worth the price of admission. Just be like, my God, it was so big and so loud. So that automatically makes things a lot of fun.
Mack Garrison (14:07)
yeah, the Dash Bash is going to have a nice big 30 foot screen, highest resolution possible, great premium audio is going to be amazing.
Ed Cheetham (14:10)
Woo!
Mack Garrison (14:21)
Ha ha ha!
Ed Cheetham (14:22)
Hahaha
Dante J Rinaldi (14:26)
So when people walk in, they see the splash screen here and they get the QR code. Because the biggest thing about this game isn't that you just sit there and raise hands or applaud. You get to vote in real time on your phone and we count the votes. That's, think, one of the biggest parts of this is that it's accurate to the audience or whoever around the world is voting. And then the audience gets to actively participate in the game instead of just watching someone's game. So they...
go to the QR code, which basically gives them on their phone a ballot. And they can choose the ballots when it comes up A, B, C, whatever, just A and B really, as they go through. So once we jump in, we get to begin the Duel. And it can go through a little animation. Last year we did a little animation where it populated all the names in, randomly, and people were getting excited, I'm matching up with that person or that person.
Ed Cheetham (14:59)
And they can choose the ballads when it comes up A, B, C, whatever that is. Just A, B really. As they go through it. So once we jump in, we get to begin the duet. And it can go through a little animation. Last year we did a little animation where it populated all the names in randomly and people were getting excited, oh I'm matching up with that person or that person.
Dante J Rinaldi (15:21)
And then we kind of glitched the whole thing out like the whole thing broke, which freaked everybody out. And then it came in nice and loud. Boom,
Ed Cheetham (15:22)
And then we kind of glitched the whole thing out like the whole thing broke. Which freaked everybody out. And then it came in nice and loud.
Dante J Rinaldi (15:29)
boom, boom, boom, boom. Just kind of playing with people's emotions because we're kind of evil. We're evil like that. that all. Yeah, it switches up. Boom, right? So this is kind of like halfway through the Duel itself. And this was a Duel of 30 students and 32.
Mack Garrison (15:32)
I love it. I love it. It's great. Just people just as soon as people think they know who they're competing against it switches up on them.
Dante J Rinaldi (15:51)
So some people got free passes, but basically what the gist is is in every round You see who's there and you can click on you know the battle itself Which brings up the two people they get avatars they get to import their names their videos all that kind of stuff We play the videos which I'll just click real quick and hit escape
So that was super impressive. Everybody's like, yeah, that's amazing. We play video B over here.
Ed Cheetham (16:15)
Yeah, that's amazing. We played video B over here.
Dante J Rinaldi (16:22)
That was very nice. And now people have to vote and then they get a timer. you know, screens are a little temp right now, the fonts are different. But then we put on the music that's like, you know, the Jeopardy music and people are really getting tense and nervous, whatever the case may be. Because, you know, it's nerve wracking. Absolutely.
Ed Cheetham (16:24)
And now people say it has to vote and then they get a timer. know, screens are a little tense right now, the font are different. But then we put on the music that's like, you know, the Jeopardy music and people are really getting tense and nervous, whatever the case may be. You know, it's, it's, it's, it's more of a record. You know, I will,
Mack Garrison (16:36)
guys.
Of course.
Ed Cheetham (16:41)
I will say how important the audio is because we have our, our sound designer and audio engineer here, Kelly Warner, and he plays music while this is going on and doing the countdown.
Mack Garrison (16:44)
Mmm.
nice.
Dante J Rinaldi (16:53)
Yes,
yes, yeah.
Ed Cheetham (16:54)
and all the fun effects, which is really
fun. He really enhances the whole experience.
Dante J Rinaldi (16:59)
So once the timer is over and all that's customizable to your game, you want 20 seconds, you want five seconds, whatever the case may be, then the big thing is behind the scenes after everybody voted on their phone, on their ballot, and like for example, this is bracket 11, I'll go to bracket 11, and I like B, so I'll do that, there's B, it's success. You can't like spam the vote, it goes away. You can't, you can even.
Mack Garrison (17:16)
Cool.
Mmm, that's it.
One vote and it's done.
