Movie: Dear John (2010)

Dear John is a romantic drama/war movie written by Jamie Linden and directed by Lasse Hallstrom, based on the book by Nicholas Sparks. Stars: Amanda Seyfried as Savannah Lynn Curtis, Channing Tatum as John Tyree, Scott Porter as Randy, Henry Thomas as Tim and Richard Jenkins as Mr Tyree (John's Father). The film will release on February 6, 2010 by Screen Gems. John Tyree grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina raised by a single dad whose wife dumped the two males in her life. However, John learns from his father's Asperger's syndrome and his mother's abandonment that relationships must remain short, one night stands being his modus operendi except for joining the army where he makes a lifetime commitment as an infantryman.

Dear John HD Movie Trailer:

When John was twenty-three and on leave he meets University of North Carolina special education major Savannah Lynn Curtis at Wrightsville Beach. They are attracted to one another though he is a social pariah and she volunteers her time for all types of social causes. They have nothing in common, but fall in love. John plans to leave the service once his enlistment is up so he can marry his beloved and raise a family with her; Savannah Lynn vows to wait for her Dear John. However, 9/11 changes the dynamics as he chooses country over love by reenlisting; she must decide between waiting and sending a "Dear John" letter by choosing a wannabe suitor, her long time friend Tim.

Movie: Evil Weed (2009)

Evil Weed is a horror movie written and directed by David Wexler, stars: Brianna Barnes, Genevieve Hudson-Price, Cynthia LaForte, Bekim Trenova, Nick Weil, Jonathan Reed Wexler and Ryan Willard. The film will release on October 30, 2009 by Cinema 59 Production. In the movie, Emily and her sister Danielle play host to friends at their parents’ country house in the Hamptons. The weekend is poised for success. Murph, Emily’s boyfriend, has chosen this occasion to propose, their respective best friends seem to be hitting it off, and Danielle’s alienated boyfriend scores in the clutch by supplying the drugs. But when his bag of unicorn weed livens up the party, some of the group begin to suffer from a weird reaction. Inexplicable violence abruptly brings down their high. This October, a certain few friends are going to wish they hadn’t inhaled.

Evil Weed HD Movie Trailer:

Movie: How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

How to Train Your Dragon is a computer animated comedy adventure movie based on the book by Cressida Cowell. The film is directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, and written by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders (script). Stars: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Craig Ferguson. The film is set to be released on March 26, 2010 by DreamWorks Animation / Paramount Pictures.

The movie is about a young viking named Hiccup (Jay Baruchel)that's the chief's son, who like every other young viking boy, has to catch and train his own dragon. The two most wanted aspects to be allowed to stay in the tribe The Hairy Hooligans! He is the worst boy for the job, as he isn't the best at heroism or training dragons. It is no surprise when on a dragon hunt, Hiccup gets a Common Garden Dragon, while the bully gets a Monstrous Nightmare, the type of dragon only the Chief or Chief's son should get. When a nasty pair of Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus appear on the beach, only Hiccup has a plan to save the day...

How to Train Your Dragon Teaser:

New Movie Releases Today: Weekend Friday October 23 2009

Amelia

After becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, Amelia Earhart was thrust into a new role as America's sweetheart - the legendary "goddess of light," known for her bold, larger-than-life charisma. Yet, even with her global fame solidified, her belief in flirting with danger and standing up as her own, outspoken woman never changed. For more information about the movie: Amelia

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Astro Boy

Set in futuristic Metro City, Imagi Studios' ASTRO BOY is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist to replace the son he has lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving father's expectations, our hero embarks on a journey in search of acceptance. For more information about the movie: Astro Boy

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Ong Bak 2 The Beginning

Martial arts superstar Tony Jaa stars in and directs this epic tale of revenge set hundreds of years in the past. Featuring a huge cast and hordes of elephants, this prequel takes Jaa’s skills to the next level, showcasing him as a master of a wide range of martial arts styles - while proving him to be a promising director as well. For more information about the movie: Ong Bak 2 The Beginning