Dante J Rinaldi (17:23)
It's done. If I refresh my phone and be like, no, you already voted, know, that kind of a thing. Sorry. Already voted. So we try and keep the cheating to a minimum. So then when you view the results, it's in real time and it says, whoa, who won? Nicholas won. Hooray. And so it's it's absolutely accurate to that. You go back to the bracket, automatically adds Nicholas in there and the fight goes on and everyone goes back and turns. It is.
Ed Cheetham (17:32)
You
Mack Garrison (17:33)
haha
I love it. It's the March Madness style bracket for motion design.
It's so
Dante J Rinaldi (17:53)
It is,
Ed Cheetham (17:54)
That's it.
Mack Garrison (17:54)
great. I love it. What do you feel like has been your favorite moment from putting these on Ed and Dante? Like, is there something that resonates, like a particular competition or a win that sticks out? Is there something that you just really gravitate towards when you think about this?
Dante J Rinaldi (17:54)
yes.
Ed Cheetham (18:11)
I remember one. And it was a good thing that we had our guest judges because the last round, it was tied.
Dante J Rinaldi (18:19)
Remember this.
Mack Garrison (18:22)
my goodness.
Dante J Rinaldi (18:23)
There was
a lot of people voting. It wasn't like 10 people. Yeah. And it came up perfectly even and said, there's a tie. And the crowd went nuts.
Ed Cheetham (18:25)
Yeah, mean, there's at least 150 people voting and it was tied.
Mack Garrison (18:33)
Wow.
Ed Cheetham (18:35)
And so we had we have a lot of recruiters that like to come for that evening because they can see everybody's work all at once right and so we had We had the recruiters come in and we had to make them Choose and there were two people from the studio It was Hue and Cry and so we had two people from the studio and they both picked the each one and so we split the prize so
Mack Garrison (18:52)
Nice.
You split it the co
Dante J Rinaldi (18:58)
Yeah.
Mack Garrison (18:59)
champions was that
the first ever co-champion that y'all have had for the Demo Duel. my gosh, how fun
Ed Cheetham (19:01)
Good.
That was, yeah.
Dante J Rinaldi (19:06)
We have like a trophy. I don't know if the trophy's around, to keep inscribing the names in the years of who wins the Demo deal, because it's gotten really popular on campus. It's like, you know, all the future proof week, the convention week is exciting, but Ed's invention of this game is like the highlight and the kids just go nuts, you know.
Mack Garrison (19:25)
I love it. Well, let me ask you all this. So it clearly has been such a big thing for Ringling. It's grown. Everyone knows about it. Everyone gets excited about it. How does it feel to see this start to evolve? know, coming out now at the Bash, it's going to be happening this year here and hopefully in the future, maybe even more places. How do you all feel seeing it kind of evolve elsewhere?
Dante J Rinaldi (19:47)
man, this is just awesome. This is like you're raising your little kid and then they're going off to college and now everyone's gonna see how amazing you think your kid is and that kind of thing. And when you came to us and you were at, I think last year, and you're like, hey, this is fun, this is cool. Let's bring this to our thing. And we're like, absolutely. And to see this thing out into the wild, and I can't wait to see how the crowd likes it because there's just so many.
Mack Garrison (20:02)
This is fun, it's great stuff.
Dante J Rinaldi (20:13)
avenues to explore with this type of format. It doesn't have to be just student reels. Like for example, Mack what you're going to be doing with this is a variation and there's infinite variations that people can say, I like this one versus that one. So that's just so exciting to see.
Mack Garrison (20:29)
I love it And you know what's interesting to me, and this is gonna put the industry on blast a little bit, they better be prepared and be ready to submit some good reels because the students, as we now know, Ed is making them submit for the Demo Duel. You know, it's free to enter the Dash Bash Demo Duel. So I expect to see some good wrinkling reels in there. And I tell you, there's a lot of experience, a lot of practice working and cutting together a reel. And I know our industry sometimes...
Reels kind of become on the back burner when you're doing projects for clients and you got all this thing going on. like, I got to cut together something. So we could see a potential Ringling or other student champion who is focused on reels if the industry doesn't show up, which could be really, really exciting, you know, I'm calling them out, calling you out industry. So maybe Ed, you mentioned this earlier, but I'll toss it back to you. Why do you think someone should enter? Cause you're right. This,
Dante J Rinaldi (21:09)
Yeah, yeah, you're calling him out. You're calling him out.