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Killing Kasztner

The Jew Rezso Kasztner who faced down Eichmann, saved thousands – and paid with his life. True stories rarely contain a historic mystery, a courtroom drama, a political murder, and a family saga, but all can be found in the contentious story of Rezso Kasztner. In Nazi occupied Hungary, Kasztner, a Jew, dared to negotiate face to face with the architect of the Final Solution, Adolf Eichmann. For more information about the movie: Killing Kasztner

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As Seen Through These Eyes

As Maya Angelou narrates this powerful documentary, she reveals the story of a brave group of people who fought Hitler with the only weapons they had: charcoal, pencil stubs, shreds of paper and memories etched in their minds. For more information about the movie: As Seen Through These Eyes

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Saw VI

In Saw 6 Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood. For more information about the movie: Saw VI

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The Vampire’s Assistant

An adaptation of the first three books of the book series, The Saga of Darren Shan, by author Darren Shan. It is about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares. For more information about the movie: The Vampire’s Assistant

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Stan Helsing

Its Halloween night, and stoner video clerk Stan Helsing (Steve Howey of Reba) along with his insanely sexy ex-girlfriend (Diora Baird of The Wedding Crashers and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning), his best budy (Kenan Thompson of SNL) and an "exotic dancer"/"massage therapist" (Desi Lydic)- detour into a town cursed by parodies of 6 of the biggest monsters in movie history. For more information about the movie: Stan Helsing

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Antichrist

A couple loses their young son when he falls out the window while they have sex in the other room. The mother's grief consigns her to hospital, but her therapist husband brings her home intent on treating her depression himself. To confront her fears they go to stay at their remote cabin in the woods, "Eden", where something untold happened the previous summer. For more information about the movie: Antichrist

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Untitled

A New York City art gallerist (Marley Shelton) falls for a brooding new music composer (Adam Goldberg) in this comic tale about the state of contemporary art and music. For more information about the movie: Untitled

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Motherhood

Eliza Welch is a former fiction writer-turned-mom-blogger who lives and works in two rent-stabilized apartments in a walk-up tenement building smack in the middle of an otherwise upscale Greenwich Village. Starting at dawn, her to-do list is daunting: prepare for and throw her daughter's 6th birthday party, mind her toddler son, battle for a parking space during an epic alternate side parking showdown, navigate playground politics with overbearing moms, and mend a rift with after posting her best friend's confession on her blog. For more information about the movie: Motherhood

Movie: Killing Kasztner (2009)

Killing Kasztner is a documentary movie written by Andy Cohen and Gaylen Ross, and directed by Gaylen Ross. The film is set to be released on October 23, 2009. The Jew Rezso Kasztner who faced down Eichmann, saved thousands – and paid with his life. True stories rarely contain a historic mystery, a courtroom drama, a political murder, and a family saga, but all can be found in the contentious story of Rezso Kasztner. In Nazi occupied Hungary, Kasztner, a Jew, dared to negotiate face to face with the architect of the Final Solution, Adolf Eichmann. While the Nazi killing machine was at its peak, Kasztner secured a rescue train for 1684 Jews from Budapest, and bargained for tens of thousands of more lives.

Killing Kasztner Movie Trailer:

It may have been the largest rescue of its kind during the Holocaust, more than were saved by Oskar Schindler. Yet Kasztner was condemned as a traitor in his adopted country of Israel; accused as a collaborator in a trial and verdict that divided a nation and forever stamped him as the “man who sold his soul to the devil.” He was ultimately assassinated by Jewish right wing extremists in Tel Aviv in 1957. After receiving critical acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival and playing to sold out houses in Israel, American director Gaylen Ross’s Killing Kasztner - eight years in the making - now poses the question to U.S. audiences: Was Rezso Kasztner a heroic rescuer of Jews or a villain colluding with the Nazis? Through accounts of the inflammatory political trial, startling revelations after 50 years by Kasztner’s assassin, Ze’ev Eckstein, and a chilling meeting between the killer and Kasztner’s daughter, Zsuzsi, audiences finally can decide the legacy of this forgotten man.

Movie: The Spy Next Door (2010)

The Spy Next Door is a comedy / action movie written by Jonathan Bernstein and Jim Greer, and directed by Brian Levant. Stars: Jackie Chan, Madeline Carroll, Alina Foley, George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus, Amber Valletta and Katherine Boecher. The film is set to be released on January 29, 2010 by Lionsgate. Plot: While babysitting his neighbor's children, a mild-mannered guy winds up having to fight off secret agents after one of the kids inadvertently downloads a secret code.