Mack Garrison (21:22)
is gonna be put on blast, you are gonna be at the event in front of all your peers. What do you think's the biggest takeaway? Why do you think anyone watching this video should consider entering the Dash Bash Demo Duel?
Ed Cheetham (21:35)
Well, know, like I experienced with the students, I think we're our worst self-critics, right? We just don't think our work is good enough. But when you separate yourself from it and you put your work out there, you realize, I'm pretty damn good, right? And, you know, I think you see your work with fresh eyes and you appreciate your work. And I think that's really kind of nice when you're able to sit back and go,
Mack Garrison (21:51)
Hahaha.
Ed Cheetham (22:03)
You know, yeah, I know what all the problems are. I know what all the struggles were. But when you don't have that baggage and you just look at your work, you know, you realize, I did pretty good. I really like that. And you know, everybody's clapping. Everybody wants to cheer. Everybody wants to support. I mean, that's the thing about this motion design industry that just blows my mind, you know, is that everybody wants to help each other. They share information. They support one another. And so I think that you might think it's
it's kind of negative, you know, if you don't win. But you just think, you see the response and it's positive response and you you get your workout in front of so many people and you realize, yeah, I'm pretty good. And it's gonna spark interest in at least one person and you never know where that's gonna go, you know.
Mack Garrison (22:47)
100 % 100
it's well said. You know, I think there's a reminder for us all that we are like you mentioned our own self critics our own best self critic, right? We we we are critical. We want to put out the best of the best but I think something that's a good reminder for us all is that sometimes perfection inhibits progress. We got to keep things moving forward. Put yourself out there. Stop and pause and not what you didn't do but look at what you have done and look at the reel
Dante J Rinaldi (23:14)
Yeah.
Mack Garrison (23:16)
Super excited. Well, everyone, thanks so much for tuning in and listening today. I've been chatting with Ed Cheetham. He's the chair, Department of Motion Design, Ringling College of Art and Design. If you don't know Ringling, you need to know Ed and you need to know the work that their students are producing. We've also got Dante with us as well. He's the owner of Inferno VFX and they have put together an awesome platform for the Demo Duel, which is gonna be launching at the Dash Bash this summer. So on our website, we're gonna end up having the top 16 reels compete live at the Dash Bash this summer.
Dante J Rinaldi (23:17)
Okay.
Mack Garrison (23:45)
for your chance to be crowned the Dash Bash champion. This is open to students, it's open to professionals, you need to submit, not as a studio, this is on you. So this is all the individuals out there submitting and we cannot wait to see all these reels that are submitted. Ed, Dante, thanks so much for hanging with me today. Thank you so much for walking through the Demo Duel and we cannot see, cannot wait to see what it all looks like when it comes together this summer.
Dante J Rinaldi (23:48)
Woo!
Yes.
Ed Cheetham (24:04)
Thank you, Mack.
Dante J Rinaldi (24:07)
Awesome
awesome. Thanks buddy awesome being here
Ed Cheetham (24:08)
That's great. you.
Mack Garrison (24:10)
Yeah, thanks everyone.
Takeover Tuesday with David Holm
An interview with David Holm: a 2D animation & illustration specialist from Detroit, Michigan.
Interviewer: Bella Alfonsi
Read time: 5min
Bella:
Thanks for joining us for Takeover Tuesday, Dave! Please give the people a lil' introduction!
Dave:
My Name is David Holm and I am an animator/designer at Boxfort, in Detroit Michigan.
Bella:
How did you get into motion design?
Dave:
I went to school for graphic design originally but always wanted to make cartoons and make short films.
The community college at the time didn't have any classes for 2d animation.
But towards my last semester I won a scholarship contest. Which gave me the funds to take a full year of extra classes. So I took Intro to After Effects and Advanced After Effects(taught by Steve Savalle at the time)
And those two classes really helped me use my graphic design and illustration skills in a new way.
Then a year after graduating college in 2012 I landed my first in house studio job as a motion designer!
A frame David’s reel.
Bella:
What's the workflow like when mixing 2D and 3D styles together?
Dave:
When I work with mixing 2D and 3D I usually like the 3d elements to ground the 2D animations. So the characters will be all 2D animated but the environment is all made in 3D.
I just think mixing the 2d/3d can give you a really unique look and results. I also really like using glass and reflections to get cool random light leaks.
Bella:
I love me a character made from an inanimate object- big fan of yours. How do you give personality to something that isn't a human?
Dave:
Thank you! I really have a wild imagination that lets me give random objects backstories and wonder how this character/object behaves in an animated world.
Every object in my house has been drawn with a face lol
Dave worked with his pals Gunner to create some animated stickers for a unique mint company called Flintt Mints
Bella:
Do you have a favorite project that you've worked on?
Dave:
My favorite project I've worked on is probably Recess or Half Rez, because we collaborated together to mix a bunch of styles together and made something that felt fresh and unique.
Bella:
Where do you find inspiration?
Dave:
I find inspiration in everyday life. I really benefit from going outside and just watching the plants sway in the wind. And see the wild life thrive and just live around us.
Also bringing a mini sketch book around and using it to do quick idea sketches on the spot.
Bella:
What are you most proud of in your career thus far?
Dave:
What I am most proud of in my career would be probably being able to successfully work as an animator/designer and pursue other hobbies on the side.
Recently I joined my friends band and being freelance lets me be flexible to do both. Also, contributing on the Dash Bash titles this year was a highlight too!
It was a dream project to work with Dash and have it be seen by so many creatives.
Frame from Recess, a Boxfort short film.
Bella:
What's it like working at Boxfort? Do you collaborate often with fellow freelancers?
Dave:
Working at Boxfort has been incredible, we have grown a lot in the last year and we have a lot of new creative energy. We do collaborate a lot by giving each other advice or suggestions. And we are also in the process of creating a handful
of new animated short films. We actually just released an animated short for the new Gunner School. You can check that out here.
Bella:
Do you have any advice for being stuck in a creative rut/how to get out of it?
Dave:
If I get stuck in a creative rut, I usually need to take a break from the screen and all technology. Taking a walk in the woods or a park helps me so much to give myself some clarity and motivation.
Music playlists that are made to get me motivated and stay creative help me a lot too. Also exercise a little will give your brain a boost. We like to play hacky Sack to break up the screen time. It gets your body moving and it's fun!
Bella:
Any final words of wisdom?
Dave:
Final words of wisdom would be to write down your projects/to do lists daily. Sketch ideas out instead of doom scrolling social media. Also, you should set aside a day to not be on the computer at least once a week.
Event Accommodations
We’ve been able to secure room blocks at multiple hotels within walking distance to our location. To book within the room block use the instructions below. Room blocks are limited and are first come first serve:
(1) Holiday Inn
Address:
320 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC, 27603
Details:
Set in a 19-story rotunda, this modern hotel is 0.7 miles from the Raleigh Convention Center and 14.8 miles from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Go online or call 855-914-1878 to book a room block (use Block ID: DAS) to book by phone. You will need to book by 8/22/2021 to get the discounted rate.
Address:
600 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh NC, 27603
Details:
This modern hotel is 1 mile from live music at the Red Hat Amphitheater and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
Go online or call (919) 825-4770 to book.
(3) Aloft
Address:
2100 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607
Details:
On a tree-lined boulevard across from North Carolina State University, this stylish hotel is a mile from the Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh and 2 miles from the North Carolina State Capitol.
Visit the website or call (919) 828-9900 to book
(4) Longleaf
Address: 300 N Dawson St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
An 8-minute walk from the North Carolina State Capitol, this chic hotel with a mid-century modern vibe is a 16-minute walk from both Raleigh Union train station and performances at the Red Hat Amphitheater.
Check out the website or call (919) 867-5770 to book
Here are a few other places we’d recommend that do not currently have a room block:
(5) The Guest House
Address: 420 S Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Set on a tree-lined street Downtown, this genteel adults-only boutique hotel in a 19th-century Victorian home is a 14-minute walk from the North Carolina Museum of History and a 12-minute walk from the North Carolina State Capitol. It's a mile from Raleigh Union Station.
919-533-3052.
Address: 421 S Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 2760
Details:
This sophisticated hotel is a 2-minute walk from the Raleigh Convention Center and a 5-minute walk from the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.
(919) 834-9900.
Address: 603 W Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
In the vibrant Warehouse District, this upmarket hotel is a 7-minute walk from contemporary art exhibits at CAM Raleigh and an 8-minute walk from Raleigh Union Station. The North Carolina State Capitol is less than a mile away.
(984)275-2220.
Things To Do In Raleigh
Attention future dash bash attendees: you’ll have an entire weekend to romp around our city. As the vaccine becomes more widely available, and you feel more comfortable venturing out, experience Raleigh like a true local. Take a look at some of our favorite places to hang and things to do around the City of Oaks!
A list of cool Raleigh to-do’s.
Read time: 10min
(1) Take a load off, grab a cocktail…
Address:
1 Glenwood Ave., Suite 101, Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Dram & Draught planted roots in Raleigh in the Summer of 2016. Though they feature some pretty amazing hand-crafted cocktails, craft beer, and local wines, their claim to fame is the 300+ international whiskeys you can peruse. Let us know your favorites!
Address:
555 Fayetteville St. #155, Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
The Haymaker is a little off the beaten path. When you stumble upon this hidden gem, you will find a perfect combination of downtown frenzy mixed with neighborhood watering hole vibes. Overall, a hip haunt featuring creative cocktails in a cozy ambiance with an offbeat, vintage-style decor.
Address:
310 S. West St., Suite 110, Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Located along Union Station’s tracks, if you’re looking for a bright and welcoming spot with some killer cocktails, look no further. Junction West was opened by a local couple within the Warehouse District. Rob Grantz, one of the bar’s co-owners, is a second-level cicerone, beer sommelier, and a former brewer at Trophy Brewing Co. That being said, their selections are top-notch.
Address:
519 W. North St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Heavy on the speakeasy feel, Clockwork takes you on a trip back to a time when cocktails were fresh and music was timeless. Come for the drinks, stay for the vibes. Pro-tip: check out their outdoor seating area!
Address:
106 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Gallo is a mezcal-focused, come-as-you-are, rock & roll cocktail oasis in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Unfamiliar with mezcal? In short, it’s a smoked agave liquor. Think of it as tequila’s cooler cousin. Need we say more?
2) More of a beer person? We got you…
Address:
218 S. Blount St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
A brewery and dim sum restaurant in the heart of downtown Raleigh. We love a one-stop-shop! This chic hangout showcases a variety of handcrafts, house-made brews, and dim sum. All in a multifunctional space that also houses a book and flower shop.
Address:
3709 Neil St., Raleigh, NC 27607
Details:
Raleigh Brewing’s mission is to embrace the City of Oaks with every beer they brew. From the murals of the capital city on the taproom walls to the actual names of the beers, they thrive for the city!
Address:
202 E. Cedar St., Cary, NC 27511
Details:
Bond Brothers’ recently completed industrial, modern space is quickly becoming a popular epicenter in the downtown community. With over 9,000 square feet of brewery, taproom, and beer garden space to enjoy, they have built a destination that equally matches the quality of their beers.
Address:
500 E. Davie Suite 170 Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Established in 2019, The Exhibit space serves as an alternate realm to Burial Beer’s Asheville and Charlotte locations. It’s a unique exploration of the Burial art world located in Downtown Raleigh's Transfer Co. Food Hall. Here you’ll find a selection of VISUALS wines, cider, vermouth, and over 24 taps.
Address:
518 Pershing Rd., Raleigh, NC 27608
Details:
Neuse is a craft brewery situated between North Raleigh and Downtown. Nestled just outside of the Five Points neighborhood, NRBC is accompanied by five other craft breweries, all within a one-mile radius of each other. Neuse focuses on Belgian ales and IPAs, but also experiments with some more contemporary and experimental styles, ultimately offering a wide selection. Everyone can find something they’ll enjoy.
(3) Hungry…?
Address:
1053 E. Whitaker Mill Rd., STE 111, Raleigh, NC 27604
Details:
A New Orleans-inspired kitchen. Along with a killer food selection, Hummingbird offers handcrafted cocktails, wines, and a full coffee bar, all in a relaxed, open setting.
Address:
901 W. Morgan St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Winner of OpenTable’s Top 50 Vegetarian-friendly restaurants in the country, Irregardless is a farm-to-table cafe with meals sourced from local farms around the triangle. Come for the delicious food, stay for the live music hosted weekly.
Address:
273 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
James Beard Award–winning chef Ashley Christensen opened this modern fried chicken and waffles spot, which serves the namesake dish as well as modern takes on other Southern classics. Sit at the bar and wash down the restaurant's hearty cuisine with a craft cocktail or glass of champagne. Brunch here is also a BIG hit on the weekends.
Address:
137 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, Sitti offers authentic Lebanese dishes with a modern spin in an airy space featuring a communal table + an art deco bar.
Address:
500 E. Davie St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Transfer is built around food and its power to connect the community. Located in a local historic garage in Downtown Raleigh, it’s THE go-to food hall, market, and gathering place. The hall houses 11 different vendors, meaning everyone can find something they’re craving here!
(4) Get your caffeine fix…
Address:
219 S. West St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Heirloom is a modern cafe featuring espresso-based drinks, loose-leaf teas, and sake cocktails in a bright, sleek venue. Feeling hungry? They also serve Laotian and Taiwanese food that earned them a spot on Bon Appetit's ‘Top 50 restaurants of 2019’ list.
Address:
10 E. Hargett St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Neighbor to The Raleigh Times Bar, Morning Times is a two-story coffeehouse serving light fare in a bohemian, exposed-brick space with an art gallery located upstairs. Evening visitors can enjoy a glass of red with dessert as they check out the works created by the featured artist of the month.
Address:
2100 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27607
Details:
Located on the first floor of the Aloft Hotel, Jubala is a made-to-order coffee shop, serving single-origin, pour-over, and French press along with the classic espresso drinks. The space features an open kitchen along with the option of outdoor seating. Try one of their breakfast sammies!
Address:
7705 Lead Mine Rd., Raleigh, NC 27615
Details:
Sola is a family-owned neighborhood cafe & espresso bar serving up eats such as pizza and pastries. Pro-tip: stop by on a Friday night to enjoy some live music.
Address:
7 W Hargett St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
For all of our caffeine-sensitive friends, Raleigh Raw is a community-inspired organic juice bar and cafe. Along with their killer juices, they serve a menu of exclusively raw foods, including poke bowls!
(5) For all of our art + cultural lovers…
North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA)
Address:
2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC 27607
Details:
Located in West Raleigh, the NCMA houses more than 5,000 years of artistic heritage, including one of the nation's largest collections of Jewish ceremonial art. The museum offers daily guided tours of the exhibitions, and on Saturdays at 10:30 AM, you can catch a guided tour of the surrounding park. The 164-acre park features nine monumental works of art, which visitors can peruse on foot or by bike. Iris, the museum's light-filled, in-house restaurant, looks out over gardens. On Friday both the restaurant and museum stay open late and offer live music. Admission is free!
Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) Raleigh
Address:
409 W. Martin St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
CAM Raleigh is a stunning gallery with beautiful vaulted ceilings and plenty of natural lighting. The facility houses a great variety of multimedia, contemporary artworks. Guided tours are offered every Sunday at 2:00 PM. The best part? Admission is free!
Address:
11 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Our Museum of Natural Sciences is the oldest established museum in North Carolina and the largest museum of its kind in the Southeastern United States — go us! The museum features dinosaurs, whale skeletons, live animals, walk-through dioramas, special exhibits, hands-on science education, and accessible scientists. You can also view more than a dozen exhibits from coastal to prehistoric North Carolina, see a live sloth in the Living Conservatory, engage in hands-on activities in the Discovery Room, and even experience life as a bug in the Arthropod Zoo. General admission is free!
Address:
1903 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27607
Details:
The Gregg is located on the North Campus of NC State University. Admission is free, and their permanent collection houses more than 35,000 objects including ceramics, paintings, photography, sculptures, architectural drawings, archaeological artifacts, modern furniture, and so much more!
Address:
1070 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC 27606
Details:
Ever been to a robotic library? Now you can say you have. The Hunt Library is located on NC State’s Centennial Campus. Here’s how it works: book selection is headed by a supercomputer in the bowels of the building. The bookBot barcodes the volumes, sorts them by size, and stores them in more than 18,000 bins. You can watch the bookBot through a glass wall on the first floor of the building as it speeds through huge storage aisles to retrieve books, journals, and other materials.
(6) Support a local business…
Address:
208 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
The ZEN Succulent is a black-owned, neighborhood plant shop full of unique greenery and handcrafted gifts from local makers. ZEN was created by the mother/daughter duo, Margaret and Megan George, and is most known for its modern terrariums, workshops, and DIY terrarium bar. If your space needs a little greenery, this is definitely the place to go.
Address:
319 W. Martin St., #100, Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Raleigh Denim is an industrial-chic shop specializing in high-end, hand-crafted rustic denim jeans & apparel. All apparel is locally designed and manufactured in their downtown workshop. Check them out if you are in need of some new threads!
Address:
3022 W. St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Located in the Warehouse District next to the train station, Father and Son’s has been selling Mid Century Modern home furnishings and vintage clothing since 1997. This store has one of the best vintage clothing selections we’ve seen in a very long time.
Address:
207 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
DECO is a lively, colorful, and unique gift shop located in downtown Raleigh. They feature the work of more than 50 local artisans, including jewelry, prints, pottery, cards, chocolate, and the very best local t-shirt collection. It’s definitely one of our go-to’s for souvenirs.
Address:
215 E. Franklin St, #110, Raleigh, NC 27604
Details:
Located between Two Roosters ice cream and Wine Authorities, Edge of Urge is your one-stop shop for unique local gifts, small-batch cosmetics, handmade jewelry, and women's fashion from emerging designers and independent brands! Jessie Williams had originally founded this quirky boutique in Wilmington, NC back in 2002, and expanded to Raleigh’s Oakwood neighborhood around five years ago. Stop by if you’re in the market for some kitschy gifts.
(7) Experience the great outdoors…
Address:
2105 Umstead Dr., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Raleigh’s largest city park encompasses a whopping 308-acres in the heart of downtown. The site features an off-leash dog area, seasonal sunflower field, and a stunning view of the Raleigh skyline.
Address:
4415 Beryl Rd., Raleigh, NC 27606
Details:
The JC Raulston Arboretum is a 10-acre, nationally acclaimed botanical garden with one of the largest and most diverse collections of landscape plants in the Southeast. This stunning garden displays more than 6,000 different types of plants from around the world. Admission is free!
Address:
200 S. McDowell St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Named after Abner Nash, the second governor of North Carolina. Nash Square Park is the perfect place to picnic while enjoying some city views.
Address:
Multiple access points.
Details:
Along the eastern edge of Raleigh, the Neuse River Trail follows the river for nearly 30 miles from Falls Lake Dam to the Wake/Johnston County line. There are several river crossings along the way, including two on suspension bridges. The scenic, tree-lined trail offers numerous wildlife viewing opportunities. There are three points of access, which we have taken the liberty to list below:
2928 Horseshoe Farm Road (2928 Horseshoe Farm Road)
Buffaloe Road Athletic Park (5812 Buffaloe Road)
Anderson Point Park (20 Anderson Point Drive)
(8) And at the end of the day, rest your head…
Address:
308 S. Boylan Ave., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
Montfort Hall, now known as the Heights House Hotel, is an Italianate-style estate completed in the early 1860s. It sits on the highest point of the Boylan Heights neighborhood in downtown Raleigh and is one of the few remaining pre-Civil War houses in the area. Having undergone restorations to be made into a boutique hotel and event space, the house now has nine large en-suite guest rooms that can sleep up to 20 guests.
Address:
2100 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27607
Details:
Aloft is a design-forward hotel celebrating local art and unique lifestyles. Set in the heart of downtown Raleigh, it’s directly across from NC State University’s campus and is extremely walkable to Cameron Village’s shopping and dining areas. Even better yet, it’s dog friendly, so bring your furry friend if you so feel inclined!
Address:
300 N. Dawson St., Raleigh, NC 27603
Details:
The Longleaf Hotel is a modernized, mid-century gem located at the northern gateway to downtown Raleigh. In their own words, “Expect an unpretentious atmosphere that is just a little bit swanky, because you should feel both comfortable and special at the same time.”
Address:
420 S. Bloodworth St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
Guest House is an intimate, eight-room boutique inn and cottage in the heart of Downtown Raleigh. It’s walkable to almost everything (including a fair amount of places noted on this list).
Address:
500 Fayetteville St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Details:
The Marriott City Center is located in the middle of Downtown Raleigh. Connected to the Silver-LEED Certified Raleigh Convention Center, this modern hotel is in close proximity to the city’s top entertainment, shopping centers, restaurants, and business district.
We hear the best things come in pairs, so keep an eye out for a part II!