The Spy Next Door HD Movie Trailer:

Red Cliff Movie Posters

Red Cliff opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) seeking permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush two troublesome warlords that stand in his way, Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Chang Chen). As the expedition gets under way, Cao Cao’s troops rain destruction on Liu Bei’s army, forcing the latter to retreat. Read more information about the movie... Red Cliff

I'm Looking For Work/Internship!!!

Golly gosh! It's been quite a while since my last post, sorry guys!
I've been ultra-busy with my major project for 3rd year uni lately. The good thing about that however is that I have a bit of new design stuff to show. Awesome!

So apparently all this hoobla over my NES coffee table has caused quite a bit of publicity for me and it has come to my attention that apparently the Herald Sun is going to be writing an article about my coffee table in the Tech Liftout of tomorrows news paper (holy fucking shit! AWE-SOME).

Which gives me the perfect opportunity to upload a whole pile of design works and stuff now, so hopefully tomorrow when everyone in Melbourne reads the paper, some person in some design studio somewhere in Melbourne (dear lord please let it be some awesome studio like Qube Konstrukt or Iloura) will read my blog, see my current work and think "hey, this guy is cool, we should totally hire him or something!"

IF YOU ARE FROM A DESIGN OR VISUAL EFFECTS STUDIO IN MELBOURNE AND THINK MY WORK IS UP TO STANDARD PLEASE GIVE ME A HEADS UP! I AM LOOKING FOR WORK OR AN INTERNSHIP VERY SOON! RAWR!!!!
- I am currently in my third year of BA:Animation & Interactive Media (Multimedia) at RMIT University.
-I am proficient in Maya as well as well as After Effects, Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, Flash, Dream Weaver etc. etc.
-I am preferably looking for a 3D modelling job, since that definitely seems to be my strongest skill.
-I live in Essendon, about 20 minutes out of the city, I only have two days uni this semester, and once I have completed that (with flying colours hopefully) I will be looking for full time work in this field.
- My email address is khdownes@hotmail.com

Anyway, while I'm here, I better show of some of the stuff I have been working on lately. I'll put everything in chronological from most recent to least recent.
At the moment I am making a motion graphics piece about the history of video games for my major project for uni.
Here are a few of the models I have been working on which will be part of it (p.s. Most of these models aren't quite finished yet, there's still a bit more detail to add to them):
First up is an Enzo Ferrari which will represent the move to more realistic graphics towards the end of the piece:

Next is the Super Nintendo I modelled yesterday morning, I'm still trying to figure out how to adjust the luminance depth pass in Maya to create depth of field in after effects;

I also modelled a NES earlier in the week, there's still a fair bit more detail to add to this model yet:

Just a quick render of the Playstation 1 I modelled today (really need to figure out those problems with final gather that create the crappy smudge look around some edges):

Here's a little vinyl toy-style mario kart I made, he's only a simple model because he is only going to be on screen for a second or two:
That's All I have to show for my major project work so far, I've been working like 13 hours a day every single frkn day of the holidays doing about 25-30 models all up, but these are the only ones I've textured so far.

So, onto some older work I have done.
This was a simple little character I did for an animation project last semester for uni, his name is Derek!:


Last year we had to design a brochure for one of the classes based on a company called Ideolab, this was mine (that's my awesome motorbike there too, it took like half an hour to get the damn number plate off to take that picture!):

Here is a website I did for a programming project last semester too:
Here is some motion work that I have done in the past too!:
I did this last year for a motion graphics project, here is the youtube link: Visual Effects Project: Dream

This is a fun little short film that me and my friends made last year called Cops on Bikes, it follows two renegade bicycle-riding cops called Hannigan and Callaway as they venture to bust the biggest drug lord on the west side; Don Vido.
I can't say the story itself is all that crash hot, but it was a good chance for me to get to play with filming, lighting and editing etc. and playing with colour grading:
(here's the youtube link: Cops on Bikes)

And last of all, here are a few drawings that I did a while ago:
This is a T-shirt I made last year when my cousin Ben died, in memory of him:

And this is just a random drawing I had done a while ago about loyalty and friendship: